refuse certaine meates and dayes the Conscience erred in judging those meates and dayes to bee unlawfull to be observed and used and yet hee calls them that were so led by an erring Conscience hee calls them I say brethren But when we speake of an evill Conscience we meane Conscience unregenerate As a man may have sinne in him and yet be a good man so may Conscience have blindnesse in it and yet bee a good Conscience The signes of an unregenerate Conscience may be gathered from the differences of evill Consciences The signes then of an unregenerate still Conscience are these First when it is quiet in the committing and after the committing of knowne sinne whether open or secret For open sins as for drunkennesse swearing lying profanation of the Sabbath and the like the Conscience cannot be good when these or the like open wickednesses are committed and so when it is quiet notwithstanding secret whoredome or filthinesse of any kinde or continuall wickednesse in the thoughts or desires that Conscience that can abide a soule heart is a wicked Conscience Secondly when it excuseth for doing notorious evils and so they have evill Consciences that could trouble and persecute even to the death godly men and yet thinke they did God good service Iohn 16.2 The signes of an unregenerate stirring Conscience are these First when the Conscience serves onely to tell ill newes when it serves to tell a man onely of his losse by Adam or the Law but never comforteth him by bringingâ—in any evidence of Gods favour in Christ. That Conscience that terrifies without Christ that is without mixing any of the comforts of the Gospell in Christ is an evill Conscience the speciall property of a good Conscience is to excuse and comfort and therefore that Conscience that doth onely accuse is an evill Conscience Secondly when the Conscience flees from the presence of God as did Adams Conscience after the Fall and this the Conscience discovers when it dares not stand before the discovery of the Law of God not dares abide a powerfull Minister that speakes to the Conscience of the hearers and ransacks them Thirdly when the Conscience languisheth about questions that tend not to edification and raiseth the strength of zeale and all the power of it about things that are lesse necessary either unto faith or practice And this was the case of the Pharisees Conscience that spent all their zeale about lesse matters and neglected the waightier things of the Law And this is the case of all such Christians that are zealous with a fiery zeale about circumstances or the estates and businesses of others and neglect the maine things of substance that concerne their owne sanctification assurance or salvation Fourthly when the Conscience is for men and not for God when the motive that raiseth and incourageth it is the praise of men and not the praise of God This also was the case of the Consciences of the Pharisees for the Conscience in them was busie and did require good duties but the respect was still the praise of men whereas a good Conscience is for God above all Fiftly when it will accuse onely for grosse evils and those knowne to others and not for lesse and secret sins to be repented of Sixtly when it will accuse onely in the time of adversity as in the case of Iosephs brethren Thus of the signes of an evill Conscience The misery that the men have that have an evill Conscience followes and they are miserable whether they have a waking or a sleeping Conscience The misery that comes from a waking Conscience is evill and may be two wayes discerned first by the tearmes by which it is called and resembled in Scripture secondly by the effects which it worketh really upon a man For the first An evill Conscience that is awake is in Scripture compared to a sting or pricke wounding the heart of a man It is likened also to a dog or a bloud-hound that lieth at the doore and having fresh sent howleth and barketh after the malefactor Gen. 4. It is likened as some thinke by David Psal. 51.4 to an evill contentious wife that is ever before a man chiding and brauling and as a moth secretly eats the garment so doth an evill Conscience eat up the heart of a man when others little see it Prov 25. It is like a dart strangely shot into a mans body Psalme 38. and it is compared to the boyling of the tumultuous sea Esay 57. and it is called a worme that dieth not but lieth gnawing and eating upon the heart of a man Esay 66. Marke 9. So that a man that hath an evill Conscience is like a man that is stung by a serpent or followed by a bloud-hound or vexed by a continuall-contrarious wife or that is hourely shot through with darts or that hath a living worme ever gnawing at his heart But that this may be more distinctly understood wee must take notice of foure effects of an evill Conscience usually The first is shame He that hath an evill Conscience is betrayed by his own blushing many times when his offence is secret yea a man feeles an inward shame in his owne heart disgracing and abusing him though he make no outward shew of it For though sometimes an innocent person upon the fulnesse of an aspersion may conceive shame as David did Psal. 44.15 yet it is usually the effect of an ill Conscience The second is paine and anguish of heart arising from the gnawing and stings of Conscience mentioned before which so continually burdens the heart that it takes away all contentment in any thing and keepes the heart in an habituall disconsolation and though the disease of melancholy may breed a sadnesse like unto it yet is there manifest difference betwixt this affliction of spirit and melancholy for the melancholick person usually can assigne no certaine reason of that sadnesse whereas Conscience when it stings a â—â—gnes the cause of it to be such and such things which bring noâ— only the shame of men but the wrath of God Besides melancholick sadnesse may be eased by physicke but this sorrow is not cured by any meanes but such as are spirituall The third is a strange kind of feare breaking the heart of a man and so subduing his courage that he is not able to sustaine himselfe against the impressions of vaine causes of feare A trembling heart is the effect of an ill conscience Deut. 28.65 Thus wicked men are said in Scripture to feare when no man pursueth them Pro. 28.1 and to be so faint-hearted as the sound of a shaken leafe shall make them fly as it were from a sword Levit. 26.36 and as it is in Iob The sound of feare is alwayes in his eares yea the terrours of conscience sometime so enrage upon the offender that no torments are like unto their terrours which sometimes are so great that they are hardly able to sustaine themselves but discover their horrible
curing it and putting life into it by sprinkling it with the bloud of Christ and love infusing or rather inflaming it with the heat of life All these things are requisite though I stand not upon the precise order of the working of every one of these Thus how conscience may bee made good Now I might adde a direction or two how conscience may doe her worke aright that is a good conscience and not doe ill offices in the soule Two things I say are of great use for the guiding of a good conscience First that in all her proceedings she must follow the warrant of Gods word Secondly that she doe not mistake in judging of particular actions she must bee sufficiently informed about our Christian liberty for unlesse the conscience discerne that wee are freed from the malediction of the law and from the rigorous perfection of obedience and have restored unto us a free use of all things indifferent and the like shee may be over-busie and troublesome disquieting the heart and restraining the joyes should refresh and support a man Thus of the meanes how conscience may be made good the signes of a good conscience follow First by the opposition it makes against the remainders of sinne in the godly It maintaines a constant combating against the law of the members having at command the law of the minde It doth not only resist grosse evils but even the most secret corruptions in the heart of man This Paul discerned in himselfe Rom. 7. of doing God service Secondly by the manner of exacting of obedience for a good conscience First doth incline a man to doe good duties not by compulsion but a man shall find that he doth them by force of an internall principle in himself Secondly it cannot abide dead works a good conscience abhors all cold and carelesse or luke-warm or counterfeit serving of God it puts life into all good dutes it exacteth attendance upon God in doing them Heb. 9.14 Thirdly it more respecteth God than all the world or the man himselfe and therefore will compell a man to obey against profit and pleasure and liking of the world 2 Cor. 1.12 Fourthly it requires an universall obedience it would have all Gods commandements respected and therefore Paul saith I desired in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 The allowing of one sin shewes the depravation of the conscience if it bee a knowne sinne and still tolerated As one dead flie will spoyle a boxe of pretious oyntment I say one dead flie though many living flies may light upon a boxe of oyntment and do it no great hurt so a godly man may have many infirmities and yet his conscience be sound but if there be one corruption that lives and dies there that is such a corruption as is knowne and allowed and doth by custome continue there it will destroy the soundnesse of the best conscience of the world and doth usually argue a conscience that is not good Fiftly a good conscience doth require obedience alwaies thus Paul pleads I have served God till this day It doth not command for God by fits but constantly Acts 23.1 A third signe is that a good conscience is alwayes toward God it still desires to bee before God it seekes Gods presence it reckons that day to be lost and that it did not live as it were when it found not the Lord or had no fellowship or conversation with God A good conscience is like a good Angell it is alwayes looking into the face of God Acts 23.1 Thus of the signes The benefits of a good conscience are many and great for First it is the best companion a man hath all the daies of his life it is ever with him and speakes good unto him and comforts him A man that hath no company needs not to be alone for he may converse with much delight with his owne conscience and it is the surest friend a man can have for it will neither hurt him by flattery nor forsake him for any carnall respects and being an internall agent is out of the watch of all outward hinderances and is alwaies a messenger of good things to a man and fits him and fills him with peace that passeth all the understanding of all men that want a good conscience Secondly it gives a man assurance of the best treasures it makes a man certaine of his salvation for a good conscience will not be quiet till it know the love of God and the promises of grace in Christ and the assurance that conscience gives is a better assurance than any man can have for his lands or any estate on earth because it is so highly honoured that Gods owne Spirit doth not disdaine at any time to witnesse with it and to it Rom. 8.15 16. Thirdly by reason of that new acquaintance and affinity it hath with the holy Ghost it brings us into a familiar friendship with God as being an immediat Agent with the holy Ghost in all things that concerne us for Gods Spirit treates with the conscience and the conscience treates with the Soule Fourthly it is a continuall bulwarke against the divell and all his fiery darts whether he tempt us to sinne or to feare and doubting for so soone as the temptation is cast in a good-conscience by her reasoning presently throwes it out reserving principles both of precept and promise alwaies in a readinesse to that end so as by contrarious reasoning within us it both hinders us from yeelding to sin and supports us against all doubts and feares Prov. 28.1 Fiftly against all afflictions and disgraces and reproches of the world a good conscience still comforts a man and makes him rejoyce by the force of the testimony thereof 2 Cor. 1.14 So as it is most true that a good conscience is a continuall feast he never fares ill that hath a good conscience Psal. 7.8 Acts 24.16 Rom. 9.10 Sixtly and the greater is the comfort of a good conscience because it will comfort us and stand by us and for us when all other comforts faile It will never leave us in sicknesse or in death and so is better than a thousand friends or wives or children yea it will goe with us to the Judgement feat of Christ with this assurance that as a good conscience speakes to us now so will Christ speake to us at that day Rom. 2.16 Thus of the sorts or kindes of consciences The last point is about the bond of conscience what it is that can binde a mans conscience and the doubt ariseth from this and other Texts because here a servant is bound in conscience to submit himselfe to a froward master both to his command and to his punishments and other Scriptures speake of his obedience to superiours for conscience sake For answer hereunto we must know that God and his law have power simply and absolutely to binde conscience that is to urge it to require obedience of a man or to accuse
witnesse if we doe that which conscience thinks well to comfort us and if we doe that which conscience thinks ill to discourage us Rom. 2.15 and 9.1 Yea conscience is the guide of our lives We are here pilgrims and strangers farre from our home and in journey continually now God hath set consciences in us to be our guides that in all things we are to doe we may be directed and incouraged by conscience taking the direction and warrant of conscience as a speciall ground of our actions so as to doe contâ—ary to what conscience bids us is a sin for it doth not only witnesse about what is past but it directs us about what is to come as now to be done But the principall worke of conscience whether we respect God or man is to keepe court in the heart of man There is in man Forum Conscientia a Court of Conscience a secret Tribunall is set up in the heart of man and therein fits conscience and arraigneth accuseth bringeth witnes sentenceth and doth execution Now concerning the judgement of conscience keeping an Assise in the heart of man two things are to bee considered first the law by which conscience judgeth secondly the manner of the proceeding in judgement For the first Conscience judgeth of the actions of men by vertue of certaine principles as I said before which it findeth in the understanding gathered either from the law of nature or from experience of Gods providence or from the Scriptures Now the manner how it proceeds in judgement is in forme of reasoning as I said before for in the minde the conscience findes as it were a booke of law written which is in the keeping of the faculty they call it in schooles Syntâ—resis from hence the conscience takes the ground of reasoning and from the memory it takes evidence of the fact or state of the man that is arraigned and then by it selfe it judiciously concludes and passeth sentence and so it proceeds whether it condemne or absolve In the judgement of condemnation it proceeds thus First it cites or calls for the soule to be tried then it accuseth in this forme out of the body of the law kept in the minde it takes the conclusion it meanes to workes upon and then useth the memory to testifie of the fact as for instance Every murderer is an offender thou art a murderer therefore thou art proved to be an offender Then comes the sentence in the same order Hee that commits murder without repentance shall be damned thou committest murder without repentance and therefore art a damned creature So likewise it proceeds in absolving For evidence it proceeds thus He that hath such and such marks as godly sorrow the love or feare of God c. he is a childe of God but thou hast these marks therefore thou art a childe of God and then it goeth to sentence He that is the childe of God shall bee saved but thou art proved to be the childe of God therefore thou shalt be saved Nor doth it rest in the sentence but immediatly doth it selfe begin the execution for laying hold upon the guilty person it presently buffets him and terrifies him and pricks him at the very heart and gnawes him many times with unspeakable torments and tortures And so contrariwise in the sentence of absolution it proceeds with comfort settleth and quieteth the heart of the absolved and many times makes it able with joy to stand undaunted against all the powers of hell and the world of which more afterwards when I come to intreat of the sorts of conscience Observe by the way the difference between the court of conscience within us and mens courts of Justice without us For in mens courts they proceed secundum allegatae probata according to allegation and proofes but God hath appointed another judgement in the heart of man there God judgeth not according to allegation and proofes but according to conscience and hath associated to every man a notary of his owne and a witnesse of his owne which he produceth out of his very bosome so as man shall bee made to confesse what he hath done though all the world excuse him and shall have comfortable testimony in himselfe though all the world beside accuse him The glory of the power of conscience appeares by the third point and that is the prerogatives and properties of conscience in a man for 1. It keeps court in the heart of a man without limitation of time it will call a man to answere and heare judgement at any time it is not limited to any terms nor can the sentence be delaied it hath power to examine testifie and give sentence at any time of the yeere at pleasure nor will it admit any appeal to any creature 2. It is subject properly only to God no earthly Prince can command the conscience of a man as will more appeare afterwards 3. It keeps continuall residence in the heart of man it is alwaies with him at home and abroad it observeth and watcheth him in all places in the Church at his table in his bed day and night it never leaves him 4. God hath subjected man to the obedience of conscience if it command erroneously if it be in things indifferent as in the case of meats and daies in the Apostles time if the conscience doubted or forbade the use of them which yet in themselves might be used the man was bound to follow his conscience though the conscience erred and so sinned in doubting or forbidding Rom. 14.14.23 5. Yea so much honour doth God give unto the conscience that he suffers his owne most holy Spirit to bring in evidence in the court of conscience for so we read that the Spirit of Adoption doth beare witnesse before our spirits that is before the conscience that wee are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.15 6. It is a great prerogative that God hath granted immortality unto conscience Conscience never dies no not when we die Every mans conscience shall bee found no lier at the day of Judgement in so great request with Christ as that dreadfull Judgement shall be guided according to the evidence and verdict of conscience Rom. 2.15 16. For the fourth point Conscience is not all of a sort in all men some have good consciences and some have ill consciences and both these kindes of consciences must be considered of Conscience considered as good comes to be so either by creation or by renovation By creation Adam had his conscience good but by the first sinne conscience became evill in him and all his posterity so as all men naturally have evill consciences and no men have their consciences good but as they are renewed The difference between a good conscience by creation and renovation is this that by creation conscience was perfectly good from the first moment it was infused till the fall and did discover it self by excusing and comforting alwaies for Adams conscience till his fall could accuse
restlesnesse by the grievous distempers of the body or failing of their senses being for the time as Iob saith brought under the king of terrours Iob 18.14 What a wofull case Belshazzar was in you may reade Dan. 5.9 These terrours are the fansies the Gentiles so much dreamed of The fourth is desperation An evill Conscience in sinne many times brings them to hellish despaire of all mercy and pardon thus Cain rageth and blasphemeth like a frantick man And these effects of an evill Conscience are so muâ—h the more great 1. Because the Conscience can lash a man without noise it can secretly inflict torments when no eyes shall pity him 2. Because there is no escape from Conscience a man can neither drive it away nor run from it it cleaves to the offender inseparably From a tyrant or ill master some men run away but from an ill Conscience there is no flying 3. Because Conscience it selfe is a thousand witnesses to prove the fault though never so secret and the offender is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of himselfe and goes up and downe with a heavie sentence upon him in his bosome though all the world should account him innocent 4. Because an evill Conscience is such a damnable disease and the griefe raised by Conscience is such and so lasting that the grieved dies before the griefe can be removed yea so violent is the confusion which despaire bringeth into the thoughts that out of the grievous mistaking and impatience many times the offender makes away himselfe as Saul Achitophel and Iudas did and many in our times doe 5. Because death it selfe doth not abate the torments of an evill Conscience but the living worme gnawes them even in hell for ever and with so much strength and power there that one said wittily Hell were not hell if it were not for the gnawing of this never-dying and never-ceasing worme 6. Because unto the making up of the compleat misery of the impenitent sinner the sentence of Conscience and the testimony of it shall be heard and admitted at the last day before the Tribunall of Christ. For though an evill conscience shall never disgrace for some effects as for that of working despaire of mercy yet for the maine body of the proceedings of Conscience it shall be not only allowed but justified by the voice of Christ to the eternall shame and confusion of the offender And though it be true that the worst of the effects before mentioned arise from a stirring Conscience yet is not the man safe that hath a still Conscience if it bee evill For first hee is in continuall danger of the awaking of that conscience of his that now is asleep What ease can that mans heart be at if he had all pleasures round about him if he were tied to a Beare or Lion or mad Dog though he were then asleep for hee may awake every moment and then where is hee The stilnesse of an ill conscience is but like the sleep of a frantick man Secondly there can be no true peace unto the man that lieth in sinne without repentance Isa. 57. There is no peace to the wicked saith my God Though hee bee friends with himselfe for a time yet God is not friends with him nor is sinne and Satan at peace with him though there be an uncertaine truce for a time Thirdly the danger of a still conscience is the greater for the terrours of a troubled conscience may prepare a man for Christ and compell a man to seeke helpe from Christ but in the case of a still conscience there are these two usuall miseries the one that men take a still conscience to be a good conscience and the other is that a man runnes onely blindefolded so long till death and hell may seaze upon him Thus of the effects of an evill conscience the meanes how conscience may be made good follow That an evill conscience may be made good two things must bee looked into first that wee get a right medicine to heale it secondly that we take a right course in application of the medicine First the medicine for the curing of an ill conscience is onely the bloud of Christ the disease of conscience is of so high a nature as all the medicines in the world are insufficient nothing but sprinkling it with bloud will serve the turne and it must be no other bloud than the bloud of the immaculate Lambe of God as the Apostle shews Heb. 9.14 The reason of this is because conscience will never be quiet till it see a way how Gods anger may be pacified and sinne abolished which cannot be done any way but by the bloud of Christ which was powred out as a sacrifice for sinne Now unto the right application of this medicine foure things are requisite First the light of knowledge Secondly the washing of regeneration Thirdly the assurance of faith Fourthly the warmth of love First knowledge a man must have both Legall and Evangelicall for they must know by the law what sinnes lie upon the conscience and trouble it and they must know by the Gospel what a propitiation is made by Christ for sinnes And for the second an evill conscience will never bee gotten off unlesse our hearts be sprinkled and washed from the filth and power of the sinnes which did lie upon the conscience Heb. 10.22 1 Tim. 1.5 Now unto such removing of such sinnes from the heart two things are requisite First that by particular confession wee doe as it were scratch off the filth of those sinnes that soule the heart and trouble the conscience Secondly and then that wee wash our hearts and daily rinse them with the teares of true repentance and humiliation before God for those sinnes Thirdly assurance of faith is necessary to the cure of an ill conscience because faith is the hand that layes on the medicine A man must apply the sufferings of Christ to himselfe and beleeve that Christ did satisfie for those sinnes that lie upon the conscience and must accordingly all to besprinkle the conscience with that bloud of Christ and then of an evill conscience it will presently become good but men must looke to one thing and that is that their faith be unfained For conscience will not be satisfied with the profession of faith they must beleeve indeed and with their hearts and with sound application of the promises of the Gospel concerning the bloud of Christ or else conscience will not be answered Heb. 10.22 1 Tim 1.5 Fourthly the heat of love must be added a man must so apply the bloud of Christ as that his owne bloud be heated in him affection with both towards God and Christ and Christians Christian love doth put as it were naturall heat into the conscience and makes it now receiving life by faith to bestirre it selfe in all the workes either of service to God or duty to men 1 Tim. 1.5 Heb. 9.24 knowledge bringing it light mortification making it cleane faith
redeeming the holy Ghost by calling The word of God is the sampler or patterne of our obedience for if ever wee would bring our lives into order we must resolve not to follow mens examples wills lusts or our owne reasons inclinations or conjectures but only to have recourse to the Law of God this must be the light to our feete and the lanthorne to our pathes Psal. 119. 19.2 Tim. 3.15 to the end we must obey them that have the over-sight of us and doe instructs out of the word and observe the forme of doctrine into which wee are delivered Rom. 6.17 Heb. 7.18 and receive such teachers as the Corinthians received Titus 2 Cor. 7.15 we should get an eare of obedience Prov. 25.12 2. The causes within us are either 1. generall the sanctification of our spirit or 2. speciall and so it is Faith For the first the coherence shewes that unlesse our hearts be sanctified our lives can never bee framed to true holinesse and obedience and for faith it is certaine before ever we can practise true obedience to the Law we must have the obedience of Faith that is we must be perswaded of Gods love to us and receive his promises in Christ and repenting of our sinnes beleeve the Gospell Rom. 1.5 10.16 2 Thess. 1.8 The faith of the Truth is generally the chiefe guide of all our actions whether they be workes of reformation or of our generall calling or particular cariage 2 Thess. 3.16 For we must beleeve Gods threatnings power promises assistance and reward or else our worke will goe slowly forward 2. Now for the second there are sixe things to be observed in the maner of our obedience without which our life will never be brought into order 1. The first is care The Apostle saith we must yeeld our selves as servants to obey Rom. 6.16 which notes that wee must doe the workes of God and sâ—ew our obedience to him as the servant doth his worke that is with great heed forecast and care God doth not only require we should obey but obey as servants obey 2. The second thing required in our obedience is Wisdome It is not enough to doe good but we must be wise to that which is good and simple concerning evill This the Apostle shewes Rom. 16.19 3. The third is Constancy our obedience must bee fulfilled 2 Cor. 10.16 We must not be weary of well-doing 1 Thess. 3.13 4. The fourth is abnegation In obeying Gods will we must throughout the course of our lives be contented to deny our selves so as we would doe Gods will with patience though crosses follow Luke 8. A signe of the seed sowne in good ground it bringeth forth fruit with patience and besides it imports that if we meane to reforme our lives aright we must live soberly shewing our moderation in diet apparell recreations and the like yea we must not thinke it much to be crossed in our reason desires ease profits or preferments but be contented to be that we may be with a good Conscience Heb. 11.8 Gen. 22.18 5. The fifth is sincerity and the sincerity of our obedience appeares both when we shew respect to all Gods Commandements as well as one obeying in all things as also when we obey without corrupt and carnall ends and respects Gen. 26.5 Phil. 2.12 6. The sixth thing is peace wee must lay our projects so for holinesse as we follow after peace as much as is possible and that with all men much more with the Church and people of God Rom. 12.19 Heb. 12.14 so as our conversation be without division or offence Rom. 16.18 19. 3. For the third point we may remember that it was long since noted by Samuel that obedience is better than sacrifice 1 Sam. 15. This obedience is the end of the writings of the Apostles and Prophets If we be not trained up by the Scriptures to good workes we doe nothing with generall profession of the name of Christ. Rom. 1.5 2 Tim. 3.15 c. If we obey not we are the servants of sinne and it will be our ruine we shall dye in our sinnes The Ministery had never been broken open but that the Nations might bee brought to obedience Rom. 16.26 If you obey not you breake the hearts of your teachers it is not good words and liberall pensions will serve the turne you must yeeld obedience to our Ministery in your lives or else you doe nothing Phil. 1.15.16 2 Cor. 7.15 Vengeance is ready against all disobedience every whit as ready in Gods hand as in the Ministers mouth 2 Cor. 10.4 5. In this text we may see God delights to receive the obedience of his people from all eternity and all the benefits purchased by Christs blood shall be given to them that obey he is author of eternall saluation to them that obey Heb. 5.9 Thus of obedience in generall Externall obedience which is here entreated of is distinguished by the Apostle Rom. 15.18 into two kindes For either it is obedience in word or obedience in deed Quest. Here might some one say what need the obedience of the tongue our tongues are free Answ. It seemes some men thinke so Those hypocriticall flattering and wicked men mentioned Psal. 12.3 say their tongues are their owne and yet it is certaine the Lord will have the tongue bound to the good behaviour Iam. 3.3 Quest. What great hurt can there be in the tongue if men live honestly otherwise It seemes there can be no great offence in the tongue Answ. Men are extreamely deceived that think they cannot commit dishonesty impiety by their words There is a world of wickednes in the tongue Jam. 3.6 There are many sins which are most vile and hatefull which have their principall seat in the tongue or are practised in words as blasphemy murmuring desperation lip-service swearing cursing perjury charming reproaching persecution by the mocking of the godly bitter words silthy speaking lying backbiting slandering flattery and false witnesse bearing together with divers sinnes of deceit hypocrisie heresie c. And on the other side excellent graces and duties depend much upon the service of the tongue Gods glory our owne Callings and other mens good are much furthered by the tongue By the tongue men preach pray confesse their sins give thankes comfort exhort rebuke sweare vow c. and therefore great reason wee should shew our obedience even in the tongue Under the obedience of conversation are comprehended duties of piety to God of mercy to the distressed of justice to all men of temperance to our selves The catalogues of the sinnes we should avoid in our conversation or of duties we should doe I omit here having some purpose if God will to handle them more largely in Treatises by themselves And thus of obedience And sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ. Before I come to the more particular and full opening of these words these things may be touched in the generall 1. There was blood
but rather be still providing for the war againe Secondly that Gods children have a garrison to defend them Now if any would know distinctly how this is true I will endeavour to shew it to be true five wayes 1. For first we see that sometimes they are fenced and protected by the godly who as an holy army rise up in their defence to help them either by Apologie succour or prayers 2. Sometimes the unreasonable creatures protect and avenge the righteous God can send the armies of silly creatures as a valiant garrison to defend Israel and offend Pharaoh and they are strong that doe Gods worke 3. It is sure that the Angels are alwayes in garrison for the Elect pitching their tents round about them that feare God That which Elisha and his man saw with bodily eyes every beleever may be assured of by faith 4. God can raise up in them even an army of powerfull thoughts and meditations so as their very inward tranquillity arising from the testimony of a good conscience and the knowledge of Gods excellent love can make and keepe them secure and sound 5. But lastly in all these and above all these God himselfe is the Christian mans garrison as David saith God is his rocke his fortresse his strength his buckler his high tower and his deliverer All this may very fitly serve for two uses 1. First for consolation to the godly and that two wayes First if they consider how carefully God hath provided for their safety and that he is faithfull and will doe it Secondly if they observe what is implyed hereby for in that God plants a garrison about his people it imports that they are wonderfully deare unto him Jewels of great price which God would by no meanes lose yea great Princes that are preserved with such a continuall guard If Gods government towards his people were every way visible and manifested the meanest Christian would appeare to be no whit inferiour to the greatest Monarch 2. Secondly this implies terror and amasement to all the wicked For it imports that God cares not for them and takes no charge of them yea thathe accounts them as enemies and yet they are not without their â—â—â—rison neither But what is it they have their hearts kept by the devill as a strong man armed for their ruine and the law keepes them with a strong guard till the day of Christ. By the power of God The word translated power is rendered mighty workes sometimes miracles c. but ordinarily it is meant as here power The maine doctrine is that the preservation and keeping of the faithfull depends upon Gods power Now for explication of this doctrine I must answer divers questions First some one might say doth it follow God hath power to keepe us therefore he will It doth not simply follow but in two respects 1. First in respect of the intercession of Christ he hath mediated for our preservation and the father will grant what he askes and therefore so long as he hath power hee will continually doe it 2. Secondly in respect of Gods promises he hath promised to use his power for our preservation and therefore as sure as God hath power so sure are we to be preserved Quest. Now if any aske how it may appeare that Gods power is engaged to keep us Answ. I answer it may appeare evidently by these scriptures 2 Cor. 12.9 1 Cor. 4.8 Heb. 1.3 Ephes. 3.20 Heb. 7.16 Mat. 6.13 Rom. 1.4 Iude 24. Quest. Now if any yet ask which way God doth shew his power in our preservation Answ. I answer the Lord doth exercise his power in keeping us three wayes 1. In his word making that a glorious instrument to keep us to salvation it is as it were the arme of God it is called expresly the power of God unto salvation For by the word is the demonstration of the spirit and of power as the Apostle speakes and thus Christ liveth still on earth by the very power of God in the word yea there is an effectuall working of power given to the word 2. The Lord exercises his power in keeping us by the grace of his spirit in us by making grace to be sufficient for us strengthening our saith and establishing us with every needfull grace especially in times of tryall For a Christian hath received the spirit of power and of a sound minde 3. In the workes of his providence by his disposing and raising meanes to protect and uphold the faithfull against in or out of all troubles c. Quest. But may some one say Is the promise of Gods power in the preservation of the faithfull so absolute as doe what they will Gods power will keep them Answ. No For if Christians would have God to keep them they must themselves keepe that which is committed to them they must keep the word even the patterne of wholesome words in faith and love they must stirre up the grace of God in them and waite upon God by prayer and the constant use of all the meanes and here they must live by faith they must keepe themselves in their wayes or else they must not wonder that the Lord doe as it were tumble downe the wall of their protection and seeme to leave them to themselves The use hereof is divers 1. First it may serve for confutation of that false opinion of the Papists about their doctrine of free-will For marke it The very Saints have not power to keep themselves no not after calling and therefore much lesse before calling 2. And further it may confute the very confidence of all the adversaries of Gods people they insult many times over the godly because they are so few so meane persons so simple and weake and pride themselves in the conceit of their owne greatnesse and power to compasse all their plots and malicious intendments against the godly But they doe notably deceive themselves For godly men are preserved not by their owne might or meanes or friends or sufficiency but by the power of God grossely therefore are they deluded if they thinke to prevaile finally against them 3. Yea this might fully and at once confute the objections of the weake Christian Oh he hath so many infirmities and temptations and allurements and corrupt inclinations so many lets and discouragements and so wanteth the meanes that hee can never persevere to the end these are his feares and this workes his unbeleefe But all this is soone answered Thou standest not by thine owne strength but by the power of God and therefore I must apply that speech of Christ to the Sadduces to them a little turning them you erre not knowing the promises of God in the scriptures nor the power that is in Gods nature Secondly this may serve for information For it may shew us the impotency of all earthly things nothing but Gods
and I place all under the head of imperfect revelation because though the things revealed to the Prophets were perfectly revealed in respect of certainty and evidence yet it was but a revelation in part that is of some things onely There were many things knowne to Christ and the Angels which the Prophets never knew There is also difference betweene Visions and Revelations Visions are external in some things shewed to the sight Revelations are internall shewed â—nely â—o the understanding But what is the difference betweene Revelation and Knowledge and Prophesie and Doctrine mentioned 2 Cor. 14.6 There are two waies by which men come to the understanding of Gods will The one extraordinary and that is by revelation and the other ordinary viz. by knowledge attained by labour and industry in the use of meanes this the Apostle calls knowledge now prophesie and doctrine depend upon these two For men did vent and utter their revelation by prophesie that is by foretelling things to come and men doe vent their knowledge by doctrine and teaching others Are not we more miserable now then they were in the times of the Prophets seeing they had revelations and we have none We are not for these reasons 1. Because we have the substance of all their revelations For their most glorious revelations were concerning Christ to come whom we possesse as the riches of the Gentiles whom they had not in the flesh but saw him a farre off 2. Because the Lord hath now fully revealed his will in the Scriptures of the old and new Testament to be a perfect guide unto eternall life 3. Because we have all their revelations that could profit us in any speciall measure we have them I say left upon record written for our learning 4. Neither are wee altogether without revelations that for the riches of them answer the full value of their revelations For to omit that God hath revealed his Sonne in the flesh in these latter ages of the world which was a greater shew then was ever made in heaven or in earth to omit this I say 1. In the doctrine of the Gospell now there are divers riches mines and mysteries of knowledge broke open which were hid since the world begun from ages and generations Col. 1. 26. Rom. 16.26 and these made knowne not to Apostles onely but to babes and infants Mat. 11.25 to abiect Gentiles as well as Jewes Luke 2.32 for revelation of the Gentiles to young men and maidens Act. 2. 2. Christ is revealed in the hearts of men now as well as then and that is the best revelation the works of the grace of Christ such as his image graciously revealed in their hearts Christ lives in his people now Gal. 1.12 2. 20. Rom. 8.29 3. The righteousnesse and favour of God is with a speciall lustre revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 4. The Lord doth still assist his servants in speaking and hearing and teaching to profit we have more than we bring into the pulpit and thâ— Lord still opens mans understanding and is with our mouthes to give us a doors of utterance Eph. 1.18 Col. 4.3.2 Cor. 3.5,6 5. The Spirit of Christ doth reveale now also both daily the things given us of God 1 Iohn 5.10 2 Cor. 2.10 and at some times the particular pleasure of God in some speciall cases 6. We are neerer unto and wait for the revelation of Christ and the sonnes of God from hâ—aven of which theirs was but a glimpse and in this we shall in the day of Châ—â—st have as full a measure as they Their revelations were but a drops to this sea Rom. 8 1â—,19.2 Thes. 1.7.1 Cor. 1.7 So that we are happy sixe waies in respect of revelation The Use should be therefore to learne thankfulnesse and contentation as resting assureâ— thaâ— if wee truely feare God though hee make us not Prophets yet his secrets shall be with them that feare him and he will answer us when we call and shew us great and hidden things Thus of the manner how God did answer them the matter followes which concerneth either Persons or things Persons in these words Tâ—at not unto themselves but unto us they did minister The plain meaning is that the Lord would have them to know that they were implyed in these prophesies of glory not that they should thereby reveale any further blessednesse unto themselves for they should die before those daies come but should therein doe service unto Churches that should come long after Here are divers things to be noted hence That the Lord hath beene used to deny the requests or desires of his servaâ—ts in respect of the circumstances of their suits such as were time place manner meanes measure c yea we see how he denieth his best servants in the letter of his desires Isaac must not have his will concerning Esau nor Ioseph concerning Manasses Moses may see Canaan but he must not enter in David must not prosper in his beloved Absolon the Apostles must not be great in an earthly kingdome nor Paul have his tentation depart just as soon as he prayes Ionah must not be humored nor Elias die when he list David shall not bring in the Arke at his pleasure nay Christ himselfe must not be heard in the very letter of his desires for the cup did not passe from him The Use is therefore to commit our waies to God with all patience and humility and never rebell in our hearts if the Lord crosse us but rather confesse our errors and yeeld our selves to God as knowing that all shall work together for the best c. and he will so heare and so answer as may be best for our best good The Lord hath been used to traine his servants to know that their labours are to be spent for the good of others as well as themselves thus the Prophets must heare of it God hath distributed his gifts not onely for the use of each member but for the benefit of the whole body 1 Cor. 12. The Use should be to teach all sorts of men to promote to their uttermost the common good and to doe it out of conscience and heartily and with all diligence as we would care for our owne things especially promoting the edification of the body with all love and industry Rom. 12.6.1 Pet. 4.9 10. Eph. 4.26 Thus should ministers and magistrates and masters of families and every Christian with his acquaintance We are Stewards of Gods gifts and they must be imploâ—ed about Gods worke not our owne onely the Masters advantage is most principally to be respected and therefore this must needs be a great reproofe to such as can onely minde their owne things and not the things of Iesus Christ Phil. 2. It will be a singular comfort to such as excell in gifts or riches or power if they can say at their death beds not unto my selfe but unto the servants of God
wicked and dissolute 4. By confession and godly sorrow to beat downe and crucifie our flesh and the lusts thereof when they begin to rise Thus of the matter to be avoided viz. The lusts of their former ignorance The manner followes viz. not to be fashioned unto them which imports that they should not give themselves over out of the liking of sin to the service and obedience of it For to fashion our selves to evill hath in it divers things 1. The imagining of mischiefe praeconsideration deliberation the frame of evill 2. An admiration of the beauty of sin a liking of it a secret inward high estimation of it a kind of adoring of the felicity contained in it a contemplative delight in it 3. A taking care to performe it and accomplish it 4. A framing and ordering of our affaires that they may be obeyed and the inward frame effected 5. A constancy in all this to be every day striving about it 6. A pursuing of sinne though we be disappointed or cloyed in the enjoying of it 7. A laying downe of all our armour and not resisting it The Use of this is 1. For information wee may here note implyedly that Gods servants have their frailties after calling in that he doth only exhort from fashioning our selves to sinne 2. For tryall Art thou grieved for thy daily sinnes and wants and dost thou foare thou dost sinne presumptuously here thou mayest try thy selfe by 1. inquiring whether thou fall to thy old sinnes or no. 2. whether thou sin with study and deliberation 3. whether thou admire sin and accordingly favour it and delight in it 4. whether thou take care for it being vexed if thou be crossed in it casting about for all waies to accomplish it 5. whether thou yeeld thy selfe to it as a servant to obey it or rather as a childe of disobedience to be framed according to it 6. whether thou refuse to beare armes against it 7. and lastly continue in the love of it though thou be disappointed For if thou beare armes against it and art thankfull when thou art disappointed and dost not by covenants yeeld thy selfe to it nor place thy happinesse in it or not sinne by deliberation it is certaine thy sinnes are but of infirmity But contrariwise if these things be in thee before condemned thou sinnest presumptuously Here also men may try whether they decline or no after calling 3. We should be here informed to take heed of any of these degrees of sin and by a daily watch to looke to our selves that wee be not overcome of the deceitfulnesse of sinne and be thankfull to God if thy sins get not this head in thee or if they have dally no longer but repent For certainly thou art fallen away inquire no further into it but repent and amend 4. Lastly here is implyed wherein the holinesse of a Christian doth consist viz. 1. To be free from the power of his old corruptions 2. To fashion himselfe to the law of God and the law of his minde It doth not consist in the perfect resembling of the holinesse of Gods law but in a desire and daily endevour to fit and frame himselfe more and more to the holinesse set before him and that daily striving still to come neerer and neerer to the patterne Ignorance There are three sorts of ignorance 1. There is a profitable ignorance 2. There is an ignorance of meere negation that is no sinne 3. There is a ignorance of corrupt disposition There is a profitable ignorance viz. not to know evill so it had beene good for Adam never to have known evill by experience so had it beene good for the Iewes if they had never known the fashions of the Gentiles and in some respect for Apostates if they had never knowne the truth 2 Pet. 2.21 There is also an ignorance of meere negation as Christ knew not the day of Judgement and husbandmen know not Physick or Astronomie c. and yet sinne not But most usually ignorance is taken in the third sense to note that want of knowledge is joyned with evill disposition also and so it is taken here Now this ignorance is either of frailty or of wilfulnesse and presumption The one is in the godly after calling and they pray against it and confesse it and mourne for it and the other is in wicked men and they like themselves well enough notwithstanding yea they refuse the knowledge of Gods waies and willingly live without knowledge and this latter is here meant But why is ignorance named as the speciall sin to set out their unregenerate estate seeing they were guilty of many other sins Not because men sinne onely by ignorance as the Platonists thinke but 1. It may be the holy Ghost doth of purpose doe it to aggravate the hatefulnesse of the sinne because men use to excuse it and make light of it 2. Because it is a sinne none are free from If he had named whoredome or drunkennesse c. many unregenerate men would have pleaded not-guilty 3. This sinne serves more to taunt and reproch the rebellious nature of man It was the knowledge of good and evill that Adam so much aspired unto and loe now he and all his were set in grosse ignorance as the just fruit of aspiring after forbidden knowledge 4. Because ignorance is the mother and nurse of all sorts of sinnes as these places shew Eph. 4.18 19. 2 Pet. 2.12 Psal. 36.2 3 4. But have unregenerate men no knowledge that he thus directly chargeth the unregenerate estate of the very Elect with ignorance Yes they have some knowledge For they are wise to doe evill and they may have great knowledge and learning in Arts and Sciences and they may have excellent civill knowledge to manage civill affaires and may abound in skill to get money and advance their estates and they have in matters of religion the light of nature and the generall grounds of knowledge of the principles in Scripture yea they may raste of the good word of God and the powers of the life to come But yet they are justly taxed with ignorance because they know noâ— God as a Father by the light of faith nor whom hee hath sent Christ Iesus and besides they have no desire nor delight to know their owne iniquities or the way how to reforme their owne lives they have no knowledge to doe good These things being thus resolved there are divers observations to be noted from hence 1. That a true Convert must make conscience of inward sins as well as outward of defects as well as evill desires or lusts as here of ignorance as well as of wicked thoughts The same God that saith How long shall thy evill thoughts abide in thee complaines also of ignorance as Esay 1.3 2. That ignorance is no small sin it is exceeding hatefull to God contrary to the doctrine of the Papists that say it is the mother of devotion 3. That without
hearts are washed by the Word Eph. 5.25 Psal. 119.9 the law in their hearts Psal. 37. 119.80 4. Keep still in Gods presence walke before him thou darest not then come in thy uncleannesse 5. Avoid the beginnings of pollution dally not with sinne 6. Informe thy selfe throughly of the vanity of all the things unto which thou art likely to be tempted 7. Come not neere uncleane persons 2 Cor. 6.18 8. Get the assurance of faith Act. 15.9 Heb. 10.22 Promises to such as labour for a cleane heart Mat. 5.7 â—say 1.16 20. 2 Pet. 1.3 Prov. 22.11 Psal. 24.4 125.5 Rom. 8.34 38. Hitherto of the subject of sanctification The manner of exercising or expressing this purification followes In obeying the truth Foure things must be considered 1. What is truth 2. What it is to obey the truth 3. How their hearts are said to be purified in obeying the truth 4. The observations and uses which may be here gathered 1. Truth is taken diversly in Scripture 1. Sometimes it signifieth the verity of our words as opposed to lying 2. Sometimes faithfulnesse in performing of promises and so mercy and truth are given both to God and men 3. Sometimes for uprightnesse as opposed to hypocrisie and so it is to doe a thing with all our hearts 1 Sam. 12.24 4. Sometimes for the substance of a ceremonie Iâ—h 1.17 5. Sometimes for Christ Ioh. 14.6 6. Sometimes for the word of God and so here The word of God is called the truth Ioh. 17. â—1 Ps. 119.142 1. because it agrees with the eternal pattern of Gods will 2. because there is no error nor falshood in it 3. because it shews us a true way for the infallible attaining of blessednesse 4. because it effects truth and uprightnesse in us 2. Now to obey the truth is to conforme and subject our selves in practise and workes unto the will of God revealed in his word 3. The heart of man is said to be purified in obeying the truth inasmuch as there is an inward obedience to the truth required in the hearts of men as 1. the obedience of the Gospell in beleeving this is called the obedience of faith When a man from his heart doth assent to and relye upon the promise of God in Christ thus to beleeve is to obey 2. In the practise of all outward duties there is required the inward purity of the heart and the exercise of the grace of Gods Spirit without which all mens workes are impure Besides by the outward obedience of the truth men shew that their soules are purified There are foure things may be observed from hence 1. That the word of God must be the rule of all our actions as wee were begotten by the word of truth Iam. 1.18 so we must live by it Gal. 1. 16. Psal. 119. This is that light to our feete and lanthorne to our pathes The Use is for instruction Therefore first we should study this truth and buy it Prov. 23.23 2. Wee should pray to God to direct us in this truth Psal. 25.5 43.3 and never to take it out of our mouthes and lives Psal. 119.43 Yea hereby we may shew our selves to be truly sanctified if wee sticke to the word of God as our onely guide as these places shew Esay 26.2 Psal. 26.3 119.30 2 Cor. 13.8 and let us therefore come to the truth to know whether our workes are wrought in God or no Ioh. 3.21 And therefore woe unto them that are destitute of the truth both in respect of the meanes without and in respect of knowledge within these sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Finally here we see our liberty wee are bound to obey nothing but the truth 2. That there can be no true sanctification without obedience God stands precisely upon obedience and practise It is not knowing the truth or praising the truth or hearing the truth or speaking the truth or thinking the truth or purposing the truth will serve the turne 1 Sam. 15.22 Ioh. â— â— 1 Ioh. 1.6 8. This should serve mightily to urge us to practise to be doers of the word Mat. 7. Iam. 1.22 c. to follow the truth and to expresse the power of it Without this obedience we can never prove our selves to be truly sanctified and therâ—fore let us that have the meanes take heed wee examine our selves how we grow in the practise of it How miserable then is the state of such as onely give God good words Mat. 7. and such as resist the truth 2 Tim. 3.8 and such as blaspheme the way of truth 2 Pet. 2.2 and such as fall away from the truth 2 Tim. 2.18 Heb. 10.26 Oh who hath bewitched men that they should not obey unto the truth Gal. 3.1 â— That wee must exercise the inward purity of the heart in all the parts of outward obedience In all good duties we must looke to the obedience of the heart The heart must adde divers things to the manner of our obedience From the heart must flow judgement attention care and affections of all sorts This is true of all duties both to God and man The Use is therefore to teach us to set our hearts to worke when wee goe about well-doing and to looke to the inside as well as the outside 4. The indefinite propounding shewes that our obedience must bee without limitation for we must obey 1. Aâ— all times Psal. 106.1 Gal. 5.7 2. To all truths both of Law and Gospell of piety and righteousnesse inward and outward c. 3. In all places absent as well as present in all companies as well as one at home as well as abroad before inferiors as well as superiors 4. All persons must obey learned unlearned rich poore high low c. This serves notably for the ransacking of hypocrites and unmasking them for here we may note divers things wherein they may be evidently taken tardy For either 1. They obey not at all they practise not but only give good words 2. Or they obey but in shew It is not true obedience that will leave the tryall oâ— Gods truth 3. Or they obey not out of conscience of the word of God but onely for fashion sake or other carnall ends not for the truths sake 4. Or their obedience is not from the heart for either it is constrained and not ready and voluntary or they doe not imploy the heart in the good worke they doe The affections of godlinesse they want 5. Or they obey not the Gospell in seeking assâ—rance of Gods favour though they practise some things of the Law 6. Or they obey but for a fit Hos. 6.5 Demas returnes to the world 7. Or they obey but in some things Herod will not obey the seventh Commandement They will not crosse their profits lusts credit c. 8. Or they will obey but in some places and companies Quest. Now if any godly person should bee dismayed and aske How might I know
a spirit without guile a heart without hypocrisie But of this puritie he intreats not here The purity of heart that concernes men hath three things in it or there are three things required in our affections towards others whom we ought to love and with whom we converse in which we should shew the purity of our hearts 1. The first is the respect of holinesse In our love one to another wee should chiefly aime at holinesse and the furtherance one of another in the best things Our fellowship should be in the Gospell Phil. 1.5 and we should exhort one another to good works Heb. 10.25 we should cleave to that which is good and abhorre evill Rom. 12.10 2. The second is the respect of chastity we should take heed of worldly lusts and all impurity of heart or life that way we must mortifie inordinate affections and the evill concupiscence Col. 3.5 and avoid all those works of darknesse such as are chambring and wantonnesse c. Rom. 13.13 avoiding both the matter and appearance of evill 1 Thes. 5.22 1 Pet. 2.12 3. The third is the respect of truth and plainnesse of heart the heart is pure when it is without dissembling so we must love one another indeed as well as in shew 1 Iohn 3.18 and for right ends For Gods glory and the grace of God in them and for their good and not serve our owne turnes onely We may know that our hearts and affections are pure 1. If wee rejoyce not in iniquity but in the truth 1 Cor. 13. 2. If we make conscience of lesser sins and the very appearance of evill to avoid them 3. If wee love purity in others and admire commend and defend it in them 4. If daily we seeke a pure heart of God in secret judging our selves for what drosse wee finde in our natures 5. If we seeke not our owne things Phil. 2.4 6. If we cannot beare sinne in any 7. If our conversing with them make us grow more in holinesse and grace 1 Thes. 3.12 13. c. And therefore we should both try our selves and strive daily more and more after this uprightnesse and purity of our hearts that God requires of us and to this end we should 1. Pray daily to God to create cleane hearts in us 2. We should avoid society with impure persons 3. We should take heed of idlenes and fruitlesse mispending of the time For the heart gathers impurity with very emptinesse 4. We should often think of that rule Doe as thou wouldest have others doe to thee 5. Converse much with the pure For with the pure thou wilt be pure and with the froward thou wilt learne frowardnesse 6. Acknowledge your sins one to another This wonderfully fenceth the heart against impurity in conversation and excites a pure love one to another with much honor and delight This greatly convinceth and reproveth such as have taken upon them a profession of love to others but it is for corrupt ends their hearts are not pure nor are they stirred up with desire after the godly further then lust or their owne carnall ends give hope to their projects Fervently God in the second place requires a fervent love hee stands much upon it and therefore he requires else-where that above all things we should put on fervâ—â—â— love God is not contented with it that we doe not hate one another but we must love one another nor is he contented with a cold love but would have it fervent a burning ardent inflamed affection Quest. But how may the ferventnesse of our love be discerned if it be aright Answ. If thy love be a fervent love 1. Thou dost account it the greatest felicity on earth to enjoy Gods favour and the delightfull fellowship of the Saints Psal 16. â— 2. Thou mayest discerne it by the longings and infâ—amed desires after the godly such as were in Paul 3. Thou canst cover a multitude of sinnes thou levest as God loves 1 Pet 4.8 4. It is diligent thou shewest it by the paines and labour of love 5. It is speedy it seekes no delaies it faâ—â—h not goe and come againe to â—â—â—row 6. Thou dost greatly lament thy absence from the godly as a bitter crosse 7. Thou dost as Paul did in some measure thou dost daily and heartily pray for them and give thanks without 〈◊〉 as he shews in the most of his Epistâ—es standing before God often the heart doth take fire from thence which warâ—es the heart afterwards Quest. What is the cause this fervent love is so rarely found amongst men Answ. There are divers causes in divers sorts of men As 1. Unregeneracy Wee must know that no man can love his brother with this love but he that is borne of God 1 Ioh. 4.7 without repentance and the true love of God this love is never had 2. Prejudice in others The names of the godly are so buried under the disgrace of the world that this keeps off many from declaring their love to them though sometimes they have motions of good affections 3. The love of wicked persons 4. In others the cause is hatred of the good malice like Cain 1 Ioh. 3. 11. they can love any but the Saints 5. Security in prosperity Many when they be sick acknowledge the way of God and send for the Ministers and good people but when they are well they start back like a bow 6. Conceitednesse and a high opinion of themselves 7. Neglect of society with the godly 8. Worldlinesse 9. Suspitiousnesse Quest. But what must be done that wee might be abundant in love one towards another and that it might be more generall in the places where wee live Answ. First let the wicked turne from his wickednesse wee may not returne to them they must returne to us what peace or love while their whoredomes drunkennesse c. testifie to their faces Wee may love them with a generall love as Gods creatures but with a fervent love we may not nor may we converse freely with them as multitudes of places of Scripture shew Secondly to nourish affection amongst the godly wee must remember these rules 1. Remember much and often Gods love to us in Christ 1 Ioh. 4.9 10 11. Eph. 5.1 2. 2. Thinke much of the commandment of God and his acceptation Eph. 5.1 2. 3. Meditate often of our dwelling together in heaven Iam. 2.5 1 Pet. 4.8 else puâ—blind 2 Pet. 1.7 4. Converse much together have fellowship in the Gospell 5. Consider the promises made hereunto Eph. 4.15 16. 2 Pet. 1.9 10 11. Phil. 2.1 Esay 19. Verse 23. Being borne anew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God which liveth and endureth for ever IN these words the Apostle intreats of the immortality of the soule of man Now there is a double immortality of the soule For sometimes immortality signifieth an everlasting continuance of man without ending dying or ceasing to be and so the soules of the wicked
their daies in getting these things and then in learning how to put them to their delightfullest use and then when to possesse them might seeme a happinesse they die 6. Lastly that which is now our glory will not be remembred when we are gone as we care not for the glory of those that are past It is a poore praise to say of a man when he is gone he was a rich man a strong man a noble man c. and yet even this also will be forgotten The holy Ghost in divers Scriptures points at divers uses of this doctrine and first for instruction it should teach us divers duties 1. Not to trust upon these outward things if God give them not glory in them nor boast of them Psal. 49.4 to 15. Ier. 9.24 yea if God give us to taste some sweetnesse in them yet be not too confident for the comforts of mans heart wither like grasse Psal. 102.5.4 Iam. 1.10 11. 2. Not to contend for precedency in these things nor to strive that our glory should exceed the glory of others for God many times ends the quarrel with his judgments and staines their glory on al sides as Zach. 12.7 3. Not to feare wicked men when they are made rich or grow great and when their glory is increased For their glory will not last when they dye they carry nothing with them their glory cannot descend after them Psal. 49.15 16 18. and therefore we should never envy their prosperity for the same reason as Psal. 37.1 2. 4. Not to know any man after the flesh nor to measure mans happinesse by the possession or want of this glory 2. Cor. 5. 5. If thou possesse these outward things doe good to thy selfe eate and drinke and let thy heart rejoyce and deny not contentment to thy heart through vaine care or bootlesse feares Psal. 49.18 Eccles. 8. 6. It should teach men faithfulnesse in their particular calling For seeing these things last but a while wee should take heed to our charge whilst God leaves them to our disposing or using so Pro. 27.23 25 26. Heb. 13.5 6. 7. If God give thee but a little yet be content it is no great restraint to have the abundance of such transitory things withheld see Pro. 27.23 25. Heb. 13.5 6. 8. It should teach us then to enquire after true glory that may enrich the spirituall man seeing this glory of the outward man is so transitory now here is a great and profitable question to be propounded and resolved and seriously to be received and practised Quest. What are those things wherein true glory lyeth and in the profession of which we possesse true glory seeing all those things be not worth the seeking after Answ. For answer hereunto if wee follow this word glory through the scriptures we shall find it lighting downe and setting upon divers particular distinct excellencies worthy the utmost labour of all men to studie them and seeke after the fruition of them This glory is either in this world or the world to come In this world if we marke the scriptures quoted we shall find divers things to be mans true glory as 1. Christ is the King of glory the fountaine of all true glory Ps. 24. and he is unto us the foundation of all our hope of glory Col. 1.27 2. The spirit of adoption is the spirit of glory and of God and if this rest upon us we cannot be miserable 1. Pet. 4.14 3. Our soules are our glory and if we provide for them we provide richly for our selves so are our soules called Ps. 16.8 30.13 Gen. 49.6 Esay 5.14 4. The meanes and signes and pledges of Gods presence and our communion with him are our glory Thus the Arke was called the glory Rom. 9.5 and thus plaine and powerfull preaching is accounted glory 1 Cor. 2.7 2 Cor. 3.9 10 and thus our godly teachers are the glory of our lives 2 Cor. 2.14 5. The favour of God and the assurance of his mercy is our glory an incomparable treasure Psal. 90.14 16 17. 6. Faith is a mans glory and will be so acknowledged in the day of Christ Iam. 2.1 1 Pet. 1.7 7. True grace and the gifts that resemble Christ the vertues of Jesus Christ even these are our glory 2 Pet. 1.3 Esay 1.5 and thus wisdome is durable riches Prov. 8.18 8. A free estate in the profession of the Gospell and serving of God 1 Cor. 9.15 9. The testimony of a good conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 In one word God is our glory Esay 6.19 Ps. 3.4 Thus we see what is our glory in this life and unto those things we must aspire The Lord give us understanding to lay these things to our hearts Now because these things are not fully possessed in this life therefore our greatest glory is in the world to come Rom. 5.2 Col. 3.4 9. Seeing all the glory of man is as the flower of grasse in this world therefore we should thinke the oftner of death and pray to God to teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome Ps. 90.6 12. Ioâ— 14.1 2. 10. Lastly we should all be perswaded to subscribe easily and willingly to the tried doctrine of Salomon that hath written a booke of purpose to record his experiences concerning the vanity of all those earthly things such was his Ecclesiastes Oh that we could beleeve it without trying conclusions and further engaging our selves to these base and fading things And thus of the Uses for instruction Secondly wee may hence be informed concerning the misery of wicked men For since they have no glory in another world and their glory in this world is so transitory and vaine it may evidently prove that their distresse is extreamely great and their misery the more that they cannot understand the basenesse of their owne condition This very similitude of grasse and the flower of grasse is used in divers scriptures to this end as Psal. 91.7 8. 49.20 Ioh 8.12 13. Ps. 129.6 37.36 Especially how wofull is the estate of those men that glory in their sinnes that have no better felicity in their desires but that which is properly their shame For if their estate be vaine that have no other happinesse then in the riches and honors and pleasures of life oh how wofull is the case of these men that glory in their shame their end is damnation as their God is their belly oh woe unto them they have rewarded evill unto their owne soules Phil. 3.18 19. Esay 28.1 4. Thus of the proposition The repetition or exposition of it followes The grasse withereth The repetition importeth generally three things First the certainty of our vanity and mortality we must flee away hence all outward glosse and glory will decay what man liveth and shall not see death It is appointed by a decree irrevocable that all men shall once dye there can be no redemption for our lives death passeth upon all men Secondly the
possible obedience of heart and life Psal. 2.11 Sixthly wee should follow his Colours and take his paâ—t and contend for the truth against all the world and in particular against Antichrist that man of sinne Revel 17.14 Seventhly We should imitate the praises and vertues of this chosen One especially in two things to weet humility and constancy as the Prophet Esay sheweth 42.2 3 4. Lastly And specially this Chosen or rather this knowledge of this Chosen of God should teach us to relie upon Christ without wavering with all trust and confidence for our reconciliation with God for the obtaining of knowledge comfort deliverance preservation yea and salvation too for this is he whom God hath given for a covenant to all people and his soule delights in him And therefore also wee may runne boldly to the Throne of grace and put up our petitions by Christ. For wee are here assured that God will denie him nothing as these places evidently shew Psal. 42.6 7 8 16. Psal. 49.6 8 9 10 11 12. Math. 12.17 to 22. But then we must looke to it that wee observe the seasons and opportunity of grace Esay 49.8 2 Cor. 6. 2. Let us therefore embrace while God is to be found and offers us Christ for wee may seeke when God will not be found as Esâ—â— sought the blessing when it was too late Heb. 12.15 And further this may serve for singular terrour to all unbeleevers that will not have Christ to rule over them He is elected already of God and therefore will mightily pursue all the enemies of God and the Church and all those that disobey him whom God hath chosen hee will pursue them both with the terrours of his Word his mouth being made like a sharpe sword and with the plagues of his hand being made like a polished shaft Esay 49. â— He will appeare to wicked men in the day of wrath as a mighty man and as a man of warre though to his owne hee be as a Lamb to them hee will be as a Giant they shall not be able to resist and though hee lift not up his voice in the streets of his people yet hee will set upon them with roaring and singular terrour even with all the signes of furious displeasure and though for a time hee may seeme to put up the contempt of men that disallow him yet at the length hee will not refraine and will destroy at once c. Esay 42.13 14 15. Besides This doctrine of Christs chosen or of Gods choice should notably check that unbeliefe and fearefulnesse that is too often found even in 〈◊〉 in the deare servants of God When God hath published his election of Christ for the service of our redemption why doth some say The Lord hath forsaken and his Lord hath forgotten him Can God forget his people or will hee ever denie his Chosen Shall not Christ be regarded in our behalfe who is the person whom his soule loveth Esay 49.8 c. 13 14 15 16. Precious First in respect of his nature hee is the choicest 〈◊〉 in heaven and earth never such a man all the creatures in heaven and in earth are inferiour to him Secondly In respect of his gifts he is qualified with all the treasures of wisdome and grace above all his fellowes Col. 2.3 Psal. 45. Thirdly In respect of his works never creature did works of such price so usefull so exquisite so transcendent Fourthly In respect of his sufferings he paid such a price to God in the ransom of man as all the world besides could not raise or any way make Fiftly In respect of effects he gives the most precious things no treasures like those may be had from him his very promises are precious 2 Pet. 1.4 This may serve first to informe us in divers things as First Concerning that matchlesse love of God to us that gave us his Son who is so precious Rom. 8.34 Secondly Concerning the horrible sinne of Iudas and the high Priests that valewed him but at thirty pieces Thirdly Concerning the most miserable condition of all prophane people and persons even whole multitudes of people that so neglect Christ that can with Esau sell him for trifles pleasures or profits even as meane sometimes as a messe of pottage c. The more glorious Christ is the more vile is their sinne of neglect or contempt of Christ. Woe to them that disallow him then Even to all those sorts of men before mentioned â— Christ will not be a foundation stone to support them nor a precious stone to enrich them but as the upper and nether milstone to grinde them to pieces or as a rock falling upon them Quest. But what should be the reason that Christ is in no more request amongst men Answer First One cause is mans ignorance both of their owne misery out of Christ as also of the glory of Christ in himselfe and of the priviledges man might attaine by him and of the singular glory to come Secondly Another cause is unbeliefe Men have a secret kind of Atheisme in them and doe not beleeve the report of the servants of Christ out of the Word Esay 53.1 3. Thirdly Another cause is that the most men looke upon the out-side of the Kingdome of Christ and of the estate of Christians which because they finde it covered with afflictions and seated in a low condition without outward splendour they therefore contemne it Our life is hid with Christ in God Colos. 3.3 Fourthly But the maine reason is because men doe falsly esteeme of other things they set so high a price upon their pleasures profits lusts credits honours hopes c. that Christ is not remembered nor valued unlesse it be at Iudas his rate and yet many will not valew him at so much as thirty pence but they will make shipwrack of a good conscience even for a peny I meane for extreame small gaine in buying and selling and such like dealing And thus much of the third thing we may be informed of The last is concerning the wealthy estate of all true Christians How rich are they that possesse this Mine of treasure who have his spirit graces righteousnesse ordinances and glory And as it may thus informe us so it should â—each us Vse 2. First To account of Christ as most precious to esteeme of him as ever precious in our eyes and shew it 1. By seeking to get Christ above all gettings 2. By accounting all things but as dust and dung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ Phil. 3.8 3. By selling all to buy this precious stone Math. 13. forsaking father and mother house and land for Christs sake and the Gospels 4. By keeping our communion with Christ with all carefulnesse 5. By avoiding all the waies by which Christ is disallowed and disesteemed 6. By longing for and loving his appearing 2 Tim. 4. hasting to it and looking for his comming 2 Pet. 3. Secondly to consecrate our selves and
was laid downe of God as the corner-stone Elect and precious There are two Epithers by which the corner stone is commended as meet to be the onely head of the corner The first is that it is an Elect one a choise one that one of a thousand there was not such another to be found in all the heap of the creatures to make a corner stone of This is he that is separate from sinners and acknowledged to be better and fitter for this worke than the Angels in heaven There can be no other name upon which we may be founded but onely the happy name of Jesus And therefore for the use of it let every knee bow at the name of Jesus and let every tongue confesse to the glory of God the Father that he hath been wonderfull in his choise Let us adore him whom God hath chosen and given unto us as the foundation of all our happinesse especially let us learn of God to make our choise of him Oh Infidelity Infidelity how just is thy wofull destruction for thy unbeliefe Oh man that mightest have beene for ever happy in this choise Oh let us be warned and save our selves from the common ruine of the world Let all this be vile in respect of Christ. Let us châ—se him above all the world Hee is worthy upon whom all our soules and all our minde and all our joy should be set God forbid we should rejoyce in any thing but in Christ and him crucified Let us be crucified to the world so we be loved of Christ. Shal we wilfully make our selves like the miserable Jews Shall we chuse rather Barabbas than Jesus Belial rather than Christ If the daughter of a begger should be offered in mariage whether shee would chuse of a matchlesse Prince or a base and servile pesant would wee not detest such folly if she should neglect the Prince and choose the pesant And yet this is our case God requires no more of us but to choose his Sonne before the world or satan or the flesh and we are assured of eternall advancement and yet behold we chuse not we deferre the time we court the pesant that will for ever undoe us and neglect the continuall sollicitations of the Heire of all things Lord put to our faith and make us for ever resolute to cleave to the Lord Jesus and him alone Secondly he is said to be precious Of this before but yet somewhat notâ— for the Use. Is he precious O then first how should we admire the glory of that building when the foundation is laid with precious stones Secondly this should beget in us an high estimation of Christ. Quest. What should wee doe to attaine to this heartily to account of Christ as so excellent above all other things Answ. First wee must think much of our misery and our need of Christ. The true reason why wee are not more joyed in Christ is because wee are not soundly â—atechized in the particulars of our misery in our selves wee should seriously lay that doctrine one time after another upon our hearts and it will make us run to Christ with singular affection Secondly wee should get Catalogues of the great things purchased by Christ and of the wonderfull precious promises made unto godlinesse both for this life and that which is to come This would put all other projects froÌ„ the world or the devill or the flesh because there can be nothing in any degree comparable unto the unsearchable riches is to be had by Christ. Oh the preferment of a true Christian if he had studied the premises foundly If we could effectually think upon the favour of God the pardon of all sins the inhabitation of the holy Ghost the gifts of the Spirit and all other sorts of spirituall blessings if there were nothing else to be had by Christ what can be equall in value to that immortall inheritance reserved for us in heaven Thirdly we should much think of the dignity of the person of Christ of whom it is true that when God brought out his first begotten Sonne he said Let all the Angels of heaven worship him As also of his transcendent preferment to be carried up to heaven and there sit at the right hand of the Majesty on high a King of all Kings even such a King as all the Kings of the earth must cast downe their Crowns at his feet It is unspeakable stupidity that keep us from being fired with these things Fourthly we should often contemplate of our interest in Christ and the assurance that he is of God given to us All things are ours because Christ is ours as the Apostle Paul speaks Quest. But how should wee shew that we doe account Christ as deare and precious Answ. I answer by divers things First by longing for his comming againe to us mourning for our owne absence from him Then wee did indeed soundly shew our love to Christ when we did feele our hearts affectionately moved with a vehement desire after him It is a dull love of Christ that can be content with his absence Secondly while wee are here in this world wee may shew the high account we make of Christ by joying in him that is by taking comfort in the meanes of his presence or in the thoughts of his love to us when we can preferre our entertainment in the House of Christ above our greatest joyes on earth Thirdly when in our conversation wee can be contented to shun all the baits of the world and Satan and in respect of Christ contemne all those sensuall pleasures profits or honors that intice us to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience Then wee love Christ indeed when our credits friends riches yea life it selfe is not deare unto us for Christs sake and the Gospell Fourthly when we can renounce our owne righteousnesse and praises and seek onely to be found clothed with his righteousnesse Fiftly we signifie our respect of Christ by the very respect we shew to the members of Christ. He loves Christ with all his heart that loves and entertaines Christians as the onely excellent people of the world Hitherto of that part of the testimony which concerns Christ the other part that concerns Christians followes He that beleeveth on him shall not be confounded In which words the happinesse of the Christian which beleeveth in Christ is expressed There are many points of doctrine may be observed out of these words as First in generall it is faith that makes the difference among men before God men are judged of before God by their faith or unbeliefe God to find out a worthy man doth not aske what money or land or birth or offices he hath but what faith he hath Gal. 5.6 He is rich and happy that beleeveth and he is miserable that beleeveth not whatsoever his outward estate be Which should cause us more soundly to informe our selves and not to be lifted up in our selves for any outward things
can to our kinred even to the houshold of faith for this very reason because they are our kinsmen in the spirit and in particular we should be ready to do all that for them which the law of kinred bindeth us unto viz. First we should acknowledge them and not hide our selves from any that is godly Secondly wee should receive one another heartily and willingly without grudging or murmuring Thirdly we should defend one another and be ready in all oppositions to stand for the godly Fourthly we should shew all bowels of mercy and tender kindnesse and pity and sympathize in their necessities and miseries Fourthly we should hence learne to be provident to preserve our owne reputation that we be no way a dishonour and shame to our kinred but learne of the wise steward by lawfull meanes to preserve our credits and provide for our selves though hee did it by unlawfull for our Saviour noted this defect when he said The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of the light Luk. 16.8 Thus much of their kinred or generation A royall Priest-hood These words containe the two next prerogatives which have so much connexion one with another that they are joyned together as inseparable The Apostle makes a comely and effectuall inversion of the words recorded in Exodus 19. for there they are said to be a Kingdome of Priests which the Apostle more plainly expresses in the words A royall Priest-hood They are both Kings and Priests but both with difference from other men of either of those callings They are Kings not profane or civill onely but sacred Kings they are Priests not common or typicall Priests but royall The one word tels their dignity to which they are ordained the other their office in respect of God These words with those that follow are in Exodus expounded or rather propounded indefinitely to the Israelites but in this place limited to the elect onely which shewes that promises and priviledges of right belong onely to the elect and chosen of God c. Royall Christians may be said to be Royall in foure respects First comparatively with wicked men for whatsoever their condition bee yet if their estate be compared with the miserable condition of all impenitent sinners it is a Royall estate they are like Kings in respect of them Secondly as they are united to his body who is the greatest King as members of Jesus Christ who is King of Kings Revel 19. Thirdly because they looke for a Kingdome It is their Fathers pleasure to give them a Kingdome they shall one day raigne and therefore are Royall Fourthly because for the very present in this life they have the state of Kings They have the state of Kings in this life I say For first they appeare clad in purple The Romans knew who was King when they saw the man clad in purple Robes Christians have royall garments garments of Salvation the righteousnesse of Christ doth cover them which so soone as they put on they are saluted for Kings in heaven Secondly they have the attendance of Kings a great traine and guard about them no King like any of them that is not one of them for they have the Angells for their guard and as ministring Spirits to them Psalm 34. and 91. Heb. 1.14 Thirdly they have the dominion of Kings and soveraignty and power of Kings and so first the whole world is their Kingdome in which they raigne they are heires of the world Rom. 4 and so our Saviour faith They inherit the earth Matth. 5. Fourthly their owne hearts are as a large Kingdome in which they sit and raigne governing and ruling over the innumerable thoughts of their mindes and affections and passions of their hearts among which they doe justice by daily subduing their unruly passions and wicked thoughts which like so many Rebels exalt themselves against the obedience should be yeelded to Christ the supreme Lord and Emperour as also by promoting the weale of all those saving graces which are placed in their hearts nourishing and lifting up all good thoughts and cherishing all holy desires and good affections conscience being by commission the chiefe Judge for their affaires of this whole Kingdome Fifthly it is something royall and which proves them to bee Kings they have a regall supremacie A King is hee that judgeth all and is judged of none such a one also is every spirituall man said to be 1 Cor. 2. ult Sixthly they prove themselves Kings by the many conquests they make over the world and sathan sometimes in lesser skirmishes sometimes in some maine and whole battels Ob. Might some one say Is this all the Kingdome of a Christian This is infinitely below the magnificence and honour of an earthly Kingdome c. Sol. God hath done more for the naturall man or for the nature of men for providing meanes for this spirituall Kingdome than in opening a way for earthly Kingdomes which may appeare by divers differences For First none but great men and of great meanes can attaine to the Kingdome of this world but here the poore may have a Kingdome as well as the rich Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Secondly while the father lives the little child cannot raigne whereas in this Kingdome little ones attaine to the Kingdome and safely hold it Matth. 18. Thirdly this Kingdome is of heaven wheras the others are only of the earth Fourthly these Kings are all just there is none unrighteous can possesse these thrones they are all washed justified and sanctified there is not a drunkard a railer a buggerer and adulterer a murtherer or any the like amongst them which is no priviledge belonging to the Kingdome of this world Rom. 14.17 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Gal. 5.21 The godly are Kings such as Melchisedech was somewhat obâ—cure in the world but they raigne in righteousnesse in peace none like them Heb. 7. Fifthly the godly have received a Kingdome that cannot be shaken Their Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome Heb. 12.28 but all the Kingdomes of the world may be and have beene shaken and will be ruined and end whereas the godly that set out in soveraignty over lesser dominions and with lesse pompe yet increase so fast till at length they attaine the most glorious Kingdome in the new heavens and new earth The use of all this may be divers Uses First for singular comfort to the godly what account soever the world makes of them yet here they see what God hath ordained them unto it matters not for the worlds neglect of them for Gods Kingdome comes not by observation and in particular it should comfort them into two causes First in matter of service when they come to stand before the Lord they must know that they are honourable in Gods sight He respects them as so many Kings in his presence Secondly in the mortification of vices they have received power and authority as Kings and
God and mans salvation and so it is an argument taken from the hatâ—â—ulnesse of the flesh and her working in us The lusts and desires of the flesh ought to be hatefull and we should suspect and abstaine from the projects of the flesh if we consider 1 That the flesh savoureth not the things of God Rom. 8. 2 That she opposeth all good wayes partly by objecting against them and partly by making evill present when we should performe them 3 That her wisdome is against God her fairest reasons are pleaded for things that are hatefull to God such also are her excuses and extenuations and promises 4 That if shee be followed she will lead us by degrees into all abominations as whoredomes murders debates heresies c. these are her fruits Gal. 5. 5 She will betray us to Sathan that he may by himselfe set up strong fortifications in our soules and her treason is the more dangerous because shee is a domesticall enemy and by his working in secret our hearts may become a very cage or stie of uncleane spirits 6 She hath already spoiled the Image of God in us and made us looke most deformedly 7 If shee once get power shee is most tyrannicall no respect of credit profit no nor salvation it selfe can stirre shee will be served whatsoever come of it 8 We should abhorre her for the very mischiefe she doth to our posterity we cannot looke upon our children but wee may see what wofull hurt shee hath done by the infection they received in their propagation Uses The use may be First for reproofe of such as lay the blame of their faults upon their evill lucke or evill counsell or the divell whereas they ought to lay the fault upon their oâ—ne flesâ— even their owne ill nature The divell noâ— the world could never hurt us if the flesh did not betray us by defect or consent or evill action Secondly for information We may see what we should mortifie and abstain from Religion doth not binde men to mortifie the substance of the flesh but the lusts of the flesh we are not to destroy any faculty of the soule or in the soule or part of the body but the inordinate appetite and desires of either we are not to abstaine from the necessary meanes of life as house lands diet apparell company c. but the evill concupiscence about these Thirdly for instruction It should teach us therefore to restraine the flesh as much as we can and therefore we shall with the same labour restraine the lusts of the flesh and to this end 1 Wee must with all feare and jealousie watch our owne natures as mistrusting 2 We must silence the flesh and not suffer it to plead for sinne 3 Wee must by a daily course of mortification judge the flesh that so wee may be as it were condemned in the flesh 4 We must keepe from it what may pamper it as idlenesse excesse of diet apparell recreation c. Which warre against the soule These words may bee considered either in their coherence or in themselves in their coherence and so they are the third reason taken from the evill effects of those lusts In themselves there are two things to be opened both what the soule is and what this warre in the soule is The point is cleare that fleshly lusts do much hurt the soules of men and so both the soules of wicked men and of godly men First of wicked men These lusts hurt their soules 1 Because they provoke the wrath of God upon them The Israelites were not estranged from their lusts and therefore the wrath of God came upon them Psal. 78.29 30 31. 2 Because they make us resemble the divell Ioh. 8.44 3 Because they hinder the power of the Word from them they will never come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3.6 4 Because it brings the soule in bondage so as all the conversation of the soule is in a manner about those lusts of the flesh Eph. 2.2 5 Because they make all their prayers abominable Iam. 4. 6 Because sometimes they are scouâ—ged with a reprobate mind being given up to their lusts Rom. 1. 7 Because they may drowne the soule inperdition 1 Tim. 6.9 If godly men entertaine these inward evills in their thoughts and affections many evills will follow 1 They hinder the Word 2 They grieve the good Spirit by which they are sealed to the day of redemption 3 They harden the heart and blind the understanding 4 They hinder good cuties Gal. 5.17 5 They wound the soule 6 They make the mind soule and lothsome they defile 7 They may bring outward judgements upon thee or inward terrours of conscience Use. The use may bee partly to declare the misery of such Christians as are fallen away from the acknowledgement of the truth by intertaining these lothsome lusts of whose fearfull estate at large 2 Pet. 2.18 to the end Partly it should worke in all the godly obedience to the Counsell of the Apostle here in abstaining from these lusts as grievous hurts to the soule or their soules they shouâ—d put on the Lord Jesus in sincerity and never more take care to fulfill these lusts of the flesh Rom. 13.13 Thus of these words in the coherence The sense will be more full if wee consider more at large two things in the words First what the soule is Secondly what this warre in the soule is Two things have made the inquirie about the soule exceeding difficult The first is the nature of the soule For it is a spirituall essence and therefore wonderfullhard to be conceived of There be three things cannot fully be conceived of or defined by man first God secondly an Angel and thirdly the soule of man Now besides this transcendencie as I may call it of the soule the fall of man and custome in sinne and the remainders of corruption in the best have made this doctrine so hard that wicked men scarce discerne that they have a soule and godly men are very ignorant and impotent in conceiving the condition of the soule This word Soule is diversly accepted in Scripture for it signifies sometimes The life of man as Matt. 6.25 Be not carefull for your soules what yee shall eate c. Christ because looke what the soule is to the body that is Christ to the whole man so Psal. 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell that is Christ Act. 2.25 29 c. and 13.35 36. The dead bodies Levit. 19.28 The whole man to Gen. 46.26 by a Synecdoche But here it signifies that part of man which is called his spirit By the soule then we understand that part of man which is invisible and invisibly placed within the body of man Now the things which are fit for us to inquire into and know concerning the nature and excellency of the soule may be comprised briefly in this description of the soule The soule of man is a substance incorporeall invisible
without it it could never compasse things desired Hitherto of the working of the soule upon the body and those strange things it doth in the body by the faculties of vegetation and sense It is true that those things are done by the soules of brute creatures but as their soules differ exceedingly from the glory and excellency of the soules of men so are the effects upon their bodies but certaine glimpses of those things which are done exactly by the soules of men I meane in respect of the inward senses of phantasie and memory there is in beasts but onely a darke shadow of them in comparison of what is in men But for the third faculty of the soule which is reason therein men excell all creatures in this visible world and it is profitable for us to know what God hath done for us in our soules generally considered above all other creatures And so man excells in respect of his reasonable soule 1 In that he can conceive of things by the light of understanding as well as by sense This light is admirable whether we conceive of it as proceeding from God who shines upon the soule as the Sunne doth upon the body or whether wee beleeve it to be a light conferred upon the understanding by which from within it discernes things 2 In that it can conceive of things that never were in the senses as things absent that never were seene yea things altogether immateriall as Angels and vertues and vices 3 In that it can conceive of the nature of God and discerne God from his workes 4 In that it can conceive of things by a discerning reflexion as it can conceive of it selfe and understand that it doth understand 5 In that it can distinguish betweene good and evill truth and falshood I say of the morall goodnesse of things whereas the phantasie can judge onely of so much of the naturall goodnesse of things as they shew to the outward senses 6 In the largenes of the extent of our understanding For the understanding can in a small moment of time go almost over the whole world and view it all as it were at once whereas the senses are forced in within a narrow compasse 7 In that it can invent things that never were in beeing and thus wee see daily what strange things for number and skill are invented for the use of the life of man by art and skill of mans understanding in every calling of men 8 In that the reasonable soule governes and appoints and crosseth and fetters and alters and rectifies the other faculties of vegetation and sense and in respect thereof can turne and tame and rule and order all sorts of other creatures 9 In that by begetting with strange variety it can make knowne what images are within whether begotten by the senses or by the minde it selfe 10 In that it is the faculty by which onely true blessednesse is apprehended and attained 11 In that mans understanding is made after a sort all things For the understanding becomes the things understood in that it doth conceive a true and evident image of the thing to be understood so that as man is the Image of God so hath hee in him the images of all things printed as it were in his understanding This is a most dreadfull dignity in the soules of men yea herein he resembles God in the creation of the world for mans reasonable soule doth as it were forme worlds of things in it selfe If any object that the sensitive soule hath the images of things in it I answer two things First that the sense can receive only the images of a few things that is onely of such things as have colour found taste smell or touchable qualities but the minde can beget the images of all things Secondly that those images in the senses are dull and darke and confused in comparison of the likenesse of things in the minde 12 In that he hath a will in chosing or refusing things good or evill that cannot bee compelled The liberty of the will is inseparable to it in what it chooseth or refuseth for it implies a contradiction that the will should bee constrained 13 In that it hath in it that divine thing which we call conscience which is given to the soule as a guardian as it were to tend it from God the effects whereof are admirable in us for it testifies to our actions it accuseth or excuseth it comforts when we have well done above all outward comforts and it terrifieth and scourgeth the soule with unexpressible afflictions many times for sinne it is a Judge witnesse and executioner many times in us Now if the soule bee thus admirable in any estate for all these things are true of the reasonable soule even in the estate of corruption then how excellent was the estate of man in respect of his soule before the Fall and how doth it excell in the godly who have their soules enlightned with the light of faith and garnished with saving graces but especially how shall it exceed in glory when it shall be presented before God in the Kingdome of heaven So that as the whole man made in Gods image is as it were the visible God in this great world so the soule is as it were a little god in the lâ—sser world which is the body of man And thus much of the faculties of the soule Now the end of all this followes The Lord made the soule and endowed it with so excellent a being and so admirable faculties that so the Lord might in this visible world have a creature that would know him and serve him rightly The creatures without sense are Gods workmanship but discerne nothing of God or themselves or other things The creatures with sense discerne other things by sense but know nothing of God Now God made man as the abridgement of all he had made and gave him his soule of purpose that hee might discerne God aright and serve and worship and praise him Use 1. The consideration of the excellencie of the soule and of the end why it was created should stirre us up to make conscience of the service and knowledge of God it is as if we had never beene if wee answer not this end Wee should be fired to the observation and praise of God and of his love to man And withall it should make us wonderfull carefull of our soules since wee see they are such excellent creatures Our soule is more worth than all this visible world besides Especially it should fire us to a care of things that concerne the blessed immortality of our soules we should be forced to all possible care of all such things as might be provision for the eternall well-being of our soules And in particular the excellencie of the soule should disswade us from fleshly lusts and all inward impuritie by which the soule is defiled or wounded Hitherto of the description of the soule The warre against the soule is now
view of our owne naturall dispositions to bee able to discerne distinctly what it is the flesh usually is prone to or imployed in 2. We must bee sure to commit our selves to God and by faith lay hold upon Jesus Christ and settle our selves in our assurance for that cuts off many of the maine advantages of the flesh especially it quencheth all those hellish darts that arise from doubtings and despaire which is to discerne the flesh 3. Wee must quicken in us our hope of a better life for that will shew us so much glory to bee had in the service of Christ as all the motions of the flesh will seeme vaine in comparison wee are never allured by the lusts of the flesh but when wee have forgotten heaven or are destitute of the lively hope of it 4. We must bee sober in the use of outward things 1. Pet. 1.13 and remove from the flesh those things wee observe the flesh to bee apt to dally withall if the flesh could be divorced from the world there were little or no danger 5. We must with all readinesse upon all occasions entertaine all good motions any way cast into us by Gods Spirit for as those are set up and nourished the flesh is subdued and kept under 6. We must daily commit our selves and our soules to God by prayer and beseech him to keepe us and accordingly to begge strength to avoid those evils which by nature wee find our selves most prone to 2. Tim. 1.12 Now if the flesh notwithstanding doe on the sudden either provoked by the world or entised by the devill make assault and lust after evill things then in the conflict our armour must be 1. Contrary lustings Gal. 1.17 The Spirit must lust against the flesh by raising up holy desires and loathing of those base affections of the flesh 2. Prayer we must crucifie them drag them before the Crosse of Christ and there accuse them shame them judge them condemne them and begge vertue from the death of Christ to kill them 3. The Word of God For as Christ beat away the devill by alledging what was written so should wee get store of places of Scripture which wee might alledge to our owne hearts when wee are entised to any sinne and so the promises of the Gospel would bee as shooes to our feete that neither thorny care prick nor vaine pleasures defile us and so those promises are because they both shew us greater things then fleshly pleasures can bee and withall shew us such treasure in Christ as may free us from living in care Two rules are of excellent use for this purpose 1. To silence the flesh When it assaults not to suffer it to plead much but presently resist it 2. To looke to the beginnings of any corruption not to dallie with it and give it way upon pretence of safety for it may strangely provoke and beyond expectation if it bee not looked to at first After the conflict wee must remember two things 1. To give thanks to God for the help of his presence as accounting it a singular favour to be protected against so vile an enemy 2. To take heed of our security so to consider of present deliverance as to for more conflicts In the frft place it is profitable considering what reasons Christians have to be carefull of themselves and attend their soules in respect of the flesh For 1. This combate is a daily combate the warre is never at an end it is an adversary that never takes so much as a day of truce 2. There is no safety or help by running away for thy adversary is seated within thee and thou canst not runne from thy selfe 3. The flesh hath might and continuall aid from the divell and the world which almost with infinite variety of occasions ministers obstinacy to the flesh 4. For want of care many worthy Champions have beene for the time foiled shamefully as were Noah Lot David Peter and others 5. No Christian can avoyd it but hath this combate within him Gal. 5.17 And as these or the like reasons may breed care and watchfulnesse so hath the true Christian no cause of despaire but rather many arguments of hope of good successe and daily victories and triumphs over the flesh if he be watchfull For 1. God hath provided him of armour against those kindes of assaults and it is mighty to preserve and subdue 2. Cor. 10.3 4. 2. Christ in his power doth rest in us for this end to assist us in the combate as we cry for help 2. Cor. 12.10 3. We fight against an adversary hath beene often foiled by all sorts of Godly Christians and by our selves in divers particular combates yea against an adversary that hath received a deadly wound that cannot bee cured for so the flesh the first day of our conversion was mortified All that are Christs have mortified the flesh with the Insts thereof 4. Wee have assurance of victory if wee resist Rom. 8.38 5. An incorruptible Crown is laid up for all that overcome 2. Tim. 4.7 8. Re. 2. Now for the seventh point wee obtaine victory against the flesh divers waies as 1. In our justification when wee by faith obtaine the pardon of our sinnes committed and a righteousnesse able to cover us notwithstanding all the spite the flesh doth us This is our victory in Christ Rom. 7. 2. In our sanctification and so wee get victory 1. When we conquer some sins wholly so that we never commit them again 2. When we turne and subdue the power of the sins that remain so as they cannot reigne though they rebell 3. We shall have our finall and full victory in our glorification in the day of Christ when the flesh shall be utterly abolished for ever Now for the eighth point wee may knowe that wee are not at any time overcomne by these signes if we finde them in us 1. If wee judge our selves for all knowne sinnes so as there be no sin arising from the flesh but wee condemn it and keep our selves as men condemned in the flesh being grieved at the rebellion of the flesh in us Rom. 7.1 Pet. 4.7 2. If we hold fast our assurance of faith we are safe so long as we keep the faith 2. Tim. 4.7 3. If wee goe on in our Christian way or course and doe not give over the practice of knowne duties against the light of our consciences if we finish our course 2. Tim. 4.7 Use. The use of all should be First for information and so two waies for 1. It shewes the miseries of such persons as never feel this combate that have all quiet in them it is a signe the flesh and the divell rule all and there is no sanctified Spirit to resist 2. It shewes the folly of some godly persons that are troubled as if their states were not right because they finde such a combat in themselves whereas they should rather conclude the contrary that therefore there is some workmanship
in our repentance Luk. 4.44 Act. 6.20 Every tree must not only beare fruit but his own fruit proper to his kind as the proper fruit of rich men is mercy and if they had never so many praises otherwise that they were courteous wise just chaste c. yet if they be not mercifull their workes are not good workes Ninthly his workes must bee full before God It was an objection against the Church of Sardis that her workes were not perfect or full before God therefore she is threatned if she repent not to feele the heavie hand of God Rev. â— 1 2. Noâ— as I conceive a mans workes are not full when he is not carefull of every good worke which he knowes concernes him as for instance if a man pray and yet be not carefull of hearing the Word his prayers are abomination to God because his workes are not full There be some duties which he makes no conscience to obey in though he know they be required hee that turneth away his eares from hearing the Law his prayers are abominable Pro. 28.9 If a man would be never so carefull about Gods service and yet make no conscience of the works of mercy required of him his sacrifice is not accepted Hos. 6.6 7 c. Thus the long prayers of the Pharisees will not be regarded if they devoure widowes houses Mat. 23. and so on the other side if a man were never so mercifull a man if he were not also a religious man in the things of Gods service his workes would not abide triall before God they were not good because they were not full And for this reason the workes of civill honest men are not good such were Pauls workes Phil. 3.6 which hee accounts but drosse and dung in comparison vers 8. of such as these Thus of the rules of good workes the kinds follow The vulgar commonly when they heare of good workes thinke of nothing but almes and hospitality or other courses of shewing mercy Now though it be true that workes of mercy be good workes yet they are but one sort of good workes whereas the Christian is bound to be ready to every good work 1 Tim. 3.17 and therefore it will bee profitable to informe our selves of the many wayes by which we may do good workes for thereby such Christians as are not able to give almes may see a way how to enrich themselves in well-doing other wayes These then are the sorts of good workes First to beleeve is a good work yea it is instead of many good workes yea in some sense it is to us instead of the works of the whole Law as it is a means to lay hold on all the good works that ever Christ Jesus did To put on the â—ord Jesus is a good worke in a high degree and so every act of faith in all the passages of a mans life is a good worke for this is the worke of God to beleeve as our Saviour shewes when hee gives that for answer for such as asked what they must doe to doe the workes of God Ioh. 6.28 Rom. 13.12 13 14. This is clearly acknowledged in these other Scriptures 1 Thes. 1.3 2 Thes 1.11 Secondly all workes of piety are good workes all workes of worship that is such workes by which a man doth service to God are all in the number of good workes and so to pray to fast to heare the Word to receive the Sacraments c. are good workes for godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come and therefore it is profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4.8 And these workes must needs be accounted good workes for they are deare works the blood of Christ was poured out that wee might be cleansed from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 Thirdly all workes of repentance all that a Christian doth about his humiliation or reformation are evangelically good workes as if he confesse his sinnes and do execution upon his sinnes if hee make satisfaction for his trespasses to men if he reforme himselfe or his houshold or his charge these and the like are all good workes 2 Chron. 19.3 Fourthly to suffer for a good cause is reckoned in the number of good workes as to forsake father or mother house or land wife or children liberty or life for Christs sake and the Gospels it is in the number of those good things that shall have a good reward Mat. 19.29 Ier. 31.16 Ruth 2.11 12. Fifthly workes of mens particular callings whether in the Common-wealth or Church or family or any vocation or trade of life so workes of Justice are good workes and to obey Magistrates is called well-doing vers 14. of this chapter so to preach the Gospel is a good worke 1 Tim. â— 1 So in the family for parents to bring up their children well is a good worke 1 Tim. 5.10 yea the labours of servants in the family are such workes as shall have reward of God as well as workes of piety Esa. 6. Col. 3. Sixthly workes of mercy are good workes whether it bee spirituall mercy to instruct admoniâ—h or reprove or comfort Psal. 140. or whether it be outward mercy in giving lending visiting defending the poore or the like All confesse these to be good workes Act. 9.16 But that almes may be a good worke these three rules must be observed First that it be given of goods well gotten else no good workes Secondly that he that gives it have a good eye to distribute where there is need for to keepe a good house and to entertain russians and drunkards and gamesters is not a good work nor hospetality because here is not a good eye Thirdly almes muâ—t be given to a good end not for the praise of men or to merit thereby Mat. 6. Thus of the kinds of good workes The questions follow Quest. 1. How can any workes done by any man in this life be accounted good seeing there is none that liveth and sinneth not yea all our workes even the workes of the most righteous are as a menstruous cloth Esa. 64.6 For ansâ—er hereunto I say It is true that if God looke upon the best workes of the most godly in this life and examine them by the rigour of his covenanâ— which he called His covenant of workes then no flesh living can have comfort of his workes but all will appeare lothsome as a menstruous garâ—ent But the workes of the beleeving Christians are otherwaies to bee considered of for First they are tried by the covenant of grace by the benefit of which covenant he is delivered from the rigorous perfection of the Law his uprightnes is accepted instead of perfection he is now no more under the Law but by Gods grace and acceptation his workes are taken as if they had been perfect Secondly he hath the benefit of Christs intercession who presenteth his workes before God covering the evill of them and tendring them to God who accepts
things that concerne a religious life and then our duty to man and in particular to Magistrates This the Apostle intimates in that he first instructs them as Christians and then as Subjects and there is apparent reason first in respect of God secondly in respect of themselves and thirdly in respect of the Magistrate First in respect of God for we are first and chiefly bound to God our first covenant is made with God and we are more beholding to God than to all the world besides and therefore againe to respect his glory and obedience to him in the first and chiefe place Secondly in respect of our selves and our owne profit we must study God's Lawes as well as the Lawes of men yea with our first and chiefe cares and accordingly yeild obedience because though by keeping the Lawes of men wee may live quietly and safely and with much reputation yet all this will not protect us against the breach of Gods Law but the hand of God may pursue us while we live and we may be damned in hell when we die for want of a religious life Thirdly in respect of the Magistrate he shall have the better Subjects by it Good Christians are the best Subjects and the knowledge of Religion and Gods Word makes men obey not for feare or custome but for conscience sake and for feare of God's displeasure And besides it makes men humble and charitable humble not to thinke themselves too good to obey and charitable in not suspecting the meaning of Princes further than they must needs And it restraines the excessive pronesse of mens natures that are without Religion apt to speake evill of those that are in authority and chiefly because true Religion will make men pray heartily to God for their Governours and God himselfe doth spare or blesse them the rather for the prayers of the righteous The use should be to informe and teach all sorts of men to take heed of separating what God hath joyned together It is an extreme folly to give unto Caesar what is due to Caesar not to give unto God what is due to God and so it were to give unto God what is due to God if men could doe it not to give to Caesar what is due to Caesar. The respect of God's Lawes should make us more carefull to observe mans Lawes And contrariwise it is a fearfull case that many live in that thinke they have done enough if they live in obedience in respect of the authority that rules them in the places they live in they would bee much troubled if the Magistrate should bee offended with them but are never troubled though they provoke God to his face and they are maliciously foolish that would have the Laws of men obeyed when they are against the Lawes of God or would have men so rest in observing the just Lawes of men as not to be so forward and busie about the duties of Religion Further a question may bee here asked Why the duty of Magistrates is not here set downe as well as the duties of Subjects I answer that in those times of the Apostles the Magistrates were without so farre from being Christians that they did for the most part persecute that way and therefore they doe avoid medling or undertaking to teach them that would not learne but rather be incensed against such Teachers Besides if this and other Scriptures of the New Testament be marked we shall finde that the duty of Inferiours is both more often and more fully taught than the duty of Superiours for in that new and tender world great care was to bee had that under pretence of Religion civill obedience either in the family or Common-wealth were not neglected And it is a truth to be knowne at all times that God would not have Inferiours too skilfull in the duty of Superiours that they might first learne to shew duty before they called for duty from their Superiours That may be one reason why the duty of Masters is not here handled and in other places of the Epistles but briefly for many times the description of the duty of Superiours is used but as a glasse by the Inferiours to pry into the faults of those that rule them and so grow carelesse and wilfully stubborne under pretence of the faults of their Superiours But some one might say that by this means if the Magistrates did turne Christians they were left without rules of direction and so they should not know what to doe Answ. That inconvenience was long before prevented because the duty of Magistrates is fully taught in the Old Testament which unto a godly minde is of as great authority as the New Thus of the coherence and generall consideration of all the words The duty of Subjects followes to bee particularly considered of Submit Concerning Subjects here are five things to be considered of First the proposition of Doctrine in these words Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake Secondly the exposition of it in one case and that is the persons to whom they were to bee subject to all sorts of Governours to Kings or any other Governours Thirdly the confirmation by reason Ver. 14 15. Fourthly the answer of an Objection Ver. 16. Fiftly the conclusion Vers. 17. In the Proposition consider 1 The duty to be done Submit 2 The persons must doe it your selves 3 The things to which they must bee subject Ordinances where is a double extent viz to every ordinance though they be ordinances of men 4 The manner or motive For the Lords sake Submit The duty is to submit unto Magistrates Rom. 13.1 2. For Explication two things are to be considered Why we must submit and How we must submit For the first we must submit 1 Because God is the Author of Magistracy Gen. 9.6 Deut. 16.18 Pro. 8.15 Dan. 2.21 Ioh. 19.11 Rom. 13.1 4 6. Object The Divell is said to bee the Prince of this world and hee claimeth all the kingdomes of the earth Ioh. 12.31 Mat. 4.8 9. Sol. He is the Prince of this world by malicious usurpation not by any right 2 He is so in relation to wicked men he is their king but not of others 3 He speakes like himselfe that is like the father of lyes when hee claimes all the kingdomes of the earth for no part of the world is his because The earth is the Lords and all that therein is Object But God was angry with the Israelites for their asking of a King and therefore it seemes it was not his ordinance that there should be Kings Sol. He was not angry with them for desiring Governours for they had Governours before sent of God and the very King they had afterward God gave them him Hos. 13.8 but hee was angry for the cause of their request Their faith and hope was in a manner spent and they conceived more hope in a King than in God that had beene such a King to them so many yeares 2
Men must be subject because God hath taken mens consciences bound to subjection Rom. 13. 3 Because Kings are heads of the people and therefore as members it is agreeable that they should submit and bee ruled and guided 4 In respect of the benefit men receive by Magistrates both in outward things and in matters of Religion For outward things men enjoy publike peace and quietnesse and protection by the help of the power of the Magistrate And for matters of Religion earthly Common-wealths are as it were Innes to lodge the Church in and Princes power affords protection so as Christians may more safely follow their calling and if they be godly Kings they are the very nurses of Religion And thus of the reasons For the second this Submission hath in it sixe things the first is obedience to their lawes and commandements Tit. 3.1 The second is honour Rom. 13.7 for they are principalities and powers as the Angels shine in heaven so doe Princes on earth Yea they are called gods and so in two respects first as they are Gods Deputies and Viceroyes God executes a part of his Kingdome by Kings Secondly as they beare the image of God and his authority and soveraignty Now wee must performe this honour by reverence and by feare of them and by judging the best of them and their actions without conceiving suspitions of them or receiving evill reports against them or daring to speake evill of those dignities and Rulers of the people and by all thankefulnesse for the good wee receive by them acknowledging to the full all their praises The third is loyalty by which wee resolve and endevour to the uttermost of our powers to maintaine and preserve the persons rights prerogatives crownes and dignities of Princes If wee must lay downe our lives one for another then much more for our King and Country The fourth is piety we must pray for them with all manner of prayer wee must make supplications for Gods blessing upon them and deprecations for the removing evils from them and if they should sinne and God bee wroth with them wee should stand up in the gap and make intercession for them and we should give thanks for all the mercies the Lord shewes unto them 2 Tim. 2.1 The fift is maintenance tribute must bee paid Rom. 13.7 Christ himselfe submitted herein The last is subjection to their punishments Rom. 13.4 yea to their injuries as David Christ and the Apostles did submit themselves to the injurious dealing of Saul Pilate and the Tyrants when perhaps they could have made resistance Use 1. The use may be first for terror to the seditious great hath beene the vengeance of God upon Traytors the earth swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram for their rebellion Absolon was hanged up by the haire between heaven and earth as unworthy both of heaven and earth The words of our Saviour Christ are in an high degree true in this case Hee that taketh â—up the sword shall perish by the sword And S. Paul saith They shall be damned that resist the power Secondly it should much humble the better sort of men for divers 〈◊〉 that are too common such as are the receiving of evill reports and speaking evill with too frequent intemperancy grudging at the payment of tribute and taxations evill surmises of the actions of Princes and the aptnesse â—o fâ—vour themselves in the liberty of doubting concerning obedience to them in things indifferent Thirdly all good Christians should be perswaded to make conscience of this submission and to that end they should bee at the paines to study this Doctrine and withall pray to God to direct them and keepe them in his feare and obedience herein and besides they should be sure that they meddle not with the changers or with the seditious Pro. 24.22 Your selves These words may note either the manner of our submission or the matter the manner thus Submit your selves that is yeeld obedience uncompelled doe it of your selves stay not till you be forced to doe it and so the Apostle should thereby import that our submission even to men should bee performed willingly and so wee should willingly and cheerefully obey their lawes honour and defend their persons pray for them to God yeeld them tribute yea wee should without murmuring submit our selves to their punishments yea cheerefully beare their injuries and so it removes grudging and force from our submission But I rather understand the words to note the matter to bee submitted and that is our selves not our goods onely for tribute or custome but our persons also must bee at the Princes service our very bodies must be submitted both to doe the labour thaâ— belongs to the beating of any office for the publike good and to the enduring of any punishment by the lawes to be inflicted upon the body and to the imploying of the body and life in defence of the true Religion and of the Kingâ— person law and desire in warre or otherwise This is manifest by the frequent wars in the Old Testament both required and performed nor may any say that Christians in the New Testament are not charged in the businesse of warre for First It was Christ's maine intendment to forme a spirituall Kingdome to God he left the state of earthly Kingdomes to the condition they were in before Secondly when the Apostles doe in the generall require the submission of Christians to their Magistrates without exception of their obedience in warre or otherwise it is manifest that they leave them to the lawes of nature and the lawes of God before Thirdly even in the New Testament this is implyed by Baptist's answer to the souldiers Luk. 3.14 and the praises of those worthy warriours Heb. 11.33 34 In which place also is a manifest proofe for subjection even in our bodies to the sentences of Magistrates whether just or unjust And the Magistrate's sword Rom. 13.4 is not onely a sword of justice upon malefactors in his owne land but of revenge on the enemies of God or the Church or Common-wealth abroad And for that saying of our Saviour to Peter He that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword Mat. 26.52 it is spoken of him to whom of the Lord it is not delivered that is of him that hath not authority from God as Magistrates have to command others to take the sword and it was spoken to Peter a Pastour of soules Put up again thy sword into his place That materiall sword was not for him to use Thirdly note that it is indefinitely propounded Your selves that is all of all sorts no man can bee exempted from subjection to Princes Christians must obey as well as Pagans strangers as well as home-borne while they are within their gates All the doubt is whether Church-men are to bee subject to secular Princes The Papists deny it but wee affirme it and have reason so to doe First because the precept is generall without exception Secondly because the Apostle saith Rom. 13.1
this formality and outward shew and serving God for fashion how deeply is it seated in mens manners It is likely the most of you that heare this doctrine will say it is good and perhaps some one or two of you will be a little toucht with a kinde of consultation in your selves which way you might doe well but alas alas out and alas Oh that I could get words to gore your very Soules with smarting paine that this Doctrine might bee written in your very flesh for a thousand to one you will goe the most of you away and not redresse your wayes Religion shall not bee honoured by you more than before cursed be that worldly drosse or spirituall security that will thus rob and spoyle your soules and keepe Religion without her true glosse and beaâ—ty and shining glory I might here also note that submission to the ordinances of men is one part of a Christian mans well doing and a speciall ornament of the sincere profession of religion because it is the discharge of the duty enjoyned us by God and so is a part of the obedience due to God himselfe to keep their ordinances is to obey Gods commandement Secondly because such a conscionable submission to mans Lawes makes the religious works of Christians to be the more unrebukable in the eyes of wicked men and therefore they are to be warned of their rashnesse that say that conformity to mens lawes is evill doing when God sayes it is well doing they say it is a sinne God sayes it is a good worke It is neerer to the truth and safer to say that not conforming is a sin because it is a breach of Gods expresse commandement in the former verse and therefore also godly Christians whether Ministers or private persons that obey the lawes of men simply out of conscience of Gods Commandements and not for corrupt ends may comfort themselves that the good God doth like of what they doe because it is his will that so they should doe and he sayes they doe well though some good men are contrary-minded out of weaknesse censure them as evill doers Then it is implyed here that the conscionable conformity of godly Christians shall be rewarded in Heaven for all well-doing shall be rewarded in Heaven but submission to humane Ordinances is well-doing and therefore shall be rewarded in Heaven Paul is crowned in Heaven for his holding to the Jewish ceremonies to win the Jewes and further the liberty of his Ministery Thus of the matter required The end followes That you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men The word here rendred To put to silence is diversly accepted or the force of it is shewed by diverse tearmes in severall Scriptures Sometimes it is translated to still a thing that is tumultuous and raging and so the sea was silenced or made still Mark 4.39 Sometimes it is translated To make speechlesse or dumb so Mat. 22.12 Sometimes To confute so as they have not a word to answer so Mat. 22.34 Sometimes To muzzle or tye up the mouth so 1 Cor. 9.9 1 Tim. 5.18 and so it signifies properly and so well-doing is intended here as a meanes to muzzle the mouths of wicked men The word here rendred Foolish men signifies properly men without a minde or men that have not use of their understanding and so are either naturall fooles or mad men The Doctrines that may be gathered from hence are many For it may be evidently collected from hence Doct. 1. That wicked men doe usually in all places speake evill of godly men they are prone to it they doe it usually The holy Ghost here supposeth it to be done as the usuall course in all ages and conditions of the Christian Church and no marvell For it hath been in all ages past the condition of godly men to be evill spoken of and slandered God children were as signes and wonders Esay 8. And whosoever refraineth himselfe from evill maketh himselfe a prey Esay 59.15 The throats of wicked men are the ordinary burying places for the names of the Righteous Rom. 3. And this is the more to be heeded if we mark in Scriptures either persons reproaching or the persons reproached or the matter of the reproach or the manner For the persons reproaching we shall read sometimes that men are reproached by such as are of the same Religion with them Psal. 50.16 Esay 8.18 Cant. 1.6 Yea sometimes that godly men are reproached by such as are of their owne house and kindred as Isaak was by Ismael and Ioseph by his brethren the parents are against the children and the children are against the parents and a mans enemies are those of his owne house And for the persons reproached we shall finde them to be the most eminent and godly persons as Iob cap. 30.1 Moses Heb. 11.26 David Psal. 35.15 Ieremiah c. 18.18 the Apostles 1 Cor. 4.9 10 13. yea the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe Heb. 12.3 And for the matter objected wee shall finde the godly men have beene reproached with the most vile slanders that almost might be I may spare other testimonies now seeing Christ himselfe was charged with gluttony blasphemie sedition deceit diabolicall working and to have a divell in him and he supposeth it to be the case of Christians to be spoken against with all manner of evill-saying Mat. 5.12 And for the manner two things may be noted First that many times wicked men set themselves to study and invent without all colour of occasion mischievous things to reproach godly men withall thus they devised devices against Ieremiah Secondly that when they have evill reports afoot they pursue them and divulge them with all possible forwardnesse and malice thus the abjects tare Davids name and ceased not Psal. 35.15 and ill-minded men cease not till that good men may be every where evill spoken of Acts 28. The reason of this strange kinde of ill humour in wicked men is twofold First there is their naturall hatred of goodnesse it is not because of the sin of godly men but simply because they follow goodnesse There is a naturall antipathy betweene a good life and a bad man 1 Iob. 3.13.14.1 Pet. 4.5 Psal. 38.20 Secondly the other is because it is one of the rules of the divell To be an accuser of the brethren and good livers and the works of their father the divell they will doe Iob. 8.44 The use is diverse for Uses First it should informe men not to thinke it strange when they see such things come to passe for no other triall in this point of reproach befals godly men but what hath accompanied the condition of all godly men almost in all ages Secondly godly men should be the more stirred up to prepare apologies and in all places where they come to contend for the truth and strive together to preserve the reputation of one another Prov. 12.18 Thirdly godly men should arme themselves and prepare for reproaches and accordingly stirre up their
love to be his servants Isai 56.7 and in matters of his worship or the meanes thereof the zeale of his House should eat us up 3. Wisely and discreetly Kings get the wisest men they can light upon to serve before them and therefore the King of all kings will not bee served with fooles Since we serve God we should be circumspect and bee sure we understand what the will of God is Ephes. 5.15 16. And therefore wee have need to pray with David that God would give us true understanding hearts to search his Law Psal. 119.124 4. Sincerely Iosh. 24.14 And this sincerity in Gods work we should shew five wayes First in seeking none but him Deut. 6.13 We must not be the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 to satisfie mens humours or stand upon their liking or disliking Wee may not serve Mammon in our owne lusts No man can serve two masters God refuseth us for his servants if wee serve riches Luke 16.13 Secondly we should shew our sincerity in obeying him in all things there is no work he requires that we should think our selves too good to do it we must not dare to neglect any thing he requires They are none of Gods servants that will do only what they list in Religion Thirdly we should shew it in doing all things that may be best for his advantage seeking his glory in all things 1 Cor. 10.31 Wee must not seeke our owne praise or profit but his whom wee serve Fourthly by doing his will indeed without dissimulation 1 Chron. 28.9 Fifthly in newnesse of Spirit bringing new hearts to his worke not trusting the old man to doe any worke for God Rom. 7.6 5. Wee must doe his worke constantly A servant is not he that doth a dayes worke and so is gone but he that works all the yeere nor hath God any servants that he hires not by life He hath none from yeere to yeere Psal. 119.17 Wee must finish his worke and never give over till wee fulfill the taske appointed us Luke 1.74 Rev. 7.17 6. We must serve him with our spirits God is a Spirit and will bee served in spirit and truth If he may not have the service of our hearts he rejects the service of our bodies we must serve him with all our hearts and all our soules Deut. 10.12 Phil. 3.3 7. Confidently Servants to ill or poore masters are faine to trust them for diet and wages how much more should wee relye upon God and commit our selves wholly to him taking no care but onely to doe his worke leaving all the rest to him Esay 43.11 8. With one shoulder or with one consent they must agree one with another Zeph. 3.9 9. With all modesty Acts 20.19 without pride or selfe-conceit or conceitednesse acknowledging that when wee have done all wee are unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 and with sorrow for our failings Acts 20. Luke 15.29 and the rather because God can finde faults in his best servants Iob 4.18 Use 3. Thirdly since Gods people are Gods servants they should learne in all places to stand for the honour and glory of their Master and not suffer God to be dishonoured by the servants of a strange god Lastly since all Gods people are his servants and doe his worke it serves for the discovery of the miserable condition of multitudes in the visible Church who are hereby proved not to be Gods people because they are not Gods servants And so these sorts of men following are rejected as none of Gods people because they are none of his servants First all profane persons that aske what profit it is to serve God Iob 21. 15. Malac. 3.15 and serve their owne lusts Matth. 24 49. Secondly all worldlings that worke about nothing more than the things of this life Luke 16.13 Thirdly all unprofitable Christians that live and doe no good will doe no worke but spend their dayes in spirituall idlenesse and unfruitfulnesse making no conscience of the meanes or opportunities of well-doing Matt. 25.26 28. Fourthly all backward and dull Christians to whom it seemes evill to serve the Lord that account all religious duties to bee tedious and irksome and never from their hearts consent to obey but doe what they doe upon compulsion from the lawes of men or feare of shame c. They are Gods servants no otherwise than the divell is For the devill is forced to doe God some worke sometimes but it is alwayes against his will that God hath any glory by it Fifthly all ignorant Christians that are so farre from doing good workes that they understand not Gods will nor are carefull to redeeme the time that they might get knowledge Sixthly all hypocrites that have the forme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof promise to doe much worke but doe it not These especially so many of them as know their Masters will and doe it not shall one day feele the weight of Gods hand Seventhly all quarrelsome and contentious Christians that make division and cause offences contrary to the doctrine of Gods word These the Apostle saith serve not the Lord Jesus but their owne belly and by smooth pretences deceive the simple Rom. 16.18 Use. 4. Lastly since Gods people are Gods servants they are to bee much reproved that take liberty to judge and censure other men for infirmities or things doubtfull or indifferent for what have they to doe to judge anothers servant They are Gods servants and must make their reckoning to him and therefore stand or fall to their owne Master Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly we may hence learne that it is an excellent freedome to be Gods servant They are all freemen that serve God as the coherence shewes No freemen can enjoy better priviledges than Gods servants doe and never were there any servants that enjoyed such prerogatives as Gods servants doe And this may appeare many wayes for First all sorts of men are Gods servants All his subjects are his servants Psal. 135.14 yea all his sonnes are servants yea Christ himselfe Esay 42. all his elect are servants yea his friends are his servants so Abraham that had the honour to be the friend of God accounted it no disparagement to be Gods servant the Kings of the earth accounted it to be the best part of their title to be Gods servants Psal. 36.1 All which proves that it is a most free and honourable estate to be servant unto God else those eminent persons would never have sought them out such a service And this is the more evident because God accepteth not of persons but the poorest Christian may be as well entertained of God as any of those States Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 Secondly Gods service may become any freeman in the world if we consider what kinde of entertainment God gives his servants For First all his worke is faire worke It is no disgrace for any man to doe it and he requires no more of the meanest servant hee hath than hee
many that seeme to be of the better sort is a meere formality as this very signe proves Psal. 86.11 Isaiah 50.10 Thirdly a great ghesse may be had at mens feare of God by their care and conscience they make of their obedience in their particular calling A man may have comfort that his feare of God and profession of Religion is right if he hate idlenesse lying covetousnesse deceit frowardnesse and unjust dealing in his calling For though to deale justly with all men be no infallible signe of the true feare of God yet it is a probable one and where it is not there can be no true feare of God Thus Magistrates must prove that they feare God 2 Chron. 19.27 Exod. 18.21 and thus every man in his place yea if women would have the reputation to be such as feare God they must let their workes praise them If they be idle froward undutifull busie-bodies and carelesse of their domesticall duties what feare of God can be in them Fourthly it will be manifest that our obedience flowes from the true feare of God if we will obey against our profit or ease or credit or our own carnall reasons or affections Hereby the Lord said he knew that Abraham feared him because he spared not his owne sonne Gen. 22.12 And thus of the feare of God The last part of the charge concernes our loyalty to the King Honour the King The Apostlè intends in these words but briefly to urge the practice of their duty urged in the exhortation Ver. 13. fave that the termes have something in them of explication of that doctrine and something for confirmation for we must honour the King 1. In our hearts 2. In our words 3. In our workes First we must honour him in our hearts and shew it two wayes 1. We must not curse the King no not in secret no not in our thoughts we must not entertaine impatient and vile thoughts of the King but from our hearts esteeme him for his greatnesse authority and gifts 2. When the King commands any thing that seemes to others or to us harsh inconvenient or doubtfull we must honour the King by interpreting his Lawes in the best sense If love must not thinke evill but hope all things of all sorts of men then much more of Kings It were greatly to be longed for that this note might enter into the breasts of some men they would then be afraid to charge so much evill of the Kings ordinances not only when they might finde a fairer sense but oftentimes expresly against the intent and meaning of the ordinance Secondly we must honour the King in our words three wayes 1. By reverent speeches to him and of him 2. By a thankfull acknowledgement of the good is in him and we receive by him 3. By praying to God with all manner of prayer for him 1. Tim. 2.1 Thirdly we must honour him in our workes 1. By paying him tributes and customes 2. By submitting and yeelding to his ordinances preferring the obedience thereunto before the censures or contrary opinions of what men soever And this is the maine thing intended verse the 13. of this Chapter And therefore I will omit the larger handling of this point in this place Verse 18. Servants be subject to your Masters with all feare not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward HItherto of the duties of subjects and so of the exhortation as it is politicall and concernes the Commonwealth Now the Apostle proceeds to give directions oeconomicall that concerne the family or houshold government Before I consider of the particular exhortations some thing would bee said in generall concerning a family A family is the society of divers men dwelling together in one house for preservation and happinesse Where three things are to bee explicated First what the persons are that take upon them to constitute this societie Secondly what is the difference between this society and their humane societies Thirdly what is the end of this societie First the persons that constitute a family or families societie are to bee considered either as the family is perfect or unperfect 1. A perfect familie consists of a triple societie first the one betweene man and wife secondly the other between parents and children thirdly and the third between Masters and servants 2. The unperfect is when any of these societies are wanting as when there are not either children or servants or wives or husbands in it The Apostles directions here do forme only an unperfect familie For he gives not directions about parents and children Secondly the difference of this society from others is in those words dwelling together in one house For thereby is imported that this is the first society of all others and the foundation of all the rest For a City comprehends many families a Countrie many Cities a Monarchie many Nations and the World many Monarchies Thirdly the end of a fraternity is preservation and happinesse and so to speake distinctly there are three things requisite to make this society happy and to preserve it so namely first commodity secondly delight and thirdly Religion Unto commoditie is requisite possession of goods and the mutuall lawfull labour of the persons in the family unto delight is requisite quietnesse and love unto Religion is required the constant and right serving of God If commodity be wanting the family cannot bee at all If delight be wanting it cannot be well and if religion be wanting it cannot be for ever Thus of a family in generall and two things may be in generall noted from the Apostles charge about the family First that God himselfe doth binde all sorts of persons as strictly to the good behaviour in their owne houses or towards one another as he doth toward those in his house Secondly that the conscience is bound immediatly from God to nourish all good duties And this is proved by the fift Commandement and Pro. 14.13 with many other places of Scripture There may be divers reasons assigned why God gives Commandement to binde us to domesticall duties First from his owne right For though there be many Administrators as of a Church a Common-wealth a Family c. yet there is but one Lord God is the Head of this society as well as of any other 1. Cor. 12. Secondly because this is the first society God brought into the world and therefore he would have it honoured and carefully preserved to the end of the world The first society in Paradise was this and Religion was professed for many hundred yeers by this society only even till the people came out of Egypt Thirdly because the persons we live withall in the family are the neerest companions of our lives and therefore we should live with all due respect one of another Fourthly because the family is the Seminarie both of Church and Common-wealth Fiftly because the family is the most usuall place for us to practise our Religion in
what we learne at Church is for the most part to bee practised at home Many have little occasion of practice abroad Sixtly because the comfort and contentment of mans life lieth much in this How are the lives of many men made uncomfortable by disordered servants wicked children idle froward vicious wives God gave the woman at the first as a speciall help to man to shew that at home the chief help of his life was to be had Use. The Use should be therefore to teach Christians in their severall places in the family to make conscience of their dealing both to know it and to doe it as ever they would have God to come to them and dwell with them Psal. 10.1 2. and as they desire to be no hypocrites in Religion for such as make no conscience of doing their duties in the family whether themselves wives servants or children are not sound Christians they are but hypocrites They are not compleat Christians that are not good at home aswell as abroad they walke not in a perfect way Psal. 101.2 And besides till domesticall disorders be redressed the family will never be established Pro. 14.3 Secondly it is to be noted that Inferiours in the family are either onely or first or with most words charged about their duties as here servants and not masters and servants and wives with many words and there may bee divers reasons assigned of it 1. To preserve order God hath subjected the Inferiours to the Superiours and the Superiour in a family is Gods Image the Lord is therefore carefull to preserve his authoritie The Superiours receive lawes from God but not from their Inferiours The Inferiours are to learne their dutie without prescribing lawes to their Superiours 2. Because the disorders of Inferiours are for the most part most dangerous to the troubling of the family because the businesses of the family are done by their hands the Superiour providing for the common good by common instruments If the Master of the family bee never so godly-wise yet oftentimes the family may be destroyed by wicked servants and vicious wives Pro. 14.1 3. Because faults in the Inferiours are most scandalous against Religion especially where the family is unequally yoked as if the Head of the family be an unbeleever and the Members beleevers disorder in the beleevers is most extremely scandalous 4. Because if the Head of the family be disordâ—ed the orderly behaviour of the Inferiours may bring him into order and win him both to Religion and good order at home A conversation with fear in wives may win their husbands as chap. 3.1 2. of this Epistle 5. Because God would hereby shew that the Inferiours must alwayes doe their duties before they looke after the duties of Superiours they must be first served 6. By this course the Apostles did labour to intice the Gentiles to Religion by letting them see how carefull they were to breed goodnesse and love in their wives servants and children and the Apostles did wisely in so doing because it is a greater gain to Religion to gaine one master than many servants because such a master may doe more good The Use should be therefore to interest the obligation upon the consciences of wives servants and children and even the more they see that God saith unto them the more they should be carefull of their duties and ever the more desirous they see the Lord to bee to have them live without offence the more abominable they should account it to dare to offend still and if they have not masters or husbands they should strive to be good themselves before they complaine of the fault of their Superiours and should thinke with themselves If I were a better wife or servant I should finde my husband or servant better to mee Thus in the generall The first thing then the Apostle gives in charge concerns servants from verse 18. to the end of this chapter where observe First the proposition enjoyning servants to bee subject to their masters verse 18. Secondly the exposition shewing both how they should be subject viz. with all feare and to what masters viz. not only to the good but to the froward verse 18. Thirdly the confirmation of it by three reasons viz. from the consideration 1. Of the acceptation of such subjection with God verse 19.20 2. Of their calling verse 21. 3. Of the example of Christ which is urged 1. For the use of servants verses 22.23 2. For the use of all Christians by digression verses 24.25 First then of the proposition where we are to consider first the persons charged Servants secondly the duty imposed be subject thirdly the persons to whom they owe it to your Masters Servants Two things are to be inquired into about servants First the originall of their estâ—â—e and secondly the bond that ties them to this subjection There are servants of God servants of sinne servants of men It is the servants of men that are here meant Servants of men are not all of one sort neither For first such as apply themselves to satisfie the unreasonable humors of men are said to be servants of men and condemned 1. Cor. 7.23 Secondly such as make themselves beholding to other men through their pride are forc't many times to become their servants Thus the borrower is a servant to the lender Pro. 22.7 Thirdly such as imploy their estates or bodies for the honour or preservation of their superiours are said to bee servants thus subjects serve Princes 1. Sam. 8.17 Fourthly such as imploy their labours and spend themselves for the common good are said to be servants thus Ministers are the peoples servants 2. Cor. 4.5 1. Cor. 9.19 But none of these are here meant These servants are domesticall servants such as are under the yoke of particular Masters in a family Those servants in the Apostles time were of two sorts some were bond servants such as were bought and sold in the markets over whom the Masters had absolute and perpetuall power some were hired servants that did serve by covenant and contract as servants do now for the most part with us Concerning these it may be inquired how it comes to passe that men that by creation have the same nature with other men should in their condition be abased to so low and meane estate as to serve them that are in nature alike to them This seemes to be a grievous inequalitie and therefore first to be searched into for the originall and causes of it It is out of doubt that before the Fall if man had staied in his Innocency there had beene no servitude because all men had been made after the Image of God both for holinesse and glory and so had been on earth as the Saints shall be in Heaven The first cause then of subjection and servitude was the confusion and sin of our first parents brought upon the world the earth being cursed for mans sake A necessity of toylesome â—â—bour lay upon men
servants in heaven but in Gods Kingdome they are as free as their Masters and therefore should not thinke much of a little hardnesse or harshnesse in this life Thus of the originall of servants Secondly we may hence note that servants are bound by God himselfe in his Word unto their subjection The Word of God doth belong to the calling of Servants as well as to any other calling God hath included them within the doctrine of Scripture as well as any other men partly to shew that they have right to the Scripture as well as others and partly to shew that the power of binding servants is from God And God hath taken it upon him by his Word to teach Servants as well as other men and that for two reasons The one is because Servants belong to the Kingdome of Christ and his Church as well as other Christians and therefore must be taught as well as they Secondly the other is because usually Masters are negligent in teaching them and therefore God provides that by his Word they shall bee taught Men have some care in teaching their children but little of their servants and therefore God to shew that he is no respecter of persons gives order to his Ministers to see them instructed The Use may be divers Uses First Masters must learne from hence their dutie For when they see that God takes care to teach their servants they should not be so proud or carelesse as to neglect their instruction Yea it shewes also that if they would have them taught or reproved or incouraged they must doe it with Gods Word and with their owne yea it also shewes the folly and wickednesse of divers Masters that cannot abide their servants should heare Sermons or much reade the Scriptures when they doe not only wickedly in restraining their servants from the meanes of their Salvation or comfort but do foolishly also hinder them of that meanes which should especially make them good servants Secondly Servants may hereby be instructed or informed and taught Informed that though neither Master nor Minister will teach them yet they are not excused because they are bound to learn from Gods Word their duties And taught from hence they must be to do their duties to their Masters not for fear or reward but for conscience sake because God hath bound them to his subjection Thirdly Ministers should learne and from hence be awakened to take notice of their charge both to catechize in speciall and to teach servants in generall as well as others their hearers If it be a part of the Commission of great Apostles to instruct servants as well as other Christians then what accounts can they give to God if it be found that they have had no care of instructing the servants of their parishes and charges Doct. 3. Thirdly the indefinite propounding of the word Servants shewes that all sorts of servants are equally bound to subjection hired servants are as strictly bound as bond-servants The servants of Princes are not free from the duty of servants more than other servants and â—o likewise poore mens servants must be subject and obedient to their Masters with as much reverence and fear as servants to great men Old servants are tied to as much duty as such as come new to serve Religious servants are bound to as much subjection and obedience as Pagans or rather their bond is the stronger because Religion should rather make them better servants And so there is no difference of sexes men servants are bound as well as women servants neither doth birth office gifts or meanes priviledge any servant from the strictnesse of the bond of subjection Be subject The duty then required of servants is subjection servants must be subject It is not enough to weare their masters Cloth and to hire themselves to their masters they must make conscience of it to performe constant and humble subjection to their masters And so they must be subject to their masters three wayes First to their commandements and so they must obey them and yeeld themselves to them to be ruled and directed by them in all things Eph. 6.5 Colos. 3.22 Secondly to their rebukes and corrections For if children need rebukes and corrections then doe servants also Pro. 13.1 and 15.5 Servants will not alwayes be corrected by words and therefore need blowes Pro. 29.19 Gen. 16.6 yea they must patiently suffer correction though it be inflicted unjustly as appeares in the verses following this Text. Thirdly to their restraints Servants must be subject to the appointment of their masters even in the things wherein they restraine them as for instance in their diet It is a sinfull humour in them not to be content with such diet as their masters appoint them though it be worse than the diet of their masters or the diet of the children of the family So likewise in their company they must avoid all company that may be any way offensive to their masters and so likewise in their apparell in such cases where servants are to be apparelled by their masters as also in respect of their going out of the house in the day time when they have not leave but much more abominable it is to be out of their masters houses in the night without their leave And as their subjection must be performed in all these cases so the indefinite manner of propounding it shewes both that they must be subject in all things and in all the wayes of shewing subjection for the manner of it they must be subject in all things so as to beare with their masters for it is a sinfull rebellion to crosse or disobey or leave undone any thing that is required of them to doe And besides it showes that they must be subject in their very hearts and in their words and in their countenance and gesture as well as in the work to be done by them Use. The use may concerne both servants and the parents of such servants and the masters that rule them Servants should hence from their hearts learne to yeeld themselves over to their masters with all good conscience to performe the subjection required yea such servants as heare this doctrine may try their hearts whether they be indeed good servants or no for a good servant that makes conscience of his duty when he heares the doctrine doth from his heart consent to it and will strive to fashion himselfe according to it Now the servants that desire to be such as is required may attaine to it if they observe these rules First they must carefully study the doctrine of servants duties Servants oftentimes faile through meere ignorance because they doe not lay before their mindes what God requires of them Secondly they must often judge themselves for their faults wherein they have displeased their masters or neglected their duties therefore many servants mend not because either they will not see their faults or doe not humble themselves in secret for them Thirdly they
is laid downe verse 19. and avouched and made good verse 20. In the ninteenth verse then it is the drift of the Apostle to shew that though masters should be so froward as to beat their servants causelesly yet they should be subject and indure it for conscience sake unto God because this is a Christian mans case and a great praise when out of conscience to God he doth his duty and suffers wrongfully The reason is so intended for the particular case of servants so abused as it holds in all cases of injury for conscience sake In this verse then the Apostle intreates of suffering and we may note foure things about suffering First what is to be suffered griefe Secondly how is it to be suffered viz. wrongfully and with enduring Thirdly the cause of suffering it conscience toward God Fourthly the effect which is praise and acceptation Doct. 1. In this world all sorts of men are liable to suffer grief For though the Apostle in the scope intends to speake of servants suffering griefe yet the Argument with the uses concerne all sorts of men In this world then we must looke for griefe and how can it be otherwise since first there are such mines in our owne nature made by sinne and so many abominations round 〈◊〉 us to Gods dishonour Secondly the creatures which we are to use in this world are empty and vaine and so occasion much vexation in the users that are disappointed by them All is vanity and vexation of spirit saith the wise man Thirdly wee are liable to so many crosses and losses every day hath his griefe and his crosse which must bee taken up Mat. 6. â—lt Luke 9.14 Fourthly how can we be long without griefe that live in a world so full of sinne and divels and divellish men Fiftly our owne bodies often grieve us being liable to so many paines and diseases What should I say Our owne houses are full of causes of griefe if the disorders of masters husbands wives servants children bee considered of and therefore we should be weary of the world and long for heaven we shall never be long together without griefe till we come thither Doct. 2. We must not only endure grief but many times suffer it wrongfully Besides all the griefe befals men otherwise the world is full of wrong and injury and the waies of doing wrong are so many as cannot easily be reckoned Who can recount what wrongs are done daily by deceit violence oppression lying false witnesse slanderings and other base indignities Which should teach us not to thinke it strange if wrongs befall us and withall it imports that woe shall be to all them that doe wrong That God that discovers them that doe wrong will repay them according to all the wrong they have done Doct. 3. It may bee here noted too that usually they suffer most wrong that are most carefull to doe their duties which ariseth partly from that fearfull Ataxie in mens natures that are falne into such distemperature of disposition and partly from that naturall malice ungodly men bear to them that are good and partly such as are indeed godly will not use such meanes of revenge as others will doe and partly because the Lawes of men doe not reach to a sufficient way of correcting and reforming such indignities and especially it proceeds from the pride and unthankfulnesse and discontentments which raigne in the hearts of froward and corrupt minded persons And from hence wee may gather the necessity of Gods generall Judgement because in this world it is ill many times with good men and there is no remedy seeing their wrongs are not righted here It must needs be that there will be a time appointed of God for the redresse and revenge of all wrongs Secondly it should the more incourage such as suffer wrong to endure it patiently seeing it is the lot of the best Thirdly wrong should not measure the goodnesse oâ— mens cases or the badnesse of it by the things they suffer For many times they suffer wrongfully Doct. 4. That God takes notice of the wrongs that are done to the meanest even the wrongs that Masters doe to their servants and so other Scriptures shew that if the poorest bee oppressed or defrauded God will require it at the hands of them that oppresse or defraud them bee they never so mighty or rich in the world And so if the weakest Christian be wronged by scandall or otherwise it were better for those that give the scandall or doe the wrong that a milstone were hanged about their necks and they cast into the sea And for that cause the Scriptures shew that God takes great notice of the wrongs done to widows and orphanes that have little meanest to helpe or protect themselves and there is reason for it for the meanest Christians are Gods servants and belong to him and therefore hee must protect them And besides Gods Law is so powerfull that it condemneth wrongs of all sorts to all men And further there is a cry in oppression or wrong that goeth up to heaven which will not cease till God heare it which as it may be a comfort to such as are wronged that they have so great a Patrone as God is so it should warne all Superiours to looke to their behaviour for though man doe not punish them yet God will Doct. 5. That barely to suffer griefe is not a praise but to suffer it in a right manner and for the manner this likewise tels us of two things first that we suffer not as evill doers justly and secondly that we endure it that is continue with patience to abide it especially when oâ—â—ward and lawfull redresse may not be had in the world And therefore Papists are no Martyrs though they lose their lives when it is for treason Nor are wives to bee regarded if they complaine of their husbands that they are bitter to them love them not so entirely when they suffer this for their pride or wilfull hardinesse or lasciviousnesse or frowardnesse or contention or wastefulnesse or the like Nor are those servants to bee moned that suffer blowes justly for their disobedience or wilfull negligence or unfaithfulnesse Doct. 6. That whereas wrongs cannot bee redressed by a lawfull meanes on earth they must be endured without using unlawfull meanes and leave the injuries to the judgement of God Which condemnes servants that being hardly used runne away from their Masters as Hagar did from Sarah or else with wicked murmuring and reviling back-bite their masters and so it condemnes the wicked practice of our Gentry in righting their wrongs by their owne private revenges which case is abominable First because their wrongs may be righted by the Magistrate Secondly because the desired revenge is far above the injuries for they seeke satisfaction in bloud for a supposed wrong in reputation Thirdly because it is a course directly against the Lawes of God and of Kings and hath been condemned in all well governed States
murderer is in a fearefull case but thou art a murderer therefore thou art in a fearefull case Now that that reason which concludes thus in him is his conscience is most apparent For the minde gives only the first part of the Syllogisme which is that a murderer is in a fearfull case or that the minde sees either by the naturall principles planted in it or by the Scriptures The other branch the conscience takes out of the memory that is that thou hast committed murder Now the concluding of both and applying them to the murderer is the proper work of conscience conscience is that within us that so concluds upon our actions Now for the definition of conscience omitting the diversity of frames given by divers men I expresse that which I take to be the cleerer and fullest to shew us what it is Conscience is a divine faculty in the soule of all reasonable creatures applying the principles or propositions of their minde in their particular actions either with them or against them I say it is a faculty to note that it is more then the act or the habite of the minde judging or determining For acts and habits may be lost but conscience cannot Besides the Scriptures shew that conscience doth act as it excuseth or accuseth and therefore must be a faculty it selfe and not the act of a faculty I say a faculty in the soule because I dare not assigne it or confine it to any part of the soule as they doe that make it a part of the understanding for the understanding hath no parts properly and to make it a part Analogically is not to be borne in a definition as Logicians know I say moreover it is in all reasonable creatures to note that beasts that have only a sensitive soule have no conscience And whereas God also is no creature therefore he hath no conscience For God being holinesse it selfe needs no faculties to governe himselfe by nor any conscience to witnesse or prompt him And I say it is in all that none might imagine that some men have a conscience and some have none For every man hath a conscience either good or bad Secondly the proper worke of conscience is imported in the other words of the definition viz. applying the principles of the minde For the understanding whereof we must know that there are certain notions or frames of truth planted in the minds of all men being infused by God as a naturall law in their minds shewing what is good or evill and those principles are increased in the mindes of such as have the benefit of the Scripture more or lesse according to the degree of their knowledge Now that which conscience doth is this it repaires to these formes of truth or light in the minde and takes such of them as concerne the businesse in hand and with the force of them either comforts or affrights men according as the occasion is Note that I say it is a divine faculty I wanted a fit terme to expresse my meaning for that I would â—â—ter I say that it is a wonderfull speciall faculty in us it is a most celestiall gift Conscience is so of God and in man that it is a kinde of middle thing betweene God and man lesse then God and yet above man So then Conscience concludes about a mans owne actions for if conscience trouble it selfe about other mens actions it is either the weaknesse or the errour of conscience and I adde particular actions because conscience never imployes it selfe properly about generals and lastly I adde for the successe or end it is either with a man or against him to note that conscience is such an Arbiter between God and us that sometimes it speakes for God against us and sometimes for us to God But that we may be more distinctly informed about conscience I therfore come to the second point which is to consider what conscience can doe or how it is imployed in us and conscience is imployed both for God and for man which worke I will consider first apart and then joyntly For God then Conscience works diversly and hath many offices under God and for God for it is Gods speciall spy set in the heart of man to watch him and his intelligencer and notary to set downe what man hath done it is Gods hand-writing the Law of God written in our hearts or rather worketh by the helpe of that body of the Law written by the finger of God upon the tables of mens hearts it is a co-witnesse with God Rom. 9.1 It is also Gods Lievtenant and a great commander placed within us that severely requires homage and service to bee done to God and especially diverts man from ill directing him in the carefull manner of serving of God for God will not accept any service that conscience doth not order 2 Tim. 1.3 It is a taster for God in point of doctrine of Religion for all doctrines must bee brought to the conscience to bee tried whether they bee of God or no 2 Cor. 4.2 And finally it makes a man endure grief and suffer wrong for God and his glory as this Text imports For man conscience is many waies imployed as first it is imployed in viewing and surveying the things of man especially the hidden things of man and here the power of conscience is wonderfull For other creatures may see the things without them but have no power to see the things within them only man he hath a knowledge reflexed The eye of a man too can see other things but without a glasse it cannot see it selfe But now conscience can discerne it selfe and the whole actions of man and so it differs from science or the knowledge of the minde for to know other things is science but to know our selves is conscience The soule then by conscience knowes it self it views the thoughts memory affections of the soule and can tell what wee thinke desire love feare hate c. Secondly in matters of Religion conscience is specially imployed for instance both in the Word and the Sacraments For the Woâ—d the mystery of faith even all the grounds of Religion they are laid up and are in the keeping of conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 And in Baptisme where as God makes a covenant with us and likewise requires a restipulation or promise on our part conscience is herein imployed and without conscience God will do nothing in the businesse It was the forme in the Primitive times that the party which was to be baptised was to be examined before God whether he did beleeve tâ—e question was Credis Doest thou beleeve And he was to answere Credo I doe beleeve Now this answer God would not take unlesse the conscience would say that hee did beleeve as hee said this is the answer A good conscience is mentioned 1 Pet. 3.21 Againe a good conscience serves in all the offices of our life or affairs even in all things to be a
him of nothing But by renovation conscience is good for the time of this life but imperfectly and increaseth in good men by degrees and so because man is renewed but in part it is a part of the goodnesse of the conscience to accuse for sinne especially if it be presumptuous after calling as well as to excuse from faults while the man keeps his uprightnesse That a good conscience should only excuse is true in this world onely of conscience as it was good by creation Now concerning the goodnesse or badnesse of conscience these seven things are to be considered of First that all mens consciences by nature are evill Secondly the difference of evill in mens consciences Thirdly the signes of an evill conscience Fourthly the hurt of an evill conscience Fiftly the meanes how evill consciences may be made good Sixtly the signes of a good conscience Seventhly the great happinesse of the man that hath a good conscience For the first that all mens consciences are by nature evill is manifest because all have sinned in Adam and lost their originall righteousnesse in all the faculties of the soule and so every man in his naturall condition is in every point uncleane and to the impure all things are impure even their consciences are polluted saith the Apostle Tit. 1.15 For the second evill is not in the same degree in all mens consciences but after a different manner in divers men for First in most men wee see that conscience is so feeble and works so little that it seemes to be but a small sparke or like a bubble which riseth now and then and presently vanisheth Now the reason why conscience stirs so little in the most men is not to be taken from the nature of conscience for that can worke all workes mentioned before but from divers things in man For first Adams sinne as it deprived all mens consciences of originall righteousnesse which was the life of the conscience so it brought such a depravation and evill disease upon the conscience that it was never healed nor cured in the naturall man to this day but the weaknesse arising from the infection holds him downe still Secondly the generall ignorance and darknesse which is in the world is one great cause why conscience lieth so miserably weake and neglected For it cannot worke for want of light For in the mind it findes only a few naturall principles or some generall truths of religion which are altogether insufficient to direct in the particular occasions of mens lives Thirdly besides the law of nature is corrupted in man and so those principles are very muddy and uncertaine and the generals of Religion are poysoned with secret objections gathered from the controversies of so many false religions Fourthly further it is manifest that the cares and pleasures of life oppresse conscience in many and in them conscience stirs not not because it cannot stir but because there is no leasure to heare what it saith men are so violently carried to the pleasures and busines of this world As a man that runs in a race many times runs with such violence that he cannot heare what is said unto him by some that he passeth by though it were counsell that might direct him in the right way of the race so is it with men that haste to be rich conscience often cals to them to take heed of going out of the way by deceit or lying or oppression or the like but they pursue riches so violently that they cannot heare the voice of conscience And so is it with the voluptuous person and with the most men that live in any habituall gainfull sinne Fiftly yea this weaknes comes upon the conscience of some by custome of sinnes that are not sinnes of gaine or pleasure as the sinnes of negligence sloathfulnesse passion or the like in which men are wilfully confirmed and will not regard the checks of their owne conscience Finally one great reason why the most of us feele so little of conscience is the evill hearing of the Word of God for the Word of God powerfully preached would awake the conscience but that most men set themselves to neglect it by a willing wilfull entertainment of distractions and in voluntary forgetting of what they have heard and so hood-winking themselves it is no wonder they cannot see Secondly some mens conscience is starke dead it stirs not at all The conscience is compared to a part of the body that is not only without sense and rotten but is feared with an hot iron and this is the case only of some notorious either Hereticks or malefactors that have lived a long time wilfully in some monstrous wickednesse either knowne or secret 1 Tim. 4.2 This seared conscience is either joyned with a greedinesse to commit speciall wickednesse or with a reprobate minde that is so horrible stupid that it judgeth evill to be good or at the best not dangerously hurtfull Ephes. 4.18 Rom. 1.28 Thirdly in some men the evill of conscience lyeth in this that it is over busie and sinnes too much and so in two sorts of men first the superstitious or secondly the desperate The superstitious person is many times disquieted by his conscience in doing well or when he doth that which is not unlawfull as the Popish Priest is troubled for comming to our Churches or the Christian that is carried with preposterous zeale is troubled for obeying the Magistrate in using his liberty in things indifferent in the desperate the evill of Conscience is the horrible tormenting of them beyond the bounds of the offence of Conscience and that in two things First in that it presents the wrath of God to them without the hope of mercy in Christ as did the Conscience of Cain Secondly in that it drives them to doe that against themselves which is desperately wicked as to make away themselves as the desperate Conscience of Iudas and Achitophel did Fourthly in some men there was a temporary goodnesse in the Conscience of which they made shipwracke and so utterly lost the goodnesse they had for a time And thus many hypocrites doe that for a time get the forme of Religion even into their Consciences but afterward falling into the immoderate love of the world or the lust of some particular sinne fall cleane away from Religion and so lose the goodnesse which they had 1 Tim. 1.19 Thus of the differences of evill in the Consciences of divers men the signes of an evill Conscience follow But before I give the signes wee must take notice of a distinction and that is that the Conscience may have evill in it and not be an evill Conscience Conscience in this life in men regenerate is renewed and restored but in part and so may erre sometimes and in some cases and yet be no evill Conscience As for instance in certaine weake Christians in the Primitive Church who yet were godly men the Apostle shewes Rom. 14. that some Christians for Conscience sake did
if he obey not or to excuse if he obey As for the authority of masters or other superiours it cannot reach to the conscience properly for they have no power to command or punish conscience but that which ties conscience to submit unto them is the commandement of God in his Word in this and such like places And therefore hence wee may learne the difference between the power of mens lawes and the power of Gods Word which difference will further appeare distinctly in many things First men may make many lawes either ecclesiasticall or civill which bind not at all yea which we are bound not to keep as if they command a thing contrary to the Word of God and in that case it is better to obey God than men and conscience is first bound to God Acts 5. Dan. 3. Now all Gods laws binde Secondly if such as are next above us in authority command us any things contrary to the lawes of the supreme Magistrate to whom they and we are bound we are not tied to obey Thirdly mens lawes can only binde us to outward working or suffering they cannot make lawes or inflict punishment upon the hearts or mindes of men whereas Gods lawes enjoyne obedience upon the inward man as well as the outward and eternall punishment as well as temporary Fourthly the best lawes of men where they binde most binde not by any immediate power of their owne but by feare of Gods Word that enjoynes us to obey their lawfull authority Fiftly mens lawes ever binde with limitation that is with respect of the end of the law and the person of the law-maker and the offence of others and hereupon Divines say if mens laws be omitted so as the end of the laws bee not hindred that is that the Common-wealth be not damnified or other particular ends crossed or offence be not given as much as in us lieth or the law-giver be not despised or contemned the conscience may not accuse a man of sinne Sixtly some lawes of men are meerly penall note that I say meerly penall that is they are made about matters of lesse importance and not uttered precisely in commanding tearmes or so uttered that the Common-wealth is accounted by the law-giver to be sufficiently provided for if the penalty be inflicted Now he that is ready to pay the fine or the penalty and doth not transgresse but in some case of necessary respect he is not to be charged with sinne before God And thus of conscience and of the laying downe of the first reason The avouching of it followes in verse 20. Verse 20. For what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults you shall take it patiently But if when you doe well and suffer for it you take it patiently this is acceptable with God WHere the Apostle makes it good that the best praise is to suffer wrongfully First by affirming that it is no true glory for a man to suffer for his faults and endure it Secondly by shewing that to suffer patiently for well doing is a thing very acceptable to God That it is no true glory for a man to suffer for his faults that he endure it patiently he expresseth in these words What glory is it if when yee be buffeted for your faults you take it patiently Out of which words divers doctrines may be briefly noted Doct. 1. First that men of all sorts doe naturally affect glory 〈…〉 or reputation and are guided by it in their actions or sufferings even the meanest sort of men set before themselves something which they glory in and according to which they order themselves as here servants even of the worst sort too yea such as are faulty and so disliked and corrected yet will not be without something to glory in and that is as is here supposed to bee their patience in abiding blowes And this ariseth in man partly out of corruption of nature and pride that seekes to cover their faults with some thing they account to bee of praise and partly out of the force of some remainder of goodnesse in their natures that are not destitute of all desire of vertuous actions Which may serve for Use to all men in their carriage one towards another to avoide as much as may be the dishonouring and disgracing one of another for no person is so meane but he finds himselfe stung by disgrace And it may teach superiours to use praise and glory as a meanes to provoke and excite inferiours to obedience and care as being a motive that will work universally upon all natures Doct. 2. Usually men account that to be glory which is not vain-glory is taken for true glory by most men thus men mistake that place Their glory In Idols and Pictures Hos. 10.5 In Epicurisme and shamefull lusts Phil. 3.19 In the increase of meanes and power to sinne Hos. 4.6 7. In the gifts and power of other men 1 Cor. 3.21 In Russian-like pride or vain and strange apparell 1 Cor. 11.14.1 Pet. 3.5 1 Tim. 2.9 10. In mischief and malicious practices against the godly Psal. 52.1 94.4 In fraudulent bargaines Pro. 20.23 In a mans owne gifts of nature as wit strength memory c. Ier. 9.23 In the common graces of Religion as knowledge zeale c. Rom. 2.27 1 Cor. 4.7 In the praise sought and given by himself Ioh. 7.10 and 8.54 2 Cor. 10.18 In the merit of his owne workes Rom. 4.2 In the praise of men more then of God In strife contention and provocation of others Iames 3.14 Gal. 5.26 Phil. 2.3 In the falls of other men that are divided from them in judgement 1 Cor. 5.6 In earthly things as houses riches beauty honour pleasures c. 1 Pet. 1. 24. Isa. 48.16 So here some men account it their glory to suffer patiently though they be guilty and have deserved all they suffer And therefore we should be warned and directed in studying that which is true glory And if any aske what were indeed glorious I answer that spirituall riches are the best glory and therefore our soules are called our glory by an excellency Psal. 3.4 The best glory is within Psal. 45.14 And in particular it is true glory To be righteous and mercifull Prov. 21.21 To be humble and feare God Prov. 22.4 To know God Ier. 9.23 To live so sincerely as we may have the testimony of a good conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 To be exalted of God to the priviledges hope of his children Iam. 1.9 To have interest in the crosse of Christ Gal. 6.14 To be abased and truly humbled for our sins Iames 1.9 To abound in labours and sufferings for the Gospel 2 Cor. 11. and 22.12 To defer anger and passe by a trespasse Prov. 19.11 To suffer without fainting for Religion Ephes. 3.13 So here to doe well and suffer for it and endure it patiently this is a glory with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinning Doct. 3. The words may be rendred thus What
conversation in the world but have no taste of religion or conscience of zeale for Gods glory fourthly all open worldlings that minde not heavenly things and savour nothing but the things of this world and lastly all hypocrites that make a shew of mortification and yet are not mortified and then suppose how small a number will be left in every place to be reckoned in this lift of true Christians Doct. 2. Mortification is the very first step of grace and the entrance into all power of godlinesse Till our sins be soundly crucified and dead no worke of Religion that is acceptable to God can be done and therefore Iohn Baptist and Christ and the Apostles call for repentance as the first thing that opens a way into the kingdome of heaven because else sin unrepented like a prison will infect all wee doe Esay 1.13 to 16. Besides the heart of man being naturally like a stone or iron till it be softned no impression of grace can be fastned upon it and if the ground of our hearts be not well plowed up the seed of the Word cannot but be lost Ier. 4.4 The seed cast upon the high way will be picked up by the fowles of the aire and not grow or if any seed or plant of grace did grow for a while in the heart yet the weeds of sin would overgrow and choake all as is evident in seed sowne iâ— thorny ground or plants set in ground that is not digged and weeded And fâ—â—ther while the person is evill the worke will be vile and abominable An evill tree canâ—ot bring forth good fruit And therefore this shewes that such Christians as leape into the profession of Religion so easily and thinke it is no more but to give-ovâ—r ill courses and fall to the practice of good duties are deceived for if by â—ound mortification their sins past be not bewailed and they soundly humbled either their sins will after a while grow and revive againe or else the conscience of these sins will secretly throughout their lives torment them or else the Divell on a sudden may seize upon them with deâ—paire having so manifest a reason against them that they did never practise mortificâ—tion for their sins Besides lamentable experience shewes in those places where Christians are not soundly formed at first in the exercise of mortification they leade their lives in a dull course of profession and have not the experience of the life and power of Religion in themselves for the joyes of it or towards others in the practice of it The mourners in Sion and such as are broken-hearted are the most glorious and the most fruitfull Christians Is. 61.1 2 3 4. and continue in the greatest power of Religion And further it may be noted in the best of those that their separation from the love of the world is most really performed as hath appeared when in any speciall workes of men or for the help of the Church of God they are called upon to shew their zeale by their bounty in such cases one poore Macedonian would shame a hundred of those rich Corinthians 2 Cor. 8. Doct. 3. True repentance for sin doth in divers respects kill a man it strikes him dead to repent is to be a dead man not only in respect of the world which casts off a man that will not run in the excesses of the time as a dead man indeed Col. 3.3 but in respect of themselves For first by the assise a man must keep upon himselfe he will be found dead by sentence when he judgeth himselfe before the Lord he stands as a man condemned in the flesh he sentenceth himselfe to eternall death for his deserts by confessing what he meriteth 1 Pet. 4.6 Now a condemned man is reckoned for a dead man in Law Secondly repentance destroyes the senses and affections and conceits and reason that were wont to be alive in men it dissolves the very frame of the old conversation The word rendred dead signifies to undoe what was done about the life of man to unmake him as I may say so as all the old things passe away and all becomes new 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 6.6 1 Iohn 3.8 In the new Convert there is not left the savour sent lust or affections after sin and the sinfull profits and pleasures of the world he doth not find that inflammation or inticement he was wont to feele from evill example or the glory of the world or evill compaâ—y or the things before he most esteemed and delighted in Thus he is dead to himselfe because he denies himselfe and could be well contented to forget that ever he had beene such as he was before Thirdly in some of Gods children their repentance is performed with such griefe and sorrow as brings their life almost to the buriers as is noted Iob 33.19 20 21. Fourthly they may be said to be dead in repenting because repentance is never fully finished till their naturall death sin sticks so fast as they have daily cause of mortification in some degree and it will never be gotten wholly out till they be indeed dead men though in the mean time God accepts of their first repentance as if it were perfect This Doctrine serves effectually to discover the estate of multitudes of Christians not to be right as they That doe nothing at all about their sins That excuse their sins and hide them and favoâ—r them and cast the fault upon others Pro. 28.13 Gen. 3. Iob 20.11 12 13. That blesse themselves in their hearts when their iniquity is found worthy to be hated Psal. 36.2 That haunt with such persons as may make them sin more That say It is no profit to walke humbly before the Lord Mal. 3.14 and rather blesse the proud That hate and revile such as are mortified That are dead rather in faith and good workes and finde a deadly savour in the Word That have sense and savour onely in the things of the flesh Secondly this should teach all that mind their owne salvation to looke carefully to the truth of their mortification and not to thinke it is such a sleight and easie worke but to consider that in repenting for sinne they must never cease till they be like Christ dying for sinne and that is in the sense before given So our bearing of the similitude of Christs death in our repentance notes divers particular things in our repentance as 1. That our sorrowes be voluntary not inforced he gave his life it was not taken from him we must not tarry till the Divell fire us with the terrors of despaire 2. That we be pained at the very heart for our sins so was Christ it must be a hearty griefe 3. That wee shew forth the fruits of our repentance so hee suffered openly 4. That he suffered by degrees and ceased not till he died so must we by degrees resist sin and never cease untill it be quite abolished Hence also we may know whether we have truely
all that are borne of God though in respect of outward fruits and the power or joy of inward gifts they may bee said to lose Ioh. 3.9 Without the word God hath divers meanes to further the salvation of men and he is pleased sometimes to worke by one meanes and sometimes by another sometimes by the Word preached sometimes by the Word read sometimes by Prayer sometimes by the Sacraments sometimes by the example of his Servants So that God doth worke our good sometime by one ordinance and not by another in the same thing and at the same time sometimes he will cure a man of a particular trespasse by the admonition of some private Christian Mat. 18.15 Iam. 5. ult sometimes he will bring a man to feele legall terrors by the doctrine of the Law and sometime hee will worke it by afflictions sometimes he will prepare a man to receive the grace of Christ by praier as he did Cornelius sometimes hee winnes him to it by the example of his servants as here And the reason is partly because God would shew the vertue that is in each ordinance and partly to teach us not to despise or neglect any of the meanes and partly to shew his owne power that workes freely by what meanes hee will as being not tyed to any And therefore they deale very corruptly and perversly that under pretence of commending one ordinance of God labour to abase the respect of another as they doe that say the house of God is a house of prayer and therefore there needs not so much preaching not considering that our Saviour Christ himselfe that alledged that place out of the Prophet to condemne buying and selling in the Temple yet did spend his greatest paines in preaching in the Temple and out of it thereby shewing the prime ordinance of God for the conversion of the soules of men was the preaching of the Gospel to them By the conversation of the Wives Great heed ought to be taken by such as professe Religion in looking carefully to their conversation especially towards such as are without Col. 4.5 Ephes. 5.15 1 Pet. 2.12 It is not enough to doe good duties but we must doe them as becommeth godlinesse T it 2. and so as may allure and win the very ungodly and therefore it is required that our works should shine Mat. 5.16 for by our practise wee resemble God himselfe and by our workes professe to shew not only what Gods Word is but what Gods nature is Our life must have the image of God printed upon it and therefore they doe fearefully that professe Religion amongst wicked men and by their workes order themselves so foolishly deceitfully conceitedly wickedly that they cause the name of God to be blasphemed Quest. But what should wee doe to our practise that by our conversation wee might allure and win wicked men to a love of the truth Answ. 1. First wee must avoide such things in our conversation as may irritate them as scandalous behaviour in any particular offence as deceit lying filthinesse drunkennesse pride covetousnesse passion or the like and withall take heed of mis-spending our zeale about such things wherof demonstration cannot be made to the conscience And besides in the good things we doe we must take heed of conceitednesse and ostentation but in meeknesse of wisedome have our conversations amongst men Iames 3.13 and further we must take heed of judging and censuring of others even of those that be without Iames 3.17 2. Mortification doth shine effectually into the conscience of wicked men it doth move them much if they see we be such as doe heartily judge our selves for the faults that hang upon us and doe not allow our selves in any sin Esay 61.3 3. A sound contempt of this world and the things thereof doth much affect the very naturall conscience of men if they see that not in words but in deed the love of this world and the glorie thereof be not in us and contrariwise it much vexeth them that we should professe the hope of heaven and contempt of the world and yet be as full of cares feares covetousnesse and such like ill affections as the very men of the world 4. Meeknesse and softnesse of nature exprest in our behaviour is very amiable as the coherence in this Text shewes and Tit. 3.1 2. 5. Mercie to the poore especially if we doe abound in it and be ready and cheerefull to it doth justifie us much before men Iames 1.26 Doct. 2. A good example even in inferiours may win men to Religion True Religion expressed in practise is amiable in all sorts of Christians women as well as men inferiours as well as superiours servants as well as masters children as well as parents Tit. 2.3.9.10 Luke 1. and the reason is because the true grace that is expressed by any Christian hath the likenesse of God printed upon it and so is amiable for his sake whom they by their works resemble And this may be a great encouragement to inferiours and should breed in them a great care of well-doing But the main thing intended in this Text is That religious wives ought to strive to win their husbands if they have such as are not religious or not in such soundnesse as they ought Quest. But what should a wife doe to win her husband Answ. She must in generall resolve to doe it not by her words but by her conversation as this Text shewes It is not her talking to her husband will doe it no nor her talking of religion to him that in it selfe is like to prevaile It concernes women very much to remember this point of the Apostle to seeke the reformation of their husbands by their conversation not by their words Ob. But Abraham was willed to heare his wife Gen. 16. Sol. What then hath every wife such an husband as will heare her as Abraham did his wife Besides the question is not what the husbands should doe but what the wives should doe when the husbands as not such as they should be Ob. But how shall a woman know when to speake to her husband and when not Sol. She must not speake to him no not of religion 1. when in the matter she would speake of she is not furnished to speake as becomes the Oracles of God 2. when by experience she hath found that her husband is irritated and provoked by her words 3. when she is not her selfe free from some fault as apparent in other things as that is she mislikes in her husband Qu. But what things must she looke to in her â—â—nversation that she may by her workes win her husband Answ. The first thing is that she be in all found subjection obedient to her husband in all things or else God may win him but she must have no part of the praise of it And this is strongly imported in the very scope of this place In generall she must strive to be to him even for conscience
they desire to be as pure as he would have them to be 3. Sound mortification and judging of our selves for what impurity we finde cleave to our workes 't is Christian perfection to judge our selves for our imperfections 1 Iohn 3 3. 4. Freedome from the grosse impurities and vices and vanities of the time God accounts us pure when our spot is not as the spots of the wicked and when we are not infected with the corruptions which are usually in the world 1 Tim. 5.22 2 Pet. 1.4 5. Freedome from the reigne of hypocrisie in the heart and from hypocriticall courses in the life Thus Saint Iames accounts the heart to be pure when men are not double minded Iames 4.8 And in conversation he is a pure man that is like Iacob a plaine man without fraud trickes or dissimulation 6. Precisenesse circumspection or exactnesse of conversation when a man sheweth respect to all Gods Commandements and makes conscience to avoide lesser sins as well as greater Eph. 5.15 Mat. 5.19 7. Devoutnesse and zeale in matters of religion and Gods worship and glory and so a pure conversation is a religious conversation that expresseth zeale and conscience in the things of Gods service in a speciall manner seeking Gods Kingdome first and above all other things 2 Tim. 2.22 Titus 2.14 8. Chastitie in keeping the heart and life cleane from the impurities condemned in the seventh Commandement is one great part of Christian purity But before I come to entreat of chastity in particular I would apply this doctrine of purity in generall first to the Text and then to the times As for the Text a pure conversation is here considered only so far as it may fall into the observation of carnall men and so it comprehends of the former senses chiefly inoffensivenesse separation from impure men freedome from grosse impurities and dissimulation a Christian and wise strictnesse of life and devoutnesse and well ordered zeale in matters of religion Use. Now for the Use of it If these be applied to these times it shewes first how wicked and profane those sorts of people are who reproach godly men for the care and practice of these things as if to be a Puritane even in these senses were to be some vile man not worthy to live amongst men Secondly it shewes that worlds of people that beare the name of Christians are not true Christians because their conversations are not pure for their swearing or drunkennesse or whoredomes or sins of deceit or dissimulation or fashioning themselves to this world or the liberty they take to live as they list testifies against them to their faces that their workes are not pure and therefore unlesse they repent they will all perish Rev. 3.1 2. and the rather because they cause by their evill lives not only the hearts of the good to be grieved but the mouthes of the enemies of religion to be opened to blaspheme Thirdly godly men that find these cares in them should comfort themselves much in the testimonies of their owne consciences and the gracious acceptation of God who will shew himselfe pure with them that are pure 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal. 18. Thus of Purity in generall Now of Chastity as a part of a pure conversation and it may well be that which is chiefly here intended Chastitie is either of the mind or of the body and it is a most certaine truth that God requires a chaste minde as well as a chaste body and doth forbid unchaste thoughts and desires aâ— well as unchaste words or deeds For unchaste thoughts and desires are first foolish and noisome 1 Tim. 6.9 secondly they hinder the power of religion and true knowledge and grace 2 Timâ— 4 thirdly they fight against the soule 1 Pet. 2.11 A man were as good have his body wounded with weapons as his soule wounded with lusts fourthly they cause many times many and monstrous sins in the life which arise at first from the nourishing of soule desires and thoughts in the heart The wickednesse that was in the lives of the Gentiles did in many of them spring from the lâ—sts which they harboured in their hearts Rom. 1. lastly if men repent not of them in time they will drowne them in perdition 1 Tim. 1.9 But it is the chastitie of the body which is especially here intended our Saviour Christ divides those chaste persons into three sorts some are termed Eunuches from their mothers wombe and so are disabled for bodily fornication some are made so by other men who by violence for their owne service made some men Eunuches Now the third sort are they that made themselves Eunuches for the kingdome of Heavens sake Of this third sort are all chaste persons who by a godly care and watchfulnesse keepe themselves from the sinnes of filthinesse as well as naturall Eunuches doe Mat. 19.12 Now these persons that are made chaste for the kingdome of Heavens sake are either single persons or married persons of chastity in single persons other Scriptures intreat as 1 Cor. 7. of chastity in married persons this place intreats Now this vertue of chastity is of purpose imposed upon godly Christians by the Apostle because the sins of fornication were so rife and common among the Gentiles who oftentimes defended their filthinesse to be either no sin or a very small sin But before I come to speake of chastity in particular some doctrines would be in generall observed as first Doct. 1. A godly Christian must shew the proofe of his religion especially in keeping himselfe free from the sins that are most common and rife in the world and even the more sinne abounds in the world the more strict they should be in resisting sinne as here even the more filthy the lives of others were the more chaste should the conversation of godly Christians be because their love to God should constraine them the more to be zealous for his glory by how much the more God is dishonoured by other men and because they are flatly forbidden to follow a multitude to sin and because God hath chosen them out of all other sorts of men to beare his name and to hold forth the light of the Word in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation and because thereby the conscience of wicked men may be the more effectually convinced and prepared to repentance Thus Lot is righteous in Sodome and Ioshua and his house will serve the Lord though all the Nation serve Idols This point as it should inflame the zeale of the godly to contend for the truth the more earnestly and to resist all the vices of the time so it shewes that they can hardly have any truth of grace in them that are so easily borne downe with the streame of evill example and are so apt to follow the fashion of the world Doct. 2. Chastity may be in married persons as well as in single persons as here wives are said to be chaste in conversation though they with-hold not
the â—ore they are hated of God Tertullian and Cyprian have written whole Treatises against the apparell of women Yea Cyprian and Augustine say that superfluous apparell is worse than whoredome and they give this reason because whoredome onely corrupts chastity but this corrupts nature What Ierome thinkes of it you shall heare afterwards What should I reckon more testimonies seeing in all ages of the Christian Church these things in the apparell of women have beene bitterly condemned yea the very Popish Writers doe bitterly inveigh against vaine and superfluous apparell and the very heathen men did so also 8. It should the more disswade women from following foolish vanities in adorning themselves because usually where these things are noted by way of description in Scripture the parties of whom it is written were notorious wicked persons and usually Whores as it is noted of Thamar and Iezabel and the Whore in the Revelation ch 17.3 and for notable wickednesse as the women Esay 3. and Dives Luke 16. 9. This care about the adorning of the body doth not agree to the simplicitie that is in Christ Jesus Godly Christians have their beauty within they are not such as will contend with the men of the world about finenesse or greatnesse or worldly praises or any outward ornaments Nor doe they walke with a right foot to the Gospel that are conformable to the men of this world there is great dissimulation to professe so strict a life as the Gospel doth require and yet take such liberty in the things of this world 10. About the abuâ—e of apparell many sins meet together as vanity pride evill concupiscence contempt of others immodesty and the like 11. There are many evill effects of vanity and excesse in apparell both in respect of God and themselves and others in respect of God and his service vaine and proud apparell breeds carelesnesse and abatement of that holy feare and zeale should be shewed in Gods service and it causeth the name of God to be blasphemed and the good way of God to be evill spoken of And for themselves by following foolish vanities they bring Gods visiting hand in judgement upon them Zeph. 1.8 and withall they forsake their owne mercies Ionah 2.8 And for the effects upon others they are divers For firâ—t by their example they do much hurt both in provoking others to the imitation of their vanity and by inflaming evill concupiscence and filthy desires and which is the more grievous parents many times by their examples infect the mindes of their owne children and corrupt their posteritie yea we see many daughters made worse than their mothers Againe excesse in apparell causeth in many the oppression of their Tenants and fraudulent courses that they may maintaine themselves in that wicked excesse and vanity Besides it destroies in divers all respect of the poore and hospitality Lastly doe we not see many families destroied and overthrowne by these courses so as their posterity is utterly defeated of their meanes and inheritances by the riot of their parents in their apparell Now it remaineth that I should shew out of the Scriptures when apparell or dressing or putting on of apparell becomes vicious And that will appeare to be many wayes 1. The dressing of the haire of the head is judged to be vicious out of this Text when it is plaited which is by Interpreters conceived to meane all that artificiall dressing of the head that imploies the haire beyond the naturall use of it onely for vaine shew The naturall use of the haire is to be a covering now when the haire is with curiosity and by vaine inventions turned into vaine formes by plaiting curling or other waies which wee cannot name or to fall into dangling-lockes like to the haire of Russians the dressing is then vicious For Baâ—il saith in generall of all apparell and dressing that whatsoever in these things is not for profit or necessity is vaine and superfluous And Ierome expressely condemnes thâ— hanging of the haire below the forehead Plutarch records that the Romans when a woman was to be dressed at a wedding used to separate and plaite the haire of her head with the point of a Speare to shew how much they hated curiosity in dressing Now if the plaiting of the haire be so ill how abominable is the use of strange haire that is haire that is not their own This is generally condemned and Nazianzen amongst the Ancients sharply reproves it 2. All apparell is vicious if it be strange Zeph. 1.8 Now strange apparell is not new apparell but such apparell as is not used in the Churches where we live and hath not an apparent comelinesse and utilitie in it some apparell though newly invented hath a manifest comelinesse and commodiousnesse stamped upon it so as it is approved of all both good and bad this is not strange though it be new Againe we may observe that other apparell when it first comes in it comes in like a monster the naturall conscience in all men detesting it this is out of question sinfull as for the reason here alledged so because it adornes not Such is yellow starch 3. All apparell and dressing is vicious when it is against shamefac'â—nesse and modesty and hath in it manifest provocation to lust 1 Tim. 2.9 10. such as is the leaving of the breasts naked in whole or in part and the short wearing of their cloathes in women The Prophet Hosea complaines of adultery betweene the breasts Hos. 2. Also against shamefac'tnesse is it when woman leave the dressing proper to their sexe and goe attired like men Deut. 22.5 A Father saith that they which dresse themselves with an intention and desire to please men or to provoke any they offer up their owne soules to the Divell And Hierome saith that if a man or a woman adorne themselves so as they provoke men to looke after them though no evill follow upon it yet the party shall suffer eternall damnation because they offered poyson to others though none would drinke of it Oh how many soules may be poisoned with lust by thee whose sins thou art therefore guilty of 4. All apparell that exceeds in cost the state or degree of the person that weares it is vicious and that the Apostle in this Text condemnes under the prohibition of gold 5. All apparell that is taken up from the fashion and example of the world and is not judged usefull by the most religious and sober minded Rom. 12.2 And though some that professe religion out of weakenesse or speciall corruption or because they are hypocrites doe follow such fashions yet that allowes them not so long as they are the proper characters of the men of this world 6. When apparell is not of good report Phil. 4.8 1 Cor. 10.38 when it either causeth wicked men to speake evill or reproach or godly men are grieved or offended or religion it selfe is reviled for their sakes 7. When it provoketh the partie to pride and haughtinesse
unto reformation if they will carefully observe these rules following 1. They must study to be quiet 1 Thes. 4.12 They must not trust their owne conceits of things but with good conscience study how to prevent occasions of unquietnesse and how to carry themselves discreetly and with meeknesse It doth require much study to live quietly 2. They must be sure they meddle with their owne businesse as it is further added in the same place They must be sure to place their greatest care in learning how to discharge their owne duties to others and not allow themselves liberty to suspect or censure the waies of others with whom they converse Such wives as are so diligent to studie their husbands duties and to finde fault with them in their callings seldome or never live quietly with their husbands whereas the Apostle here would have such wives as have ill husbands to lay the ground of a quiet life in the care of sound discharge of their owne duties to their husbands 3. They must heartily repent for their faults of unquietnesse and frowardnesse past and not only humble their soules in secret before God for such sins but also shew their repentance to those with whom they converse by an humble acknowledgement of their vile nature and froward behaviour even in the particulars of it Repentance for knowne trespasses can never be sound if it be secret and not made knowne to the parties grieved 4. It will wonderfully help them if they pray constantly to the Lord Jesus that left such a patterne of meeknesse and to entreat him by influence of his grace to quiet and sweeten their natures Beseech the Lord Jesus even by his meeknesse to make us meek and able to expresse his vertue in a quiet conversation 5. They must not give place to wrath but if they perceive their hearts rising and inclined to passion and provoking and censorious words they must presently lay necessity of silence upon themselves till they be able to speake quietly and without frowardnesse This one rule constantly for a while observed would breed a great alteration in their dispositions quickly and in time weare out the force of the disease Unquietnesse is much enlarged by the words are uttered after the offence is taken And thus of a meek and quiet spirit only we may note from the indefinite requiring of meeknesse That Christians and in particular Christian wives must exercise meeknesse and quietnesse towards all persons and at all times and in all places In all places I say and so both at home and abroad towards all persons and so they must carry themselves quietly not only towards their husbands but towards their servants and their neighbours whether they be poore or rich and at all times they must not be young Saints and old Divells as the Proverb is that is of a soft and gentle behaviour at first and then grow froward afterwards Age and infirmities are not sufficient excuses for vicious anger and unquietnesse Besides in that the Apostle resembles meeknesse to apparell it imports That by nature we are borne without it our soules being as naked in respect of meeknesse as our bodies be in respect of cloathes and withall that it should be our every-daies care to put on meeknesse and fit our selves for quietnesse as wee would put on our cloathes And further as it is not enough to put on our cloathes but we must tie them and fit them handsomely so must we use discretion in the putting on of meeknesse and quietnesse fitting the vertue to the reasons and occasions of the day Thus of the second part of this verse The third and last is the reason why women should be so carefull of this kind of dressing and apparell and that is because it is a thing of great price in the sight of God Which in the sight of God is of great price Divers things may be hence observed 1. That God doth highly esteeme of the vertues and true grace and good behaviour of his servants and therefore in this place their vertues are said to be very rich in Gods sight and in the Scriptures he gives the terme of riches to their gifts 1 Cor. 1.5 and grace is called glory Esay 4.5 and God is described as if he were in love with his people when they carry themselves graciously Iohn 14.21 And this serves greatly to exalt the praise of Gods good nature and tender affection to man and the more because all good things in us are his owne gift Iames 1.17 and because our best gifts have many imperfections in them and our best workes are defiled with sinne Esay 64. and besides because he greatly esteemes them even the least beginnings of goodnesse in his servants as their desires to be good and their very preparations of their hearts to goodnesse Esay 55.1 2. Psal. 10.17 2 Christians are bound in all their behaviour to carry themselves so as that God may accept of them and esteeme what they doe and this is required of them in every state of life They are tyed to this not only in what they doe in Gods house but in what they doe in their owne house This all are charged Heb. 12.28 and so wives here and so servants Eph. 6. 5 6 7. The praise and acceptation of God should be ever before their eyes the reasons are because the formes and rules of all behaviour are given by God his Word is the light to our feet and the lanthorne to our paths Psal. 119. and is only able to make the man of God perfect in every good word and worke 2 Tim. 3. ult and besides if we doe well we are sure never to faile of the praise of God whereas if we seeke the praise of men wee may be deceived For either they may praise us for that which is abominable in the sight of God Luke 16.15 or they may dispraise us when wee doe well or at best their praise is mutable And further it is God that must reward our good conversation Eph. 6.8 and therefore reason that hee bee looked after in what wee doe Lastly this is a signe of difference betweene the godly and the wicked in doing good duties a godly man is knowne by this signe that his praise is of God and not of men Rom. 2.29 Mat. 6. The Use should be to teach us therefore in all our waies to labour to please God and above all things to seeke his acceptation Now if wee would have God pleased with what we doe we must looke to divers rules 1. Wee must bee sure that wee are not in the flesh for they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom 8.8 Wee must be sure we are new creatures Gal. 6.15 2. Wee must set God alwaies before us and remember his holy presence Gen 17.2 Psal. 16.8 God cannot abide to be forgotten 3. Wee must come to the light that it may bee manifest that our workes are wrought in God Iohn 3.22 Wee must walke by
their trust in God Fiftly for the effect of it it adorned them Sixtly for the matter of it viz. they were obedient to their owne husbands Thus of the order of the words Before I enter upon the particulars divers things may be noted in generall about examples of goodnesse in others First we may hence evidently gather That it is not enough for us to doe good but we should strive so to doe it that we might be examples to others 1 Tim. 4.12 Mat. 5.16 Phil. 2.15 and that for divers reasons For first God is interessed in us and our workes and there is a glory due to God which must be collected from our workes doâ—â— before men Mat. 5.16 Secondly we must so act our parts in godlinesse upon the Stage of this world that we may thereby silence and convince wicked men that out of their hatred to the truth and frowardnesse of hearts would else take all occasions to speake evill of us and the good way of God Phil. 2.15 Thirdly our Teachers have a part in our workes and we should hold forth the patternes of sound practice that they might be comforted in our learning from them and graced in their Ministerie Phil. 2.16 Fourthly by this meanes we may doe much good in helping forwards weake Christians For as the wicked take fire from evill examples so doe the godly from good examples both in piety 1 Thes. 4.7 and mercie 2 Cor. 8.16 c. Which should worke aâ— effectuall care in all godly Christians to strive to expresse such conscience and power of godlinesse as may be profitable to others and so chiefly in such things as may most grace thâ— profession of religion or profit others as wisedome mercie meeknesse just dealing contempt of the world affectionatenesse in Gods service patience undauntednesse or the like especially those that be Parents Masters Magistrates Ministers that have charge of others And this greatly reproves such Christians as undoe the soules of those that belong to them as much as lies in them by their wicked examples as Ministers that are examples to their people of drunkennesse usury covetousnesse pride or the like and Masters of families or Parents that give such wretched examples to their children and servants in swearing vanitie of apparell filthinesse of life passion or the like Secondly we may hence note two singular vertues in a good example the first is That it may profit a world of people 1 Thes. 1.7 Rom. 16. It is like the fire you may light many candles at it and yet it is neither the worse nor the lesse Many that we know noâ— of may receive good from our good conversation and example in well-doing as was true in the case of those holy women And the reason is because men are more apt to understand things when they are practised than when they are taught And besides good examples are so rare that they shine as a Beacon on fire in a darke night Phil. 2.15 And therefore one Use should be to teach Christians by an humble acknowledgement of the praises of others to spread abroad the light of good examples â—s far as they can 1 Thes. 1.7 8. And withall he shewes the horrible sin of those wretches that strive to blemish the good conversation of the godly and so rob the world of the profit of their examples The second vertue in a good example is the lasting of it It may doe good for a long time after yea in some cases to the worlds end The sweet savour of it may be freshly sented many yeeres after which was never true of any perfume in the world It is a light that will not out of a long time as here the example of these holy women and Sarah in particular have a fresh power to doe good many hundred yeares after it was given and will still have to the worlds end The memoriall of the Just is blessed They that are to live hereafter may praise God for the good they receive from the examples of those that are long since dead in their graves Their workes live long after they are dead Which should be a wonderfull consolation to eminent Christians that excell in gifts and good workes and have held forth a good profession before many witnesses And in as much as God by his providence keeps burning so long the light of the good examples of his children it will make the more to encrease the condemnation of such persons as will not learne goodnesse from such examples Especially their case is fearefull that have had this light in such as have beene neere to them as in Parents Masters Ministers â—pâ—ciall acquaintance kindred or the like and yet make no good use of it Thirdly we may hence gather That a good example ought to be given and may be taken from women as well as men Pro. 31.28 29. Mat. 26.13 Tit. 2. 3 4. And the reason is because God is no respecter of persons but gives his gifts and graces to women as well as men as Scripture experience shews And besides as their ill example may make the word of God to be blasphemed Tit. 2.5 so why should not their good example become godlines profit others And this point should teach women if they will professe Religion to looke to their waies and strive to give good example especially aged women Tit. 2.3 And withall it may be a comfort to that Sexe that God should use their service to doe his worke and many times to teach men by their waies and works God hath raised up the glory and light of many worthy women and they have bin as eminent for holines good workes as men have bin Thus in generall In this manner The first thing in the description is the manner of the pattern about which we may note three things 1. That the patterns of well-doing or the rules of life have beene the same in all ages There is no more required of Christians now than was required of Gods servants in former time which should make us the more willing to beare Gods yoake and to doe the taske that God sets us 2. That an example is then of power to bind when it agrees to some precept as here the example of holy women is urged because it did agree to the doctrine of the exhortation before named This rule is of great use in ordering of conclusions taken from examples in Scripture examples have but the power of illustration of what was before in the precept And againe it should teach us not to esteeme of any men above what is written but to follow them as they follow Christ or as their actions are warranted by the Word of God 3. God did ever stand upon subjection and an amiable and meeke behaviour in women in all ages Which should much prevaile with Christian women to teach them to make more conscience of their carriage towards their husbands seeing God had ever required such a behaviour in all holy women of
not in judgement only acknowledge it as due but with wonderfull affection doth easily and with great love give that title to Abraham 2. That it is one part of the subjection of wives to carry themselves reverently towards their husbands and to give them such titles as may shew that they doe heartily honour them 3. Wee may here observe the wonderfull goodnesse of God towards his servants that in a great heape of sinne can see and accept of a little sparke of true grace The whole sentence of Sarah was vile and profane only that word was good God praiseth her for that was good and passeth by the great fault she committed Yea we may note that God is so well pleased with her loving subjection to her husband that he is content to forgive her great sinne of unbeliefe against him Yea it is probable that her great respect of her husband made her the more willingly to beleeve Gods promise afterwards for Heb. 11.11 she is commended judging God to be faithfull who had promised her a child though at first she laughed at it Whose daughters yee are Godly women may be said to be the daughters of Sarah three waies 1. If Sarah be taken mystically for the new Jerusalem as Gal. 4. 2. In respect of inheâ—iting the love and blessing of God which Sarah had they shall be her daughters that is they shall have the same portion from God as if they had come in Sarahs roome as in the case of Abraham is said Rom. 4.11 16. 3. In respect of spirituall kindred and alliance Christian women are as neere a kin to Sarah as if they were her owne daughters So that the maine doctrine from hence is That there is a spirituall kindred and consanguinitie betweene the godly about which from this place we may observe divers positions 1. That all the godly are a kinne and the reason is because they are all the children of one father that is God and all borne of the immortall seed of the Word 2. That they are neere a kin as neere as mothers and daughters or as brothers and sisters as Christ said of his kindred Mat. 12.49 50. Here are no cousins removed 3. That this kindred doth conferre a reall honour upon every Christian so as the Christian wives are as truely great as if they were immediately descended out of Sarahs womb 4. That God himselfe doth seriously acknowledge this kindred and looks upon the meanest Christian as truely allied to the greatest Worthies have ever beene in the world 5. That this neerenesse of consanguinitie is not a jot altered by the distance of hundred of yeeres as in the Apostles time the glory of alliance with Sarah did shine in Christian women the reason is because the root of this consanguinitie is ever alive which is Christ. 6. That Christians are not borne to this kindred but made so Godly women were not borne daughters of Sarah but became so after their new birth 7. That that which breeds this spirituall kindred is not being Gossips at the Fonâ— nor no carnall propagation Rom. 9.8 but faith Rom. 4.16 and well-doing as this Apostle saith in this Text. The Use may be first to comfort godly Christians against the want and losse of carnall kindred and to teach us all to honour suâ—h as are truely godly for they are the onely excellent ones and have the greatest and best kindred in the world Yea we should preferre our godly kindred before our carnall in the dearenesse of our love and the godly should shew all dueties of love one to another as they that are mothers and daughters brothers and sisters in the Lord and so should stand one for another as men would doe for their carnall kindred A second doctrine may be noted from hence That all Christians are not alike in gifts some are mothers â—ome are daughters as it is in the body of a man all the members are not of like honour or use though all serve for the good of the bodie 1 Cor. 12. Which should teach those of greater gifts not to despise those of lesser gifts and those of lesser gifts to honour those of greater gifts and both sorts to praise God for the gifts they have having nothing but what they have received and to be a daughter of Sarah being sufficient to get the blessing that Sarah had her selfe So long as you doe well Observe hence 1. That Christians obtaine not the proper priviledges of communion of Saints unlesse they doe well None but Christians that leade a holy life have the honour of true spirituall kindred with Christ and the Saints Mat. 12.49 50. Wicked Christians are a kin to the Divell 2. That we are bound only to imitate that which is good in the Saints not their sins They must follow Sarah in her well-doing they must not imitate her in her frowardnesse Gen. 16.5 nor in her bold adventuring of her chastitie though it were upon pretence of saving her husbands life Gen. 12.11 12. And this condemnes those women that so wilfully alledge the example of others to uphold them in such behaviour as their owne consciences tell is naught 3. It is imported here that some women may doe well for a time and yet prove very naught afterwards Some begin in the spirit and end in the flesh Some women are at first quiet sober loving to their husbands good housewives c. and yet after a time they grow froward excessive in apparell dyet and the like imperious such as sleight their husbands idle and wastfull and carelesse of the duties they should doe in the family They are condemned of themselves and shall rise in judgement against themselves their first works condemne their last 4. In generall we may here note That it is not enough to doe good but we must see to it that what we doe be well done Quest. What can come to a good action to make it ill Answ. Impenitencie in any sin will staine any action though it be in it selfe never so good Esay 1.13 16. 2. An ill end will defile a good action to doe it of purpose to be seene of men Mat. 6. or as men pleasers in the case of wives or servants or subjects c. 3. Unbeliefe makes all actions ill Whatsoever is not of faith is sin when we either know not the warrant of it or beleeve not Gods acceptation 4. Rashnesse and indiscretion mars good actions Pro. 19.2 when men have not respect to the circumstances of well-doing or the provision should goe to it when good duties are done rudely and without respect of due time and place c. We should be wise to doe good Rom. 16.19 5. Unwillingnesse defiles a good action when it seemes evill to us to serve God Iosh. 24.14 when our workes are dead workes Hebr. 9.14 Deut. 28.47 6. When the fruit men beare is not their owne fruit as if a King will offer sacrifice or women preach or the like And so when wives doe
his office he is carefull to prove that he hath given knowledge to the men God gave him to prepare them for eternall life Iohn 17.6 7 8 26. Fifthly by the relation it hath to God himselfe it is a part of the image of God in the new man Col. 3.10 Sixthly by the contrary it is accounted a great sinne and a curse to want knowledge Hosh. 4.11 and other gifts or services are rejected as vaine if this grace be not had as Zeale Rom. 10.2 Sacrifice Hos. 6.6 and therefore such as want knowledge should shake off profane sluggishnesse and vaine objections and seeke to be rich in knowledge as the men in the world doe to abound in wealth Pro. 4.7 2.4 And such as have knowledge should strive to encrease it and be thankfull to God for his great mercy in giving them knowledge and the meanes of it Doct. 2. Knowledge is required of all sorts of men Not of Ministers only but of private men of all husbands yea and of all men before they be husbands because so soone as they have wives they are charged to shew their knowledge Iohn 1.9 1 Cor. 8.1 1 Tim. 2.4 This condemnes the sacrilegâ—ous humour of those persons that are like the wicked Lawyers our Saviour speakes of Luke 11.52 which take away the key of knowledge from private men either by their opinions hindering others from seeking knowledge with their errours mudding the cleere fountaine of Gods Word or by their power restraining the meanes of knowledge from the people And withall this should stirre up all sorts of men to seeke knowledge and use all meanes to attaine it as they will give their account unto God of the use of their time at the last day Doct. 3. Knowledge is given us for use and practice not for idle speculation it is given as other gifts of the Spirit to profit withall it is a light to lighten our paths Our knowledge should be after godlinesse Tit. 1.1 It should some way help forwards the worke of godlinesse that we get by hearing should be shewed by practise Iames 1.22 23 24. They that have knowledge and will not use it shall have that knowledge taken from them Mat. 13.11 Nor is the use of knowledge only for discourse but for conversation The words of knowledge or utterance is given to some Christians onely 1 Cor. 12.8 And such as cannot talke much may yet have comfort if they have knowledge to stay their hearts in faith and that they can shew their knowledge by a good conversation Doct. 4. The knowledge seated in our minds should have a commanding power of our actions all should be according as a mans knowledge faith Those parcels of divine truth put into our minds should rule us and dispose of us and make us ordered according to them Those lawes in our mindes should make us master all that rebels against them and make the members be subject to them to obey them Our knowledge should be lively and indued with soveraigne power This is the honour we should give to the light that is in our minds to let it rule us in all things And this point may much humble all sorts of Christians for want of stirring up their knowledge or for want of obeying it Most Christians have their knowledge so feeble that the Divell or the world may lead them aside to all sorts of temptations and yet their knowledge makes not opposition and doth not take arms to subdue what exalts it self against the light of it as it should do 2 Cor. 10.4 Now if men would hearten and give life and power to those notions of knowledge are in their minds and would have their knowledge to have full power they must observe these rules 1. They must daily wound and mortifie and resist the law of the members that is such humours in them as are wâ—nt to be incorrigible Most persons have some faults in their natures that they are guiltie of with a kind of wilfulnesse such faults as must be allowed such as if they be crossed in there will be no peace but open rebellion such faults as sticke so fast to them as if God and man must let them alone in them these members must obey them as a law Now these men must find out and be sure they resist them or else the lawes of the minde will be but feeble and sacred notions infused will starve and wither and never appeare in their life and power 2. Men must be sure they study profitable things and avoide such knowledges as are fruitlesse as belong not to them 1 Tim. 6.20 2 Tim. 2.23 Tit. â— 9 There is knowledge that will puffe up 1 Cor. 8 1. But men must be wiâ—e for themselves and strive to understand their owne way Pro. 9.12 3. They must pray God to put a spirit and life into their knowledge and give them grace to shew all good conscience in their obedience and withall they must pray hard for their Teachers that their word may be a word of power to give fire to the sparkles of light are already in their minds Finally let all men that professe the knowledge of Gods word remember that their knowledge should make them differ from all other men Their lives should excell others according to the knowledge in which they differ from them A man must hold forth thâ— life and light of the knowledge he hath Phil. 2.15 They have a great taske to doe that have received much knowledge much is required of them if they doe ill their example may doe much mischiefe 1 Cor. 8.10 11. Doct. 5. True knowledge makes an impression upon every part of a manâ— life it makes him better in all his wayes both towards God and man as here true knowledge makes a man a better husband He must carrie himselfâ— as a husband according to his knowledge he hath of Gods word Truâ— knowledge enricheth a man in every thing 1 Cor. 1.5 The favour of our knowledge should be manifest in every place 2 Cor. 2.14 The knowledge that will not doe thus is falsely so called 1 Tim. 6.20 There is use of knowledge in the most ordinarie things of the life of man as meats marriage and the things of our calling 1 Tim. 4.3 and therefore this should stirre up all godly Christians to shew this proofe of their knowledge and to pray that they may abound in knoâ—ledge and all judgement Phil. 1.9 Câ—l 1.9 and gives cause to Christians of ill behaviour in their callings or private carriage to mistrust that their knowledge is noâ— tight and in particular wives should pray God to give their husbands knowledge of his Word and to blesse all meanes to that end for that will make them the better husbands Doct. 6. It is an ill thing for men to transgresse against their knowledges when they doe things that are not according to their knowledge or leave undone things they know they should doe The servant that knowes his masters will and
yet it is so rich as the tongue of man cannot utter if it be in any measure true and sincere Besides how should this fire our desires after wisedome and spirituall understanding in the world of Christ seeing it is our life and in the same degree we encrease in eternall life that we encrease in acquaintance with God in Christ and therefore above all gettings we should be getting understanding And finally it shewes the wofull estate of ignorant persons that are carelesse of the studie of the Word of God and of hearing of the Gospel preached This is their death and will be their eternall death if they prevent it not by repentance and sound redeeming of the time for the service of the soule about this sacred knowledge Now for the fourth point the things that nourish life are greatly to be heeded both to shew us what we should apply our selves to and with what thankfulnesse to receive the meanes of our good herein 1. We must know that the principall cause of the nourishment and increase of spirituall life is the influence of vertue from Christ our mysticall head by the secret and unutterable working of the spirit of Christ which is therefore called the spirit of life because it both frees us by degrees from the feares of death and from the power and blots of sin Rom. 8.2 and withall it quickens and encreaseth life in us for the better exercise of righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 2. The contemplation of Gods favour and presence doth wonderfully extend and inflame life in us To marke God any where or by any experience to find effectually his love and to taste of the sweetnesse of his goodnesse this is life from the dead better than all things in naturall life it doth a godly mans heart more good than all things in the world can doe as these places shew Psal. 30.5 63.7 8. 36.3 16. ult with coherence 3. The entertainment God gives his people in his house is one speciall cause of encrease of this life in us as it encreaseth both knowledge and joy and all goodnesse and satisfies the heart of man especially amongst all the things that are without us the Word of God as it is powerfully preached in Gods house is the food of this life called the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.16 Christ words are the words of eternall life Iohn 6. see Psal. 36. 8. Iohn 12.50 Pro. 4.22 4. Fellowship with the godly is singular to quicken and excite the life of grace and joy and knowledge in us therefore it is an amiable thing for brethren to dwell together in unity because there God hath commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psal. 133. ult Pro. 2.20 The mouth of the righteous is a veine of life Pro. 10.11 Yea the very reproofes of instruction are the way of life Pro. 6.23 And therefore weake Christians should be instructed from hence with faith to rest upon the God of their lives who by the spirit of Christ can enable them to eternall life and with thankfulnesse to embrace all signes of Gods favour and presence and above all things in life to provide for themselves powerfull meanes in publike and good societie in private and not to be turned off from either of these by slight either objections or difficulties and to resolve to labour more for these than carnall persons would doe to have their naturall lives if they were in distresse or danger It is also excellent counsell which Saint Iude gives in this point concerning eternall life he would have us looke to foure things The first is to edifie our selves in our most holy faith striving to get in more store of Gods promises and divine knowledges and to strive to establish our hearts in our assurance of our right to them The second is to pray in the holy Ghost for he knew that powerfull prayer doth greatly further eternall life in us The third is to keepe our selves in the love of God avoiding all things might displease him chusing rather to live under the hatred of all the world than to anger God by working iniquity The fourth is to looke as often and as earnestly as we can after that highest degree of mercy and glory we shall have in the comming of Christ Iud. 1.19 20. I will conclude this point with that one counsell of Solomon Keepe thy heart with all diligence for thereout come the issues of life Christians that would prosper in spirituall life should be very carefull of the first beginnings of sin in their thoughts and desires and be very diligent in nourishing all good motions of the holy Ghost preserving their peace and joy in beleeving with all good consciences Pro. 4.23 Thus of the fourth point 5. Now for the differences of life in these degrees especially the first and last degree they are very great for though eternall life in the first degree be a treasure of singulaâ— value yet the glory of this life doth greatly excell as it is to be held in another world I intend not to compare life in heaven with naturall life here for that is not worthy to be mentioned in the ballance with that eternall life of glory but with eternall life it selfe as it is held by the godly only in this world And so the difference is very great 1. In respect of the place where the godly live in each degree 2. In respect of the meanes of preservation of life in each degree 3. In respect of the company with whom we live in each degree 4. In respect of the quality of life it selfe 5. In respect of the effects of life eternall in each degree For the first There is great difference betweene the life of grace and the life of glory in the very place of living Here we live in an earthly tabernacle in houses of clay there we shall live in eternall mansions buildings that God hath made without hands 2 Cor. 5.1 Here we live on earth there in heaven Here we are strangers and pilgrims far from home Hâ—b 11. there we shall live in our Fathers house Here we are in Egypt there we shall live in Canaan Here wee live where death sorrow and sin and Divels dwell there we shall live in a place where God and immortality and all holinesse dwels 2 Pet. 3.13 Here we are but banished men there we shall live in the celestiall Paradise Here we have no abiding City but there we shall abide in the new Jerâ—sâ—lem that is above The glory of the whole earth can but shadow out by similiâ—ude the very walls and gates of that Citie Rev. 21. Here wee can but enter into the holy place there we shall enter into the most holy place Heb. 10.19 To conclude there we shall enter into the heaven of heavens which for lightnesse largenesse purenesse delightfulnesse and all praises almost infinitely excells the heavens we enjoy in this visible world For the second In this life unto the
then we shall see God by direct vision Moses that saw as much of God as a mortall man then could saw but his backe parts he saw God as we see a man going from us but then we shall see him face to face as he is comming to us yea as he is possessed by us Wee shall not need helpe to shew God to us as we doe now for God himselfe shall be our everlasting light as was shewed before There is a foure-fold vision of God the one is natuâ—all as when wee see him in the creatures the other is speculous or Symbolicall when we see God in certaine signes of his presence as in the burning fire in the Bush or in the Cloud or Pillar of fire at the Tabernacle The third is the vision of Faith when we know how good God is by the promises of his word to us in Christ. The last is the vision of â—lory which differs from all the former in a way of seeing unknowne to us Thirdly our knowledge will differ in the measure Now wee know bâ—t in part there are many things wee know not and what wee doe know wee know but obscurely and darkly then wee shall know perfectly even as wee are now knowne perfectly of God 1 Cor. 13.10 11. c. and so wee shall know both God and the Creatâ—res There is a world of most delightfull and rare knowledge of the Creatures which wee attaine not to in this life but the chiefe glory of our knowledge then shall bee in the perfect vision of God and those unspeakable beauties of his nature when wee shall behold perfectly the glory of every propertie or attribute in God which will be sufficient to breed everlasting wonder and delight In a word the knowledge of the meanest Christian in heaven shall be above the knowledge of Prophets or Apostles on earth The first difference is in the effect of our knowledge for from our knowledge and this celestiall light flowes righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost which the Apostle Paul makes to be the parts of the Kingdome of God and so both in this life and in heaven Rom. 14.17 And unto these three heads may bee referred all things that concerne the glory of eternall life and all these are held with great difference in each degree of eternall life For though we have righteousnesse and peace and joy now in the truth of them yet wee have â—hem not as we shall have them in heaven as will appeare if we consider of them distinctly First for righteousnesse Here it is the greatest burthen of life unto the godly that they are not able to serve God as they desire the imperfections of their gifts the corruption of their natures the daily infirmities that discover themselves in their conversations make life many times more bitter than death would be to them as appeareth by St. Paul Rom. 7. But there all that is imperfect shall be done away there shall be no danger of displeasing God for we shall be made perfect in all parts and degrees of holinesse our nature shall be perfect like the nature of God our members shall never more be servants unto unrighteousnesse and our soules shall exactly resemble God in all perfection of goodnesse and gifts Here the glory of mans inheritance lieth in the goodnesse of things without them there it shall consist principally in an everlasting goodnesse confirmed upon themselves We shall be without spot and wrinkle Eph 5.27 We shall be as he is in holinesse 1 Iohn 3.2 Here is our griefe that our hearts cannot be so filled with the love of God and the godly as they should be there our hearts shall burne with an eternall inflammation of affections towards God and the blessed ones without any interruption or decay we shall never morâ— be troubled with hardnesse of heart discouragement feare distractions inordinate desires and perturbations Yea our holinesse shall be better than Adams in Paradise for he had a power not to sin but we shall have no power at all to sin Yea in relation to Christ it shall be better with us then than it is now for now we are reckoned just men only by the benefit of Christs righteousnesse imputed to us but then we shall be made so perfectly holy by inherent righteousnesse that we shall stand everlastingly righteous before God by the righteousnesse that is in us Imputation shall there cease for ever when Christ hath delivered up the kingdome to God the Father and when faith shall be done away Lastly the difference in this point may further appeare in the freedome of our wills In this life many times our wills are not free to desire to doe the good we should doe and most an end want power to execute what we desire but there shall be all libertie so as we shall never want either desire or power to accomplish what may be for Gods everlasting glory or our owne felicity Secondly for peace there is great difference for first in this life we have but little peace in respect of the miseries of life Sometimes we have but little inward peace our hearts being unquiet with feare or griefe or discouragement or passions or else our consciences are unquiet either because God fights against us to trie us or to humble us or we fight against our selves through ignorance and unbeliefe or distresse for sin Sometimes when our spirits are quiet and there is a truce from inward war we then want out vard peace either men are unreasonable and molest us without cause in our estates or names or else God afflicts us in body with paine and weaknesse or in estate sometimes with easie crosses like small rain sometimes with greater crosses like some fierce storms Now in heaven there shall be an eternall cessation of all miserie there shall be no curse and affliction shall be cast into the Sea Rev. 22.23 Secondly our Sabbaths or dayes of rest which Gâ—d hath consecrated and blessed to us as the chiefe joy of our lives prove many times daies of sorrow affliction because either our bodies are molested with pain or our soules distressed for want of powerfull meanes or for want of abilitie to keepe a Sabbath unto God or for want of joy in our soules but in heaven we shall have an eternall Sabbath not one day in seven but all our dayes rest without labour and solace of heart without any difficultie in our selves or interruption without us God and the Lamb will be an eternall Temple to make our rest for ever glorious Wee shall be freed from all the labours of life and from all paine and difficultie in serving God and our works shall be all easie and full of delight even the praising of God for ever Rev. 14.12 Heb 4.9 Thirdly for joy There is great difference both in the causes and in the measure and in the continuance of it The causes of our joy shall be the highest can befall a
and disagreements and faults in the carriage or judgements of Christians in their living together The earnestnesse of the Apostle in heaping up these directions imports that he discerned many things amisse which was not only true of the Churches of Corinth and Galatia and Thessaloniâ—a but even of the Church of Philippi which St. Paul most commends And the like we may find in the estate of the seven Churches of Asia if we mark what is said to them by S. Iohn in his Revelation Yea there was not perfect agreement at all times amongst the Pillars of the first Christian Churches Paul and Barnabas were at variance Actsâ—5 â—5 â—9 and Paul and Peter did openly disagree Gal. 2. The reason is because in this life we know but in part and are sanctified but in part 1 Cor. 13. The Use should be first to teach us not to be offended or scandalized at the differences of opinion that breake out in all the Churches of Christ every where in our times Wee must pray the God of peace to give us peace and know that it hath alwaies beene so and therefore it should not hinder us from embracing the known truth Secondly this should the more enflame our desires after heaven and make us the more willing to die because there will never be perfect holinesse and agreement till we come to heaven then we shall be holy as God is holy and know as we are known and charity will be perfect for ever And besides this should teach us with the more patience to instruct and waite for the amendment of such as are contrary minded and not strive over violently or passionately with them 2 Tim. 2.25 Lastly if Christians can agree no better and have such defects then wee should never wonder overmuch at the monstrous abominations in opinion or life that are found amongst the wicked of the world and in false Churches A second doctrine I observe from hence is That we ought to be rightly ordâ—red in our minds as well as any other part of our soules or lives Yea the minde is to be looked to in the first place Hence it is that in our regeneration our mindes are especially renewed Rom. 12.2 and God requires to be served with our minds Mat. 22.37 Yea as God is an eternall mind so the service of the mind is most proper for God And besides our mindes give lawes to our lives and therefore if the mind be not good the life must needs be evill The happinesse of the whole man depends upon the mind and therefore the Apostle reckons the impuritie of the mind and conscience to be the worst impurity can befall a man Tit. 1.15 and the same Apostle makes it a signe of a man whose end is damnation to have his mind taken up and wholly bent to earthly things Phil. 3.19 This point may serve first to shew the wofull estate of such persons as have ill and unsound minds And the mind is unsound when it is corrupt or putrefied with ill opinions concerning either faith or manners 2 Tim. 3.8 1 Cor. 11.3 and when it is blinded with ignorance 2 Cor. 4.3 4. for without knowledge the mind cannot be good Pro. 19.2 and it is a divellish mischiefe to have darknesse in our mindes as that place in the Corinthians shewes The minde is also unsound and in wofâ—ll â—aking when it is taken up with vile thoughts and contemplative wickednesse Rom. 1.21 Eph. 4.17 and when men have double mindes Iames 4.7 or wavering mindes Iames 1.7 And therefore one of the highest curses God inflicts upon men with whom he is angry is to plague them in their mindes either with a reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 or with a desperate minde Secondly this Doctrine shewes what harmfull creatures deceivers of mindes are they doe more mischiefe than such as deceive men in their estates or poison mens bodies Tit. 1.10 Thirdly this should teach all carefull Christians to gird up the loynes of their mindes 1 Pet. 1.13 and to labour to get a sound minde 2 Tim. 1.7 and in particular to get the unitie of minde which the Apostle here requires And so I come to the third point The third Doctrine then which I observe out of these words is That all true Christians are bound in a speciall maner to strive to be all of one mind which in this place is meant of unity and agreement in judgement and matter of beliefe in the points of Religion This is urged in divers Scriptures as 1 Cor. 1.10 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 2.2 Rom 15.5 and this was the great glorie of the first Christian Church that all the multitude were of one heart and one soule Acts 4.32 There are many reasons to perswade us hereunto 1. From the nature of this agreement It is as it were one of the bonds of the mysticall union for though it be not the principall one for that is the Spirit of Christ yet it is a speciall one it is like the veines and sinewes which tye the bodie together to breake this unitie is to cut asunder the very veines and sinewes of the mysticall bodie of Christ 1 Cor. 1.10 2 From the equitie and comelinesse of it We have but one Father one Baptisme one Spirit one Hope and therefore should have but one Faith Eph. 4.3 4 5. 3 From the good effects of this unitie for first it will make us the fitter to prayse God and doe him service with the greater encouragement and comfort as we may see Rom. 15.5 Secondly it will make us ever eat our meat with more gladnesse and singlenesse and quietnesse of heart Act. 2.46 Thirdly it will winne us the more favour and honour amongst the people as wee reade in the example of those first Christians Act. 2.47 yea in the end of that verse wee may gather that it is a great advantage for the conversion of others when they see us agree so well together and further it will bee a singular joy to our Teachers to see us agree and be all of one minde and to serve God with one shoulder as the Prophet speaketh Zeph. 3.9 so Phil. 2.2 Yea it will bee a signe to us that wee are true Christians and have found true comfort in Christ and in brotherly love and that we have fellowship by the Spirit in the bodie of Christ and that we have right bowels and mercie unto others Phil. 2.1 2. 4 From the ill effects of dissenting Two of them may be gathered from the coherence in this place for first it is implyed That if Christians agree not in opinions they will hardly practise the foure other vertues here named towards the persons with whom they dissent they will not love them as brethren heartily nor bee so pitifull to them in distresse nor so mercifull to helpe them if they be in need nor so courteous and kinde to them Secondly if this first rule be transgressed it is very probable they will bring trouble upon themselves and that either
in their consciences or in their estates It may be observed that all the while a man is in contention about his divers or strange opinions in which he dissents he is not quiet in himselfe nor enjoyes firme rest and peace in his owne heart and conscience And experience shewes that many both Ministers and private Christians have brought a great deale of trouble upon their estates by dissenting Now out of other Scriptures we may observe divers other ill effects of diversities in opinions as first it breeds confusion in the Church as the Apostle shewes 1 Cor. 14.32 33. Secondly it breeds division and schisme 1 Cor. 1.10 When men begin to broach new opinions schismes begin in the root of it though it may be a long time before it come to the full growth Thirdly it much disquieteth the hearts and heads of many weak Christians in which respect S. Paul wished they were cut off that troubled the Galathians chap. 5. Fourthly it not onely troubles Christians but many times workes still in them as it proves the subverting of their soules as the Apostles shew in the case of difference about the Ceremoniall Law Act. 15.24 Eph. 4.14 2 Tim. 2.14 16 17. Fifthly it drives men many times into divers acts of hypocrisie or passion or pride or such vices as are contrarie to singlenesse of heart Act. 2. 46. Sixtly it breeds many times strange censuring the authors of new opinions censuring of others as if because they received not their doctrine they were not spirituall enough but too carnally minded and that they were fâ—rre behinde them in knowledge as we may gather 1 Cor. 14.36 37. Thus the false Teachers vilified Saint Paul and the Apostles Thus of the motives to unitie in judgement Before I come to the Use I must put you in minde of a limitation that concernes this doctrine We must be of one minde but then it must be according to Christ Jesus Rom. 15.5 that is this consent in juâ—gement must bee in the truth and in such truth especially as may further the edification of the mysticall bodie of Christ else agreement in judgement is a conspiracie rather than unitie The Use may be both for instruction and reproofe for instruction and so we should all be affected with a great estimation of unitie in judgement and strive by all meanes to attaine to it and keepe our selves so all of us that we doe live in unity with the Church of God Now that we may doe thus 1. Wee should beseech the God of patience and consolation to give us to be like minded even to worke in us the unity he requires of us Rom 15.5 2. We must take heed of private interpretations Men should with much feare and jealousie here or reade of such opinions or interpretations of Scripture as have no authors but some one or few men Of such authors of doctrines we should say with the Apostle What came the Word of God out from you or came it unto you only 1 Cor. 14.36 Especially men must take heed of receiving opinions from meere private persons that are not Ministers of the Gospel for I suppose it cannot be shewed from any place of Scripture that ever any truth was revealed to or by a private man that was unknowne to all the Teachers of the Church yea if the Authors of divers and strange doctrines be Ministers yet that rule of the Apostle should hold that the spirits of the Prophets should be subject to the Prophets Such doctrines as may not be approved by the grave and godly learned that are eminent in the Church must not be broached 1 Cor. 14.32 And this rule hath one thing more in it viz. that men should not expresse difference of opinion without open and manifest Scripture Avoid doubtfull disputations Rom. 14.1 Esay 8. 3. A great respect must be had to the Churches peace so as such doctrines as are likely to breed either scandall or division in the Church are either not to be received or not uttered except in some speciall case Yea moderate Christians that make conscience of unity should hold themselves in conscience bound to be affraid to depart from the judgement of the Church in which they live unlesse it be when doctrine is brought in with great demonstration to the conscience To preserve the unity of the spirit we must have great respect to the bond of peace Rom. 14.19 1 Cor. 14.33 Eph. 4.3 We must greatly reverence the forme of doctrine in the Church where wee live Rom. 6.17 4. That we may be of one mind every Christian must be sure to know the truth which is given to the Churches and to make himselfe fully perswaded in his mind about such truths as are fundamentally necessarie to salvation â— Tim. 1.1 3. 5. Private Christians in receiving opinions should have great respect unto such Teachers as have beene their fathers in Christ God hath bound them to a speciall reverence towards them which they should shew by reverencing their judgements more than any other men in meet comparison 1 Cor. 4. 15 16. 11.1 2 4 5. Phil. 3.15 17. 6. To preserve a further unity it should be the care of such as have gifts of knowledge and utterance to helpe forwards such as are weake in judgeâ—â—nt and to comfort the feeble minded lest they being neglected become a pâ—â—y to deceivers of mindes 1 Thes. 5.14 and to warne such as are not of the same minde Phil. 4. Lastly we should marke such as cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which we have lâ—â—rned and avoid them Rom. 16.17 18. The second 〈◊〉 may be for the reproofe of multitudes of Christians in all places that 〈◊〉 greatly against this doctrine by their dissenting in opinions without due respect of the former rules There is almost no Congregation in the kingdome but is disquieted with this sin yea many times the glory of such as professe religion is greatly obscured by this sin and the sincerity of religion much exposed to contempt and the profane reproach of the wicked And this sin is the greater 1. When men not only bring in new opinions but also bring them in with an opinion that they are more holy and more spirituall than such as receive them not or resist them 1 Cor. 14.37 2. When the opinions are meerely new and unheard of before in the Christian world 3. When they are brought in by private persons that goe from house to house to inferre upon others the singularity of their conceits 4. When themselves are doubtfull inwardly of the truth of what they affirme and are not fully perswaded but doubt both waies and yet take to that side that differs from the generall judgement of the Churches Rom. 14.5 1 Tim. 1.6 7. 5. When men urge their dissenting so violently that a Schisme is made in the Church or Christians are divided from the exercise of brotherly love and mutuall fellowship 1 Cor. 1.10 11. 6. When men are
they live Prov. 24.11 12. But judgement mercilesse shall be to them that shew no mercy Iam. 2.13 4. Divers of the better sort are to bee rebuked about this point many Christians spend a great deale of zâ—ale about lesser matters and in the meane time neglect the greater things of the Law such as are judgement and mercy for few Christians are sufficiently instructed or inflamed in the estimation of the worth of the workes of mercy or the necessitie of them to the glorifying of God and the profession of Religion Matth. 23.23 Secondly for instruction and so this doctrine should worke in us a great impression of desire to shew forth the fruits of mercie with all tendernesse and sinceritie and to this end we should shew that we desire in practise to obey this doctrine as neere as we can I say we should shew it by accepting the exhortations of others that move us for any workes of this kind 2 Cor. 8.17 especially we should strive to answer the expectation of our Teachers herein and willingly give our selves first to the Lord and then to them suffering them to direct our workes herein with all readinesse 2 Cor. 8.5 24. and to this end we should use all good meanes to stirre up our selves to good workes of this kinde all our dayes and therefore we should plow up the fallow ground of our hearts by prayer and confession of our naturall barrennesse herein and indisposition Hos. 10.12 and withall thinke much of all the motives might stirre us up hereunto And so we should thinke of the matchlesse patterne of Gods mercy and in particular of his mercy to us Mat. 5. Luke 6. as also of the worth of mercy it is better than sacrifice Mat. 9.13 and of the originall of it God is the father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 and of the use of it it proves us to be the true brethren and true neighbours Luke 10.37 and of the great profit of it for they that are mercifull shall obtaine mercy Mat. 5.7 and to give to the poore is but to lend to the Lord and so there is no usury can be so gainfull as this of laying out of our estates for the reliefe of the poore Thus of the right bowels of mercy Be courteous Courtesie is the fift thing required in our conversation one towards another This is exacted in other Scriptures as Eph. 4. ult Tit. 3.2 Col. 3.12 this is called by the title of comitie and kindnesse Now that we may know distinctly what is meant by courtesie I will shew both what it comprehends and what it hath not in it It comprehends divers things as 1. A willing saluting of those Christians we meet 2. A conversation void of harshnesse sullennesse intractablenesse scornfulnesse clownishnesse churlishnesse desperatenesse or hardnesse to please 3. In matters of offence it makes the fairest interpretations and forgives heartily and cheerefully Eph. 4.32 4. In entertainement it is free and hearty and loving Acts 28.7 5. In hearing others speake it is patient and willing Acts 24.4 6. In giving honour it preferreth others almost of all sorts 7. In moderating authoritie over inferiours so as to be better towards them than they can require Thus of the courtesie of the Master to his Servants 1 Pet. 2.18 But yet we must know that under pretence of courtesie we must not hold needlesse conversation with the wicked nor any way countenance or honour open and notorious offenders nor use a promiscuous respect of good and bad all alike nor unadvisedly contract any speciall familiaritie or friendship with persons unequall or unmeet nor rashly discover secret things to all we meet withall The use should be to teach all Christians to make conscience of this vertue seeing God requires courtesie as well as pietie and the contrary causeth the good way of God to be evill spoken of And besides the Apostle imports here that a courteous conversation may preserve us from many troubles But yet let men be againe warned not to rest in meere complements and outward formalities but practise such a courtesie as is joined with the right bowells of mercy and good workes which may be observed from the coherence Especially let all true Christians abhorre that dissimulation that men should salute willingly and speake faire and use men with great kindnesse and yet plot malice and mischiefe in their hearts and speake evill behind mens backs and secretly labour to subvert other men who are deceived by their complement and mistrust not their envie or malice and withall men should avoid complementing with others when it is for the compassing of their owne ends especially when they are sinfull as was the practise of Absolon when he aspired to the kingdome And thus of the directions the Apostle gives for the avoiding of trouble as they concerne our conversation towards the godly Vers. 9. Not rendring evill for evill or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing REnder not evill for evill Now followes the directions for our carriages to wicked or unreasonable and injurious men and so if we would live in peace and out of trouble we must take heed that wee be not provoked by them to revenge or reviling Where observe 1. That wicked men are naturally bent to doe evill and to be injurious and to revile others especially the godly Psalm 36.3 4. Destruction and misery are in their waies and the way of peace they have not knowne and their throat is an open sepulchre their mouthes are full of cursing and bitternesse the poyson of Aspes is under their lippes Rom. 3.13 14 16 17. The use should be therefore to teach godly men to provide for it wheresoever they live in this world they must looke for it to be abused and reproached they may thinke to live safely in a wildernesse as well as to live without receiving injury from carnall and profane men God can restraine the very Lyons that they should not fall upon Daniel and hee can cast a feare upon the wicked that they shall not attempt injury against the godly but though God doe thus at sometimes yet he will not be bound alwaies to doe it Secondly this should teach such as desire to live in safety to avoid all needlesse conversation with the wicked for though at the first thou mightest thinke they were of faire carriage and would doe no wrong yet after a time they will shew their nature especially if they see they cannot draw thee to run with them into the same excesse of sinning And thirdly as any desire to have evidence to their owne soules that they are become new creatures and have new natures so they should shew the proofe of it hereby viz. by avoiding all injurious courses and reproachfull and bitter words 2 All private revenge is forbidden for it is unlawfull to render evill for evill 2 Thes. 5.15 the Apostle saith See that no man recompence unto any man evill
they fully know this or any other doctrine in particular And this let is the stronger when they smother their doubts and will not aske the way or seeke resolution in things they understand not especially in cases of their owne consciences In some Christians this want of assurance ariseth from meere slothfulnesse though they be often called upon and convinced yet they returne to their former carelesnesse and will not be at the paines to use the directions given them for the settling of their hearts In some Christians it is a violent pronenesse in their natures to take offence at such infirmities or mistakings as they observe in such as have professed religion bâ—â—ore them yea sometimes they take offence at the libeâ—ty of those that are truely godly though they abuse not their liberty And this offence is sometimes so deadly that they give way to the projects of renouncing of all religion because they have observed such things in those that professe religion As in the Primitive Church many Christians tooke grievous offence at other Christians for the use of their liberty in things indifferent so as the Apostle was affraid they would fall away and perish in their scandalls Lastly some Christians are not settled because when the evill day comes upon them they cast away their confidence and strive to thinke that because God afflicteth them therefore they are not his being for the present uncapable of all those promises of Scripture that make it cleere that God may afflict them and not be displeased with them and they may be his deare servants and children They will not know that whom God loves he chastens and that he is used to trie his gold in the fire and that whom God gives the greatest comforts he usually sends great trialls immediately after as when Christ was honoured with a voice from heaven at his baptisme and a visible descending of the holy Ghost upon him he was by and by led into the wildernesse to be tempted of the Divell And Paul after his revelation was cast downe almost into hell with temptations Thus of the knowledge of conversion and calling in generall Now in this Text is further imported That a Christian may know the warrant of all his particular actions for the true Christian goeth to the light that it may be manifest that his workes are wrought in God Iohn 3.22 and he walketh by rule Gal. 6. and he makes the Word a light to his feet and a lanthorne to his pathes Psal. 119. And this point greatly reproveth the carelesnesse of the most Christians that are unresolved in the most actions of their lives and live by false rules as the example of others or the conceits of their owne heads or their profit or the like They doe not know their calling in seeing the warrant of all their courses and therefore it is that they live in strange offences and see not the danger These walke in darknesse and know not whither they goe Now if any aske how they may attaine to the knowledge of the rules for all their actions I answer shortly they must redeeme the time and studie the Scriptures for there only shall they find the right rules of all good conversation Iohn 5.39 2 Tim. 3.15 Eph. 5.15 and withall men must aske the way to Sion Ier. 50.4 5. They must make conscience to seeke resolution and counsell of their Teachers especially and in all this be sure they bring an humble heart and a lowly minde for God hath promised to teach the meeke and the humble his wayes To inherit blessing The end of their calling is to inherit blessing What things are contained in these words will appeare by certaine generall observations and by the particular unfolding of them In generall we may hence gather 1 That Gods people or true Christians are a blessed people such as have a marvellous excellent estate above all men none like them Deut. 23.29 Let the righteous man dwell where he will he is better than his neighbour they are the onely noble and excellent ones Psal. 16.3 As God said of Iob so is it true of all them none are as they Iob 2. They doe not inherit that which is blessed onely but they inherit blessing Every leafe of the Bible saith they are blessed and the word in the Old Testament so translated signifies blessednesse all blessings are theirs This would be a great comfort to true Christians that know their calling nothing should dismay them they should chide their soules if they be discouraged as David did Psal. 42. And the wicked men of this world should be ashaâ—ed of their sottish blindnesse that account godly men in a miserable case or doe any way vilifie them And weake Christians should pray earnestly to God to shew them the hope of their calling Eph. 1.9 that they may be from their hearts perswaded of their happinesse 2. That Gods Elect by nature are not in a blessed estate They are called to it not borne to it It is a preferment they are advanced to by meanes of their receiving of the Gospel and the sinceritie of true religion Their religion not their parents or their owne endeavours helps them to it by nature they are in a miserable case both in respect of unholinesse and unhappinesse Eph. 2.1 2 3 12. Tit. 3.3 And this is fit for them to know that they may be the more stirred up to magnifie the free grace of God and to love the Gospel and that they may be the more humble in themselves and strive to walke worthy of so excellent a calling and use all meanes that God hath appointed to encrease more and more in blessing And unregenerate men must likewise hence take notice that they can never inherit blessing unlesle they repent for calling is the doore of blessing 3. That true Christians inherit nothing but blessing there is no curse mingled withall It will presently rise in mens minds that many afflictions of all sorts befall them as well as others But I answer first that all the malediction deserved by their sins was charged upon Christ and he hath borne all the curse for them Gal. 3. Esay 53. and so Gods justice is satisfied and their debt paid Secondly I may take advantage of the word Inherit and that two wayes first that though afflictions which are properly rods for the wicked may breake in upon the lot of the righteous yet they shall not rest there Psâ—â— 125.3 It is but for a little while that God can be angry with them but he loves them with an everlasting love Esay 54. They inherit not afflictions though they have afflictions Secondly they are called to inherit blessing which imports further That though during their minoritie in this world they may indure some hardship yet when these heires come to perfect age in heaven then all affliction shall be cast into the Sea and there shall be no curse Rev. 22. Thirdly I answer that even their crosses are blessings for
as God can curse the very blessings of the wicked so can he and doth blesse the seeming curses of the godly All shall worke together for the best to them that love God Rom. 2.28 All things are to bee measured for good or ill according to the use of them to us That which doth us hurt cannot be a blessing and that which doth us good cannot be a curse Now for the particular unfolding of this blessing they inherit we must know that godly Christians inherit blessing divers wayes 1. From other men and so the poore blesse them for their charity The blessing of him that is ready to perish many times comes upon them Iob 29.13 Their very loynes blesse them Iob 31.20 and their neighbours blesse them for peace making Mat. 5.8 and the godly blesse them for their gifts of grace and pray for Gods blessings upon them Psal. 134.3 and if they have any publike employments for God in Church or Common-wealth the eare that heareth them blesseth them Iob 29.11 And at some times God doth so guide and prosper the wayes of his servants that all sorts of men doe acknowledge them for the seed which the Lord hath blessed Esay 61.8 2. From their owne consciences if the world at any time testifie against him or revile him yea if Divells and men set against him yet he inherits this blessing that his owne conscience will witnesse for him to his singular joy 2 Cor. 1.12 The daily encouragements of a good conscience are like a continuall feaâ—â— within 3. From God and so they have Gods blessing certaine and this is a great inheritance and hath so much happinesse in it as it should swallow up all the grievance of afflictions and the contempts and scornes of the world It is enough if we have Gods blessing Now that this point may be distinctly beaten out we must understand that true Christians may be said to inherit Gods blessing first in a more restrained sense and then in a more large sense In a restrained sense blessing may here be taken for Gods comfortable speaking for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies blessing by words and so it answers to the coherence If they will use good words to men God will speake good words to them And in this sense we may hence gather That Gods naturall language to the called of Jesus Christ is blessing or comfortable words God will speake to his people peace Psal. 84.5 and therefore he gives a charge to his Ministers to speake comfortably to Jerusalem Esay 40.1 2. Secondly that Gods Elect never find this till they have their calling Thirdly that it is a great inheritance in this life to have God to speake well to us Fourthly that if the fault be not in us we shall never have God speake otherwise It is our inheritance to comfort us against all the miseries of life And therefore Ministers that are the mouth of God should studie comfort much and those Christians that desire to have the fruit of their inheritance in this thing should provide to live in such places where God speakes to men And those Ministers have a great account to make that set themselves to speake disgracefully and terribly to such as feare God striving to discourage their hearts and to strengthen the hands of the wicked Thus of the restrained sense onely note by the way That God speaks good words both for his people behind their backs and to his people before their faces They inherit Gods good word for them in their absence Thus God speakes excellently in the praise of Iob to the Divell before the Angels Iob 1. 2. and thus he can speake in the consciences of the greatest on earth in praise of his people as Esay 41.9 Now in the generall sense Gods people enjoy this blessing many waies and that both in this life and in the life to come In this life they have his blessing 1. In temporall things of all sorts he makes the earth blesse them and the heavens and the waters Gen. 49.25 he blesseth them in the Citie and in the field in the fruit of their bodies and of the ground and of their cattell in their basket and in their store when they come in and when they goe out yea God will command the blessing upon them in their store-houses and upon all they set their hands to and he will open his good treasures unto them and blesse all the worke of their hands Deut. 28.2 3 4 5 6 8 12. And if they enjoy not so much in quality of these things as some wicked men yet they have a faire portion and a good blessing because that they have is blessed both in the originall of it and in the nature of it and in the use of it and in their right to it 2. In the meanes of grace and salvation and so they enjoy the blessing of God in his house-keeping and great is that blessing wherewith God blesseth his people in his house on his holy hill and round about The Lord hath long since promised to make all the places about his holy hill blessings Yea there Gods people doe receive showers of blessing every powerfull Sermon is a shower of blessing every doctrine being as a blessed drop of instruction or comfort Ezek. 34.26 Exod. 20.24 Psal. 132.15 3. In the gifts of grace and so he hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things A poore Christian carrieth about with him in his heart more treasure than all the Monarchs of the world being not true Christians can any way possesse or command Eph. 1.3 Thus of Gods blessing in this life After this life who can recount the glory of their inheritance in the blessing they shall have then from God Oh that our hearts could be enlarged to thinke of the power of these words of Christ at the last day Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world The Use should be for great comfort to all true Christians They have great cause to rejoyce in their fathers blessing all their dayes and the rather if they consider that Gods blessing as a Father is better than the blessing of any earthly father for an earthly fathers blessingis most an end but verball in words Gods blessing is reall indeeds A father on earth cannot derive blessing to his child from himselfe but from God whereas Gods blessing is from himselfe Besides if an earthly father would blesse his childe yet he wants power to give him what he desires but God our Father is Almighty able to give as much as he wisheth Gen. 28.3 Finally an earthly fathers blessing may be lost as Chams was but Gods blessing cannot be lost he will blesse with everlasting mercy Secondly such as yet enjoy not the priviledge of Gods called ones should be greatly stirred up with desire to get this blessing even to have Gods blessing Let no man be
by Christ 154 Excellent uses of the manifold descriptions of Christ 248 249 As he is a Lord how he excels other Lords 249 How said to be both a stone and a living stone 249 250. c. Christ is precious many wayes 254 How we may get an esteeme of Christ above all things 281 How we may manifest this esteeme ibid. How Christ is an honour to us 292 Christ many waies refused 298 In what respects Christ bare our sinne 531 Christian. A Christians life is a joyfull life 54 What they must doe to preserve that joy in their hearts 55 How farre he may rejoyce in earthly things 56 Priviledges of weake Christians 229 Encouragement for weak Christians 237 Christians have divers sacrifices 266 Only Christians come of the best generation 317 They are royall many wayes 318 The priesthood of a Christian is a singular priviledge 320 321 It should put us in minde of divers duties 321 Christians are holy many wayes 322 How Christians are said to be all of one Nation 325 Why called a peculiar people 326 327 A sound Christian shewes himselfe so by his conversation 388 For what reasons Christians should be much affected with the consideration of their Calling 689 The necessity of knowing our calling 690 How it may be knowne 691 Divers sorts of Christians ibid. Carnall Christians know not their Calling ibid. c. The reasons of it 692 Good Christians have a blessed estate above all men 693 True Christians inherit nothing but blessing 693. and that many wayes 694 Church Eleven prerogatives of the Christian Church 79 80 The Church like Mount Sion in many respects 276 277 The uses hereof ibid. The excellencie of the word above all other assemblies of the world besides 277 Cleane Cleanenesse Eight things to be done for the getting of a clean heart 175 Come We Come to Christ many mayes 256 Eight wayes to come to Christ 257 Encouragements thereto ibid. c. Compassion It was shewed by Christ five wayes 332 In man how 679 Motives to it ibid. What bowels of Compassion doth import 683 Confound Beleevers shall never be Confounded 284 The diverse acceptation of the word Confound ibid. How Confounded may be taken in a good sense 285 Meanes by which God keepes the Beleever from being confounded ibid. In what he shall not be confounded ibid. How farre he may be confounded 286 Conditions of such as will not be confounded 287 What sorts of men shall suffer shame and Confusion ibid. Conscience It ought to be adorned with nine things 18 Kindes of Conscience 503 Reasons why men ought to be instructed about Conscience 499 What Conscience is ibid. It s proper worke 500 How Conscience is imployed in us ibid. The law by which Consc. judgeth the maner of proceeding in judgment 502 Prerogatives of Conscience ibid. c. Divers kinds of Conscience 503 Differences of evills in mens Consciences 504 Signes of an evill Conscience that is still and stirred 505 Hurts of an ill Conscience with foure effects â—hereof 506 Aggravations of the miserie of an ill Conscience 507 What must be done to make an ill Conscience good 508 Two things for guiding the Conscience 509 Signes of a good Conscience ibid. Benefits of it 510 How farre Conscience may be bound 510 511 Conversation Our conversation said to be vaine in sixe respects 140 The sins which make it so ibid. There is vanitie in the Conversation of the Saints themselves ibid. Five degrees of our redemption from a vaine conversation 141 Seven signes of it ibid. Speciall rules for the right ordering of a holy Conversation 323 Meanes to â—ttainâ— it 324 Differences betweene a holy Conversation and a civill ibid. A sound Christian shewes himselfe so by his Conversation 388 Vide Honest. Sixe things which make an honest Conversation 389 An honest Conversation is the way either to convert or convince the Gentiles 392 By what meanes we may win wicked men in our Conversations 594 595 Reasons why a Christians Conversation should be coupled with feare 598 599 Conversion Nine signes to know whether we be effectually converted 585 Rules for it 586 Courtesie It containeth seven things 685 Creation The wonderfulnesse of our Creation shewed many waies 151 152 The use of it ibid. D DAy Many sorts of Dayes nâ—ted in Scripâ—â—â—â— 416 How the Day and season of grace may be knowne 417 Darknesse The acceptation of the word Darknesse 338 c. Degrees of it 339 Nine aggravations of the Darknesse that is in wicked men 340 The use of it ibid. c. Foure signs of spirituall Darknesse 341 There is some Darknesse even in the children of Light ibid. There are seven differences between the Darknesse of the godly and the darknesse of the ungodly 341 342 Death Vide Die 198 534 Deceit Vide Guile The miserie of Deceitfull persons 206 207 Of Deceitfull Servants 207 The iniquitie of our times herein 208 Signes of a man without Deceit 209 Despaire How many wayes wicked men may Despaire 307 Preservatives from Despaire 308 309 Speciall differences between the Despaire of the godly and wicked 309 310 Desire The necessitie utilitie and nature of this affection of Desire largely handled 221 The true Desire of the word hath foure distinct things in it first Estimation of it secondly Longing for it thirdly Content in it fourthly Constancie in the renewing of it 221 222 How we may discerne our affections to it 222 Signes both externall and internall of our Desire to the word 222 223 c. Impediments 223 Meanes of getting true Desire to the word 225 Rules for preserving these Desires 226 Motives thereto 227 How farre wicked men may desire the word 230 Die Vide Death Men Die many waies 534 The many inconveniences by forgetting to Die 198 How to prove willing to Die ibid. Disobedience How unbeleevers are guilty of Disobedience and their Disobedience aggravated 293 Drunkard Drunkennesse Reasons against it well applied 106 E EArth Earthly In what the vanity of Earthly things appeares 700 No reason to be in love with them ib. c. What daies are Evill in respect of wicked men 703 Wherein godly mens daies are Evill ibid. Great difference of the evill daies of good and evill men ibid. How farre Christians may rejoyce in Earthly things 56 Elect. The Elect have eight priviledges above all men in the world 7 8 Three sorts of Elect 150 Election A fourefold Election 7 How they may be knowne ibid. 315 Good use of the point 8 There are many things in our Election which may ravish us 314 Rules to live so as becommeth the assurance of Election 316 Envie It is a hatefull sin 214 Signes of a man free from Envie 215 Evill-doers Who are pointed out for such 446 Evill-speaking Vide Backe-biting Report the aggravation of it 213 Reasons against it 216 The effects of it foule 217 The use to be made of it with Rules against it 218 What to doe to avoid it 219 In what cases odious 395 Helpes to
thoughts of Gods glory â—â—o waies established Note A double caveat in glorifying God Foure things must be done by us to make others glorifie God 1 Men are said to visit diversly 2 God doth also visit many waies 1 The creatures But especially men and so either as â—e visits all men in generall or some men in speciall God visits men two waies especially 1 In justice What kind of men in particular are in danger of this kind of visitation 2 God visits in mercy and so either in temporall things as in the case of blessings or in case of afflictions God visits in spiritual things diversly Signes of such as are truly visited in mercy with true grace 1 Hee hath a new Lord. 2 New acquaintance 3 A new language 4 A new heart Speciall signes of a new heart 1 It hath no guile 2 It is void of malice 3 It is void of covetousnesse A new mind New affections A new behaviour discovered divers wayes Many sorts of daies noted in Scripture Note How the day and season of grace may bee knowne Note Against such as presume on late repentance First objection answered Note Second objection answered Third objection confuted Note Note What glorious things the day of visitation brings forth Use. Note Use 1. Use 2. Note Doct. 8. Note What Submission hath in it viz. six things Siquis tentat excipere conâ—tur decipere Agnoscit dominum suum â—â—erâ— Aâ—â—â— Ezra 1 Subjectivè 2 Objectivè 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In what things the Magistâ—ate is not to be obeyed In what things they are to be obeyed In what matters ecclesiastiâ—â—ll â—he Magistrate hath no power In what things he hath power ecclesiasticall Actions about Gods wâ—rshâ—â— of two sorts Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether any inventions of men ought to be obeyed Gal. 5. Mat. 15. Command 2. Circumcision was a burthen Acts 5 10 and these burthens 〈◊〉 necessary things v. 28. and they were 〈◊〉 to doe well if they observe them v. 29. Pretended inconveniences by humâ—ne Lawes surveyed Acts 15.1 Rules about taking and giving scandall at humane ceremonies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hypocrisie Originall of Kings Homo naturâ est animal politicum Divers kindes of societies Pagus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The excellencie of Kings above others 1 Tim. 1.12 Bernard Epist. 170. Who are branded for evill doers Wherein it is unlawfull to seeke the praise of men 2 Cor. 12.11 Ioh. 5.36 37. Helps to get praise from men Ier. 8.18 21. Vide Ephes. 4.17 18. Signes of spirituall folly Prov. 17.16 Signes of spirituall madnesse Wherein godly men sometimes shew folly Why it is so hard to cure ignorance and silence ignorant men Speciall gifts of Christ bestowed on the godly Quanquam humantur non tamen damnantur From what a Christian is made free Electi sunt liberi à damnatione legis à dominatione regis peccati To what a godly man is made free In what respects we are but as free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men may use their liverties as a cloake of maliciousnesse five wayes 2. Pet. 2. 19. 20. How Christian liberty is made a cloake of malice in things indifferent How we must serve God Rom. 12.45 Heb. 9.14 Who are rejected from the number of Gods servants Deut. 28.47 Prerogatives of Gods servants By what wayes we may expresse our honouring of men How we shew our love to the brother-hood In what respects godly men are brethren The Apostle doth especially urge the inwarâ— worship of God The fear of God what it is It is twofold Sixe things in God we are to stand in awe of Motives to get the feare of God What kindes of men do not fear God Signes of Gods feare Pro. 31.30 Note What a family is Three things required to make a society happy We are bound of God to the care of domesticall duties for divers reasons Why inferiors in a family are first and especially charged with their duties Servants of men are of divers sorts For what causes servitude came in Gen. 12.16 and 32.5 Eccles. 2.7 How a godly servant may comfort himselfe in that estate Servants must be subject three wayes Helps for servants to yeeld subjection The originall of masters The name father given to divers sorts How many waies servants shew the feare of God in their 〈◊〉 Signes of good masters Reasons 〈◊〉 frowardâ—â—â—â— Prov. 10.32 Prov. 16.28 Helpes against frowardnesse Reasons why men ought to be instructed about conscience What conscience is Rom. 2.15 and 9.1 The proper worke of Conscience These principles in the minde shâ—w a keeper they call Synteresis How consciâ—â—ce is imployed in us Chirâ—graphia Deâ— Prâ—râ—gatives or pâ—â—pertâ—â—s of conscience Kindes of conscience Difference of evill in mens consciences Note The signes of an evill Conscience 〈…〉 Signes of an ill stirring Conscience Hurt of an evill conscience Foure ill effects of an ill conscience Aggravations of the misery of an ill Conscience What must bee done to make an ill conscience good Two things for the guiding of conscience Signes of a good conscience Acts 23.1 Benefits of a good conscience How far conscience may be bound Use. Wherein vaine-glory is seene 1 Thes. 2.6 Wherein true glory consists Divers wayes of suffering Christ suffered for us in divers respects Ten things for us to follow in the example of Christs sufferings In what things Christs example binds not How farre examples binde conscience A man is said to make sinne many waies How Christ had no sinne Guile in words many waies Guile in Hypocrisie many wayes What reviling is Who are guilty of reviling Esay 5.20 Motives to patience In what cases it is not fit to complaine unto the Magistrate In what cases men may lanfully seeke redresse from the Magistrate Thâ—t God is a Iudge is terrible to wicked men and that in many respects God is comfortable to godly men How Go◠〈◊〉 rigâ—tâ—oâ—â—â—y Use. Rules in committing our cause to God In what respects Christ bare our sins Christs sufferings â—itted to the circumstances of sin 1 John 2.1 Rom. 3.26 Reasons why Christ suffered on a tree Men die divers wayes Naturall men aâ—e said to be alive to sin in divers respects Great is the misery of such as live in sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divers things in Christs death that ought to be in our repentance Signes of true mortification The happinesse of such as live spiritually A religious â—sâ— is the best liâ—e for 6. reasons Signes that describe a righteous mâ—n in himsâ—lâ—e Sixe other signes of righteousnesse as it groweth How the righteousnesse of a godly mâ—n disfers from that of the Scribes and Pharisees Why so many do not imbrace a righteous life Helpes unto righteousnesse Phil. 3.3 1 â—or 7.23 Defects of a righteous life of two sorts First in tâ—e parts of it And 〈◊〉 in respect of the fâ—rst table Psal. 27.3 5. Pro. 2â— 3. Psal. 55.22 Psal.
former ages In old time The example is in the second place commended for the antiquitie of it Where we learn that a respect may be had to old time yea respect is due to the times of old Antiquitie is an argument of praise therefore are wee bidden to aske after the old way Ier. 6.16 to aske of the daies that are past Deut. 4.32 to remember the daies of old and to consider the yeeres of many generations Deut. 32.7 And Ministers in publick teaching must be like the good Scribe that brings out of his treasurie things both old and new Mat. 13.52 fathers must talke of the things of old time to their children Ps. 44.1 Now because the argument from aâ—â—â—quitie or the old time hath beene much abused and such reasoning is taxed in many Scriptures therefore that the point may be more cleare I will distinctly consider first in what cases the old times and antiquitie may not be pleaded and then in what cases antiquitie may be pleaded and good use may be made of it For the first antiquitie is ill pleaded in the caseâ— folloâ—â—ing as 1. When antiquitie is counterfeit when that is called the old time which in comparison was but yesterday as the Papiste lead us to the ages not long since past and will not permit us to looke higher to the times of the Prophets and the Apostles which is the true antiquitie 2. When antiquitie is pleaded to confirme 〈◊〉 in doctrine And so the doctrin was never a whit the better that caught the law of God 〈◊〉 only bind the outward man not the heart the outward man â—oo but in some higher cases And therefore our Saviour rejects the errours of the Pharisees though they would confirme thâ—â— by the sayings of oldâ—imeâ—punc Mat. â— Ioâ— â—5 â—0 3. In the case of sinne sinne is not the better for the oldnesse of i◠〈◊〉 the worse therefore the old man must be mortified and all old things must be put away 2 Cor. 5.17 As an old leprosie is worse than a new Lev. 13.11 so their hatred was the worse because it was old Ezek. 25.15 And the godly pray Remember not against us our old iniquities Psal. 79.8 and the wicked are condemned for not purging out their old sins 2 Pet. 1 9. and all men should purge out the old leven 1 Cor. 5. And as in the sins of life betweene man and man so about Gods service old courses are barefull if they be idolatrous and superstitious and therefore they were condemned for doing after the old maner 2 Reg. 17.34 and they are reproved by the Prophet Ieremy that so commended the old times of Idolatry Ier. 44. 4. When God abolisheth the old things and brings in new and so the old Covenant is not better than the new nor the old Testament better than the new Heb. 8.6 7 13. 2 Cor. 5.17 5. In the case of the discoverie of such mysteries as for the time of revealing them depend upon the good pleasure of God only so things hidden for ages and generations are revealed in the Gospel and yet must not be rejected Col. 1.16 6. When old times are pleaded of purpose to lessen the glory or profit of the present workes of Gods power and mercie Esay 43.18 And this way the Pharisees offended that to avoid subjection to Christ and his doctrine would magnifie Moses and the Prophets of old time And so doe those people offend that commend the old Teachers more that are dead or absent and will not profit by those they have Mat. 23. 7. When it is used in defence of publike disorders and offences and grievances in Church or Common-wealth The pretence of Innovation must not hinder the reformation of knowne diseases in publike States Such things as have beene wastes of old must be built though it were not done of long time They shall build the old wastes saith the Prophet Isa. 62.4 8. When particular Christians doe mis-apply it to confirme them in their unbeliefe or doubting as if God did not regard or accept as informer times whereas if we serve him in uprightnesse of heart he will accept our offerings as in the dayes of old Mal. 3.4 And if we get Davids affections to God and goodnesse and will attend upon Gods mercie in the meanes we shall have the sâ—â—e mercies of David Isa 55.1 4. Thus of the wayes how old things and the pleading of them may be misapplied and done in our owne wrong Now followes to shew in what cases respect must be had to Antiquitie and old times And so Antiquitie commends 1. The workes of Gods power and mercie Deut. 32.7 2 Kings 19.25 Psal. 44.2 and God is well pleased to be urged with arguments taken from his old dealing with his people Arise as in the daies of old Isa. 51.9 so in Mich. 7.14 20 and bath left the memory of them upon record that we might thence confirme our weake faith 2. The particular experiences we have had of Gods goodnesse towards us Thus David remembers dayes of old Psal. 77.6 143. â— 3. The profitable determinations of right in judiciall things betweene man and man and so the old bounds are to be greatly respected Pro. 22.28 4. The publike orders of the Church about the circumstances of Gods worship as the orders of the Jewes to have the preaching of Moses in every Citie on the Sabhath day Acts 15.21 This order is the more observeable as few other reasons 〈◊〉 because it was so in oldeiâ—â—â— 5. Gods Commandements It is an argument of weight to perswade to obedience when it can be shewed that that Commandement is an old Commandement Iohn 2.7 6. In things that one doubtfull or difficult such respect is to be given to Antiquitie as men should not rashly oppose their owne or other mens new conceits so as due respect be had to equally comparison in the nature of the things questioned Ioh. 32.6 7. In the examples and patterns of wel-doing that have had due conformity to Gods will revealed in his precepts and so the examples of holy practises in old time should much move the consciences of the godly now-adaies as the Apostle shews in this verse And thus of the two points in the description Holy women The persons from whom this patterne is taken are holy women where observe 1. That holinesse in the first Table is required of women as well as men and they are bound to the duties of Gods worship and to be religious women as well as to the duties of the second Table to be chaste mercifull faithfull diligent in the affaires of the family or obedient to their husbands Which serves to confute those men that say women need not be studious in matters of Religion it is enough for them to be good house-wives and obey their husbands And withall it may comfort women in the practise of the duties of Religion for by the commendation given of holy women in this Text it appeares
that God accepts holinesse in them as well as in men 2. That all holy women did make conscience of subjection to their husbands and therefore the Apostle speakes indefinitely of all holy women And this is the more evident because amongst all the infirmities noted in any godly woman in the Scriptures yet there is no example of a godly woman that did customarily live in the sinne of frowardnesse or rebellion against her husband the instance of Zipporah is but of one onely fact and the errour seemes to be as much in her judgement as in her affections And this doctrine should light verie heavie upon many wives that professe Religion in these times and compell them to reforme their hearts and behaviours in their carriage towards their husbands for this Text doth import that they want holinesse that are not subject to their husbands and live in customarie frowardnesse and unquietnesse 3. That Christian women ought to studie the example of holy women in old times and therefore they should do well to get a catalogue of the praises of godly women in Scripture to lay before them for their imitation and so they should learne of Sarah reverence to their husbands and of Rahab and the Midwives of Egypt to shew mercy to Gods servants in distresse and of Ruth obedience to their parents and constant love to religion and of the Shunamitish woman 2 Reg. 4.8 c. and of Lydia Acts 16.14 and of Phâ—be Rom. 16.2 to be entertainers of Gods servants and to succour them and of Hanna to be humble and patient and devout in prayer and of the good woman in the Proverbs chap. 31. and of Priscilla and Salâ—mons mother Pâ—â— 30.1 2. and Timothies mother and grand-mother 2 Tim. 1.4 to get the law of grace into their lips to instruct others and of that woman in the Proverbs to bee painfull in labour and to be wise in oversight of the labours of their servants and children and of Hester to keepe religious Fasâ—â— to God with their maides and children Hess 4.16 and of the Virgin Mary to lay up the words of Christ in their hearts and with Mary Magdalen to love Christ with all tendernesse and to bewaile their sinswith sorrow and to sit as Christs feet to heare his words and of Elizabeth to live without offence Lâ—â—e 1. and of Dorcas to be merciful to the poore and of the holy women mentioned Heb. 11.3 to be constant professors of the truth in the times of persecution That trusted in God The fourth thing is the cause of their subjection and that is their trust in God about which foure things are to be observed 1. That trust in God is such a grace as is found in all the godly even womâ—n that were holy had attained to trust in God All holy women trusted in God therefore if women that are the weaker sexe cannot get holinesse but withall they trust in God it is impliedly cleere That all the godly doe trust in God The house of Israel and the house of Aaron Priests and people even all that feare the Lord must trust in the Lord Psal. 115.9 10 11. and all the Gentiles must trust in the Lord. Rom. 15.12 It is the Periphrasis of God to be the confidence of all the ends of the earth Psal. 65.5 And the reasons why the godly must and doe all of them trust in God are first Gods Commandement that requires it of all which the former places shew secondly Gods promise that he will be the hope of his people even of all his people Ioel 3.16 and they have a sure word of the Prophets to warrant their trust 2 Pet. 1.19 thirdly without faith and trust it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. fourthly because they have nothing else to trust in Of all people the godly are most miserable if their trust were to be placed in other things than God for as all earthly things are vain and transitorie so can they make least shift for themselves and are most opposed in these things And therefore the Use should be to teach us to trie our hearts soundly whether we be such as trust in God seeing in this thing lyeth one great part of our evidence about true grace If all the godly trust in God then we are not godly nor holy men and women if we doe not trust in God The question then is By what signes doe godly men prove that they doe trust in God and the answer is 1. By making God their refuge in all their distresses and by pouring out their hearts before him in prayer and supplication 2 Sam. 22.3 4. Psal. 62.8 2. By their feare in any thing to displease God and their care to keepe his Commandements and to cleave to God 2 Reg. 18.4 5 6. doing his worke whatsoever come of it 3. By relying upon God in times of distresse without using any ill means or courses that they know or feare to be unlawfull Esay 28.16 with 1 Chron. 10.13 14. but still wait upon God till he help them Psal. 33.20 4. By accounting God to be their portion and sufficient heritage Psal. 16.1 5 6. 5. By setting the Lord alwaies before them Psal. 16.1 18. for if we put all our trust in God then our hearts doe continually thinke of God and are lifted up to God 6. By committing all their wayes to God and leaving the successe of things to his disposing Psal. 37.5 7. By their patience in the case of wrongs and indignities having their hearts free from desires of revenge and their tongues from words or reproach or reproofe they are as deafe or dumb men Ps. 38.13 14 15 1 Tim. 4.10 8. By contemning the glory of the world and not regarding or seeking dependancies upon proud and sinfull persons Psal. 40.4 9. By the joy and contentment they take in the house of God their hearts flourishing like a greene Olive tree when they heare of the doctrine of Gods goodnesse and feele the refreshing of his name Psal. 52.8 9. 10. By their thankfulnesse and great desires to praise God when they find the experiences of Gods providence in grace and bounty towards them Psal. 13.5 6. 52.8 9. Yet by the way we mâ—â—t know that godly persons that do truly trust in God may be burdened with cares but yet they cast their burthens upon God when they feele them Psal. 55.22 They may be affraid and yet trust in God Psal. 56.3 They may cry and make great moane and that a long time Psal. 69.3 They may seeme to want strength and yet renew their strength Esay 40 ult 2. From â—â—nce we â—â—y gather That it is a great praise and an excellent gift in any to trust in God to have and exercise this trust in God and therefore of all parts of holines fâ—nctification in this place trust in God iâ— mentioned And therefore in divers Scriptures they are pronounced to be very blessed that can doe it Psal. 84.12 34.8 and it