to perswade vnto godlinesse 26 6 Glory and vertue goe together he that hath one shall haue both 28 7 No man can vsurpe glorie and vertue they are by calling 28 8 The calling of a Christian is an honourable calling 29 VERSE 4. 1 The promises of God are highly to be esteemed they are to be accounted great 31 2 Gods promises though great yet they are free not mercenarie 33 3 Sauing grace comes the nearest of all other things to the nature of God 34 4 The Euangelicall promises are speciall meanes to beget grace in the heart 36 5 In the world there be great corruptions 37 6 Originall sinne is the cause of worldly corruptions 39 7 The corruptions of the world may be shunned and escaped 40 8 None escape the corruptions but such as haue receiued the diuine nature 41 VERSE 5. 1 We must not be content with that degree of grace which we haue receiued in our first conuersion but we must to the first labour to adde other graces 43 2 There is a great deale of diligence required for the obtaining of increase of grace 43 3 A Christian must not content himselfe with one good gift of the Spirit c. 44 4 A Christian ought to labour to be truly vertuous 45 5 Vertue must be added vnto Faith 47 6 It is not sufficient to be vertuous but we must haue knowledge also 48 VERSE 6. 1 Temperance is the moderation of lust and appetite in the vse of the gifts and creatures of God 2 There is a double patience one towards God the other towards men both are to be added vnto our knowledge 51 3 Godlines is a sincere desire and conscionable endeuour after an vniuersall conformity to Gods reuealed will 55 VERSE 7. 1 All such as truly feare God are brethren 58 2 There ought to be brotherly loue amongest Christians 60 3 Charitie is to be laboured for aswell as other graces 62 VERSE 8. 1 It is not sufficient to talke of grace but we must haue grace in possession 65 2 We must haue grace alwayes in readinesse 66 3 It is not sufficient to haue a truth of grace but we must endeuour to abound in grace 67 4 Christians ought to labour for an holy strictnesse yea for such a degree of strictnesse as is esteemed curiositie in the world 68 5 A true sanctified Christian is no idle person 70 6 A Christian is not barren and vnfruitfull 71 7 Grace in the childe of God is the cause of painefulnesse and fruitfulnesse 72 8 Wherein the knowledge of Christ consisteth 73 VERSE 9. 1 Euery gracelesse person is a blinde person 74 2 Gracelesse persons are wilfully ignorant 76 3 Euerie man and woman are sinners of old 78 4 There is means whereby to be purged from old sins 79 5 Gracelesse persons are not exempted from that redemption which is by Christ 80 6 Gracelesse persons are very forgetfull of Gods blessings yea euen of redemption it selfe 80 VERSE 10. There is a double calling vneffectuall and effectuall and what they be 81 2 The definition of election or what election is 84 3 It is our parts to labour to be well perswaded of our effectuall calling 85 4 We ought also to labour to be assured of our election 86 5 The markes of election 87 6 There is a great deale of diligence required for the making our calling and election sure 88 7 We ought the rather to get assurance because this is a meanes to preuent falling away 90 8 How farre a man may fall from grace 92 9 The childe of God shall neuer vtterly and finally fall from grace 94 10 Prastise of Gods word and adding grace vnto grace is an especiall meanes to preuent backesliding 95 VERSE 11. 1 That Christ hath a kingdome 96 2 Christs kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome 98 3 That Christs kingdome hath an entrance 100 4 That men and women do not enter the gate of grace by their owne power but by Gods power 101 5 That there be degrees in this matter of entrance into the kingdome of grace 103 6 That the entrance into Christs kingdome is made by the eight graces spoken of in the fift sixt seuenth and eight verses of this Chapter 104 VERSE 12. 1 It is a great sinne in a Minister to be negligent in his place 106 2 It ought to be an especiall motiue vnto a Minister to be carefull and diligent in his calling because he may be a meanes by his diligence to bring soules into Christs kingdome 108 3 That it is the office of the Minister to put people in remembrance of those things which concerne the kingdome of God 108 4 It is the duety of euery true Christian to be well acquainted with the Scriptures 109 5 It is not sufficient to know the truth but we ought to be established in it 110 6 There is but one truth howsoeuer there may be many opinions concerning that truth 111 7 That there is but one truth and that it was the onelie truth which was preached by the holy Apostles 112 8 It is lawfull for a Minister to preach vulgar things 113 VERSE 13. 1 The preaching of Gods word is a iust practise 114 2 It is a iust practise not onely in the sight of God but also of good men 116 3 A Christian must not dissemble his religion 118 4 The body is like a Tent or Tabernacle 119 5 A Minister must be constant vntill death in his ministeriall paines 120 6 Ministers must endeuour not onely to informe the iudgement but also to worke vpon the affections 123 VERSE 14. 1 A Christian should make account of short life 125 2 Consideration of the shortnesse of life should make vs more diligent 129 3 Euery one ought to be infallibly perswaded of the truth of Gods word 130 4 Death is but a meanes of remouall from one place to an other 131 VERSE 15. 1 A Minister must endeuour the future good of the Church as well as the present good 134 2 Ministers must carefully auoid errors in teaching 136 3 Why erronious doctrine is compared to fables 135 VERSE 16. 1 That it ought to be a great motiue to people to heare their Ministers when they are conuinced in their consciences that they deale faithfully 138 2 That euery man yea the very elect themselues are naturally without the knowledge of the Gospell 139 3 That the Apostles were the especiall instruments of making the Gospell manifest 140 4 That Ministers ought aboue all other doctrine to preach Christ 142 5 That Christ is mighty and strong able to do what he will 144 6 The maner of Christ his coming in the flesh 146 7 That there was maiestie in Christ whilest he liued vppon the earth 147 8 That Christ his maiesty was visible and apparent 148 9 That the Apostles had certaine knowledge of the truth of those things which they did write and preach VERSE 17. 1 That Christ as man receiued all things from the Father 152 2 That God
God be most great and precious or no with vs. And that will appeare first by our zeale and forwardnesse to heare Gods word if we esteeme it precious sure we wil prease vnto it Secondly by our thankefulnesse for it Thirdly by our care to keepe it safe Fourthly by our ioy in it Are giuen Some reade it thus He hath giuen taking the passiue verbe in the actiue signification as the participle of the same word was taken actiuely in the former verse Whether we take it actiuely or passiuely it is not much materiall the doctrine which will follow from either reading is this viz. Doctrine That Gods promises though they be most great and precious yet they are of free gift What moued God to make that precious promise to Adam the Seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head Genesis 3. but his owne free grace What moued Christ to say to the thiefe on the crosse To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luke 23.43 but his owne compassion What caused the Lord to say vnto Abraham In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Genesis 22.18 but his owne goodnesse The like may be said concerning the promise of sending of the Comforter Iohn 16.7 and concerning spirituall protection Matth. 28.21 and concerning Christs returning at the last day to receiue vs Iohn 14.3 The like may be said of the promises made to Israell concerning their returne out of Egipt and Babylon In a word the like may be sayd of all Gods promises made to his Church from time to time they were all of free grace Obiection Now if any shall obiect that God was moued to promise riches vnto Solomon by the wise choise of Solomon himselfe 1. Kings 3.12.13 and therefore that his promise is not alwayes free To such I answer That the Lord gaue the power to Solomon to make that choice so that God is the cause of the cause For if the Lord moue vs to do good and enable vs thereunto and then make a gracious promise vnto vs for our obedience it is manifest that the originall of such a promise is meerely of grace because he of his mercie enableth vs to do that for the which he is moued to make a promise vnto vs and that by the same mercie Vse As this makes against merit-mongers which ascribe so much to their deserts so it serues to set forth the glorie of God He makes most great and precious promises freely and for nothing If men make promises commonly their promises are mercenarie but Gods promises are free Vse Secondly it may serue to encourage all such as are touched with the sense and feeling of their owne vnworthinesse to stirre vp themselues to take hold on Gods promises They are free they are of gift they go not by desert therefore receiue them as a free gift offred to an vnworthy person That by them ye might be partakers of his diuine nature By diuine nature here is not meant the very essence of God for is impossible that the Lord should dwell essentially in so narrow a compasse as our hearts considering that the heauens and the heauens of heauens are not able to containe him 2. Chron. 2.6 But we are to vnderstand by diuine nature the image of God or true sauing grace which is called the diuine nature first because it is begotten of God in the elect Iohn 1.13 Secondly because it is like vnto him as being indeed his owne image Genesis 1.26 The diuine nature Hence we are to obserue that Doctrine Sauing grace comes the nearest of all other things to the nature of God himselfe It is called here the diuine nature it selfe from the neare likenesse which it hath vnto it So in like manner it is sometime termed God as in 1. Iohn 4.15 God dwelleth in him that is sauing grace Sometimes it is called Christ as in Colos 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glorie that is grace in you Sometimes also it is stiled the holy Ghost as in 1. Corinth 6.19 Know you not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you that is of grace which is in you Now why is grace called God and Christ and holy Ghost but meerly in respect of that liuely resemblance which it hath of God of Christ and of the holy Ghost Reason And indeed sauing grace may truly be said to come the nearest to the nature of God First because it is the most excellent thing in the world according to that in Prouerbs 4.7 Wisedome is the chiefe thing Secondly because it is the most pure thing in the world more pure then alabaster then gold yea then the heauens themselues Thirdly because it is the most powerfull thing in the world next vnto God himselfe it is able to make of a Wolfe a Lambe as we see in Paul It is able to conquer the world for this is the victorie which ouercometh the world euen our faith 1. Iohn 5.4 Yea it is able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked one Ephes 6.16 Lastly it is able to helpe in time of need when all the world cannot helpe Hebr. 4.16 Therefore grace comes the nearest to the nature of God Vse Which serues to descrie the follie of Papists and other idolaters which thinke to resemble God in bodily shapes as though a dumbe idoll were the nearest of all other things to Gods nature But let such idiots remember that not stone or wood or gold but grace and vertue come the nearest to Gods image Vse Secondly we may here take notice that the diuell was a lier from the beginning in that he would make our first parents beleeue that the way to become like to God was to violate and breake Gods commandements Genesis 3.5 whereas indeed the way to be like God is to take the quite contrary course Vse Thirdly this sheweth that the sinne of such which scoffe at grace and persecute it is very fearefull for in this they scoffe at and persecute the diuine nature but let such remember the practise of Ismael and what befell him for the like sinne Genesis 21.9.10 Vse Fourthly this should teach vs to esteeme of Gods children which are indued with this diuine nature and we must labour for the same image which we see in them it is worth the labouring for it is no lesse then the diuine nature Whereby Whence obserue we that Doctrine The word but especially the Gospel and the promises are the meanes to beget this diuine nature of sauing grace in the hearts of the elect Thus saith Iames in his first chapter eighteenth verse Of his owne will begat he vs by the word of truth Thus saith also Peter in his first Epistle the first chapter and three and twentith verse We are borne againe not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God I do not deny but that the Spirit may be receiued by the
tooke Gen. 32.40 The drought consumed him by day and the frost by night and the sleepe departed from his eyes Thus the good woman spoken of in Prou. 31. was a true Christian and behold she seeketh wooll and flaxe and worketh willingly with her hands yea she riseth whilst it is night and eateth not the bread of idlenesse Pro. 31.13.15.27 Thus Paul was a Christian Minister and he laboured more aboundantly then they all 1. Cor. 15.10 A Christian hath a double calling to follow First his generall calling as he is a Christian Secondly his particular calling as he followeth this or that trade of life and this double calling will not suffer him to be idle he may haply want worke in his particular calling at some times but he can neuer want worke in his generall calling he shall haue enough to do to worke out his saluation though he worke day and night therefore a true Christian cannot be an idle person Obiection But some possibly may obiect that in 2. Thes 3.11 I heare saith Paul that there be some which walke disorderly amongst you and worke not at all Answer Such indeede were amongst the Thessalonians but they were not of them Or secondly we deny not but a true childe of God may for a time be ouertaken with idlenesse as he may be ouertaken with other sinnes but idlenesse doth not raigne in him Vse This serues to discouer many to be no true Christians as first many of our gentry which follow no calling but spend their precious time idly and scandalously Secondly our common beggers which cast off all labour and liue by begging Thirdly vsurers which cast off their lawfull callings and liue by vsury Fourthly stage-players and cheators and drunkards and harlots with many others which follow no lawfull imployment These are no true Christians as appeareth by their idlenesse Secondly this may serue to excite vs to auoide idlenesse as we desire to approue our selues true Christians let vs alwayes be found either in our generall or particular calling and that for these reasons First because idlenesse is one of the very sinnes of Sodom Ezek. 16.49 Secondly because it is the breeder of other sinnes 1. Tim 5.13 Thirdly because it bringeth pouerty by a iust iudgement of God Pro. 24.34 And lastly because it bringeth damnation as appeareth by the foolish virgins which were found sleeping Math. 25. Nor vnfruitfull The best Greek copies reade it thus though there be some bookes which reade it otherwise The lesson hence to be learned is this viz. that Doctrine as a true sanctified Christian is no idle person so he is not barren vnfruitful He is like a tree planted by the riuers of waters which bringeth forth fruit in due season Psal 1. yea such as are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit in old age Psal 92.13.14 And the wisedome which is from aboue is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits Iam. 3.17 Thus the Macedonians were true sanctified Christians and their deepe pouerty abounded to their rich liberality 2. Cor. 8.2 The like may be said of Iob in his 31. chapter and of Cornelius Acts. 10.1.2 and of Dorcas Acts 9.39 and of Zacchaus Luke 19.8 and of the poore widdow which cast in all her liuing into Gods treasury Mar. 12.34 and of the good women which followed Christ from Galile ministring vnto him Mat. 27.55 Reason And indeede it cannot be but a true Christian must be fruitfull First because Christ is his roote Rom. 11.18 Secondly because God the Father is his planter Esay 5.2 Vse This may serue to discouer many that make shew of religion not to be true sanctified Christians because they are barren and vnfruitfull their vnfruitfulnesse argueth their vnsoundnesse but let all such remember the barren fig-tree which Christ cursed and let them tremble Secondly It may serue to excite euery one of vs to fruitfulnesse Let vs bring forth fruits worthy of repentance Math. 3.8 Let vs haue our fruit vnto holinesse Rom. 6.22 Let vs be filled with the fruits of righteousnes Phil. 1.11 Let vs offer the sacrifice of prayse to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giuing thanks to his Name Heb. 13.15 And to distribute or communicate let vs not forget for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 They make you Whence obserue and note that Doctrine grace in the childe of God is the cause of painfulnesse and fruitfulnesse Of painfulnesse thus Paul was besides himselfe as it were in the seruency and labour of his ministery because the loue of Christ constraineth him 2. Cor. 5.14 Thus Noah moued with feare prepared the Arke Heb. 11.7 Thus Ieremiah was constrained to preach by that fire of grace which was within Ier. 20 7. Thus Peter and Iohn could not but speake the things which they had seene heard being moued by the Spirit of God within them Acts 4.20 And this puts a difference between the painfulnesse of worldlings of Christians Worldlings are moued to painfulnesse for greedinesse of gaine or the like but Christians by the motion of grace become painfull the one sort are moued by an outward cause the other by an inward Secondly as grace is the cause of painfulnesse in the childe of God so it is of fruitfulnesse For what moued Rahab to receiue the Spies and to hide them from the rage of their enemies but faith Heb. 11.31 What moued the good Samaritane to take care of the wounded man Luke 10.33 but his inward compassion What moueth the good man to lend Psal 112.5 but mercie and louing fauour And this also serues to put difference betwixt a true Christian and an hypocrite For an hypocrite doth all for an outward cause to wit to be seene of men but a true Christian doth that which he doth in sinceritie and by the inward motion of grace In the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ The knowledge of Christ consists mainly in those things first in knowing him to be very God secondly to be very man thirdly to be God and man in one person fourthly to be the second person in the Trinitie equall to the Father fiftly to be conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary and so as followeth of him in the Creed sixtly to know him to be the true Messiah to be the onely Sauiour to be a King to rule ouer vs a Priest to offer Sacrifice for vs and a Prophet to instruct vs seuenthly to know him experimentally to know the working of his Spirit the vertue of his death buriall resurrection ascension mediation and the like This is the chiefe knowledge of all others as the Apostle acknowledgeth Philip. 3.8 yea it is eternall life Iohn 17.3 And Paul himselfe desired to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified 1. Corint 2.2 Yea if a man knew
God as first that we may be thankefull to his Maiestie for the great benefit of election for how can we be thankefull vnlesse we know that we are elected Secondly that we may loue God for electing of vs and how is it possible that we should loue God vnlesse we know that he first loued vs Secondly this assurance is necessarie in respect of our selues For first it is the ground of all sound ioy the especiall ioy of a Christian is that his name is written in heauen Luke 10.20 Now this ioy we cannot haue without assurance And secondly it is the especiall meanes to sustaine vs in our greatest tryals What is it which stayeth vs in the billowes of temptation but the grace of our hope if it be stedfastly setled Now the markes of election are these whereby we may try our selues in some measure As first if we finde that the word of God hath come in power vnto vs If it hath wrought powerfully vpon our Consciences to change and alter vs. By this very argument Paul proueth the Thessalonians to be elected in 1. Thessal 1.4.5 Knowing brethren beloued your election of God for our Gospell came vnto you not in word only but also in power and in the holy Ghost Secondly If we finde that we haue faith to beleeue Gods word sauingly it is a marke of election for none but they which were ordayned to eternall life beleeued Acts 13.48 Thirdly If we finde that we are truely and effectually called For indeede effectuall calling is an effect and consequence of election according to that in Rom. 8.30 Whom he hath predestinated them he hath called Now this effect doth necessarily proue the precedent cause Fourthly If we finde the end of election to be accomplished in vs For God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Ephesians 1.4 If we finde these things in vs happy are we Fiftly if we be endued with those graces spoken of in Coloss 3.12 Put on therefore the elect of God holie and beloued bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing one an other and forgiuing one another c. Sixtly if we finde that we haue grace giuen vnto vs to make choice of God to be our Summum bonum or chiefe good We could neuer haue grace to make choice of God vnlesse he had first made choice of vs. Not to multiply more signes of election let euerie soule trie himselfe by these and the Lord giue a blessing to thy endeuours Giue diligence Or be diligent Whence obserue that Doctrine A great deale of diligence is required for the making of calling and election sure And the reason is first because it is a difficult worke it is no easie matter to be vndoubtedly assured of Gods fauour without wauering This worke hath much opposition the world saith it is presumption to go about to be fully perswaded the diuell he laboureth by all meanes to weaken our faith and lastly the flesh in vs is faithlesse and vnbeleeuing hardly drawne to beleeue Thus the worke is hard Secondly there is required to the obtaining of assurance a great deale of meanes for the working of those graces whereby we must trie our selues there is required hearing of the word meditation in the fame praier conferring and the like And this cannot be done without diligence Thirdly there is required much sifting and trying of our graces whether they be true or no. Those graces from which we must conclude the certaintie of our calling election had need be sound therefore had need be tried and this triall cannot be made without some paines Obiection But some possibly will obiect I finde it no such difficult matter to beleeue that we should neede to vse anie such great diligence to make our calling and election sure I thanke God I neuer doubted in all my life time yea it is pity that he should liue that doth not beleeue Answ Thus indeed many a wretched man deceiueth himselfe putting presumption or carnall securitie for faith But let such remember He which neuer doubted certainly neuer beleeued if thou hadst faith indeed thou shouldest finde it more hard to beleeue Obiection Yea but are not many true Conuerts able to say by experience that God gaue vnto them full assurance of his fauour euen from the first day of their conuersion and that their assurance was wrought without their own industrie and diligence Answ I do not denie but that the Lord is able to giue assurance without a mans owne diligence and that he often times also doth giue it without our helpe But no man must tempt the Lord in expecting an extraordinarie worke considering the Lord affordeth ordinarie meanes God once gaue Manna vnto the children of Israel but this doth not proue that others may expect the same in after-times Yea whoso expecteth bread at these dayes he must labour for it and not looke that it should still fall from heauen euen so if we desire full assurance of Gods fauour we must be diligent in seeking of it and not expect it by extraordinarie meanes Secondly euen they which finde the greatest assurance yet no doubt they find diuerse assaults of Satan betweene times shaking their assurance and breeding doubts which doubtings will not be healed againe without diligence Vse This point serueth first iustly to reproue such as vse no diligence this way yea as thinke it to be curiositie and nicenesse for anie man to giue diligence to make his calling and election sure And the sinne of such is the greater because they will vse all diligence to get riches to obtaine their lusts to haue their wills and the like but they haue no diligence to spare for God or for their owne saluation I exhort such to repent of their former negligence this way and to redeeme the time with double diligence for hereafter Secondly let euerie man and woman stirre vp themselues to this diligence viz. to make their calling and election sure It is worth all our paines for what can be more sweet to the soule then to be fully perswaded of Gods fauour Neglect not such a comfort Thirdly considering that full assurance is not attained ordinarily but by great diligence therefore let such as haue obtained it more easily try their assurance whether it be sound or no. And if they finde it to be sound let them be more thankefull to God who hath giuen that freely vnto them without their owne labour which he giueth not vnto many others but with much striuing and industrie Wherefore the rather These words haue respect to that in the latter end of this tenth verse where it is said For if ye do these things yee shall neuer fall The point to be obserued is this Doctrine It is the part and duty of euerie Christian the rather to be diligent to make his calling and election sure because