This imports that he shall not be known in the day of Christ oh how wofull will that sentence be when he shall say away from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not Mat. 7.27 Hitherto of the foundation The founder followes who is described by what he is himselfe viz. God and what he is to us viz a Father Of God To be elect and knowne before others is a great benefit but to be chosen of that dreadfull and immortall being and that when nothing was must needs adde to this prerogative If God choose them it matters not who refuse them If God know them it matters not who is ignorant of them If God honor them it matters not who disgrace them He that foâ—nded our election in his owne eternall praescâ—eâ—â—e is â—ee that founded this earth and spread over it this great heaven Iehovah Eloâ—im is his name and spirituall incomprehensible immortall infinite almighty is his nature The immense fountaine of all love mercy holinesse justnesse goodnesse wisdome and bounty It is he that before guided the wayes of eternity as he now doth of times What God hath done in time is done that we might know and praise him but what he did before time is without our measure and as it commeth neerer to Gods nature so it goeth farther from our apprehension at least till we be glorified in heaven But this is a sea over which no ship hath failed a Mine in which no spade hath delved an Abyssus into which no buckâ—t hath â—unke our sight is too tender to behold this sunne our understanding too finite to comprehend this glorious and infinite being and therefore I passe from what hee is in himselfe to consider what he is to us The Father God is Father to Christ to Angels to Men To Christ he is Father by nature as he is God and by personall union as he is man To Angels hee is father by creation and to faithfull men by adoption As hee is father to Christ I consider of it ver 3. here onely as he is father to the faithfull God hath an everlasting fatherly care and compassion over the faithfull and elect and this may serve for three sorts of uses 1. For consolation to the godly God useth them and ever will use them like a Father both for the affections of a father and for the provisions of a father he both loves them and provides for them as a father for his children Gods affection to the godly is a fatherly affection for it is 1. free and 2. tender and 3. constant 1. A fatherly love is a free love there needs no argument to a father but that this is my childe so it is with God 2. A fatherly love is a tender love it hath much compassion and care in it such is Gods love to the godly Looke how Parents pitty their children so doth God pitty them that feare him Psal. 103.13 yea God is troubled in their troubles and his bowels are turned in him in their discouragements and griefes Esay 63.8 Ier. 31.18 19. 3. A father still loves his childe so doth God and much more then all fathers or any of them For he loves with an everlasting love Esay 49.14 and is called an everlasting father Esay 9.6 Adde unto these that a father will love his childe though no body else doe so can God love us though he love alone Though naturall fathers and kindred forsake us Psal. 27.5.10 and spirituall fathers forget us Esay 63.16 17. yet God will never cease to love us hee will never leave us nor forsake us Onely we must ever remember that Gods love is a pure love For it hath not in it hurtfull indulgence he will not marre his children with too much fondnesse He can hide his face and though he will never take his mercies from them yet if they sinne he will scourge them with the rod of men he will afflict them though it be but for a short time Psal. 89. Esay 67.7 8 9. As is the affection of God so is his provision for the godly a fatherly provision he provides for them like a father yea like a heavenly father in their 1. attendance 2. dyet 3. preservation in trouble and 4. portion 1. For their attendance he provides for them better then the great men of the earth can doe for their children He hath given his Angels to bee ministring spirits to all these heires of salvation and these pitch their tents round aboâ—t them Psal. 34. Heb. 1.14.2 And for dyet they are fed with the food that perisheth not yea such food as he that eateth thereof shall live for ever John 6.27 3. And for preservation in trouble the power of God doth so keepe them that a haire of their heads cannot fall to the ground without the providence of their heavenly father Mat. â—â— and â—o that 〈◊〉 all the haires of their head are numbred and the spirit of God is given them to teach them to comfort them and uphold them 4. And for portion he hath blessed them with all spirituall blessings ìn heavenly things and since the earth was forfeited into Gods hands againe he hath restored the inheritance of the earth to none as is the opinion of many learned but to them Other men hold without any title from God Ephes. 1.3 Esay 45.11 17 18 19. and in the world to come they shall shine as the starres of heaven and as the sun in the firmament Mat. 13.43 Ob. But God hath so many sonnes of this kinde how can hee provide for them all Sol. Our hearts are not troubled for that we beleeve in God and beleeve in Christ also In our fathers house there are many mansions if it had not been so Christ would have told us and he is gone before to make our places ready for us John 14.1 2. Ob. But they have so many adversaries without and within that there is great danger lest they be pulled out of their inheritance Sol. God that hath begotten them and given them to Christ is greater then all no man can plucke them out of his hands John 10.29 Object But they are for the most part a people of many and those continuall wants there is scarce any moment wherein they want not something and therefore must either be uncomfortable in themselves or burthensome to God Sol. Whatsoever they aske the father he will give it them It is no trouble to God to receive Petitions from them continually he delights in it and rather blames them for asking so seldome and so little Iohn 16.23 Ob. God himselfe plagues them with troubles as much or rather more then he doth other men Sol. The fathers of our flesh correct us and shall not the father of spirits do it and the rather if we consider that he shewes his love therein a man will correct his owne son more then another mans and he doth correct us for our profit that
we might partake of his holinesse and live and there is much fruit in the afflictions of the godly all working together for the best unto them If God spare wicked men it is because they are bastards and not sonnes and yet there is a great deale of difference betweene Gods usage of wicked men and of godly even in their trouble For he spares and pitties his owne children as a man will spare and pitty his owne son He never strikes them but it is in measure and in their branches He doth not make a full end of them to confound them as he will doe with wicked men Heb. 12. Esay 27. Ob. The world sees no such excellency in them or in their Estate Sol. The world knowes them not because it knowes not God their father they are now the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall bee but we know that when Christ shall appeare we shall be all like him 1 Iohn 3.1 2. This doctrine of Gods fatherly love to his people may serve for instuction 1. To godly men 2. To carnall men 3. To earthly fathers 1. Godly men should learne here to live like the children of God and so they'doe if they looke to three things 1. That they live without sin and not shame their father by their wicked lives their workes should shew and beare witnesse by their care to finish them that God is their father and set them about them Iohn 5.36 Their righteousnesse must exceed the righteousnesse of civill men in this world Mat. 5.20 and therefore their daily prayers unto God should be that hee would establish them in holinesse before him till the comming of Iesus Christ 1 Thess. 3.13 2. Secondly that they live without care having such a heavenly father to provide for them Mat. 6.25 c. 3. Thirdly that they live out of the society with wicked men cleaving only to the houshold of God 2 Cor. 6.18 they should love their fathers house Psal. 27.4 and deny utterly the love of this world Iohn 2.15 16. 2. Carnall men should hence take notice if it may be to be better advised and not meddle with the godly no not to despise the least of these little ones Their Angels alwayes behold the face of God for them and their heavenly father will requite their wrongs Mat. 18.10 c. 3. Earthly parents should here learne of God God cares for his children before they were and shall not they care for their children when God hath given them to them Gods greatest care is to provide holinesse for his children and should not they learne of God therein Lastly this may serve for reproofe both of some of the godly and also of the wicked that live in the Church of God some of the godly doe greatly forget themselves about this point that is such as stirre not up themselves to take hold of God and to call upon his name in their distresses but sit downe dismaide and dead hearted as if there were not the compassion care or help of a father in God this is reproved Esay 64.8 Those sons of Belial also that live in the Church and call God father but live like the Devill who indeed is their father whose workes they doe those I say are most bitterly reproved in these and such like Scriptures even from their daring to call God father Mal. 1.6 3. ult Ier. 3.4 c. Mat. 3.9 7.21 Iohn 4.23 8.38.41.44 1 Iohn 3.15 2 Iohn 9. Through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ. There is difference of senses about the understanding and dependancy of these words amongst Interpreters Some take sanctification in a large sense for mans righteousnesse in generall and obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ as the two parts or kindes of it by obedience understanding mans righteousnesse or holinesse in himselfe and by sprinkling of Christâ— blood that righteousnesse of Christ that righteousnesse I say made ours by imputation both which are applyed or wrought by the spirit of God Some others make sanctification the end and obedience and sprinkling the meanes and so conceive that before mans sanctification there goes two things in God Election and fore-knowledge and two things in Christ obedience and sufferings and all this in both that we might be sanctified Others understand sanctification of the heart or spirit of man as a means intended in Gods Election for the fitting of us unto obedience of life and the fruition of the benefits purchased by the blood of Iesus Christ and thus I take it it is meant here The summe seemes then to be this that our lives may bee obedient to Gods will and that we may enjoy the benefit of Christs death we must be sanctified within in our spirits Sanctification of the spirit Man is said to be sanctified or made holy three wayes 1. Of not holy privatively and so man that was once without holinesse is made holy by regeneration and justification 2. Of lesse holy and so Gods children are daily sanctified by proceeding from grace to grace 3. Of 〈◊〉 holy negatively and so Christ as hee was man was sanctified For there was a time when Christ had not this holinesse in his humane nature viz. when his humane nature was not Spirit is taken sometimes for the holy Ghost sometimes for an evill Angell 1 Kings 22. Luke 10.20 sometimes for the Gospell which hath adjoyned to it the spirit or working of the spirit of God 2 Cor. 3.6 sometimes for the soule of man and so it is taken sometimes more strictly for the understanding the Queene of the soule the reason of mans minde and then the soule is taken for the feare of affections Ephes. 4. â—3 1 Thess. â— 23 sometimes more largely for the whole inward man the whole soule with all the faculties of it and so I take it here Divers things may be noted here in the generall 1. First that without sanctification we can never have comfort of our Election by our obedience others may discover our Election and by inward holinesse we may discerne it of ourselves 2. That our sanctification hath some dependance upon Gods election and that 1. as he hath ordained the rules of good workes we should walke in Eph. 2.10 2. as he hath bound himselfe by his decree to guide his people to the holinesse he doth require of them 3. That an outward civill life will not serve the turne God requires especially the sanctification of the heart of man 1 Sam. 16.17 when God looks for the markes of his owne people he trieth the heart and reines Ier. 11.20 4.14 Prov. 4.23 23.16 Gods wayes are in the blessed mans heart Ps. 84.5 4. That there is flesh in the best of Gods Elect in this life their spirits onely are sanctified Thus in generall More particularly concerning the sanctification of the spirit I propound two things distinctly
these words but the word of the Lord endureth for ever and explained by shewing of what word he speaketh in these words and this is the word which is preached unto you THE METAPHRASE OF THE FIRST CHAPter of the first Epistle of ST. PETER PETER by immediate calling and commission from IESUS CHRIST the Embassador for the Churches to the dispersed servants of God strangers and Pilgrims in this world that dwell here and there in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia Who for their spirituall estate were chosen of God from everlasting and fore-seene of God with speciall approbation above the rest of mankinde and loved with a fatherly love as appeares by the inward sanctification of their hearts which can be found in none but the Elect of God separated of God to these ends namely that both they might glorifie God by their holy conversation and be glorified of God by the fruition of the benefits purchased by the blood of IESUS CHRIST and now estated upon them by the application of the merits of CHRIST The grace of God even his continuall free favour and the gifts of his spirit and peace even tranquillitie of heart and conscience and all comfortable and needfull prosperity be established upon you and more and more increase in you Eternall thankes bee given unto God who is the God of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of his humane nature and his Father in respect of his divine nature for all the consolations wherein he hath given us reason of singular rejoycing and in particular for that he hath regenerated us and made us his children by adoption when we deserved nothing but his eternall wrath meerely out of the abundance of his owne matchles mercies and sets us in such an estate as whatsoever our trials affliâ—tions may be yet he hath given us effectual assured hope of full happineâ—se the pledge and undoubted testimony whereof we have in that â—esus Christ is risen from the dead which shewes evidently that all is discharged For else hee could not have come out of prison till hee had paid the uttermost farthing And to shew that he will acknowledge us for sonnes he hath reserved for us in heaven such an inheritance as shall never bee lost or taken from us and shall have no fault nor defect in it nor ever decay in the incomparable worth and glory of it And that we may be sure of possession his owne almighty power will be as a strong garrison about us to keepe us and he hath given us also a lively faith that well preserve us till we be possessed of that glorious and full salvation which he hath prepared for us and is ready to be revealed in the full perfection of it when the day of death or judgement shall come If you object that you cannot take that comfort in these Arguments of consolation because of the many tentations inward and outward with which you are daily disheartned I answer that for all your crosses you may have exceeding much joy even in the midst of your tribulations and besides the trouble of your crosses is but for a little while they are but short tryalls nor are you bound alwaies to be pensive for your crosses but onely when neede requires namely when you neede to be humbled for some corruptions that get too much head in you or for other profitable ends And lastly you lose nothing by your tentations and afflictions For your saith which iâ— a thing more precious in Gods account than all the gold in the world for that will perish and come to be of no use one day is hereby tryed and what though the fire of the furnace of affliction bee somewhat hot yet remember what wonderfâ—ll praise and honour and glory you shall have for the stedfastnesse of your faith when Iesus Christ shall appeare and with his owne mouth commend you and glorifie you before all the world If you object that you doe not know whether the former consolations doe belong unto you or no I will put you in minde of three infallible signes that you are converted and shall goe to heauen 1. The first is your unfained affection to the Lord Iesus Christ though yee never yet saw him with your bodily eyes 2. The second is your continuall â—aith relying upon him alone for your reconciliation and salvation 3. And the third is the wonderfull matchlesse and unutterable and celestiall joy that at sometimes yee feele in the presence of God in his ordinances And therefore yee neede make no doubt but beleeve confidently that God will reward your trust in him by giving such an end to your course as that your soules shall be sure to be saved And that you may be the more abundantly confirmed in the former consolations thinke of the Testimony of the Prophets that were men extraordinarily raised up of God and did Prophesie of this great salvation which is now come to passe and fulfilled in us Christians and being appointed and inspired of God to soretell the singular priviledges of the Christian Churches they tooke marveilous paines about it inquiring diligently by all the meanes they could Studying to finde it out if it were possible what and what manner of time the Holy Ghost which was in them meant when it made them foretell both that the MESSIAS should suffer so many things and withall that after his suffering there should be wonderfull glorious times for the Church Now they were answered by revelation that they themselves must never see those glorious daies on earth but that they were used only as Gods servants to signifie to the Church what should be the estate of Christians after the sufferings of Christ according also to the doctrine of the Apostles who have published the same things to you in the preaching of the gospell being men inspired by the Holy Ghost from heaven and assisted with the visible gifts of the Holy Ghost and your happinesse is so great that the Angells â—f heaven like the Cherubins that stood looking into the Arke doe with singular admiration stand and wonder at and search into the manifold wisedome of God in the happinesse to which you are brought by Christ. And as you neede to be comforted so have I thought it fit to exhort you and first in things that are generall to you all both concerning the matter of holinesse and concerning the meanes of it There are three things you should labour after 1. The first is the restraining and resisting of all lâ—ts of godlinesse which within from corruption of nature are wont like long garments to hinder you in the labour and race of a holy life 2. The second is the moderation of your selves and that right temper in your hearts and lives especially in the use of the outward things of this world 3. The third is the perfecting of the assurance of your hope concerning the glory of heaven which
And as he is the God of Christ so he is the Father of Christ his God in respect of his humane nature and his father in respect of his divine nature such an high Priest it became us to have as was after the order of Melchisedech without father or mother For so waâ— Christ without father as man without mother as God now in that he is here said to have a father it is to be understood of his divine nature in respect of which by an eternall generation the person of the Son was begotten of the Father dreadfull is this mystery and most difficult to be understood or conceived and the rather because nothing câ—rnall or earthly is here to be imagined For the Son was not begotten as sons amongst men are but after a more admirable and more excelling maner neither know I how to expresse a way of conceiving of this generation better then by way of negation denying unto it whatsoever hath imperfection There is a threefold generation The first is corporeall called iâ— Schooles Logicall and predicamentall and this iâ— of bodily things which by themselves and out of themselves and without themselves doe beget The second is transcendent and metaphysicall and this is of spirits and is menâ—â—ll For here the minde as an uncompâ—unded subject doth not oâ—â— of it selfe but by it selfe and in it selfe beget and thus it begets contemplation or reason thoughts or affections The third is supreâ—â—â— and singular or 〈◊〉 and that is that generation by which the Father in himselfe and by himselfe by nature and not by faculty or power begets the Son and this is thâ—t which in this place is to bee conceived of so that we must asâ—eâ—d higheâ— then the geniâ—uâ—â— of bodies or soules and when we are come to the Ocean that is beyond and highes then either of those we must rest and wonder especially taking heed to our thoughts aâ— in other things so that in three things we imagine no likenesse betweene the Father begetting the Son in the Trinity and earthly fathers begetting their sonnes in the world First here is no priority in time betweene the father and thâ— sonne as in some sense there is in corporeall generations For Christ is of the Father but not after the father Secondly there is no inequality the son is not lesser then the father For Christ is coequall as well as coeternall Thirdly here is no division the son is not divided from the father For Christ is not only like the father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of the same substance with the father he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The consideration of this doctrine that Christ is Gods son may serve for divers uses For as it may confirme us in the detestation of the blasphemous wickednesse of the Jewes that would never receive the doctrine that Christ was the son of God so it may diversly both instruct and comfort It may instruct us three wayes For first here we may see that it is a matter of necessity to be beleeved and accordingly we should labour to informe our selves aright in this doctrine as being a point should bee illustrious in the Churches of the Christians and the rather because of that promise that whosoever shall confesse that Iesus is the son of God God dwelleth in him and hee in God Secondly we may hence gather our owne dignity For if this bee an honour unto Christ to have God to be his father then what reason have poore Christians to rejoyce considering that whatsoever they are in this world yet they have no worse then the true God the great Iâ—â—ovah to be their father also Thirdly from hence by inference we may learn our duty to God For by this doctrine we heare that God is the father of Christ now by other Scriptures we may observe how Christ â—â—ryed himselfe toward his father and from him we may learne how to order our behaviour also Three things are memorable in Christ. 1. Hi◠〈◊〉 2. His patience and humility 3. And his willingnesse to die all inferred upon this consideration that God was his father For first If the father worke the sonne workâ—th also yea whatsoever the Father did the Son did also Yea Christ did not desire to be beleeved when he said he was Gods son further then he proved it by doing the workes of his father And for his patience and humility it was admirable This son of God had not whereon to lay his head hee endured the impious contradictions of vile sinners hee would not tempt God by presumptuous trusting upon extraordinary support when ordinary meanes was offered he was to be coâ—secrated through afflictions and to learne obedience by what he suffred and when he had suits to God his father he doth in all humility pray and importunâ— yea hâ—â— used strong cryes in the dayes of his â—â—esh and left his father to expound the meaning of his prayer also by the good pleasure of his own will â—ven to honor him as he thought best for him And for his willingnesse to die in the â—3 of Iohn hee useth that as a reason why he could gladly goe out of the world because it was nothing elâ—e but to goe to his father In all these we that are yonger brothers should learne how to order our selves aright toward God If we call God father we should do the works of our father and never desire to be longer reputed the children of God then by our workes we could shew our generation to be of God by resembling his holinesse And for patience and humility we are specially charged with it by Christ even to learne of him to be lowly and meeke and it is a great shame for us to make so much adoe about our crosses when we consider the patience of Christ or to thinke it much if we bee not heard in our prayers at the first or as we would have it in the letter of our desires when we observe the cariage herein of God towards Christ the son of his love And as this doctrine doth instruct so it doth comfort and that especially three wayes 1. For first it may comfort us against all the difficulties of sanctification and against all the power of Satan For as this doctrine tells us that Christ is the son of God so other Scripture doth assure us that he will mightily prove himselfe to be the son of God by the spirit of sanctification shewing his power in throwing downe and dissolving the workes of the Devill 2. Secondly it may comfort us in all our suits to God For as by other Scriptures we know that Christ is our advocate and hath taken upon him to present our prayers to God so by this doctrine we may gather the successe We are sure to speed well when we have the Kings son to put up our petitions and the rather because Christ doth desire to shew his
is the greatest happinesse on earth to get rid of the guilt and power of our vaine conversation This is a maine part of our redemption by Christ and chiefly intended 1. Quest. Is there not vanity in the conversation of the godly themselves Answ. There is for even in them there are vaine thoughts distractions in Gods service sometimes delight in vaine things alwaies too much love of earthly things too much liking of their owne waies hidden hypocrisie pride and such like 2 Quest. But how then can men be said to be redeemed from their vanity or vaine conversation seeing there is vanity still in them Answ. There are five degrees of our redemption from our vaine conversation 1. The first is the promise of it in the word 2. The second is the purchase of it by paying the price 3. The third is the imputation of it God justifying the sinner in Christ. 4. The fourth is the â—â—cboation of it by the renewing of our natures in part 5. The fift is the consummation of it in heaven Foure of the degrees are past upon the godly onely the fift remaines 3. Quest. But by what signes may a man know his owne redemption from his vaine conversation Answ. Our redemption from our sinfull and vaine conversation may be discerned 1. By our putting off the deceiveable lusts of the inward man even by our throwing of them out of service denying the old vanities of our thoughts and desires Eph. 4.22 1 Pet. 1.12 13. Psal. 24.4 2. By our vexation at the vaine and wicked conversation of other men 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Psal. 31 7. 26.4 3. By our contempt of the world and desire after a better life Phil. 3. 18 20. 4. By our sorting our selves with such as fight against the corruptions of the world Phil. 1.27 5. By our desire in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 6. By our good works either of piety or mercy Iam. 3.13 7. By our meeknesse of wisdome in the best things wee doe Laâ— 3.13 1 Pet. 3.16 Seeing the freedome of a vaine conversation is one chiefe past and end of our redemption there may be divers Uses made of it 1. It should quicken us to a care of a sober conversation since this 〈◊〉 what manner of persons ought we to be in all godlinesse and holy conversation yea we should strive to be examples to others in conversation 1 Tâ—â— 4.12 especially we should labour to live without rebuke 1 〈◊〉 12. 2. If shewes the misery of all such as yet abide under the power of a vaine conversation for thereby it is apparant they have as yet no part in the vertue of the death and resurrection of Christ Eph. 2.3 especially of such as draw iniquity with cords of vanity Esay 5.18 3. It should in speciall awaken the godly to watch over their waies for the suppressing of vanities it is a foule sight to see men professing the love of God and hope of a better life to grow vaâ—â—â— and be taken up again with the delights in foolish vanities such as are strange apparell deliciousnesse of fare abundance of pleasures lightnesse of carriage c. Iob 31.5 4. For singular comfort if we feele the delights in foolish vanities to be gone and the power of our former 〈◊〉 to be beaten downe for hereby we may know infallibly that we are in Christ and redeemed by him Thus of the quality of our conversation the cause followeth Received by the tradition of the fatherâ— There are amongst the rest sixe waies by which sin comes into the life of man and is charged upon him 1. By imputation and so we are guilty of Adams sin in paradise 2. By propagation and so we receive the oriâ—inall corruption of our natures Psal. 51. 3. By imitation of the sins of others 4. By consenting to the sins of others 5. By inventing sin our selves Eccles. 7 ult 6. By tradition that is by direction and 〈…〉 by word of moâ—th This is the way 〈◊〉 meant 〈…〉 By fathers here he meaneth their very fathers of their flesh their naturall Parents both those that were next unto them and those more removed from them as auncestors and other kinred in the flesh The 〈◊〉 is that one great cause by which the life of man is infected is the corrupt counsell direction and tradition of Parents according to the flesh Ezech. 20.4 18. Amos 2.4 Zach. 1.4 Esay 14.21 Ier. 9.14 Gal 1.13 14. Two things would be here explicated 1. what corruption men receive by tradition from their Parents 2. how it comes to passe they should be so bad by such traditions For the first Divers sorts of evils have broken into the life of man by the tradition of fathers as 1. Grosse errors in opinion 2. Divers superstitions in their life as were the traditions of the Pharises Mat. 15. and so for the Papists as the observation of divers fasts c. 3. Children learn divers sins onely or chiefly from their Parents as these sins should be put off Eph. 4.22 to the end viz. lying frowardnesse corrupt communication bitternesse c. from whence have children them but from the tradition of Parents Doe not Parents first traine them to revenge pride cursing swearing c Hence also come divers vaine words either in the use of Gods titles or in nicknames and reproches of others Whence are the sins in every calling but from imitation of Parents 4. What is the reason why many will not be drawn into any other care of a religious life either in respect of the service of God or other reformation but onely because they saw their fathers take another course Whence are all those objections cast in the way of all the parts of sincerity and rege 〈◊〉 of life but from the tradition of their parents Whence comes neglâ—ct of the service of God at Church or in the family but from this fountaine in many For the second If any aske why the tradition of Parents should be so infectious I answer 1. Because they are cast into the natures of the children in the yongest yeares and so are the more infection because they were first seasoned with them 2. Because of the affection children beare to their Parents and their opinion of their sufficiency A childe naturally thinks his Parents are the best creatures in the world at least for them to be guided by 3. Because they are continually conversant with them and so see no other or no better precepts or examples 4. Because most Parents are not carefull enough to bring them up in the nurture and inâ—trâ—ction of the Lord. The Use may be for Instruction both to Parents and children 1. Parents should be humbled under the consideration of the misery they bring upon their children both by propagation and tradition especially they should be carefull by all meanes to prevent this hurt in their children and to this 〈◊〉 1. They should for over abhorre the teaching of
righteous Potiphars house is blessed for Ioseph so Labans house for Iacob 2. Thou maist learne their waies 3. Thou maist come to acquaintance with the Father by living amongst the children thou maist get to know God by living amongst the godly Quest. But what if they doe neglect the love of the godly Answ. Thereby they shall discover their owne misery as these places shew 1 â—oh 2.11 13 14 15. 4.8.10 Quest. But what should be the cause multitudes of people have no more mind of society and affectionate conversation with the godly Answ. There are divers causes of it 1. Worldlinesse 2. A naturall hatred of goodnesse as in Cainâ— 1 Ioh. 3.13 3. A love of darknesse and shunning of the light because their deeds are evill Ioh. 3.21 very prophanesse and love of sin Men will not forsake their corruptions and therefore seeke such company as they may nourish their corruptions in 4. Ignorance of their priviledges both in earth and heaven For if those were knowne they would appeare the onely excellent ones 2. The second Use is for instruction It should teach and perswade with all that 〈◊〉 God to give him his end he aimes at and to shew our love to them by society with them by defending them and by well-doing to the uttermost of our power 3. It is comfortable in divers respects For 1. This very duty of loving the godly doth much commend us to God It is a signe it is the maine thing Gods aime is at and it affords us many benefits For it shewes 1. We are translated from death to life 1 Ioh. 3.14 2. Hereby we know 1. That we are of the truth 1 Ioh. 3.19 2. That we are borne of God 1 Ioh. 4. 3. That God dwelleth in us 1 Ioh. 4.11 3. All we doe shall be fully rewarded Mat. 11.41 4. And it may give us boldnesse in the day of judgement 1 Ioh. 4.17 2. It may comfort all the godly in this that God provided that every body should love them and encourage them He gives a charge to that end and therefore it implyes that he himselfe will love them with all tendernesse and constancy of love Vnfained Our love must be without hypocrisie Rom. 12.10 1 Ioh 3.18 The Use is therefore for instruction to teach us to avoid all dissimulation and faining Quest. How may I know whether my love be unfained Answ. Divers wayes 1. If I be as willing to doe them good as to proffer it 1 Ioh. 3.18 or seem to be willing 2. If we seeke not our owne things Phil. 2.3 but can love them against profit credit c. 3. If we love all as well as some the meanest as well as the greatest all Saints Eph. 1.15 4. If I can goe to God for them in secret 5. If I can love them constantly 6. If I can reprove as well as flatter or praise 7. If I can propose them as patterns to follow 8. If my sorting with them make me more holy and humble 9. In generall If I doe to them as I would be done by 2. It serves for reproofe of all faining dissimulation especially in our cariage towards the godly by lying levity flattery complementing hypocrisie despight envy malice scornes censure and back-bitings 3. â— astly cannot God abide faining amongst men how much more doth he abhor it when we counterâ—et with him as hypocrisie is hatefull any where so much more in Gods service for hypocrites are reâ—koned as a kind of sinners shall never escape Mat. 25. Hitherto of the Proposition The Exhortation or Use folowes in the last word See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervâ—ntly This contains the Apostles charge for the performance of brotherly love where note 1. the matter of the charge see that ye love one another 2. the manner how it is to be done with a pure heart and fervently See that c. This word see to it hath two things in it the one expressed the other implyed 1. That which is exprest is the necessity of brotherly love it is a thing must be looked unto 2. That which is implyed is the difficulty of it theâ—â— be many impediments if we looke not to it For the first it is not arbitrary whether we will carry our selves lovingly and brotherly and shew it by the fruits of love it is not any speciall goodnesse or curtesie in us more than God calls for For it is strictly injoyned and we must see to it It is a speciall Commandement that God and Christ hath given us Ioh. 13. 1 Ioh. 4.21 which I observe for two Uses 1. First it should much excite us to strive and labour in the workes of love seeing God hath given a speciall charge about them 1. A servant that hath many things to doe if he be specially charged to looke to one thing is used in that one to shew a singular diligence sure it is God will take well what we doe in this duty faithfully and contrariwise will judge us for it if we be negligent herein Secondly this would be noted to restraine that beholdingnesse which many stand too much upon For as it is said in the Proverbs The borrower is servant to the lender so it falleth out often in other cases that men looke for extraordinary observance and subjection of those to whom they have shewed their love by any workes of it whereas they should remember that they have done but their duty as being specially urged by Gods precept hereunto Now for the second observation This word see to it imports that if men do not looke to it there will be many impediments to hinder them from this brotherly love especially from the purity and servency of it For either Ignorance will blinde them or Envy will corrupt them or Pride and inequality of place and gifts will swell them or Inâ—â—rmities will dull them or Forgetfulnesse will disappoint them or Objections and excuses will deceive them or Trespasses will alienate them or the scornes of the world will sunder them Note this caveat given by the Apostle should quicken us to be sure we looke about us that the Devill doe not be witch us and by his methods in any of those eight waies or any other hinder us from the comfort reward of wel-doing in obeying God in this especial charge Thus of the matter to which he exhorts The manner followes 1. With pure hearts 2. Fervently With pure hearts We must love one another with pure hearts The heart is in Scripture accounted pure not onely when it is void of all corruption but when it is upright and sincere and this the puritie of the heart respecteth either God or man In respect of God there be foure things which make the heart pure in Gods acceptation through the intercession of Christ. 1. The first is Faith 2. The second is the desire of purity 3. The third is the battaile against inward sinnes 4. And the fourth is
unto them yea unsearchable riches Eph. 3.6 All ages ought to wonder at the riches of Gods kindnesse to the beleevers in Jesus Christ Eph. 2.7 Christ in us is our riches Col. 1.27 and thus he enricheth us with the favour of God his own merits and righteousnesse the grace of the Spirit and the promises of the Word and the hope of glory The Uses are many Vses First woe to the rich men of this world that are not rich in God and Christ Luk. 12.16 21. Let not the rich man glory in his riches Ier. 9.24 Secondly let the brother of low degree rejoyce in that God hath thus exalted him Iâ—â— 1.9 For godly Christians aâ—e the richest men in the world for their possessions are greatest because theâ— possesse Jesus Christ and his treasureâ— Iames 2.5 For God is rich to all tâ—at call upon him Hee cannot be a poore man that can pray Rom. 10.12 Christ makes amends to the poore Christian for all his wants Thirdly hence we may gather anothâ—r signe to try our faith by If Christ be more precious to us than all the world besides it is certaine we are true beleevers For Christ is precious to 〈◊〉 but beleevers Phil. 3.9 8. Fourthly we should strive with all â—hankfulnesse to admire and praise the grace of God that hath bestowed such riches upon us in Christ Eph. 1.7 Fiftly we should hence learne to â—ake more account of our faith which is therefore precious because it applieâ— Christ unto us Hence poore Christians are said to be rich because they have faith and assurance of faith and hee calleth it all riches of full assurancâ— Col. 2.2 2 Pet. 1.4 Iam. 2.5 Sixtly we should live securelesse Men would promise to live at all hearts ease if they were rich enough why Christians are exceeding rich and possesse more treasure than all the woâ—ld besides and therefore should live henceforth by the faith of the Sonne of God which was given to them Gal. 2.20 Seventhly looke to it that thou keepe Christ whatsoever thou losest resolve to lose father mother wife children friends house lands yea and life too rather than lose Christ who is so precious Eighthly we should shew it thâ—t wee account him our greatest riches and that we shall doe first by esteeâ—ing the Gospell that brings us daily tidings above gold and silver Secondly by oft receiving of the Sacraments we should account the Word and Saâ—raments as Gods Exchequer whither we alwaies come to receive more treasure Thirdly by making much of them that resemble his vertues Fourthly 〈◊〉 longing for his appearing Thus as Christ is our riches Now secondly he is precious in that he is an honour unto us and so some translate it Christ then is a singular honor to every beleever and he is so both in heaven and in earth First in heaven he is an honour to us because he graceth us before God and the Angels covering our nakednesse with the rich garment of his owne imputed righteousnesse and making daily intercession fâ—r us to God and covering our imperfections and presenting our works and prayers to God and giving the Angels a charge to look carefully to uâ— Secondly And so he is an honour to us on earth both amongst the godly and amongst the wicked First Hee graceth us amongst the godly by giving 〈◊〉 room in their hearts causing them to love us and honour us even for Christ onely whom they discover in us by our love to Christ and faith in his name and imitation of his vertues Secondly and he graceth us also amongst the wicâ—ed by protecting and acknowledging us in times of greatest distresse and by washing out the blemishes which our owne indiscretions at any time brought upon us and by cleering our innocencies from their unjust aspersions The Use may be first for confutation of their folly and madnesse that account it a course of abasement to follow Christ and leave the vanities of the world Godly â—ourses are honorable courses No man ever lost honor by cleaving to Christ and living so as might become the faith and love of Christ. Secondly and withall we may hence be informed that all the honor that is without Christ is but obscure basenesse no man can be truely honorable without the faith of Jesus Christ in his heart Thirdly we should hence be resolved to make more account of the godly because Christ is to them all honour they are the onely excellent ones in the world Fourthly we should labour also to be an honour unto Christ and to the faith and profession of his name and service we must remember that he is our surety to God for us and hath undertaken for our good behaviour and therefore for that reason we should be carefull of our duties and besides wee see that the disorders of great mens servants leave an imputation on their master and so it is with us and Christ. If we live righteously and soberly and religiously we honour Christ our Master but otherwise if we be scandalous we dishonour Christ and therefore had need to look to our waies And lastly we should account Christ sufficient honour to us and not regard the scornes and reproaches of the world but rather with Moses esteeme the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt Thus of the consolation to the godly The terrour to the unbeleevers is exprest first partly by charging upon them their offence secondly and partly by describing their punishment Their offence is disobedience To them that are disobedient All unbeleevers stand indicted of disobedience and that in three respects For first they are guilty of Adams disobedience For by the disobedience of one man many are made sinners Rom. 5.19 Secondly they are guilty of disobedience against the morall Law which they have broken by innumerable offences and in respect thereof are liable to all the curses of God Deut. 28. Thirdly they are guilty of disobedience against the Gospell For there is an obedience of faith Rom. 1.5 and the Lord complaines that they obeyed not the Gospell Rom. 10.16 and for this disobedience God will render vengeance in flaming fire at the day of Judgement 2 Thes. 1.8 Now men disobey the Gospell not onely when they are bewitched to receive false opinions in religion Gal 3.1 but also and chiefly when they beleeve not in Jesus Christ but live in their sins without repentance Vses The use should be for humiliation unto impenitent sinners they should take notice of their indictment and make haste to humble themselves before the Lord lest sentence come out against them and there be no remedy and the rather because God will aggravate against them their disobedience Now there are many wayes by which a sinner may take notice of the aggravations of his disobedience as First by the number of his offences if hee consider that he hath made his sins like the haires of his head To be guilty of treason but in one particular should occasion
him Wicked men are like spiders that can sucke poison out of the sweetest flowers Secondly this should serve for great humiliation unto all wicked men that finde themselves stopped or hindered or cast out of the way by receiving scandall into their hearts They should here take notice of it that it is a singular curse of God when God leaves a man to the liberty of admitting poysonfull objections and thereby to bee hardned against the care for his owne soule in matters of Religion Men little thinke of the fearfulnesse of such mens cases which must needs be extreamly evill either if they looke upward to see â—hat God doth expose them to this offence as a way of singular punishment or if they looke to the effect whatsoever they can say yet their poore soules in the meane time are left destitute of mercy or the profit and power of it Might some one say How can they helpe it seeing Christ is a stone of stumbling unto them It seemes they cannot avoid it Christ is a stone of stumbling not actively but passively hee doth not make them stumble but they through their ignorance walking in darknesse or through their precipitation running headlong in things or through the poyson of some beloved sin which hath altogether corrupted their taste doe fall at the doctrine of Christ or turne the precious things of Christ into poyson by reason of the venome lying in themselves Thirdly such taking offence is a judgement Weake Christians should be warned and temper themselves so as to refraine the weaknesse of being so apt to be offended at the liberty of strong Christians and to this end they should take heed of doubtfull disputations or ensnaring themselves about the use of indifferent things For though God pities them yet they are much plagued by their opinions and intanglements herein For first they sinne against their brethren by rash censure and despising them and secondly they wrong their owne soules for sometimes they are hindred in the Word and sometimes lose the benefit of the Sacraments by their ignorant scruples and sometimes they draw much trouble and molestation upon them and lastly they many times open the mouthes of wicked men to revile them and exasperate them against the good way of God To conclude therefore this use Since offence is the rod of the wicked let not godly men suffer it to rest on their lot Fourthly since wicked men by the judgement of God and their owne frowardnesse are so apt to receive offence it should teach the godly to order themselves so towards them that they give no offence unto them I say give no offence so as the fault should be in the godly but rather they should strive to overcome this frowardnesse of wicked men by all possible care both to put them to silence and by keeping them silent Now because there bee some things wherein regard must not be had of the offence of wicked men I will open this point distinctly and shew First in what things the offence of wicked men is not to be regarded Secondly in what things we must take heed we give them not offence or in what things we may be guilty of giving offence to them Thirdly what rules may be observed in our carriage which may silence wicked men or compell respect and estimation from them or at least put them to silence c. For the first if wicked men be offended for doing good wee are not to regard their offence as when the Pharisees were offended at Christ hee cared not but said Let them alone they are blind and leaders of the blind c. Matth. 15.14 And so the Apostles answered It is better to obey God than men Act. 5.29 It is better that scandall arise than that the truth should be forsaken Thus Michaiah cares not for the offence of Ahab nor Eliah and in this case Levi is not to respect father or mother brethren or children Deut. 33.9 And so though wicked men be offended wee must preach the Gospel with all plainenesse and not affect wisedome of words 1 Cor. 1.23 and wee must labour for the meate that perisheth not and must pray unto God and use religious exercises in our houses as Daniel did wee must renew Justification by our owne workes and we must suffer in a good cause and we must with strictnesse avoid the excesses of the time Now for the second Wee may be guilty of giving offence to the wicked First by scandalous and vitious life thus David gave offence Secondly by indiscretion in the manner of doing good duties as if men pray or fast or give almes to be heard or seene of men Thirdly by rash zeale as when men proclaime to the world a great deale of strictnesse in things that are not grounded upon the Word and yet are tainted openly with knowne infirmities and sinnes or when men are violent and rash censurers especially in things they commit themselves or when men neglect their calling and live inordinately and are busie-bodies under pretence of Religion or when men that have a faire dore opened to doe good by preaching the Gospel will not yeeld in some indifferent things that they may winne them as woe had beene to Paul if hee had not beene a Jew with the Jewes that hee might gaine the Jewes thereby or necessity lay upon him the preaching of the Gospel or to preach the Gospel though it were clogg'd at that time with condition of yeelding to the Jewish ceremonies 1. Cor. 9. Now for the third There are divers excellent rules that may much adorne the lives of Christians in their courage towards the wicked and so either prevent scandall or leave them without excuse themselves being judges as they will confesse in the day of visitation These things then will much advance our cause before wicked men to shew in our conversation First integrity and harmelesnesse and sound care of the practising of godlinesse Philip. 1.15 16. Secondly submission and obedience unto the King and his humane ordinances 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15. Thirdly reverence and feare when we entreate of any thing that concernes God and Religion 1 Pet. 3.16 Fourthly meeknesse of wisedome expressing a minde free from conceitednesse frowardnesse or affectation Iam. 3.13 Fifthly mercy to the poore and a minde free from the greedy desire of earthly things a serious declaration of the contempt of the world Iam. 1.26 Mat. 5.16 c. Sixthly quietnesse and peace to be shewed first in studying to be quiet and to meddle with our owne businesse secondly in making peace amongst others Matth. 5.8 Seventhly love to our enemies being ready to pray for them or doe them any good Lastly hence may bee gathered some matter of consolation for the godly For first if the Lord have kept them from taking offence he hath freed them from a great and sore spirituall judgement Secondly if the wicked should be so perverse as to take offence when hee gives none yet this
can to our kinred even to the houshold of faith for this very reason because they are our kinsmen in the spirit and in particular we should be ready to do all that for them which the law of kinred bindeth us unto viz. First we should acknowledge them and not hide our selves from any that is godly Secondly wee should receive one another heartily and willingly without grudging or murmuring Thirdly we should defend one another and be ready in all oppositions to stand for the godly Fourthly we should shew all bowels of mercy and tender kindnesse and pity and sympathize in their necessities and miseries Fourthly we should hence learne to be provident to preserve our owne reputation that we be no way a dishonour and shame to our kinred but learne of the wise steward by lawfull meanes to preserve our credits and provide for our selves though hee did it by unlawfull for our Saviour noted this defect when he said The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of the light Luk. 16.8 Thus much of their kinred or generation A royall Priest-hood These words containe the two next prerogatives which have so much connexion one with another that they are joyned together as inseparable The Apostle makes a comely and effectuall inversion of the words recorded in Exodus 19. for there they are said to be a Kingdome of Priests which the Apostle more plainly expresses in the words A royall Priest-hood They are both Kings and Priests but both with difference from other men of either of those callings They are Kings not profane or civill onely but sacred Kings they are Priests not common or typicall Priests but royall The one word tels their dignity to which they are ordained the other their office in respect of God These words with those that follow are in Exodus expounded or rather propounded indefinitely to the Israelites but in this place limited to the elect onely which shewes that promises and priviledges of right belong onely to the elect and chosen of God c. Royall Christians may be said to be Royall in foure respects First comparatively with wicked men for whatsoever their condition bee yet if their estate be compared with the miserable condition of all impenitent sinners it is a Royall estate they are like Kings in respect of them Secondly as they are united to his body who is the greatest King as members of Jesus Christ who is King of Kings Revel 19. Thirdly because they looke for a Kingdome It is their Fathers pleasure to give them a Kingdome they shall one day raigne and therefore are Royall Fourthly because for the very present in this life they have the state of Kings They have the state of Kings in this life I say For first they appeare clad in purple The Romans knew who was King when they saw the man clad in purple Robes Christians have royall garments garments of Salvation the righteousnesse of Christ doth cover them which so soone as they put on they are saluted for Kings in heaven Secondly they have the attendance of Kings a great traine and guard about them no King like any of them that is not one of them for they have the Angells for their guard and as ministring Spirits to them Psalm 34. and 91. Heb. 1.14 Thirdly they have the dominion of Kings and soveraignty and power of Kings and so first the whole world is their Kingdome in which they raigne they are heires of the world Rom. 4 and so our Saviour faith They inherit the earth Matth. 5. Fourthly their owne hearts are as a large Kingdome in which they sit and raigne governing and ruling over the innumerable thoughts of their mindes and affections and passions of their hearts among which they doe justice by daily subduing their unruly passions and wicked thoughts which like so many Rebels exalt themselves against the obedience should be yeelded to Christ the supreme Lord and Emperour as also by promoting the weale of all those saving graces which are placed in their hearts nourishing and lifting up all good thoughts and cherishing all holy desires and good affections conscience being by commission the chiefe Judge for their affaires of this whole Kingdome Fifthly it is something royall and which proves them to bee Kings they have a regall supremacie A King is hee that judgeth all and is judged of none such a one also is every spirituall man said to be 1 Cor. 2. ult Sixthly they prove themselves Kings by the many conquests they make over the world and sathan sometimes in lesser skirmishes sometimes in some maine and whole battels Ob. Might some one say Is this all the Kingdome of a Christian This is infinitely below the magnificence and honour of an earthly Kingdome c. Sol. God hath done more for the naturall man or for the nature of men for providing meanes for this spirituall Kingdome than in opening a way for earthly Kingdomes which may appeare by divers differences For First none but great men and of great meanes can attaine to the Kingdome of this world but here the poore may have a Kingdome as well as the rich Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Secondly while the father lives the little child cannot raigne whereas in this Kingdome little ones attaine to the Kingdome and safely hold it Matth. 18. Thirdly this Kingdome is of heaven wheras the others are only of the earth Fourthly these Kings are all just there is none unrighteous can possesse these thrones they are all washed justified and sanctified there is not a drunkard a railer a buggerer and adulterer a murtherer or any the like amongst them which is no priviledge belonging to the Kingdome of this world Rom. 14.17 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Gal. 5.21 The godly are Kings such as Melchisedech was somewhat obâ—cure in the world but they raigne in righteousnesse in peace none like them Heb. 7. Fifthly the godly have received a Kingdome that cannot be shaken Their Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome Heb. 12.28 but all the Kingdomes of the world may be and have beene shaken and will be ruined and end whereas the godly that set out in soveraignty over lesser dominions and with lesse pompe yet increase so fast till at length they attaine the most glorious Kingdome in the new heavens and new earth The use of all this may be divers Uses First for singular comfort to the godly what account soever the world makes of them yet here they see what God hath ordained them unto it matters not for the worlds neglect of them for Gods Kingdome comes not by observation and in particular it should comfort them into two causes First in matter of service when they come to stand before the Lord they must know that they are honourable in Gods sight He respects them as so many Kings in his presence Secondly in the mortification of vices they have received power and authority as Kings and
For if in all these senses it be a marvellous light then First we should be marvellously affected with it and strive to be exceeding thankfull for it How have wee deserved to be cast againe into darknesse for our extream unthankfulnesse How have we given God cause to take away the Candlesticke from us Let us therefore strive after thankfulnesse and admiration and if the Lord doe worke it in us let us take heed wee lose not our first love Secondly we should arme our selves for the defence of the light we should preserve it as a singular treasure both in our hearts and in our Churches wee should with the more resolution resist the works of darknesse standing alwaies upon our guard Rom. 13.12 Thirdly we should strive after all the degrees of the assurance of faith Fourthly we should strive to make our light shine the more excellently both for the measure of good workes Malac. 5.16 and for the strict and precise respect of the exact doing of good duties Now we have the light so cleerly shining wee may doe every thing more exactly than if it were darke Ephes. 5.15 Our gifts must not be hid The light must not be put under a bushell Matth. 5.15 Phil. 2.15 Wee should now avoid not onely greater faults and falls but lesser stumblings 1 Ioh. 2.10 11. We should do all things to the life and power of them and shew discretion aswell as knowledge This doctrine also doth imply the grievous misery of wicked men for if it bee marvellous light into which the godly are called there is a marvellous darknesse in which wicked men live The whole creation of God had beene but a confused heape if God had not set in it the light of the Sunne such a confused Chaos is the world of men if the Gospel shine not into their hearts Finally this should much comfort the godly they are called into marvellous light in all the senses before named which should much enflame their hearts and they should rebuke their owne hearts for not valuing so rich treasure We may from hence take occasion to note how little wee should trust to the judgement of flesh and blood in valuing spirituall things when the very godly themselves doe not so much esteeme of them as they should Whatsoever we thinke yet in Gods account the light of the Gospel the light of faith and knowledge the light of Gods countenance c. is marvellous light But if the light of the godly be marvellous in this world what shall it be in the world to come when God and the Lambe shall be their immediate light Here God lights us by the meanes there God himselfe will bee our everlasting light Here our light may bee darkened with clouds of affliction and temptation there shall be an eternall light without all darknesse Here wee have no light but what is infused into us there we shall our selves shine as the Sunne in the firmament Hitherto of the description in Tropicall termes Now it followes in plaine words VERS 10. Which in times past were not a people yet are now the people of God which in times past were not under mercy but now have obtained mercy THe Apostle takes the words of this verse out of the Prophet Hosea chap. 1.11 where the Lord promiseth that the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea and in the place where was it said unto them Ye are not my people it shall be said unto them Ye are my people Now the Apostle applies that sentence to the people to whom he wrote shewing that it was accomplished in them Quest. The question is of whom the Prophet and Apostle spake Ans. Some say of the Israelites in the letter both because the same chapter shewes that they were cast off and called Loammi not Gods people as also because the Apostle is thought to write onely to the Jewes But the Apostle Paul Ro. 9.24 25 26. apparently expounds it of the Gentiles chiefly and therefore wee must rest in his sense which by the way shewes that this Epistle was written to the Elect amongst the Gentiles as they were strangers and pilgrims in the world and not to the provinciall Jewes onely The Apostle then to the singular comfort of Christians in those times shewes that now were the Prophesies accomplished concerning the calling of the Gentiles which was before a great mystery hidden from ages and generations Col. 1.26 admired by Angels Eph. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.12 Before I open the words of this verse in particular some use would be made of this great worke of calling the Gentiles and so from the consideration of their estate both before and after calling And first for the meditation of the estate of the world or the Nations of the world before Christ preached unto them note First the horrible infectiousnesse of sinne whole worlds of people are poysoned with it Secondly the dreadfull horrour of Gods Justice against sinne which as we may see plainly in the sufferings of Christ so also very lively in the desertion and forsaking of the Gentiles so many millions of men perishing without pardon or pity and therefore it was never safe to follow a multitude in evill nor to pleade the practice of fathers or forefathers with such like And for the meditation of their calling againe in Christ by the Gospel wee may gather matter First of information and so first that God is not tied to any place If Israel after the flesh will not serve him hee will raise up children unto Abraham from among the Gentiles Mat. 21.43 Secondly that the Church of Christ is now Catholicke of all Nations and therefore Christs Kingdome is the largest Kingdome in the world and the glory of it must not be restrained to Rome or any one place Secondly of consolation for here we may observe First the infallibility of Gods promises these promises concerne the calling of the Gentiles as being dead and were most unlikely and yet wee see them fulfilled which should teach us to trust upon God Secondly the wisdome and power of God working light out of darknesse The rebellion of the Jewes is so farre from laying Sion waste or dissolving Religion that it is an occasion of a greater worke of God among the Gentiles yea when profanenesse seemes to over-grow all and the whole world seemes to live in wickednesse yet wee know not what times may come for the glory of Religion among Jewes and Gentiles Thirdly Gods wonderfull love to his Elect hee will gather them from all the foure windes of heaven Though they be few in number in comparison and live dispersed in every Country yet God the great Husbandman will not want meanes to fetch them home into his garner A husbandman that had all his field growne over with weeds save here and there one graine of corne on a land would never be at the paines of gathering and separating yet God will Fourthly the great encouragement that
reconciled yet they are so busily imployed in following foolish vanities that they forsake their owne mercy Ionah 2.8 They will not answer when God calls but reject his Word and grieve his good Spirit and abuse his patience and bountifulnesse and so heape up wrath against the day of wrath Thirdly others seeke mercy but they seeke it not aright they faile in the manner as either they seeke it coldly and carelesly praying but for fashion sake or with their lips without power of affections They speake for mercy but they doe not care for mercy they neither observe nor regard whether their petitions bee granted or denied and this is the condition of the ordinary sort of men Or else they seeke mercy corruptly without sincerity of of the heart as when men pray God to forgive them the sinnes which yet they mind not to leave Now this is a shamefull kinde of seeking mercy For God stands upon it that we must forsake our wickednesse or else he will not forgive Esa. 55.6 2 Tim. 2.19 Or else lastly men seeke it too late â—â— Esau sought the blessing when it was gone Heb. 12.15 They may call when God will not answer Pro. 1. Zachar. 7. And this is the case of some that put off their repentance untill the latter end But have now obtained mercy Doct. The godly are exceeding happy in the obtaining of Gods mercy All that are called in Christ Jesus even all that have truly repented themselves of their sinnes are certainly under mercy and in thâ—t respect in a marvellous safe and happy condition Three things are distinctly imported in the observation First the onâ— iâ— that God is mercifull Mercy may bee obtained Ionah 4.2 Psal. 116.5 and 86. Secondly that penitent sinners doe obtain mercy Iâ—â—l 2.13 Esâ— 55.7 Thirdly that such as have obtained Gods mercy are in a marvellous happy case in comparison of what they were before in It is enough if wee obtained mercy whatsoever we obtaine not Hence the phrase Thou hast covered him with thy mercy And our happinesse in respect of the interest we have in Gods mercy is the greater if we consider either the properties or the effects of Gods mercy There are foure admirable properties in the mercy of God which he shews to his people First his mercy is tender mercy Psalm 51.1 which hee shewes in divers things as First that he is full of compassion in pitying the distresses of his people no father can so pitty his child Psalm 103.13 Hence his bowels are â—aid to bee troubled for them or to sound in him Where is the sounding of thy bowels saith the Prophet Esa. 63.15 Ier. 31.20 The word Misericordiam imports as much for it sounds misery laid to the heart God then is mercifull in that he layes our miseries to his heart Secondly that he waits to shew mercy Esa. 30.18 watching for all opportunities as it were to prevent us with his blessings Thirdly that he is slow to anger not easily stirred to displeasure when he hath shewed his favour Psalm 103.1 He is a God of judgement that considers the weaknesses and infirmities of his servants as knowing whereof they are made Esa. 30.18 Psal. 103. Fourthly that if he do see some more prevailing evills in his people yet hee will spare as a father spares his onely sonne Mal. 3.17 And if he doe chide yet he rebukes his people still with great affection Ier. 31.19 and he will quickly give over and not chide alwayes Psal. 103. He is ready to forgive as soone as they call unto him Esa. 65.23 and 55 7. Psal. 103. Fifthly that if he doe bring affliction upon his people to humble them yet he will not consume them but will repent him of the evill Ioel. 2.13 Deut. 32.36 Amos 7.36 Sixthly that in shewing his love he is of great kindnesse called the marvellous loving kindnesse Psal. 17.7 hence resembled to marriage kindnesse Hos. 2.19 No husband can be so fond of his wife as God is of his people nor can any man devise such wayes to expresse kindnesse as God doth to his people Seventhly that his mercy is without all grievance to him Mercy pleaseth him Mic. 7.18 It breeds as it were an unspeakable contentment in God himselfe when he hath dealth mercifully with his servants Secondly his mercy is immense unmeasurable and this is exprest by divers formes of speech in the Scripture Thus God is said to bee plenteous in mercy Psal. 86.5 aboundant in mercy 1 Pet. 1.3 rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 His mercy is great above the heavens Psal. 108.5 Gods Word herein hath magnified his name above all things Psal. 138.2 He hath a multitude of mercies Psal. 51.1 manifold mercies Nehem. 9.19 They are unsearchable high as the heaven is from the earth Psal. 103.11 His kindnesse is said to be marvellous loving kindnesse Psal. 17.7 Which must needs appeare to be so because he is a Father of mercies all mercies in the world flow from him 2 Cor. 1.3 and all his paths are mercie and truth Whatsoever hee doth to his people is in mercy Psal. 25.6 And therefore the Prophet that could find similitudes to expresse the faithfulnesse and judgements of God by yet is faine to give over when he comes to his speciall mercy to his chosen and vents himselfe by exclamation Oh how excellent is thy mercy Psal. 36.7 8. Thirdly this mercy is the more admirable in that it is free which appeares divers wayes First in that it is shewed without deserts on our parts which the tearme gracious every where given to God in Scripture doth import Secondly in that God is tyed to no man nor to any posterity of men hee hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Rom. 9. Thirdly because it is extended to all sorts of people If the rich mercy of God could have been obtained only by Kings or Apostles or the like it had beene the lesse comfortable unto us but bond as well as the free the Barbarian as well as the Grecian the Gentile as well as the Jew the poore as well as the rich may bee possessed hereof Hee doth not spend all his mercy on Abraham or David but hee reserveth mercy for thousands Exod. 34.6 and will bestow the true mercies of David upon meaner men Esa. 55.4 His mercy is over all his workes especially over all his spirituall workes in Jesus Christ Psal. 145.9 Fourthly it appeares to be free because it can be alone God can love us though no body else doe though Abraham know us not yet God will be a father unto us and never leave us nor forsake us Esa. 63.15 16. Ob. But might some one say In the second Commandement it is plaine that God shewes mercy to them that keepe his Commandements It seemes then his mercy is not free but he hath respect to deserts in us Sol. First our keeping of the Commandements is not alledged as the cause of mercy but as the signe of mercy The words shew to
in our repentance Luk. 4.44 Act. 6.20 Every tree must not only beare fruit but his own fruit proper to his kind as the proper fruit of rich men is mercy and if they had never so many praises otherwise that they were courteous wise just chaste c. yet if they be not mercifull their workes are not good workes Ninthly his workes must bee full before God It was an objection against the Church of Sardis that her workes were not perfect or full before God therefore she is threatned if she repent not to feele the heavie hand of God Rev. â— 1 2. Noâ— as I conceive a mans workes are not full when he is not carefull of every good worke which he knowes concernes him as for instance if a man pray and yet be not carefull of hearing the Word his prayers are abomination to God because his workes are not full There be some duties which he makes no conscience to obey in though he know they be required hee that turneth away his eares from hearing the Law his prayers are abominable Pro. 28.9 If a man would be never so carefull about Gods service and yet make no conscience of the works of mercy required of him his sacrifice is not accepted Hos. 6.6 7 c. Thus the long prayers of the Pharisees will not be regarded if they devoure widowes houses Mat. 23. and so on the other side if a man were never so mercifull a man if he were not also a religious man in the things of Gods service his workes would not abide triall before God they were not good because they were not full And for this reason the workes of civill honest men are not good such were Pauls workes Phil. 3.6 which hee accounts but drosse and dung in comparison vers 8. of such as these Thus of the rules of good workes the kinds follow The vulgar commonly when they heare of good workes thinke of nothing but almes and hospitality or other courses of shewing mercy Now though it be true that workes of mercy be good workes yet they are but one sort of good workes whereas the Christian is bound to be ready to every good work 1 Tim. 3.17 and therefore it will bee profitable to informe our selves of the many wayes by which we may do good workes for thereby such Christians as are not able to give almes may see a way how to enrich themselves in well-doing other wayes These then are the sorts of good workes First to beleeve is a good work yea it is instead of many good workes yea in some sense it is to us instead of the works of the whole Law as it is a means to lay hold on all the good works that ever Christ Jesus did To put on the â—ord Jesus is a good worke in a high degree and so every act of faith in all the passages of a mans life is a good worke for this is the worke of God to beleeve as our Saviour shewes when hee gives that for answer for such as asked what they must doe to doe the workes of God Ioh. 6.28 Rom. 13.12 13 14. This is clearly acknowledged in these other Scriptures 1 Thes. 1.3 2 Thes 1.11 Secondly all workes of piety are good workes all workes of worship that is such workes by which a man doth service to God are all in the number of good workes and so to pray to fast to heare the Word to receive the Sacraments c. are good workes for godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come and therefore it is profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4.8 And these workes must needs be accounted good workes for they are deare works the blood of Christ was poured out that wee might be cleansed from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 Thirdly all workes of repentance all that a Christian doth about his humiliation or reformation are evangelically good workes as if he confesse his sinnes and do execution upon his sinnes if hee make satisfaction for his trespasses to men if he reforme himselfe or his houshold or his charge these and the like are all good workes 2 Chron. 19.3 Fourthly to suffer for a good cause is reckoned in the number of good workes as to forsake father or mother house or land wife or children liberty or life for Christs sake and the Gospels it is in the number of those good things that shall have a good reward Mat. 19.29 Ier. 31.16 Ruth 2.11 12. Fifthly workes of mens particular callings whether in the Common-wealth or Church or family or any vocation or trade of life so workes of Justice are good workes and to obey Magistrates is called well-doing vers 14. of this chapter so to preach the Gospel is a good worke 1 Tim. â— 1 So in the family for parents to bring up their children well is a good worke 1 Tim. 5.10 yea the labours of servants in the family are such workes as shall have reward of God as well as workes of piety Esa. 6. Col. 3. Sixthly workes of mercy are good workes whether it bee spirituall mercy to instruct admoniâ—h or reprove or comfort Psal. 140. or whether it be outward mercy in giving lending visiting defending the poore or the like All confesse these to be good workes Act. 9.16 But that almes may be a good worke these three rules must be observed First that it be given of goods well gotten else no good workes Secondly that he that gives it have a good eye to distribute where there is need for to keepe a good house and to entertain russians and drunkards and gamesters is not a good work nor hospetality because here is not a good eye Thirdly almes muâ—t be given to a good end not for the praise of men or to merit thereby Mat. 6. Thus of the kinds of good workes The questions follow Quest. 1. How can any workes done by any man in this life be accounted good seeing there is none that liveth and sinneth not yea all our workes even the workes of the most righteous are as a menstruous cloth Esa. 64.6 For ansâ—er hereunto I say It is true that if God looke upon the best workes of the most godly in this life and examine them by the rigour of his covenanâ— which he called His covenant of workes then no flesh living can have comfort of his workes but all will appeare lothsome as a menstruous garâ—ent But the workes of the beleeving Christians are otherwaies to bee considered of for First they are tried by the covenant of grace by the benefit of which covenant he is delivered from the rigorous perfection of the Law his uprightnes is accepted instead of perfection he is now no more under the Law but by Gods grace and acceptation his workes are taken as if they had been perfect Secondly he hath the benefit of Christs intercession who presenteth his workes before God covering the evill of them and tendring them to God who accepts
must often meditate on the motives that may perswade them to subjection And so there are five things that might bow their hearts and breed in them a conscience of their duties First the Commandement of God it is Gods will they should beare themselves thus humbly and obediently toward their masters Secondly the promise annexed to Gods Commandement should move them God wil reward their work Eph. 6.8 Col. 3.24 And in particular inasmuch as their service is required in the fifth Commandement therefore if they be good servants God will blesse them with long life Thirdly the threatning if they bee not good servants but beare themselves naughtily and stubbornly they shall not only receive shame and punishment from men but God will plague them for the wrongs they doe to their masters even for all the grief wherewith they have vexed them and for all the losses they have brought to their masters Col. 3. ult Fourthly the examples of such as have born themselves full well in Scripture should much move them the piety of Abrahams servant Gen. 24. and the painfulnesse and faithfulnesse of Iacob Gen. 31.38 c. and the readinesse of the Centurions servant Mat. 8. yea it should much move them that Christ Jesus himselfe was in the forme of a servant Phil. 2. Fiftly the care of the Religion they professe should much move them if they be carelesse and proud and stubborne the Name of God and the doctrine of Religion may be blasphemed 1 Tim. 6.1 And if they be humble and carefull and faithfull they may adorne the doctrine of the Gospel as the Apostle shews Tit. 2.9 10. Use 2. Such parents as put their children forth to service must take heed that they spoile them not by giving eare to the complaints of their masters or by allowing them any way in stubborne and disobedient courses Thirdly if masters would have their servants to please them by their subjection they then must learn how to rule and govern them not only by teaching and charging them what to doe but also by over-seeing them whereby many faults may bee prevented and accordingly by seasonable reproving them and correcting of them betimes for the more wilfull offences so studying to carry themselves gently towards them as that they lose not their authority by too much love of their owne ease and quietnesse else it is just that their servants should prove a continuall vexation to them Pro. 30.22 and 29.19 To your Masters The parties to whom they owe subjection are their masters where three things may be observed First that though servants are under subjection yet it is not to all men or to other men but only to their masters which may warne men to take heed that they abuse not other mens servants or speake basely of them For though in respect of their masters they are servants yet in respect of them they are as free as themselves And in particular it should teach divers to meddle lesse with other mens servants by way of complaint to their masters It was Salomons rule Accuse not a servant to his master lest he curse thee and thou be found guilty Pro. 3.10 He gives two reasons of his advice The one is that his complaining may so vex the servants over whom he hath no jurisdiction that it may cause them in their impatience to vex him with their reproaches of him which an ingenuous minde should strive to avoide The other is that in such complaints most an end there is much mis-taking when men meddle with such things as belong to other mens families and then it is a soule shame to be found faulty To conclude this point we should remember that of the Apostle What hast thou to doe to judge another mans servant he standeth or falleth to his own master Rom. 14. Secondly that all masters have authority over their servants though the master be a poore man or an ignorant man or a cruell man or a froward man or a hard man yet the servant must be subject to him and beare himselfe as reverently and obedient as if hee were the richest or wisest or worthiest master in the world and the reason is because the subjection is due not to the masters riches or gifts or greatnesse but to the authority which God hath given him as a master and therefore servants must looke to this point and the rather because it will bee the greater triall of their snbjection and singlenesse of heart when neither feare nor reward nor any outward respect doth compell or constrain them but simply the conscience of Gods Commandement and the masters authority Thirdly wee may here inquire how masters come by this authority over servants by nature they have it not and therefore must have it by law The laws of men cannot make one man a servant and another a master therefore it is by the Law of God Since it is by the Law of God if we have recourse to the ten Commandements we shall finde that it is the fift Commandement which giveth masters this authority and honour the exhortations of the Apostle being but interpretations of that Law And that this point may bee cleared two things must be searched into first what sorts of men are called fathers and mothers there and secondly why they are so called in the Commandement seeing the most sorts of them in the usuall life of man have other titles For the first This tearme Father we shall finde in Scripture to be given first to such as begat us Heb. 12.9 Secondly to Ancestors Ioh. 6.18 Thirdly to Tutors so Students are called Children of the Prophets Fourthly to such as beget us in respect of grace as to our Ministers 1 Cor. 4.15 Gal. 4.19 Fiftly to Magistrates Gen. 41.43 1 King 24.12 Ezra 1.5 Sixtly to Elders in age 1 Tim. 5.1 Seventhly to the Inventors or Authors of any science art or trade Gen. 4.20 Lastly it is given to masters so Naamans servants called him Father 2 King 5.13 And from hence masters were wont to be called Patrâ—s familias as Magistrates were called Patres patriae For the second Magistrates Tutors Ministers Masters and all Superiours are called Fathers first because the father was the first degree of superiority the fountain seminary of all society Secondly God of purpose preserves this title in all superiority therby to sweeten subjection to inferiours and to make them think the severall dangers burdens labours subjections in each condition to bee not only tolerable but meet to be borns because they endure them under parents as it were so such superiority for that reason should not be resisted or envyed Thirdly that thereby superiors may be put in mind of their dutie to avoid insolency cruelty oppression and the too much respect of themselves God charging them by this title to remember that their inferiours are to them by Gods Ordinance as their children Thus of the proposition of the duties of servants The exposition followes and so first
abusing him but the truth is it was thy sinnes and my sinnes that brought him to suffer for them our debt was laid upon him We that are principals are escaped and he that was our surety hath paid for it even to the uttermost faâ—thing And if there were no other reason to shew how little reason Christ had no suffer for us even this were sufficient that our hearts are so hard as we cannot be grieved to remember his sorrows for our sinnes Thirdly it should especially worke in us a hatred of our sinnes and a fall and finall resolution to sinne no more but to consecrate our whole life unto him and to his service that hath suffered for us and by suffering â—aid so dear a price Shall we not live to him that died for us Or doe wee so little care for his sorrow as by new sinnes we would as much as in us lieth crucifie againe the Son of God Take heed of despising the bloud of Christ lest you sinne so long till there be no more sacrifice for sinne 2 Cor. 5.15 Heb. 6. Fourthly we should strive to be disposed as the Apostle Paul was to glory in the crosse and sufferings of Christ above all things seeing his sufferings were for us to satisfie and merit for us It must needs be an estate of wonderfull safety and felicity that is purchased by such variety of sufferings of the Sonne of God As the world despiseth us so we should with singular and secret rejoycing despise and contemne the world having such interest in the crosse of Christ Gal. 6.14 Lastly it should worke in us a most hearty willingnesse to suffer any thing for Christ and the Gospel that hath suffered such extreame things for us it should not be grievous to us to forsake father or mother or wife or children or house or lands or our owne lives for his sake or for the Gospel Marke 10.29 Thus of the second thing in the doctrine of the passion of Christ. The third thing is the use of it and that is to be an example unto us that we might walk in his steps Leaving us an example The end then of the sufferings of Christ is to be an example to us to learn by The word rendred an example is a metaphor taken from Scriveners or Painters and signifies properly a copy or pattern or portraiture of a thing exactly drawne out We are then set to schoole to learne by example Christs suffrings are as a writing-schoole where the copies are most exactly drawne Before I come to the particulars we should beare for Christ in his suffering divers things may bee briefely noted out of the words especially about examples Doct. 1. God would have us learne by examples as well as by precept and thence it is the Scripture is so stored with all sorts of examples Doct. 2. Such as give good example of wel-doing are as a common treasure many may learne good by them Good examples are like common schooles and the better because they are free-schooles we may learne from example without cost Though thou couldst not shew all the meanes thou desirest yet to give a good example of sound life and holinesse is a great treasure in the Church It doth not only make Religion well spoken of but it profits many to teach their wel-doing and therefore such as shine by the light of good example should be much made of in every place and they sin fearfully that wrong them c. Doct. 3. It requires a speciall goodnesse to be fit to bee an example to others which the metaphor imports for every man that can write yet cannot set copies for other men to write by so every good Christian is not able to teach by example to the life but with great imperfection some had more need to be learners than to be teachers and therefore should not bee over-hasty to shew their gifts Doct. 4. Good examples are very scarce in the world and therefore Christ is faine to leave us one of his owne the skilfull practice of Gods Word is so rare that it is very hard to finde a man whom wee would set before us as a patterne to imitate Doct. 5. There was very great need of Christs example to teach us by The world is so generally fallen away from the care of obedience and the doctrine of well-doing is entertained so dully as a very matter of for me and for outward shew and the examples of the godly are so imperfect that it was necessary after so many hundreds of yeeres in which sound practice was neglected that the Christian world should be fired with the incitations of so exquisite a patterne of obedience as Christs was Doct. 6. Christs example is to bee imitated by degrees God doth not looke we should follow the copy exactly at the first which similitude imports a great deal of incouragement to the weake but willing Christian and withall shews the doubtfull estate of such Christians as in a short time and with little labour thinke they have learned the substance of all Christianity Doct. 7. In that he saith Leaving us an example it imports that many good workes tarry behinde the godly in the world For though it bee true that their workes follow them to heaven yet it is true also they are left behinde They follow them to heaven in respect of Gods remembrance and acknowledgement of them and they tarry behind them in respect of the example of them and the praisefull memory of them amongst men Well-doing cannot be lost which withall imports that it is a great honour and comfort when a man goes out of the world to leave the memory and patterne of good workes behind him and it is a fearefull thing for such men as goe out of the world to leave an ill report behind them and die an example of evill doers though those could leave a great estate in worldly things yet are they most accursed because they leave behind them such an ill sent and savour by reason of their filthy or vaine or worldly kind of living Doct. 8. It is more than a step to heaven we are here required to follow Christs steps importing it is a long journey and we are to make many steps Doct. 9. The more good any doth the neerer they come to heaven every good work is as it were a step neerer to heaven and therefore as we desire to be with the Lord so should we hasten and finish our work nothing will bring us sooner to heaven whereas if we be barren and unfruitfull either we shall never come there or it will be a great while first Doct. 10. The way to heaven is a very hard way to hit it is marked out by steps if we step awry we are in great danger either of fouling our selves or losing our way It is like to his way that is to passe over a brooke or through thornes or through miery wayes where are placed steps or a print of some footing
infected with temptations evill counsell evill example c. 3. Because the inferiour must mend first and therefore the Apostle begins with the wives and would faine have them in order before they require respect from their husbands 4. Because if the women be gained to religion they may be great meanes to worke good upon their husbands for as they are pernitious instruments of the divell to doe their husbands hurt if they bee wickedly bent so may they bee great meanes to doe them good if they bee soudly reformed themselves as the Apostle imports in the first verse of this chapter Besides if the mother be godly and carefull though the father should not be so yet the children may be by her instructed and well brought up and the advantage from her for the childrens good is the geater because shee is most with the children and usually they more affect her than the father 5. Because many times their provocations from absurd husbands are so great as if God did not speake very much to them they could never indure it with subjection To conclude when things are much urged or repeated in Scripture usually thereby three things are imported about the matter so urged the one is difficulty the other necessity and the third excellency all three may bee well thought on here The Lord is very long in giving the charge to wives and it is both because it is a very hard taske to learne to be a good wife and because it is a thing wonderfull necessary and because a good wife is a creature much set by of God The Lord accounts it a great worke and excellent when hee can informe and instruct women so farre as to make them good wives Which should bee a great incouragement to wives though God set them long lessons to learne yet it imports he will make great account of them if they bee teachable scholars Againe we may hence gather the vanity of all earthly felicities Before marriage men and women promise themselves much happinesse in their married estate and thinke they could live together with all delight but yet after they are married they see they are deceived and therefore need to goe to schoole to learne how to behave themselves one to another Further husbands may hence learne of God how to deale with their wives to make them such as might please them they must treat with them by good arguments and not by fretting or reviling or complayning of them Thus in generall The first part of the charge given to wives is the proposition in these words Likewise ye wives be subject to your owne husbands In which words foure things may be noted 1. The terme of connexion Likewise 2. The parties charged Yee Wives 3. The duty required viz. Be in subjection 4. The parties to whom the duty must bee performed viz. To your owne Husbands Likewise This terme leads us to the duty of servants intreated of before or else to the worke of coversion to Christ mentioned in the last verses of the former chapter If it lead us as is most likely to the dutie of servants in the whole latter part of the former chapter then the Apostle would thereby tell wives that God is no respecter of persons Hee that requires servants should obey them requires also that wives should obey their husbands and will indifferently punish the faults of both yea if they would have their servants obey them they must make conscience to obey their husbands else it is just with God they should bee vexed by their servants that care not to bee a vexation to their hâ—sbands And if it be referred to the worke of returning to Christ then it â—eacheth that women must so thinke of the conversion of their soules as that they make not religion a pretence for negligence or disobedience they must so seeke the Lord Jesus as withall they remember to be subject to their husbands and to looke to I their callings in their family Yee Wives Note here first that in speaking to women hee gives them such a title as imports onely their relation totheir husbands they have now lost their owne names and their fathers names and are now stiled by the terme that binds them only to their husbands Note againe that the charge of subjection is to all wives indifferently no difference of age state nation degree or the like can make any difference in the charge God requires subjection of all wives whether poore rich noble wife yonger or old or of what state or quality A Queen hath no more priviledge than the poorest Cottagers wife Hester 1. Psal. 45.10 Tit. 2.5 and so contrariwise poore mens wives must reverence and obey their husbands as well as those that are more curiously brought up which should be a comfort to such wives because no more is required of them than what is required of all Note thirdly that the Apostle speakes to women as if hee would single them out by name Ye Wives which should teach them to heare their duties as if God did speake particularly to them Be subject Concerning the subjection of the wives many things may be considered 1. The proofes that it is indispensably required Gen. 3.19 Eph. 5. 24. Col. 3.18 Tit. 3.5 2. The reasons why they must be subject and so many reasons may be assigned 1. Because it is God expresse will he will have it to be so It is not arbitrary but necessary in respect of Gods commandement and they that will not be subject must thinke what accounts to give to God for the breach of his commandement 2. It is afterwards urged for example all godly women mentioned in Scripture have obeyed their husbands 3. Because it is equall and meet for if God give the wife power over all in the family but one it is great reason she should bee subject to him God deales fairely with the wife in that hee makes her subject but to one and lets her rule many 4. Because her husband is her head and the body is governed by the head 1 Cor. 11.3 5. Because the man was not of the woman but the woman of the man 1 Cor. 11.8 neither was the man created for the woman but the woman for the man vers 9. 6. Because the Angels of heaven doe look for this in all wives 1 Cor. 11.10 7. Because it is comely Colos. 3.18 A wife never carries her selfe with better grace reputation or honour than when shee shews most obedience and subjection to her husband It is a wicked and senslesse pride in many women that they thinke it is basenesse and dishonour to bee at their husbands appointment and to be made to doe what he lists But these are utterly deceived for their disobedience can commend them to none but such as have an uncleane divell in them What more comely in a child than to obey his parents so is it in Wives Were it comely for the body to stand above the head and to rule it Doth
former ages In old time The example is in the second place commended for the antiquitie of it Where we learn that a respect may be had to old time yea respect is due to the times of old Antiquitie is an argument of praise therefore are wee bidden to aske after the old way Ier. 6.16 to aske of the daies that are past Deut. 4.32 to remember the daies of old and to consider the yeeres of many generations Deut. 32.7 And Ministers in publick teaching must be like the good Scribe that brings out of his treasurie things both old and new Mat. 13.52 fathers must talke of the things of old time to their children Ps. 44.1 Now because the argument from aâ—â—â—quitie or the old time hath beene much abused and such reasoning is taxed in many Scriptures therefore that the point may be more cleare I will distinctly consider first in what cases the old times and antiquitie may not be pleaded and then in what cases antiquitie may be pleaded and good use may be made of it For the first antiquitie is ill pleaded in the caseâ— folloâ—â—ing as 1. When antiquitie is counterfeit when that is called the old time which in comparison was but yesterday as the Papiste lead us to the ages not long since past and will not permit us to looke higher to the times of the Prophets and the Apostles which is the true antiquitie 2. When antiquitie is pleaded to confirme 〈◊〉 in doctrine And so the doctrin was never a whit the better that caught the law of God 〈◊〉 only bind the outward man not the heart the outward man â—oo but in some higher cases And therefore our Saviour rejects the errours of the Pharisees though they would confirme thâ—â— by the sayings of oldâ—imeâ—punc Mat. â— Ioâ— â—5 â—0 3. In the case of sinne sinne is not the better for the oldnesse of i◠〈◊〉 the worse therefore the old man must be mortified and all old things must be put away 2 Cor. 5.17 As an old leprosie is worse than a new Lev. 13.11 so their hatred was the worse because it was old Ezek. 25.15 And the godly pray Remember not against us our old iniquities Psal. 79.8 and the wicked are condemned for not purging out their old sins 2 Pet. 1 9. and all men should purge out the old leven 1 Cor. 5. And as in the sins of life betweene man and man so about Gods service old courses are barefull if they be idolatrous and superstitious and therefore they were condemned for doing after the old maner 2 Reg. 17.34 and they are reproved by the Prophet Ieremy that so commended the old times of Idolatry Ier. 44. 4. When God abolisheth the old things and brings in new and so the old Covenant is not better than the new nor the old Testament better than the new Heb. 8.6 7 13. 2 Cor. 5.17 5. In the case of the discoverie of such mysteries as for the time of revealing them depend upon the good pleasure of God only so things hidden for ages and generations are revealed in the Gospel and yet must not be rejected Col. 1.16 6. When old times are pleaded of purpose to lessen the glory or profit of the present workes of Gods power and mercie Esay 43.18 And this way the Pharisees offended that to avoid subjection to Christ and his doctrine would magnifie Moses and the Prophets of old time And so doe those people offend that commend the old Teachers more that are dead or absent and will not profit by those they have Mat. 23. 7. When it is used in defence of publike disorders and offences and grievances in Church or Common-wealth The pretence of Innovation must not hinder the reformation of knowne diseases in publike States Such things as have beene wastes of old must be built though it were not done of long time They shall build the old wastes saith the Prophet Isa. 62.4 8. When particular Christians doe mis-apply it to confirme them in their unbeliefe or doubting as if God did not regard or accept as informer times whereas if we serve him in uprightnesse of heart he will accept our offerings as in the dayes of old Mal. 3.4 And if we get Davids affections to God and goodnesse and will attend upon Gods mercie in the meanes we shall have the sâ—â—e mercies of David Isa 55.1 4. Thus of the wayes how old things and the pleading of them may be misapplied and done in our owne wrong Now followes to shew in what cases respect must be had to Antiquitie and old times And so Antiquitie commends 1. The workes of Gods power and mercie Deut. 32.7 2 Kings 19.25 Psal. 44.2 and God is well pleased to be urged with arguments taken from his old dealing with his people Arise as in the daies of old Isa. 51.9 so in Mich. 7.14 20 and bath left the memory of them upon record that we might thence confirme our weake faith 2. The particular experiences we have had of Gods goodnesse towards us Thus David remembers dayes of old Psal. 77.6 143. â— 3. The profitable determinations of right in judiciall things betweene man and man and so the old bounds are to be greatly respected Pro. 22.28 4. The publike orders of the Church about the circumstances of Gods worship as the orders of the Jewes to have the preaching of Moses in every Citie on the Sabhath day Acts 15.21 This order is the more observeable as few other reasons 〈◊〉 because it was so in oldeiâ—â—â— 5. Gods Commandements It is an argument of weight to perswade to obedience when it can be shewed that that Commandement is an old Commandement Iohn 2.7 6. In things that one doubtfull or difficult such respect is to be given to Antiquitie as men should not rashly oppose their owne or other mens new conceits so as due respect be had to equally comparison in the nature of the things questioned Ioh. 32.6 7. In the examples and patterns of wel-doing that have had due conformity to Gods will revealed in his precepts and so the examples of holy practises in old time should much move the consciences of the godly now-adaies as the Apostle shews in this verse And thus of the two points in the description Holy women The persons from whom this patterne is taken are holy women where observe 1. That holinesse in the first Table is required of women as well as men and they are bound to the duties of Gods worship and to be religious women as well as to the duties of the second Table to be chaste mercifull faithfull diligent in the affaires of the family or obedient to their husbands Which serves to confute those men that say women need not be studious in matters of Religion it is enough for them to be good house-wives and obey their husbands And withall it may comfort women in the practise of the duties of Religion for by the commendation given of holy women in this Text it appeares
have his brothers wife nor must the Corinthian that married his fathers wife be suffered to dwell with her 1 Cor. 5. 3. Diviâ—es generally agree that if there be a precontract with another person in verbis de praesenti in the words of the present time made with consent of parents c. then the marriage after with another is a meere nullitie and such dwelling together is whâ—redome Zanchius brings reason for this from the law of God and Nature and civill and common lawes 4. If a marriage be made without the free consent of the parties or in cases where they are not able to give a free conâ—ent as in the marriage with children under age or with mad men or persons that are drunk when they give consent and doe disclaime it when they are sober These are nullities in the common opinion of Divines of all sorts and the reason is because the consent of parties is essentially requisite to such a bond 5. If there be error personae an errour of the person that is if a man mean to contract marriage with one person and another person is given him as when Leah was given in stead of Rachel to Iacob Divines agree that Iacob might have rejected Leah and that his owne consent afterwards did onely bind him to dwell with her But yet errour about the condition or state of the person is no nullitie If a man contract himselfe to a woman he thinkes to be a free woman and she proves a bond woman or he thinkes he marries with a rich woman and she proves a poore woman these errours do not cause a nullitie he must live with her for all this 6. If marriage be contracted with such as are utterly and incurably unapt for marriage this marriage is a nullitie as in the case of Eunuchs some kinds of incurable palsies or the like And about this I finde no difference amongst Divines Zanchius and some other Divines goe further and pronounce nullities in the cases following as If marriage be contracted yea and celebrated without the consent of parents He brings many arguments from the Law befoâ—e Moses and from the Law of Moses from the testimony of the Apostle Paul and from the lawes of Nations and from the Fathers If marriage be contracted or celebrated with such as have any notorious contagious disease which is knowne to be incurable as the Elephantiasis or worse kind of leprosie or the like because this will prove a mischiefe to the party cleere and to his children and to the Common-wealth and God ordained not marriage to be a mischiefe but a help If marriage be celebrated with a woman that is found to be with child by another man Yea he enclines to those that thinke the marriage of a Christian with an Infidell as a Jew Turke or Pagan as being the knowne and professed enemies of Christ is likewise a nullitie Hee gives many probable reasons and quotes divers authors for the opinion But for my part I dare not venture so farre especially to be peremptorie in it much lesse have I attained to the learning of those Divines that thinke Veneficium versus hanc Witchcraft disabling a man towards that woman onely to be a sufficient cause of a nullitie in the marriage Thus of the case of nullities For the case of divorce I thinke that rule of our Saviour binds peremptorily that no man may put away his wife but only in the case of fornication Mat. 19.9 In that case a man making a lawfull divorce is not bound to cohabitation but freed from it and must not dwell with her any more If it be objected that in the case of disertion when an Infidell forsakes a beleever the Apostle faith the beleever is free I answer that this is not a case of divorce The beleever doth not for the businesse of Religion put away the unbeleever yea the Apostle shewes he ought not 1 Cor. 7. onely if the unbeleever will depart let her depart And so by the wilfull departure of the Infidell the Christian is freed from the bond of marriage as Divines conceive which is a kind of nullity but not a divorce But then a great respect must be had to the kind of unbeleever not every wicked man or woman nor everie person that professeth a false religion but such an unbeleever as is a profest enemie to the Name of Christ is the unbeleever the Apostle speakes of Yet one thing more I must adde about the case of disertion when the disertion is for other causes than Religion if it be wilfull or inevitable then the party diserted is freed from this charge of cohabitation freed I say for a time till the diserted returne and if he never returne the party forsaken is for ever free Thus of the proposition of their duties the exposition of it followes According to knowledge By knowledge I take it here meant that Christian knowledge of Religion and the Word of God which godly husbands had attained by the Gospel for in the end of the verse he speakes of husbands as heires of the grace of life And so before I come to shew what speciall things in the manner of cohabitation this knowledge doth charge upon husbands I would consider of some doctrines in generall implyed by the words as Doct. 1. That the knowledge of Gods Word is a gift of God to bee much accounted of and therefore the Apostle here for honour sake to the man mentions this grace rather than any other And that knowledge is a precious thing or a great treasure may appeare divers waies First by the seat and use of knowledge it is a gift that adornes the mind of man making him by his inward understanding to see excellent things It is a great benefite to have senses to discerne things without us but this divine light that God puts into the understanding of man gives to the understanding power to see admirable things especially when it is spirituall light it shews a man the differences betweene good and evill and reveales such glorious things as no senses can reach to Secondly by the author of it God is the father of light and dwelleth in light Iam. 1.17 and it is the speciall glory of Christs divinity to lighten every man that comes into the world Iohn 1. and the holy Ghost claimes a part in this glory to give illumination to the minde 2 Cor. 3. Thirdly by the testimony God gives of the worth of knowledge eâ—pecially when it is spirituall and religious knowledge 〈◊〉 is called riches 1 Cor. 1.5 and preferred before all outward things in the world Ier. 9 2â— and Christ accounts it a great signe of speciall friendship to communicate knowledge to his Disciples Ioh. 15.15 and God gave Iacob a greater portion when hee gave his word to him than hee did give to all the world besides He did not so with other Nations Psal. 1. Fourthly by the accounts Christ gives unto his Father of the discharge of
Parliament for the holding of their lands they think they have a sure tenure yet many Acts of Parliament may be repealed but the Acts of Gods councell are like himselfe immutable The godly they are predestinate to adoption Secondly they have not only Gods promise for their inheritance but Gods oath that by two immutable things the heires of promise might have aboundant consolation as the Apostle shewes Heb. 6.17 18. Thirdly to make all sure God hath put his spirit within them as the seale and earnest of their inheritance Eph. 1.13 14. The Use may be 1. For information and so first to shew the great goodnesse of God to man that not only requires and gives holinesse but adds also blessednesse to his servants In justification and sanctification he gives to men those good things they call bona virtutis the good things of vertue and inadoption he gives those good things they call bona conditionis the good things of condition even blessednesse and true happinesse whom God makes holy he will make happy also Secondly it manifestly shewes that we hold all our happinesse not by merit but by grace For adopted children cannot plead merit but must acknowledge all of gift as will more appeare when we come to speak of the cause of inheriting viz grace 2. For instruction and so The first impression this Doctrine should worke upon us should be a desire to be such as may obtaine the right of adoption of sons for flesh and bloud cannot inherit 1 Cor. 15.50 So long as wee are carnall and unregenerate men we neither are nor are to be called the heires of God The unrighteous that is such as live in grosse sins and doe the workes of the flesh are expressely and peremptorily excluded from the benefit of adoption 1 Cor. 6.9 â—0 Gal. 5.21 None but such as are effectually called and borne of God are capable of this grace Heb. 9.16 Iohn 1.13 And in particular we must have a true justifying faith Iohn 1.12 For as was shewed before we come to the right of Sons only as we are ingrafted into Christ upon whom all the inheritance is originally and fundamentally conferred and into Christ we cannot get but by faith And further we must looke to the sound mortification of the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 and know that none can inherit but such as overcome the power of their corruptions and are not in bondage to any sin Rev. 21.7 And more specially God requires in all such as will be his sons that they be such as are not in bondage to the passions and perturbations of the heart for he hath promised that the meeke shall inherit Mat. 5.5 Thirdly we must forsake all needlesse society and familiarity with the wicked of the world if we will be Gods sons and daughters and resolutely refuse to be corrupted with the sins of the times as the Apostle sheâ—es at large 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Fourthly we must be such as are described Esay 56.4 5 6. We must make conscience to keep Gods Sabbaths and chuse the thing will please God being more desirous to please God in all things than naturall children are to please their earthly parents and take hold of Gods Covenant as resting upon this preferment and the promises of it as our sufficient happinesse And that we may be the more established in the knowledge of our adoption it will be good for us to trie our selves by the signes of such as are Gods adopted children 1. Such as are Gods children by adoption have this marke they are made like unto God their father in holinesse in some truth of resemblance 1 Pet. 1. 15. and this they shew two wayes first by purifying themselves and sound humbling of their soules for their sins that deface the image of God in them as Saint Iohn saith Every one that hath this hope purifieth himselfe as he is pure 1 Iohn 3.2 3. Secondly by imploying himselfe constantly in doing righteousnesse for hereby the children of God are knowne from the children of the Divell 1 Iohn 3.10 2. In the last recited place you may discerne another signe of a sonne and heire to God and that is the love of the godly as his brethren and fellow heires He that loveth not the brethren is of the Divell not of God 1 Iohn 3.10 3. The gift of prayer is a signe of adoption and that we have received the spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 16. By the gift of prayer I meane not the skill to utter words to God in a good forme of words and variously but the gift to speake to God in prayer both with confidence in God as in a Father and with the affections of prayer which the phrase of crying Abba Father imports 4. A child of God discovers his adoption by the maner of doing good duties he doth serve God not with servile respect but with filiall affection he loves to be Gods servant as may be gathered Esay 56.6 5. To love them that hate us and blesse them that curse us and doe good to them that persecute us is a signe that we are children to God as our heavenly Father Luke 6.35 Mat. 5. The second impression that this glory of adoption should make upon our hearts should be to stir us up to carry our selves in this world as becomes the children and heires to such a Father as God is And so in generall it should wonderfully fire us to all possible care to be holy as he is holy and to expresse more to the life the Image of Gods grace and holinesse 1 Pet. 1.14 15. and that in all maner of conversation striving to carry our selves as the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of this froward and wicked world all sorts of the men of the world being so ready to reproach such as are Gods people that if they will speake evill it may be only for our good conversation in Christ Phil 2.15 16. And in particular we are charged in Scripture with certaine speciall and choice things that doe greatly adorne and grace the life of a child of God that is an heire of heaven if we be Gods heires and he be our Father 1. We should be Peace-makers for our Father is the God of peace and this will force men to call us the sons of God Mat. 5.10 2. We must not render reviling for reviling but rather blesse seeing we are heires of blessing as the Apostle urgeth it ver 9. 3. We should live without care as knowing that we have a heavenly Father that careth for us Mat. 6.32 And seeing we are heires of a better world we should not love this world nor set our hearts upon such meane thingâ— as this world can afford 1 Iohn 2.15 4. If we be Gods sons we should be willing to submit our selves to his correction If we yeeld that power to the father of our bodies how much more to the Father of our spirits Heb. 12.9 But especially take
creature Here while we are present with the bodie and the blessings of life we are absent from the Lord the infinite life of our lives but there we shall enjoy him as fully as our hearts can desire 2 Cor. 5.8 Here we want our crowne whatsoever else we enjoy but there our honour and glory and majestie shall be so great as if all the Kings of the earth did bring their glory to one man it would not equall what every one shall have there 2 Tim. 4.8 Rev. 2.24 3.21 we shall reigne in life Rom. 5. And this Crowne is the more glorious because it shall not consist of some precious thing without us but of royall excellency with which our soules and bodies shall shine as the Sun in the firmament our very bodies in qualitie being altered to such an expression of majestie and beautie and Angelicall excellencie as now exceeds all mortall language being rather like spirits than earthly bodies And for the measure now we have but little tastes of joy and if these tastes be unspeakable and glorious what are those rivers of joy at Gods right hand Psal. 16. ult And for continuance they are for evermore as the Psalmist there speakes whereas now they are gone from us like lightning in an instant and our lives are afterward assaulted almost continually with causes or occasion of sorrow so as the world in the best place is but like a vale of teares but there shall be no sorrow no death no crying nor paine but God shall wipe away all teares from our eyes for ever Rev. 21.4 6. Thus of the differences of life on earth and life in heaven What men must doe that they may enter into life followes And about this point our Saviour tells us two things before hand First that the way to life is a narrow way and the gate is exceeding strait men may be mis-led by a thousand by-wayes and the worke to be done is a very hard worke Secondly that there are but few that finde the right way yea but few amongst those that seeke it and seeme desirous to know what they should doe for either they understand not the directions when they are given or by taking time to thinke of them they forget them or else when they have the answer they goe their waies like the young man in the Gospel and are sorrie the conditions be so hard and so give over all further care and rest in the estate they were in before And therefore we had need to attend the more carefully and resolve to doe whatsoever God requires of us whatsoever it cost us and not be troubled at the difficulty of the worke considering the excellency of eternall life and the many helps we have to further the worke Of which afterwards This then is the question What should a man or woman doe that he might be sure to enter into life Answ. 1. Thou must lay the foundation of all in Jesus Christ thou must disclaime all trust in any thing in heaven or earth in thy selfe or thy owne workes or any other creature and relie upon the merits of Jesus Christ as the onely meanes of pacifying Gods anger or procuring eternall life Acts 4.12 Iohn 3.16 and thou must inwardly lay up Christ in thy heart so as spiritually ever to eat his flesh and drinke his bloud by applying all he hath done or suffered for thee in particular Iohn 6.53 1 Iohn 5.12 2. Thou must pray hard to the God of life Psal. 42.8 and with great importunity beseech him to give thee the spirit of life that is Jesus Christ and with the more encouragement because he hath promised to give even his holy Spirit to them that aske him Luke 11.13 3. There will be no life in the soule if thou dost not repent thee of thy sins Acts 11.18 And this is the harder worke because first to confesse thy sins will not serve turne unlesse thou forsake them and overcome them Rev. 2.7 so as the power of them be mastered and thou doe from thy heart desire and resolve to leave them If thy lusts passions disorders of life in drunkennesse swearing sinnes of deceit or the like be not mended thou canst not live this life 1 Cor. 6.9 Gal. 5.22 23. At the best without an apparent victorie there will be little comfort in life Secondly in turning thou must turne from all thy transgressions so as thou be sure thou leave no sin thou knowest but thou wilt endevour to judge thy selfe for it and strive to forsake it Thy heart must be turned from it Ezek. 18.21 Yea if some of thy sinnes for profit or pleasure be to thee like thy right eye or right hand thou must cut them off or pull them out or else thou canst never enter into life Mat. 18.8 9. As in the case of rich men the way of life is compared to the eye of a needle and their hearts to a great cable now there is no way for thee to enter into life but by untwisting the great cable till it be made like small threeds which is done by great humiliation Iames 1.10 And withall thy heart must continue affraid in the least thing to offeâ—d God This feare of the Lord is required to the very beginning of this life Pro. 14.27 4. Thou must deny thy selfe extremely in outward things thou must look for persecution yea and perhaps be put to it to forsake father and mother house and lands wife and children yea and life it selfe so as to hate and lose this naturall life in comparison of the gaining of eternall life Marke 10.30 Iohn 12.25 5. Thou must be tied to walke in a strict course of life all thy dayes resolving to walke in the way of righteousnesse and let the word of God be the rule of allâ—thy actions and by patient continuance in well-doing to seeke encrease of happinesse and holinesse for life is only in the way of righteousnesse Pro. 12.28 Rom. 2.7 8. Ezek. 33.15 16. Now though this worke be very hard yet thou hast many helps if thy heart be right and willing to obey for 1. God will give thee his holy Spirit to worke all thy worke for thee and to cause thee to walke in his statutes and keepe his judgements and to doe them and will mortifie the deeds of the flesh and teach thee in all truth and comfort and support thee and make thy workes acceptable to God as hath beene shewed before 2. Thou hast the help of spirituall armour that is mighty through God to cast downe strong holds 2 Cor. 10.3 4. thou wilt find a strong supply from every ordinance of God the Word and Prayer and Sacraments all sâ—rve to help against the difficultie of this worke and so will the societie of the godly as was shewed before 3. Thou wilt have the benefit of Christs prayers and intercession for thee in heaven Iohn 17.15 which is of unspeakable force and power to helpe thee 4. The greatnesse of
as God can curse the very blessings of the wicked so can he and doth blesse the seeming curses of the godly All shall worke together for the best to them that love God Rom. 2.28 All things are to bee measured for good or ill according to the use of them to us That which doth us hurt cannot be a blessing and that which doth us good cannot be a curse Now for the particular unfolding of this blessing they inherit we must know that godly Christians inherit blessing divers wayes 1. From other men and so the poore blesse them for their charity The blessing of him that is ready to perish many times comes upon them Iob 29.13 Their very loynes blesse them Iob 31.20 and their neighbours blesse them for peace making Mat. 5.8 and the godly blesse them for their gifts of grace and pray for Gods blessings upon them Psal. 134.3 and if they have any publike employments for God in Church or Common-wealth the eare that heareth them blesseth them Iob 29.11 And at some times God doth so guide and prosper the wayes of his servants that all sorts of men doe acknowledge them for the seed which the Lord hath blessed Esay 61.8 2. From their owne consciences if the world at any time testifie against him or revile him yea if Divells and men set against him yet he inherits this blessing that his owne conscience will witnesse for him to his singular joy 2 Cor. 1.12 The daily encouragements of a good conscience are like a continuall feaâ—â— within 3. From God and so they have Gods blessing certaine and this is a great inheritance and hath so much happinesse in it as it should swallow up all the grievance of afflictions and the contempts and scornes of the world It is enough if we have Gods blessing Now that this point may be distinctly beaten out we must understand that true Christians may be said to inherit Gods blessing first in a more restrained sense and then in a more large sense In a restrained sense blessing may here be taken for Gods comfortable speaking for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies blessing by words and so it answers to the coherence If they will use good words to men God will speake good words to them And in this sense we may hence gather That Gods naturall language to the called of Jesus Christ is blessing or comfortable words God will speake to his people peace Psal. 84.5 and therefore he gives a charge to his Ministers to speake comfortably to Jerusalem Esay 40.1 2. Secondly that Gods Elect never find this till they have their calling Thirdly that it is a great inheritance in this life to have God to speake well to us Fourthly that if the fault be not in us we shall never have God speake otherwise It is our inheritance to comfort us against all the miseries of life And therefore Ministers that are the mouth of God should studie comfort much and those Christians that desire to have the fruit of their inheritance in this thing should provide to live in such places where God speakes to men And those Ministers have a great account to make that set themselves to speake disgracefully and terribly to such as feare God striving to discourage their hearts and to strengthen the hands of the wicked Thus of the restrained sense onely note by the way That God speaks good words both for his people behind their backs and to his people before their faces They inherit Gods good word for them in their absence Thus God speakes excellently in the praise of Iob to the Divell before the Angels Iob 1. 2. and thus he can speake in the consciences of the greatest on earth in praise of his people as Esay 41.9 Now in the generall sense Gods people enjoy this blessing many waies and that both in this life and in the life to come In this life they have his blessing 1. In temporall things of all sorts he makes the earth blesse them and the heavens and the waters Gen. 49.25 he blesseth them in the Citie and in the field in the fruit of their bodies and of the ground and of their cattell in their basket and in their store when they come in and when they goe out yea God will command the blessing upon them in their store-houses and upon all they set their hands to and he will open his good treasures unto them and blesse all the worke of their hands Deut. 28.2 3 4 5 6 8 12. And if they enjoy not so much in quality of these things as some wicked men yet they have a faire portion and a good blessing because that they have is blessed both in the originall of it and in the nature of it and in the use of it and in their right to it 2. In the meanes of grace and salvation and so they enjoy the blessing of God in his house-keeping and great is that blessing wherewith God blesseth his people in his house on his holy hill and round about The Lord hath long since promised to make all the places about his holy hill blessings Yea there Gods people doe receive showers of blessing every powerfull Sermon is a shower of blessing every doctrine being as a blessed drop of instruction or comfort Ezek. 34.26 Exod. 20.24 Psal. 132.15 3. In the gifts of grace and so he hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things A poore Christian carrieth about with him in his heart more treasure than all the Monarchs of the world being not true Christians can any way possesse or command Eph. 1.3 Thus of Gods blessing in this life After this life who can recount the glory of their inheritance in the blessing they shall have then from God Oh that our hearts could be enlarged to thinke of the power of these words of Christ at the last day Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world The Use should be for great comfort to all true Christians They have great cause to rejoyce in their fathers blessing all their dayes and the rather if they consider that Gods blessing as a Father is better than the blessing of any earthly father for an earthly fathers blessingis most an end but verball in words Gods blessing is reall indeeds A father on earth cannot derive blessing to his child from himselfe but from God whereas Gods blessing is from himselfe Besides if an earthly father would blesse his childe yet he wants power to give him what he desires but God our Father is Almighty able to give as much as he wisheth Gen. 28.3 Finally an earthly fathers blessing may be lost as Chams was but Gods blessing cannot be lost he will blesse with everlasting mercy Secondly such as yet enjoy not the priviledge of Gods called ones should be greatly stirred up with desire to get this blessing even to have Gods blessing Let no man be
it was revealed thâ—â— not unto themselves but unto us they did the things which are now reported unto you by them which have preached the gospel unto you with the holy ghost sent down from heaven which things th Angels desire to looke into Verse 13. Wherefore gird up the loynes of your minde be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Iesus Christ. Ver. 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former luâ—â—s in your ignoraÌ„ce Verse 15. But as hee which hath called you is holy so be yee holy in all manner of conversation Verse 16. Because it is written Be yee holy for I am holy Verse 17. And if yee call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according unto every mans worke passe the time of your sojourning here in feare Verse 18. Forasmuch as yee know that yee were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vaine conversation received by tradition from your fathers Verse 19. But with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot Verse 20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last timeâ— for you Verse 21. Who by him doe beleeve in God that raised him vp froÌ„ the dead and gave him glory that youâ— faith and hope might be in God Verse 22. Seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the spiriâ— unto unfained love of the brethren see that yee love one another with a pure heart fervently Verse 23. Being borne againe not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Verse 24. For all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man as the flower of grasse the grasse wiâ—hereth and the flower thereof falleth away Verse 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the wor which by the Gospell is preached unto you The scope of the Epistle The parts of the Epistle The parts of the salutation Who Peter was a Mat 4.15 b Mat. 3.16 c I Cor. 10.3 d Iohn 1.42 e Gal. 2. f Mat. 4. Ioh. 1. g Mark 3. h Iohn 21. i 1 Pet. â— ult Seven sorts of men transgresse about their Callings k I Cor. 7. l 2 Thess. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Advenis dispersionis Lyâ—a m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beda Glâ—ss Heming Ares Man is a stranger in five respects n Ephes. â— 12 4.17 o Psal. 69.8 p 1 Pet. 4.12 Doctrine Vses 14 Things wherein wee should be like strangers 2 Cor. 5 6 7. The good that comes by the dispersion of the godly q Tertull Cypâ— Cassiod r Beza Heming s Beda Gloss A fourefold Election t Deut. 4.37 u Ephes. 1.4 5. * Iohn 15.19 x Iohn 6.70 From what they are elected y Deut. 7.7 How they may be knowne z 1 Cor. 1.27 Iames 2.5 a 1 Sam. 16.7 b Mat. 20.16 8 Priviledges of Gods chosen Vses c Psal. 106 3 4 5 Distinctions about praescience Praesciâ—â—tia 1. absoâ—uâ—â— 1. specialis approbationis How God knowes things Vses How the fore-knowledge of God may comfort us in divers distresses Doctrine Vses Comforts to the godly as God is their father Object Solut. Object Solut. Object Solut. Object Solut. Object Solut. Vse 2. How we may live like Gods children Vse 3. 1 Ex non sancto privative 2 Ex minus sancto 3 Ex non sancto negative Thomas Aquinas What need our spirits have to be sanctified Wherein the sanctification of the spirit lyeth Of cleansing the spirit of man from what and how Answ. 8 Things to cleanse the spirit of man Of the adorning of the spirit Three things which adorne the minde in sanctification The light of the minde hath 5. things in it Humblenesse of minde hath 6. things in it Purity of imaginations The heart adorned with 8. graces 11 Things wherein a sanctified heart rejoyceth The Conscience adorned with 9. things Vses Of obedience in generall Of the causes of our obedience Rules or sixe things to be observed in all true obedience Motive to obedience Of obedience in words Our estate in Christ better then our estate in Adam here in this life The benefits flowing from the blood of Christ. Vses An explication of the whole Ceremony of the sprinkling of the blood of the red Heifer Numb 19. Coccus bis tinctâ—â— Of the sprinkling at the Passeover Exod. 24. Of the sprinkling at the ratification of the Covenant Of the sprinkling Levit. 16. Vse The forme of the Salutation Vses What we must doe that grace and peace may be multiplied in us The order of the body of the Epistle 2. Observation from the coherence a Psal. 129.8 b Psal. 67.1 Man blesseth God 3. wayes c Psal. 1 16.12 d 1 Cor. 10.16 Reasons of blessing God e Psal. 50.23 f Psal. 67.3 Vse g Psal. 145.10 11 12. How God is the God of Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How God is the Father of Christ. How Christ is without father or mother A threefold generation Per se de se extra se. Nâ—â— de se sed per se iâ— se. Three things wherein Christs generation is not like ours Vses h Iohn 5.18 6.42 8.19 i 1 John 4.15 In three things we should learn of Christ to carry our selves towards God as towards our Father k Ioâ— â— 17 1â— 6. â—8 l Iohn 10. â—6 m Mâ—â— 4.3 n Heb. 2.10 o Heb. 5.7 8. p Iohn 13.1 q Rom. 1.4 1 Iohn 3.8 r Iohn 14.12 13 14 16 23 24 26 27. The necessity of the new birth s Iohn 3.5 2 Cor. 5.17 The honor of the new birth Gods mercy is abundant t Psal. 145.8 9. u Psal. 36.5 6 7 1. In the fountaine 2 In the streamâ—s to all * Psal. 33.5 Mat. 5. 2. To all the godly and that three wayes x Psal. 32.10 y Exod. 20. z Esay 55.4 Acts 13. a Psal. 86.5 b Psal. 100.4 c 2 Cor. 1.3 d Psal. 123.2 3. e Luke 6.36 f Exod. 34.6 7 Mich. 7.18 Esay 55.8 Zeph. â— 17 Object Solut. How mercy is no occasion of liberty either to godly or wicked men g Psal. 89. h Exod. 34.7 i Deut. â—9 19. k Psal. 62.12 l Prov. â—8 13 m Ionas 2.8 n Esay 27.11 o Ioel 2. â—2 13. Quest. Answ. What mercy God shewes to the wicked The meanes of the new birth The lets of the new birth Foure signes of new birth p Iohn 3.5 q Tiâ— 3.5 r Mat. 19.28 s Luke 9.24 Iohn 15.18 Rom. 8.29 1 Iohn 5.4 t Mat. 11.29 u 1 Iohn 3.14 5.1 * 1 Iohn 5.2 x Phil. 1.5 y Rom. 12.16 z Psal. 16.3 a 1 Pet. 2.2 The Vse a Iob 5.16 b Zach. 9.11 c Ephes. 1.18 d Rom. 5.3 e Ephes. 2.12 f Iob 8.13 g Iob 11. ult h Eph. 4.3 4 5. The differences
Why the afflictâ—â—ns of the godly are but for a â—â—â—â—on and how p Esay 54. Psal 30.5 q Iob 36. Ioh. 16 20 21 23. Phil. â— 6. Luk. 18.8 r Pâ— 42.11 s Ps 73.26 c. Vse t Heb. 10. Ps. 73.26 28. u Esa 26.19 20 Why crosses are sometimes needfull There are foure kinds of tentations a Mat 13.21 Luk. 8.13 b Iam. 1.3 12. c Iam. â— 14 Sathan tempts men five waies 1â— Degrees of teâ—â—ation 〈…〉 Comforts against tentations Luke 22. 2 Cor. 12. Rom. 16 10. 2 Cor. 12.9 10. Esay 27.1 12 Rules against tentations 1 Pet. 5. Gen. 3. Mat. 4. Iam. 4.8 Râ—m â— ult Eph. 6.16 Gâ—l 5.24 Ier. 9 7. Esay 31. â—ult God tryes men six wayes 7. waies God tryes men in affliction Vses Comforts in our tâ—â—â—ls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word used Heb. 11.1 Vse Mâ—â—k 4.40 1 Thes. 36. Luke 8.25 Luke 17.5 1 〈◊〉 16.13 Heb 2.5 2 Thes. 1.11 Quest. Answ. How we shew our faith in afâ—lâ—ction Quest. Answ. 7 things should move us to relie upon God in affliction Mark 11.24 1 Ioh. 5.14 15. Psal. 91.15 Tit. 2.14 1 Pet. 1.19 Deut. 7.6 Mal. 3.17 Ier. 15.19 1 Ioh. 3.1 Deut. 26.15 Afflictions better then gold for divers respects a Heb. 11.26 b Esay 27.9 c Rom. 5.3 1 Thes. 1.5 d 2 Cor. 4 17. e Rom. 8 28 34 Grace better than gold in divers respects Vse Gold perisheth both actively and passively Object Solut. Note Christ hid till his second comming in six respects Quest. Answ. Vses Vses 7. Signes of the love of Christ in the sparkle Cant. 1.1 7. Signes of the lâ—ve â—f Christ in the flame What we must doe to get the love of Christ. 7. Things to be observed to keep our hearts in the love of Christ. Sixe kinds of joy 3 Kinds of devilish joy Quest. Answ. How the joyes of the holy Ghost may be discerned from all other joyes 8. Signes Quest. Answ. Whether the jâ—yes â—f the holy Ghost be fâ—lt of every Christian. The defects in the joy of the temporary faith Quest. Answ. Whâ—t we must doe to geâ— the joyes of God Quest. Answ. What we must doe to prâ—seâ—â—e the joyes of the holy Ghost more constantly 4 Signes of a true perswasion of our salvation Vses What the soule is Vses Such as have tâ—e assurance of salvation should look to foure things Vses Quest. Answ. 〈…〉 Christ â—n Church Vses That we may not faile of the gracâ— of Gâ—d wâ— must 〈◊〉 â—oure things 1 Quest. Answ. The Vse Quest. 2. Answ. Foure sorts of men inquire about times Vses Esay 9.6 Quest. Answ. 〈…〉 The word translated tâ—stified is by othâ—â—s translated answered Note Distinctions ab 〈…〉 Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Though we want revelations yet we are not in wosse case then they in the Old Testament We have fix sorts of revelations under the Gospell Mysteries of the Kingdome Mat. 13.11 Eph. 3.5 Vse 1. Doct. 1. Vse Doct. 2. Vse Quest. Answ. Vse Object Sol. The question about traditions Object Solut. What newes the Gospell brings us Quest. Answ. How we may he certain of this newes Eight effects of the Gospell Eight things required in every one that would hâ—ve part in the Gospell Quest. Answ. Object Solut. Quest. Answ. How the Gospell differs from the law Rev. 14.6 Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Vses 1 Thes. 2 2. 1 Cor. 9.15 Quest. Answ. Doct. 1. Vâ—es Doct. 2. Vses Quest. Answ. Vses Vse Doct. Of Aâ—gâ—â—â— thâ—ir 〈◊〉 and natures In râ—sâ—â—ct of what thâ—y aâ—e they are spirits in â—espect of whâ—t thâ—y do they are Angâ—ls Quest. Answ. 2 Sam. 16 â—3 Quest. Answ. Luke 10.36 Vses 2 Cor. 11. A 〈…〉 Of the knâ—wledge of Angâ—ls negâ—tivâ—ly affirmatively Quest. Answ. 2 Cor. 3. ult Mâ—â— 18.10 Vâ—â— Vse 14 〈…〉 Why we must be so carefull of our minds 8 rules for girding up of the 〈◊〉 Vse A sixfold sobriety Tit. 2.12 1 Thes. 5.6,8 Rules about recreations Rules about apparell Reasons against the vanity of apparell Reasons against drunkennesse Vse Five things in a perfect trust 2 Reasons to trust perfectly on the grace is to be â—â—vealed 〈…〉 hope 4 〈…〉 Vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What grace signifies in the severall 〈…〉 of it The glory of hâ—avâ—n câ—llâ—d gâ—aâ—e in three respects Vses 7 Thâ—ngs 〈◊〉 shâ—uld 〈◊〉 Gods 〈…〉 Quest. Answ. Why God giveth not hâ—aveÌ„ as soone as he giveth grace and favour Doct. Why â—hâ— day of judgment is called the revelation of Iesus Christ. Vse Vse Object Solut. Of those that think they feel more hardnesse of heart after assurance then before Our obedience must be â—he obedience of children in six respects Sorts of lust hatefull after calling Eight reasons why wâ— should avoid lust after 〈◊〉 Note Foure preservatives against lust Fashioning of our selves to sinne hath 7. things in it Vse How to know whether one sin presumptuousty or no. Quest. Answ. Why ignorance of all the sins of unregenerate men is rather named Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. 〈…〉 Of the 〈◊〉 of Gods 〈◊〉 Vse â— How many 〈◊〉 God cals men What our effectual calling is Why our â—onversion is tâ—rmed our callâ—ng How a true caâ—ling may be disâ—â—â—â—â—â— What we are called to Vse Vses Foure sorts of holinesse God holy three waies Doct. Who hâ—lps to 〈◊〉 12 Mâ—tives to holy conversation 〈…〉 Vse Vse Vse Doct. Quest. Answ. Vse Of the last judâ—ement and the certainty of it Vse Doct. What sâ—rts of wicked men shall sâ—eed â—ll at the last dâ—y Obâ—ect Solut. Vse Doct. 1 Quest. Answ. 2 Obâ—ect Sol. 3 Quest. 〈◊〉 4 Quest. Answ. 5 Quest. Answ. 6 Quest. Answ. 7 Quest. Anâ—sw 8 Quest. Answ. Vses We are sojourners as the Israelites were in 〈◊〉 Many 〈◊〉 from thence Vse Iob 10.5 Gen. 1.14 Psal. 31. Gal. 4.2 Acts 17.26 Iob 24.1 Aâ—â—s 1.7 Iob 14.1 1 Cor. 7.29 Doct. Vse Of a conversatâ—â—n with 〈◊〉 Vse Vse Vse Vse Vse Quest. Answ. We are redeemed from sixe things Our conversation is vaine in divers respects as we are unregenerate Divers sins in respect of which mens conversations are said to be vain Five degrees of redemption from a vaine conversation Seven signes of our redemptioÌ„ from a vaine conversation Vses Sixe waies by which sin is derived upon man How many wayes children are infected by the tradition of their fathers Quest. Answ. Vse Seven rules for Parents in ordering their children Vses Quest. Answ. Why Christ shed his bloud Quest. Answ. Why the bloud of Christ of all other things in his passion is most urged Vse Oâ— the preciousnesse of the blood of Chrâ—â—t What makâ—s the blood of Christ so precious Vse Christ like a lambe in six things The lambes in the ceremonial law what they signified in Christ. Quest. Answ. Vses Gods foure statute books Three sorts of the Elect. Vse Quest. Answ. Doct. Quest. Answ. Doct. 3. Vses Christ manifested five waies Doct. Vse Vse Quest. Answ. Doct. 1. Vses Vse Of five things concerning faith Vse Vse Doct. Vse Vse 7. Rules for