in the way to it will he now disappoint thee No assuredly If he would not have saved thee he would have let thee alone as thy companions and many others and never have done this for thee O but the Devil is so strong and subtile and I so weak and simple He that hath pluckt thee out of his hands will never suffer him to get thee captive again It were else a disgrace to Christ Except therefore he be stronger then God and Christ thou needest not fear At the revelation of Jesus Christ. He plucks these Jews from Moses Law and the Ceremonies which were out of date but they could hardly be so perswaded and brings them to the Gospel which discovers Christ He was in that Law covered with Vails of Sacrifices and Ceremonies c. All these be done away in the Gospel where Christ is laid open without any covering Note We have the excellency of the Gospel that doth uncover and lay open Christ Jesus unto us brings us tidings of him who is the Way the Truth and the Life and the onely Savior of the world So that the Gospel is the glory of the World The Sun is not so necessary in the Firmament as the Gospel is to the world This teacheth us Christ which is life eternal and St. Paul desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified and counted all dung for the excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord O how welcome should this be It is well called glad tidings so it is indeed The Gospel is our pardon If we should finde evidences of great Lands and Inheritances to come to us or a Will wherein were bequeathed great Legacies to us how glad would we be of the same How often would we revise and read them over The Gospel brings us tidings and tells us the way to come to an everlasting inheritance and therein are bequeathed such blessed Legacies Item I give thee forgiveness of thy sins by my Sons death Item Eternal life by his obedience Item I give thee assurance that thou shalt be raised here from sin and that thy body shall be raised at the last day by my Sons Resurrection Item I give thee assurance of a place in Heaven by my Sons Ascension 1. Is it not a marvel then that the Gospel is so hardly entertained and that the World cares so little for it It s welcome to most people not as if it brought them news of a blessing but as if it would spoil them of all they have 2. How should they that want it be set on work to labor to get it as without which there 's no Salvation Its light food armor without which darkness famine spoil If the Sun should be wanting to a Town and could be procured how would all joyn to get it Or rain for a dry and barren ground who would not wonder at any that should be against it yet who joyns who labors for the Gospel 3. If the Gospel be the revelation of Jesus Christ then are the Ministers revealers of this blessed Secret therefore worthy to be acknowledged for their works sake for the greatness of their work and the excellency thereof Pharaoh reverenced and advanced Joseph for smaller matters O how beautiful are the feet of such Most people either rate them or at least set light by them not reverencing their calling but esteeming them more base then the meanest Tradesman But that grieves us not so much as that unkindeness that we meet with from them from whom we look for most comfort and encouragement Verse 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance TO Faith he addeth Repentance and Sanctification by the one to testifie the other as in the second Epistle he wills them to adde unto their Faith vertue as if he should say You that sometimes were the Children of wrath and are now by grace made Gods Children walk obediently as becomes such a mercy This Sanctification hath two parts and stands 1. In renouncing evil or the lusts which before grace we were wont to be led by 2. In putting on and embracing holiness of life that we may resemble the disposition of our Father who is holy and looks for holiness in his yea holiness in all maner of conversation For the order first goes Faith then Obedience and Sanctification for as the light and Sun-beams comes from the Sun a river from the Spring head fruit from the tree so doth obedience from Faith Till a man be pardoned and believe he cannot repent nor obey the will of God no more then a dead stick can bring forth fruit When by Faith we are ingrafted into Christ then we receive power not before one that hath never been humbled aright for sin cannot hate and flie from sin as he should He that seeth not the love of God to him cannot love God nor set upon a good life to deny his lusts being as dear as his life and to yield obedience is irksom to nature for this cause the Devil is such an enemy to our Faith and labors to shake it for then he knows he damps our care of a good life 1. This condemns Papists that boast of holiness of life and yet overthrow the foundation of it viz. A true justifying faith They may stir up good moods and a blinde devotion by scaring men with the pains of hell and telling them of the joys of heaven but no sound Obedience godly Life renouncing Lusts c. without the work of Faith from that will be Obedience even to suffering 2. It confutes them that think Repentance is before Faith they are indeed wrought at once and Repentance sheweth it self first but in order of nature Faith is as the root Many humble souls hold off and dare not believe O say they if I could repent so heartily as I see some and could serve God as I would then I could believe 3. It teacheth men that if ever they will set upon a good life indeed and in time they must begin at the right end and lay a foundation of true justifying faith for want of this many deceive themselves that have some purpose to do well being afflicted or somewhat stirred at the Word and fall out of a bad course to leave this and that evil or take up good duties and many that never had experience of the work of Faith that think they live well or some that upon some occasion thus promise You shall never hear me swear more I le never play more Never come in an Alehouse yet this lasts not but they fal to their old byase by and by because they took not the right course Many also purpose to repent and do great matters but this is a greater matter then the world thinks off a man must first be the childe of God ere he can obey and Faith must be wrought first ere he can
and Pharaoh's Officers were imprisoned but he unjustly they justly Such as are reviled are blessed provided it be for the Name of Christ and for Righteousness sakes 1. This rebuketh all that suffer for ill-doing especially such as rejoyce therein as 1. The Papists who keep a Kalender of Martyrs I warrant you that have suffered in our late Queens days and since but they be the Devils Martyrs if they be any If they had not impudent faces they would be ashamed of them for why have they suffered for their Religion no such matter Have they been asked what say you to the Mass to Worshipping of Images to Justification by Works c. if you will not recant these you shall dye no such thing but they have been convicted by Witnesses or their own Confession of Treason and Mischief against the Prince State and Common-wealth and for these have they according to the Laws of all Countreys and Kingdoms as pestilent instruments been cut off Yet if they had been put to death for their Religion they had been no Martyrs for it had not been for the Truth or Gospels sake but for maintaining Lyes and Errors None can dye the death of a Martyr who hath not first lived the life of a Christian which they did never they are even as good Martyrs as those of our own that be executed for their theft and murther They have a multitude of Saints in their Kalender that be Fire-brands in Hell 2. Such as for their crimes and faults bring sufferings upon themselves as thieves murtherers c. woful wretches they have cause to hang down their heads both in respect of their sin and the punishment that doth befal them they are herein companions with the Devil and Reprobates that they suffer for their sins Others bring punishments upon themselves for their Drunkenness Whoredom Cousenage Oppression Quarrelling Idleness c. Others bring an ill report upon themselves being noted and ill-spoken of for Lyars Backbiters Slanderers Tale-tellers Covetous Pinehers Hard Dealers Gamesters Company-keepers c. 3. Such as are professors of Christianity and it may be have some good things in them which yet are justly blamed for some faults for one may be a Christian and be blamed and yet not for his Christianity but for something he did before he was a Christian or for some fault that is yet in him As some be justly blamed for being such deep censurers of others so for separating from the Church living in no Church at all but setting up any ignorant persons to take upon them the office of Preaching So some among our selves are justly blamed for being too proud given to censuring and medling with matters that concern them not So some poor men that have nothing but their Labor and a Family depending upon them that yet be negligent in their Callings and look to live of others and it may be go to three or four Sermons in a week and tarry abroad a day or two here three or four there or as some go from house to house and live of others who though they can talk well yet must not be negligent in their Calling or of their Families So a number of Servants that profess Religion are very desirous to hear every Sermon who yet are idle lazy careless and untrusty thinking that a little profession of goodness should bear out all when-as thereupon there 's more required at their hands These cause the Name of God to be ill spoken of fie upon it it is your Masters duty to let you come to the Word and is it not as well your duty to give them an account when you are come home which some of you do not at all and to shew the fruit of your hearing by your faithfulness in your particular places 2. Let all beware of these kindes of sufferings and those that have besmeared themselves thus seek to wash themselves clean again by repentance to God and better conversation to men let us walk so warily that we may not in any case grieve the Servants of God and that the wicked may finde nothing justly to speak ill of us as thus He is a Professor but covetous idle proud c. as the Princes though they watched Daniel narrowly could finde nothing against him but in the cause of his God Yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Now of the other kinde of sufferings whereof no man ought to be ashamed If a man suffer for Christs sake his Christianity godliness for that very cause and in that onely respect for his goodness for holding the truth of the Gospel for yielding obedience to the Word Hereof none need be ashamed but rather thank God for the same Here note That Sufferings for godliness be glorious they be the marks of Christ Christs sufferings no shame belongs to them for no shame belongs to Christianity The Cause is good and glorious accordingly must the sufferings so be No shame belongs to goodness no shame among Turks to be counted and known a Christian among Papists to be a Protestant among common Protestants to be a zealous server of God that desires to bring into practice that which we outwardly profess we need not care who know we be such shame came in with sin and belongs to sin to suffer for goodness whether it be by word or deed as to be Apprehended Imprisoned put in Irons Whipped c. is not shameful but glorious the Apostle Paul might have boasted more of his iron Chain then others could have of their golden Chains No suffering is base if it be for a good Cause If one should be put in a vile Dungeon dragg'd at an Horse tale c. yet being for the Cause of Christ he needed not be ashamed 1. This rebuketh all such that are ashamed of goodness and to be ill spoken of for it not onely the common sort who are ashamed of no evil as of Covetuosness Swearing Sabbath breaking c. but do even strive who should exceed others therein are ashamed of the least goodness and would not be seen with a Bible in their hand or in good company or to speak a good word lest their companions and betters should upbraid them No beware well they are not worthy of the honor they shall not need to fear it But others that have some goodness in them as one would hope that are yet so ashamed of being seen to be too forward would hear oftner but for fear they should be counted Puritans have their Landlords frown c. and accordingly grieve if they have a rebuke for their forwardness Alas poor Creatures that see not what is their glory are ashamed of that they should glory in namely their goodnes which is the thing that commends every man even Kings in the Scripture are not otherwise commended but for their goodness Others as great as they are either branded with reproach or passed by in silence that had no goodness
under which they now were and that not onely for that they came in wrongfully ruled wickedly and besides were bad men but by misconceiving of the freedom purchased to them by Christ They were made free therefore thought they ought not to be bound were the children of God and heirs of HEAVEN therefore not to be subject to bad men For those causes I say the Apostle is so earnest even that hereby he might remove as well that conceit of the Gentiles as cure this disease of the Jews Hence note 1. That its the duty of Ministers to prevent offences or remove false conceits out of mens mindes and in this particular to teach the people subjection to provoke thereto to practise it in all lawful things for the world still hath this conceit of Gods Ministers and Christians and that upon the very like grounds some having risen up from time to time that have either had ill causes or if good handled them very ill and have been of a railing scoffing spirit but let it be known to all that be so minded that the faithfullest Ministers and Christians usually thus slandered are as true lovers as much subject to Government as any other whatsoever and so teach the people by whose Ministery people are both brought to be good Subjects and likewise to continue in subjection 2. Ministers must speak to the purpose and apply themselves to the state and necessity of the people they live amongst observing what duties be most neglected and what sins be rifest among them accordingly perswading to the former and disswading from the latter Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man He saith not Love that had been too familiar nor Obey that had been too straight but Submit as elswhere be subject which comprehendeth both and all other duties of Subjects Those may be referred to these four heads Reverence Obedience Thankfulness and Prayer of every of which I have heretofore spoken at large These we had need to hear of for whose heart must not needs accuse him that he hath failed much in them all needful they are to be known and practised that we may procure honor to our Profession when we declare it by subjection in all parts thereof and herein exceed those that know not God nor have had the like means of Salvation as we have And had we done our duties better to our Magistrates no question we might have enjoyed more good by their means and so shall for the time to come if we make more conscience hereof yea it s necessary that women should hear these things that being Widows they may pay such dues as are required of them or Wives be helpful to their Husbands in perswading them hereunto and that willingly and chearfully This condemneth the Anabaptists as flat opposite to Magistrates and all these duties For the Lords sake The first Reason to move us to subjection God will have it to be so who hath ordained Magistracy therefore though there be nothing in the person to deserve it yet are they very bad Magistrates that be not better then none and though they abuse their calling yet do the forenamed duty for Gods sake who hath appointed them Neither must we do the same either for fear of punishment on the one side or hope of reward on the other but for the reverence we owe unto God we must not onely do good things but do them on a good ground and in a right maner This rebukes the most part who were it not for fear of after claps and that they should hear of it would do nothing but this is not thank-worthy Slaves do thus and they that thus do their service may be beneficial to the Magistrate but themselves shall have no benefit of their doing as not proceeding from a right minde We ought not to curse or speak ill of the King or Magistrate in our thought or in our bed-chamber which yet they cannot come to know for God knows it who will revenge it We must submit our selves for conscience sake This is indeed right obedience and whereof we may have comfort Further Magistrates Laws binde us by vertue not of them but of God we must obey them and all their good Laws binde our Consciences But why and how because they be mens Laws No for no man hath power over the conscience but by vertue of a Commandment of the Lord who hath set them and given them power to make Laws for his Worship and for Civil things agreeable to his Law and bid us obey them so that their Commandments binde not our conscience by vertue of them or any power they have over our conscience but by vertue of Gods Commandment and not otherwise Again when any that have no authority from God shall give Laws they binde us not as not being the parties allowed of God to make Laws Thus are not we to obey the Popes Laws we are not to obey the Laws which a company of Rebels gathered together under some great man as say Absolom do set forth they touch not the conscience yea if even right Magistrates that may make Laws make wicked ones contrary to Gods Law those their Laws do not binde the conscience Whether it be to the King as supreme In these and the following words is a distribution of Magistrates whereof the King is Superior and chief in his Realm as were David and Solomon Kings of Israel The King here meant was Caesar that came in unjustly ruled Tyrannously and was an Idolater to whom notwithstanding they were to do the forenamed duties as amongst the rest to pray for him How much more then are good Kings to be prayed for A King in his Dominions and as far as his Kingdom reacheth hath Soveraignty and Power over all and is the principal None is above him in his own Kingdom not is any exempted from his Government He is under God the chief it s so with no other Constables have Justices above them they Judges these the Kings Counsels above them the King above him none as none were above David and Solomon He is over all persons and in all Causes the chief Persons whether high or low rich or poor men or women Ministers or people He may Tax them Censure them Depose them Imprison them yea put them to Death Ministers if they deserve it as well as others Moses rebuked Aarâ—n for the golden Calf Joash found fault with Jehoiada and the Priests for the money no better employed Solomon deposed Abiathar and set up Zadock in his room Causes not Civil onely touching mens goods lands lives and right and wrong but Ecclesiastical also as to make Laws and take Order for the worship of God the Preaching of the Word Administration of the Sacraments the behavior and maintenance of Ministers and the like and accordingly to see them done as did Asa Jehosophat Hezekiah and Josiah So that a King may be
were indeed the mad fools 2. How should this stir up them to be thankful to God that know themselves freed from this woful place and to Christ that hath suffered for them O what cause have they to rejoyce to walk obediently and to bear their few short afflictions patiently and for those that know it not me thinks they should never be quiet nor sleep good sleep till they know they are delivered from this prison 3. This should make us all not onely careful to save our own souls out of this place but to do all our endeavor to save others especially them that be committed to us as Ministers to preach diligently zealously and plainly to save their people out of Hell and pull them out of the fire such as do otherwise are merciless and cruel so Magistrates to punish sin zealously that they might not be condemned hereafter so must Parents towards their children by prayer counsel education correction so must every neighbor do what he can to save his neighbor If thou doest them no good yet shall they wish one day that they had been ruled by thee Which sometimes were disobedient Here 's the cause as well of their bodily punishment by the flood as their eternal judgement in Hell even for that they were disobedient to the Commandments of God and among the rest to the Ministery of Noah This is aggravated from the length of Gods patience shewed towards them though God told them how long he would wait yet did not they hereby become the wiser and by the real sermon which they had which was the building of the Ark They had both time and means to have repented but not repenting their sin was the greater and so was their judgement Q. Were all save those eight here mentioned drowned A. The Text is plain that all were drowned Q. Were all those that were drowned damned A. It is said That the earth was filled with cruelty they are also termed the world of the ungodly and its likely that if any had been openly known to have been good the Lord would have preserved them that they should not have perished in the waters with the rest yet it s possible that even among them that were drowned there might be some good and it were hard if we conclude that all were damned some were youths some infants not capable of sin some not born whereof some might belong to God Again it might be though not very likely that some might repent in truth when they saw the flood come However most no doubt were utterly cast away for ever yet some might be saved eternally though they had part in the bodily punishment as Cain a Reprobate had part in the temporal deliverance and yet perished eternally Hence perceive 1. The exceeding and almighty power of God that was able thus to take vengeance of the impiety of the world even of such an infinite multitude by such a judgement there 's no power nor counsel against him He is the Lord of Hosts and hath all Creatures in Heaven and Earth to use to preserve his and to destroy his Enemies even from the Angel which destroyed Senacharibs host to the very lice and worms fire ayr earth hail blasting mildew lyons bears c. are at his command there 's no Creature so mean which he cannot use to destroy the very proudest Tyrant How should this strike terror into the heart of every wicked man and make him humble himself at the footstool of the Lord and break off his sins by unfained repentance The people of Tyrus and Sidon feared Herod because he could hurt the Land who yet himself was worms meat God can plague and destroy a thousand ways What art thou that rebellest against thy Maker the Lord of the whole world who hath Heaven and Earth and Hell at his command and all Creatures in them He is able to plague thee which way soever he will every hour of the day He is able by the greatest by the meanest also of his Creatures to destroy thee as he can also immediately by himself But if he let all these alone he is able to finde enough in thine own bowels to torment thee some ill humor in thine own body or bowels to vex and weary thee any tooth in thy head may drive thee to extremity of pain thine own thoughts may take away sleep from thee yea drive thee into desperation as it befel Judas Most Princes if a great many be in a transgression or rebellion either cannot resist them or if they could dare not put them all to death for fear of rising or want of Subjects it s not so with the Lord he hath no need of men if they rebel against him he will cut them off if they be never so many he fears not O let none sin with the multitude thinking to be hidden or escape for God hath judgements enough and hath prepared Hell large enough though there be never so many that rebel against him 2. The wonderful justice of God and how he hates sin that thus revenged it upon the whole world This is a part of his name he will not account the wicked innocent He is a God that hateth and abhorreth iniquity and hath shewed it in all ages of the world He hath storehouses of judgements here against the wicked and hath prepared for them a prison and place of torment for them hereafter This should now make them tremble and fear hate sin and repent of it He hath done justice on the whole world and dost thou think to scape The world makes an Idol of him all of mercy such examples as this and that upon the Israelites in the Lamentations and many other shew his justice and this is such a dreadful example of Gods justice as should make all the world to tremble If we should see an hundred men executed together how would it daunt us what will it then to consider that thousands thousands are sent into Hell If any shall think that of those which were drowned there might some be saved eternally because oftentimes Gods servants be taken away in common calamities let them learn 1. To judge charitable of men taken away in such cases 2. Not to promise themselves any certain freedom from outward calamities howsoever we must not voke God hereunto but yet herein to commend our selves to God as which shall not hurt our souls Though we be wrapt among the wicked in some bodily affliction yet le ts be of good comfort we shall not be so at the day of Judgement we shall be delivered from eternal punishment But disobedience is as the forerunner of destruction it s as the sin of Witchcraft he who is the Lord of the whole world and requireth obedience of all cannot endure that men should contemn and disobey the admonitions of his Word whereby they are called to repentance This is mens destruction see 2
7. Christ is a living foundation 200 8. The prevention of an Objection 201 9. Christ disallowed of whom and why ibid. 10. Such things are often disallowed of men which are allowed of God 202 11. There 's an union between Christ and believers ibid. 12. How to come to be stones of this building 204 13. The whole Church makes but one Spiritual House 205 14. Every particular believer is a Spiritual House ibid. 15. Such as are united to Christ ore made holy 206 16. Believers are Priests to God ibid. 17. The prevention of an Objection 207 18. Christians are not now without Sacrifices and what they are ibid. 19. Why called Spiritual Sacrifices 208 20. Our service of God must be dòne in a Spiritual maner 209 21. The prevention of an Objection ibid. 22. Spiritual Sacrifices are not regarded of carnal men ibid. 23. Through Christ our Sacrifices are acceptable to God 210 24. Our works though imperfect accepted through Christ ibid. Verse 6. 1. THe Testimony of Gods Word is that which settles us in any point of Doctrine 211 2. The Old Testament of the same authority with the New ibid. 3. Of old people were more ready in the Scripture then they are now 212 4. What the Lord saith he doth ibid. 5. God lays the foundation of his Churches Salvation ibid. 6. The Papists take from Christ his Kingly Prophetical and Priestly Office 213 7. Believers do always finde enough in Christ ibid. 8. The miserable condition of them that believe not in Christ and who they are 214 9. Believers can never fall away wholly nor finally ibid. Verse 7 8. 1. GOds promises are to be particularly applyed 215 2. Christ is precious unto all those that believe 216 3. Such are unbelievers which are disobedient 217 4. Why the Jews did reject Christ 218 5. Succession is of Doctrine or Person 219 6. Such as do least good challenge the goodliest titles 220 7. Such as would be reputed builders are usually enemies to true builders ibid. 8. Ministers must be builders ibid. 9. Every man must be a builder 221 10. The impiety of these times ib. 11. The carelesness of these times 222 12. The enemies of the Church unable to hinder the building thereof 223 13. Ministers must divide the Word aright and give every man his portion 224 14. How Christ and his Word become stumbling blocks to unbelievers 225 15. Nothing so good whereat corrupt nature will not take occasion to stumble ibid. 16. The world hath ever stumbled at Christ ibid. 17. The Papists stumble at him also the ignorant civil prophane and such as will not part with some beloved sin 226 18. Such as stumble at the Word stumble at Christ 227 19. Offences taken against the Word removed 228 20. Scandals of the Papists against it 230 21. Why and wherein they charge our Doctrine 230 22. About auricular confession fasting days marriage ibid. 23. Offences at preaching the Word 231 24. Which the true Church 237 25. Offences against the Preachers of the Word 239 26. Offences against Professors of the Word 241 27. Offences arising from mens selves hindring their zealous profession of Religion 244 28. No end of the Devils devices 248 29. Why so few be saved ibid. 30. Why people have no minde to Religion ibid. 31. Gods word is therefore bestowed on as that we may be guided thereby 249 32. How we are to obey the same ibid. 33. Four sorts of disobedient persons the prophane 251 The meerly civil the ignorant and hypocrites 252 34. Why Christ proves a Rock of offence unto most 253 35. Whether it be lawful and meet to handle the Doctrine of Gods Decree 254 36. God hath ordained some to destruction 255 37. This was of his own will and for no cause out of himself 257 38. The Lord hath done this most justly 258 39. The Lord hath done this unchangeably 259 40. Marks of such as are reprobates 260 Verse 9. 1. MInisters must speak comfortably to the good contrarily to the bad 262 2. And warily deliver the Word that each may take his due portion 262 3. What election is ibid. 4. God before the world hath ordained some men to salvation ibid. 5. The cause hereof was because he would 263 6. The number of the elect small ibid. 7. They that be elect cannot but be saved 264 8. A man may know and be assured of his election 265 9. Notes of election 266 10. Whether we may be certain of anothers election 267 11. Christians through Christ are made Kings Priests Prophets 268 12. Christ and his Gospel preached in time of the Law ibid. 13. The promises and priviledges laid down in the Scriptures belong onely to Gods elect ibid. 14. Election is the foundation of all the good comes to us ibid. 15. Christ how our King Priest and Prophet 269 16. Believers are others then the world thinks for ibid. 17. The Jews why termed an holy Nation 270 18. All that be the Lords company are holy persons ibid. 19. Comfort and counsel for sanctified persons 271 20. The misery of those that are unsanctified with advice to them to come out of this condition ibid. 21. The Church Gods peculiar people ibid. 22. No marvel though he set much by it 272. 23. Gods glory the end of all the priviledges bestowed on us 273 24. We were elected of God that we might shew forth his praises and not to be idle c. 273 25. Gods glory the furthest end of our election ibid. 26. Effectual calling a certain argument of election ibid. 27. Two sorts of calling outward and inward ibid. 28. The Word the outward instrument hereof 274 29. The parts of effectual calling ibid. 30. Gods free mercy the cause hereof ibid. 31. Every one must endeavor to prove his calling ibid. 32. What to understand by darkness and light 275 33. Every unregenerate person is in darkness 276 34. Every true believer is brought to the saving knowledge of Christ ibid. Verse 10. 1. FOr a people or particular persons to look to their beginnings is of good use 278 2. No priviledges can exempt the contemners of the Word from Gods wrath 279 3. Gods mercy power and truth in making the Jews a people again 280 4. Impenitent persons not worthy the name of people ibid. 5. No outward affliction doth nullifie Gods Church 281 6. To be the people of God a choice blessing ibid. 7. Sin unrepented of lets Gods mercy 282 8. What God did for the Jews was of mercy and so all we have ibid. Verse 11. 1. HOliness in heart and conversation must go together 283 2. Ministers must love and affect their people ibid. 3. The Saints are to be the objects of our love 284 4. Wisdom requisit in the Preachers of the Word 285 5. What meant by fleshly lusts ibid. 6. There are remnants of sin in the very best ibid. 7. Two sorts of sinners 287 8. Evil thoughts cast in by Satan or from our selves 288 9. The causes of evil
are married by the Lord and none can divorce them Therefore if any man seem to have the one and not the other he hath neither in truth If therefore any leave evil and do not good or if any do some good and hate not all evil he is but an hypocrite For the order here used he sets renouncing of our lusts first before imbracing of holiness men put off their old rags ere they can put on new apparel purge the stomack of ill humors ere they take good nourishment dig up the weeds ere they sow or set herbs so in this case Where therefore there remaineth the love of any lust or sin there is no true grace in that heart neither will any grow till that be rooted out God will not plant any of his grace there till the Devils planting be pluckt up Many think they be Christians and do many things well though they keep the love of some sin no mark the love of grace and goodness and the love of any sin cannot be in one heart they are so contrary the one to the other therefore while thou livest in any known sin and lovest any lust as sure as God is in heaven thou art an hypocrite and let me perish if there be one dram of true grace in thee but thou standest in the state of damnation Therefore renounce and bid adieu to thy lusts and seeing you make a profession and do many things will you lose heaven for your lust for one sin so run that you may obtain lose not heaven for a little make either something or nothing of thy profession banish from thee all sin that God may work some true grace in thy heart In your ignorance He fathers their following of lusts on their ignorance and ignorance is the cause and root of a wicked and bad life For till men know the will of God out of his Word how can they do it and what are we prone to by nature but to all the evil in the world Therefore the devil labors by all means to hold people in blindness of all books hath most been an enemy to the Bible and to sincere and diligent reading and preaching the Scriptures for were those away he knows all iniquity must needs abound as there did in Popery when people were nuzled up in blindeness O what abundance of sin was committed but it did not so much appear because they were in the dark and the light of Gods word discovers sin which was then very rare As if one come into an house at midnight he â—ees no faults but when the morning comes then he sees a number of things out of order so in this clear light of the Gospel we see the wickedness that then appeared not in the dark Whether will not our nature run and whether may not the devil and world lead one when he hath no eyes to see whether he goes The blinde eats many a fly and a man may lead a blinde man into the deepest pit As the Raven first picks out the Lambs eyes and then kills it at his pleasure when it cannot see to escape away so doth the devil by people Ignorance is often compared to darkness and they that go in the dark often stumble fall and hurt themselves Sampson when blinde was led to any thing as to grinde to make Sports c. 1. This teacheth us to desire that the clear light of the Word may shine more and more brightly into all places of this land for there are many places that have either no preaching or else very seldom So as for want of knowledge people wallow in a number of lusts most fearfully the Lords day most grievously Profaned preachers slighted c. 2. Every Minister is to endeavor to the utmost of his power to bring their people to the knowledge of their duty that so they may be either truly converted or at least hereby restrained 3. People are to labor for knowledge else they must needs be captives of many lusts Think not as many do because ye are poor and not book-learned therefore you shall be held excused many think their very ignorance shall be a good plea because they know nothing God will hold them excused Is light come into the world and shall mens sin their ignorance hold them excused its otherwise 4. All parents are to have a special care where and in what Towns and houses they place their children they must place them where they may learn to know God to discern between good and evil and if it prevail not with them by and by yet there 's hope it shall lie as seed in their hearts that will shoot up in time But how can he say In their ignorance seeing they were well instructed and expert in the Law having it read among them daily and had they not good knowledge in the Law and in the Prophets True yet he justly calls them ignorant 1. Because though they were so cunning in the Law and Prophets yet they knew not Jesus Christ the end of the Law and so the sum of all 2. Their knowledge was onely in their brain and not effectual in their hearts to renew and reform them but they were carried away by their lusts notwithstanding of their knowledge 1. Then all the knowledge in the world without the knowledge of Christ Jesus is nothing If a man could measure the heavens tell the number of the stars had skill in all Arts and Sciences whatsoever yet without the knowledge of Christ it were vanity Paul knew much being brought up at the feet of Gamaliel But he counted all things else loss and dung for the excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus He desired to know nothing but Christ Jesus and him crucified If a man were the wisest in a County to arbitrate and compound controversies yet all this were nothing without the knowledge of Christ. 2. All the knowledge of the world if it reform not a man is but ignorance So much a man knows as he obeys That is not knowledge that is in the brain but that which soaketh down into the heart and transformeth a man into the similitude thereof so much men know as they mortifie their lusts He that lives after his lusts let him have never such store of knowledge he knows nothing yet as he ought to know what if a man know he should not Swear Lye commit Adultery c. yet doing these is he any whit the better Is he not rather much worse Yea the Devil himself hath more knowledge then any man The world wonders many times to see men of great knowledge do such and such things Alas Knowledge and Conscience are two several things and often sundred in the subject 1. Then let no man boast of his Knowledge Many love to hear themselves talk but look what power they have over their lusts what mastery over their affections 2. Do not we
if Preachers alleage Fathers Councels School-men c. O how they applaud them but if any shall alleage Scripture properly and plainly Oh he is a plain homespun Preacher he may do well in a Countrey Town but Christs sheep do otherwise they reverence and adore above all the Word of God This condemns the Papists that deal most treacherously and will not have the scriptures to be judge but Fathers Councels the Church And who is the Church but themselves and the Head of Councels but the Pope and so upon the point the Pope is the Church and so its like enough to go well on their sides And in their Councels who is any thing but the Pope and his Consistory as he will have every thing so it shal be as in their last Councel of Trent which they so magnifie as the most sacred Assembly that ever was which indeed was nothing else but a conspiracy of Traitors against the Crown and Dignity of Christ Jesus and his Truth there such were pickt as were fast to the Pope and the Religion of Rome and such as were sworn to be true thereto and when some few spake somewhat more boldly in some things then was well liked of they were quickly packt out and this charge they had after they had sate a while That they should interpret no Scripture but such as might stand with the Doctrine of Rome this was good stuff that whereas they should have brought their Doctrine to the rule of Scripture they must bring Scripture to their Doctrine as if the Carpenter should cut his rule according to the piece and not the piece according to his rule And howsoever they sate there at Trent disputing for a fashion yet nothing was concluded but such as the Pope and his Consistory at Rome devised which being set to them they were to publish and thus the parties become Judges and they that should stand at the Bar to be judged sit on the Bench to judge their own cause therefore it must needs go well on their side They cannot away that the Scripture should be the Judge because they then know how it would go with them and their Doctrine but we must receive it and try all Doctrine by it and stand to the sentence thereof as being the onely Judge So here the Apostle enjoyning holiness takes this as a sufficient proof It is written though that was against their nature and disposition though by following after it they might be counted Puritans Singular Proud Hypocrites c. yet they must not stand reasoning the case with flesh and blood they must be holy for so it was written If then we know any thing once proved by the Word of God we must make no more ado if the Word command a thing we must yield and obey if forbid a thing as vile we must dare no more meddle therewith then to eat poison For the Word of God is the Royal Law that Rule of Righteousness that must command all the world Prince and people must stoop hereunto This is the Law of his Kingdom whereby all we his Subjects must be ruled If the Lyon roar the Beasts tremble and if the Lord speak who is our Soveraign is it not meet that we should take knowledge hereof and yield obedience thereto this was ever Preface enough to the Prophets in their Sermons Thus saith the Lord The Word of the Lord c. and his Word not being left us in vain to shake it off at our pleasures the same may command obedience 1. This condemns the prophane and dissolute world do men go by any such rule and try ere they do any thing what God saith of it in his Word O that were too much preciseness But by what rules then If it stand with my pleasure with my profit with my ease with my credit most do so I shall be accounted a fool if I do not so O cursed rules What shall Profit Pleasure Mammon and our Lusts become now as it were our God dare we cast the word of God behinde us do we provoke the Lord to anger are we stronger then he Oh let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall It s written we must be holy therefore we must be so why then it s written we may not swear therefore we must not swear so oppress deceive commit uncleanness c. because the contrary is prescribed in the Word And yet how dare men live in those very sins against the Scriptures Hath not the world smarted sufficiently yet whereat to take warning What threw Adam out of Paradise drown'd the old World brought such variety of Judgements upon the Jews from time to time if not their disobedience have there drunkards enough swearers prophaners of the Lords-day Usurers c. been plagued and sent to Hell already This rebelling against the Word of God hath made all the racket and havock in the world and hath brought to confusion the Proudest and Mightiest If we had not the Word but were left to the light of nature God might condemn us for our sins how much more when by the Word he hath told us all his minde Well let us look to it if the Word may not be a light to guide us it will be a fire to consume us If it be not strong enough to make us yield obedience it will be strong enough to throw us headlong to confusion as whereby we shall be judged at the latter day If when God smites any one part of us with pain in extemity we be weary of our selves when yet we have many comforts and many to pity us and hope also of an end thereof what shall their care be that are smitten and plagued in all parts of Body and Soul there being no eye to pity them nor hope of an end which yet ensueth upon the disobedience to Gods Word Then will they fret and vex themselves O beast that I was that took not warning at such and such a time c. 2. For as many as are willing the Word should guide them and be it with or in appearance against them are willing to be ruled let these be of good comfort It s a good mark of Christs sheep they hear his voyce and follow him and he is of God that heareth and obeyeth his word Again in that it s said It is written we note That the Word of God is the rule of all Truth and Doctrine This condemneth the Papists which as if the written Word of God were insufficient and imperfect and the Prophets and Apostles either would not or could not or might not leave a perfect direction for us divide the word into written and unwritten Thereupon imposing a great number of Traditions Degrees and old received Opinions and Customs upon the people as matters whereon to ground their Faith and binde their Conscience as much as any of the written Word and that upon
it or look therein to read it What a contempt were this The Scripture yet is the Lords Letter sent to us to inform us of his will O what shall the condemnation of this Land be that having the light love darkness better and God having given us his Word which he gives not to all we make so light account thereof we will not bestow the searching of it Nay every toy proves sufficient to keep us from it O woful unthankfulness How did our Forefathers make account of the Word Job David they in Queen Maries time whereof some read it by stealth in Hay-gofes c. O how precious was it to them Cra threw away his Money but kept his New Testament when he suffered Ship-wrack Many poor Christians and dear servants of God in Spain and elsewhere do now read the Word of God and other good Books with peril of their lives O how shall they rise up against us which may with peace and much liberty and sundry encouragements read and be conversant in the Scriptures yet regard it not God sends his Letter to us we will not vouchsafe to open it What will we regard if we regard not the Scriptures I tell you God hath no greater blessing to bestow on Mortal man This little Book is the glory of the world without which all the world is but a dung-hill and if this were taken away it were better for us not to be then to be for we should do nothing but grope in darkness and be devoured of our lusts till Hell snatch us away le ts learn therefore at last to be wiser and that whilest we may Casting away our toys and vanities learn we to be better acquainted with the Word then at any time heretofore all that be strangers to it be strangers to true comfort Yea resolve we that no day shall pass us without reading some part of Scripture for our instruction else how shall we do our duties each to other how use prosperity and adversity how to learn either to live or dye Here as good housholders we may provide store both for our selves and others For the words themselves Be ye holy for I am holy They are taken as ye heard out of Leviticus Them the Lord used to his people whom he had chosen from all others on whom he bestowed many outward mercies and betrusted them with his Word who thought they should see round about them the Gentiles abounding with idolatry and all maner of sin yet they must not follow them therein But as I have set you out from all other for my self saith the Lord so set your selves apart to my use and service and be ye holy to me as ye observe me to be Hence learn That Where God bestows on a Land or Corner or Town more mercies then on others he looks they should not be as other places that have not had the same favors but have been left to themselves but abounding in holiness holy as he himself is holy Here I might speak of this Land what God hath done for it and what he expects at our hands even that we should be better then any other Nation and then how we are so far from being more holy then others that if any Nation have any sin we get it from them and appropriate it to our selves What should I speak of the common sins of the times The last Assizes and every one shews what state we are in what horrible incests the daughter being with childe by her own father and the Wife burning the childe another ravishing his own daughter being thereof accused by his own childe and wife What cruel murthers besides the common mother sins ignorance extream worldliness and that overspreading canker and leprosie of this Land the contempt of good persons If any be more forward careful zealous then the common sort he is hated mocked discouraged all that may be Not the simplest fellow in a Town though he cannot understand one petition of the Lords Prayer but will mock at those that be any thing toward in Religion or forward to hear the Word refrain from disorder and keep the Lords Day c. this sin abounds most fearfully in this Land In other Religions which are indeed false and irreligious look who is most zealous and forward he is most reverenced and regarded onely in the true Religion if any be but careful to bring into use and practise that which he hears knows and dare not do as others but rather reprove them he makes himself as a wondering stock and is hooted as an howl one that shal sure be hoysed up in charges huâ—cht at complained of and vexed This sin not repented of nor left wil be the moth confusion of this Land as we may justly fear God is every year upon us with one new punishment or other but they prevail nothing we are as bad stil or worse what therefore may we not look for How sped the Israelites at last we may fear lest God make us as famous for judgement as we have been for mercies we may fear that it shall be said of all that pass by How is this famous nation become thus desolate and answered Because they despised the Lord his Gospel and servants after many mercies bestowed upon them to have brought them in love therewith Be ye holy c. Some urge this exhortation and the like to establish Free-will but without cause They shew not what we can but what we should do and what God will require of the wicked or else condemn them and what he will enable his servants unto as give their endeavor thereto to the wicked they are commandments of conviction which God may justly require of them because he made them able to do the same to his servants they are not so but with the exhortation he conveys such grace as whereby they are enabled to do the same Lastly this place is abused by sundry to cry down the married estate to magnifie single life but there is no holiness in the one more then in the other for neither if we marry not have we the more as the Apostle speaketh about eating or marry have we the less the Kingdom of God not consisting in these things The benefit of the one more then the other consists onely in this That a single life hath freedom from many troubles and cares and so more liberty to every good duty but this gift is given but to few therefore rather then they should live discontentedly he perswades them to marry Let them therefore that live single take heed they put no holiness therein or think that thereby they please God the more but rather let them use it well and profit thereby in being so much the more zealous and forward in every good work publike and private else that their single life will one day be a witness against them but especially take heed of a filthy
same grace effectually call and convert which should binde our hearts more effectually to praise and serve him all the days of our life 4. That the excellency of this grace is such as all things without it are nothing If we had the wisdom of Solomon the strength of Sampson the policy of Achitophel the wealth of Ahasuerus c. if we could measure the Heaven Earth and Sea and knew the nature of all Creatures therein from the Cedar to the Hysope nay if we could understand the Bible could Preach never so Learnedly and had all gifts of knowledge and utterance yet were we not born again all were nothing Besides it s the more excellent both because so rare only the Elect of God are born again and because Eternal In the natural birth we dye because born of mortal seed and nourished by corruptible food but they that be born again never dye more never come more into their former state as being born of the immortal seed of the Word and Spirit and being thereby nourished are joyned to the fountain of life Christ Again by our first birth we are made miserable by this happy by that sinners by this righteous persons by that children of wrath by this children of God by that slaves of Satan by this servants of righteousnes by that limbs of the Devil by this members of Christ by that heirs of Hell by this heirs of Heaven O happy day O happy birth before Regeneration Sin and Satan wholly ruled in us but after Grace and the Spirit of God 1. This should teach us if we can prove it in our selves to rejoyce and remember our birth-day Many delight to talk of their age as others when where and what year they were born But canst thou tell where and when thou wert born again thou canst else have little joy of thy first birth The older thou art the more shame and greater condemnation if thou art not born again He that is not regenerate is a Bastard for though he have after a sort the Church to his Mother yet he hath not God to his Father and though in the Natural birth the Mothers side is the surest yet in the Spiritual birth it s otherwise Therefore if thou hast Wit Beauty Strength Wealth and the like rejoyce not in them but that thou art born again yea though thou art Poor Weak Sickly yet being born again thou art happy If God hath denied thee Wealth and Health or taken them away yet if he hath given thee grace thou art to rejoyce exceedingly 2. It may teach us to rejoyce if we know our children new born We rejoyce at their Natural Birth but alas wert not for hope because they be of Christian Parents we might rather weep for when a childe is born there 's come a sinner a guilty person into the World one that is in danger of all evil subject to a great deal of sin and sorrow and one that hath deserved to be cast into Hell O therefore if we know them born again there 's cause of rejoycing yea we must rejoyce at the new birth of a servant or any other as the Angels do The World likes such the worse a sign they are the old men 3. If we know it not we are to use the means bring them to Baptism after teach them what is fit that they may make conscience of their Covenant and bring them to the Word if they be any whit forward further them if backward or unwilling use thy Authority over them 4. Rebuke them that desire to see them Strong Fair Rich Healthy and the like in the mean time not respecting whether they be born again or not 5. He that is not born again hath nothing excellent in him but abides in death and is the servant of sin 5. That it s so necessary as without which there 's no entring into the Kingdom of Heaven for thereinto can no unclean thing enter and they onely which are pure in heart shall see God We are born impure sinful defiled from head to foot while we are in this state there 's no possibility of serving God as either by thinking speaking or doing good we must therefore be washed and made clean The world imagine no such necessity herein it s a riddle to them few know what any such work or change meaneth They think to be saved by their good meaning civil life and living orderly O this is sound if these do not well God help us all Again though openly bad if they can cry God have mercy on their deathbed they shall do well enough Here 's no dreaming of a new birth of any change in the understanding will affections yea throughout both body and soul but none of the others will serve the turn therefore try whether ye be new born If we live still in sin as in lying it s a certain argument we are as we were naturally He that is in Christ is a new creature and such a one walketh not after the flesh but after the Spirit if thou art thus thou hast put off thy old conversation and put on a new 6. The effects of Regeneration 1. An hatred of all sin a love of all good 2. A strife and labor to do the one and avoid the other 3. A diligent use of the means for this purpose and a Spiritual combat against the lets wherein being conquerors we have peace and joy if otherwise grief 4. Delight in the Word Prayer and Heavenly things whereas we were wont to delight in vain and worldly things so to cry Abba-Father to love the Father to desire the sincere milk of the Word and to live innocently If upon tryal of thy self by these notes thou findest thy self not born again thy case is fearful it had been better then thou shouldest thus dye that thou hadst never been born or born a Toad whereof when its dead there 's an end but the man that is not born again while he lives when he dyeth the second death will lay hold on him eternally yet alas a number of old folks ready to drop into the grave are not yet born again What shall become of these few men are born again when they become old which I speak not to discourage you quite but to awaken you the more earnestly to look about you some were called about the eleventh hour but let them that have day before them not defer or put it to the venture 6. That the life of a Regenerate man cannot be that it was or as is the life of carnal men for the case is altered he is now united to Jesus Christ as an imp to the stock a member to the head by Faith on our parts but principally by the Spirit of God by which Faith we draw and by which Spirit is conveyed to us vertue from Christs death to kill sin our old man and the corruptions
thereof whereby it hath a deadly wound given it which it shall never recover so from his Burial his Spirit conveyeth power to hold under our corruptions that they get head no more so from his Resurrection power to rise to newness of life so that now being graft into such a living stock by such a cunning hand of the Spirit of God the Regenerate man receiveth vertue accordingly He was before a branch of the wilde olive but now of the true olive therefore the fruits are and must needs be accordingly so that though he sinneth yet it s not as before before he was guided by the Spirit of Satan and the world now by the holy Spirit of God and therefore must needs bring forth the fruits of holiness as it is holy must needs be renewed throughout though not wholly and perfectly 1. Here 's a great comfort to Gods children and infinite cause have they to praise God that whereas before they brought forth nothing but fruit unto death now they are enabled to bring forth fruit to God and to life before servants to the flesh reaping corruption now to the Spirit the fruit thereof being everlasting life There must needs be joy in doing such work 2. This condemneth them that say they believe and they are converted and hope to be saved by Jesus Christ and yet continue in their course No every one that 's in Christ is a new creature it s a disgrace to Christ to say such fruit comes from him 7. The growth of one that 's truly Regenerate he is not at his pitch the first day It s not with him as with Adam who was perfect at once in his creation but he comes to it by degrees as every thing that moveth from one place to another doth it in some space of time so in this motion from sin to righteousness and life eternal it s done in time and by degrees and that not in all alike But as some men are of greater stature some of smaller and sometimes the yonger are taller then the elder so it may be in this but all do and must grow and that by the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments as Corn by the early and latter rain springs up by degrees and a Babe first small and weak yet by good tendance and Gods blessings grows bigger and stronger in every part then can go alone speak digest strong meat begin to bear burthens and do the works of a man so must a Christian grow from a Babe to be stronger to digest strong meat higher Points of Doctrine to be able to go alone in good Duties by the finger as in Prayer Reading anothers Prayer but now can go alone in it so in other Duties then stronger to bear Afflictions Temptations Mocks Discouragements and also to put up wrongs and go through duty and service 1. This may rebuke them that are so far from growing as they go back and are worse then sometimes they were These may suspect that either they never begun in truth but were suddenly moved had but some common gifts and were but built upon the Sand or else that they have ill behaved themselves beginning in the Spirit to end in the Flesh Were you too well what fault found you that you are weary and gone back to your old Master If you belong to God and do not awaken your selves the Lord will whip you home will send you as Runnagates to the house of Correction 2. For those that stand at a stay and no difference can be discerned between that they were many years ago and now they also are in a woful case Doth not a man look his childe should grow in learning every year and would it not grieve if he should stand always at one stay We love to see our children grow and would grieve to see them Dwarfs and no bigger now then they were many years ago and have we no care of our own or their growth in grace As men every year aym more and more to grow in wealth and as in a Race men press hard forward towards the mark so should we to grow in grace But why do men grow no faster A. 1. Some are proud and conceited they have more then they have and so strive not 2. Some compare themselves with them that are under them and not with them that exceed them in grace and so think they have enough whereas in worldly things they reach always at those above that they may not onely equal them but over-top them 3. Some are so cloyed with the love of the world and multitude of businesses that they can spare no time for this This is the bane of Religion and hinders from many a duty publike and private choking the Word in the obedience thereto and practice thereof and causing many a duty to be but poorly performed 4. Ill company is as great a hinderance to Spiritual growth as the East and North winds to tender flowers and plants 5. Neglecting and failing of the means of growing as if any man want his meals he will soon faint and if any Tradesman want his Markets he will soon be Bankrupt 6. Some use them negligently as Hearing Praying c. and thrive accordingly He that keeps the Market but once in a moneth will not gain much so they that hear the Word but now and then at their leisure will not get forward very fast especially they that keep not the main Market nay the Mart of their Souls The Lords day when they should make off their corruptions and provide themselves with all Spiritual commodities 7. Such as hear often but without preparation before or regard after Do men thrive by meat taken into a full or foul stomack or by swallowing their meat whole no more shall we Spiritually thrive though we swallow down whole Sermons unless we chew them by Meditation and Practice they will never nourish us And whereas many humble Souls complain that they do not grow though earnestly desirous thereof and diligent in the use of the means they must examine themselves whether indeed they have used the means and that diligently with preparation and prayer If not they must reform the same if yea they may be of good comfort for assuredly they cannot but grow somewhat though not as they would They must yet be constant and that God who hath given them an heart to use the means of growing will also enable them to grow we must be growing as long as we live here If we had Methuselahs years to live and still took pains yet still there would be work so hard is it to get victory over and to subdue this Army of our lusts and to draw dry this ocean of our corrupt affections Blessed is he that makes this his chief or onely work to mortifie more and more his sinful nature applying the Word Promises Threats Mercies Judgements general particular on our selves or others To this end God
hath given us many means to subdue them therefore will be angry if we keep them not under and grow especially against our strongest corruptions they offend God hurt us glad Satan defile the Temple of the holy Ghost were the cause of Christs death are of long continuance and therefore must be put away And as we must labor daily to mortifie our lusts and old man so to grow in all graces 8. The perfection of a Christian There 's none here in this life we know but in part there be still remnants of sin in us we are indeed perfectly Justified not but in part Sanctified Sin and Grace is mingled in every part not sin in one part and grace in another as heat and cold in lukewarm water light and darkness in the twilight God will have it so to be 1. That we might be saved of mercy and by Christs merit and not by any merit of our own for if we were perfectly Sanctified here then should Christ seem onely to make us fit to merit our own Salvation 2. That his power might be made known in our weakness whereby we are enabled to overcome such mighty enemies of our Salvation 3. That continually we might be kept humble ever thankful to God for daily pardon 4. That there might be continual use of the Word Sacraments Prayer and one of another 5. That there might be something to weary us hence and make us long for Heaven where we shall attain that which here we can never But though these Corruptions remain yet they reign not they are indeed troublesom and hurtful as the Canaanites to the Israelites or Rebels that make Insurrection in a Kingdom but have not the Scepter in their hand but are subdued in time and they dwell in us as unwelcom guests There is always a Civil war in a Childe of God two men in one man the old and the new two laws the law of our members and the law of our minde the Flesh and Spirit fight each against other now the one prevailing then the other yet so as the old man grows weaker and the grace of God stronger It had a deadly blow at first and still languisheth and is in a Consumption as a Serpent that is deadly wounded in his head yet wrigles with the tail or a Soldier deadly wounded in his brain yet thrusts with his weapon The Scripture speaks of the old man in Regeneration as if it were crucified and wholly destroyed because it s so wounded that it can never recover his former strength 1. This condemns all Anabaptists and others that dream of a purity in this life 2. It teacheth us to bear with one another The husband though godly must not look the wife should be without fault nor the wife the husband so the Master the Servant or the Servant the Master there are none without Imperfections we never read of any but noted with some weakness Christ alone excepted therefore think it not strange neither neglect the graces that be in any for one or more infirmities so as they grow to no height 3. Here 's comfort to those that doubt of their Conversion because they meet with temptation and feel sin rebelling in them and their corrupt nature lusting after evil It s not so much a sign you are not converted because you have sin for that 's common to all as that you are because you feel it strive against it and grieve for it This is indeed a sign you have the Spirit in you The godly and wicked sin both but there 's great odds in the maner the wicked sin willingly and advisedly yea delight in it are loath to be hindred from it when they have done are not humbled but go on therein whereas the Regenerate sin not with full consent but haled thereto by force of temptation and strength of corruption being thereafter humbled ashamed grieved If it be thus with thee be of good comfort be still constant in resisting use means to subdue the old man and cherish the new so shall you every day get the victory more and more and when you be overtaken thus it shall not be laid to your charge but pardoned in the Death and Obedience of Jesus Christ Neither shall your corruption recover it self again to rule over you as before but shall still languish and this is the cause why the Scripture speaks as if our Regeneration were perfect our old man destroyed And at last by death we shall get a final and perfect victory and never feel sin more for with laying down our bodies we lay down our sin and not before Not of corruptible seed c. Here is set down 1. The efficient cause of our Regeneration both Negatively where 's shewed what it is not and Affirmatively what is not 2. The instrument thereof the Word of God 3. A description of God that he liveth and abideth for ever Not of corruptible seed Of mortal seed we are born not born again by it we are made Creatures not new Creatures we are not born holy but by being born again we are made holy The godliest Saints of God cannot convey grace into their Children but sin and nature whence it is that even Abraham had an Ishmael Isaac an Esau As we are born of our Parents we are altogether corrupt our understanding seeth little in heavenly things and our Reason is an enemy thereto as that there is one God in three Persons Christ God and Man born of a Virgin the world made of nothing Man saved by the imputed righteousness of another the near Union between Christ and a Believer the Resurrection and last Judgement c. Reason sees them not yields not to them nay being much urged laughs thereat and that which it doth understand it conceives not as it ought the will desires nothing that good is or at least as it ought for it is defiled and so the whole man Again mortal seed begets that that is mortal onely and not immortal but when we be once Regenerate we never dye more but live the life of grace here and shall that of glory hereafter a final fall or the second death can never befal the new Creature Let none therefore trust in this that they were born of godly Parents but desire God as their Father to beget them anew But of incorruptible Namely by the Spirit of God which is the true efficient cause who doth alter and change our hearts and conveys power to kill sin in us and to quicken us to a good life Usually these words and the next are put together and understood of one thing namely that the Word is the immortal seed of Regeneration and after a sort it may be so called but properly the Spirit of God is the seed the Word is the instrument and we know the Word of it self can do no such thing no more then a Tool can
others are included and the first word may be taken very fitly for all naughtiness in general the rest being particular branches thereof elsewhere more are set down Therefore a Christian must not renounce onely some evils but all all being hateful to God he must cast away every thing that presseth down we must cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit The Spirit of God and the love of any one sin cannot be together in one heart and here he names onely those wherein they were most faulty and which were contraries to that love exhorted unto in the former Chapter Therefore wheresoever there 's the love and practise of any one sin assuredly the Spirit of God dwells not in that man neither is there any work of Regeneration in him 5. That most of those here mentioned be inward corruptions which we must as well avoid as the outward the sins of the tongue and the like It s not enough to pare away the outward sins but the heart also must be purged we must be sanctified throughout our whole Spirit Soul and Body must be kept blameless 1. This condemneth those that will look to the outside and yet in the mean time suffer their hearts to boyl full of Lusts and swarm ful of Corruptions of Pride Envy Impatience Unbelief the like making no conscience of these This is an ill sign These haply may bridle themselves awhile but they wil surely break out one time or other if they should not yet were they but painted Sepulchres in Gods sight 2. This may comfort Gods Servants who groan under their inward corruptions and when men think they have done well yet they shake their heads at themselves at their dulness to good at their Pride and Hypocrisie therein at their unwillingness thereto at their wandrings This is the minde of Gods true Servants and this also may much comfort them Wherefore laying aside Now of the vices themselves or corruptions rather as they are in the Regenerate I remember I requested in the beginning of the Chapter to attend to it because we knew not whether we should live to the end of it or no and is it not proved true Some that were at the first Sermon there being but a little intermission from the course of my Ministery here are now at their long home not Ancient alone but Yong and Lusty also that might have lived to see the most of us buried Therefore I see we had need take heed not to Chapters onely but to every Verse every particular Sermon this very Sermon accordingly making the best use and benefit thereof seeing no man knows whether he shall hear another so vain a thing is man and I pray God we may so do All malice The Word signifieth very properly all kinde of naughtiness and so may fitly here as the genus of the vices that follow and all others and accordingly speak we thereof Naughtiness What is that that is naught and what makes a thing naught That which is forbidden by God in his Word as that is good which he approveth for his will is the absolute rule of righteousness who doth not see a thing first good then willeth it but willeth and commandeth it and thereupon it becomes good and so on the contrary and therefore sin is said to be the transgression of the Law This teacheth us to examine all things and knowing any thing commanded to conclude that its good and thereupon to do it contrarily knowing any thing forbidden that thenceforward we know it to be naught and therefore abhor it for what good can come of that which is naught and what should we have to do therewith The Lords will is a rule of Righteousness all promises made to the obedience of it and all the threatnings and plagues upon the world have come because of disobedience that God would have his will and men will not but have theirs This is the trouble of the world and that which hath cost the world full dear yet how few knowing Gods will can be content there to rest and say Now I know this is forbidden I have done with it I know this prescribed I will therefore obey it O this were a happy world But if by this word we understand malice in particular It s an old grudge upon some wrong done or conceived to be done to a man whereupon he waits to do some hurt or mischief to him that did it Anger is like a fire kindled in thorns soon blazeth is soon out but malice like a fire kindled in a log it continues long This is often forbidden and yet as Esau hated Jacob and Haman Mordecai so the world hateth Gods Servants as being reproved of them and who run not with them into the same exceâ—s of riot 1. We ought to take heed of the beginnings of unadvised anger it rests in the bosom of fools whereas he that is so slow to wrath is of great wisdom God is slow to wrath and so should we be 2. If we be overtaken as a right good man may take heed it fester not grow not to hatred heal it quickly as we do our wounds The Devil is an ill Counsellor cast it out to night how can you else lie down in peace or pray prayers be lost and that 's a grievous loss Nay further Cast it out to night thou mayest dye ere to morrow and then shalt thou either dye in malice or else forgive per force when thou canst not retain it any longer nor any cares for it for what needs one care for thy hatred if thou be once dead Again thou art not fit to come to the Sacrament not fit to offer thy gift at the Altar And to be revenged what a madness is this It may be thou dost but imagine a wrong and then there 's no cause thou dealest unjustly but if there be wilt thou revenge It s the Lords office Take heed of perking up into Gods place as if he would not deal equally either not revenging at all or not sufficiently The Lord knoweth what is best let him alone else thou turnest off his hand from thine adversary against thy self Nay what is this but to be revenged of God as it were for hath not he a hand therein Is it not by his appointment And all guile It s meant of guile that is between men and men in their dealings each with other as in buying selling letting hiring borrowing lending paying wages doing work partnership and the like when men would seem to do well but do otherwise when one thing is pretended but another practised Guile in the buyer is naught as not to pay or to pay in ill coyn so also there may be many frauds in the seller These God forbids and he is an avenger of such things we are not born for our selves but for the good
have some one lust or sin that they will not part with Thus some stand cheapning many years together They would fain do well and be saved but have something that they cannot finde in their hearts to do away and so at last come to nothing perish as unbelievers for whosoever shall have part in Christ must be like the wise Merchant who will part with all that he hath to get the Pearl He will part with any with all his sins whatsoever that he may have pardon in Christ He will take up his yoke not in what he list shaking off some part at his pleasure but in every part thereof O poor fools that will lose Heaven for some one lust Are not such worthy to perish 1. This is an exceeding comfort to those that are holpen against all lets that hinder most and do not stumble at Christ but acknowledge themselves utterly lost without Christ that earnestly long after him prize him above the world and are content to part with any thing for him O you are blessed Why should so many stumble at Christ and not you O its Gods unspeakable mercy Flesh and Blood hath not so taught you well may you rejoyce for him the joy and rejoycing of your souls He will be a sure Foundation of happiness to you that will never fail you in this Life in Death or at the day of Judgement 2. Terror to all that stumble at Christ upon what occasion soever that will not see their need of him nor part with any thing for him To these he will turn to their destruction For they hurt not him thereby but themselves as one stumbling at a great stone hurts not it but himself or one running a Ship against a great Rock hurts not it but splits the Ship in pieces so wil it be to all that embrace not Christ for missing him Who shall save them There is no other to be saved by but they must bear their own burthen and shall undoubtedy perish They shall not escape destruction and no marvel For if they that despised Moses Law escaped not unpunished What shall become of them that despise Jesus Christ himself O how happy might we be that have the Lord Jesus the blessed Savior of the world Preached to us so graciously when as few have that favor but most sit in darkness and blindeness 3. Whatsoever hath made any of us stumble at Christ endeavor we to remove the same that so we may embrace him with both arms as our Savior and stoop to him as our Lord and King who will be to us a sure Foundation of Salvation that will not fail us If any will yet go on obstinately and carelesly he shall surely bring destruction upon himself eternally And is it not a grievous thing that Christ should be a cause of mens Damnation and yet he is to all that receive him not as they that come unworthily to the Sacrament eat and drink Damnation to themselves We say its pity fair weather should ever do hurt but is it not wonderful pity that ever Christ should do hurt Even to such as stumble at the Word Some will say they stumble not at Christ If they stumble at the Word that brings news of Christ and will not embrace it or be obedient thereto it s all one And For the Word Most men take occasion to be offended at it that either they will not profess it at all or at least no more then they must needs but to love it delight in it attend on it with diligence and be obedient to it in all things O this few do Why doth the Word give any just occasion to men to stumble O no! It s the the Word of Life and Gospel of the Kingdom able to make us wise unto Salvation to save our Souls It s our Light to guide Food to nourish Armor to defend us Pearl to enrich us all in all Yet will men through their own default and forwardness take one occasion or other not to embrace it being herein stark fools for if they take any occasion to quarrel with this or to shake it off or be strange to it they must needs perish yet there are too too many such The occasions that men take are either from the Word it self or from the Preaching of it or the Preachers and Professors thereof or from themselves Against the Word it self Be these 1. Some say if they knew indeed it were Gods Word they would as good reason they should believe and be ruled by it but that they cannot tell But he that hath not a prophane heart and willing to doubt but is any thing humble and teachable may see enough even by the Scripture it self to satisfie him fully and such arguments as hell it self is not able to gainsay 2. Some finde fault with the Translation of the Scriptures for whose satisfaction Dr. Fulk and others have written largely 3. Some curious Heads and nimble Wits no less prophane then proud stumble at the plainness of the Scriptures the homely and low stile of the same But this is one great argument to prove it to be of God because there is such fulness of Majesty in simplicity of words which is not to be found in any other writing It savors of a man and of weakness whatsoever else is written or if any thing work admiration it is that which is strained out into some lofty and eloquent Stile Unto the Prophet Gods Testimonies were wonderful a giving light and understanding even to the simple yet in some parts of Scripture is not only admirable Eloquence able to set down the proudest and ripest Wit so also we could have spoke it all but some be dark and obscure as may take up the deepest and greatest Learned which the Lord hath done that there might be taken away offence from the wise as the rest is plain to take away offence from the simple 4 Some stumble at some points of Doctrine which they cannot conceive of as of the Trinity the worlds making of nothing the Resurrection that Christ being Man should save us that being dead he should rise again c. This comes of Pride when men will reject that which they cannot conceive But we must be fools in our selves that is captivate wit reason and all to God adoring that we cannot understand and knowing that Gods mysteries are no more fit to be comprehended in our shallow reason then a man can span the whole Earth with his hand for Christ as he was Man and mortal so also is God immortal He that was God dyed but not in his Godhead that had been impossible but in his Humanity and by his Godhead raised up himself being dead and in both natures saved us 5. Again some points be too harsh for some as that of Predestination that God should appoint most men to damnation and that then it s in vain to strive or do any thing for that we cannot alter But
I le look after no other he will do his good will and I can desire no more of a man The like might be instanced in a Physitian for our body nay a Shepherd or a Keeper for our Cattel Nay will men take it well if such as through want of skill have spoiled their work should say Why we did our good will and you can have no more But will you not say You should not have taken it in hand except you could have done it If I had known it I would have sent it five miles or sent five miles for a Workman rather then had my Stuff spoiled Thus there is no end of devices that the Devil hath to put in mens heads to keep them from regarding the word and matters of Salvation nay that people will seek out for themselves even to wrong their own souls And this is one main cause why so few people be saved because none so simple but he can finde a shift nor none so worldly wise but he can suffer himself to be held back by one of these or the like hinderances In our earthly journeys we love smooth and plain way and finde fault with the contrary but as if the way to Heaven were too plain men seek out blocks to lay in their own way but all these things will no more serve their turn when God shall come to judge them then a Breast plate of brown Paper against a Musket-shot For alas they be but devices and false causes in stead of the true For the very reason indeed that people have no minde to Religion is because it crosseth their humor 1. Discovering their sins which they would have still hid and rebuking them 2. Striving to pluck them from their sins wherewith being in love they are unwilling to part 3. Laying duties upon them which they have no minde to stoop to but count it a being tyed and shortened to yield obedience to the same which is indeed the main reason and true cause If it were not for such and such things will they say we would you should know we would be as forward as the best Well let us as many as have been thus foolish learn to be wiser and devise no blocks No though we meet with some things otherwise then ought to be let not that make us fall out with Religion In worldly things people be so eager as if they have a minde to a thing it s no small matter shall beat them off as from a Lease Farm Purchase or Bargain but in Heavenly things not a cause but a shadow of a cause will keep men back O how happy might we be here in England and in these parts if we were wise that have the Gospel so graciously Preached unto us Many Nations have it not and they cannot be happy and we have it and yet through our own froward hearts deprive our selves of the benefit thereof If we have been weak le ts labor to be strengthened against these and lift up our feet over these logs that the World layeth in our way neither rest we content therewith as too many are In our ordinary ways if any Lewd and Drunken Companions in the Night should tumble Logs or lay stumbling Blocks to stop our passage by horse or foot we finde great fault and that justly but we are content to have Logs laid in our Spiritual way lest we should be happy And le ts labor to strengthen others and help them over and let none of us be any longer hindred hereby much less let there be a mischievous heart in any of us to lay them in others way to hinder them but go on our selves roundly in the way to Salvation and help as many others forward as possibly we can Notwithstanding these lets we must not be loth to enter this way but labor to bring our hearts to this to see and confess and forsake our sins and be content in every thing to be ruled by the Word And what thankfulness owe we God that have passed over these Blocks and are in our way to Heaven whereas so few scape them It was of him alone O pray we him to help us also against all those that yet remain Being disobedient Here he proceeds to shew the bad estate of unbelievers They are disobedient to the Word of God which is given them for a rule and light to guide them to Salvation And this is indeed the very Reason of their much stumbling at the Word because men have no minde to be ruled by it They think it tyes them too short therefore they have no minde to stoop to it therefore they are willing to take any occasion against it for if men had a minde it s not those idle pretences should keep them from it as in worldly things we see The lesson we learn from hence is That God hath therefore left his Word amongst us not that we should onely hear it or make an outward profession thereof but that we should take it as our Rule and Law to guide us and in all things make Conscience to yield obedience thereto what it forbids to count as a cursed thing what it commands to esteem as holy and good and necessary to be obeyed This is that which God evermore requireth in his charges This keeping is not a Legal Observation which no flesh can attain Christ hath fulfilled that perfectly for us but an Evangelical which is when believing in him that hath done it perfectly we do our unfeined endeavor constantly to be obedient thereto and that 1. In one thing as in another having with David Zechary and Elizabeth respect to all 2. Freely and not by constraint not as Pharaoh let Israel go 3. Not outwardly but inwardly with the heart and minde ayming at Gods glory 4. Constantly and to the end Yet more particularly 1. We must not give good words onely but follow Christ as the Apostles who forthwith at his call left all to wait on him 2. Our obedience must be shaped after Christs willing in all things to do Gods will as do also the Saints and Angels in Heaven 3. It must be like Abrahams as he left his Country and all when God called contrary to all temptations and that readily and simply without reasoning or indenting so must we forsake our sins though never so natural and never excuse it thus It s my nature my Predecessers have done so I have been long accustomed hereto He left his Countrey so natural to him and that in his age We must obey against all temptations of Profit Pleasure Ease Father Mother Wife Children though all these hang about our necks we must yet readily obey 4. Throughly not as the Devils who if they must needs out of the man yet would tarry in the coast The obedience of the wicked is like their Fathers the Devil it s but in part as the Devil entred into the Swine so they will tarry in some sin
battel a Mariner in a tempest a friend in adversity so are the godly known in adversity As the Apostle speaks of Heresie so may I of afflictions They must needs be that they which are approved may be made manifest among us 2. To confirm his Truth not in respect of it self but of men and to whet on others as the seed of the Church is the blood of the Martyrs 3. To make a way for his judgements on his enemies and persecuters of his Saints whereof though the perfection be to come yet even here God suffers them not to escape his hand in a notable maner which doth not a little strengthen his servants 4. To prove the faith and patience of his own children and to encrease the same Spices smell best when they are bruised and graces appears most when most tryed 5. To scour off their soyl that they gather in the world and make them bright 6. To stir them up to every duty the more fervently 7. That they may be like to their head Christ Jesus who by suffering entred into glory 1. When we enter into the profession of Religion we must beforehand sit down and cast up our accounts what the same may cost us which if many had done they had escaped the horrible sin and foul shame of Apostacy Most profess Religion in the time of peace but when trouble comes they will be gone one would sit at Christs right hand another at his left in his Kingdom but will not be batized with the baptism wherewith he is baptized neither with him will drink of the bitter cup of affliction They will save themselves from any hurt yea they think themselves wise persons that can shift off sufferings and them fools that suffer for the Truth but they will prove fools in the winding up 2. When troubles come bear we the same patiently and joyfully we have the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the troop of Saints for our companions To us its a sign of salvation and great is our reward in Heaven It s a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble us And to us that are troubled rest with him When we have fought the good fight we shall enjoy a Crown of Glory Because Christ also suffered for us Another forcible Reason from Christs example which was done also for our imitation If Christ hath suffered why should not we If he that was God suffered at the hands of wretched men how much more may we men of mortal men like our selves If he for you then good reason you should suffer for him That he did was for a patern for us to follow and that patiently as he did his whole life was no other Though our salvation come cheap to us and of Gods meer gift yet it came not so to Christ he paid full dearly for it Gods Justice which would be satisfied required the same There was an infinite wrath due for our sins which Christ did undergo 1. If Christ hath suffered are not we to pledge our Master if the servants do but what their Master hath done before they have no cause to complain 2. If Christ the Son of God most holy suffered is it such a matter for us poor miser sinners to suffer 3. If he suffered for us his enemies should not we be much more willing to suffer for him and think our selves happy as who hath delivered us from the everlasting sufferings in Hell by his suffering for us and from reproachful sufferings that we might have had for some foul offences in this world and hath turned them into a few glorious sufferings for his name 4. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your mindes Consider who he was and what thou art and it wil much take away the bitterness of affliction For you so some read even for servants for the meanest with him is no respect of persons No rich nor poor bond nor free in Christ the one have as good right as the other nay though God have some of all yet most of the mean are Christs they receive the Gospel This may make the mean of the world to bear their condition the more patiently and comfortably they have part in Christ if fault be not in themselves and may be heirs of grace but for the most part the poorest of all exclude themselves and I know not how the hand of God goeth out heavily against them Leaving us an example c. We must not set Christ before us and consider him as a Mediator and Savior onely but as a patern and example to follow and that a most perfect one we must labor to imitate him and if we belong to him we must walk as he walked we must thus think with our selves when we are about any thing what would Christ Jesus do if he were in my cloaths So do thou and not otherwise so do in thy calling in patience forbearance c. And in a doubtful case ask what would Christ do in such a case That may we know by the rule of the word for accordingly would he do this is a good image of Christ better then Popish Pictures and Crucifixes Get we an image of Christ out of the Gospel and accordingly live we thereby and be we more and more changed thereinto Verse 22. Who did no sin neither wus guile found in his mouth THe example of Christs sufferings is illustrated 1. By his innocency 2. By his admirable patience Innocency that he had no sin no not so much as ever slipt in his tongue and so was perfect Now if he had no sin suffered patiently much more should we that are sinful Creatures and do one way or other deserve a thousand times more then that we suffer His admirable patience set forth by that he suffered and his bearing the same sufferings in word and deed where 's shewed both what he did not and what he did He requited not onely not ill words with ill deeds but not the worst deeds that were done to him with an ill word again and he committed his cause to God knowing that he knew what was to be done and would judge righteously between him and them Who did no sin c. He had no Original sin but was conceived by the holy Ghost The matter whereof he was framed which he took of the Virgin was freed from all spot of sin and filled with fulness of grace yea from the first moment of his Conception was united into one Person with the divine nature So did the Angel declare to his Mother That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God 1. Then he suffered not for his own sins as they wickedly imagined that put him to death as was foretold but from ours altogether
taunt blow for blow c. He is no body that will not revenge himself to the uttermost from the least to the greatest Much is spent this way in Law onely for mens wicked wills upon stomack and to revenge Some profess and are not ashamed to say I 'le be revenged on him I 'le not leave him worth a groat I 'le fit in his skirts once in the year I 'le be even with him who that they may have their will of a man care not what they spend though they have the curse of God withal If they be told thereof what 's their defence Had he not begun with me he should have gone long enough before I would have wronged him but seeing he hath thus done I 'le serve him as well He is counted an honest man that doth not begin to wrong another but he that doth but requite wrong with the like O that 's very reasonable and it were no reason to require the contrary Thus most have no ears to hear any perswasions to put up wrongs a certain sign that they are fleshly and that the Devil bears sway in their hearts What Shall I put up abuses then I shall be counted a fool Not of God who bids thee so do nor of Angels nor of good men who count them wise that so do He that is slow to wrath is of great wisdom For the contrary none but fools and bad men will count you wise neither are they fit Judges yea their dispraise is a praise He is not strongest that can revenge but that can up most and overcome himself It s beastly power to subdue others but Christians must subdue their own rebellious affections and lusts But alas even Gods Servants and they that have good things in them are yet greatly taken herein as appears in their writings about matters in controversie they break out into personal disgraces and bitter invectives one against another a very unseemly thing me thinks not savoring of the Spirit but of the Fesh yea the way to exasperate and so to encrease sin The truth may be sufficiently maintained and error gainsaid and confuted without such things That Christians should be stirred one against another that they should not bear one with another that they should rip up one anothers faults that they should disgrace one another that they should either fall flat out one with another into bitter terms or biting them into worse purposes not forget wrongs true or seeming for a great while O this is wonderful yea monstrous pride where is love that suffereth long and where is the example of our Savior all this while And where 's our forgiving one another as we would God should forgive us This hinders not but that Magistrates may execute justice upon ill doers so it be upon no private grudge and that Parents and Masters may correct the faults of their Children and servants so it be chiefly in regard of the sin against God and for the good of the party And a man may take the benefit of the Magistrate if the matter be of weight and cannot be well ended otherwise yea if he be set upon and violence offered to him he may be a Magistrate for himself if he cannot shift off his enemies and by defending himself he may be freed of the danger and if he must needs wound or be wounded kill or be killed then no doubt its lawful rather to kill then be killed and yet to be as free from revenge as full of pity But committed himself c. Our Savior would not revenge himself on his adversaries as knowing that his Father was wise enough and knew what to do to them and being just would also do right judgement Whence note That They that revenge think that God either is not wise enough or just enough to requite the wrongs done them or to determine of their cases for if they so thought they would leave it to him whose office it is and who will do it to the purpose He that revengeth puts God out of his place and sits down therein Should any having no Authority Calling or fitness intrude himself into the place or seat of a Temporal Judge would he not be accounted a Fool or a Madman Let us therefore beware of revenge seeing it concludes so wickedly on our parts against God and know we that we do always provide best for our selves when we commend our cause to God for he knows how when and which way to defend his and revenge them on their Enemies When Moses bare quietly the abuse of Corah and his company how did God right his cause The like may be said of Davids in respect of the wrongs done by Saul and Shimei If we revenge our selves we turn Gods revenge against our selves and as we become partners with them that have wronged us in sin so shall we in punishment To him that judgeth righteously God is the Judge of the world he daily judgeth and hath especially prepared one day wherein he will judge the world and give every one according to that they have done His judgements are always righteous as between Moses and Corah yea Moses and Miriam David and Saul Ahab and Naboth c. they committed their cause unto God who accordingly righted them so did he right Hezekiah on Senacherib Peter on Herod the Holy Martyrs on their bloody persecuters Thus doth God revenge himself of the wicked enemies of Gods faithful Ministers and thus for our weakness he keeps as it were petty Sessions but this is nothing to that he will do He reacheth out his hand as it were from behinde a Curtain and gives now one now another of his Enemies a rap thereby to relieve our weakness and strengthen us and to curb the wicked that they be not too outragious but here 's a day coming wherein he will throughly judge between his servants and their enemies Things seem to go crooked now when the wicked tread under foot the poor Saints like clay in the streets and insult over them but as a Turner or Joyner with crooked tools will make straight and even work so hereby in Gods wise providence is set forth as well the constancy of his Saints as the malice of their Enemies the one being thus prepared to glory the other to Destruction both which shall evidently appear on the great day O how notably may this comfort Gods servants and make them patient in their sufferings And how may this terrifie the wicked that dare meddle with any that belong unto God He that defendeth them is mighty and he will spoil the soul of them that spoil them Verse 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteonsness by whose stripes ye were healed OUr Apostle having had occasion to speak of the passion of our Savior Christ thought it too bare to have spoken
present state They were once in a poor case in a piteous taking in a miserable and dangerous case but now through Gods mercy they were come home to Christ who most carefully did and would protect them to their Salvation Before they came to Christ their case was woful and dangerous as is the state of all unregenerate persons but now having taken hold of Christ their condition was safe happy as it s with all believers and penitent persons For ye were as sheep going astray Speak we first of the miserable state of all unregenerate men of all men without Christ they are as sheep going astray 1. Every Natural man is like a beast who is therefore in Scripture compared to several sorts of beasts for one ill quality or another as to Dogs for their malicious barking and biting at them they live with to Wolves for their greedy devouring of the poor to Lyons for their cruel tyranny to fat fat Bulls for their proud abuse of their prosperity to Hogs for their rude and unreverent base esteeming of Spiritual things as the Word and Sacraments and Gods Ministers to Foxes as Herod for their craft so to Horses and Mules for their ignorance and unruliness yea sometimes the beasts are preferred before them to shame them and sometimes they are sent to school to them nay all Gods Creatures are more serviceable then Man they obey God in their kind and abide in their first estate the Sun Moon and Stars obey God in their courses the huge Sea rageth and is calm at his bidding if he command it to stand as a wall it doth so to let Israel go through and will return again upon the same warrant and drown Pharaoh if God bid the Whale swallow Jonah and cast him up again it obeys him in both if he forbid the Lyons to touch Daniel they stir not though very hungry as the fire did not burn the three Children c. But man that should be best of all and for whom all were made as he for God yet walk stubbornly and rebelliously omitting what 's required of him and doing what 's again and again prohibited therefore God calls all Creatures to witness against man yea they are many times to set themselves against us as when the heavens become as brass and the earth as iron c. and to groan because of us as being weary of doing any further service to such as we are O how ought this to humble all that be such that know no mark of conversion or change in themselves from their unregenerate condition small cause hast thou to be proud the Horse thou ridest on is far better then thou art it doth that for which God did ordain it but thou doest not that which the Lord requireth of thee nay the Dog that keeps thy Yard and ears bones under thy table is in a better case then thou art its serves God in its kinde thou never didst any thing that God set thee here for O humble thy self before God crave of him to work an alteration in thee for he onely can do it and that by the Ministery of his word Thus can he bring it to pass delivering thee from thy brutish nature turning thee into a Christian man renewing in thee his image and working of grace that so thou mayest serve him in a better maner then other creatures either do or can do so shalt thou be more happy then they for they as they have no pain so they shal have no glory but thou shalt go from hence to everlasting glory in the Kingdom of Heaven But as for all that continue in their Rebellion as they are worse then beasts in their life so shall they be in their end for their death is but a beginning to eternal misery O how happy were it for every man that shall dye in his sins if he were turned this day into a Dog or Toad and no further account to be taken of him 2. As a Sheep that wandereth is out of his way so is every natural and unregenerate man quite out of his way out of the way to Peace and Happiness We were created in the right way but in Adam all went astray we have no minde but of wandering and roaming further and further the longer we live till God take us into the right way so that whosoever dyes in the way he was born in and lived in first must needs perish it s the way of ignorance of sin the broad way to destruction Some go out of the way by ignorance some by superstition some by prophaneness by hypocrisie by trusting to civility c. naturally we do all go from God and Peace to Hell and the Devil Abraham was out of his way whilest he was an Idolater so Paul whilest he was a Persecutor The wicked they go astray even from the womb they wander from every good work and do nothing well or pleasing to God They delight to wander and take pleasure in their sins yea that they thus wander may appear by these signs They refuse instruction and reproof whether publike or private whereas the regenerate account those to love them indeed which tell them of their faults they live even in known sins they are altogether for the world having no communion with God in holy duties they have no love to good company but associate themselves with others like themselves and of their own stamp If they do good duties it s for sinister respects not out of conscience Thus the Devil misleads some Antichrist seduceth thousands by false Doctrine and miracles as wicked Ministers by seldom or erroneous teaching and bad lives So is the world a great deceiver by bad examples by false reports of the servants of God and by the profits and pleasures thereof yea a mans own heart is a great deceiver as whereby many think they are in the way to Heaven when they be in the way to destruction Ignorance also of the Scriptures is a great cause of being deceived Ye erre saith our Savior not knowing the Scriptures nay God in justice gives some over to believe lyes as Ahab was seduced by false Prophets to his destruction they may provoke God so long by their wandering that he will never reclaim or bring them home but swear in his wrath they shall never enter into his rest they may despise the means so long as no Sermon shall do them good These are in a fearful state marked to destruction as Trees to be felled This also should humble men for what are they but stragling creatures and make them desire to get into the right way But how few will take knowledge they be out of their way thinking still their case to be good enough as the Lord complained by Jeremiah I hearkened and heard but none spake aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying What have I done c. There
special Reason and that not too suddenly and then to hold it so constantly as to make it our own by continuance what new-fangledness is there now the French is in request within one quarter the Italian not long after the Spanish Dutch Polonian c. so that one were as good make a garment for the Moon as for our Countrey women How garish also and gawdy are most in their attire thereby declaring the vanity of their mindes How immodest are some going so mannishly that they can scarce be discerned from men as others by their naked necks and breasts do as it were set their own honesty to sale And whereas costly apparel should be used but seldom with most its made their every days wearing And thus hath our plenty and peace bred a great deal of pride and wantonness and that is the recompence which the Lord hath at our hands which may justly make us fear some heavy hand of God against us this being one of the sins of Sodom as every one that thus sinneth in particular may fear Beggery Deformity or some grievous sickness Let us therefore repent of that is past and labor to reform our selves herein and for those that be as yet free let them so keep themselves For 1. God hath forbidden garishness and excess in apparel and therefore except we will shew our selves not to regard his word we must take heed of it A grievous thing it is that people can come into the very house of God and there sit and hear what is said against it and yet are not moved but still continue in this vice which is as if they should say We will do it whatsoever is said against it They come to be reformed but will admit no Reformation 2. If we consider the coming in of apparel we shall have little cause to be proud of it for we had none in the state of innocency nor none needed neither hear nor cold could annoy us but now by reason of sin both do Besides we were naked and not ashamed when apparel would have been to mans body as a cloud to the Sun not to deck but to darken it for the beauty of Gods workmanship had been better then the Taylors workmanship but when we by sin had wounded our selves God was fain to cover it with a plaister our apparel then is a badge of our sin and ought to humble us in the remembrance of sin It s as a plaister that shews there 's a sore underneath now who is proud of a plaister but rather humbled upon the sight of it A grievous thing it is to turn that into sin that is given us to put us in minde and humble us for sin If any were adjudged to wear a halter all the days of his life would he be proud of it thought it were of silk or boast if he were to wear a silver or gold shackle Apparel is a badge of sin small cause have we to wax proud thereof how gorgeous soever They that thus do are proud in their own shame 3. It s a most unseemly thing for Christians to put excellency in apparel and to be so careful in these outward toys It becomes the the world well enough that know no better clothing neither looking for grace here nor glory hereafter but for Christians thus to do its base The other have their portion here and know no better thing therefore no marvel though they be very careful about this and as the Gentiles seek after the same and the like but Christians should think themselves best when they are modestly and lowly attired attired with grace We professing our selves Pilgrims here ought to live as Pilgrims and not follow the fashion of this or that Countrey in every fangle or garish apparel and so live as Citizens or Courtiers of this world We professing our selves to be travelling to Heaven must be humble and stoop low for the gate is straight we must not load our bodies and mindes with these things for they will hinder us in our journey 4. It s absurd to place excellency in such a thing as apparel for we borrow it of poor creatures which be far inferior to our selves The best silk is the excrement of crawling Worms the finest cloath but of the fleece of the silly Sheep so we borrow the skin of one the bones of another the hair or fleece of another Will any Nobleman borrow apparel of a mean Yeoman or if he were put to such a shift would he be proud of it or not rather be ashamed seeing we be put to borrow of the creatures so far our inferiors for our clothing having nothing of our own but nakedness we should not be proud of it Besides when we have done all we can there be sundry Heathens have better then we and many Players Dancers and Strumpets have as good and better yea there 's put upon Horses velvet gold c. and when all is done we are not so fine as the lilly of the field 5. When the outside is so much decked commonly the inside is neglected lightly both are not well lookt to but the soul the inside should be best cloathed the body is but the case of the soul and the apparel but the case of the body we never make the case of a thing so good as that we put up therein Presents of good worth are often lapt up in papers and so sent They that give themselves most to gay clothes have no leisure nor care to deck themselves inwardly therefore are like painted vessels having a fair outside but an empty and mean inside like a Jade with a velvet saddle and gilded trappings Will any man esteem the Horse because of them or will he not rather pull these off him and then try what mettal he is of In many men and women their outside is fairest but if an house were neatly painted without and like an Hogsty within who would not mislike it 6. Whereas such as set their minde so much on brave apparel look to be hereupon highly esteemed regarded and reverenced God notably crosseth their pride so as they miss their aym some laugh at them some envy them some are angry at them some speak against them O there 's a notable proud woman yea those that crouch to them yet in heart mislike them and the poor say Since gay clothing came up they could get but little relieve So whereas hereby they thought to please all they please none neither God nor man 7. It betters not them that wear it whether they be beautiful in body or deformed vertuous in minde or vicious If beautiful what needs such a deal of stir which doth indeed hinder their natural beauty If deformed hereby their deformity is not hid but rather made more known then else it would If vertuous it s not gay cloaths but their vertues that sets them out no more then a candle light gives
the King of Heaven That your prayers be not hindred The third Reason Using them ill will breed Contention and so make them unable to pray at all or pray amiss Here note 1. That the husband should pray with his wife God takes it here for granted and that also constantly the course of their prayers must by no means be broken off This is their daily homage to God they have daily need of pardon grace protection direction in all their affairs all which must be prayed for This hath promise of blessing and herein all Religion is contained This condemneth most husbands that never pray with their wives they have no skill nor will hereto an argument of a prophane man void of all Religion dead in sin for where there is the least spark of grace there will be crying to God How do these live as much Religion in their Hogs-coats as in their houses they live like Swine most Families in stead of being little Churches be Heards of Swine which live as if there were no God How do these look for a blessing God hath promised none but to them that ask it what common blessings they enjoy they enjoy not as fruits of their Prayers If we desire to be accounted religious and would have any blessing of God let 's learn to pray 2. That whatsoever would interrupt our Prayers is carefully to be avoided Thus as we are to avoid worldliness an ill conscience and the like so also contention and wrangling both with our neighbors and wives That party is unfit to Pray whose heart is poysoned with wrath and malice the Prayers of such are loathsom being thus our Sacrifices will not be accepted at Gods altar O what a grievous thing is it to lose our prayers What else have we to help our selves with What judgements doth not prayer remove What blessing doth it not obtain greatly doth he lose that loseth the benefit of his prayers Therefore let us beware of contention and strife especially with our wives Let us always keep our hearts calm and fit to pray Who knows what need he may have of prayer and that more then ordinary As men keep their Horses for service in plight and breath so keep we our prayers in good tune keep we them as a Pinnace ready to send out speedily and come home laden else we may miss many a good purchase Verse 8. Finally be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitiful be courteous Verse 9. Not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing NOw he comes to certain general Exhortations that concern all sorts and states whatsoever and they tend to love and a peaceable and comfortable living together one with another Be ye all of one minde Not that he would have these Jews to be of one minde with the Idolatrous and prophane Gentiles amongst whom they lived but that being converted and believing Jews they would all consent and agree together in the matters of Faith and Religion of Christ that they would all embrace the Lord Jesus the onely Foundation and that some onely should not look for Salvation by him some by the Law and some by both but that all should seek unto him alone And as they were thus to agree in matters of Faith so also in their Civil affairs avoiding contention and strife The vertue then which is here exhorted unto is Unanimity a joyning together in one minde and one heart in one judgement and one affection For Unity in Religion though Errors be many yet there 's but one Truth which every one must know believe and walk in to Salvation Other foundation besides Christ there 's none all that believe in him shall be saved as they that miss of him building beside the foundation fall to the ground shall be ashamed and confounded We were all created in the Truth but since the fall become prone to error Christ is the Truth the Way and the Life and this are we to buy this is contained in the Scriptures for which we are to search Some foolishly imagine that every one shall be saved by his own devotion but its life eternal to know God and Christ Jesus whom he hath sent To be thus in one judgement in Religion is a great mean of peace as the contrary a great cause of dissention even disagreement in small matters makes alienations of affections much more in Religion This Jeroboam knew well he would not suffer the ten Tribes to come up to Jerusalem to worship as God commanded lest agreeing together they should fall from him but chose to set up a new kinde of worship at Dan and Bethel thereby to set them at oddes It s lamentable that so many are distracted into divers and innumeral Heresies and but a very handful have the Truth and be of one minde Some disagree from the Truth in the very foundation as 1. Heathens and Pagans living in strange kindes of idolatry being altogether ignorant of God and Christ. 2. The Jews that look for another Savior acknowledging the Father but not the Son but he hath that not the Son hath not the Father 3. The Turks that acknowledge the Old not the New Testament the Father not the Son 4. The Papists that hold some not all points tending this way as in the matter of our salvation parting the same between Christ and our selves 5. The Arrians and that base Atheistical Sect of the Family of Love c. Some though they differ not in foundation yet erre from the truth Such were the Donatists Novatians and such like of old as in our times the Lutherans beyond the Seas and amongst our selves the Separatists Those are led with a Spirit of pride and preposterous Zeal They were bred up in the Church and as soon as they were able to shift for themselves they spit in their Mothers face and call her Strumpet These be ungracious children they were never thus taught of Christ or his Apostles As we are to pity and pray for the former and that the Lord would deliver his poor people from the tyranny of the Turk and Antichrist giving the Gospel a free passage among them that with one minde and mouth they may glorifie God in Christ Jesus so for these Seeing there is little to prevail with them as having a proud conceit of themselves and their opinions le ts take heed we be not led away with them for herein they hazard their souls greatly that they forsake the means the Ministery of the Word and so may revolt or at least stand at a stay Whiles they be so quarrelling about matters of Controversie they neglect matters of Sanctification and Government of their lives Besides even among our selves that tarry in the Church there is odds and difference and thereby carnal worldlings
prosperity and welfare inward and outward in body and soul. Quest. In Heaven indeed there shall be days without night good without the least mixture of evil but can good days be enjoyed in this world R. In comparison we may but not absolutely good without evil for as the best man is not without sin so he cannot but have inward sorrow of heart and likewise be subject to afflictions every day bringing grief enough with it yet in comparison of worse days of horror of conscience of troubles outward in the Land of miseries and vexations that may befal us we may see good days that is to say Inward peace of Conscience in the assurance of Gods love and our care to walk faithfully before God also we may enjoy Peace in the Land Plenty the Gospel Health Wealth Friends Wife Children c. and when these are there are good days days freed from calamities and sorrows and wherein we may plentifully enjoy comforts and blessings The day also of a Christians conversion is a special good day so the days wherein we do enjoy the purity of Gods Worship in the Word and Sacraments so the days wherein we see Gods Church flourish so when the Sabbath is duly sanctified it s a good day so when a Christian after sin comes to repentance so the days wherein a Christian walks with God and hath recourse unto him And as thus days may be termed good so may they in other respects evil evil to the ungodly without exception to whom even in their greatest prosperity their days be evil evil also to the godly when they cannot enjoy the means of salvation in the life and power of it when God seems to hide his face from them when they have conflicts with spiritual wickednesses when the wicked prevail over them such I say and are there not such now are evil days yet withal there 's great difference between the ill days of the wicked and the godly for the godly are even in the worst times blessed even then blessed when they are chastened God also will deliver them in due time yea will make them glad according to the days they have been afflicted Here note 1. That mens days be usually evil and that both in regard of sin and the effects thereof 2. That our life is short set out here not by years but by days which is elswhere compared to a post grass a vapor a Weavers shuttle c. Thus is it to the godly in mercy God will not have them to be long here in this wicked world Thus is it to the wicked in justice as spending the time here allotted them to Gods dishonor That good days are a blessing of God to be delighted in and desired of Gods Servants God hath promised it as an encouragement to obedience they have also prayed for it Psalm 118. 25. and 122. 7. and it s made a sign of Gods favor and presence with his servants Obj. But the wicked often enjoy the same 1. Sol. Outward prosperity they have not the inward assurance of Gods favor 2. Though they abound in the outward blessing yet wanting the right hold and the right use of it nay abusing it to contrary ends it will prove in the end through their own sin a curse to them Their table will be a snare to them and their prosperity their ruine the more outward blessings they enjoy the more have they to answer for Obj. Why is it often denyed even to Gods children who go through many sorrows Sol. Though prosperity be in it self a blessing yet through the corruption of our nature it often turns to our hurt for whereas hereby we should be made more mindeful of God to love praise and serve him and walk more obediently and carefully through our poysonful nature we are usually made forgetful of God proud secure worldly contentious and not onely untoward to goodness but apt to any ill The fattest ground is most slippery fed Horses fling their riders full bodies are subject to the Plurifie Adversity hath slain some but prosperity many thousands more In great Houses there 's swaggering swearing drinking gaming c. whereas in mean places there 's Reading Praying c. nay in adversity you shal have the same persons humble which in prosperity forgot themselves as David and Hezekiah So that adversity is of singular profit to drive us to a sight of our sins with Josephs Brethren to keep us from sin as an hedge of thorns keeps Cattel out from spoiling the Garden to abate our pride and mortifie our corruptions to wean us from the world to shew us that we are not to look for our portion here but set our affections on Heaven where our inheritance is indeed reserved for us Hereupon the Scripture pronounceth them happy that be afflicted yet doth not this prove that adversity in it self is better then prosperity To us indeed it may be better through occasion of our corruption as blood-letting or the taking of loathsom Physick may be to diseased bodies 1. Be we greatly thankful to God that hath given us to see so many good days in the enjoyment of peace plenty the Gospel particular favors c. Our sins have deserved all ill days and assuredly such we shall see if we be not thankful for good days 2. Crave we of God to continue his goodness towards us as also grace to use it well else it will be no blessing will not abide with us we are at all times to walk warily but more heed is to be taken in time of prosperity then adversity then are we to suspect our selves lest abusing the same we prove unthankful Q Whether may we pray for riches and great prosperity or not A. We have no such Warrant in Gods Word neither commandment promise nor example of moderation we have as in Jacob and Agur And for great wealth without admirable grace it s exceeding dangerous It s hard for a rich man to enter into Heaven not many such are called to be thus is no mark of a childe of God If God send it we are not to refuse it but to be thankful and crave great grace to govern it and our hearts therewithal but we have more cause to fear it then desire it but for competent prosperity we may pray yet conditionally because being an outward thing we know not but it may prove hurtful we are to leave it to God that knoweth what 's best for us therewith we must also crave the right use thereof and to be bettered thereby 3. When God shall be pleased to lay his hand upon us any maner of way let us bear the same with patience God sees the same to be needful for us as lanching for a sore blood-letting or purging to a full body If God take away our prosperity be content it s but one of Gods common
when he is angry 3. God hates it and such as commit the same 4. It brought misery into the world with shame and confusion upon us all and hath always been the cause of all evils For this the Angels were cast out of Heaven Adam out of Paradice the old world drowned and Sodom burnt c. yea it wounds the Conscience which God hath set in us as a Monitor Notary Accuser Judge and Tormentor 5. It bringeth eternal destruction both of body and soul O who would not hate that Mother which brings forth no better children Besides we shun lesser things therefore should shun this much more we shun crosses exceedingly which yet are so far from hindring our Salvation as that they further the same but sin is the destruction of our souls That sins is worse then all crosses appears by the Devils practice who is that subtile one he had rather draw Job to commit sin against God by impatiency then have power to take away all his goods he did this to bring him to that and its true if a man should break an Arm or Leg or lose all he hath it were not so bad or so much to be shunned as is sin To eschew this is the note of a man that loves God of a man that fears him for eschewing this are Gods Servants commended in Scripture as on the contrary the wicked branded for committing the same We are to Eschew all evil even the least we must not give way unto any one no not the least idle thought or word even one is able to destroy us yea and he that breaks one is guilty of all Yea and All persons are to eschew the same not the greatest excepted Gods Law bindes them be they Princes Magistrates Ministers Householders c. They should eschew it most for by their example they do most hurt and as no mans greatness will bear him out so will not any mans meanness excuse him in doing of evil And as all persons are to eschew it so must they shun it At all times Amonst all the times which the Preacher setteth down there 's none for sin we must serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life Some things be in season at one time some at another but sin is never in season Many make the Lords days the times of disorder and they that will be orderly all the year yet at Christide they take liberty to ryot gaming drinking c. as if those times were not to be as well if not better employed then others We must also eschew it In all places God is the God of all places neither can any place change the nature of sin thou must eschew sin as well abroad as at home in thy House Chamber Shop as well as at Church All kindes of sin are also to be avoided Error in judgement and wickedness in Conversation evil against God our Neighbors or our selves We must also shun and avoid evil under what colour or pretence soever it comes as Usury is pretended to be lawful on the behalf of Orphans to kill ones self to preserve Chastity to separate from the Church lest they partake with the wicked c. whosoever doth command it as appears by the examples of the three Children Daniel Peter and John whose example soever we have for it for we are not to follow even a multitude though of great learned men in evil though it be never so gainful What got Achan Gehazi Judas by their booties Our Savior would not listen to the Devils proffer that of fered him All the Kingdoms of the world and we should be losers if we did gain the whole world with the loss of our souls never so pleasannt for though it be sweet in the mouth it will be gall afterward bite like a Serpent and sting like a Cockatrice for a vain short pleasure to sell our souls to everlasting pain were folly indeed yea though we could bring to pass some good thereby we must not do evil that good may come thereof better that good be left undone then that it should be purchased with Gods dishonor as to steal or take usury that we may do good to the poor c. nay we must so hate and eschew evil as we may eschew the very appearance thereof as to go to a place that is of ill report though having no ill purpose c. and must avoid the occasions leading thereunto as going in the twylight by the Harlots house anger multitude of businesses the company of angry persons multiplying of words c. yea if even things good and lawful in themselves be an occasion of evil and cause us to offend we must forbear them as some in using their recreations break out into impatience and anger and others cannot leave the same in any time better for such to pluck out this their eye cut off this their right hand and to eschew this we must eschew the persons and places where in likelyhood we are to be drawn thereunto as the company of bad persons and private familiarity with wicked doers and that not for any sinister respect but because its evil though haply we may be hated for our labor eschewing especially those sins that be most incident to our nature complexion and calling and whereunto we have been most accustomed 1. This condemns them that be so far from hating and eschewing evil though it be as poyson as the Plague that they love it with their hearts live in the continual practice thereof drink it down like water running thereunto as the horse rusheth into the Battel This is the state of most they are workers of iniquity the whole world lieth in wickedness they love not the means nor persons whereby they may be pulled out of their sins but eschew them and goodness as much as they can What Rebels be these against God their Maker Preserver and Soveraign Being made to honor him will they do nothing but dishonor him and so requite all his blessings will nothing serve those to play with but swords and fire-brands and mortal things nothing please them but to cross God and nothing like them but their own poyson Have they sped so well formerly that have done thus Do they provoke the Lord and not themselves to the confusion of their faces If they have vowed they will have their pleasures and lusts whatsoever comes of it then it must be so what remedy These have no love of God neither is there any fear of God in them They are prophane and godless persons which may look for wages answerable to their work shame and the wrath of God in this world and eternal destruction in the world to come For life is in the way of righteousness but death is in the way of sin and the paths thereof tend to Hell O that these persons would hear the
them occasions of sinning cease therefore to be wicked else shalt thou never cease to be miserable Be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled To comfort them in their sufferings for Christ he removes the enemy of constant and patient suffering namely Fear Be not saith he afraid of their terror neither be troubled that is Either be not afraid with the fear of ungodly men and such as have no hope in God who in the very least danger are altogether dismaid as the words in Isa. 8. 12. whence these seem to be taken do imply or Fear not the things wherewith they seek to afright you the Apostle using the words but to his own sense Fear not their faces big looks threats prisons censures and tortures neither be dismaid at them fear is an enemy to constant suffering as a coward can be no true Soldier and therefore are we often diswaded therefrom This hindred Nicodemus from coming unto Christ by day and multitudes from confessing him even for fear of the Scribes and Pharisees made Peter deny his Master and because of this in all alterations of Religion most turn with the time And would not many be more forward in goodness then they are if it were not for fear of displeasing O strive against this fear and be couragious so were Daniel the three Children the Apostles Moses the holy Martyrs c. Their Faith overcame their fear we need not fear men or what they can do to us for God will stand by us we must fear him fear to sin against him for unbelievers and fearful they shall have a fearful portion such as fear man more then God flye from the stroke of a childe and fall into the hand of a Gyant from a straw to a sword Verse 15. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear HEre 's the true means of constant and patient suffering even faith resting it self confidently on God But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts We sanctifie God or his name as it s in the first petition of the Lords prayer not when we adde any holiness thereto which is holy beyond comparison but when we acknowledge and give that holiness which belongs to it Particularly herein we sanctifie the Lord in our hearts when we believing his faithfulness in his promises do thereupon rest on him in time of our troubles and this is to glorifie him Faith is the mother of constancy in suffering I know thy faith and thy patience Be thou faithful unto the death c. By faith those worthies mentioned in Heb. 11. did undergo all their sufferings This is the victory that overcomes the world The want of faith makes the world flye from God and his cause weakness of faith causeth fear to overflow us as in Peter and Cranmer as soon as we see some trouble to arise then are we ready to say with Peter O Master we perish If we do believe our selves to be the Lords and that our cause is just and good and that he hath all power in his hand and that none can stir further then he pleaseth and that he will strengthen his servants to endure and after this transitory life translate us unto life everlasting O this will encourage us indeed Labor we therefore for a good stock of Faith now in this time of peace and let us in our daily tryals reproaches and afflictions exercise the same and make good use of it If in these we can give glory to God by depending on him we may trust our Faith will not fail us when greater tryals shall befal us to believe God of his Word is to give glory to God as on the contrary to faint tends to his dishonor and as to believe on him is great ease to our selves so not to believe but faint very troublesom And be ready always to give an answer c. He proceeds to another duty as a fruit of the former trust in God exhorting us in token of our Faith in God that we be ready with courage to acknowledge and make confession of our Faith to those that shall demand a reason thereof This we must be ready at all times to do and so often as we shall be called thereto and to all men that have authority to call us and to any that shall demand it with a desire to learn or whensoever and wheresoever we shall see it meet and requisite so to do as the Spirit of God will direct his servants where when and to whom yet so as we do it with courage meekness and godly reverence Our duty then is not onely to believe the truth of God in our hearts but we must be ready outwardly to make profession thereof and confess the same with our tongues when God shall call us thereunto Abraham Isaac and Jacob walk'd as Pilgrims here on earth professing themselves Gods servants and Joshua professed That he and his would serve the true God Accordingly must we both by our speeches and actions declare whose servants we are so walking as that men may see we are not ashamed of God or his Word and way whatsoever others do most do yea rich and wise men do the great ones of the world do yet do we thus walk daring do no otherwise and not caring who know our carriage and behavior and though they scoff at it as scruplous too strict and precise and call us fools for our labor and ask us Why we do not thus and thus as we see most men do yet need not we be dismaid as being warranted by the Word of God So in all Companies we must make known what we are If we hear any rail at goodness speak ill of good duties oppose any part of Gods truth reproach the professors of Religion whether unknown or known unto us we must take the cause in hand standing for the defence of Gods truth and servants If by our timely answer any good may come to the Gospel we must not through our silence betray the same but if we be among scorners and dogs we must shew our dislike by departing from them Thus must we do being in company with prophane ones so if we be among Papists or other adversaries to the Truth we must have the zeal of God in us so if it be in the times of persecution that we be called forth by Magistrates or their authority we ought not to flinch nor be ashamed or afraid but shew what our Religion is what our Faith and Hope giving a Reason thereof out of Gods Word or if they demand us about any point of Religion we must in the defence of Gods cause speak our consciences freely Thus if the Jews or Turks should call us to know through whom we did hope look to be saved we must
8. 1. Gal. 3. 13. as from the first so far forth as its a punishment and piece of the curse and the nature of it is changed to believers for whom Christ hath dyed it s become a Serpent without a sting yea a blessing as being hereby freed from sin and not before Hereby the soul is let out of the prison of this body into the liberty of Gods Servants and put into the possession of life Hereby also the body is freed from all toils labors infirmities and pains waiting in the Grave for an happy and glorious resurrection In which respect death is termed a sleep an advantage to the Saints and is better in the day wherein they were born So from all forerunners hereof which are curses plagues and punishments in body minde goods and name all which Christ hath born what crosses we meet withal they are to further our Sanctification and Salvation but not punishments for sin or parts of Gods judgement as they be to the wicked 2. We are hereby made partakers of all good God is reconciled to us which is more then to have our sins and punishments quite removed yea and sheweth us the light of his countenance not as David who though he staid his wrath from Absolom at his return home to Jerusalem yet was not fully reconciled to him of two years The Creatures also are at peace with us The Angels become Servants and ministring Spirits for our good in life to direct us protect us comfort us c. and at death to carry our souls to Heaven so all other Creatures the very Devils and wicked men shall do us no hurt we have also right and title to this life we lost it in Adam but have it restored in Christ. 3. Hereby he conveyeth power into the hearts of all that believe in him to enable them to dye unto sin and to mortifie their lusts more and more This is a singular comfort to all that believe in Christ who onely partake of the benefits of his death we need not fear Hell condemnation nor any enemy of our Salvation nor any curse or punishment in this life all shall be for our good we need not fear the first death but rather have cause to desire it O the happiness of such God is at peace with them all Creatures in Heaven and Earth are their friends they have right to whatsoever they have little or much therefore may they rejoyce O happy that ever we were born what pains soever we have taken to come to the knowledge of Christ Jesus by whom we obtain such unspeakable things whatsoever the world esteemeth of believers they are the onely happy persons in the world yea we shall have power to mortifie our strongest corruptions and lusts fear it not beg it and use the means if all these be put together O how happy is a Christian who can value his riches On the contrary they that have not their part in Christs death are most miserable their sins are not removed they lye under them so under the curse of God in this world and the world to come so in danger of the first death which will rend the soul and body asunder that the soul may be cast out into Hell so also of the second O that such would labor for their part in Christ Christ came into the world Christ is now Preached and offered unto us men be in a woful case and are told of it and yet how few regard to embrace Christ how few customers hath Christ one would think that all that hear of Christ should be heartily glad of him and embrace and flye unto him but alas most men for profits pleasures or love of their vile lusts are content to let go Christ and he lies as a dead commodity and they that bring him to the world be unwelcom and so indeed few have part in Christ. The consideration hereof might make us mourn for our sins the cause of Christs death might be a corrasive to eat our sin and make it odious to us might make us serve God zealously and faithfully all our days yea to suffer for his sake and rather to dye with the Martyrs then any way to dishonor him and besides to labor to finde the vertue of Christs death working mightily in us the death of sin and sinful lusts Thus of his death But quickned by the Spirit Now of his Resurrection His body and soul that had been sundred were by the power of his Godhead reunited and he made alive so continuing with his Disciples until his ascension into Heaven Touching it consider that it was so the Reasons thereof the place maner and time with the benefits flowing from thence and the duties thereupon to be performed That Christ rose again is so plain that none needs doubt thereof The Angels that rolled away the stone the Soldiers that watched the Sepulchre Mary Magdalene and the other Mary that came to see the Sepulchre the two Disciples going to Emmaus the eleven Disciples being together c. all were witnesses hereof So his appearances were many as to Mary Magdalene then to her and that other Mary then to two Disciples going to Emmaus then to them all save Thomas then both to Thomas and the others another time to Cephas another time to seven of them at the Sea of Tiberias as at another to Five hundred Brethren at once so when he was to ascend he was taken up in the sight of all those there present all which are so many evidences of his Resurrection Reasons 1. That it might appear he had fully discharged our debt 2. Because being the Son of God and Author and Lord of life it had been unmeet nay it was impossible he should be held under of Death 3. By reason of the second part of his Priesthood which was yet to fulfil One part was to offer himself a Sacrifice Propitiatory to God for the sins of his people this he did by his death now the other is to make intercession for his Church and to apply the vertue of his death to those for whom he dyed This he could not have done if he had not risen again The maner When they had rolled a great stone to the door of the Sepulchre sealed it set Soldiers to watch yet he rose They could as well have hindered the rising of the Sun in the Firmament as his rising An Angel was sent that caused a great earthquake and rolled away the stone c. No counsel or strength can hinder the work of the Lord. Place The same where he was laid which was by Gods providence to avoid cavils in a new Sepulchre hewen out of a rock wherein never man had been laid Time It was the third day early in the morning on the first day of the week the third day as was foretold by Christ himself for he was buried the evening before the Sabbath and rose
to the glory of God which is the end of our life and ought to be the end of all our actions Abominable idolatries This is a sin aginst the first Table forbid in the first and second Commandments though most in the second It s either inward or outward and its either the worshiping of false gods or the true God in a false maner both which are most detestable and abominable before God and therefore to be hated of us in a deadly maner as that which is the flat breach of the marriage Covenant between God and his people It s a turning our heart from God a forgetting yea a forsaking of God a setting up another in his stead who will have no partners Hereunto we are naturally prone as may be seen throughout all ages even those that know the true God in some sort set up something before him to worship him in and by Hereof the Israelites were wonderfully guilty though they had many strict charges against it yet they were wofully carried away with the Idolatries of the Heathen sometimes they did worship the very gods of the Heathens as Baalim and Ashtaroth c. and at the best they used to worship God in Images as in the golden Calf that Aaron made and in the two Calves at Dan and Bethel for those the Prophets did vehemently reprove them and threaten Gods judgements against them which accordingly were inflicted on them as appears this day and if when they lived in their own Land they were so tainted with idolatry what were they now having so long conversed with those prophane Heathens This therefore the Apostle warns them now to leave and abandon as having already continued too long therein and having repented thereof he would not have them go back thereto any more I shall speak a little here of the Idolatry of the Heathens of the Idolatry of the Papists and of the Idolatry of our own people all which are either in worshiping a false god or the true God in a false maner For the worshiping of false gods so did the Heathens who worshiped the Sun Moon and the hoast of Heaven yea any thing what soever and according to their countries were their gods nay they had their city and countrey gods and houshold gods There was no end of their abominations having this in their heart that there was a God and not knowing him they worshipped any thing which the Lord doth deride and whereat he is angry for he will not give his glory to another nor his praise to graven Images O what cause have we to bless the name of God that have the light of the Word whereas most throughout all ages have been ignorant thereof and so worshipped they know not what and worshipped not onely in vain without any profit but to the dishonor of the true God and their own condemnation Neither is this the sin of Heathens alone to worship false gods but even of the Papists who have the Word for their Rule whose sin therefore is greater then the Heathens they worship the breaden god they bow down to it and call it their Maker what difference is then between them as those fell a Tree and with some part make a fire with some bake and of some make a god and worship it so these sow Corn reap it and grinde it and of some part thereof make bread for themselves and theirs and of another they make a god which they worship they also worship the Cross and Reliques of Saints they also worship the Virgin Mary calling on her oftner then on God so they worship Saints and Angels their Pictures also be common whereunto they give Divine worship they dedicate Altars Offerings Temples Priests and Days to them which are proper to God onely yea they make the Pope that Man of Sin a god not onely calling him so but ascribing that to him which is proper to God as To make Laws to binde the Conscience to open and shut Heaven Hell and Purgatory as they say to forgive sins to adde and take from the Scriptures c. O horrible What King will endure his Royalty to be given to another If Angels and Saints were to appear to us as they were wont formerly we ought not otherwise to worship them but with civil worship the excellency of the Creature doth not change the kinde of worship but onely the measure but now seeing they appear not to us we owe them no worship at all but onely to reverence them and thank God for them and imitate them in what we can The Angel would not suffer John to worship him and the Apostles Peter Paul and Barnabas refused also that to â—ob God of his due For worshipping the true God in a false maner it is either inward or outward Inward as when we conceive in our minde otherwise of God then he is and hath revealed himself as to conceive of God without consideration of the three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost as do the Turks and Jews and they amongst our selves which conceive that God is onely merciful and not just so to conceive of Christ as God onely or man onely and not as God and man in one person The Papists though in word they profess either yet in deed they deny both and so make an idol and no true Christ of him Outward as when men worship God in Images Stocks Sones Pictures of gold silver stone graved or painted or howsoever This is flatly forbid in the 2d Commandment as also in divers other places To make a Picture of God like an Oldman or of Christ like a Man hanging on a Cross what lyes be they Be these like God not so like as a Flie is or as a Flie is to a King Ob. But God so appeared in Daniel A. What then it followeth not we may so picture him especially seeing he hath forbid it Is the picture of a man like Christ His Godhead is the chiefest part of him how picture they that O they do it in a good meaning but our intention is not the rule of Gods Worship but his own will As for their shift that they worship not the Image but God in the Image it s indeed a meer shift that will not serve their turn so said some of the Heathens so said the Israelites assuredly God is displeased with both Let us therefore detest Popery as being abominable before God let us never be drawn to their Religion for it s to renounce God and quite break the Covenant Joyn not at any time with Papists in their Idol-service bow not the knee to Baal come out from among them and touch no unclean thing let neither Fear Covetousness or wanton curiosity to see new fangles draw you aside for ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of Devils Have no Society with them for marriage Joram and Ahaziah were bad for that they married into Ahabs stock
ask not onely whether it be East West North or South but through what Shires we must go nay by what great Towns nay by what Villages nay we ask what turnings there are from such a place to such a place nay what marks we shall meet withal as Windmils Crosses c. And as a great mans servant sets not down onely received 100 or 500 l. and laid out so much in the gross but particularly what he received of such a one and what of another and what he laid out for this what for that c. so should we observe every particular and that throughout the whole course of our lives There 's no time for security or sin we must not at any time give way either unto evil or that evil one That we ought to be thus watchful may appear 1. For that we have within us corrupt and wretched hearts which continually lust after evil and are untoward to any good being also subtile and deceitful above all things 2. The Devil a most malicious and watchful adversary is at our elbows always yea in our best actions as he was at Joshua's right hand to resist him The world also affords many provocations 3. The love of God towards us in Christ pardoning our sins and calling us to the hope of eternal happiness being so wonderful and unspeakable must we not therefore so watch in all things as that we may do nothing to grieve so good and merciful a Father but be careful in all things to be acceptable in his sight 4. Our Lords coming is uncertain we must therefore be like the diligent servant with our loyns girded and lights burning we must be like the five wise virgins with oyl in our lamps attending the coming of our Bridegroom This is no more then Gods requires of us no more then Noah Henoch and Abraham performed they walked with God set themselves continually as in Gods presence in an heedful care to all their ways This is no more then needs if either we consider the price of sin the inclination of our own hearts and what enemies the Devil and world are to us Neither doth this watchfulness hinder us from any thing but sin from no liberty but that that is nought and hurtful and that we may as well spare as water out of our shoes it hinders not from our calling onely requires us to pray first now a whet is no let we shall speed the better all the day after it onely teacheth us how to be in our calling not as drudges to the world but the servants of God it hinders us not from buying and selling but from Craft Covetousness Corruption in the same not from company but from vanity and unprofitableness in company not from mirth but from vain wicked mirth so that it s so far from being a bondage that its blessed liberty Some think that thus we shall pinion and binde our hands behinde us and that this is too strait It s true to our nature that hath been used to so much liberty it will seem strait at first till we be accustomed to it and then it will be found easie and pleasant even as a new sute of apparrel though never so fit yet will seem strait at the first putting on which afterwards it will not Such pretences are but as a Lyon in the way of a Sluggard The benefits ensuing hereby are divers 1. It keeps from many sins whereunto else we must needs fall ere we be aware and so consequently from many sorrows both outward and inward from many crosses and troubles from many heart-smarts and wounds of conscience Whatsoever is a mean to keep a man from sin is a blessed friend of his 2. It keeps us from lying still in any sin and is a mean to raise us up by true repentance for if it cannot prevent it yet it will no suffer us to sleep in it nor be quiet nor go to bed till we have vomited it up and so is a mean to keep our hearts from hardness Lying in sin hardens the heart and provokes God against us so that when we would we cannot rise nor tell how to go about it and when we do yet we do not so easily obtain pardon and peace Often reckonings make long friends 3. It keeps us from falling into foul sins for lightly men fall not far at once but by little and little neither is this a small benefit for though every sin be hurtful to the soul yet great sins do it more hurt A little jerk with a wand makes us skip and puts life into us as it were but a blow with a Cudgel or Leaver dazles us so little sins make us stir up our selves and put more care in us through Gods mercy whereas great sins benumb and dazle the conscience 4. It makes us see the corruption and naughtiness of our own hearts and so to be the humbler as also to see Gods mercy in keeping us from so many evils whereof we are in continual danger that so we may be the more exceedingly thankful 5. It upholds our communion with the blessed Majesty of God and the peace of our conscience which is a continual feast 6. It s a special argument that we are the children of God All the while we do thus we go on in the strait way we do as few do as none but Gods servants none but zealous Christians do 7. It makes our lives the more fruitful to our selves and our brethren by many degrees 8. It makes us fit both to live and dye to live and perform the good duties that God requireth for a heart well ordered is fitter to pray to hear to come to the Sacraments c. our accounts be the sooner made and so it being done daily it s done more easily then if it be put off to a great deal together To dye as being always fit and ready for our Lords coming 1. This being a thing so necessary and profitable we have cause to lament that we have known it no better nor had acquaintance therewithal for alas not to speak of the common sort which look after no such matter but will do as they list though they smart for it eternally even among the people of God how little is it known that God requireth such a particular care and watch that it s a thing possible but rather impossible or at least most irksom and therefore content themselves with a general purpose to do well and if they be careful on the Sabbath day to look to their heart tongue and ways and keep within compass yet that they ought and must thus do on other days few think Hence it is that we fall into so many evils to Gods dishonor our own discomfort the ill example of others and reproach of our profession What though we have no purpose in the morning to do ill as some wicked have not yet may we not through want of watchfulness fal ere
those that be small ones it passeth them by takes no notice of them but treads them under foot for those that be somewhat greater it will be content with any reason for those that do touch us to the quick in our names and goods it will forgive the wrong and the revenge but yet it may seek his own right and due and that by the benefit of the Magistrate where note that he must see 1. That it be not for trifles 2. Not till all other ways more peaceable have been offered and refused 3. That it s then without revenge to the party or hatred and without denying any Christian duty to him love will cover a multitude of these committed by sundry men or i ft be by the same party As God covers our infirmities and accepts of our true desires and Parents put up much at their Childrens hands and do not revenge themselves by beating them by and by so must we by love cover the infirmities one of another By both these its evident and plain that there is but a little love in the world and that our selves are very short in this duty whether we try it by covering of faults against our selves or of mens faults against God O how the world rejoyceth to talk of the faults of Professors how will yong Professors be censuring whom they like not and what censuring and backbiting and slandering is there of one another what telling tales and talking one of another That we may cover mens faults committed against God we must 1. Minde our own matters 2. Think of better things 3. Rebuke the tellers of such things and stop our ears from hearing the same That we may cover their faults committed against us call to minde 1. That we be subject to offend them and need their forgiveness 2. That God requires it who forgives us a multitude of sins 3. That there can be no better argument that our sins be forgiven then our forgiving of others as there can be no better motive to God to shew us mercy then for us to be merciful 4. That Christ forgave those that wronged him If we can bear nothing it s a sign of little love O that we could think it a glory to forgive and pass by offences whereas we now count it a disgrace and that we are no body if we revenge not This hinders not but that we may admonish each other but that the Magistrate may punish faults committed but that the Minister may preach against sin Neither doth this warrant that we should slatter or daub one another yet must not we point out a particular person unless it be upon an extraordinary occasion Verse 9. Use hospitallity one to another without grudging THis is an exhortation to a particular duty of love we must be kinde and helpful to strangers especially such as are in affliction and persecuted for Religion we must harbor receive and comfort them at our houses or otherwise relieve them if it be most profit to them we must also be kinde and helpful to our own poor especially the best disposed of them comforting their bowels and refreshing them sometimes at our houses we must also lovingly invite one another to our houses for the further encrease of love and all this must be chearfully without grudging In the exhortation Use hospitallity one to another we will speak of the three preceding branches 1. For strangers we must be kinde to them that being of other countreys are in want or flye for Religion and come to us for shelter which do either forsake their Countrey for their conscience or be thrust out of their Countrey house and home especially for Religion This is often commanded as Exod. 22. 21. and 23. 9. Lev. 19. 33 34. and 23. 22. Heb. 13. 2. Hereof Abraham Lâ—t Job Booz Obadiah Rahab the widow of Sarepta the Shunomitish woman Cornelius Lydia Gaius Onesephirus c. were notable examples so we read of some that gathered for others and sent unto them in their necessity This Land hath done commendably this way in relieving the French and Dutch Reasons 1. God who requires this duty of us is merciful and accordingly should we be so 2. These with widows and fatherless are most shiftless most heavy hearted least regarded in the world easiest trodden down unable to requite good or resist evil therefore God hath taken the charge of them both to defend them from wrongs and to requite the good which is done them 3. We must not adde affliction to affliction that 's not to be endured but we must help bear their burthen comfort their hearts refresh their bowels It s enough for them that they are fain to forsake Land House Friends and all for Christ sake 4. This will keep them from impatience murmuring and many other temptations as also from falling into their Enemies hands bodily or from forfeiting a good conscience by recanting whereunto in likelyhood they would be driven through our unkindeness 5. This helps strengthen their faith in Gods promise that he will provide for them which forsake any thing for his cause when we use hospitallity towards such then is this promise fulfilled and we help them to believe 6. Hereby also we provoke them to break out into many praises to God and to pour forth many prayers for us 7. We know not how soon their case may be ours now if it were would we not be kindely used 8. Thus we shall express our thankfulness to God in that we our selves are not driven from our own homes 9. Hereby also we shall declare a good Testimony of our love and so of our faith for seeing they can never requite us therefore we believe it s laid up with God 10. It shall not be forgotten with the Lord but rewarded here and hereafter never did any lose by kindeness to strangers He that receiveth a Prophet c. shall receive a Prophets reward that is such a reward as a Prophet may be like by his office to help them to from the Lord so such a reward as a righteous man may help them to look upon all the forementioned examples and they clear the same But were there none here that Scripture Come ye blessed of my Father would suffice to draw us on to the performance of this duty O let us be ready in performing this duty let us put to our helping hand let us shore them up that they sâ—ink not Neither must we thus do onely to strangers of other Countreys but even to those in our own Land in the time of persecution So also if we hear of their great losses by fire or otherwise especially being authorized let us extend our charitable benevolence on them for their relief and though we our selves do not harbor them yet if we help to build up or repair their Houses c. we perform this duty Sundry among us do something tollerably that way but for the
to 2. Having any ability for the discharge thereof give the glory to God the giver thereof That God in all things may be glorified The Confirmation or Reason why we ought to do our duties faithfully even that we may thereby glorifie God Hence note 1. That God is glorified in the careful performance of our duties in our places He is glorified by a Magistrates wise zealous and impartial execution of Justice for hereby sin is curbed sinners it may be brought to repentance the poor and innocent comforted and so stirred up to praise God for his Ordinance of Magistracy So when Ministers are faithful in their places the ignorant are enlightened the wicked humbled the heavy in heart comforted the weak strengthened the drowsie awakened and so have cause as many do daily to praise God highly for the ministery of his Word Thus Housholders in their places husbands and wives in theirs the rich by their liberality and hospitality nay even Servants by their conscionable discharge of their places may glorifie God 1. This should provoke us much to faithfulness in our places not onely others shall have good our selves comfort and a good report but God shall be glorified which is most of all and the end of all things and we may think our selves happy that God will be honored by any thing we can do 2. How much are those blame-worthy which do not at all regard the faithful discharge of their places whether they be Magistrates Ministers or others whoso careth not for Gods glory God will set as little by them and theirs nay there are some which can see God dishonored before their faces and might redress it but do it not yea some which do even dishonor God with their gifts and in their offices assuredly God will meet with these in his due time 2. That the mark whereat we must aym at in our places is to glorifie God This rebukes those that are wholly for themselves aym altogether at base sinister carnal ends profit pleasure credit and the like They are thieves robbing God of his due They are treacherous as if one sent to woo for another and had Jewels given him for that purpose as Abrahams Servant and should make suit for himself All waters come from the Sea and return thither so should all our gifts be employed to the glory of the giver Through Jesus Christ All glory comes to God by Jesus Christ for its by him that we receive all grace and whatsoever good we enjoy He having suffered for our sins and reconciled us to the Father hath thereby purchased for us whatsoever is good grace and glory to whom alone we are beholding for all 1. This teacheth us to be exceeding thankful for Christ as without whom we could not have right to any thing we enjoy without whom it were even fearful to think of God 2. It teacheth us to labor to be united to Christ by faith that whatsoever good we need we may receive as the members from the head To whom be praise c. Having instructed others in the faithful discharge of their duties in their places and that especially that God might be glorified He now wisheth and prayeth that all glory and praise may be given to him and that for ever testifying the servency of his affection and his assent thereto by the word Amen But of this hereafter Verse 12. Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery tryal which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you Verse 13. But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy HAving exhorted us to be good Christians he now arms us to the Cross the inseparable companion of true godliness for all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution and that both patiently and chearfully which accordingly he backeth by many forcible Reasons Each of these Verses contains an Exhortation with a Reason to enforce the same In the former Exhortation consider both the maner how it s propounded and the matter therein contained Beloved Here 's the maner He writes lovingly to them and that doubtless from an entire affection and love which he bare them Here note two things 1. What entire love should be between Ministers and people they should love one another as fathers and children mothers and children Nurses and such as have suckt their breasts Brethren c. See 1 Cor. 4. 15. Gal. 4. 19. 1 Thess. 2. 7. 2 Thess. 2. 13. Reasons hereof may be these 1. God hath committed them each to other and so they be nearly knit 2. Such as be won by the Ministery are they that must comfort their Ministers here and be their Crown hereafter the more they be the greater is their Crown whom therefore their Ministers are to love them also are their people to love no less dearly as on whom they should depend for all comfort and the means of their Salvation whose lips must preserve knowledge who are also to pray for them and teach them 3. Ministers by loving their people shall be provoked to live with them to take all courses to do them good publikely and privately as also to bear with the dulness of some the unkindeness and weakness of others Hereupon their people will reverence them regard their Teaching and chearfully allow them maintenance which did they not truly love their persons they would not 1. This teacheth both Ministers and People to be most tenderly careful to preserve mutual love and avoid all occasions of unkindeness or dislike removing them speedily when at any time they do arise for oftentimes of a small spark neglected ariseth a great flame of all unkindenesses and contentions those between Ministers and People be most unprofitable and hurtful whoso hath a hand herein and goeth about to alienate the mindes of each from the other that the one cares not for the other work journey work to the Devil in a high degree 2. This condemneth that common and most woful abuse in this Land even the miserable want of love on both parts not a few Ministers care not how seldom they come among their people and when they do how little pains they take how often do they sue them for meer trifles on the other part what light and base esteem have people of their Ministers How unkindely do they use them How pole they them of their maintenance Where it s thus God is not for God is love and there 's no good done to be sure Here the Devil may sleep till he snort he shall not be hindred but where Ministers and people live in godly love there let him look to himself 2. That we should love men never the worse for their troubles but rather the more as who are worthy to be honored for their Faith Patience Constancy and being
paterns and means to confirm us in our sufferings for Christ The Apostle Paul used this as an argument to move Philemon to grant his request for that he was aged and a prisoner for Christ. Hereof this our Apostle informs them even that notwithstanding all their troubles whereof haply some might have conceived him careless they were dear unto him This rebuketh those that make account of men while they be in prosperity and the world smiles on them but when the times frown and they be discountenanced and in disgrace and trouble then cast them off or shrink from them shewing them no countenance nor kindeness a sign either of mungâ—els or at last of dastardly Christians Think it not strange concerning the fiery tryal Here 's the matter exhorted to By fiery tryal is meant All kinde of persecution in what degree soever compared to the fire for that as the fire tryes the gold so persecution tryes men Think it not strange wonder not at it as at some strange think come out of a far Countrey whereof the like was never either seen or heard of it behoved you to have prepared for it before and now make a reckoning of it that so you flinch not from it when it comes Here note that The want of fore-thinking of trouble makes it the harder to be born and the stranger when it comes When a man hath time to put on his armor or draw his Sword ere the Thief come he is more safe then if a Thief should rush upon him on the sudden As those which are not used to sickness bear it worst so such are most cast down in the time of trouble which in the time of prosperity do not so much as think thereof 1. This teacheth us even in the time of prosperity to think of troubles in the midst of health we must think of sickness and how we shall bear it and accordingly provide for it so in the time of wealth of poverty so having Children if God should take them from us of our Friends if they should hate us how would we behave our selves How could we do as such and such a Christian c So in life we must think of death and when any one dyes think that we may be the next and thereupon finde out how we are prepared for it These thoughts are profitable they will make us use our prosperity the more soberly and thankfully while we have it and walk more humbly and be better prepared for troubles if God shall lay them upon us Neither will they come the sooner for thinking of them howsoever we shall be the better enabled to bear them when ever they come What 's written of the Basilisk that if it see us before we see it we dye for it but if we see it first we live is true of troubles If we see them ere they come we be much better but if they come on us unlooked for they prove the more dangerous Now every man sits under his own vine and under his own figtree Now we go to the house of God in peace Now we profess Religion with good liking But what if the case alter ere I dye shouldst thou say What if I be haled to prison lose my goods be convented condemned tortured banished c. what shall I then do 2. This rebuketh most that seldom or never have any such thoughts May not we have changes why do we not then think of them Oh such sad thoughts do not well le ts be merry while we may sadness will come time enough Thou wrongest thy self thy case will be the worse thy condition the more fearful if either sickness poverty pain or any other calamity should take thee unprovided For persecution who is there that now thinketh of any such matter most think that they shall never be moved and that they shall dye in their nest whereas alas it may fall out far otherwise Have we not many enemies and what doth not our sins deserve God hath indeed wrought for us many deliverances as from the Spanish Invasion and Gunpowder Treason c. but are we sure he will do so still Hath not our grievous unthankfulness deserved the contrary Do we think that our enemies do not now plot mischief against us No doubt they make use of peace to prepare for war and they will plot now towards their latter end to uphold their tottering Babel and do as fishes feeling the water almost gone from them flush and make a stir and when death draws near men they have strong pains So what now at the last the Lord may suffer them to do against us we know not It s the more likely there wil be some judgement because all men cry Peace and Safety and are so sensless if there should be any such alas how unprovided are we nay what were all our provision strength multitude of men c. if God should set himself against us On the contrary if we have God on our side as he was with Gideon and his three hundred with Jonathan and his Armor bearer we need not fear them though never so many so strong Now if any such judgement should come on the Land which the Lord turn away for his mercies sake wherein multitudes should be slain with the Sword others made Slaves and carried away our Wives and Daughters abused before our faces our houses and chests rifled the godly imprisoned and brought forth to torment except they would forsake their Religion O Lord how far are we unfit for any such matter and the rather for that we never think of it Never would any Land think trouble and misery more strange then we which have been used so delicately O then let us think and provide for this before that if it should come it may not be strange unto us If we look to our selves have not we cause enough to be humbled and purged from our dross and for the world shall we wonder if they hate and persecute us Haply we think because we be honorable persons the Sons of God they should not so deal with us It s true but alas they know not our Father much less know they us his Children Haply we think because we be now godly and make conscience of all our ways and love God and live with our brethren Christianly and desire nothing so much as to please God that therefore all should make much of us True God Angels and good Men will do so and that must content us but the world is the world and will hate us the more for our goodness which hath been thus ever since Cain hated Abel we need not think it strange for may not the Lord justly after long schooling us now call us out to try what we have profited Again hereby he would have the wickedness of the wicked break out that he might get glory in confounding them Also he will hereby confirm the hearts of the weak
perswade to rejoyce in persecution because its a blessed thing and who would not rejoyce in that that will make him happy and though he instanceth in one kinde and that which may seem no great persecution yet he is to be understood of all others whatsoever That such shall be blessed he proveth because thus to suffer is an argument that the Spirit of God even the glorious Spirit resteth on them who howsoever on the adversaries part he is blasphemed and ill spoken of yet is glorified by them that suffer patiently and joyfully for Christs sake Here then besides that suffering for Christ we are happy we may be induced thus to suffer for him for that his Spirit resteth on us so doing and hereby also he is glorified In the words we have a proposition and the confirmation thereof If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye There 's the proposition This may seem to be but a slender thing to be reckoned among persecutions and that which may be easily born No it s that which many have found harder to bear then loss of goods blows yea death it self Some which have suffered torments couragiously and indured the loss of all with joyfulness yet have almost sunk under slanders and ill tongues David much complains of his adversaries that they made Songs of him that they spake words like the prickings of a Sword and like sharp Arrows Sampson could not endure to be mockt of the Philistines had rather pull down the House on himself and them Job also complains of such Ishmaels mocking of Isaac is termed a persecution The most ingenuous mindes can hardliest bear reproaches Here note 1. That a good name is a tender thing which is and ought to be dear to us As we are forbid thus to wrong others so the Lord appointed those to be severely punished which should so do 1. This rebuketh those that make no account of a good name though it be better then good oyntment but live so badly as they pull an ill name on themselves some indeed would yet have a good name though they deserve the contrary but they must first win it and then wear it Such as are desperate and care not what men say of them it s a sign they are so bad as no man can speak worse of them then they deserve These cannot be discredited 2. It condemneth those that care not how they raise lyes spread tales of their Neighbors and seek their discredit or rail on them and revile them they do worse then if they stole away their goods or wounded their bodies for the name is more tender and dear and hardlier cured and recovered if it be wounded or lost they that give themselves over hereto are fools neither are they Citizens of Sion Such are as a Maul and a Sword and a sharp Arrow and such was Ziba See 2 Sam. 16. 3. 2. That railers mockers and slanderers of Gods Servants are persecuters David in the person of Christ complaineth of such Such also are they that revile them by the name of hypocrites precise fools humerous singular fantastical Puritans c. I mean those that revile the true Servants of God who for their zeal are often thus dealt with whom those slanderers would no less smite with the hand then they do with the tongue if times did but bear them out They would be no less forward to hale before Magistrates cast into Prison c. 1. Let them that have been and be such repent hereof as of persecution else with Ishmael they shall be cast our and as they be worse then Balaam so shall they speed worse 2. Let all others avoid this as a fearful sin for it s to be like the Devil the accuser of the Brethren who shall answer for this at the last day 3. For those that be railed on are slandered or have lyes devised against them let them know they are Martyrs before God and suffer persecution which is an honor let them bear this patiently and go on constantly and not be discouraged and there 's good hope they shall bear greater persecutions if they come which else in likelyhood they cannot 3. That it hath been an usual custom in the world to reproach revile and slander Gods Servants for their godliness Sore eyes cannot abide the light and there 's an enmity between the seed of the Woman and the Serpent and when other weapons have failed them they have used this of their tongue whereby indeed they prevail much to the disgrace of Religion 1. Being so now we must not think it strange for the Devil is now as malicious as ever and hath instruments as fit for his turn as ever If now endeavoring carefully to serve God we be counted proud fellows factious Enemies to the State c. we must not be too much disquieted were not the Prophets the Apostles Christ himself thus reputed we are not too good to go hand in hand with them it s a piece of our livery to be thus dealt with 2. When we hear any reports against Gods Servants know them well ere we believe them we should else condemn the innocent even Christ was slandered for a Conjurer and Traytor and the Apostle Paul for a pestilent fellow yet who were more freer who more wronged 4. That such as are reproached for the name of Christ are happy I say for the name of Christ or for being true Christians believing in Christ and serving him for not the punishment but the Cause makes a Martyr How can this be will some say and what blessedness can there be in being railed upon and slandered why thus saith our Apostle and he knew what he said having learned the same of his Lord and Master whom he heard so speak It s a blessed thing to be a Christian washt in the blood of Christ reconciled to God whom the Angels protect who is the heir of Gods promises and blessings here and of eternal salvation hereafter Even an Emperor without this is but as a man in great jolity to night that must to execution to morrow But to be railed on for being a Christian is a greater blessedness a special honor Its honor to be a Princes Servant but to be about him and to have the guard of his own person and to stand in his defence against an Enemy or to be called forth to justifie his lawful Title is far greater Again It s a blessed thing to be willing and able to suffer for Christ flesh and blood cannot we might have been of the persecuters or of them that regard no Religion at all or to suffer any thing for it or making profession of Religion should yet shrink from it rather then suffer for its Cause Therefore to suffer for it is a blessed thing which is to us a token of Salvation 1. Therefore we must not onely
is able and this is a great deal better then before and men should labor to be at enmity with him and must pray that the stronger man even Christ would put him out of his possession 5. This should rowze up the servants of God out of security and intemperance Have they need to be drunk with the world or be asleep having such an Enemy ought they not rather to be sober and continually to watch to save themselves from his deadly enmity Against his malice let us have Christian resolution and earnestness to seek after salvation Against his power let us set the power of God and be strong in his might craving his assistance continually for we have no power of our selves he that should trust to himself should speed as this our Apostle we must always have recourse to God saying with David God is my Castle Rock Tower of Defence in him will I trust Against his subtilty let us labor to be wise in the Word of God read hear meditate confer that it may dwell plentifully in our hearts in all wisdom and labor for the wisdom of the Spirit of God that thereby we may spy Satans subtilties and be holpen to avoid them and let us have the fear of God always in our hearts and before our eyes which is true wisdom Through this alone we avoid Satans snares and are not ignorant of his wiles who so Achitophel like think by worldly policy to resist the Devil the Devil will make fools of them and ensnare them at his pleasure Against his diligence let us be as diligent and watchful we must not be weary or give over our watch at any time if we do we must prepare our throats for destruction Satan gives no truce Not a few Christians have no such fear of this enemy as they should neither do they furnish themselves against him as they should but are careless silly and negligent Hereby it comes to pass that the Devil hath his will too much and too often of us and catcheth us here and there as to neglect one duty to do another untowardly and to fall into this or that evil and so makes us to dishonor God to wound our own consciences and to give ill example to others If we had a bodily Enemy thus armed how would we fear If there were a great Lyon in our fields and which did haunt our grounds how afraid would we be but there 's a roaring Lyon a red Dragon an old Serpent lies in wait for us who may do us more mischief then all the Lyons Dragons or Serpents in the world and yet we are careless Here he is not thus fearfully described to discourage us or make us cast away all our weapons as though there were no resisting but to watch and be careful and then though he be as he is we may be preserved from his anger for though he be malicious yet God is most merciful and careful for us Though he be strong yet God is stronger His power is limited he cannot do what he will to the godly as to Job nay not to reprobates as to Saul and Ahab the Devils had leave before they could do their feats nay till they had leave they could not enter into the Swine And though he be so subtile yet the wisdom of God is far beyond his craft to catch him in it as he hath done many a time as in the fall of our first Parents he thought the same should have been to Gods utter dishonor and that he should not have a Creature on earth to serve him which yet turned to Gods greater glory the like might be instanced about the death of Christ So he can turn his temptations to nothing to folly to our greater good And though he be diligent yet have we a God that keepeth Israel who neither slumbers nor sleeps The Devil is a Lyon but we have a Lyon of the tribe Judah to fight against him He is strong but God is stronger then all they be innumerable but God is greater then all together and to help our weakness we have the good Angels to take our part more with us then be against us He is a Spirit but the Spirit of God is in us more active nimble and wise then he we have no cause therefore to be dismaid Let us hold our Faith Hope and Confidence and go on in a godly course and in the end we shall get to Heaven Praised be God praised be God alone To God onely be glory for this Verse 9. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the world HEre are the means set down whereby we must oppose the Devil and through the use of which we may prevail against him namely By being stedfast in the faith Whom resist The course to be taken with an Adversary is either to make peace with him to yield to him to flee from him or resist him To flee from Satan we cannot from men we may but not from him as who will be with us whithersoever we go To yield to him we may not then we spoil all that were to be his servants to our destruction to make peace with him we must not for his malice is unquenchable and he will still seek our destruction therefore we must resist him and herein onely is our safety 1. We have a warrant and command for this 2. We promised so to do in our Baptism 3. If we resist not we can never come into Heaven for none come there but such as overcome such as are conquerers who have palms in token of victory See 2 Tim. 4. 8. James 1. 12. Rev. 2. 26. and 3. 10. and 7. 14. 4. If we do not fight and resist we shall surely be destroyed Every coward will fight when he sees there 's no other remedy 5. If we resist we are sure to overcome for we fight not in our own might but under our Captain Christ Jesus who hath bruised and broke the Serpents head in his own person and will do also in us We resisting as he requires it were a disgrace to him if we should be overcome nay most certain it is that no Soldier of Christ Jesus resisting by the armor of his appointing can ever be finally or wholly vanquished 1. This rebuketh all those that resist not Satan at all or as they ought as 1. The prophane sort that live in sin these resist not but rather serve the Devil They resist God his Word the Spirit good Counsel all the means which are used to draw them from their sins but Satans temptations as serving their humor they resist not this is the cause that Hell is so full If the Devil perswade them to any evil they are as ready to yield as he to tempt 2. Civil persons they resist not the Devil as conceiving their case to be good enough for that they are