must be just ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 3 God is wont to deal well with such as fear him Exod. 1 20 21. God dealt well with the mid-wives because they feared God Deut. 5.29 Oh that there were such an heart in them to fear me that it might be well with them Neh. 1.11 Eccles 8.12 I know it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him but it shall not be well with the wicked Why because he feareth not before God Mal. 2.5 My covenant was with Levi of life and peace and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me and was affraid before my name Luke 1.50 His mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation Deut. 6.18 He that feareth God shall come forth out of all trouble Eccles 7.18 4 The fear of God is a special mean to lengthen our days in this world Deut. 6.2 That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God to keep all his statutes that thy dayes may be prolonged now the reason why Gods fear lengthens our daies is because it makes a man take heed of such sins as would cut off life Prov. 10.27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death see the contrary threatning to wicked men Eccles 8.13 It shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his daies which are as a shadow why because he feareth not before God 5 Gods fear is one of the first graces that showes it self in the soul hence called the beginning of wisdom Job 28.28 and they that have it are said to have a good understanding Psalm 111.10 Deut. 10.12 What doth the Lord require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God c. 6 God hath excellent loving kindness laid up for those that fear him See this 1 in spiritual mercies as 1 understanding Gods secrets Psalm 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him 2 Pittifull affection as in a father towards his childe Psalm 103.11 so the Lord pittieth them that fear him 3 Healing and comfort Mal. 4.2 Unto you that fear my name shall the son of righteousness arise with healing under his wings 2 See it in temporal mercies as 1 strong confidence in evil times Prov. 14.26 in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence which is grounded upon promise of deliverance Psalm 85.9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him 2 A special eye of providence for the providing outward things for such Psalm 31 18 19. Behold the eye of the Lord is on them that fear him to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine Psalm 34.9 O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him Psalm 111.5 He hath given meat to them that fear him he will ever be mindfull of his Covenant q.d. Its part of Gods Covenant to give meat to them that fear him meat is put for all other provisions 3 There 's much contentedness of minde comes along with this grace of Gods fear in them that have it Prov. 15.16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord then great revenues and trouble therewith Pro. 19.23 The fear of the Lord tendeth to life and he that hath it shall abide satisfied Psalm 7.16 4 It 's a mean to obtain riches honour and life every man wishes for these three things oh then get Gods fear Pro. 22.4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honour and life 2 Use Trial whether we have Gods fear in us 1 when we think nothing too good for God but will let it go rather then sin Gen. 22.12 Lay not thine hand upon the lad for now I know thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thine onely son 2 When we fear to do any thing that is of bad report 1 Cor. 6.1 Dare any of you meaning Christians go to law before the unjust and not before the Saints Neh. 5.9 Ought we not to walk in the fear of the Lord because of the heathen 3 When we fear not the greatest of men in opposition to God Exod. 1.15 16. The King bad the Hebrew mid-wives kill the male children but they would not obey the King why was it the Text vers 17. gives the reason because they feared God they would not obey the King How did the three children out of fear to God not fear Nebuchadnezzar his burning fiery furnace Dan. 3.17 18 28. The Parents of Moses hid Moses three moneths and they not affraid of the Kings commandment Heb. 11.23 4 When we are fearfull of the private and secret stirrings of corruption in our own hearts Job 31.1 2. Job so apprehended Gods eye that he durst not have or harbour a lustfull thought see vers 4. This fear of God kept him from lifting up his hand against the fatherless when he saw his help in the gate for destruction from God was a terrour unto him vers 21.23 Deut. 15.9 10. Gods fear will be opposing proud revengefull unclean and hypocriticall thoughts in the soul 5 When hope or proffer of gain will not make us sin against God Peter would not take Magus his money Acts 8.20 Nor Elisha Naamans talents 2 Kings 5. Why he knew in his conscience it was no time for it Contrary in Balaam how fain would he have been fingring Balaks gold so Judas Demas 6 When we will not deliberately venture upon sin for fear of losse Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great evill and sin against God 1 Kings 22.13 14. Micaiah durst not flatter the King as the false prophets did John Baptist durst not forbear Herods sin though the Princes favor lay on one side and the loss of his life or hazzard thereof on the other Mat. 14.3 Such a man will not be drawn to sin for fear of offending a wife or husband where Gods fear is there will be a choice of affliction rather than iniquity 7 When we are affraid of doing any thing with a doubting conscience Rom. 14.22 23. 8 When we are affraid of the least evil Carnal men for shame of the world may avoid gross evils but where Gods fear is the soul is affraid of small sins 1 Sam 24.5 even for cutting the skirt of Sauls garment how much more was he of hurting Sauls person 1 Sam. 26.9 It s said of a godly man that he keeps his hand from doing any evil Isai 56.2 9 When we are affraid of sinfull temptations and occasions Gen. 39.10 Joseph would not hearken to his Mistris to ly by her or to be with her Prov. 5.8 Come not nigh the doors of her house Hos 4.15 that Judah might not offend with Israels Calve-worship the Prophet bids them not to come to Gilgal or Beth-aven where the Calves were God will not keep us from sin if we do not keep our selves from the occasions of it He that ventures upon the occasions of sin
18. We see it in Devils who believe and tremble Matth. 8.29 Contrarily filial fear hath quiet of heart joyned with it The heart is never in so good a temper as when it is most fearfull of sin Acts 9.31 The Churches walking in the fear of the Lord walked also in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Mal. 4.2 Unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness appear 4 Those that have slavish fear would fain be rid of it 1 Kings 22.26 Zedekiah goes from chamber to chamber to hide himself the wicked in fear of Gods judgment call to mountains and hills to hide themselves Revel 6.16 Contrarily Saints would still have the fear of God continue upon them nay if they finde it decaying they complain Isai 63.17 Lord why hast thou hardened my heart from thy fear 5 Slavish fear is from 1 The sting of a guilty conscience Deut. 28.65 66. The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and thou shalt fear day and night Saul 1 Sam. 13.7 when he was near the battle all the people followed him trembling Hypocrites in Sion looking on God as devouring fire fearfulness surprized them Isai 33.15 Paul preaching to Faelix of righteousness temperance and judgement to come he living an unrighteous and an intemperate life trembled to think of the judgement to come and was so stung with it that he was driven to make Paul leave off his preaching 2 From the expectation of future wrath Heb. 10.27 they have a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation Contrarily filial fear 1 Ariseth from faith Heb. 11.7 By faith Noah was moved with fear Isai 50.10 Or 2 From godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.11 Fear was one effect that godly sorrow wrought in the repenting Corinthians the soul having felt much inward sorrow for the evils it hath done is affraid to do the like evils again 3 From love to God we are affraid to offend those whom we love an husband fears to offend his wife a good childe fears to offend his father so the soul that loves God fears to offend him Motives to this Godly fear 1 Gods fear is a perpetual duty Some duties are but for a time and then at an end but this is perpetual Prov. 23.17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Yea We are to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear 1 Pet 1.17 Psal 19.9 The fear of the Lord endureth for ever Hence this duty is practised by glorified Saints who in heaven know evil as well as good but by the fear of God in them their wills are eternally determined to the choice of good 2 It 's a principal duty lying upon Saints above all people in the world Psal 34 11. Fear the Lord ye his Saints for God is wont to punish them more sorely then other men in this world when they sin against him Exod. 23.21 Provoke him not for he will not pardon your iniquities Deut. 32.19 Amos 3.2 As men that have more to lose then others are affraid to offend Princes so the Saints that have more to lose then the rest of the world should be affraid to offend the King of heaven they may in case they sin lose Gods face Isai 50.10 the peace of their consciences and be smitten with temporal strokes 1 Cor. 11.32 3 It 's an honourable Character to be a man fearing God 1 Kings 18.12 It 's said of Obadiah That he feared the Lord from his youth Job 1.1 Job was a man fearing God and eschewing evil Hananiah Neh. 7.2 Cornelius feared God and all his house feared God Yea a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Prov. 31.30 4 The children of God have found much comfort in this grace Neh. 1.11 Let thine ear be attentive to thy servants that desire to fear thy Name Yea when they finde no other grace in their hearts but this grace yet are they commanded to stay their hearts herein Isai 50 10. Contrarily they have been much troubled if they have found either a want or a decay of this grace 5 Gods fear as at other times so especially in evil times is a principal treasure to good men Isai 33.6 The fear of the Lord is his treasure The meaning of the place is from Gods fear arises all prosperity to supply us as out of a treasure arises money to supply our needs 6 Gods fear is the most watchfull affection as being conversant about danger How often would temptations captivate us were it not for this in-dwelling grace in Saints Jer. 32.40 This grace doth as it were stand Centry for the soul Psal 119.11 7 The attributes wherein God stands related to us 1 His power and justice Job 37.23 24. He is excellent in power and judgement and plenty of justice men do therefore fear him 2 The pitifull affection or disposition God bears to them that fear him Psal 103.13 As a father pities his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in what ever Nation such Saints be God being no respecter of persons they are accepted of God with a favourable respect Acts 10.35 8 The relations wherein we stand ingaged to the Lord 1 Of servants If earthly servants must have a fear of their masters according to the flesh Eph. 6.5 ought not we to the Lord Hence the Lord expostulates Mal. 1.6 If I be a master where is my fear 2 Of children What dutifull child stands not in fear of offending his father Heb. 12.9 We gave earthly parents reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live 9 Gods fear sweetens a low condition Prov. 15.16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord then great revenues and trouble therewith that is then great revenues got with a wounded and troubled conscience Psal 37.16 10 Such men as fear God are blessed Prov. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes They are often blessed in this world especially when a delight in Gods law is joyned therewith Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord his seed shall be mighty upon earth wealth and riches shall be in his house c. Also in the world to come they are blessed Rev. 11.19 When the time comes that the dead shall be judged there is a reward to be given to all that fear Gods Name both small and great Come we to the second thing viz. The true fear of God where it is eats out the fear of men we see it in Moses parents Moses himself in the Mid-wives Exod. 1.19 in Shadrach Meshech and Abednego Psal 27.1 3 The third point is God is able to destroy soul and body in hell This is called the second death Rev. 20.6 called a double destruction Jer. 17.18 The bodies of all that are in the graves shall come forth John 5.28 They that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation death and grave gives them
Manasses begat Amon who had a short Reign and a wicked he reigned two years 2 Kings 21.20 21. and trespassed more and more without humiliation 2 Chron. 33.23 V. 11. And Josias begat Jechonias and his Brethren abou the time they were carried away to Babylon Josias begat Jechonias this Josias is said to walk in all the ways of David and not turn aside 2 Kings 23.2 his heart was humbled and tender at Gods threatnings against Jerusalem v. 19. he turned to God with all his heart soul and might 2 Kings 24.25 Josias had four Sons Johanan Joakim Zedekiah and Sallum 1 Chron. 3.15 now none of his Sons are called Jechonias Hierom on the first of Daniel saith that Porphiry objected this place to the Christians so did Julian as Hierom mentions on Matth. 1. Some think the fault was in the Libraries who being deceived with the likeness of the words Jojakim who was Josiah's Son and Jojacin who was his Grand-childe razed out the former as superfluous not considering that they lost one of the two and forty Generations hereby but this fault was not in all the Copies for Robert Stephan out of ancient Books restores the place thus Josias begat Jakim Jakim begat Jechonias and his Brethren and the very matter it self speaks forth the truth of Stephan's Copy so that the reading is to be restored Josias begat Jakim and his Brethren and Jakim begat Jechonias which lineal Descent appears Jer. 22.18 where Jehojakim is called the Son of Josiah and Coniah the Son of Jehojakim v. 24. the word Jah being taken from his name as some have thought in contempt About the time they were carried to Babylon there were two carryings away into Captivity in the first whereof Jehojakim was carried away captive 2 Kings 24 12. this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Transmigration when Jehojachim yielded himself to the King of Babylon freely whether upon the perswasion of Jeremy or otherwise The second was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Captivity when Zedekiah rebelled against the King of Babylon so that Jerusalem was taken by force Jer. 39.7 Three several times the People were carried away in the Captivity at that time See Jer. 52.27 28 29 30. V. 12. And after they were brought to Babylon Jechonias begat Salathiel and Salathiel begat Zerubbabel Jechonias begat Salathiel which appears Hag. 1.1 14. Obj. But Jechoniah is writ childless Jer. 22.10 Answ He is not said to be childless because he had no Children for it appears he had v. 28. but childless in respect of the Kingdom because none of his Posterity were to sit upon the Throne of David v. 30. Besides it appears Jeconiah had eight Sons whereof Salathiel was one 1 Chron. 3.17 18. Salathiel begat Zerubbabel this Zerubbabel brought the Jews out of Babylon into Judea Zach. 4.6 9 10. a Type of Christ who brings his People out of mystical Babylon to Sion V. 13. Moreover Zerubbabel begat Abiud Abiud begat Eliakim Eliakim begat Azor. In this last Tesseradecas or fourteenth Generation are reckoned up not Kings but chief Rulers they that followed Salathiel in Luke are supposed to have had two names according to Philo till you come to Simeon so that Neri is the same with Jechonias and Melchi with Joakim V. 14 15. And Azor begat Sadoc and Sadoc begat Achim and Achim begat Eliud and Eliud begat Eleazar and Eleazar begat Matthan and Matthan begat Jacob. There 's nothing spoken of these nine Generations in Scripture but it 's like the Evangelist took them out of the Tables of the Families preserved in Captivity or rather that the Spirit did inspire the Evangelist herein V. 16. And Jacob begat Joseph the Husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus which is called Christ Jacob begat Joseph the Husband of Mary the Pagans and Jews have vented sundry Questions against this as Celsus in Origen l. 2. and Julian and others mentioned in Maldonate They reason either Jesus was naturally begotten of Joseph and so could not be the son of God naturally or else the Genealogy of Joseph proves nothing concerning the generation of Christ that he was of the linage of David Answ Though Joseph were the supposed father of Christ yet his genealogy proves that Jesus was the son of David because Mary his mother was of the Tribe of Judah and family of David which appears because Joseph was a just man and fearing God therefore he maried a wife of the same Tribe and she also feared God and so the bond of a command of God lay upon both their consciences which is mentioned Numb 36.6 7 8. Let them marry to whom they think best onely to the Tribe of the family of their father shall they marry so shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from Tribe to Tribe and every daughter that possesseth an inheritance shall be wife unto one of the family of her father that the children of Israel may every one enjoy the inheritance of his father 2 Before Joseph and Mary came together Mary was with childe of Jesus Matth. 1.18 she remaining still a Virgin vers 23. Now vers 1. Jesus is said to be the son of David the son of Abraham Matth. 1.1 therefore Christ must needs be the son of David by the mother therefore Mary his mother was the daughter of David which further appears Luk 1.32 he shall be called the son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David Quest But why doth Matthew reckon up the Genealogy of Joseph rather then Mary Answ It was a custom among the Jews that the Genealogies of the men not of the women should be reckoned up 2 He could not so well have set down the Genealogy of Mary if he had not also set down Joseph her husband who was of the Tribe of Judah which proved her being a godly woman to be also of the same Tribe because it was not lawfull to marry otherwise 3 It appears that Mary as well as Joseph was of the same Tribe and linage for though the Jewish women might marry to one of another Tribe yet if in their fathers house there was no heir male and so the females happened to succeed in the inheritance to keep the inheritance in the same Tribe and that it might not pass to another the inheriting woman was bound to marry one of her own Tribe Numb 27.7 4 Because Christ was born after the espousing of Joseph and Mary therefore Christ might be ascribed to Joseph and Mary he had as it were power of the body of the Virgin and therefore of the fruit of her body Besides the off spring that is born in wedlock whensoever or howsoever begotten is ascribed by all Civil Laws unto the husband and wife so married Therefore as Christ is truly the son of Mary though he be not naturally but supernaturally born of her so is he also the son of Joseph because God attributes this fruit unto him as a reward
Josephs knowing her so to be but Joseph was slow in believing her till the Angel appeared to him Qu. Is there no use to be made of dreams now Answ 1 There are d vers sorts of dreams as 1 Natural so the things which the sense on the day time carries over to the understanding being more deeply setled there are sent back again to the fancy or common sense and this not only in men but in bruits A dream cometh through multitude of business Eccles 5.3 2 Moral which arises from wise discourses and reading books 3 Diabolical which come from Satan such are filthy dreams of which Jude 8 against these the ancient Church prayed Hâ—stemque nostrum comprime ne polluantur corpora Bridle our enemy that our bodies be not defiled 4 Divine so God appeared to Solomon 2 Chron. 7.12 13. Sometimes God hath appeared thus twice Job 33.14 15. twice he appeared thus to Paul Acts 16.9.18.9 and so he appeared to Pilates wife Matth. 27.19 2 There may be use made of dreams as the Urine or Pulse are signes of sickness or health so dreams may shew us what our natural complexion is and what humour is predominant where yellow Choler abounds there we dream of fire strife and fightings where black Choler abounds men dream of smoke darkness funerals where Phlegme abounds men dream of showers of rain wells of water rivers and such things as have a cold moisture where Bloud abounds men dream of things beautifull clear and sweet Martyr out of Galen tells of a man that dream'd he had a thigh of stone and in a few days after he fell into a palsey and of another that dream'd he fell into a cistern of bloud which signified aboundance of bloud and that he stood in need of bloud letting Sometimes in sleep men seem to have such a burthen they cannot bear it sometimes to be so light that they do as it were flye which is nothing else but the excess and defect of humours To conclude dreams of preferment do too much point out ambition in us unclean dreams do too much point out wandring imaginations on the day time or excess of gluttony at night terrible dreams may put us in minde what we might look for if God were not more merciful favorable and successful dreams may put us in minde what we might expect if our sins did not stand in the way But for Divine dreams when they are it s like the understanding on the day time hath been well employed in Divine things and the frequenter they are they denote perhaps a better frame of spirit aspiring after Divine things Yet as we are not to expect direction from them God having spoken cleerly by his Son so are we not altogether to slight them seeing God hath formerly manifested himself by them besides God hath not lost any of his prerogative but that he can manifest himself by them yet The third part is the ground of Josephs consolation which is For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost because fear will not be cast out by words but by reasons the Angel gives a reason why Joseph should not fear viz. because that which Joseph feared was an act of adultery was of the Holy Ghost and therefore he had cause rather to rejoyce then to grieve because of his spouse Mary the long lookt-for Messias was now to be born Such a message Joseph had at another time when he was in his fear Luk. 2.10 the Angel said Fear not for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy for unto you is born in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And therefore thou Joseph mayest take her from her friends or kindred to be thy wife and thou mayest with a quiet conscience live with her Moreover the Angel calls him the Son of David to raise up Josephs heart to consider that he as well as his wife was of that family to descend from whom the Messias was promised to all the believers of the Old Testament and so he the said Joseph should have the honour to be the civil father of this Messias as the Virgin his wife had the honour to be his natural mother And therefore vers 16. it s said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which in the feminine gender Christ was begotten not of whom to prove that Joseph was onely a civil father provided to take care of the Virgin and the Messias she went with V. 21. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Here is a second ground to quiet Josephs heart taken from the quality or excellency of this son whom the Virgin should bring forth he should be a Saviour to save his people Bring forth a son Not as the Valentinians who taught that Christ brought a heavenly body from heaven and passed through the Virgin as a channel but as the Virgin truly conceived Christ so she brought him forth according to Esa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and shall bring forth a son and therefore thy spouse is not an adultress but a most pure Virgin This the Angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary Luk. 1.31 That she should bring forth a son and call his name Jesus and here the Angel tells the same in effect to Joseph And thou shalt call his name Jesus Fathers usually gave names to their children Jacob called his son Benjamin though his mother called him Benoni Gen. 35.18 Zacharias named his son John Luk. 1.63 yet sometimes the mother as Hanna called her son Samuel 1 Sam. 1.20 His name Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his saving Christ is the name of his Office Jesus of his Nature and Person the name in the Old Testament is Jehoscua ascribed unto Joshua the Captain and to Joshua the Priest in the Type but to Christ in the truth because he is the alone Saviour of his People Acts 4.12 Heb. 7.25 He is able to save them that come unto God by him for though Baptism is said to save 1 Peter 3.21 and Preachers 1 Tim. 4.16 Baptism doth save by way of signification Preachers as Instruments by way of publication For he shall save his People from their sins three things are considerable 1. Whom Christ saves Resp All Believers because by faith alone this salvation is received all his Body for he is called the Saviour of the body Ephes 5.23 2. From what Christ saves Resp From their sins which would bring them to Hell as a Physician brings a Potion to his Patient not to kill Death but to kill the Disease that would bring the Patient unto Death so Christ came not to quench the Flames of Hell but to save his People from their sins which would bring them to Hell Now Jesus saveth us 1. From the power of sin Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under
grace 2. From the punishment of sin 1 Thess 1.10 Jesus who delivered us from the wrath to come 3. From the guilt of sin Rom. 8.1 There 's no condemnation to them that are in Jesus 4. From the weariness and burden of sin Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden I will give you rest 5. From the remainders of sin this will be in another World Rom. 7.24 25. Who shall deliver me from this body of death I thank God through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 3. The means whereby Christ sayes viz. his Death and Intercession If when we were Enemies we were reconciled by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Rom. 5.10 1. By his living to make Intercession for us as it is expounded Heb. 7.25 wherefore he is able to save to the utmost them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them This is one Argument of Christ his Godhead to save his People from sin for it 's applied to Jehova Psalm 130.8 He shall redeem his People from all their iniquities If there were a Physician in the World that could save a man from all Diseases multitudes of Patients would come to him how should Believers then come to Christ who saves his People from all their sins Psalm 103.1 2. As the Woman that had the Bloudy Issue touching Christ was healed so we touching Christ by the hand of faith the bleeding wounds of our sins are stanched This is true tidings of joy to all believing souls that such a Saviour is born Luke 2.10 11. V. 22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying The Evangelist sets down a third ground to stablish Joseph's heart and together with him the hearts of all other Believers viz. that this Prediction of a Virgins bringing forth was foretold seven or eight hundred years ago in the Reign of King Ahaz Isai 7.14 Joseph at first was ready to be startled at these strange News the Angel told him but when he heard that all that the Angel told him was confirmed by the Scriptures this brought full satisfaction The sum of the Promise was that not onely that God would save the House of David Isai 7.13 from the Syrians and Men of Israel their Enemies v. 8 9. but that also he would save the believers among them from their spiritual Enemies and because the matter seems hard to believe the Lord gives them a sign to confirm it viz. Behold a Virgin remaining a Virgin still shall be with childeâ— so that as in Painting or Building there are first rude Lines or Draughts made by the Painters who after by degrees perfect that which they had conceived in their mindes according to the Idaea therein so as the Lord had prophesied of a Virgins conceiving so now he perfects and fulfils it so that as the calling of the Israelites out of Egypt Hosea 11.1 was a Shadow of the Deliverance of the Sons of God out of the spiritual Egypt of Hell so these things told then by Isai did shadow out what was now fulfilled V. 23. Bernard thinks the Devil fell out of envy envying men that Dignity that God should become Man Behold a Virgin shall be with childe and shall bring forth a Son and they shall call his Name Emmanuel which being interpreted is God with us The Evangelist sets forth not onely the sum of the Prophesie but the wonderfulness of it Behold this Adverb still points out attention and admiration Behold as if he should say Men and Angels wonder at this strange unheard of thing that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth Emmanuel that is God-Man Jer. 31.22 The Lord hath created a new thing upon earth A Womam shall compass a man Some men will not wonder at any thing to conceal their own ignorance but here is a providence to admire all And they shall call his Name Emmanuel that is being interpreted God with us that is not onely spiritually that is reconciled to us 2 Cor. 5.19 but because the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us John 1.14 They shall call all the saithfull and many others shall so call him God with us for this Pronoun Relative they hath respect unto a plurality See Luke 12.20 Luke 16.9 Quest How can Jesus be called Emmanuel Resp Not in sound but in sense Christ was called Emmanuel from the Dignity of his Person and he was called Jesus from his Office and effects of it and in all this it sell out that the Prophesie of Esaias was fulfilled Shut your eys without Christ and say that you know no other God but he that was in the bosom of Mary and suckt her Breasts Where that God Christ Jesus is there is whole God or the whole Divinity found the Father and the Spirit Luth. in Ps 130. I shall also add what a late Writer adds to interpret this Prophesie viz. that within a space of time wherein a Virgin might marry and conceive and bring forth and the Childe come to the distinguishing of good and evil Isai 7.14 15. Rezin and Pekah Ahaz his two Enemies should be brought low and from this he calls an high improved sense over and above the vulgar sense which belonged to the words that from this place the Spirit should gather that a Virgin should bring forth a Son V. 24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him and took unto him his Wife Here we have Joseph's obedience to the Angel seen first in taking unto him his Wife as the Angel bad him When we are convinced of Gods Commands we must neither dispute them nor delay them Psalm 119.60 now Joseph takes both Mother and Childe into his tuition V. 25. And knew her not untill she brought forth her first-born Son and called his Name Jesus Here is the second thing wherein Joseph's obedience to the Angel was seen viz. in not knowing his Wife he means in a matrimonial way as it is taken Gen. 4.1 to make it appear that Christ was not conceived of Joseph but of the Holy Ghost So the phrase is taken Num. 31.35 1 Sam. 1.19 No doubt the Angel had given Joseph command herein not to know her because he did as the Angel commanded this was done as for the stablishing of our Faith on Jesus Christ as being conceived in such a wonderfull manner so for to verifie the Promise that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 Untill she brought forth her first-born Son It is not for us to contend to finde whether the Virgin Mary were a Virgin ever after she brought forth her first-begotten Son it is curious to seek and more curious directly to define that son is said to be the first-born before whom there was none though he were the onely begotten This word untill oft signifies an
Christ and the work of the sufferings of the Infants and therefore the Text says not There is a Reward to the Will but to the Work Of this sort are all such Infants which have been murdered for Christ and out of hatred to Christian Religion These Lambs were to be sacrificed because the Lamb of the World was to be crucified as Augustine saith Serm. 1. de Innocent In that then Christ suffered the Tyrant Herod to rage against these Infants it was not out of any careless respect unto them but in reference to their Crown and to let us see the watchfull providence of God how it 's able to dispoint the Projects of the greatest Tyrants and to let us see the frame of the hearts of tyrannous Princes that will do any mischief to get or keep a Kingdom The fourth part of the Chapter V. 19. But when Herod was dead behold an Angel of the Lord appeareth in a Dream to Joseph in Egypt In the remaining part of the Chapter we have three things 1 The Angels appearance to Joseph in Egypt v. 19. set down from the circumstance of time viz. when Herod was dead 2 The Angels Message to Joseph which was to take the young Childe and his Mother and to go into the Land of Israel amplified from the Reason For they are dead which sought the young Childe's life v. 20. 3 Joseph's obedience v. 21. He took the young Childe and his Mother and came into the Land of Israel v. 21. His faith is amplified 1 From some weakness that accompanied it v. 22. When he heard that Archelaus Herod's son did reign he was afraid 2 From the Victory over that Weakness and Fear being warned of God the second time in a Dream he came into Galilee and dwelt in Nazareth But when Herod was dead This Tyrant reigned seven and thirty years Joseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 10. Now he is dead but Christ lives Christ was now about four years old he went the year before Herod's death and tarried two years there in Egypt The Angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a Dream God forsakes not his People in any place no not in Egypt No place so mean that Angels disdain to go into for the good of Saints Heb. 1.14 Here 's the perseverance of Joseph's faith he stirs not a foot till he was called back by the command of God V. 20. Saying Arise and take the young Childe and his Mother and go into the Land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young Childes life Here is the Angels command to Joseph backt with a Reason They are dead c. These words agree with that Exod. 4.19 Go return into Egypt for all the men are dead which sought thy life to shew some proportion betwixt the bringing of Israel out of Egypt by Moses and betwixt the Redemption of Mankinde from Sin and Death by Christ Fears are apt to startle us in our obedience hence the Angel removes the Danger that Joseph may not fear Go into the Land of Israel That the Childe might be brought up there lest he should seem to be an Egyptian and that Joseph might together with the Virgin enjoy the benefit of Ordinances whereof they had been long deprived and that their expence might be lessened which doubtless was not little being in a strange Land V. 21. And he arose and took the young Childe and his Mother and came into the Land of Israel Here 's Joseph's obedience Our obedience ought to be chearfull Psalm 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandments Also present Psalm 119.60 I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments 3 Universal as Joseph's was to go into Egypt to stay there to come out 4 Conscientious done out of a Command of God for God's Commands ty the Conscience such was Joseph's obedience here he moved from the Command the Angel gave him from God V. 22. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod he was afraid to go thither notwithstanding being warned of God in a Dream he turned aside into the parts of Galilee But when he heard that Archelaus did reign Joseph hoped that now Judea would be brought into a Province of the Roman Emperour of whom he would have been less afraid than of petty Kings that are fearfull upon every suspition and therefore cruel and besides Archelaus was more cruel than the rest of his Brethren Herod had nine Wives by two of them he had no Issue by the other seven he had nine Sons and three Daughters Alexander Aristobulus and Antipater which three he put to death in his life-time Joseph Antiq. cap. 17. and lib. 1. de Bello Jud. cap. 17. Also he had Herod Archelaus Antipas Philip c. Now Herod made two Wills in the former he made Antipas the Heir of the Kingdom in the later he made Archelaus King of Judea and Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee and Philip Tetrarch of Trachonitis therefore Joseph thought either that no King would succeed Herod and indeed Archelaus was King onely by courtesie not by Caesar's appointment or if any King should succeed it should be Antipas according to Herod's first Testament but it proved otherwise hence Joseph was afraid and so much the more as Chemnicus observes because Archelaus was a bloudy man who commanding in his Horse among a Multitude of People slew and wounded three thousand persons against whom the Jews rebelled and Caesar nine or ten years after banisht him for his cruelty To free Joseph from this fear the Angel commands him to turn aside into Galilee and to dwell in Nazareth The causes why Joseph was afraid of Archelaus was lest as his Father so he should seek the Life of the Childe Christ being thus placed in Nazareth came not into Judea till he was about twelve years old because now Archelaus was banished and in Archelaus the Offspring of Herod ceased to reign in Judea and the Roman Governours ruled in his stead who probably had not so much as heard of Christ It will not be amiss to understand this History from the Egg as Cor. Lapide cites it out of Josephus Eusebius and Zonaras Herod being dead in the 37 year of his Reign his two Sons that remained Archelaus and Herod Antipas contended about the Succession of the Kingdom Augu-Caesar committed this Controversie to Caius Caesar his Nephew to be decided his Award was to judg the Kingdom to neither of them but dividing it into four Tetrarchies appointed it to be governed by four Tetrarchs he gave to Archelaus Judea to Antipas Galilee to Philip the third Brother Trachonitis and to Lysanias he gave Abilene as appears Luke 3.1 When therefore Matthew says Archelaus reigned it was not as King but onely as Tetrarch or Governour of a fourth part of the Nation after nine years of his Tetrarchy Archelaus was banished seven years before Augustus's death Archelaus being banisht Augustus placed three Presidents over Judea Coponius
They hatch Cockatrioe Eggs and weave the Spiders Web he that eateth of their Eggs dieth and that which is crushed breaketh out into a Viper Besides John hereby would not onely inform them of their poysonous malice and hypocrisie but would inform them of their natural pollution they bring into the world Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come As if he should say Ye live so securely as if there were no vengeance after this Life you Sadduces think there is no Hell and you Pharisees are so presumptuous that you think you need not fear Hell but who hath told you so It is your own carnal confidence 2 You were never brought to the sight of your sin and the punishment due for it why then will you come to my Baptism which is a sign of remission of sins 3 Some take it as a word of Admiration as if John should say I cannot be brought to think that you do repent though you profess it but if it be possible for you to escape it it must be by Faith and Repentance certainly that your Consciences may be awakened know there 's much difficulty herein Matth. 23.31 Serpents Generation of Vipers how can ye escape the Damnation of Hell From the wrath to come He means not destruction by the Romans but principally hell fire the other is not excluded wrath hath lain upon them sixteen hundred years of which Christ speaks Luke 23.28 29 30 31. Zach. 5.11 The Ephah or the full measure of the sins of the Synagogue were caried into the Land of Shinar that is they were scattered all abroad as the inhabitants of the earth were at the confusion of tongues in the Land of Shinar and the ephah was stablished upon her own base to signifie that by their new blasphemies against Christ and hardness of heart that all the world may look upon their banishment and misery as they do upon a pillar set upon a base or foundation without hope of deliverance till their conversion be accomplished Rom. 11.25 2 John means hell fire Matth. 23.33 which he opposes against the Kingdome of heaven v. 2. q. d. the Souldiers and Publicans and common people have come to me Luk. 3.12 13. What shall we do and what shall we do and I have shewed them a way to escape wrath but what shall I do with you you see not your sin and then how can you be healed and being not healed how can you escape wrath even hell fire Obs The judgements of God ought seriously to be applied to hardened and impenitent sinners Psal 11.6 7.68.21 Rom. 2.5 8. 2 Thes 1.8 1 Peter 4.17 V. 8. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for Repentance John layes down next after his reprehension an exhortation to the Pharisees and Sadduces to bring forth fruits that is to say Works worthy of Repentance Acts 26.20 He means not a worthiness of merit as if our Works could deserve any thing at Gods hand nor as if our Works of congruity or the moral Works of natural men could deserve so much of God that he should be bound to enable us to do Works of Repentance or condignity to deserve any thing from God but he means a worth of sutableness as a bountifull Lady is worthy of a liberal Lord or Gentleman that is she is sutable So bring forth Fruits worthy of Repentance that is sutable or declarative of your Repentance as if he should say Shew that you do not come with a counterfeit Repentance but let your outward signs of Repentance as care of pleasing God hatred of former sins good Works contrary to your former evil Works tears and sighs evidence the inward Repentance of your hearts and this is the way and means of escaping the wrath to come wherewith I have threatned you You O Sadduces repent of your Atheism you O Pharisees turn the pride of your own Righteousness into self-abasement your seeming sanctity into real sincerity your covetousness and griping to Alms and Restitution your secureness to godly fear let there be some sutableness though we do not enjoyn a Popish commensurate equality betwixt your Sorrow and Humiliation and your former sins as Peter for Denial wept bitterly Matth. 26.75 Not to give satisfaction to God which onely Christ his Bloud doth but to shew your turning away from sin and your grief for what is already done and to shew you earnestly wish it were undone and that you would not upon any terms do it were it to do again Besides Fruits worthy of Repentance implies a vehemency of affection for God as formerly we have had for sin a burning affection to God as formerly we have had to sin to yield our members weapons of righteousness as formerly they have been weapons for sin Rom. 6.13 19. Finally know Repentance is an inward Grace seated in the Heart but the Fruits of it are brought forth in the course of our Life V. 9. And think not to say within your selves We have Abraham to our father for I say unto you God is able of these Stones to raise up Children unto Abraham The words are a Discovery of the false rests these Phariand Sadduces had which the Baptist lays open in order to their repentance As whereas thou calls us a generation of Vipers we are Abrahams seed whereas thou exhorts us to repent we are a holy nation whereas thou threatens us with the wrath to come if any such thing be it belongs to Reprobates But we are the elect people of God if God should cast off us that are the sons of Abraham then his promise would take no effect Rom. 9.5 but he would be unfaithful To this John answers The Children of the promise are counted for the seed and not the children of the flesh Rom. 9.8 Birth priviledges may inright you to the Land of Canaan but it cannot inright you to the promise of spiritual blessings here nor glory hereafter You do not imitate the Faith and works of Abraham but the wickedness and treachery of your ancestors since Abraham therefore you are not the Children of Abraham nor an holy Nation but a generation of Vipers and in vain do you as many in these days do imagine the promises to belong to the carnal seed This still was the Jews foolish boasting that they were Abrahams seed Joh. 8.33 and thence thought themselves free and needed no other freedome when Christ at the same time tells them they were the Bond-slaves of sin till such times as he freed them and tells them v. 39. that if they were Abrahams children they would do the works of Abraham The words are as if John should say Though you Pharisees and Sadduces go to Hell the promise made to Abraham will not in the least jot be made void being it is not made to them that succeed in the flesh but to them that succeed in the faith and works of Abraham whether they be Jews or Gentils God is able of these stones to raise up Children unto Abraham
by Stones is meant either the Rocks that lay upon the Banks or shore of Jordan Luke 19.40 If these should hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out Neither was this other then when God made man of the dust of the earth and breathed into him a living soul Some by Stones understand the Gentiles from whom the Jews did expect Faith and Godliness as from the Stones neither is it incredible for God to make Children of Stones seeing Isaac was begotten from Abraham when his body was dead to her being an old woman though afterwards he had Children by Keturah a young woman and Sarahs body also Rom. 4.19 For Abrahams dead body is resembled to a Stone Isa 51.1 Look unto the Rock whence ye are hewen q. d. You Pharisees Sadduces and Jews think if you should perish what would God do for an off-spring I tell you he is able to raise them from the Gentiles nay if need were from the dead or liveless Rocks whence your self at first had your beginning and wherewith at present your hearts have some resemblance and similitude as God turned Lots Wife into a Pillar which was standing many hundred years yea even in Josephus his time so can the same God turn a Stone into a Man doing that bodily which he doth spiritually taking away an heart of Stone and giving an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 Obs There is an Omnipotence in God to do whatsoever can be done even what he wills Psal 115.3 Matthew 26.53 2 The spiritual promises of God are not tied to fleshly issue Rom 9.6 7 8 9. Gal. 3.7 29. but to the Children of promise to raise up children to Abraham setting forth the manner how Abraham should have Children not by begetting onely but by raising up As in the Law they that were born of the brother remaining alive were sons to the deceased brother not by nature but by Law so all believers are planted into Abraham and become not Children of the flesh but Children of the promise Rom. 4.12 13. The Baptist Christ and the Apostles endeavour to take away the pride and Carnal confidence conceived from the Holiness of their ancestors Abraham as a common father or trustee received the promises from God which belong to all believers Hence Abraham is called a father like unto God Rom. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in spirituality as God is to his Children for the believing Gentiles are not descended from his Loyns 2 In universality so that as God is an universal Father not onely of the believing Jews but also of the Gentiles Rom. 4.17 so was Abraham V. 10. And now also the Ax is laid to the Root of the Trees therefore every Tree which bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewen down and cast into the Fire The Ax is laid to the Root of the Trees Here is a Motive to stir up the Pharisees and Sadduces to Repentance because laid his Ax to the Root of the Trees By Trees he means Men or Jews Matth. 12.33 Make the Tree good and his Fruit good By Ax he means 1 the Threatnings of the Word which were now laid to the Roots of mens hearts Every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewen down as Husbandmen do with Trees that cease bearing Fruit they cut them down to make fire-wood of them so will the Lord do with you Jews Luke 13.7 Cut it down why cumbreth it the Ground John 15.6 Withered Branches are by the Husbandman cast into the Fire and burned Every Tree which bringeth not forth good Fruit Every Man Woman City among you is hewen down and cast into the Fire Whereas you think you being once the People of God shall still so continue to be know ye that at present ye have the Ax laid to you you shall be cut off from your Root Abraham Rom. 11.22 And first ye shall be destroyed by the Romans 2 Ye shall be cast into the Fire of Hell for your unfruitfulness 3 Your posterity shall be given up to a spirit of slumber They shall have Eys but not see Ears but not hear Hearts but not understand Rom. 11.8 For though Deut. 20.20 Fruit-trees were not by the Law to be cut down no not in time of a Siege yet Fruit-trees that either never bore or had done bearing might be used either in the Siege or for fire-wood Obs A present or speedy Judgment of God may be expected of those that under means of grace remain unfruitfull Trees Luke 13.6 7. John 15.6 7. Luke 20.16 Isai 5.4 5 6. V. 11. I indeed baptize you with Water unto Repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier than I whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire John's Ministry is set down from the difference betwixt him and Christ 1 Whereas the People might be apt to think him to be the promised Messias he tells them he was not he declares himself to be onely the Minister of outward Baptism but Christ who was shortly to be shewn to them was the Authour of inward Baptism The occasion of John's speech here is set down Luke 3.15 All men mused in their hearts whether John were the Christ John answers I indeed baptize you with Water c. I indeed baptize you with Water unto Repentance That is you Jews and repenting Publicans and Souldiers as appears Luke 3 10 11 12 13. I baptize you with Water unto Repentance already wrought which I judg by the confession of your sins v. 6. and by the profession of your Faith Acts 19.4 Not you Pharisees unto a future Repentance For John turns his speech from the Pharisees to the People doubting whether he were the Messias Luke 3.14 15 16. And therefore John's Baptism as also the Baptism of every Dispenser is not the Baptism of future Repentance but of present Repentance Acts 2.39 40. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Christ for the Remission of sins Hence Infants for want of present Repentance are excluded from Baptism what change of heart shame sorrow or hatred of sin can there be in them By baptizing persons to Repentance for time to come you make two Baptisms whereas the Scripture makes but one Baptism Ephes 4 5. But he that cometh after me is mightier than I Or more excellent 1 Both in Gifts and Grace 2 He it is that makes my Ministry effectual 3 He is the Bridegroom I am onely his Friend to sue for a Mariage betwixt you and him John 3.29 4 He must daily increase in his praise and esteem I must daily decrease in mine John 3.30 as the light of the Sun swallows up the light of a Star 5 I have the spirit in such a measure he hath the spirit out of measure John 3.34 6 Whereas I never did any Miracle among you John 10.41 he shall do Miracles raise up the Dead cast out Devils c. Whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear This is a
in some supposititious writings falsely ascribed unto him V. 11. Then the devil leaveth him and behold Angels came and ministred unto him We have here the victory over the tempter The devil brought the worst of his fiery darts but Christ overcomes him We may see the temptations of Satan are limited that God will not still suffer Satan to tempt 1 Cor. 10.13 nor us to be tempted above strength Luke adds when the devil had ended all the temptation â—e departed from him for a season Satan left not Christ altogether but onely for a season to let us know that the rest of his life was not free from temptations and to teach us that sometimes Satan politickly gives way to try afterwards whether he can finde us secure Satan will try whether we have not lost our former strength care or vigilance or whether God that now doth not will not at another time for some causes suffer us to be led into temptation Satan would come oftner but that God who knoweth our strength or rather our weakness will not suffer him Satan is apt to come again with the same temptation to see if he cannot tyre and weary us out with the anguish and vexation of it 2 Cor. 12.8 Satan thrice tempted Paul with pride and sometimes he changes his weapon Let us do as the Pilot doth have our compass ready and stand ready to turn your needle to any point knowing that your lust within is for any sin and Satan can as easily tempt us to prodigality as to covetousness Onely when Satan comes with some other weapon God doth it for our good as change of Physick is good for the body for the same Potion always used will not work so well so the longer we are used to the same temptation the less it worketh God will have Satan turn some other way to purge some other stream of lust Besides God will have us learn skill by experience at all sorts of weapons by the falls of Hezekiah and Jehosaphat and David learn we that when one temptation is over another will come which will be a mean to prevent spiritual pride and security As we must not be secure when the temptation comes but set against it before Satans suggestion joyn with our corruption set against it while it is young so let us not be secure when the storm of the temptation is blown over let us do as Mariners that mend their tacklings against another storm come We are apt to think we shall have no more such temptations and then comes the tempter Satan was never so beaten by any as by Christ yet he came again and again A man that is once well beaten in the Field will hardly be brought to fight with the same man again but it is not so with Satan We must have some good days to breath in else we should not be willing to live and more fits of Temptations we must have or else we should not be willing to dy And behold the Angels came and ministred to him Here 's the comfort Christ had after the Temptation was over Angels come to minister to him Consolations are wont to follow after Temptations Hereby Christ saw the Father had a care of him and whereas solitariness in a Wilderness was one Trial here 's the company of good Angels nor had he onely their company but also he had them ministring to him Meat and other necessaries till he came out of the Wilderness The word Behold le ts us see that this was no little wonder that the Son of God who was even now exposed to Satans scorns should have not onely one but divers Angels ministring to him The like was in his passion Luke 22. As in Battel when the Enemies are dispoiled and driven away Friends come to congratulate with us so the Devil being overcome the Angels come to rejoyce with Christ As the Angels ministred to Christ after his Combate so do they serve Believers they are all ministring spirits Heb. 1.14 but it 's not to Run-aways but to then who have valiantly stood it out Thus we see Satan's great Temptations 1 Distrust in Adversity 2 Presumptuous undertakings without a Call 3 To seek success in our Calling as Riches Honour c. without and against a Command of God The second part of the Chapter containing Christ's Preaching in Galilee in which observe 1 The time when which was when John was cast into Prison 2 The place where viz. in Galilee 3 The end wherefore Christ preached which was 1 For the fulfilling the Prophesie v. 14. 2 For the enlightening of those in darkness v. 15 16. 4 The subject matter of his Preaching which was the Doctrine of Repentance v. 17. V. 12. Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into Prison he departed into Galilee We have Christ's Preaching set forth 1 By the time when which was when Jesus heard that John was cast into Prison from that time Christ began to preach v. 17. which was as soon as John Baptist his fore-runner was cast into Prison of this mention is made Acts 10.36 37. The Word which God sent unto the Children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ that Word you know that was published throughout all Judea and began from Galilee after the Baptism which John preached This circumstance of time notes to us that this Jesus was the Lord whom they looked for who sent John as a Messenger to prepare the way of his Gospel which was prophesied by Isai cap. 40.6 and Malachy cap. 4 5 6. Hence the Disciples when they saw Elias come after Christ in the Transfiguration they scrupled saying Why do the Scribes say that Elias must first come Christ tells them that John Baptist was that Elias the fore-runner of Messiah according to those words of his father Zachary Thou Childe shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way namely as the Angel told him in the power and spirit of Elias Lukâ— 1.17 This John was Christ's fore-runner both in his Birth being born six Moneths before him and in his Preaching and also in his Passion and Suffering Matth. 17.12 Elias is come and they knew him not but have done to him whatsoever they listed even so also shall the Son of man suffer of them Now seeing the coming of Christ is twofold the first in the flesh the second to judg the World whether do not the Prophesies imply that there must be an Harbinger of his second coming as well as of his first for though the Prophesie of Isai 40.6 seems applicable onely to his first coming yet that Mal. 4 5. seems to be applicable to both his commings I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the coming of that great and terrible Day of the Lord and he shall turn or restore the hearts of the fathers to the children that is he shall bring the unbelieving Jews to have the same heart then holy fathers and
God which excells all the shining of Heaven and the brightness of precious stones This shadow or resemblance the Nobles and Elders of Israel saw yet upon them laid he not his hand nor slew them for they ate and drank delighting in the glorious resemblance they saw the common people did not see God in this shape for fear they should make an Idol or Image of him but the Nobles and Elders because they were wise men and men fearing God they saw this shadow or sight this is mentioned in opposition to that common fear Judges 13.22 Manoah saith to his Wife We shall surely die because we have seen God Object Moses saw Gods back parts Exod 33.18 20 compared with 22 23 having desired to see Gods glory v. 18 Answ Moses desired to see the divine essence not in it self but in some shape or figure that so he seeing the glorious majesty of God might declare it to the people He heard the voice of God and he would fain see the form of him that spoke to him as appears by Gods answer Thou canst not see my face for no man can see my face and live v. 20 but God answers Thou canst not see it for this shining of my face though it be bodily and assumed yet because in some respect it shadows out the brightness of my essence and majesty hence it is so great that no mortal eye can behold it but he would be dazzled and blinded with the shining thereof but there 's an hollow Rock in Sinah get thee in there and I will cover thee with a Cloud till my glorious Face pass by and then I will take away the Cloud that thou maist see my back parts like the hinder part of the Train of a Prince when he is past by so that the light there was so tempered that Moses could behold it and was greatly refreshed with it 2 There 's the sight of God in the Life to come and so Saints with glorified eys shall behold God Job 19.26 27 Though Worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God whom mine eys shall behold and not a stranger or a strange pair of eys though my Reins be consumed Matth 18.10 In Heaven their Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven 1 Cor 13.12 We see him now through a Glass darkly then face to face apprehensively according to our capacity not comprehensively according to his immensity and greatness V. 9 Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God Quest What is meant by peace-makers Answ Not onely those who interpose or come betwixt persons at ods but also shew themselves desirous of peace and in order thereto have their affections composed to peace themselves having first obtained peace from God Rom 5.1 Two things first the persons pronounced blessed viz. peace-makers and such as earnestly follow peace 2 The Reason For they shall be called the Children of God what ever the World account them they are most like to God In this World God calls them his Children though the World slight them and in the World to come they shall be called that is publickly manifested to be the Children of God Obs Persons that interpose to set others at peace and diligently follow peace themselves are blessed persons Reas 1. Because this peaceable disposition whereby we are thus peaceably affected flows from that peace persons have inwardly in their own hearts for as you see impure spirits are very unpeaceable as devils and wicked men Rom 3.17 so holy men are very peaceable as being the fruit of Christ's atonement Ephes 2.13 Glory be to God on high on earth peace good will towards men Luke 2.14 q d This was one fruit of Christ's Death to stablish peace among men 2 Because peace-makers are little accepted among men for those who undertake the Task of making peace sometimes they provoke one side Exod 2.13 Moses reproving the Israelite that wronged his fellow presently that person shews his spleen Who made thee a Judg over us Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian Sometimes peace-makers provoke both sides that both sides have such persons hence many will not take upon them that office being so thankless Christ therefore pronounces such persons blessed and therefore would have us to go on in this duty Cautions We are not to make sinfull agreements or peace-makings Nehem 5.6 7 8 as Jehu to Jehoram What peace so long as the Whoredoms of thy Mother Jezabel are many 1 Kings 9.22 Who will stand up with me against the evil doers Who will take my part against the workers of iniquity Psalm 94.16 2 The endeavours of Christians will not always take effect to obtain peace Psalm 120.5 6 7 Matth 10.34 Use Exhortion 1. To peace-making 2 To peace Follow peace-making and to put an end to Divisions betwixt man and man famous was Abraham who set all the Herdsmen at one by proffering to take the left hand or right Gen 13.8 Means to peace-making 1 By Exhortations breed in persons an eager desire after peace 1 By letting them see the mischief of strife Prov 17.14 The beginning of strife is as when one lets out Water therefore leave off strife before it be meddled with A similitude from those who digging away the dam or bank of a River the Waters flow out on every side so that there is no way either to call back them that are gone out or keep in those that yet are not gone out See it in Abimelech and the men of Sechem who falling at odds they destroyed one another Judges 9.23 If ye bite and devour one another as so many Dogs take heed ye be not destroyed one of another Gal 5.15 See the wofull end of strife James 3.16 There 's confusion and every evil work Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the end 2 It 's honorable to be at peace Prov 20.3 It 's an honor to a man to cease from strife 1 Sam 10.27 It was Saul's honor when children of Belial despised him and brought him no presents that he held his peace As one said to Luther Vince animos irámque tuam qui caetera vincis 2 For all Societies and Cities to chuse prudent holy men to make peace betwixt man and man Then would Courts of Justice have little to do whereto if there were the authority of a Prince to interpose to cause persons to stand to just arbitrations it will be of the more force and this practise well becomes Magistrates in Cities Elders in Churches 1 Cor 6.6 7 3 Make Propositions that may meet in the midst that neither party may have their whole desire in litigious cases with this Exception that it be not in matters of Religion here we can abate nothing we cannot bend the faith to politick ends This was Jeroboam's wickedness who altered the time and place of worship to accommodate his subjects 2 Exhortation to peace As we should make peace among
than he that is in the World Isai 43.1 2 When thou goes through fire and water the Lord will be with thee Rom 8.37 We are more than Conquerours How We are sure of Victory before we fight 1 Cor 10.13 5 There 's a day coming when God will reckon with all Persecutours Psalm 9.12 When he maketh inquisition for Bloud he remembereth them God will inquire who slew Hooper Bradford c. who articled against such and such who brought them before Ecclesiastical Courts High-Commissions Committees Assizes Sessions Psalm 12.5 For the sighing of the Prisoner will I arise 2 Thess 1.6 6 A great deal of good comes to Christians by suffering Persecution 1 Hereby affections come to be loosened from the World and to be fastened upon God Psalm 142.4 5 2 Christians formerly loosened one from another come now to be fastened The Children of one Father that fall out among themselves are soon united against a common Enemy 3 Persecutions tend to the furtherance of the Gospel Phil 1.12 1 By propagation or spreading of the truth Upon Stephen his Persecution many of the Brethren preached the Word of God far and near Acts 11.19 and the hand of the Lord was with them v. 21 to convert many 2 By confirmation of those who are weak in faith Phil 1.12 Many of the Brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the Word without fear 3 Hereby the World sees that God hath Worshippers who do not cleave unto him for worldly advantage Whiles for the hope of Israel they are bound with Chains Acts 28.20 and will not accept of Deliverance out of most painfull sufferings in hope of a better Resurrection Heb 11.35 7 Consider the cause for which thou sufferest set down 1 By the goodness of it Acts 5.41 Rejoycing they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name Rom 8.36 For thy sake we are killed all the day long Revel 1.9 John was in the Isle of Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ This cause is more worth than thousands of my Life 2 By the clearness It is not wrapt up in consequences and must have Sophisters to fetch it out but it 's clear Dan 3.16 the three Children said O Nebuchadnezzar we are not carefull to answer thee in this O King as if he should say We desire no clearer cause to lose our Bloud in It 's a comfort in suffering clearly to see our way 3 By the fewness of Witnesses and multitudes of Adversaries 2 Tim 1.15 4.16 when Paul came to witness before Nero all those of Asia forsook him at his first Answer 8 Consider the wofull condition that will befall Persecutours 1 Their strokes and malice falls on Christ Zach 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of mine Eye Acts 9.6 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me 2 They have extreme horrour of conscience Jer 20.2 3 Pashur was a Persecutour he smote Jeremiah and put him in the Stocks and God threatens to make him a terrour to himself and to all his friends Zedekiah who smote Micaiah 2 Kings 22.24 in a day of trouble goes from chamber to chamber to hide himself Herod was tormented with John's death 3 Such persons as persecute have upon them at present an evident token of perdition as you that suffer persecution have of salvation Phil 1.28 4 The people of God every where are imploring God against Persecutors Luke 18.7 Shall not God avenge his own clect that cry unto him daily I tell you he will avenge them and that right speedily Herod might have lived long had it not been that the Church was imploring God against him Acts 12.5 Lam 5.59 60 61 c. 5 Persecutors come to fearfull ends Acts 12.23 Herod was eaten up of worms Jezabel thrown out of a window and eaten up of dogs why She slew the Prophets of God Revel 6.9 10 11. 6 They are branded with infamy to posterity 2 Ti. 4.14 Alexander the Coppersmith did me much evil and greatly withstood my words Elimas Acts 13.10 there 's present information given among the godly who persecute 7 All godly men rejoice at the downfall of persecutors the Jews teasted when Haman was hanged When the wicked perish there is shouting Prov. 11.10 Let not this joy be out of personal hatred but because justice is glorified the Church delivered and Satans kingdome weakned 9 Submit to the providence of God in all persecutions and look to it for 1 If the hairs of our heads are noted by God much more our lives Matth. 10.29 30. 2 Persecutours cannot touch the soul Matth. 10.28 3 Our times Eberties estates are not in the hands of persecutors but in Gods hand Psal 31.13 14 15.83.4.5 Revel 2.10 for it is God gives us our cup to drink John 18.11 as mastiff dogs fall upon men when their chain is unloosed so do wicked men upon Saints when God unlooses his cham of providence 4 As in active obedience we labour that what we do may please God so in passive obedience endeavour that what God doth may please us 2 Sam. 15.25 26. Behold here I am let him do to me as seemeth him good Mark 14.36 Take away this cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done 1 Sam. 3.17 It is the Lord let him do what seems him good 5 In all persecutions and sufferings commit thy soul to God desire him to take care of that so Christ Luke 23.46 Father into thy hands I commit my spirit so Stephen Acts 7.59 As in times of extremity we commit our jewels into the hands of trusty friends when houses are on fire and there are combustions men have principal respects to their jewels and gold oh that I could save that The worst persecutors can do is to take away life when the body dies it 's like the setting of the Sun which in short time rises again Therefore in all persecutions commit your soul to God in well-doing 1 Pet. 4.19 as into the hands of a father We reade of many deceits in Scripture but we never reade of a father that beguiled his childe We must also commit our bodies and goods to God but we must be at a point with these if God will have them but we must not be so with our souls 6 Beware of indirect means of escaping that persecution which providence casts thee into In particular beware of cowardliness compliancy to great friends and kindred base shisting tricks and distinctions gluedness of heart to earthly things 2 Tim. 4.16 Imitate Antipas who held the faith though sure to die for it Revel 2.13 7 Consider that all second causes are onely instruments in the hand of God The wicked are called Gods sword Psalm 17.13 the staff in their hand is Gods indignation Esai 10.5 6. Who gave Jacob to the spoil and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord Esai 42.24 25. 2 Samuel 16.12 2 Use Consolation In sufferings and persecutions you have a kingdome
are written in the Law concerning me and my actions and mysteries which shall not in every point be fulfilled Till all be fulfilled That is till all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets 1 Concerning me and my actions be fulfilled 2 Till all things commanded promised and threatened be fulfilled V. 19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven In the words two things 1 A Threatning Whosoever shall break one of Gods Commands and teach others so he shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven 2 A Promise But whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments The scope of this place shews that this Verse hath respect unto the Teachers Hierom refers it to the words of the Law but others of the Ancients to the Commands of the Kingdom of Heaven which are the fulfilling of the Law Therefore Christ saith not Whosoever shall break one of the least of those Commandments but of these having respect to the foregoing Commandments to which blessedness was promised and to other Commands of an holy Example c. and also to the following Commands which contain a more large explication of things which are of eternal equity Christ argues If it were lawfull for no man to break the Law much less to break the Commands of the Gospel Heb. 2.23 Every transgression and disobedience of the Law received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Yea Christ saith Whosoever shall by his interpretation weaken the Law of Christ as the Pharisees did against whom Christ preached instructing his Apostles and Messengers to be Teachers of another Sect and that they are not to deprave the Commands of Christ by false Expositions as the Pharisees did The least of these Commandments That is there is not the least Command in these Sermons of Christ which any man can despise without the loss of salvation Some carry it to the Law of Nature contained in the Books of Moses which the Pharisees called small in respect of their traditions to which they gave a greater perfection than to Gods commands which is not to be despised Some think Christ hath respect to the distinction which the Pharisees gave of the Commands to wit greatest and least the greatest to be them which commanded external obedience as Thou shalt not kill c. the least which commanded the moderation of the affections as anger wrath c. These Commands are called least not because they were so but because they were so in the Pharisees opinion And shall teach men so That is or shall teach men so the Conjunction is put for a Disjunction he means whosoever shall teach these false interpretations of the Law in the Church and scatter his Errours as the Pharisees Sadduces and Herodians then did and so led persons into seducement So That is to do as himself doth who keeps not the Commands of Christ and teaches others that they are not to be kept He shall be called least in the Kingdom of God When thou art called least in the Kingdom of Heaven suspect Hell and punishment Chrysost that is he shall be nothing accounted of when the end of the World shall come He shall be called that is he shall then be pronounced so to be by the Judg by the Sentence of which Judg it shall be declared how great every man is and in what estate he shall be Neither shall he be in no place because he shall rise again and be judged but he shall be in the last place because he shall be cast into utter darkness Some by least understand no place there at the Judgment as Psalm 1.6 The wicked shall not stand in judgment Others understand the last place this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Kingdom doth properly denote the time as Luke 14.14 Besides the Day of Judgment is called by the name of Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 To conclude by least he means none because none can be in the Kingdom of Heaven but those that are great they are sons heirs and so it is expounded v. 20. But whosoever shall do and teach These words though they principally look at Teachers yet are they not so to be bound to them that others should be excluded for it is the duty of all Christians not onely to go before others by example but by admonition and instruction Rom. 15.14 Col. 3.16 It 's said of Christ He began both to do and teach Whosoever shall do and teach both great and small Commandments that is whose bent of heart is for all the Commandments Teachers must not look for any Crown if they do not practise that which they teach others they are like unto High-way Marks which shew the way to others but do not go in it themselves The same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven That is pronounced happy and blessed at that day Dan. 12 2. They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever They shall be called great Teacher and Fathe of the Disciples and Children whom he hath begotten Hence it behoves every Teacher who expects this Crown to examine whether what he teaches unto others himself do first set upon the practise thereof lest it be said Rom. 2.21 Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy self Teachers that know and teach and do not practise they are like Uriah that carried the Letters of his own death or like the Philosophers that saw little fruit of their teaching of virtue because those things they taught others themselves did not practise To conclude this point I do by all that is said stablish the ten Commandments so far as what is contained in them is of the Law of Nature and not altered in the New Testament but compleated and for any other part of the Law of Nature which was commanded in the Old Testament I judg it to be established as also all the Evangelical Promises and Precepts of the Law are established by Christ and the Apostles Rom. 3. ult Do we then make void the Law through Faith Nay we establish the Law Tertul. de pudicitiâ we stablish the Law to wit in those things which being also now brought in by the New Testament are forbid cumulatiore praecepto by a more heaped Command for Thou shalt not commit Adultery Who so looks upon a Woman to lust after her hath already committed Adultery in his heart and for Thou shalt not kill who so shall say to his Brother Racha shall be guilty of Hell See then whether the Law of not committing Adultery be not safe to which the Law of not lusting hath come or been added In a word whatsoever is
onely instrumental to obtain pardon for our Enemies as the prayers of Christ and Stephen did but are arguments or evidences of Gods pardoning us What a blessed thing will it be at the day of Christ to appear to have been a mean by thy prayers of saving the soul of a persecuting Enemy When David's Enemies compassed him with words of hatred and became adversaries to him for his love to them he gave himself to prayer Psalm 109.3 4 5. V. 45. That you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven for he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth Rain on the just and unjust Christ here gives Reasons why we should love our Enemies as 1 That ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven not that love to our Enemies is the form of our Adoption but a demonstration thereof that ye may be Phil. 2.15 that is that ye may be made manifest to be He that performs not this duty is none of Gods children Love to Enemies doth manifest our Adoption because Love to our Enemies doth flow from that Love God hath shewed to us when we were Enemies 1 John 4.10 11. Of all duties Christians should be carefull to practise those which evidence assurance 2 Peter 1.10 This duty tends thereunto What shall we think of those who are so far from loving their Enemies that they do not love their Friends these are like the rebellious Angels who having had a blessed nature from God set him at nought Many have such a frame of spirit as Achitophel had to David Psalm 55.12 13. and Joas to Jehoiada 2 Chron. 24.22 Many men lay aside not onely grace but even the light of nature Also that ye may be the Children of your Father that is like to your Father as Children to their Father your Father doth good to his Enemies giving them the Sun to shine on them and the Rain to fall on their Land to make it fruitfull be ye like him Ephes 4. ult compared with cap. 5.1 2. He that is like another is proverbially said to be his Son Who maketh his Sun to rise and his Rain to fall All Nations refer the effects of Nature to the God of Nature hence these phrases it rains it thunders that is God rains and thunders Psalm 19.4 5. In the Heavens hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun which is removed as a Tabernacle from place to place The day is thine and the night is thine thou hast prepared the light and the Sun Psalm 74.16 To him that made great Lights Psalm 136.8 9. Also for the Rain it is from him He saith to the small Rain and to the great Rain Be thou on the earth Job 37.4 Learn 1. To acknowledg the highest cause on whom all second causes depend As in bodies politick inferiour governments depend on the superior or as in artificial motions the inferiour depend on the superiour as in motions of Clocks and Watches So the secondary causes depend upon the first He gives the early and latter Rain In droughts therefore seek to God for Rain 2 Chron. 7.13 Jer. 14.22 In immoderate Rains seek to God for fair weather Isai 38.8 2 Praise God for fruitfull Seasons Psalm 147.7 8 9. 3 See outward things fall alike to all the Sun shines to all the Rain falls on all Eccles 9.1 2. V. 46. For if you love them which love you what reward have you Do not even the Publicans the same Here 's a third Reason from the unprofitableness of other love which arises from natural friendship or that which arises from our own profit and benefit which hath no Reward with God whereas love that is done for Gods sake hath a Reward with God He that loves not his Enemies declares that he loves not his Friends for Gods sake but for his own sake because his Enemies in some sense may be said to bear the Image of God as well as his Friends Do not even the Publicans the same They are called Publicans from publick because they gathered the publick Tributes wherein too oft they oppressed the poor and so became infamous among the Jews not because they gathered the Magistrates Tribute nor as if these Publicans were the worst of men but Christ speaks according to the received opinion of men for Matthew and Zacheus were Publicans It 's like in all the Roman Provinces and so in Judea the Romans farmed the Customs but they let it out to the Jews and so this became abominable to other of the Jews that they should be Instruments of their slavery and therefore Publicans are joyned with Heathens and sinners and therefore as appears out of the Thalmud they were not admitted to be Witnesses before the Jewish Judges What Reward have ye i.e. No Reward for you receive a Reward from your Friends even like love but if from faith in Gods Command you love both your Enemies and your Friends you may hope for a gracious Reward Sylla boasted that he overcame his Friends with Benefits and his Enemies with Mischiefs and therefore as Plutarch in his Life saith he cruelly tore Marius but let Christians overcome Enemies with good turns How much better did Phocion who being condemned to death being askt of his Friends what he would have told to his Sons answered I will that he forget the Wrong the Athenians have done to me If Heathens did thus what should Christians do V. 47. And if ye salute your brethren onely what do you more then others Do not even the Publicans so Here 's a fourth reason because salutations belong and ought to be performed not onely to brethren and friends but also to enemies Under salutations Christ comprehends all signes of good will as putting off the hat embracement asking how they do So that the fourth reason is taken from the difference of Christian love and that which is worldly the one salutes friends onely the other salutes enemies Unless then your love extend to enemies you differ nothing from the Publicans charity These duties of salutation as asking Is all well 2 Kin. 9.17 18 19 22. three times this salutation is mentioned Is it peace how do you all at home These duties the Jews did onely to their fellow Jews judging all others unworthy of salutation now Christian religion teaches us to salute all except it be those who are Apostates from Christianity 2 Epist of John v. 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds For that command of Luke 10.4 Salute no man by the way Christ means they should make such hast in divulging and publishing the Gospel that they should not spend their time in salutations V. 48. Be ye therefore perfect as your father in heaven is perfect In the words 1 A duty Be perfect 2 The pattern of this duty As your
6.6 Psal 31.22 Jonah when in the whales belly Jon. 27. 3 The great refuge Saints have herein Manasses when in chains 2 Chron. 33.11 12. thus sought God Paul 2 Cor. 12.8 Esther and her maidens when the Jews were designed to destruction When a child of God is overtaken with some sin or in distress he would not for a world want this Peter Mar. 14.72 when Esau came against Jacob this was Jacobs refuge Gen. 32.9 4 Our own personal wants wherein perhaps not one in the church or family is in our case Onely in secret prayer take heed of hypocrisie that thy voice may not if possible be heard of others nor thy meltings and weepings perceived by others also of customariness come out of sense of thy wants else if thou keep thy hours thou wilt perform prayer either with listlesness or slightness Also take heed of profaneness to put off secret prayer till thou be moved by the Spirit by this delusion some have not prayed alone for some moneths It is a fit season to pray when the Spirit moves but not the onely season Father which is in secret Here 's the object of our Prayer viz. God as a Father Who is a Father 1 By creation hence called the Father of spirits Heb. 12.9 2 By Regeneration 1 Peter 1.3 Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope which also is called Adoption Gal. 4.6 hence 1 Call upon this Father One of the first things in nature is for a Childe to call Father so it should be the first thing in grace Matth. 7.9 2 Honour this Father Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour and live so that others may honour him Matth. 5.16 3 Imitate your Father as children do their father in love Ephes 5.1 2. In doing good to Enemies Matth 5.44 In holiness 1 Peter 1.14 4 Patiently bear his corrections Heb. 12.5 6 7 8. 5 Sort our selves with Gods children 2 Cor. 6.14 2 Comfort to Christians in sundry respects as 1 That God will bear a tender respect to us in all Troubles as a Father loves his childe as well when sick as well nay he is then more affectionately tender to him the father then sets the whole house a work for his recovery some going for Physicians others for Friends others tending of him so when souls are sick God sets Christians to pray for them Preachers to comfort them Yea suppose thou hast broken some resolutions and been overtaken yet what father would take the Forfeiture of a Bond of his son especially when he forfeits it against his will much less will God who is infinitely more a Father to his Children 2 In desertion A father solacing himself with a childe steps aside into a corner that the childe may dearlier prize the fathers presence so our heavenly Father by restraint of his influence in shining upon us inflames our love towards him 3 In respect of sustentation in trouble A father sets his childe upon its feet to try whether its able to stand alone but withall he holds his arms on both sides to hold it up if it incline either way so doth our heavenly Father 4 In respect of provision The childe takes not care what it shall eat or wear so should Saints cast all their care on their Father 1 Peter 5.7 Your heavenly Father knows ye have need of these things Matth. 6.32 5 Against total falling away A father will not cast off a fatherly affection to his son how hard it is for a father to cast off a rebellious son we see in David to Absalom 2 Sam. 10.5 Hosea 11.8 Luke 15.18 Much less will God cast off his children who desire to please him Mal. 3.17 I will spare him as a man spareth his own Son 6 In respect of our bold access If it be a privilege to come into a Princes presence-chamber what is it to come into the presence of God A childe comes boldly to his father though strangers and servants keep a distance Heb. 4.16 7 In respect of imperfections A father calls two of his children one of three years old the other of thirteen they both make all the haste they can and though the elder outgo the younger and comes first yet the younger comes wadling as fast as he can the father accepts of the endeavours of the younger as well as of the faster going of the elder so doth our heavenly Father 8. In case of disinheriting because we will not touch this or that unclean thing our parents casts us off well says God in this case I will be your Father and you shall be my sons and daughters 2 Cor. 6.17 3 Exhortation to perform reverence Mal. 1.6 and obedience Jer. 35.16 and confidence Thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly Christ stirs up the faith of his petitioners by a twofold Argument 1 From the omnipresence of God wheresoever we are even in the most secret closet God is there present hearing prayers 2 From the goodness and mercy of God who will not suffer such prayers to be in vain but will grant the things at present wanting and hereafter shall give a Reward openly Onely know it's a Reward of Grace not of Debt for what desert can a Beggar allege V. 7. But when ye pray use not vain Repetitions as the Heathen do for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking Christ comes to shew the third sin of the Pharisees which is vain Repetitions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not speak vain things as Montanus translates it or speak not much as Erasmus the word is derived of Battus a Poet who was an egregious Babler As the Heathens thought they should be heard for their much speaking so did these Pharisees As Rhetoricians by their flanting style think to move the Judg to acquit the guilty so did these Yet doth not Christ condemn a frequency and continuance in prayer but he shews the grace of God is not obtained by the vain flowing of many words but the sighs and groans of the heart are the arrows that pierce Heaven Quest Whether are all Repetitions in Prayer vain Answ No. Solomon often uses them 1 Kings 8.30 39 43. Hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place Nehemiah uses Repetitions Nehemiah 1.6 7. and so doth Daniel cap. 9.5 We have sinned we have committediniquity and done wickedly Repetitions are lawfull 1 When they come from pinching necessity so Christ cried My God my God and three times uttered the same words Matth. 26.39 42 44. 2 When they come from holy affections Psalm 72.19 Let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen Repetitions in prayer are sometimes Ecchoes of strong cries of the Spirit Blessed be his holy Name for evermore Amen and Amen Psalm 89.50 51. So Abba Father Mark 14.36 1 Kings 18.39 The Lord he is God the Lord he is God 3 When they come from love as Holy holy holy Isai 6.3 Rev. 4.8 4 When used though the second time yet they
reverend boldness and confidence but when we are doubting timorous and fearfull it 's a sign we come in our own names Christ hath a golden Censer wherein is much Incense which he offers with the prayers of all Saints Revel 8 3. as the high Priest of old did who put Incense on his Censer when he made an atonement for the people Numb 16.46 2 Pray with the Spirit We have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Rom. 8.15 Also v. 26. The spirit makes request for us with groanings that cannot be uttered The grones of the spirit are strong cries which so fills heaven and earth that besides it God hears nothing saith Luther If in tentation or trouble we shall onely sigh to God and say Jesus Christ come and help me or else I am undone for ever we shall finde often ease hereupon All the sons of God have the spirit of his Son in their hearts crying Abba Father God grants not that often which is in the top of the heart and in the froth of words but according to the depth of the sigh to which often words answer very barely or not at all How many worldly wise men are there that might they have a world to continue one quarter of an hour in ripping up their hearts in conceived prayer they were not able to do it Some short wishes they have as God be thanked for his blessings God send us rain Others there are who have learnt the art of prayer or the gift but they have not the grace of prayer they pray artificial prayers and give artificial life to them as if the spirit accompanied them but in the mean time their hearts are neither warmed nor melted But those prayers wherein God delights are stir'd up by the holy Ghost Jude 20. Eph. 6.18 Praying with all supplication in the spirit Without this spirit we may speak of God but not unto God indeed the best of our prayers are but as the stammering voices of infants begging bread or meat at the Table yet these chatterings or stammerings coming from the spirit he that searcheth the heart must needs know what they mean because he maketh intercession for the Saints now he intercedes not by way of merit as Christ doth nor by way of supplication but by stirring us up to cry to God Rom. 8.27 Do the bowels of a father yern towards an infant groaning and panting and unable to tell where his pain is and will not God be moved with the sighs and groans of his children When Moses spake never a word yet he is said to cry to God Exo. 14.15 Hanna's voice was not heard 1 Sam. 1.13 yet she is said to powr out her heart v. 15. the sighs of the godly are as so many beams of the spirit which tyrants cannot hinder from ascending heaven though they should cut out their tongues Asaph groaned when he could not speak Psal 77.4 Now that this praying with sighs and groans comes from the spirit appears because when the spirit ceases from working upon our hearts we become dull and heavie and weary of the dutie that it becomes a very penance to us the soul then is like a becalmed ship All Saints that pray aright even Paul himself pray by this spirit Rom. 8.15 By this spirit we present such sighs as cannot be expressed and utter such words as are not able to be repeated The sighings of the needy God hears Psal 12.5 Now though carnal men sometimes groan and that to God yet are these groans a fruit of nature as the bruits do under feeling of a pressing weight the groans of saints come not onely from feeling of pain but from sorrow for sin 2 The groans in Saints lifts up their hearts to heaven and brings back chearing and sence of Gods love 3 There 's usually a sweet satisfaction comes in those groans which doth not in the groans of wicked men Those that have this spirit of prayer they have many ejaculations amidst their callings Nehemiah when he was speaking to the King prayed to the God of heaven Neh. 2.4 they frequently dart out many broken sighs to quench the sprowtings of lust as pride unclean desires revenge c. and have many invisible springings of heart upon the receipt of blessings on themselves or others Many zealous wrastlings for removal of corruptions and supply of grace To powr out the soul out of sense of spiritual wants in that form or phrase which groanings and meltings of the spirit doth indite and frame is beyond the ordinary reach of unregeneration Yea thus to pray is the hardest of all works because it cannot be effected without the spirit This spirit of prayer is of more worth then the world especially when a Christian hath by any scandalous sin or relapse or sin against conscience turn'd away Gods favour for hereby he hath restitution into Gods favour and the return of Gods countenance Jon. 2.4 7. Infinite more fruits the spirit of prayer works as many secret exultations and rejoycings spiritual ravishments strong though silent cries passionate meltings unutterable groans zealous longings which are riddles to prophane men but known to the children of God 3 Thirdly the person must be righteous Hear my prayer for I am holy Psal 86.2 The prayer of the wicked is abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 A holy man may make a carnal prayer as when the flesh gets the upper hand but a carnal man cannot make a spiritual prayer I mean a prayer prevailing for spiritual things Jon. 9.31 God heareth not sinners but if any man be a doer of his will him he hears The righteous cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth him out of all his troubles Psal 34.15 The prayer of a righteous man avails much Jam. 5.16 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you Joh. 15.7 8. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight 1 Joh. 3.22 The spirit of prayer is called the spirit of grace if thou hast not the spirit of grace thou canst not pray Zach. 12.10 yet know the righteousness of a person may consist with variety of passions as he instances in Eliah Jam. 5.17 In all begging it's a great matter who it is that begs if it be a sturdy beggar we have nothing for such so in prayer if a wicked man pray for any spiritual blessing saith God I have nothing for you but if it be a believer Christ saith be of good chear to such Luke 8.48 if thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hands towards him if iniquity be in thine hand put it far away Job 11.13 14. He will fullfil the desire of them that fear him Psal 145.19 Contrary when a man inclines to wickedness in his heart the Lord will not hear him Psal 66.18 The Pagans had so much divinity as to say the gods
must be honoured with puritie therefore they wrote upon the doors of their Temples Let none having a guilty conscience enter this place A bad conscience can never hope well Obj. But do not we finde wicked men in Scripture have had their praiers heard A. Yes when they have sought for temporal things Jehoahaz the son of Jehu was a wicked man 2 Kin. 13.2 yet when the nation of Israel was delivered into the hands of the Syrians Jehoahaz besought the Lord and the Lord hearkened unto him for he saw the oppression of Israel and the Lord gave Israel a Saviour v. 4 5. So Ahab seeking obtained the removing of the judgement until his sons daies 1 Kin. 21.27 28 29. So when men of all sorts are in danger by storms at sea they cry to the Lord in their trouble and he delivereth them out of their distress Psal 107.28 So prisoners that lie in irons v. 13. and sick men that draw near to death v. 18 19. If thou afflict a widow or fatherless person whether godly or ungodly I will surely hear their cry Exod. 22.22 23. Ishmael was a wicked person a persecutor yet God heard the voice of the Lad Gen. 21.17 Uzziah sought God in the daies of Zachariah and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper 2 Chro. 26.5 yet was he wicked as we see 2 Chron. 25.2 compared with 2 Chron. 26.4 Besides God bestowes praying abilities upon unregenerate men therefore they may improve them the not calling upon God is charged upon wicked men as their sin therefore the performance of it is their dutie The Prophet proves the Jews to be under sin because there 's none seeks after God Psal 14.2 Also Psal 53.4 wicked men are branded that they call not upon God Psal 10.4 they are taxed for this both Pastours Jer. 10.21 and people Hos 7.7 Zeph. 1.6 and all flesh are said to come to God in prayer O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Psal 65.2 An unbeliever may be underpreparing grace though he be not yet come to saving faith and in this estate he may have many good desires which God may hear To reconcile these to the former speeches know that God hears wicked men in temporal things which indeed oft is onely the cry of their cause not of their person as he is said to hear the cry of the ravens Psal 147.9 so the young Lions are said to seek their meat from God Psal 104.21 Quest But what would you have us to do with our children and servants Answ You may bid them call upon God in the general and if you speak to them to call upon God for saving grace as pardon c you must speak to them as Peter to Simon Magus Repent of this thy wickednesse and pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee Act. 8.21 First he bids him repent then pray God Quest But what should we do for joyning in prayer with others Answ If the person with whom you are to eat and who is to give thanks be visibly wicked either forbear his table or declare that you desire liberty of conscience without which grant you cannot partake of his meat which doubtless was practised by the believers when they went to the unbelievers table 1 Cor. 10.27 we must not wound our consciences for good chear nor to gratifie a friend but where no such wickedness doth apppear my opinion is that charity must carry us to judge the best yet must we remember that this is onely a privative signe Positive signes of a good man being either Church Communion or some thing that is equivalent if you will follow conscience herein I know you must be content to lose some fat morsells 4 We must pray in saith 〈◊〉 faith in prayer ought to be certain of hearing but we must wait for the time when the place where the manner how and the person by whom God will work Now to pray in faith there is command Matth. 21.22 1 Faith in God How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed Rom. 10.14 And this God to be lookt on as a father Matth. 6.9 Heb. 11.6 2 Faith in the attributes of God as his omnipresence that he is every where Esa 6.31 in his omniscience that he knows all our wants and all our hearts hear thou in heaven and give to every man according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest 1 King 8.39 in his omnipotence thus Jeremy grounds his prayer thou hast made heaven and earth and there 's nothing too hard for thee Jer. 32.17.4 in his mercy Nehem. 1.4 5. in his all-sufficiency Of the object in prayer James speaks as I suppose Jam. 1.6 7. let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed let not that man think he shall receive any thing of the Lord. James speaks not of a partial or particular unbelief in the subject but of an universal and total unbelief in respect of the object 3 There must be faith to set before us the worthiness of the Mediator Heb. 4.15 16. and not barely his worthiness but also our union with him Joh. 15.7 8. If ye abide in me ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you 4 Faith grounded on the promises Psal 119.49 50 147. remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to trust To pray in faith is to go as far as the promise goes to believe that God is a father and being a father he will not keep any good thing from his child A beggar never goes from an house keepers door so long as he believes he shall have an alms no more doth a believing soul go from the throne of grace so long as he believes God will hear but if he leave off the words of prayer he doth not leave off the sute of prayer Had we a particular promise as Eliah had we were bound to believe in particular as Eliah did concerning the not raining for three years and six months And as faith looks on other promises so in particular such promises as concerns the souls present condition so Jacob Gen. 32.9 10 11 12. Thou saidest return into thy country and I will deal well with thee and thou saidest I will surely do thee good and make thy seed as the sand of the sea deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau There is scarce any case but the Scripture affords promises which speak to that very case had we wisdom to store them up as David did Psal 119. also Heb. 13.5 5 Faith grounded on former Experiments Thou art my trust from my youth leave me not in old age Psalm 71.5 9. When we thus pray in faith we have a bold access into the presence of God notwithstanding all our unworthiness and imperfections in prayer Ephes 3.12 5 Pray with fixedness of spirit When David's
last the prayer reaches unto heaven 2 Chron. 30.27 the prayer of the godly Priests came up to his holy habitation even unto heaven We should do with our hearts in prayer as in the winding up of a bucket if two or three windings will not fetch it up we will winde it higher and higher till it do come up so our hearts should not be at the same pin but we should winde them up higher and higher so though we get not the thing wholly that we desire yet we should get our hearts nearer God Contrarily hypocritical men will not cannot pray perseverantly Will he always call upon God Job 27.9 q. d. he will not Hence their prayers are 1 Endless That for which a thing is that is the end of a thing now the end of prayer is to speed with God therefore he whose prayers speed not with God his prayers are endless Thou prayest against Covetousnes Pride and Passion and yet remains so still to what end are all thy prayers when thou enjoys not the end of thy prayers to what end is thy servants work if thy business be not dispatched 2 Fruitless To what purpose is a Beggars begging if he be gone before the alms be bestowed so if thou go away from the throne of grace before the grace be given thee thy begging is fruitless The blinde man said Joh. 9.31 We know God hears not sinners How do you know that may some say Why by experience and example A drunkard prays against drunkenness that God would heal it in him all the world may see that God doth not hear his prayer because he doth not cure him but lets him go on in his sin Seest thou a man go on in his sin thou mayest see God hears not his prayers If a man lye upon his death-bed and send for all the Physicians in a country to come to him yet we know he is not cured so long as his deadly disease remains upon him so when I see a mans malice pride c. lye upon him ordinarily and usually notwithstanding all his prayers I know God hears not his prayers For application see then that you pray perseverantly Imitate the woman of Cana who would take no manner of denial or repulse from Christ sometimes he was silent sometimes he did as it were deny her I am not sent save to the lost sheep of the house of Israel imitate that man Lu. 11.5 6. Properties of perseverant prayer 1 It wrastles with God by arguments Job 23.4 I will fill my mouth with arguments Men when they are perseverantly earnest for a thing will bring all arguments to effect their end so will a believer to obtain his end Lord it 's a grace of the covenant thou art my father whom should I go to but thee this is for thy honour and what wilt thou do to thy great name Esa 63.16 I am a poor creature consider my frame remember I am dust Psal 103.14 15. Our near approach to death when we can no more call upon God Job 7.21 Why dost thou not pardon my sins for now shall I sleep in the dust Psal 115.17 So from our own extremities Be not silent to me lest if thou be silent to me I become like one that goes down to the pit Psal 28.1 Save me for the waters are come into my soul Psal 69.1 from our own helplesness otherwise Ps 22.11 Be not far from me trouble is near and there is none to help Jer. 3.23 Esa 63.5 from the greatness of scruples and tentations that lie upon our souls from the overwhelmings of spirit by sins and sorrows from the necessity of such a blessing for the discharge of our callings from the command of God that bids us ask Jer. 33. ◠from the promise of God who hath ingaged his faithfulness Gen. 32.9 10 11. from our confidence in him Psal 143.8 from former experiences Psal 44.1 O God we have heard with our ears the great works thou diddest from the low condition of Gods people Psal 44.9 10 11 12. from their constant adherence to his truth ver 17.18 19 20. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgot thee from our own not living in sin Psal 86.2 hear my prayer for I am holy from our perseverance in prayer Psal 86.3 be merciful unto me for I cry unto the daily From the plentiful mercy and goodness in God Ps 86.5 2 Property perseverant Prayer is striving Rom. 15.3 I beseech you for the Lord Jesus sake that ye strive together in your Prayers to God for me So did Jacob wrastle with God Gen. 32.24 Especially for those to whom we are related a pastour for the flock a father for his children a master for his servants an husband for his wife c. as if we were to wrastle-with a strong man we put to all our strength As a father that hath an apple in his hand the childe first opens one finger and then another till the apple drop out so let us open one finger and then another to get sincerity till we get all the graces of Christ upon us 3 It 's a proceeding Prayer though a godly man do not get the thing totally that he desired yet he is nearer God than he was at the first beginning he grows better every day by his Prayers Job 18.9 The upright shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger 4 It 's a prevailing Prayer I will not let thee go except thou bless me Gen. 32.26 Shall not God avenge his own elect that cry unto him day and night I tell you he will avenge them and that right speedily Luke 18.7 That very Parable of the unjust Judg and poor Widow was spoken that men should pray always and not faint Luke 18.1 c. Motives to pray perseverantly 1 The continual intercession of Christ in Heaven in our behalf there to present our Requests Heb. 4.14.7.25.9.24 So that sooner or later they will speed or else it 's more expedient for us that the thing be not granted 2 The greatness of those things we pray for which concern our everlasting estate hence we had need put forth all our strength to beg them Col. 4.2 Continue in Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strength by the transposition of a Letter so that the word signifies to ply some laborious thing with all our might till we have brought it to an end Object But I have prayed long and finde no benefit by my praying Job 30.20 I cry unto thee and thou dost not hear me I stand up and thou regardest me not Answ 1 God sometimes answers the Prayers of his Servants before they perceive it Dan. 9.23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth yet for three Weeks he chastened himself by Prayer and Fasting cap. 10.2 3. v. 12. From the first day thou didst set thy heart to chasten thy self before thy God
of a sinner that feels not his sins because he doth not understand nor will the thing that he prays for Luth. Tom. 4.380 9 Fear repulse for thy careless cold and slothfull calling upon God and this will quicken up thy attention in the duty Fear is a very wakefull affection as being conversant about danger hence in our service we are bid to bring fear Psalm 2.11 Psalm 5.7 10 Get love to God this makes the soul follow hard after God Psalm 63.8 Quest Whether do distractions in Prayer nullifie the acceptation of it Answ There are two sorts of distracted Petitioners 1 Unregenerate men who voluntarily usually and contentedly admit roving thoughts in duty Prov 5.14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly Ezek. 33.31 These despise their ways and shall die Prov. 19.16 2 Regenerate men who groan under these distractions Rom. 7.15 16. these do not nullifie the fruit of Prayer to them regenerate men herein make usually resistance it matters not whence they come whether from Satan or corruption as it is a thing very difficult if possible to distinguish them provided we resist them and mourn under them they are not imputed to us Yet may even Saints sometimes pray so carelesly drowsily and distractedly that they may lose the comfort of this or that particular Prayer as when the distraction arises from sloth and carelesness But if the distraction arise from Satan bodily distemper or pain God is very pitifull in this case as a father to his childe Psalm 103.14 Quest Whether may not the Devil and corruption distract the soul in Prayer sometimes with unseasonable good motions I mean such motions as are for the matter good but not good at that time Answ Yes we see it in that Pithonesse Act. 16.16 17 when Paul and his company were going to prayer she cries out these men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation this was a good motion but injected by Satan that his lyes might be believed and the Saints disturbed in prayer Zach. 3.1 Satan by these motions intends diversion or turning away the soul from what the soul is upon but motions that tend to further intention in the duty attentness and further inlargement are of God The spirit moves not to draw us out of the way but to put us into it and being in it to move us to keep on Rom. 8.14 15. Esa 30.21 These motions of Satan are like misplaced words and letters in a Printers press which spoil the sence 10 Let thy prayer be full prayer is a powring forth of the heart before God Psal 62.8 1 Sam. 1.15 yea we are to powr them out as water before the face of the Lord Lam. 2.19 It may be thou powrest out thy prayer like tarre out of a tarre box half sticking by the sides but when thou prayes thou must powr out all before God provided there be time and no hindrance powr out all thy wants be humbled for all thy evils when thou givest thanks remember all Gods benefits Psal 10â— 2 Many men make quick dispatch because they are eager to be about their business hence they gallop over their prayers but thy prayer must have its full growth that is when convenient time affords we must powr out supplications confessing our sins petitions desiring pardon healing and new dispositions of heart intercessions to turn away judgements from others and thanksgiving for benefits on our selves and others 1 Tim. 2.1 11 Pray with frequency It s bad when the soul contents it self with seldome approaches to God If David Psal 55.17 and Daniel cap 6.10 could finde time to pray three times a day what shame for us who come so seldom before the Lord sometimes David praised God seven times a day Psal 119.164 Anna continued in prayer night and day Luk. 2.37 12 With assurance of obtaining whatsoever things ye desire when you pray believe that you receive them and ye shall have them Mark 11.24 Matth. 7.7 ask and ye shall have Matth. 21.22 Doubt not of your prayer but know when the word is gone out of your mouth your prayer is writ in the eyes of God so that that shall be done which is desired or its expedient not to be done The Lord is like a most bountiful king that signes all petitions with a fiat quod petitur Oratio sinelaude dei est thuribulum sine prunis Luth. Tom. 4.124 let that be done which is desired 13 Joyn praise with prayer Phil. 4.6 In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God Prayers are the seeds of prayses when we have sown we may look to reap what we receive as a a fruit of our prayer is more sweet then what we receive of common providence Praise is that imployment we shall have in heaven when prayer shall be no more mean time joyn we them together whiles we are here on earth and so much more in that we have but a drop of affliction and a sea of benefits 14 Break through all hindrances and use all furtherances as 1 hindrance is multitudes of business what business so great almost but should give way to this 2 Brokenness in expressions why God hears sighs 3 Dumbness and barrenness if this come from unacquaintance with God be humbled for thy coldness and by stirring thou mayest get warmth if dumbness come from overwhelming temptations it 's no otherwise with thee then it was with Asaph Psal 77.3 4. Green wood with long blowing will be made dry and take fire so motion in prayer fits for the duty 4 Our own unworthiness Who acknowledged his own unworthiness more then Daniel Dan. 9.7 8. However thou art unworthy yet must thou pray for God hears thee not for thy own worth but of his meer mercy 5 Prayer will take up much of our time to this I say remember the comfort that will redound to the conscience in time so spent We think not long of the time spent in the refreshment of our bodies why should we think long in the time spent in refreshing of our souls of four and twenty hours can we not afford God one or two who took more time in prayer then David and Daniel and who did prosper better Time spent in this brings a blessing on our affairs 6 That many do well enough that never pray as those do that use to pray to this know they onely receive temporal things as the shining of the sun and the falling of rain Matth. 5.44 45. But the Saints receive the Spirit in prayer Luk. 11.13 Neither can prayerless men be sure to have earthly things when they want them nor to hold them when they have them Job 21.15 16. What profit is there that we should pray unto him seeing we have earthly things ver 16. Lo their good is not in their hand 7 Because the soul hath lately been in passion of anger
condemn all forms seeing we read of sundry in Scripture as Psal 102. v. 1 c. Esai 63.15 to the end of cap. 64. ult Numb 6.24 Yet to use a form doth argue thou art a very babe who go by a form because they cannot go alone and to use a form when thou art able to powr out thine own heart more and better then any form can teach thee is to to offer to the Lord a corrupt thing when thou hast a male in thy flock Thou art a very babe till thou art able to express thy wants in conceived prayer what man is there that is sensible of his wants that cannot declare them to man and canst thou not declare them to God Christ hath given us this breviary of prayer as a looking-glass to see our wants Himself never used it nor could he in truth say Forgive us our trespasses seeing himself had none We never read the Apostles used this prayer but onely framed their petitions according to it Acts 1.24 Matth. 26.39 We ought then to look upon this as a pattern without which we might have wandred in our requests often asking things hurtful for us we ought then hence to draw the matter of our prayers This form or patern is usually divided into three pâ—rts 1 A Preface Our Father which art in Heaven 2 Petitions which are six or according to some of the Ancients seven 3 The Conclusion For thine is the Kingdom c. 1 The Preface Our Father which art in Heaven We call him Father 1 To shew that we are not to look upon him as a Tyrant or a Stranger that knows us not or as an hard Master but as a Father 2 To embolden us to come unto him 3 To shew his readiness to do you good Luke 11.13 If evil fathers will do good to their children will not our Father do good to his children 4 To shew that we believe our Election and Adoption 5 Assurance of his readiness and willingness to help us whereas formerly we durst not lift up our eys to Heaven Luke 15.18 Our 1 This word Our teacheth that however we believe for our selves yet Charity teacheth us to pray for others 2 To denote unto us a Communion of Saints how that they are so joyned together as if the want of one were the want of all 1 Cor. 12.26 If one member suffer all the members suffer with it 3 That we may not disdain the meanest Christian from being our Brother in Christ if God have adopted him for his Ephes 4.5 yet may a Christian in private say My Father Matth 26.39.27.46 4 To keep us from arrogating to our selves above others remembring we are of the company of sons On earth some Saints have more noble fathers than others but to the Father in Heaven all Believers are alike related 5 To encourage the weak that they may believe that God is no less their Father than the Father of Peter Paul c. 6 That we should not onely pray for our own necessities but also for the necessities of others James 5.16 applying in private Prayer that common Fatherhood to our selves And this Father we call upon we may look upon some times personally Ephes 3.14 1 Cor. 8.6 sometimes essentially for Father Son and Spirit so Christ is called the everlasting Father Isai 9.6 7 To teach us mutual sympathy 1 Cor. 12.26 If one member suffer all the members suffer with it Heb. 13.3 8 To teach us unity and agreement with our Brethren as members of the same body hence before we bring our gift we are to agree with our Brother Matth. 5.24 Which art in Heaven 1 To shew that how ever earthly parents have a good will to help their children yet want power yet our Father being in Heaven and being the God of all might hath power to do for us above all that we can ask or think Ephes 3.20 Psalm 115.3 2 To take away erroneous conceptions of God wherein carnal men are ready to think of him like earthly parents 3 To denote unto us his special presence he hath in Heaven there his power wisdom goodness do most shine forth and from thence are manifested to us Psalm 19.1 The Heavens declare the glory of God 4 That when we come before him we should come with reverence and lifting up of heart Lam. 3.41 Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens where God is not circumscriptively as the body of man bounded by such a place nor definitively as the Angels but repletively filling all place for the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain him 1 Kings 8.27 5 To shew to us that though God be every where Psalm 139.7 8 9. Whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there if in the uttermost parts of the Sea thou art there Amos 9.1 2 3. yet he is said to dwell in the Heavens Psalm 2.4 Hear from Heaven thy dwelling place 1 Kings 8.30 there his majesty and glory most shines forth Psalm 112.5.123.1 yet doth he dwell in humble and holy hearts Isai 57.15 1 Cor. 3.16 As the soul of man which is wholly in the whole and in every part yet is said to be in the head or heart more than elsewhere because there more than elsewhere it exerciseth his power and effects so though God be essentially every where and in all places wholly yet he works not grace and gifts equally in all parts but he works in Heaven more than in Earth in the godly more than the wicked and in one of his children more than in another in the Saints in Heaven 〈◊〉 than in the Saints on Earth and in the humane nature of Christ more than in any creature Hallowed be thy Name This is the first Petition and Christ his meaning is 1 That Gods glory be every where magnified it 's put in the first place because Gods glory must be preferred before all things Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself Thus must every one do that calls God Father So that if our credit or profit come in competition therewith we are willing to renounce not onely them but every thing else for the Lord. 2 That the Name of God which is God himself be magnified The Name of God is not so many Letters but God himself Holy and reverend is his Name Psalm 111.9 It was the speech of the men of Bethshemesh Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 1 Sam. 6.20 God is glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 The Trinity is said to be holy Isai 6.3 Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts The Father is holy John 17.11 The Son holy Luke 1.35 Acts 4.27 The Spirit is holy Ephes 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God God is not onely holy but holiness in the very abstract Amos 4.2 The Lord hath sworn by his holiness that is by himself Saints are holy
fine houses pleasant gardens and costly apparrel hath the late cloud of war overshadowed Esa 23.9 The Lord hath stained the pride of all glory and brought into contempt all the honourable of the earth But could Satan give the glory he pretends yet should you have it upon exceeding hard terms He said to Christ Fall down and worship me and all shall be thine 4 As the Lines meet in the centre and the beams of the Sun in a burning-glass so let your scattered affections meet in God Solomon having let his affections go out to pleasures mirth wine buildings vineyards gardens pools of water possessions of cattel treasures of gold and silver musick c. Eccles 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. came to see the vanity and to centre himself in the fear of God and keeping his commandments Eccles 12.1 5 Consider the things of the world which are sutable to others God can make them disproportionable to thee Ahab had a Kingdom but could take no comfort in it but was sick for one poor Vineyard Haman had wealth honour and the favour of the Prince in abundance yet the want of a cringe from Mordecai a small matter one would think made all bitter If inferiour causes can bring forth contrary effects as the Sun can soften Wax and harden Clay cannot the highest cause much more produce it Many have vast Estates but an unequal yoke-fellow or the reproach of some sin they have committed or a guilty conscience takes away the comforts of them 6 Consider it 's a Christians duty always to have a disposition to leave all for Christ Luke 14.26 Now how can we perform this duty if our hearts be set upon the World Thou sayest thou canst not leave thy stately dwelling and accommodations thou dost in effect say I cannot be a Christian Paul saith Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should rejoyce save in the Cross of Christ 7 Be convinced of the vanity in all earthly things Practise often follows conviction there 's a mask upon riches pleasures honours which is false opinion which must be pulled off How was Achan cozened with a Wedg of Gold and Gehezi with two Talents of Silver The Labours of worldly men are not unfitly by some resembled to the sports of children their buildings to the houses children make of cards and trenchers their gathering wealth to the others gathering sticks their immoderate sorrow in the loss of them to the cry of children when their houses are cast down Whether it be a thing more to be laughed at or pitied I shall not determine to see man that hath an eternal soul and eternal objects to look at upon the terms of highest necessity his eternal weal or wo to spend the strength of his spirit upon earthly vanities We count them mad men who leaving serious things are disposed to play with pins and straws such are worldly men The Prophet said He saw an end of all perfections Psalm 119.96 May we not say the same we have seen an end of all perfection of beauty save of Gods image Holiness of all perfection of pedegree save spiritual adoption of all perfection of wealth save of riches laid up in Heaven of all perfection of buildings save of that City whose Builder and Maker is God of all perfections of joy save the joy of a good conscience which is a continual feast 8 Beware of being deluded by worldly pretences as 1 the hardness of the times in hard times let us be less worldly then should we open our hands freely 2 The greatness of their charge true we are to provide for our charge else we are worse then Infidels but thou provides for thy self being loath to part with any thing till death put thy children in possession whether thou wilt or not nay if God take half their charge away they are not more lib eral 3 The great necessities of the Church a faire pretence if true but consider what hast thou done for the Church do not thy proportions come short not onely of others but also of thy own ability we read of some who parted with all for the Church but they were not men of this temper Acts 4.34 35. 9 Be much in prayer that God would cure thy worldly frame of heart say Lord I can savour nothing but oxen and farms If any man speak a word of any heavenly discourse it 's unsavory I have a heart just like the Inn at Bethlehem room enough for others none for thee Be large in thy confessions say Lord this is a sin that makes me sometimes neglect duties of religion and commonly chop them off that makes me so many times in a week go to bed prayerless and abroad in the morning prayerless This sin hath oft exposed me to lying over-reaching for which I doubt I have not made full restitution my own interest hath made me seek the ruine of the whole this hath made me take a bribe in my office to sell justice in my magistracy cheat in my weights and measures flatter in my ministry sell things unlawful to be sold as the Christians in Tertulian's time sold images to the heathens As a Land-lord I have rackt my Tenants grinding their faces because I knew they must have my farms as a labourer I have extorted because I knew they could not get another As a servant I have cozened my Master now and then of a penny as a Master I have griped my Workmen making them take so much in commodity at a racking price because I knew thy were tied to my Work these confessions when they are feeling and not historical will much take off the heart from the World 10 Set your affections in Heaven when a man is upon an high Pinacle things below seem very small so get your spirits up on high and the things below will seem small The Christians in Justin Martyr's time in his Epistle to Diognetus inhabited their own countreys as strangers they had all things common with others as Citizens but suffered all things as strangers every strange countrey is their countrey and every countrey is strange to them they live in the earth but have their conversation in heaven That which is the soul in the body that are Christians in the World the soul is dispersed through all the members of the body and Christians are dispersed through the Cities of the World the soul dwells in the body but is not of the body so Christians dwell in the World but are not of the World Then are our affections in Heaven when the soul is longing after the presence of God the soul is not so much there where it lives as where it loves The soul looking upon better things than the World can easily bid adieu unto the World It was a Christian speech of a certain Bishop mentioned by Augustine that when the Gothes had taken the City and spoil he said I am not sorry for my Gold and Silver thou knowest where my treasure is 11 Believe the
these cares that they can take little comfort in any thing they have and these carkings are so much worse when they are in them who have either a competency or abundance This doth not directly prove the reign of worldliness but is a ground for the heart to suspect it self Against these carkings oppose the care God hath for beasts and fowls and much more for men he that cares for his enemies will much more care for his friends and children if for his children when they sought him not much more when they seek him and find him Carke not for future times this day may conclude thy life On the contrary I 'le give you some signs this sin reigns not 1 When we hunger and thirst after an heavenly frame of heart and groan under the frequency of earthly thoughts and fewness of heavenly here worldliness reigns not but the soul may be blessed though it be too worldly Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness Mat. 5.6 2 When though we have too much worldliness in us yet upon serious examination we find an habit to part with all lands and goods for the Lord if they come in competition Thus the disciples Matth. 19.27 But the Young man could not do this ver 22. 3 When we can come cheerfully and willingly to a work of mercy to the ability God gives us 2 Cor. 8.2 3. The Macedonians were ready to and beyond their power praying Paul with much intreaty to take the care hereof 4 When our soveraign affection and conversation is in heaven Phil. 3.20 Col. 3.1 In all our conversings let Saints look to heaven as the city whereto they belong All earthly things are desired by such in reference to Heaven and a good conscience 5 When we disaffect Worldly affections The flesh sometimes puts a godly man upon too eager pursuement of earthly things and sometimes upon some unworthy covetous prank or penurious scraping now when we can go to God and pray against these affections with a real hatred of them as David did Psalm 119.36 Incline not my heart to covetousness here worldliness reigns not 6 When we desire to be convinced of the Quantum or measure that God would have us to forgo for such a godly use or good cause for example in such cause of Religion as to the late Distresses of the poor Protestants in Piedmont I part with so much as my proportion comes to and the generality of godly people give yet could I be convinced that God required a greater proportion of me I would chearfully let it go even to the last Groat and what though my children have so much less yet Gods blessing is enough for them and I will not damn my soul in the omission of any known duty to make them rich Moreover the same command that bindes me to my children ties me to other relations to succour them though not in such a measure Matth. 6.25 Therefore I say unto you Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on Is not the Life more than Meat and the Body than Raiment Here is a second argument against worldliness and carking cares taken from the greater to the less he that hath given the greater will give the less now your Father hath given you the greater he hath given you your life and body therefore will he give you the less which is meat and raiment He gave the greater without thy care therefore without thy carking he will give the latter Withall Christ puts us in minde of the Authour of our Life and Body we are to look beyond our Parents We are not to think as if Christ forbad here a provident diligence and labour to procure things needfull for us and ours as the ancient Euchites who would always pray but never work but he forbids a fearfull distrustfull heart-dividing care Psalm 34.9 10. Fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him Psalm 84.11 1 Tim. 4.8 Hence Christ useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the desire of gathering riches divides the minde and as it were distracts it and cuts it into divers thoughts This is that Luke calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hang like a Meteor in the Air to hang betwixt Heaven and Earth In the words also there is a silent Objection thus Though I must not labour for superfluities yet must I labour for things which nature desires and which must serve me for my life and then when I have got that I will be no more desirous of outward things To this Christ answers You think too meanly of Gods goodness he both can and will provide us of things needfull though we should onely by the by look at those things we want and should give our mindes wholly or for the greater part to godliness John 6.27 Obs Christians ought to lay aside all distrustfull heart-dividing carking and sollicitude for the things of this life Reas 1 Because we have God that cares for us 1 Peter 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you Children cast their care upon their fathers who lay up for their children 2 Cor. 12.14 So let us Phil. 2.20 21. Thus is it done with us in all our life we sleeping and being quiet and secure all things are given us we caring and being sollicitous nothing is given Luth. Tom. 3.383 2 From our experience we have had of Gods goodness he that hath given us the greater will also give us the less he hath given us a body therefore he will give us meat to sustain it and raiment to cover it from the cold The allegement of maintenance for life is but too oft a specious pretence for our covetousness Object But there are lawfull cares we must have Answ True there are 1 For spirituals such a care had Mary Luke 10.41 Paul had the care of all the Churches upon him 2 Cor. 11.28 The Philippians had care to minister to Paul Phil. 4.10 A godly Bishop is to take care of the Church 1 Tim. 3.5 yea every Christian must be full of care to maintain good works Titus 3.8 yea this care is a fruit of repentance 2 Cor. 7.12 None so full of these cares as a Christian 1 Cor. 7.32 Who cares for the things of the Lord. 2 There are cares for temporals 1 Cor. 7.33 He that is maried careth for the World how he may please his Wise Joseph took care to provide Corn for Egypt If we have not a lawfull care we are worse than Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 God teaches us this care from the silly Pismire Prov. 6.6 Who provides her Meat in the Summer and Harvest Quest But what cares are they which are unlawfull Answ Distracting heart-dividing cares Paul would have us attend upon the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 These distracting cares consist in three things 1 In a
of danger Psalm 3.5 6. I will not fear ten thousands that have set themselves against me Psalm 27.1 2.46.1 2. 4 A mighty spirit of Prayer that will take no denial from God Matth. 15.28 The Woman of Cana would take no denial from Christ hence Christ says O woman great is thy faith 5 A comfortable apprehension of Death and Judgment which days are feared by weak Christians Luke 2.29 Phil. 1.23 6 To have a clear manifestation of Gods love without any questioning of his Estate Rom. 8.38 39. and thereupon to triumph in Gods love over all both sin Satan and afflictions Rom. 8.33 34 35 36 37. Quest Whether may not a man of great faith so decline that his faith may become weak Answ As some of weak have become strong so some of strong have become weak Heb. 11.34 Asa had a great faith that he feared not a Million of Ethiopians yet after became weak See 2 Chron. 16.7 8. yea so weak that we might question his grace did not the Scripture say His heart was perfect with God all his days 1 Kings 15.14 This is caused partly from want of the means of grace or disuse of them as want of Preaching Prayer and good company Shut up a strong man from food and diet him thus and his strength will decay Partly from falling into some sin against conscience Psalm 51.10 11. or a frequent giving way to ones daily corruptions without lamenting and reforming of them and partly from love of the World and multitude of worldly businesses hence many who have shewn much forwardness in their youth have decayed in their affections to the Lord and to his people V. 31. Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewith shall we be clothed 32 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after Here is a fifth argument against earthly sollicitude or carking because this inordinate carking for meat drink and apparel is proper to heathens which are ignorant of God and his providence and not to Christians who acknowledge and experience both The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a certain vehement desire As ye my disciples differ in your profession from the Gentiles see that ye differ also in your practice they are still carking what they shall eat drink put on but let your questions be how shall we live for ever Few of the heathens look for any happiness after death and therefore no wonder they are so eager after the things of this life but you are born to better things and called out from them therefore though you have great charge and perhaps but little means to maintain them though you have now and then a cross in the world do not you distrustfully say as they say What shall we eat c. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things This is a sixth argument against earthly sollicitude taken from Gods fatherly care of you he knowes what your means and charge is what the hardness of the times the contingent charges that befall you he is a Father and therefore will not neglect his children an heavenly Father and therefore will give you the best of blessings he is also your Father one in whom you have a property what need you then doubt what childe is there that casts not his care upon his father It 's the fathers reproach if he either will not or cannot provide for his children will it not redound to Gods reproach when we shall be carking for our selves as if we had no God to care for us Psal 23.1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want If we could conceive God were our Father and we his children the world would be base to us with all its glory wealth and pleasures we would not be sollicitous for livelihood we would not be so confident earthly things being present nor cast away our confidence they being taken away Luth. Tom. 4.127 V. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you We have heard of Christs dehortation from worldliness and carking now followes the exhortation to true care but seek ye first the Kingdom of God In the words 2 things 1 a duty Seek ye first the Kingdom of God 2 The promise All these things shall be added Seek ye first Threefold firstness 1 of time 2 of estimation 3 of opportunity He that forsakes opportunity shall be forsaken of it Opportunity is like a ship under sail to which you must call presently else it is gone Hannibal when he could would not destroy Rome after he could not when he would Though we are to give God our youth Exod. 22.29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits Prov. 3 9. Honour the Lord with the first-fruits of thy increase Eccles 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth And those that have been most eminent in grace have been wrought upon young Obadiah feared the Lord from his youth Samuel was called when a childe Timothy and many others and it is a mans honor to begin to know God betimes Yet this firstness is not all but we must understand a firstness of dignity and estimation that we prize spiritual things above temporal those temporal things are to be sought in order to the Kingdom of God Carnal men say seek money first and vertue afterwards But Christ sayes seek grace first if not we shall be as foolish virgins who too late sought for oyl Mat. 25. So that here is a seventh argument against distrustful care viz. all temporal good things are the rewards of godliness therefore cark not for them Psal 34.9 10. There is no want to them that fear him they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing 1 Tim. 4.8 Earthly things are added over and above alluding to that 1 Kings 3.11 Because Solomon asked an understanding heart and not long life riches or the lives of enemies God gave him that which he did not ask over and above riches and honour The Kingdom of God and his righteousness The Kingdom of God as the mark righteousness as the way So Matth. 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of God He that seeks the Kingdom of God above all other things and all other things for it need not be sollicitous for other things for they shall be added Also by Kingdom of God understand right and title to the Kingdom of God And his righteousness which is 1 Imputative righteousness of Christ which is also called the righteousness of God Rom. 1.17 Rom. 3.21 Rom. 10.3 2 The righteousness of sanctification as integrity of love hunger and thirst after doing Gods will innocency charity and all other graces Now that sanctification is called righteousness appears Deut. 6.25 It shall be our righteousness if we observe to
do all these commandments Job 27.6 My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go That is my sanctification and uprightness but in this sence righteousness is onely an intentional conformity to the law of God and no satisfaction to divine justice Many seek the Kingdom of God but few seek the righteousness thereof but it 's said of Joseph of Arimathea he was a good man and a just and he waited for the Kingdom of God Luke 23.50 51. and Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 And all these things shall be added unto you The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies shall be added as over measure Godliness hath the promises of this life and that which is to come Mark 10.30 1 Tim. 4.8 It 's a metaphor taken from cheap things which are given in in the buying of costly things as paper and packthread are given in by Shop-keepers when we onely buy Stuffs or such commodities Psal 111.5 He hath given meat to them that fear him he will ever be mindefull of his covenant Quest But we see divers Godly persons are scanted as to outward things Answ God hath promised outward things to us but its onely when they are good for us Psal 34.11 They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing sometimes God sees outward things in any measure not so good for us as a Physician that hath seen our water or felt our pulse takes away such and such meat from us because he sees it not good for us so doth God or as a father takes away a knife from his child because he sees he is in danger to cut his fingers therewith 2 Gods people sometimes abuse his blessings to pride prodigality and excess such children of God may justly fear to be pinched God doth not by promise bind himself to give us outward things when we shall spend them upon our lusts for so God should bind himself to unjust things but though we begg such things of him he denyes them Jam. 4.3 3 All promise of outward things is with the exception of the Cross so the cause of God standing need of witnesses and for the exercise of the faith and patience of his people sometimes precious Saints of eminent holiness have been scanted Heb. 11.37 Such of whom the world was not worthy wandred about in sheep skins and Goat skins being destitute afflicted tormented but their wants have been made up abundantly with inward comfort See Mar. 10.30 4 Unbelief as to Gods promise for outward things sometimes straitens Gods hand We are bid to pray in faith for daily bread now how can we do this unless Gods promise be certain and absolute According to the faith of men it will be unto them Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread As it was a threatning and a command so was it a promise that we sweating and taking pains shall eat our bread The persons that are beggars and extream poor are wicked persons who joyn not themselves to any Church but are dissolute in life 5 Though for abuse of mercies God sometimes pinches his children yet usually he keeps them from famishing for the absoluteness of his promise in temporal things which are no less absolute then spiritual things as I judge leaving others to their light herein as we see in sundry temporal promises which are set down without any restriction Psal 1.3 Psal 37.3 Trust in the Lord and do good dwell in the land and in truth and stableness thou shalt be fed as the Margin out of the Hebrew reads it See also ver 25. Rom. 8.32 How shall he not with him give us all things also First mary Christ then have all things with him See many absolute promises Psal 84.11 No good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Prov. 28.10 The upright shall have good things in possession and see the three large promises in the New Testament this in the Text and that 1 Tim. 4.8 and that Heb. 13.5 Quest But what will you say to poor Christians will you conclude them unbelievers Ans In no wise but rather conclude they have failed in the condition in the belief of the absoluteness of temporal promises or else they have failed in their duty not working in their youth but being negligent in their callings after they have been converted or else they had an high mind and God was forced to pull them down or else they have lived out of a calling or been idle therein and as God would not have his Church to relieve them that will not work so neither will he himself relieve them 2 Thess 3.10 If any man will not work neither shall he eat Use Reprehension of those who say they trust God with their souls but dare not trust him with their bodies but they will use indirect means but why are they so confident Surely because their faith is not so assaulted as to spirituals as it is to temporals were their faith to be tryed as to the Trinity Resurrection belief of the Creation of the World a Virgins bringing forth a Son the day of judgement c. they would no less shew their unbelief of Gods Word herein then they do of his Word as to temporal things 2 Exhort To have outward things set your hearts to seek heavenly things the other then will be added when you know rightly to value spiritual blessings depend on God for temporal things So long as the ark was in Obed-Edoms house God prospered it 2 Sam. 6. Joseph was a good man and God made all that he did to prosper in his hand Gen. 39.3 The contrary practice is that of the world who first seek earthly things and think that upon their faint wishes when they are upon the bed of sickness death or other distresses heavenly things will be added unto them contrary to Solomons counsel to remember our Creator in the dayes of youth think that old age will be a fitter time and prophane Esau like preferre a messe of pottage before a birth-right and blessing V. 34. Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it self sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof Here is another Argument to take us off from carking for the morrow that is for all future time because to morrow or future time will have cares therein It is not a part of wisdom to trouble our selves with caring for those things which must be cared over again to morrow Christ alludes to the gathering of Manna Exod. 16.20 Some out of carking would keep of the Manna until the morning and it bred worms and stank Future time or to morrow will have its trouble therefore we need not gather the cares of two dayes into one which being divided we shall more easily bear we complain of many troubles and cares which our selves create yet in forbidding care for the morrow he allows cares for the present Not as if all care for
Verse he showes who the persons to be reproved must be not Dogs nor Hogs but such as will receive an admonition Q. How may we give admonitions that they may be received A. Something must be done by the reprover something by the reproved 1 The reprover must reprove in love It s horrible wickedness if any should cover hatred or revenge under such a duty 1 Thes 2.11 12. We charged you as a father doth his children that ye would walk worthy of God Never set upon reproof unless your conscience tell you you do it out of love 2 Be sure there be a fault committed If you take up groundless reports you your self will come under reproof 1 Cor. 1.11 12. 1 Cor. 5.1 3 Let reproof be applied to the quality of the person reproved if an inferior more boldly if a superiour more modestly so Nathan to David 1 Tim. 5.1 and to the quantity or quality of the sin Tit. 1.13 Rebuke them sharply If a person be so high that because of his greatness he will not be reproved he is to be reproved because he will not be reproved 4 With observation of fit time and place so Abigail to Nabal when the drink was out of his head 1 Sam. 25.36 37. Prov. 25.11 5 With zeal that so the sinner may see his sin and Gods wrath due for it not as Eli to his sons but as John Baptist Matth. 3.7 8 9. Matth. 14.4 6 With meekness considering thy self mayest be tempted Gal. 6.1 7 To give it to a person hopefull not incorrigible not a Dog or Hog Prov 23.9 8 With patience If a person be admonished and repents not yet wait a while if he still mend not take one or two that may be helpfull either to bring him to repentance or to witness his stubbornness Matth. 18.15 2 Something must be done by the reproved as 1 To pray for honest reprovers Psal 141.4 5. Let the righteous reprove me it shall be an excellent oyl 2 Take the reproof with humility and patience and not to storm saying as that Israelite to Moses Who made thee a Ruler and a Judge over me Exod. 2.14 3 Judge that it comes from love till the contrary appear and so it will be better digested We are not offended at him that showes us the spots on our clothes why should we be at him that shews us the spots of our life 4 Amend by thy reproof whether it be a sin thou hast been guilty of or a duty thou hast faln short in if not guilty let it caution thee for time to come Prov. 9.9 If thou after reproofs amend not thou art near destruction Prov. 29.1 Motive 1. He that rebuketh a man shall finde more favour afterward then he that flattereth with his tongue Prov. 28.23 else we are in danger to partake with others mens sins Eph. 5.11 V. 7. Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you V. 8. For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened In this command Christ stirs us up to prayer There are two things that hinder prayer to wit sloth and unbelief against sloth Christ bids us ask seek knock and against unbelief Christ saith whosoever asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Nothing more stirs up a soul to prayer then a confidence of being heard and nothing makes a man more heartless then the contrary Now for the things believers should ask they are the Spirit Luk. 11.13 heavenly wisedome Jam. 1.5 both which Paul conjoyns and bids us pray for the spirit of wisedome Eph. 1.17 18. also increases of grace These three ask seek and knock signifie most fervent begging of God or a begging with perseverance they signifie we should pray believingly diligently fervently and perseverantly If men use to give being so importuned how much more will God As Christ showes in the following verses For every one that asketh receiveth Psal 81.7 Thou calledst in trouble and I delivered thee Psal 50.15 The words seem to be taken out of Jer. 29.12 13. Then shall ye call upon me and I will hearken unto you and ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart See Luke 15.4 This promise is to be understood that we ask according to the qualifications before laid down as that we ask in faith c Use It 's incouragement to us to come to God in all our wants While they speak I will hear Esa 65.24 Every believer may say of himself and others as Moses said of the Jews Deut. 4.7 What Nation is there that hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call unto him for Onely you must ask things that God hath promised or at least commanded us to ask for not hurtfull things as to ask riches to spend them upon our lusts not curious things The mother of Zebedees sons desiring that her sons might sit one at Christs right hand the other at Christs left hand in his Kingdome was repulsed 2 Exhort to patient waiting if God answer not at first Luke 18.1 God long waited for us Song 5.1 Revel 3.20 V. 9 For what man is there among you which if his son ask him bread would give him a stone V. 10 Or if he ask a fish will he give him a Serpent V. 11. If ye then that are evil know how to give good things to your children how much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him The words are an argument from the less to the greater Fathers though bad men will give good things to their children much more will God being a good father give good things to his children when they ask them of him Mark Christ argues onely for giving good things to Gods children not to others to his children God will give and more liberally then men will to theirs When a son asks bread if the father should give him a stone it would be unprofitable for him and if he should ask fish and the father should give him a serpent that is like a fish he would give him that which is hurtfull and would poyson him surely then God will not give his children those things which are either unprofitable for them or hurtfull unto them God in mercy sometimes hears us not but denies us that which we ask that he may give us that which may do us more good If ye being evil know how to give good things The Apostles and holy men are said to be evil 1 Comparatively in respect of God Job 15.14 15 16. the heavens are not pure in his sight as the Moon is dark in comparison of the Sun or 2 Because of the unregenerate part remaining in godly men Rom. 7.18 I know that in my flesh dwels no good thing He doth not mean his flesh
are many men are onely formal professours such were the foolish Virgins Matth. 25.1 Such was he Eccles 8.10 So I saw the wicked buried who had come and gone to the place of the Holy Tit. 1.15 Profess they know God but in works deny him A name to live but are dead Rev. 3.1 Ezek. 33.31 Rom. 2.17 18 19. Such was Judas Magus Saul The consciences of these men would not have been quiet had they not given some outward service to God Formal professors do with their consciences as men do with children men give them some small matter as a pear or plum to keep them from wrangling and crying out Use 1 Believe not every one that hath onely a profession Joh. 2.23 How forward was the stony ground that it received the Word with joy Matth. 12.21 and yet for want of root as soon as tribulation came it withered 2 Caution against formality rest not in professional faith because thou hast the name of professor because of duties of religion in family or because in Church Communion They that are found not to live as Christ taught let them know they are not Christians although they profess the doctrine of Christ with their tongue for not the professors onely but the confirmers of their works shall be saved Just Mart. Apol. 1.49 This formality how ever it be plausible with the world yet is it loathed with God Rev. 3.15 16. God will spue out such Laodiceans 3 Trial whether thou art a formal man or not 1 When thou hast not grace to overcome every lust but Satan holds thee under some insnaring lust so Herod Eccles 8.10 So I saw the wicked buried that had come and gone to the place of the Holy 2 When thou hast not faith to suffer for God or a good conscience Matth. 13.21 3 When thou art onely careful to cleanse the outward man but careless of the inner man so the Pharisees Luk. 11.39 40. The Pharisees made clean the outside of the cup and platter but their inward part was full of rapine and excess Contrarily powerful Christians are most troubled with the inward man 4 When though thou performes duties of Religion yet 1 Thy soul is not nourished by them nor built up 2 Tim. 3.8 Ever learning but never able to come to a practical knowledge 2 Or else thou seest not Gods face in duty Job 13.16 He onely is my salvation but a Hypocrite shall not come before him 3 Or else thou dost not groan under thy dead-heartedness Contrarily powerful Christians groan under their fits of deadness and pray earnestly for quickening Psal 119.25 37 88 107 143 154 156 159. 5 When men turn in their Religion as states turne so did all Nations and Tongues Dan. 3.7 except the three children It s a plain note of a formalist to profess a Religion before God work it in the heart 6 When thou performes duties of Religion from art and not from life as thou prayes perhaps from wit and memory but not from the Spirit thou hears the word but it s either for victory of wit quiet of resolution ability to discourse but not with an intent to practice thou receives the supper not because of any sweetness of Christ thou hast tasted there but because persons would note thee shouldest thou absent thy self So thou gives alms not out of any chearfulness or because thou Sympathizes with Christ or his members but because natural conscience calls thee to do something 2 Obs Men that are meer formal professors must expect to be excluded out of heaven as well as other gross sinners 2 Things to be considered 1 What formality is Answ It 's a shew Image or similitude of godliness without life or power as a woodden Image hath the likeness of a thing as of a man or beast but is no such thing a shadow hath likeness of a body but is a shadow 2 There is even too much formality and overliness in good men in the services they perform to God but they mourn under them Use Reprehension of those who rest in an outward forme of Religion without the power Ananias and Sapphira Demas Nay they deny the power of Religion 2 Tim. 3.5 When the power of Religion would pull a Carnal man from his lust he denyes it when the question is put whether Christ left or lusts he denies Christ for to enjoy his lusts as the young man Matth. 19.22 when preachers exhort to reconciliation these deny for this power formal men have Joh. 5.40 I would and ye would not Matth. 23.37 Quest But why do formal men deny the power of Religion Answ 1 Because of the difficulty whereto the power of godliness calls men as 1 To part with every lust Matth. 5.29 A right hand and right eye and every enjoyment for Christ Luk. 14.33 without which we cannot be Christians 2 Because of the painfulness that must be used in the power 1 Tim. 4.8 9. Whereas any slothful performance will serve in a form 3 Because of the reproachfulness of it the power of Godliness exposes persons to reproach when they will balk no duty nor commit no known sin for this was Moses reproached Heb. 11.26 4 Because the power of godliness seems folly in the eyes of Carnal men 1 Cor. 2.14 5 Because they are bound with the cords of present sinful pleasures Job 20.12 13. compared with Prov. 5.22 2 Exhortation 1 Press towards the power of Religigion 2 Show forth the power of it 1 Press towards the power of Religion Means hereto 1 Draw near to God with thy Spirit as well as body Isa 29.13 Remember that thy heart is open before him Heb. 4.13 2 Receive not any thing in Religion upon any temporal ends either of credit profit relations of friends command of Princes c. but meerly because the force of truth prevailes upon thy understanding Some such ends prevailing with Judas and Demas they became meer formalists 3 Go not away from the duties of Religion as prayer c. till your hearts be nourished therein so Jacob Gen. 32.26 Hos 12.3 4. 4 Strengthen your selves in the power of Gods might 2 Tim. 2.1 5 Get a gracious frame of heart as there is a natural force that puts forth it self in Drugs Plants Precious stones so there is a supernatural power that puts forth it self in a principle of grace to the resistance of and victory over corruption 2 Shew forth the power of Religion 1 In the duties of thy particular relation as Master Husband Father Pastor It s to the reproach of Religion to see professing children disobedient professing servants contemptuous of their Masters 1 Tim. 6 1. Negligent ey-servants like stage players acting onely to please men 2 In being vvilling to do or suffer any thing for God Act. 9.6.21.13 3 In having our conversation sutable to our profession Phil. 1.27 Onely let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel 4 In resistance of sinfull temptations so Joseph Gen. 39.10 and those Saints Heb. 11.35 5
the Thessalonians faith 1 Thess 3.10 3 Direction in difficult Cases together with satisfaction in scruples so that the souls of persons are kept in peace John 9.3 4 To kindle affections when souls are dead how were the affections of the Brethren at Ephesus Acts 20.36 and Tyre Acts 21.5 kindled and the three thousand pricked Acts 2.37 The hearts of the Disciples going to Emmaus were on fire whiles Christ spoke to them Luke 24.32 5 Relations kept in the way of duty fathers children husbands wives princes subjects masters servants 6 Soul watchfulness Heb. 13.17 They watch for your souls Isai 62.6 7. 7 They wrastle with the Lord in prayer and give him no rest till they obtain mercy for a people Isai 62.6 7. 8 They gather Gods harvest into barns that is souls into Churches here and into glory hereafter That he would send forth Labourers into his Harvest Seven grounds hereof 1 The need there is of such Labourers as a Field will be overgrown with Weeds if the Husbandman send not Labourers into it so will the hearts of men where there are not such Labourers to weed And as when Corn is ripe it will be apt to shatter if there be not Labourers to inn it so people of good affections are apt to decline where there are not Labourers to perfect young comers on The need of such is seen in that yearly there are so many thousands born Children of Wrath. And in that the hearts of good men are liable to so many decays and coolings 2 The great blessing there is by such Ministry and labour and needs must it bring a blessing because it roots out that which will be the ruine of any place I mean sin Prov. 28.2 Yea nothing doth more bless a place than such Labourers 2 Chron. 11.17 The godly Priests and Levites that came to Rehoboam strengthened the Kingdom of Judah 3 Because the Harvest is Gods it 's called his Harvest therefore it belongs to him to send forth Labourers into it Now they that are of Gods sending are endued with gifts and grace 4 Because they cannot preach unless he send them Rom. 10.14 How shall they preach except they be sent The least degree of sending is to have ability to divide the word This sending is 1 Inward when a man having the love of souls stamped upon his heart is made willing to offer up himself to this work Isai 6.6 7 8. 2 Outward because too many out of pride and self-conceitedness are ready to put themselves forward this way hence God hath appointed that persons that are to go out be first approved by men thereunto appointed Else Jer. 23.21 I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran 5 As the primitive work of sending is Gods so there is something in sending which is ours to wit that we shew our selves willing to be sent When God had sent one of the Seraphims to Isaiah with a coal in his hand to touch his mouth meaning a burning zeal to Gods glory and when the Lord asks the question whom shall I send and who shall go for us the Prophet then answers v. 8. Here I am send me Isai 6.6 7. Men to whom God hath given Abilities should be forward to put forth themselves Out of love to souls they may desire the Office of a Bishop 1 Tim. 3.1 yea they must out of a ready minde take the oversight of the flock of God 1 Peter 5.2 Not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde 6 All the success that is in any mans Ministry how fully soever sent or how willing of himself for to go is from God So that the force of the Reason is he hath the power of succeeding and making Ministry effectual therefore he hath the power of sending We preach to persons to turn from darkness Acts 26.18 but God turns them Isaiah preached a long time Isai 53.1 yet because the arm of the Lord or the power of the Lord was not revealed to souls there were so few converted that he cries out Who hath believed our reports yea he and the children God had given him were as signs and wonders If God go along Peter shall at one Sermon convert three thousand All our Preaching is but as the rigging of the Sails which avails not unless the Winde blow When he opens none can shut when he shuts none can open Rev. 3.7 8. yet must we in a patient manner make trial what success God will give us in our Ministry imitating Peter Luke 5.5 who had toiled all night and taken nothing yet would at Christs word further let down the net And truly persons sent by God usually have their labours blessed to the converting and building up of some souls Jer. 23.21 22. 7 It is the Lord that maintains them in their work Acts 18.9 10. Be not affraid but speak and hold not thy peace for I am with thee He holds the seven stars in his right hand Revel 1.16 20. now the right hand is the hand of strength and power Jer. 1.18 19. saith God to Jeremy I have made thee an Iron Pillar and a Brazen Wall they shall fight against thee but not prevail Seeing God maintains persons herein it 's fit he have the sending of them CHAP. X. WE have in this Chapter three things to be premised 1 The occasion and coherence which was multitudes coming to Christ with desire to hear the Gospel he was moved with compassion towards them cap. 9.7 Seeing them as Sheep without a Shepherd he consults to send out his Disciples and therefore before he sends them forth he bids them pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send forth Labourers which the Disciples doubtless did hence as an answer of their prayers Christ as the Lord of the Harvest sends forth Labourers even his twelve Apostles 2 That there is difference betwixt this sending and the election of the twelve mentioned Luke 6. when Christ chose them that he might instruct them that in time to come they might be sent out Christ will have those whom he sends out first to be Disciples before he will send them out he mentions not here their chusing but onely their sending because he had chosen them before 3 That this sending forth of the twelve Disciples or Apostles differs from that sending forth of the twelve mentioned Matth. 28.19 this being onely particular that they should go into the Land of Judea that being for them to go into all the World and was to continue till the end of the World Matth. 28.20 Contrarily this sending may seem to be onely temporary and that the Commissions here and there do tota specie in the whole kinde differ and that that is not an enlargement of this commission but another 1 Because at this sending Christ impowers them to preach and do Miracles but there he impowers them to make Disciples and baptize them 2 Because these are forbidden not to go into the way of the Gentiles nor
mouth and a tongue which all your adversaries should not be able to gainsay or resist And here Christ meets with an Objection which the Apostles might make viz. Whence shall we that are unable to speak defend our selves and cause against Councils great Assemblies and Princes who many times with their presence astonish great Orators To this Christ saith I will give you a mouth and a tongue Christ will not leave his Witnesses in the midst of danger V. 20. For it is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Christ further strengthens his Disciples as to discouragement about their own weakness whereas they might object we are fishermen though it should be spoken to us yet we cannot being unlearned be able to speak to this Christ saith It 's not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Will a father leave a childe when he knows he is in hazard of life for his fathers sake and will your heavenly Father leave you in danger for the witness of his truth Surely no. And look as the preparation of the heart and answer of the tongue is from the Lord Prov. 16.1 so shall the Spirit not onely dictate unto you fit Arguments and Apologies but also shall form your tongues to express them even to the astonishment of your Adversaries The Council Acts 4.13 when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marvelled Acts 5.27 28 29. Acts 7.51 52 53 54. Now in that Christ saith it is not you it is not meant absolutely but comparatively not so much you as the Spirit of God by you The help of Angels at such a time to assist is much but the assistance of the Spirit is far more without which in such an hour of temptation the best parts and abilities would fail There cannot be a greater assistant than this Spirit Luk. 21.15 This comparative speech is like that Matth. 9.13 I will have mercy not sacrifice that is not so much sacrifice as mercy The force of the Argument is It 's not so much your cause as mine and my Fathers therefore my Spirit and the Spirit of my Father shall answer for you As when Balaams Ass spoke it was not so much the Ass that spoke as the Lord in the Ass Numb 22.28 so it was the Spirit that spoke in the Apostles Acts 4.19 and in Stephen V. 21. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death and the father the childe and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death Here 's a third evil to which Christians must look to be exposed to viz. as the hatred of all men in general so of their own kinsmen in particular because the hatred they have against you for the cause of Christ is stronger than the bond of natural affection Hence it breaks in pieces the bond of natural love Hence as it was in Christs kindred that not onely they would not believe in him John 7.5 but also said he was mad Mark 3.21 so is it in worldly men who hate their relations for difference of Religion Hence Ishmael hated Isaak and Esau persecuted Jacob and Josephs brethren sold him Alphonsus Diazius slew his brother John for the confession of the Gospel Sleydan lib. 17. We see the like History in the Life of Woodman persecuted by his own brother in Queen Maries time This should quiet our hearts when we see our friends and kindred rage against us for conscience sake It should also learn us not to be too confident in carnal relations how near soever allied to us Micah 7.5 Trust ye not in a friend put ye not confidence in a guide keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom He that is false in his duty to God how can he be expected to be faithfull to friends Learn also in declining times when friends prove false to look to God Micah 7.6 7. The son dishonoureth his father and the daughter riseth up against her mother therefore saith Micah I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation This unfaithfulness was not onely a symptome of those bad times but it hath been the frame of many carnal hearts since V. 22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake but he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved And ye shall be hated of all men That is of all unregenerate men that receive not Christ whether they be Jews or Gentiles noble or base whether kindred or strangers old and young Wicked men hate all good men if not actually because they know them not yet habitually they do if they knew them they would hate them even for the good in them Psalm 38.20 which hatred proceeds from that enmity put betwixt the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 As love arises from similitude so doth hatred from dissimilitude The World cannot hate you but me it hateth John 7.7 Why because I testifie the works thereof are evil The World also hates Saints because they are not of the World John 15.19 For my Names sake That is for a powerfull profession of it The Gentiles raged much as Augustine observes because they heard that Jesus Christ would be worshipped alone now they thought it absurd that they should cast off all their other gods continued to them for so many ages for him alone Not onely Papists but carnal Protestants rage against the godly of the time if they will witness Christ in any powerfull manner and follow the Light of Gods Word further than the times will bear I am guilty of such and such evils said Bradford but this is not that mine Enemies persecute in me but Christ Nor is it to be forgotten that because the word of Christ in the mouth of Saints urges an union with the hearts of wicked men hence those who urge herein are hated especially if it be any such part of the word as exposeth to some present cross Besides it was the manner for Scholers to be called by their Masters names as Aristoteleans Pythagoreans so Christians are called from their profession of Christ Acts 11.26 and for the profession of living by the rules of their Masters is it that Christians suffer 1 Pet. 4.15 If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Acts 5.41 Peter and John rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name But he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved Here is 1 A duty 2 A promise The duty is to endure to the end to endure all persecutions hatreds adversities to the end both of the persecutions and of life To obtain the crown it 's not enough once and again to overcome but to overcome and endure to the end and this is some comfort that though they be long they will
love of sinfull correspondency make unhappy discoveries this way Mic. 7.5 Trust not in a friend put not confidence in a brother 4 Beware of purposing to turn back into the waies of errour because of the opposition we finde in Gods wayes If once we put our hand to Gods plow we are not to look back Luke 9.62 5 Beware of a cowardly giving way to the opposers of the truth Jeremy complained there were some were not valiant for the truth Jer. 9.3 Contrary Paul would not give place by subjection to the false Teachers no not for an hour Gal. 2.5 that the truth of the Gospel might continue If any man should intrench upon your names estates relations you would contend against them and not spare your purses in this case let us be like minded in matters of Religion so Nehemiah c. 6.9 11 15. To this the Apostles exhort Phil. 1.27 28. Jude 3. It was well said by Luther I will not fly God assisting nor leave the word of God in the front of the battel I had rather burn among the living coals then stink halfe alive if not altogether dead Reason thus either the cause is Gods or not if not why stir we a foot in it if it be why go we not thorow with it 6 Let all that are godly be united among themselves if not in a same opinion yet in a charitable affection and united conjunction to oppose wickedness and to stand for holiness Divide and overcome was the old maxime There 's a story of a Father that gave a quiver of arrows to his sons and bad them break them being united in the quiver but they could not he bad each of them after to take out a single arrow and then any one of them could break them he made the application that so long as his sons were united none could hurt them but when disjoyned and severed one from another they became a prey to all I may apply this fitly to all Saints who are the subjects of the worlds rage Psalm 133.1 3 Use Consolation to saints under much opposition They in this world have little peace but in heaven there remains a rest for them Heb. 4.10 11. Rev. 14.13 Yet as the weather-beaten mariner in sight of his Haven is comforted in the hopes of his arrival therein where he shall have an end of all storms so we being tossed under a continual storm should comfort our selves by faith and hope in the haven of our rest To these contentious persons that obey not the truth but oppose the professors of it there will be tribulation Rom. 2.7 8. but to thee who by a patient continuance in well-doing goes on there will be peace Christians are apt sometimes to grow passionate under the oppositions of the world Jer. 15.10 Woe is me saith Jeremy that thou hast born me a man of contention and strife to the whole earth but this is our comfort 2 Thes 1.6 7. It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels V. 35. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in law against her mother in law Obj. But what seems more monstrous then this Text Christ seems to overturn all Laws which ordain honour and love of children to their parents Christ contrary comes to set them at variance Answ The nearest end of Christ his coming was by his doctrine to unite hearts but the separation mentioned here was an accidental end The world cannot indure the Gospel but hate all that receive it so that the argument is he that stirs up strife and variance is guilty of sin but Christ doth so therefore he is guilty of sin Answ The proposition is true by it self the assumtion is true onely by accident else it s false for what a blessed peace should we have would every man receive the Gospel Obj. It s said of John Baptist He shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just Answ This is the proper end of the Gospel if wicked men hindred it not but the contrary through wicked mens malice oft falls out Gods children may retort those words which Eliah did to Ahab to the wicked of the world 1 Kings 18.17 18. Art not thou he that troubles Israel Eliah answered I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house in that ye have forsaken the commandment of the Lord as Joshua said to Achan Jos 7.25 Why hast thou troubled us the Lord shall trouble thee this day The cause why the world troubles the Saints is because they witness against their evil John 7.7 The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the works thereof are evil There 's no bond so strait which the Gospel will not break in sunder through the corruption of wicked mens hearts See it Jer 12.6 For even thy brethren and the house of thy father even they have dealt treacherously with thee they have called a multitude after thee believe them not though they speak fair words unto thee One part of the trial of Christians is to be exercised with contentions when the Lord calls his people from the wicked of the world 2 Cor. 6.15 16 17. Come out from among them and touch not the unclean thing and I will be your God and ye shall be my sons The world thinks this an intolerable wrong to make a departure the mother is angry with her daughter for it and the daughter with the mother yea sometimes a Church with a member and casts him out for this because he will preserve his conscience pure Church-communion is an high priviledge but to sin against conscience is too high a price for it V. 36. And a mans foes shall be they of his own houshold Christ had in part set forth the variance the Gospel brings not of it self for Christ is the Prince of peace Esa 9.6 The Gospel of it self is the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 Believers are the children of peace and follow after it 1 Pet. 3.11 but by accident in that wicked men will not suffer their superstitions and wickedness to be reproved he comes to close up all that a mans enemies shall be they of his own houshould The unconverted wife or servant will oppose the converted husband and master as Christ had prepared his Disciples in the former verse against the enmity of kindred and neighbours which words were in part taken out of Jer. 9.4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour and trust ye not in any brother for every brother will utterly supplant and every neighbour will walk with slanders So now Christ prepares his Disciples against all enmity which shall be in their own houses Some times the childe is angry with