their faith as is by the power of it alone they were able to stand against all blasts resist all temptations for though it 's an excellent grace yet it 's but a creature and imperfect too and therefore in sense and distrust of our own weakness we have need to cry to God that he would shield us with his grace and support both us and our faith by his power Lastly it follows hence Vse 6 that faith doth not justifie by any valour vertue dignity of its own neither as an habit or quality nor as a work but as it is a means or instrument of obtaining that for which we are justified it s not the gift of Faith dwelling in the Heart nor the act of believing as the Novellers teach but the thing holden and possessed by believing which is our Righteousness For that thing by which we are in proper sense absolutely and as I may say formally justified and presented spotless before God must be perfect yea expiate infinite guiltiness answer the Justice of God but this faith cannot do because it is imperfect as we see The second Instruction or Conclusion to be drawn out of these words is Christians must desire the accomplishment and perfection of Faith above all other Graces doct 2 The reason is because Faith of all Graces which exist in us is the noblest for excellency and of necessity it hath the preeminence whether we consider the Glory it brings to God or Profit to Man First Reason 1 no grace exalteth and honoureth God as faith doth For 1. In the cause of Justification and Salvation Faith utterly annihilates man tramples under foot all the glory of nature all goodness all privileges all works of man seeks righteousness and life onely from Gods grace in Christ when a poor sinner seeth himself a condemned rebel and traitour feels nothing in himself but darkness unworthiness wrath and death hath nothing to bring to God but shame and misery Faith leads him to the Throne of Grace and makes him bold to beg and expect pardon in Christs blood for no other cause but because God is gracious yea when his many mighty ugly sins discourage and terrifie him to cleave still to the free and everlasting goodness of God acknowledging the Lords mercies infinitely to surpass his iniquities Thus Faith gives the whole praise of mans salvation to the grace of God 2. Faith believes God upon his bare word if God have revealed or promised this or that though all the world say it cannot be though reason cannot comprehend how or why it should be though many reasons appear why it should not be beleeved none at all why it should but this that God hath spoken faith will still all contrary surmises and subscribe to Gods testimony as more stable and stedfast than the foundation of the earth Thus faith highly honours Gods truth 3. Faith proclaims God to be able to effect whatsoever he hath promised and believeth that though a thousand difficulties stand in the way the overcoming of which flesh and blood judgeth not only a thing improbable but impossible it 's as sure as if it were done already Rom. 4.20 21. Thus it gives glory to the power of God 4. Faith causeth a man denying and renouncing his own judgment wisdom will as foolishness to bless God as well when he denies or takes away as when he gives as well for the worst as the best and to rest perswaded that the worst estate is the best for him when God is the Author of it that poverty is better than abundance when God will have him poor restraint than liberty when God will have him restrained c. that it 's greatest gain to lose all things for Christ that God loves in smiting heals by wounding exalts by humbling thorow the gates of death brings unto life Thus faith extols the wisdom of God 5. Faith makes man justifie God in all his decrees judgements dealings subscribe to the equity of them all even when he conceives not of them adore the unsearchableness of them reverently submit unto them yea when they thwart his desires pronouncing approving all his ways to be pure and righteous when he neither seeth nor asketh any reason thereof but Gods will Is not this a great honour which faith gives to Gods righteousness 6. It beholds him that is invisible every where present perswaded that he seeth and knoweth all things and so glorifieth him in respect of his omnipresence In a word that I be not too long in multiplying particulars Faith if I may so speak gives unto God his whole Divinity and of all graces most sanctifies his Name by acknowledging and confirming as it were by seal all those excellent properties and perfections which the Scripture ascribeth to him Indeed other graces also as love fear joy and the rest do honour God nor do I mean to rob them of their due praises but neither primarily for the cause and foundation of all that honour is in faith nor yet in such ample and full manner as faith Seeing then nothing is so glorious to God as Faith and consequently the more faith any man hath the more he glorifies God doth it not stand every Christian in hand above all graces to labour for perfection of Faith Secondly Reason 2 No Grace is more useful more profitable to man than Faith whether we consider life spiritual or natural For spiritual life 1. Faith espouseth and conjoyneth man to the Son of God in whom he findeth and obtaineth the dignity or prerogative of Son-ship and justification of life which things the better they are known the more they are felt and sealed up in the Soul by believing the more is the heart refreshed with unspeakable comforts 2. Faith purifieth and sanctifieth because 1. Being a gift of an holy and heavenly nature descending from above it will oppose and fight against corruption as light expels darkness heat cold and antidote poison 2. Laying hold on Christ it draweth and deriveth from him the Fountain Vertue and Power whereby corruption is mastered and mortified as a leaden pipe brings water from the spring wherein vessels are washed and cleansed 3. Faith is the mother and root of all other holy graces in a Christian and therefore as faith increaseth the rest will increase the more perfect that Faith grows the nearer the persection is the whole cluster of heavenly gifts in the children of God the more a man knows and believes the love of God to him the more fervently he will love God the more reverently he will fear him burn with zeal of his glory patiently hope earnestly desire to be with him in heaven and so of the rest 3. Faith strengthens 1. To obey God in leading an holy life in performing all duties and doing all the good works he requireth of his people so as they may please him in all things 2. To fight against and foil all spiritual enmity faith makes a poor soul able to resist the Devil
a Grammarian to speak incongruously a Musitian to play or sing unskilfully how great a shame is it in the sight of God and his holy Angels for one to profess and make shew of Christianity and yet so grosly to fail in observing and obeying the rules of it that his own works condemn him in the gate What a shame is it lastly that those who by their lives ought to condemn the unclean world as Noah did by his obedience and all ought who hope to be assessors or benchers with Christ in judging the world should give the world just cause to condemn their lives I would gladly take off mine hand and make an end but the point holdeth me as if it were loth to leave you till you were perswaded I befeech you set your hearts to all these words which I testifie unto you this day and let them sink down into your ears yea into your souls Let your conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ walk worthy of God who hath called you to his Kingdom and glory that you may by a real demonstration of the power of Religion stop the mouths of foolish and ignorant men who would be barking against Religion by practise and expressions of holiness muzzle or make ashamed the slanderous brood of Antichrist who charge us to deny or contemn inherent holiness Solomon said once Goe to the Pismire so say I Go the little Bees consider their ways and be ashamed of irregular lives of ill composed manners when you see their little cels or hony-combs so artificially and accuratly framed Consider remember often that your Christian calling calls for requires great circumspection watchfulness great purity and uprightness See you not how careful some Men are when they walk or ride in a fair new suit to keep it from spotting So must you your heavenly vocation Speak do nothing but that which beseems your calling and you shall not easily offend in word or work What shall I say no more but this let 's either be such indeed as our names import and report to others or else cast away the names and call our sesves from the masters we serve and the Lord grant that whosoever heareth or readeth may be perswaded or this doctriue may put a sting into his conscience never giving him rest till he resolve to lead the life of a Christian And so I pass on to The third instruction A Christians walking worthy of his calling is from God All ability in believers to grace and adorn their profession is Gods gift Therefore doth the Apostle beg this grace at the hands of God for the Thessalonians And there is good reason for it First no man is of himself sufficient to think much Iess to accomplish that which is good This that great Apostle who was taken up into the third heaven confesseth and confirmeth in himself therefore all the sufficiency of the faithful must needs be from that Father of lights from whom descendeth every good and perfect gift Secondly God gives the first grace whereby they begin both to deny ungodliness to renounce all that spiritual uncleanness of sin which is contrary to their calling and to do those good works to which they are called to bring forth new fruits of holiness and righteousness a greeable to their new calling Thirdly he continues and confirms this grace or gracious work by a subsequent upholds them in their integrity stablisheth their hearts in holiness gives wisdom to espie and shun the snares of the tempter Delivers from every evil work and consequently preserves from shameful fals disgracing their calling waters them as a garden that they may be fruitful in good works which are a comely ornament to their profession Lastly he limiteth or restraineth their adversaries spiritual corporal whether solliciting to defection from the faith or tempting to sin in conversation suffers them not to assault his children when where with what weapons with what force and fury they would or else ministreth strength to withstand and overcome them Now he that curbs or puts to flight the enemies which would draw us to dishonourable acts must needs be the cause of our honourable standing in the day of battel and consequently of our winning credit to our calling First then hast thou escaped many dangerous pit-falls and quick-sands in which others have been overthrown many foul sins of youth of age which have foiled others and defiled both them and their profession Hast thou as a brave Souldier of Jesus Christ warded or repelled those blows of temptation which have brought others on their on knees or driven them from their station Hast thou purchased the name and repute of a worthy Christian by a godly harmless meek sober peaceable conversation gained honour not only to thy self but to the general calling of Christianity and so sent abroad the smell of the ointment of thy graces that others have been thereby induced to speak honourably of Religion for thy sake Be not proud of it its Gods work in thee ascribe the glory of it wholly to him who keeps back his children from evil and confirms them in good without whom we have no stedfastness no power to live well or hold out in good courses but should certainly after we have begun in the spirit end in the flesh It s truly said of an Enemy the least temptation if God forsake us and suffer the Devil to work as powerfully as he can will be intolerable invincible Secondly Vse 2 Dost thou desire to honour thy Christian calling by walking as beseems the Gospel Do for thy self what Paul did for his Thessalonians send every day post to the Court of heaven none other but thine own heart on the winged horse of Prayer Spread thy petition as Hezek his letter before the Lord say unto him Lord as thou hast made me partaker make me also worthy of the heavenly calling give grace that whiles I live I may shew such behaviour as is sitting the honourable condition to which thou hast brought me Let me die rather than I should admit or commit any thing which might impair the reputation of Religion and cause Christianity to find worse entertainment in the world Guide me therefore by thy counsel till thou receive me to glory hold me by thy right hand strengthen me with thine own might turn from me shame and contempt order my steps in thy word and let no iniquity have dominion over thy servant keep my spirit ever waking and watchful against sin stablish my heart in thy fear my feet in the way of thy precepts enable me to continue holy and faithful unto death and lead me in the way everlasting to the land of righteousness This is the way to obtain this excellent grace and he that perseveres earnestly begging it adding thereunto holy endeavours making the matter of his prayer the matter of his practise shall be preserved from opprobrious evils The second petition of Paul followeth wherein such things are
readiness embrace and rightly use that grace and come when he called 1. These are right builders of Babel Is not this most horrible most wicked confusion to thrust the first cause out of his rank and seat the second in his room to subject the Creator or make him inferiour to his creature to fetch the first rise or spring of mans salvation from man It is no less absurd and blasphemous for ought I can see to say Gods will had or needed an external moving cause in ordaining things than to say his power had or needed an outward help in creating things The Papists shall rise up in judgement and condemn them some of whom do affirm roundly and confirm as soundly that there is no cause in us of Gods predestination that election is altogether free without prevision of good works 2. What faith could God fore-see in man not half but wholly dead in trespasses and sins what power of willing their own conversion in Men of stony hearts altogether impotent to spiritual good mancipated to Satan 3. Lastly where they say God bestows means of salvation upon some rather than others because he seeth they will profit better by them a pur-blind Papist will tell them its manifestly false For if that were the reason then the Lord should always send his Gospel and Ministers to those that are most towardly and capable deny them to those who are most hard hearted and rebellious but we see in Scripture and experience he often sends them to those that are worse than others as to Israel a gain-saying people a people of stiff and steely necks adamantine hearts brazen fore-heads Ezek. 3.6 7. Matt. 11.21 more stubborn and inflexible than the Gentiles than the Tirians and Sidonians Secondly This must teach us humility Vse 2 We have no cause to be lifted up in pride for any good thing we have or can do For it s neither from our selves nor procured and purehased from God by any worthiness or work of ours Nothing is our own but evil let us take nothing to our selves but shame and confusion Hast thou honour riches children bodily strength and activity friends gifts of nature graces of the spirit say with Jacob these are the riches the children the gifts which God hath graciously given me If thou feelest at any time such thoughts as these arising in thy heart Because of my sincerity obedience hearty and constant praying I have better children better success in the world than others I am preserved and delivered out of dangers wherein others perish judge them to be the issue of Satan that father of pride who perswaded our first parents and still would all his posterity to affectate the Divinity and therefore serve these cockatrice eggs as they deserve trample upon them crush them east them in the Devils face know that our obedience is not a cause of Gods kindness and benignity but a way or path leading to the taste and feeling of it God who is faithful having promised that whosoever walk in that way shall find him gracious and bountiful or a condition pre-required in those that shall taste the fruits of his goodness which condition not man by his own power performeth but the grace of God worketh and produceth Thirdly Vse 3 This should stir us up to magnifie and extol this goodness of God which giveth us all good things not onely abundantly but freely If all the rivelets of blessings wherewith we are watered flow from the Sea of his mercy its meet they should â—eslow thither by thanksgiving We should imitate the Marigold vvhich continually turneth it self to the Sun from whom it receiveth juyce If we have received great kindness from one at whose hands vve could never have expected or deserved any such thing how are vve affected with it vve cannot easily make an end of commending him nor satisfie our selves in thanking him Oh say we such a man is a mirrour of good nature When I was a meer stranger to him had none to mediate for me could give him nothing nor any way pleasure him of his own accord out of his own free disposition he thus and thus befriended me Oh how am I bound to him I shall never forget it while I live How much more brethren should the praises of the goodness of our God be ever in our hearts in our mouths who loved uâ— when we were enemies sought us wheâ— we strayed like lost sheep found uâ— when we sought him not called uâ— when we resisted him remembreth uâ— when we forget him keepeth promiâ— with us most faithfully when we are unfaithful to him followeth and ladetâ— us with his benefits when we have for feited all by unthankfulness undutifulness how should we awaken our deaâ— hearts to admire and glorifie this â— free mercy of the Lord 2 Sam. 7.21 and say soâ— thine own sake and according to thine owâ— heart O God hast thou shewed me uâ— worthy wretch Neh. 9 5 less than the least of all thy mercies all this grace and truth blessed be thou for ever and ever and blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise Let this suffice to have been spoken of the first lesson Now secondly vvhenas the Apostle prays in this manner for a people excelling many in grace and goodness in the next place we set down this conclusion Fulness of grace is not given at once doct 2 but by degrees God is able enough to replenish his children with all holiness and lift them from the hell of misery wherein he finds them to a state of perfect happiness in a moment yet he pleaeth to proceed step by step in opening and displaying to them the treasures of his goodness and not in an instant to powre out upon them all his spiritual riches Therefore Salomon compares a just mans path to the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day Pro. 4.18 Hence are these Exhortations as ye have received of us 1 Thes 4.1 how ye ought to walk and please God so abound more and more grow in grace put on the new man cleanse your selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and these promises the righteous shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon ye shall grow up as the calves of the stall and the like For First Reason 1 the Lord stoopeth to ourinfirmity We are dull in conceiving slow of heart to belieue like infants or narrow-mouthed vessels which receive liquor but by drops As therefore the loving nurse or mother in feeding the wise father or school-master in teaching accommodate themselves to childrens vveakness rather considering vvhat and how they are able to take than striving to powre in all themselves are able to give whereby life or memory may be over-whelmed so the Lord in dispensing of his graces attempenâ— himself and his dealing to the infirm capacity of his servants imparting them by degrees because they are not fit to receive them otherwise
admonish and provoke us if we desire never-fading glory to be studious and zealous of Christs glory He that will neglect himself and all things for honouring Christ shall neuer want true honour tho the world think this the high way to shame and dishonour Here is a lesson for all ambitious spirits thirsting after renown Lo this is the path leading to the temple of honour O ye sons of the mighty the way to be samous and glorious is doing homage to the Son of God Exâ—t him in your hearts houses dominious and he shall promote you to greatest dignity Advance him by your Councils swords Authority and he shall advance you yea make you an eternal excellency Honour him in his ordinances ministers members and he shall mak you high in name in grace and in honour 1 Sam. 7.9 The zeal of Gods house consumed David and God made him a great name like unto the name of the greatest men of the earth Do not think that pomp and Bravery Wit and Policy Worldly wealth preferment and power of commanding many sumptuous buildings stately tombes and monuments much less cruelty and tyranny shall immortalize your names no no its blessed consormity to Christ in true spiritual purity hearty subjection to his government and down right resolution for his cause which shall embalm and emblemish your memorials that children unborn may admire the fragrancy and splendor of them and at last set upon your head an immarescible crown of glory Be strong therefore and do it for if you despise and pollute the Name of the Lord Jesus know for a certain that he will expose your names to contempt and make your memory rot De. 29.20 If you transgress against the Lord it shall not be for your honour the seed of evil doers shall never be renowned the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The cause of this glory remaineth in the last words according to the grace of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ â—he meaning is the which glory cometh â—nd shall be bestowed upon you O Thessalonians and all other believers from the free favour and kindness of God and that unspeakable love of Christ the Mediator which he shewed in giving himself for us that he might bring us to the glory of the Father and through whom all the effects of that eternal grace of God are derived and conveyed into us Observe hence only this instruction Heavenly glory is from Gods meer grace Ye are saved by grace Doct. It is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom Where good pleasure signifies the meer loving kindness of God as a Jesuite confesseth against himself I suppose Other places we shall see afterwards For First Predestination to glory is meerly from grace this a Papist will not deny therefore induction into glory is meerly from grace The consequence is good For first no man can properly be said to be freely chosen to a place of dignity for which he pays sweetly as we say which he procureth by his own mony Election to life is not wholly of grace if collation of life be not wholly from grace 2. The root is the cause of the several branches that grow out of the stock as well as of the stock it self Grace is the root Predestination the stock wherefore grace hath no less a stroke in all subsequent benefits whereof glorification is one than in predestination Secondly Life eternal is an inheritance following adoption a childs portion yea such an inheritance as is assigned by lot like the several seats of the Triâ—es of Israel in the land of Caâ—aan and therefore as antiquity did hence truly gather comes not by numane acquisition but Gods gracious disposition and donation Thirdly Whatsoever is procured for us by Christ and given us for Christ is from grace For that which is the cause of giving Christ must needs be the cause of giving all the riches of Christ which cannot be separated from â—imself and Christ cannot make an imâ—erfect purchase But we attain life â—â—ernal by and for Christ he hath procuâ—ed it for his Members he is given to â—hem to be their redemption as well as â—ighteousness and sanctification he is our â—fe our hope our hope of glory through is righteousness we continue to reign in â—fe by his bloud we have liberty to enter to the holiest Hence we are said here â—d elsewhere to be saved by the grace of 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus Christ If the purchaâ—e 〈◊〉 already made by one so sufficient â—ere remaineth nothing for us to do â—t thankfully to receive what the grace God is ready to bestow Fourthly Holiness is the beginning glory they differ not in kind but â—egree holiness is glory inchoate â—ry is holiness perfected Now holiness begun in regeneration is from grace if Gods grace give the entrance into glory why not the upshot and consummation It may be objected life eternal is from jnstice because purchased by Christ therefore not grace The most common and received answer is it s from both in divers respectâ— From justice if we look at Christ because he payed dear for it from grace in respect of us who bring nothing â— our own salvation But others say thusâ— Christs satisfaction or the price of redemption which he paid doth not belife at the hand of justice but remoâ— the bar which justice had put into thâ— door of Gods storehouse the whiâ— being taken away grace hath full poâ— er to bestow salvation which before â— had not They explain themselâ— thus God out of meer grace aâ—pointed some to life These haâ— defiled themselves with sin wheâ— upon justice stepping forth puts a caution into the Court of Mercy I will and must be satisfied before Man shall see life and happiness Christ comes and gives full contentment to justice whereupon grace may now freely go forward with her dole and finish the work she had intended and begun The summe is Christs satisfactory obedience doth not put salvation into the hands of Justice to bestow but enables grace to bestow it justice not gain saying Let him that readeth chuse whether of these answers he liketh better or judge if he be able whether is the foundder This fighteth against that devilish doctrine of Papists which saith heavenly happiness is not to be expected as an inheritance but won and procured by our merits and consequently comes not from grace but from justice So that if Paul were alive again the Italian Idol I mean the great Bridge-maker of Rome the Porter of the bottomless pit would compel him to change his stile or else anathematize him and make a bon-fire of his bones Were there no other difference betwixt us and the Romanists this alone is a sufficient cause why we should abhor them and damn their Doctrine to the bottome of Hell unless we will be Traitors to the Grace of God But a Papist will object it may be both from grace and justice from grace because its the grace of
confirmed serveth further to admonish the godly of three things First Vse 1 to take notice of our great frailty Alas silly weaklings are we unstable as water reeds shaken with the wind if the rock of Israel be not our arme every morning Esa 33.2 unable to stand against the lest blast of Satans mouth the smallest puff of wordly troubles ready enough if left to our selves to fall as foully as fearfully as ever did any and so cause the Church of God the religion of God the calling of Chrstianity to be reproached the best of us the strongest amongst us had we no better keepers than our selves would sin like Peter David Solomon Manasses yea become Judasses Demasses Alexanders terrestial Devils he that believes not this of himself is blind and knows not himself See what small cause we have to be conceited and confident of our own strength Secondly Vse 2 to fear continually to be jealous and suspicious of our felves in regard of our great weakness and with all careful and curious circumspection to watch over our selves that we be not supplanted by sin Blessed is he that in this sort feareth allwaies had Peter feared his own infirmity he had not strayed so grievously No man is nearer downfall than he that is furthest from doubting himself Had we a child or servant whom we knew desperately bent to hurt himself or some other or else in danger either by reason of some disease to fall into fire and water or of a bad disposition to play some lewd shameful pranck whereby our house might be discredited would we not still have an eye to him and command our folks to watch him at every end the case is our own our own traiterous hearts conspire against us night and day to work us woe to lay us naked before the world like Noah uncovered in his tent to seduce us into the dirty-paths of sin that when we have stained our garments we may be the laughing stock of Devils and wicked men Oh look we to our selves that we be not deceived by such a cozening companion no vigilancie can be too great in observing and taking heed of this thief this murtherer Thirdly not to insult over Vse 3 nor to be censorious in judging Christians for their falls Seest thou one that calls on the name of Christ do this or that unbeseeming his profession do not presently condemn him for an hypocrite nor cease to acknowledge him for a brother but rather support him in love and the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted remembring that thy self though as famous for faith and sanctitie as any of these Thessalonians art in danger to do as much yea more if the Lord do not lead thee in his truth and righteousness But let no man mistake me or deceive himself I speak of one who failing in some particular act is for the main undefiled in his way not of a man that follows sin as a trade and after illumination and admonition purposeth to go on still in his trespasses We may as lawfully and certainly judge such an one to be de presenti a slave of the Devil one far off the kingdom of God as call that a crab-tree which beareth crabs or a thorn which bringeth the fruits of a thorn The second instruction is doct 2 The godly must by all means grace their calling Christians must so demean themselves both in peace and trouble as they may honour and credit the Christian-name and profession For Paul's prayer includes the Thessalonians duty as if he should say we knowing and considering that this is a main thing chiefly to be looked unto by you that are believers worthy the labour of your lives do constantly beg for you at the hands of God this grace that he would make you worthy of this calling The Ephesians are exhorted to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called Timothy must teach women to carry themselves as becommeth those that profess godliness And good reason For First Reason 41 in so doing they honour the holy name of God by causing the doctâ—ine and religion of God to be well-thought and well-spoken of Whereas by staining their profession they blemish the glorious name of God For they open the mouths of the prophane to blame and blaspheme religion to rail against and curse the Gospel which things must needs redound to his dishonour Hence the Lord complaineth of the Jews that by their idolatrous mariages they had prophaned his holiness and again for that they had made his name to be prophaned among the Gentiles by their wicked lives Indeed the doctrine is holy and good and no way to be charged with the faults of the persons yet the men of the world judge of the doctrine the worth and sweetness whereof they know not by the works and fruits which they see and know and conclude there is no such holiness goodness power in Gods School because no more appears in their lives Therefore the Apostle would have young women obedient to their own husbands that the word of God be not blasphemed and servants faithful to their masters that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour See Tit. 2.5 10. 1 Tim. 6.1 Secondly Reason 2 hereby they may further the conversion of the uncalled How is that may some say I answer when they shall evidently see what a broad difference there is betwixt their own lives and the lives of the godly they may by Gods blessing be convinced that they are out of the way of life When their experience shall teach them that in those whom they have often reviled and condemned nothing is found worthy to be blamed they may be brought to feel shame and self-condemning accusation in their own consciences when they behold such worthy fruits of religion in the lives of others as even they that will not be good cannot but commend and admire they be drawn to some liking of religion allured to look into it to enquire and hearken after it to be acquainted with those that teach and profess it till at length they be taken in Gods net Whereas by blemishing their profession they hinder the salvation of others hearten and harden the wicked in rebellious courses in hatred or dislike of Gods truth who think they have good cause to hate it seeing it produceth no better effects in those that follow it and so drives them further from grace and Gods kingdome Thirdly Reson 3 justice and gratitude requires it For this calling is honourable and honoureth us it makes us of Gods houshold children of God and the Church members of the Son of God setteth before us a kingdome a crown of eternal glory as the prize for which the goal to which we must runne Is not this a great dignity Is not this so worthy a calling worthy honouring are we not guilty of horrible unthankfulness unrighteousness if we do not honour it all we are able Before we come to application
begged as mainly and necessarily conduce to the honouring of a Christians calling especially by undaunted constancy and perseverance in the time of tribulation Themeans are two 1. General 2 Special The general is fulfilling all the good pleasure of his goodness By good pleasure I understand Gods decree and promise of bestowing on his children all spiritual blessings needful for the attainment of eternal glory or his love and favour now begun to be executed and manifested to the Thessalonians by effects and real gifts accompanying salvation this is amplified by the cause What is the root fountain and foundation of this good pleasure the goodness of God that is the kind and gracious nature of God whereby he is ready to deal bountifully with his creature The meaning then is we pray that the Lord would accomplish and finish all those good things he hath intended to work in you and for you that he would give the fulness and perfection of all those graces wherewith of his meer grace and goodness he hath purposed promised and already begun to enrich you The words may admit two other readings and interpretations for they may be turned all the well-pleasing of goodness that is all that goodness and holiness which is acceptable and well-pleasing to God And again All the desire of goodness that is all the good and godly desires of your hearts But this latter sense is barren and not so suitable to the Apostles words and scope the former is included in that which we gave in the first place which I judge to be fullest most proper and therefore most worthy to be preferred and followed The instructions to be drawn out of this clause are three First That all good in man is from the meer goodness of God Whatsoever grace God willeth to and worketh in his children it flows only from his free grace God saith the Apostle God worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure You shall find the Scripture exemplifying this point in particulars ascribing all the saving benefits of God bestowed on his people to his grace and good will election or predestination to life redemption remission of sins justification acceptation vocation revelation of the mystery of the Gospel and giving of knowledge and wisdom spiritual vivification and consequently sanctification regeneration comfort and hope after their calling ability for the faithful discharge of the duties of their callings deliverance from evil confirmation and persevetance glorification Reason proveth the same First it s a sure principle in Divinity Reason 1 the most free will of God which is all one with his goodness is the first and supreme cause of all things If God be not every way the first cause he hath either an equal or a superior and consequently is not God Nothing therefore doth induce and move him to do good to his creature but his own goodness If something without him should move his will that thing must needs be in nature before him and more worthy than he he must depend upon it and suffer from it but these things cannot agree to the nature of the first cause Wherefore either we must confess there is no grace and holiness in man which springeth not from the sole goodness of God or else deny a most certain Canon of Religion and spoil God of his nature and prerogative royal Secondly Reason 2 man cannot by any desert provoke God to be good and bountiful to him For 1. while he is unregenerate there is no goodness in him nothing truly good can come from him he is dead in sins wholly corrupt and abominable his reason is blind his heart rebellious his wisdom enmity to God 2. The good gifts which are in man justified and renewed and the exercise of them cannot if we will speak properly be an impulsive provoking cause of Gods augmenting these gifts Because 1. God purposed in his eternal Councel before the world to bestow or work that increase and therefore it being an effect of Gods will cannot be a cause of the same 2. Nothing temporary in man can be a cause of that which is eternal in God therefore God was not moved by any thing fore-seen in time to decree this increase If nothing besides his own goodness moved him to decree to work it nothing else moves him actually to work it else the decree and the execution of it do not agree Thirdly God is not bound to man Reason 3 owes him nothing being an absolute Monarch who hath most full and free power to do with his own what he list If he give his bounty is thereby manifested if he withhold he wrongeth none Now if we cannot possibly by any means make God our debtor it followeth that whatsoever good we have or receive it proceeds from his only kindness First then here are confuted Vse 1 first some false Doctrines of the Papists As 1. That a sinner not reconciled to God may by preparatory works of repentance deserve in some sort justification which they call the merit of congruity I am not ignorant how one of the Master-dawbers of Mystical Babylon goes about to salve this point by a favourable interpretation but if there were no snake in this grass I marvel why some of great name and note among them who doubtless understood well enough the tenets of their own times vvished the abolishing and abandoning of it 2. That Man is able by a power naturally inherent in his will if it be but helped and vvakened by grace to believe and convert Indeed they disavovv this Opinion as whoremasters are sometimes ashamed of their bastards but they must be content will they nill they to father it For the vvritings of the Jesuits who in this point are hotly opposed by their own pue-fellows the Dominicans witness that besides the outward means they acknowledge nothing necessary to conversion but inspiration illumination excitation they require not any super-natural habit or principle insused into the will by which it may be disposed and elevated to produce the act of faith they make effectual grace to be nothing else but Gods perswading and calling Men in such a time place manner as he foresees most agreeable to their disposition inspiring such motions as he seeth by their free-will they will embrace yea some of them ingenuously confess that the first radical cause of the efficacy of grace is the co-operation of mans will 3. That men may merit yea others for them increase of grace perseverance and restauration by repentance when they have fallen How these Romish Opinions are repugnant to the doctrine in hand grounded upon the plain words of the Apostle he is blind that seeth not Secondly the doctrine of the Arminians who maintain that the ground and cause of Gods election is foresight of saith and perseverance in persons to be elected that God sends the means of salvation and offers his grace to this or that people because he did see and know they would with humble
of his Spirit To blow upon the garden of our hearts that the spices thereof may flow forth 4. Improving Song 4.16 and blowing up grace by spiritual exercises of reading singing meditation conference private communication of gifts 5. Evacuation purging out by renewed repentance such matter as might cause an oppilation of those passages in which grace should flow unto us for Christ to whom we are joyned as members if we be believers is an head full of the holy Ghost full of grace truth if we defire to receive abundantly of his fulness we must take heed the nerve of faith and pipes of Gods ordinances be not stopped or made ineffectual in us by our worldliness deadness of spirit lusts or some known corruption too indulgently handled 6. Laying our hearts low before the Lord in humiliation and humility For the low valleys because they receive most dew and rain into their bosoms are most fruitful so the humble heart the broken spirit is of all others a subject most capable of the spirit and shall be most plentifully watered with the showres of grace because the God of all grace and goodness hath promised to dwell in such a spirit Do you now see the way Walk in it that you may find rest to your souls Do you know these things Blessed are you if you do them And therefore still suffer the word of exhortation in the use of these means propound this mark to your selves To be filled with the holy Ghost with wisdom and understanding with all riches of full assurance with all might patience and long sufferance with joy and peace in believing to be full of good works of mercy and good fruits of thankfulness and Gods praiset all the day Oh spare no pains for storing up abundance of grace as David said of his children the fruit of the womb happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them so may I much more truly say of the fruits of the spirit happy is the man that hath his heart full of this treasure here only covetousness yea violence is lawful and holy Say not within your selves this is an hard doctrine and impossible What we cannot be perfect here such thoughts are prompted by Satan to make you lazie and rob you of your crown The Apostle Paul was not ignorant of this yet He forgat the things that were behind and stretched himself unto the things before yea laboured if it were possible to attain to the resurrection of the dead So that though we cannot reach an entire and compleat perfection yet we may and must grow still more and more perfect and though our attainments shall never in this life overtake and equal our desires yet as he that shoots at the noon-Sun though he be sure he shall never hit the mark is sure to shoot higher than he that aims at a bush so if we desire and aim at the highest pitch of grace vve shall be sure to outstrip our fellows and attain such a measure as shall make our profession both comfortable to our own souls exemplary to our brethren and glorious in the eyes of strangers And thus much touching this branch of Pauls prayer for though I perceive there is one point more couched in it which have not been handled yet for brevity I will refer and reserve it to be wrapt up as well it may in the conclusion of the next member which now remaineth to be opened wherein a second thing is craved by the Apostle as a necessary and more special means of making them worthy their calling The words are and the work of faith with power where consider 1. The blessing asked which is fulfilling the work of faith By work of faith may either be meant the exercise operations fruits of faith faith stirring acting labouring producing such works as are proper to her or faith as it is Gods work in man the grace or habit of faith wrought by God in our hearts I take this latter sense the difference is not great and this includes the other 2. The efficient cause of it Gods power For so I understand those last words with power that is by his own Almighty power joyning them to the word fulfil rather than to faith which worketh powerfully in believers The meaning then is as if the Apostle had said But above all other graces we make suit unto God for the perfecting of that blessed and singular work of faith which his grace hath begun in you and that by the strength of his own right hand who is omnipotent and all-sufficient The instructions to be gathered from these words follow whereof the first is this The best faith hath wants doct 1 Understand it of faith in the sons of men in this world It s plain in our text The Apostle witnesseth in his former Epistle that this people received the word with much assurance that their faith to Godward was spread abroad in other places In this very Chapter he hath given thanks to God that their faith grew exceedingly yet here he tels us they have need to be prayed for that God would perfect their faith A cloud of witnesses doth further confirm it Abrahams faith did â—imp and halt a little when he hearkned â—o the counsel of Sarah in going in to Hagar for he consented to the use of unlawful means for bringing about Gods purpose likewise when through fear he sained Sarah to be his sister weakness appeared in Sarahs faith when she laughed at the promise of a son in Jacobs vvhen tidings of Esaus coming did so affright and distress him though he had a promise of Gods presence and protection in that journey in Davids when in his haste and fear he said I am câ—st out of thy sight all men are liars when he fained himself mad in Peters when being afraid of his skin in the high Priests hall he denied his Master And no marvel for first if knowledge be imperfect in all Christians confidence cannot be perfect in any How can the heart desire or cleave unto this or that further than the mind apprehends it as true and good I cannot rest upon a man believing he will do this or that for me further than I know him The measure of faith in the will depends upon and sollows the measure of light in the understanding 〈◊〉 mean in respect of latitude not intension or in intrinsecal vigour for otherwise I know there may be great faith where there is but small knowledge as in many Martyrs A man may know more than he believes so do many wicked men in the Church but he cannot believe more than he knows Now its certain that we know but in part for neither do we apprehend the whole object of knowledge that is the whole body of divine truth my meaning is vve know not all things to be known vve are still ignorant of many things neither do we see those things which now we know so fully clearly distinctly as vve should and
Christ which gives power to merit from justice because the Apostle saith The just Judge will in the last day give a crown of Righteousness to all that love him I answer 1. Their Goliâ—h seems here to stagger for tho sometimes he maintain that good works do merit eternal life by reason of an inherent digâ—ity which he endeavours to prove by seven most silly sophismes yet elsewhere he saith We attribute not to works such merit as hath an answerable wages due unto it from Justice and again setting aside the promise of God he is not bound so to accept our works as to reward them 2. That place of the Apostle is not to be understood of Justice commutative or distributive respecting mans merit but of Gods verity or fidelity who hath promised this Crown to all that strive lawfully the faithful fulfilling of which promise is a part of his Justice For else the Apostle should manifestly contradict himself as who in other places hath taught most plainly that grace and debt grace and mans works in respect of causation of salvation can never stand together that eternal life is a free gift not wages they shall never be able to make other construction of Pauls words yea â—uch a gift of grace as is not any way from our selves all the wit in the world shall never clude so perspicuâ—us a passage 3. This will better appear if we do briefly shew that the Scriptures do not know but overthrow the doctrine of mans merit for themselves cannot deny but it s a good rule in expounding Scripture to compare one place with another First therefore the faithful Israelites did not merit the possession of the land of Canaan Deut 9.4 5 6. Psal 4â— 3 2. It s impossible man should merit by paying his debt but whatsoever we do or can do for God in this present world its debt 3. They that are but instruments doing all things by a power received from and continued by another cannot merit at his hands but such are we 4. Could we merit we might by our works make God a debtor to us but this may not be granted My goodness extendeth not to thee saith David which phrase is not to be expounded by that Thy vows are upon me O God that is have made me obliged and indebted to thee 5. If the best mans best works cannot endure the strict judgment of the Lord if the best men shall need mercy in the last day there is no place for merit But the first is true 6. We cannot deserve the least morsel of bread but must seek it at Gods hands like beggars Lastly if we must not look to have our Prayers heard and granted much less Heaven bestowed upon us for our merits But the first the Scripture teacheth Dan. 9.18 and Papists confess and therefore in one of their Missal-prayers they intreat God not to weigh their merits but to pardon their offences Secondly Let us look and trust only to this grace of God in Christ that we may find salvation renouncing and disclaiming all meriting causes of salvation in our selves and all creatures Let us never think of challenging any thing at Gods hand by desert much less the Kingdom that cannot be shaken They that put confidence in their works are like little children beginning to go by themselves who that they may stand more firmly take fast hold on their own clothes but alas they are never a whit further from falling Nay well were it if it were no worse but further they forsake their own mercy and are abolished from Christ Indeed we must labour strive run sight before we be crowned but when we have done all still we are to acknowledge our selves unprofitable servants and confess that Heaven is Gods free gift called a reward not because by our working it is deserved but because by God graciously promised Hold this fast that if Satan object thus unto thee on thy death-bed How canst thou hope for any part in the Kingdom of God who art conscious to thy self of so great sins so many haltings and imperfections thou mayest have what to answer indeed Satan it were something thou fayst and might shake me terribly if I did challenge or expect salvation for my own works my own preaching praying holiness zeal serving of God c. But I abhor my self my worthiness is none my righteousness is spotted my merit is hell 〈◊〉 depend aad rely only on the Lords mercy and Christs purchase this is my rock and portion for ever Notwithstanding this hindreth not but if Satan assault us another way we may lawfully look at Gods image graces and works in us as testimonies of our faith seals of the truth of our calling evidences that Gods grace hath not been ineffectual in us and that we are of the number of those to whom salvation is promised FINIS
enterprizing nothing without leave or warrant from him 2. By a godly life and fruitfulness in a Christian course 3. By upholding and setting forward his Gospel to the utmost of his power For the Gospel is Christs chariot wherein he rideth through the world to conquer his enemies and gather his Church if the Gospel run and prevail his glory is inlarged if the Gospel be stopped his glory is hindred 4. By willing undergoing any thing for his sake These are the things which we must remember and do that Christ may be glorified in us in the doing of which we shall not be a little helped by accustoming our selves every day yea often in the day to call our own hearts to account and enquire what glory hath redounded to Christ this day this hour from my thoughts my speeches my actions that so far as we find our selves barren and defective this way we may take shame to our selves and turning our feet into the way of Gods testimonies with râ—â—ewed care and redoubled resolution set upon this greatest and most honourable Work of honouring the Lord. Secondly doct 2 observe that a good Christian desires the Lord may be glorified by others A good man is not content to honour God in his own person but he heartily wisheth and prayeth that others may do it as well as himself So did David Psa 67.3 4. and Paul Eph 3.21 For First Reas 1 The zeal of God burns in his breast the love of Christ constraines him he knows that God most highly esteemes and loves his own glory that this being the last end of all his counsels and works must needs be more worthy and excellent than all creatures in regeneration he puts on the image of God by which he is inclined and enabled to will what God willeth to love what the Lord loveth and in the same manner according to his measure therefore he cannot but desire the inlargement of his glory in the world and the communication of that grace to many by which they may be effectually taught and moved to glorifie him Secondly He loves the souls of men Reas 2 and heartily desires their welfare temporal eternal now he knows that this task of glorifying God is both at tended with much present sweetness and comfort and will certainly bring a most glorious reward life everlasting Wherefore that Christian love of others which the Holy Ghost hath kindled in his heart makes him seriously defire that they may be sharers in so excellent and matchless a gain and consequently join with him in the means leading to it namely the study and care of honouring the Lord. First then this reproves two sorts 1. Those that hinder and deter men from glorifying God such I mean who discerning in others holy forwardness in religion love of godliness and godly persons tenderness of conscience care to depart from evil and shun the society of sinners snub ad discourage them by threatnings reproaches commandments punishments This is a fearful thing though men see it not it s manifest fighting against God and playing the part of Elymas who is therefore called the child of the Devil and an enemy to all righteousness Judge in your selves can he be the child of God who neither gives him his due honour nor suffers then that would As we stand affected to the glouy of God and the means of it so are we affected towards God himself He that cannot endure the light of piety in the life of his child servant kinsman neighbour by which God is glorified would banish God out of the world if it were in his power He that destroys the Temple of God 1 Co. 3.17 him shall God destroy he that quencheth the fire of Gods grace in others shall burn in the fire nevar to be quenched 2. Those that draw or thrust others forward to such courses as dishonour God provoke and perswade them to swearing riot drunkenness wantonness revenge c. for shame let not such men any longer call themselves sons and servants of the living God Should I hear a man in secret conference with another command or councel him to set a fire on his neighbours Corn Barn or Dwelling house might I not safely conclude this is no friend but a very dangerous and bitter enemy of his neighbour Is it not enough that by thy personal sins thou frettest yea breakest the very heart of God every hour except also thou hire and procure helpers as if thou couldst not easily satisfie thy self in heaping injuries upon him and loading him with contumelies Tell me vile hell-hound do men thus to their friends Go now and if thou hast lost all forehead deny thy self to be the Lords enemy I tell thee thou art a flat hater of the holy One of Israel or the Devil is none Secondly Vse 2 by this doctrine we may examine our selves and judge what manner of Christians we are Doth it sting yea cut thee to the heart to see Christ so slenderly known and honoured in the world so many professing him who in their works deny him calling him Lord Lord when by their lives he is blasphemed Doth it grieve thee to see that in every place where thou commest the most are no better than walking tombs moving sepulchers unmeet for the Lords use and service Do these things lye nearer thy heart than thy personal crosses and injuries Canst thou pour out prayen even as for thine own soul for those who belonging to God run forward in wickedness that they may be reclaimed to glorifie him in the day of visitation and for the called that they may be made more zealous of his gloâ—y shew forth the vertues of him who â—ath brought them out of darkness into his â—arvellous light Answer me is it thus â—ith thee no doubt a portion of Pauls â—pirit rests upon thee But if the spiriâ—ual condition of others affect thee â—ot if thy spirit be not stirred when the â—ord Jesus is crucified afresh by Oaths â—nd blasphemies his Sabbaths polluâ—ed his word despised if thy heart tells â—ee thou carest but little what become â—f Gods glory how often or by whom â—e be wronged so thy self be not touâ—hed what become of other mens souls whether they sink or swim if these â—hings wring no sighs no prayeas from â—hee in secret though thou hast a name to â—ve thon art dead Thirdly Vse 3 here is matter of instructiâ—n We see here what 's the reason why â—he godly desire and seek the Reformaâ—â—on of sinners You shall sometimes â—ear a wicked fellow if a servant of God but reach him the helping hand of Christian admonition to pull him out of his sin fall a suming and exclaiming what hath he to do with use let him look to himself he is more busie than needs he shall not answer for me c. But stay a little as David said to Eliab Is there not a cause Thy brother hath received mercy from the Lord and therefore cannot but shew mercy to thy
soul grace hath kindled in his bosom a desire of thy good forbid him not to speak when the Lord hath bidden him He knows that as God is by thy sin dishonoured so by thy repentance he would be greatly honoured and that if Christ have not glory now by thy conversion and obedience he will get himself glory in thy confusion Hence it is that he calleth upon thee to renounce the works of the flesh Canst thou blame him Is it not a bruitish part to be angry with him that would gladly have thy company to heaven if thou stormest against those who wish thee in as happy a case as their own souls what wilt thou do to thine enemies This serveth lastly for exhortation Vse 4 to stir us all up as we would prove our selves right Christians by all good means within our power to endeavour that others may set forth the Lords glory Let us begin with those that are under our charge or nearest unto us and then extend our care to such as occasionally we converse and meet with teaching them who and what a one God is and what he requireth of us that we may honour him warning them of such things by which he is or might be dishonoured in them labouring their conversion and transtation into Christs Kingdom because till they be truly turned they can never rightly glorifie him and multitude of subjects is a Kings glory at least restraining them from open profanation of his name How do the followers of noble Personages bestir themselves that their Lords may have honourable respect in every place where they come What child desires not to see his father very wealthy The Lord give us such minds and hearts toward our heavenly father The second end respecting the Thessalonians followeth which is 1 propounded 2 amplified from the cause of it propounded thus and ye in him that is and ye thus living to his glory may be glorified in and through the Lord Jesus Observe hence only one instruction that They which glory in Christ doct shall he glorified by and with Christ Rom. 8 17 2 Tim. 2.12 For first God is a bountiful rewarder of all diligent and faithful servants of his most beloved Son Secondly the members must follow and be conformed to the head Now Christ the head of believers first glorified his father upon earth and was afterward glorified with that glory which he had with the father before the world Therefore the faithful shall go the same way that is after they have finished their course of obedience in doing and suffering to the glory of Christ they shall be received into the glory of Christ and the Father Thirdly in glorifying the godly Christ glorifieth himself Relatives mutually give and receive honour The nobility beauty bravery discretion of a wife is an honour to the husband and the glory of the spouse of Christ shall set forth and illustrate the glory of Christ If any ask quest what is this glory which the Lord bestows upon his Saints that honour him I answer answ It s either present or suture Present in this world a preamble to that which shall follow in the next is either more open and manifest or more hidden and secret More manifest is when God gives them some great and famous deliverance or lifts them from a base and mean condition to places of dignity or makes them to be highly reverenced and had in precious esteem even amongst those who are of a different religion and contrary disposition Joseph had great glory in the Egyptian Court Ge. 45.13 Moses was very great in the sight of Pharoahs servants and the people of Egypt David honourable in Sauls house 1 Sa. 22.14 Mordecai in the Court of Ahasuerus Est 8.15 More secret is when the wicked who openly despise vilisie condemn the godly are forced inwardly to justify them and to feel their own consciences telling them that they or no people in the world are in an happy estate and in the way of life Whence it is that sometimes we have known Mockers and professed Enemies of Gods Servants Puritans Men call them now adays in cold bloud or in the evil day desire their prayer wish to dy their death and commit to their trust most important businesses For the spirit of glory rests upon them which causeth the face to shine and imprints that Majesty in the countenance or conversation which makes their persons no less venerable and terrible to those that hate them than amiable to those that love them Future is that where with they shall be crowned in the life to come when every saithful persou shall be cloathed in soul and body from top to toe with such glory as shall cause admiration in men and Angels and dwell for ever with most glorious company in a most glorious Mansion of which particulars I think it not fit to treat largely in this place it shall suffice briefly to have named them because I hasten to an end First Then it follows hence Vse 1 by the rule of contraries that the end of all such as either oppugne the glory of Christ or wholly neglecting it hunt and hawk after the glory of the World shall be shame and confusion Think on this ye proud vain-glorious men who leave no stone unmoved that you may magnifie your selves whose only study and strise is to climb to the height of earthly greatness but if the name of Christ lie inglorious in the dust will not wag a tongue stir a hand or foot to lift it up Think on this ye persecutors of Christs truth ways sincere servants ponder it betimes and believe before you feel Though your excellency mount up to Heaven and your same reach unto the ends of the Earth though all mouths should bless you all tongues extol you to the skies and all knees bow unto you yet shall you perish like your own dung leave your names as a curse which religious posterity shall abhor and detest as the smoke of a dunghil or stink of a carcase and in the day of the Lord if not in this life be brought to a shameful ruine and clothed with ignominy never to be removed Secondly Vse 2 This must comfort us against the shame of the world and encourage us patiently to bear the reproach of Christ Are we scoffed at reviled slandered by wicked tongues overwhelmed with calumnies and indignities because we are zealous for the Lord Jesus and do the things are pleasing in his sight remember the time will come when Christ shall abolish our shame and deck us with his own glory when both our persons names shall shine as the Sun in his brightness Do the children of this world disgrace us Christ will honour us Do we lose our credit with men for submitting to Christs Laws We shall recover it with advantage when Christ shall admit us to society in his own happiness to eat to drink and reign with him in his kingdom Lastly Vse 3 this should