bestowed upon us namely Redemption procured by no less price then the precious blood of Christ Were we redeemed at such a rate and by such a great and unspeakable price Then we must pass the time of our sojourning here in fear Here consider 1. The benefit Redemption 2. From what Their vain conversation which is set out by the Original of it The tradition of their fathers 3. The price whereby purchased which is set down first Negatively where 's shewed what it is not no worldly thing such as silver and gold described by the nature and quality Corruptible things then Affirmatively where 's shewed what it is namely Blood precious blood The precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Forasmuch as ye know Here note That A man may know himself to be a redeemed one he may know that there 's no condemnation to him and that he is translated from Death to Life He may know that he serves not sin as he was wont but his heart is to serve the Lord and that he walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And doth a man know himself redeemed he must pass his time in the fear of God and therefore in vain do such boast that they are redeemed that live yet in their sins That ye were redeemed Here note 1. That as Mercy presupposeth Misery so Redemption Bondage and Slavery neither is the bondage wherein we stand such as of Pharaoh or the Turks but Ten thousand times worse even of Sin and of the Devil God indeed made us free in Adam Sin nor Satan had nothing to do with us but we all sinning in Adam became subject not onely to the Wrath and Curse of God the first and second death and the forerunners of both but to sin also and so by nature we can do nothing but sin we drink sin as a thirsty man doth water It s as natural to us as for the fire to burn So fast is our will bound to the will of the Devil that for our lives we cannot think a good thought Now as all bondage is abhort'd of the nature of man so the baser person one is in bondage too the more odious it is to them that see it and the more tedious to themselves that bear it Now none so base in the world as sin and the Devil the woful enemies of God and our souls This should humble us all being in this woful case and so would it do if we could be brought to believe it But as the Jews we think we were never in bondage to any and finding our bodies at liberty conceive so of our souls whereas both be in a spiritual bondage unto evil Nay such is our woful bondage as we cannot believe we are in it nor can desire to come out of it but naturally we love and desire it thereupon are enemies to the means of our freedom most think that if they may have their lusts satisfied and fetch their flings in all maner of evil some of pleasure some of their unconscionable dealing c. O it s a little Heaven O such Towns and Houses where they may thus have their wills are the onely places but for the Towns and Services where they may not thus lash out but are restrained and must be brought to the Word Prayer Reading Repetition Catechizing and the like O fie upon it say they Here 's a Bondage a Slavery who would be tyed thus If my year be our once I le lay a stone there c. This is a hard saying who can bear it Let us break their bands and cast their coards from us If this Preaching be suffered we shall do nothing shortly we shall not be merry we shall have our hands bound behinde us Thus counting Gods service which is perfect Freedom to be Bondage they hold their woful Slavery to be the onely Liberty and therefore are not onely willing so to continue but are against the means of their Delivery which is a great depth of bondage for let one be a slave to the Turks never so though his body be bound yet his minde is free he retains an earnest desire to be set at liberty well men must see it and feel it else they shall never be delivered and if they dye in this case they must have their wages according to the work 2. That there is a way out of this bondage for our parts we could finde none we could desire none nay God of his infinite mercy having found it out and prepared it we have no desire of it This indeed is a great and wonderful mercy He might have been glorified in our confusion and hath provided no remedy for the evil Angels as he hath for us It followeth hereupon 1. Seeing there is away of Redemption that all that know not themselves delivered must give all diligence that they may have their part in it Believe Gods Word that thou art now in Bondage but abide not in it seeing there 's a way-out will any of the Turks Slaves stay in Prison if the door be set open and liberty offered and proclaimed Christ was sent to proclaim liberty to Captives and so doth Do this the rather for the redeemeth not all most shall bear their own burthen He prayed not for the world All mine are thine saith he to his Father thine by Election mine by Redemption But is not he the propitiation for the sins of the whole world This is to be understood of all Believers of all Nations through the world in this last age since Christ. 2. That they which know themselves delivered from so great Thraldom both of Death and Damnation and of Sin also must now serve God and that under the hope of eternal Life They must study how to shew their thankfulness in all dutiful obedience all the days of their life If any were ransom'd from the Turk doth he not count himself his that hath ransom'd him so should we As we have yielded our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin so must we now yield them as instruments of righteousness unto God We have taken great pains for the world and vanity forgot our meat and sleep thought the time short feared ever we should come too late have pleaded for Baal O le ts now do so for goodness we have spent our substance on lewd persons to follow our lusts now let us spend it in the service of God and on Gods Children O le ts not serve the Devil and sin in any point more forwardly then God! we must glorifie God in Body and Spirit we must have neither Heart Tongue Wit Will Eye Ear but for the Lord and all to be at his command O that we would often think of our Redemption both from whence and to what This would make us gather up our feet in our Masters service more roundly
we had been yet in our sins yet under the curse as if he had suffered and had not conquered and entred into glory we had been never the better It was needful that Christ should suffer for us for we by Adams fall were plunged into sin and so in danger of the curse of God and lyable unto all wrath here and hereafter This Gods justice could not suffer him to remit but the death threatned must be paid To this end our Savior became man and suffering all that was due to us thereby discharged us He was arraigned before an earthly Judge that we might never be brought to our answer before the heavenly accused that we might be cleared condemned that we might be acquitted before God counted among vile sinners that we might be reckoned among the Angels spitted on that we which had deserved that God should for ever have spitted on our face shame and confusion might be received into favor did undergo the curse that we might be blessed dyed that we might live c. then this there was no other way whereby we could have been discharged See Isa. 53. 1 Pet. 1. 19. 2. 24. 1 Iohn 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. Hence perceive 1. The depth of our misery 2. The unspeakable love of God and Christ Jesus 3. Comfort to all that have their part in Christ all their sins and punishments are discharged crosses and death are now become blessings no punishments of sin whoso do not by Faith take hold on him must suffer for their own sins and that for ever 4. That as we are to hate sin with a deadly hatred so must we testifie our love to him that hath redeemed us at so high a price Numbers will talk of Christ that he dyed for their sins which yet are so far from being humbled to repentance hereby and to turn from sin to God as that they seem rather emboldened and heartened to run on in sin and sin more freely such vile wretches crucifie Christ again neither shall have any benefit by his death And the glory that should follow It was necessary that he should have overcome else had his death been in vain Hereof there were three degrees 1. His resurrection 2. His ascension 3. That he shall one day come into judgement bring all his servants into his glory whereunto may be annexed the consequents of each But how shall we come to glory even by the same way that our Head our Lord and Master hath gone before us namely by sufferings for through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God and God will have the Members made conformable to the Head It followeth hereupon 1. That afflictions or persecutions are no ill sign but rather of the way to Heaven and glory it should encourage us to suffer seeing glory follows and a great reward ensues thereupon 2. That those which will suffer no affliction nor persecution for Christ and the Gospel but shifting themselves therefrom aym at the glory of the World are not in the way to glory but shame hereafter will be their portion Verse 12. Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which things the Angels desire to look into YE have heard what the Prophets searched into and by what guide now see what was revealed unto them how far forth they were satisfied namely that the things which they sought into even the time of Christs coming should not be in their days but in ours They took the pains we have the gains They laid the cloath and we come to partake and feed on the dainties The fruit of their ministery was to our benefit So that we have the advantage of all our Forefathers of the Old Testament Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves c. Lo say the Anabaptists the Jews foretold many things of Christ but had no part in him themselves those concerning us They had Canaan and temporal benefits and looked no further But how absurd this is we have already shewed having sufficiently proved the contrary And these words are not to be understood of Christ or of the substance of salvation but of the time of his coming and of the maner and measure of revealing him to them more darkly to us more clearly to them more sparingly to us more fully They believed in Christ that was to come we hear of Christ already come and that he hath finished all things and how and thus are we to understand Heb. 11. 13 33 39. where there seems an opposition They received the promises that is the fruit of them and salvation by Christ and they received not the promises that is saw not the exhibiting of Christ who was promised to the World For more plainness there was never but one Covenant between God and his people from the beginning till now nor shall be which is the Covenant of Grace except we mean the Covenant of Works which was between God and all mankinde in Adam the foundation and matter whereof was our own strength and righteousness but this was soon at an end Adam had soon broken this and overthrown himself and with him all us The Covenant of Grace then the Lord entred in his great mercy with Adam in Paradise which was founded in Christ Jesus requiring of us to believe in him and repent of our sins and he would forgive us our sins and give us salvation and life eternal This for the substance thereof was never altered one jot onely the Lord hath revealed his Son more fully to us more sparingly to them more plainly to us more darkly to them Herein may be considered both the Author Matter Form and End The Author the same God to them and us The Matter Christ Jesus the same to them and us The Form was generally also the same for as God required Faith and Repentance of them as well as of us so he gave them the same means for the working thereof the Word and Sacraments The End the same viz. the Salvation of his Elect and Eternal life The difference is in the measure of his giving them as also in the persons to whom then was it to the Jews onely who were the peculiar people of God now the partition wall is broken down and the Covenant is to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews So also for the measure he spake to them by visions and dreams to us by his word and when to them by his word it was both more sparingly and more darkly Also our Sacraments compared with theirs are as fewer so more easie and more significant and for the Spirit they had him more sparingly except some extraordinary persons whereas it was promised that
opposites 1. Prophaneness when men dare live as they list and their lust is their Law 2. Security when men live carnally and wretchedly contenting themselves that they be none of the worst they be not such and such kinde of persons yet go on without regard either to God or his Word The evil they abstain from as it is not from the fear of God so if good come in their way they do it after their fashion and evil also as comes to hand they dare commit sin in hope of mercy and think they shall do well enough 3. Hypocrisie which hath more shew of Religion but resteth in the outward ceremonious performance of duties and looks not to do them in the right maner and so are not guided by the fear of God in their lives 4. Slavishness when men fear indeed but never but under or in expectation of the rod they then will flie to a book have good words golden promises c. at other times they care not what they do or at least be as before Contrarily the true fear of God is known by these notes 1. To hate evil and not leave it off onely for some sinister respects 2. Not onely gross and open evils of the hand but inward corruptions of the heart as Pride Arrogancy Hypocrisie Hardness Frowardness Wordliness of the heart c. spying them out mourning for them and striving against them as being seen to God as well as gross sins to men 3. All evil the evil way every evil way 4. Such evils as a man may go closely away withal as Joseph might with uncleanness with his Mistress but would not as fearing God 5. Such as a man may carry out by strong hand by might and authority and no body to control him yet dares not do it because there 's an higher who hath forbidden it 6. It will make a man watchful to avoid evil as the Hare hath an eye to passengers as she sits 7. It will make men avoid the occasions of evil 8. It is ever joyned with the fear of his Word and as is the one in us so is the other If it be thus then I may too truly and plainly conclude That there is but a little fear of God in this Land for how few hate evil secret corruptions all evil such as they can go cleanly away with such as they can carry away by might and colour of Law How many live prophanely as if there were no God no Law no Judgement day no reckoning to be made but do what their lust leads them too and that which some would not nor durst do for a world they make no bones of Another sort live securely and carelesly not so bad as the former but such as look not to God nor set him before their eyes in their deeds Others perform more duties to God but so as they regard not why nor in what maner but rest in the work wrought not casting with themselves how they may do them aright and thereby taking notice as well of their own weakness as Satans malice Others slavishly fear in their misery but in their prosperity regard nothing but their own will These being called out a few there be remaining that truly fear God for which he may justly have an heavy controversie with this Land that after so many happy means so few should be found that truly fear him though many think they do How few keep Gods commandments all alway with delight let every man examine himself carefully by these notes If any be loth and would have a wider sieve truly I can give no wider God hath given me no wider to let Hypocrites Prophane Persons c. scape through I try you but by the Word and by it you must be judged at the last day But for those that do indeed fear God there 's abundant comfort for them they have that which is better then all the world yea Gods mouth pronounceth them blessed Both the quoted Psalms are a storehouses of promises made to such there are others also in Psal. 25 12 14. 34. 9 10. 84. 11. Mal. 3. 16 17. which are duly to be weighed Such as fear God need fear neither Man Death Devils Hell Day of Judgement c. which are indeed the terror of the world only let them be provok'd to fear him more and more for even of Gods children not a few have but a small measure hereof whereby it comes to pass that they hate not sin so heartily in themselves and others as they should neither are such enemies to privy corruptions but that they break out often and so pull many a sorrow and gripe of Conscience upon themselves which more fear of God would have prevented Our often falls argue too little fear as may appear by our small zeal to duties and our little trembling at the Word of God therefore labor we for more that it may be said of us as of Obadiah That we fear God greatly that so we may be preserved from evil Oh this is the keeper of all vertues holding all in good order a watchman indeed to look to our heart if it be there and temptation comes up starts it and says Nay This will keep the heart clean hold out ill set us on to good Means to attain hereunto may be these Let us often set before our eyes our own baseness Gods greatness power and justice with the effects thereof on Adam the old world and others especially do we consider what God hath done for us that so our care and resolution may grow how to please God If this religious awe be in us O how it will keep our lives from innumerable evils and replenish them with all goodness that having finished them well we may come to the Lord in peace at our latter end O if we did consider the unspeakable mercies of God towards us we should see cause enough though there were no hell yet to fear more then death it self to offend God but because our nature is so exceeding lewd and prone to sin its good to think often that that God under whose power we live hates all sin and will not let any go unpunished What cause have we then to grow in the fear of God that have seen his greatness and just displeasure against sin so much every year one punishment or other What cause have we also to fear God that have such experiences of his goodness in 88. when he delivered us from the Spanish Armado and after from the Gun-powder Treason and now of late hath begun to relent towards us and gives us some showers of rain But alas if we will prove our selves by the notes before mentioned it will be evident that most have not the fear of God which is a fearful thing As no better testimony can be given of a man then this that he feareth God as Job and Obadiah so none more
hath not But if it be unchangeable then what shall I do I le never stir and trouble my self but take my pleasure c. for if I shall be damned I shall so be whatsoever I do I le never hear Sermon more while I live for all the Sermons of the world will not help me if I be ordained to Damnation O the folly and falshood of this blinde and desperate rage It s not possible for him that is ordained to life to live as he list If thou give thy self so to do thou hast then indeed a mark to thy self of thy Damnation yea what a desperate wretch is he to resolve himself to live like a reprobate before he know whether he be one or no as if one should run to the gallows and put the rope about his neck before he know whether the Judge hath any purpose to condemn him Again know you not that whom God ordains to the end he ordains also to the means Therefore these must be used As for Gods decree towards you the Preacher knoweth not therefore he must preach and call all to Repentance neither do you know therefore must you hear and follow the revealed will of God and by obeying that you shall in time come to know his secret will We must not live by the secret but by the revealed will of God and we must not stand upon that desperately and blindely at first If I be ordained c. but meekly hear the will of God in his Word which being followed of us it will be in time an Argument that we not are onely no Reprobates but such as are ordained to Salvation But if thou wilt desperately shake off the revealed will and onely run upon the secret and cast off all means that should do thee good and run into sin and means of destruction then thou hast a bad sign of Reprobation Whoso stumbleth at Christ and at the Word and live in disobedience and so continue to the end its certain they are Reprobate and so long as any continueth in that state they can have no other knowledge of themselves Thus of the fourth Verse 9. But ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light NOw he returns to the Believers again and having spoken grievous things of the wicked that they stumbled at Christ and the Word and should perish lest they should be dismaid as if this also might be their case some of them having been very grievous sinners he now endeavors to prevent this their fear But ye saith he are a chosen generation as if he should have said They stumbled because they were ordained to it but you shall stand because you are elected of God Thus he comforts them and reckons up a number of priviledges whereof Gods election was the ground as that they were a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people in all which he opposeth them to the Unbelievers You are a chosen generation they a reprobate rout You a royal priesthood they a prophane and base company You an holy nation they whether Gentiles or Jews an unholy company You a peculiar people they the servants of sin and Satan Then sets down the end of all In general observe we two things 1. That the Apostle not onely divides the people into good and bad and sends the Sheep to their fold the Fox to his den but he speaks exceeding comfortably to the good exceeding terribly to the wicked setting forth the ones happiness and the others misery and so must the Ministers of God do 2. That he delivers the Word so warily that the godly might not be dismaid at the threatnings against the wicked Hence may Ministers learn wisdom to give every one their portion and this is to divide the Word aright to cut and part it not to rend it Thus the Prophets having vehemently threatned by and by lest the godly should be cast down adde comforts and promises When they deliver comforts they must bid the wicked stand off so when they speak of judgements they must so speak that the afflicted in Conscience may not be troubled for people are ready to misapply that they hear Wicked men when they catch hold of the Doctrine of Gods mercy they snatch that which no way belongs to them and for humble ones in affliction of Conscience Oh all terrible things they can apply and they work on them but the promises and comforts they cannot fasten on In particular consider we the priviledges here mentioned and the end of them A chosen generation This is the first priviledge Election is the decree of God whereby in himself and for his own glory he hath unchangeably ordained some men to Salvation and life Eternal Where consider 1. That God before the world hath ordained some men to Salvation This is plain from these Scriptures Luke 10. 20. Eph. 1. 4. Phil. 2. 12. 1 Thess. 5. 9. 2 Thess. 2. 13. His election is compared to a Book and the Lord to a General that books his Soldiers names or a Corporation where they book all the Freemens names Again we see some men be saved therefore were it so decreed for whatsoever is was eternally decreed of God 1. This sets out the infinite love of God to mankinde who might have been glorified in the Damnation of us all 2. This confutes that Opinion That God elected none before the World but that he generally appointed all to be saved alike and therefore gave Christ to dye for all and when any receive grace then God elects them Doth every wise man set down certainly his end before he begin his work and onely the God of Wisdom go uncertainly to work And did Christ lay down his life for any other but his sheep vouchsafeth he intercession for any other nay excludeth he not all others If Christ had dyed for them then they should have been saved for his death is infinitely meritorious If he dyed for any and they not be saved he should miss of his purpose Adam and Christ are two common persons and roots therefore as Adam lost all so Christ restored all They are indeed alike in many respects as namely in this That they communicate to others that which was in themselves Adam sin and death Christ righteousness and life but not to both alike Adam lost all Christ recovered but some Then Adams sin was of more force then Christs death and obedience Not so for its easier to destroy then to build If Christ had saved but one it had argued more force then Adams sin to destroy all A childe can break a glass which all the men in the Town cannot make up again yet the childe hath not more force then they Why then is Christ preached to them Christ must be offered to all
of it as an example to move us to suffer and that patiently but continues his speech of it and sets it out by the ends thereof and the many benefits that come to us thereby 1. That we be thereby delivered from our sin and the punishment thereof 2. Enabled to dye unto sin that we might live unto righteousness Having fallen into this argument he sticks in it and cannot easily get out but is like a friend that holds his friend long by the hand being loath to part with him Who Even Christ himself the Son of God Lord of Angels and of the whole world His own self In his own person not by a Deputy without any help in the business Bare That is suffered the intollerable and infinite wait of Gods wrath due to our sins bare our sins and all that was due to them which would have swallowed up men and Angels Our sins Even the sins of the Elect all of them and the punishment of the same In his own body Not but that he suffered in soul and therein his chiefest sufferings were but because he speaks of his putting to death the cruel usage of his body was evident On the tree Namely the Cross which death he dyed by the especial providence of God being that kinde of death which God had pronounced accursed and so fittest for our Savior Christ to endure that he might bear what we had deserved which was to become accursed that we might escape the curse which we had deserved by the breach of the Law For Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them The foregoing words set forth the passion of Christ. The following That we being dead unto sin c. The fruits that come to us thereby As a childe that hath a piece of Sugar in his mouth is loath to let it go down but would keep the sweetness still so doth our Apostle by the Doctrine of Christs passion so sweet comfortable useful admirable he cannot get out of it but doth as it were dwell on it which teacheth us not to be weary in meditating hereon or hearing hereof it should be stil fresh and new to us as the song of the Saints and Angels though the same yet is ever new The Angels themselves desire to see further into this mystery of Gods love to his Church in giving his Son They saw somewhat by the Prophets some more when he was come especially when crucified and risen again from the dead but most of all when they saw the Gentiles called and the Gospel Preached so plainly by the Apostles yet it s said They be not satisfied but stooping down as it were they pray and desire to see more yet is the benefit more to us then unto them and therefore how much more unwearied should we be Herewith our Apostle was so taken as that he desired to know nothing else but Christ crucified and esteemed all priviledges and advantages that he had of being a Pharisee an Hebrew c. as dung in comparison of Christ The Israelites were often told by the Prophets of their deliverance out of Egypt how much more should we be content to hear of our deliverance through Christ whereof that was but a small resemblance and type But alas how quickly are we weary of this argument Because we have heard often of it it s now stale and people have no more minde to hear it then the Israelites could be contented with the Manna which God allowed them but lusted after other Food As they that go to Sea think it strange and for a day or two admire the wonderful works of God but afterward cease therefrom so do we in this matter though most sweet comfortable admirable and of daily use to make us grow in hatred of sin and love of God and would also be a spur to our dulness But to come to the passion it self It s usually referred to that he suffered on the Cross as here because that was a great part and the most visible to all and the end of all but there were also infinite sufferings before and besides his death His whole life was a continual suffering from his birth to his death from the Manger to the Cross all full of Crosses His abasement to take our nature was much and to become subject to all our infirmities sin only excepted and to be in a poor condition persecuted as soon as born living obscurely with his Parents till about thirty years old in the exercise as is supposed of a mean Trade strange abasement for the Son of God as soon as he entred into his Office and was baptized the Devil set sore on him After this as a recompence to his continual toil and travel for mens Souls and Bodies he was not only content to live in a mean condition without any House of his own c. but he was so vilely railed on and slandered as is set down in the foregoing Verse as none have been more or so much yea as sometimes in policy they sought to entrap him so at other times they laid wait and used means to kill him At last they plotted by one of his own Disciples to take away his life as burning with an irreconcileable hatred against him But ere he was betrayed he entred upon his sufferings in a most grievous maner yea no doubt even before he thought thereof at sundry times which did not a little trouble and perplex him as a woman thinking sometimes of the pains of her travel before they come is set on a sweat and quakes for fear thereof But after he had finisht the Passover and instituted the Supper he knowing that the time of his death approached went into the Mount of Olives and there entred into his most bitter Passion taking with him Peter James and John the beholders of his transfiguration and glory and therefore the fitter to behold his abasement but alas pitying them he left them onely giving them a charge to watch and pray and went from them a stones cast for they were not able to behold his agony nor hear the grievous dolour that he could not but make and then began his pains as of a woman in travel save that they were a thousand times greater he fell on his face grovelling and cryed out His soul was heavy unto the death and was in such an agony that he shed drops of blood a thing never heard of and that through the extream force of his pain O it was the intollerable weight of his Fathers wrath due for all our vile sins which was so grievous as it made him pray to his Father for help and to remove that cup if it might be which was but the frailty of his humane Nature without sin desiring help feeling it self almost swallowed up and having that which would not onely have taken away the bodily life of all men
as well as man he both endured the infinite wrath of God and besides his person was of such infinite worth as gave such value to his sufferings as fully satisfied the justice of God 1. This confutes the Papists who make Christs sufferings imperfect two ways namely by teaching that we our selves must suffer the punishment of our sins hence are all their masses penances pilgrimages alms-deeds and charitable Works to take away the punishment of their sins after Baptism and by their renewing of Christs Sacrifice in the Mass which is as they say a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the quick and dead Their distinction of bloody and unbloody is but a shift 2. This is a wonderful comfort to all Gods children that our debt is so fully dischaarged that there 's nothing remaining for us to suffer Thus of the first The second concerneth the quality of the person which suffered He was that just one the Lamb of God which was undefiled and without spot conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin had he not been such a one he could not have been our Savior Though he was innocent yet were our sins imputed to him and though we have not suffered neither of our selves have Righteousness yet as verily as he had pain and sorrow we shall have mercy and Salvation through him what can be more comfortable Thus of the second The third concerneth the persons for whom he suffered The unjust not the Devil nor Reprobates but for the Elect which yet are by nature unjust and wretched servants of sin and children of wrath as well as others He hath suffered for them that be never so unjust provided they feel their misery and have course unto him for help 1. Then for them that be in great distress for their sins and think they be so many and so great that they cannot or shall not be forgiven let them be comforted Christ came to dye for the unjust to call sinners to repentance to seek and save that which was lost If being weary you will come unto him as he invite you you shall be refreshed Though their sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll Paul was a great sinner yet forgiven 2. Let such as bad as they be yet come to Christ and be truly humbled He came to save such as thou art as Mary Magdalene Zacheus the Jaylor and such others His mercy on them may put thee in hope and provoke thee to seek unto him Thus of the third The fourth Why he suffered for sins for our sins to take them away for they onely are our wo our sins caused all Christs sorrow and his sorrow is our happiness Thus of the fourth The fifth To what end he suffered that he might bring us to God Ever since Adams fall we are gone from God and born strangers nay enemies to God and therefore further and and further off from God and are gone to the Devil indeed Now Christ by his death reconciles us to God and him to us and makes a blessed peace so as we may look up to him as to our Father and come into his presence with comfort He also gives us grace by his holy Spirit to be renewed sanctified and so to do works pleasing unto God and when we dye brings our souls to God as afterwards possesseth both body and soul of Heaven 1. Then how infinitely are we bound to God how welcome should Christ Jesus be to us all One would think all should flock unto him for as none are with God but such as came by him so neither shall there be All that mourn for their sins come to him believe in him and obey him he will bring them to God such as continue in their enmity against God shall for ever be separated from him Many hope to go to God that were never reconciled to him through Christ nor sought after it but it s as possible for a dog for the Devil to enter into Heaven as for us without being reconciled to God by faith in Christ Is it not lamentable that Christ should have so few that enquire and search after him nay that reject him being offered again and again 2. How welcome faithful Ministers should be to the world The worst hurt we wish you is but to bring you to God we are appointed Christs instruments herein we must Preach him and perswade you to embrace and believe in him by whom you may be brought unto God we have a worthy task and work and so must not either be idle or by false teaching and wicked living drive you from Christ but be faithful that your Salvation may be our Crown yet of all persons and kindes of people the world thinks we may be best spared and are unto most of all others most unwelcome But not alone Ministers but even every private man must help men to God as much as he can They that by vile counsel bad example or otherwise drive men from him are not Christs but the Devils instruments and Factors Thus of Christs sufferings Being put to death in the flesh This clause concerneth his death as the following his resurrection He was put to death concerning his Humane nature for as for his Godhead it could not dye and he was quickned and raised again by his Divinity and Godhead By flesh is meant his whole Humane Nature as in the following By Spirit his Divine Nature Our Savior suffered not onely in body and soul things intollerable but he also dyed gave up the ghost as all the Evangelists set down and other Scriptures testifie as they also that speak of Christs blood of his offering himself a Sacrifice for our sins of his bearing our sins on his Body on the Tree and the like This was prefigured of all the Sacrifices of the Old Law The Prophets also foretold that he should be slain Neither could it have been otherwise or otherwise he been a Savior for us for our sins deserved death and God had pronounced that death should be the reward thereof This his death was voluntary accursed as we had deserved it for our sins and for a common good Which meets with that wicked opinion of the Jews that neither think it voluntary nor that it is a propitiatory Sacrifice for sin as it is indeed and wherein our happiness lyeth and without which we must all have perished for ever The benefits ensuing to us hereby are divers 1. We are delivered hereby from all kindes of evil from the first and second death and all forerunners of both and from our sins the cause of all It s the blood of Christ that cleanseth all our sins So from all Spiritual enemies See Luke 1. 71 74. Col. 2. 15. Heb. 2. 14. 1 John 3. 8. So from the second death Rom.
company ibid. 7. The sending of commendations how useful it is ibid. 8. The preaching of the Word the instrument of Regeneration 694 9. Ministers must love their People as their Children ibid. 10. People must love their Ministers as their Fathers 695 Verse 14. 1. IT s needful that where love is it should be continued 696 2. Christians should salute one another ibid. 3. The ancient maner of saluting among the Jews 697 4. Our saluting one another must be in love ibid. 5. Hinderances of Love 698 6. What meant by Peace ibid. 7. Outward blessings may lawfully be desired and how 698 8. Christ is the fountain of all peace 699 9. Respect is to be had of all Gods people 701 10. The near union between Christ and true Christians ibid. 11. Fervency of Affection and Faith requisite in Prayer ibid. ERRATA In the margent PAge 57. line 4 for inherit read merit page 114. for Iohn 4. read Iohn 8. p. 357. l. 14. for hated of r. haters p. 582. l. 7. for above r. about p. 475. l. 19. adde may before do Words to be amended Page 40. line 15. for scourge read scour p. 46. l. 45. for them read thee p. 56. l. 47. for in r. it p. 57. l. 31. for it r. as p. 66. l. 15. for with r. which p. 149. l. 40. for grace r. disgrace p. 160. l. 3. for conversation r. conversion p. 173. l. 39. for of r. as p. 191. l. 40. for to r. doth p. 202. l. 5. for no r. an p. 218. l. 43. for chief r. Church p. 228. l. 30. for we r. he p. 253. l. 11. for of r. to p. 258. l. 6. for the r. they p. 266. l. 7. for Cod r. God p. 272. l. 18. for of r. as p. 274. l. 33. for calling r. called p. 294. l. 40. for the r. their p. 305. l. 48. for wrath r. word p. 350. l. 19. for them r. him p. 360. l. 1. for our r. one p. 363. l. 4. for from r. for p. 400 l. 37. for out r. one p. 410. l. 45. for unequal r. equal p. 417. l. 26. for discharge r. disgrace p. 419. l. 30. for swin r. swim p. 428. l. 30. for good good r. good for p. 453. l. 10. for mans r. many p. 455. l. 7. for short r. store p. 495. l. 43. for course r. recourse p. 495. l. 34. for in r. then p. 497. l. 33. for Son r. Sun p. 507. l. 31. for up r. upon p. 515. l. 36. for one r. our p. 527. l. 41. for he r. we p. 615. l. 44. for fleet r. fleece p. 630. l. 9. for throne r. thorn p. 640. l. 12. for uses r. verses p. 641. l. 24. for world r. word p. 643. l. 43. for which r. with p 619. l. 29. for of r. so p. 661. l. 20. for partly r. party p. 669. l. 5. for trust r. distrust p. 677. l. 8. for of r. in p. 700. l. 3. for them r. they A Godly and Fruitful EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. PETER THe general scope and intent of this Epistle is To confirm those Christian Jews whom he had procured to the Faith by his Ministery that they might persevere in the same to the end notwithstanding any troubles they should meet with for the same More particularly he layeth before them The wonderful riches of Gods mercies vouchsafed them in Christ Jesus by his Death and Resurrection whereby they were recovered out of their woful estate by sin and brought to an happy and blessed condition even Salvation through him Hereunto he exhorteth them constantly to cleave and not to suffer themselves to be withdrawn therefrom by any means as also that they would walk worthy so great mercy in an holy life and conversation both in the general duties of Christianity and the particular duties of their special Callings and that they would so do notwithstanding any troubles they should meet withal for the same The parts of this Epistle are two 1. The Preface in the first two Verses of the first Chapter 2. The Substance of the Epistle in the following Verses and Chapters to the end This containeth Doctrine and Exhortation Doctrine from the Third Verse of the first Chapter unto the Thirteenth of the same Exhortations in all the rest of the Chapters and Verses and they be of two kindes 1. Unto general Duties belonging unto all Christians 2. Unto special to several sorts of men and women according to their special Callings CHAP. I. Verse 1. Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ to the Strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia Ver. 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Grace unto you and Peace be multiplied THese verses contain the Preface in which two things 1. An Inscription 2. The Salutation In the former we have a description 1. Of the person writing and that both by his Name Peter and by his Office An Apostle of Jesus Christ. 2. Of the parties to whom he doth write and that both by their outward state to the World-ward viz. Strangers scattered up and down in strange Countreys namely Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia and by their estate to God-ward viz. Parties belonging to salvation which he sets forth by the causes thereof and degrees namely 1. Their Election 2. Sanctification 3. Redemption by the obedience of Christ Jesus which shewed it self in his shedding his blood for them In the latter a brief but pithy Prayer to God for his favor as the fountain from whence all happiness was to be bestowed yea multiplied upon them Peter Three Names are given unto this our Apostle in Scripture 1. Simeon of Simon that he had at his Circumcision 2. Cephas by interpretation a Stone which our Saviour Christ gave him at his calling thereby signifying what he meant to do for him namely to make him a stout defender of the Faith on the behalf whereof though he was born of Parents of small note he proved one of notable courage This is in the Chaldee or Syriack tongue 3. Peter which in Greek is all one with the former so that these two Names were in effect but one In his second Epistle he names himself Simon Peter Here learn 1. Christs kindeness to Peter in giving him a Name to assure him of some grace which he would bestow upon him Though we cannot do so yet it behoves us to give our Children such names as may edifie them and put them in minde of some good thing either to imitate some good man or woman whose Name they bear or else to follow some good that the Name puts them in minde of 2. In that he puts his Name to his Epistle he shews his godliness and innocency which makes him bold for Truth may be blamed but cannot be shamed Contrary to many Hereticks and false
Angels were unable to help us herein This hath Christ done for us and that fully the dignity of his person being such that he is both God and Mâ—n in one person Of this the blood of the lamb sprinkled on the Israelites houses was a sign all Sacrifices tended hereunto our Sacraments point thereat all Scripture layeth our Salvation in the Cross Blood and Sufferings of Christ. Here see 1. An admirable mixture of Justice and Mercy so that God is not all mercy as the world imagines Therefore for prophane impenitent ones they shall bear the just wrath of God themselves and not by every late forced Lord have mercy have God at command as they imagine For if Christ was feign to suffer and the Father would not be intreated notwithstanding his strong cries but when he stood as our Surety laid on load and spared him not at all shall his prophane enemies think to escape as they list 2. Gods infinite mercy to mankinde to appoint a way to save some of them whereas no Angel that fell shall be saved 3. It sets out the depth of our misery therefore they that are still in it have no small piece of work to bring to pass 4. It teacheth us how to esteem of sin as being of that weight that nothing but the blood of Christ will satisfie for it 5. Its sets out the infinite and unspeakable love of God to give us his Son and of Christ to give himself seeing no less means would serve Who can sufficiently either admire or express the same 6. Here 's matter of endless consolation to all troubled sinners when Satan and the terrors of Conscience shall pursue them to flie to Christ Jesus and his sufferings This is their Castle their quietus est send Satan to thy Surety all is fully discharged in his death But this is only for humble bleeding sinners that turn to God with all their hearts but as for proud persons that live still in their lusts what have these to do to talk of Christs death yet have these it in readiness Christ hath died for us What for such prophane ones as make his death a packhorse and lay on more load which is to crucifie Christ again No let these know they shall bear the burthen of their own sins but let the true penitent be of good comfort and know that all his sins how great soever be done away Neither let such think that their afflictions are any part of the punishment of sin for it is all done away once in Christ and therefore shall not again be demanded of them but they are loving chastisements to humble them for their sins past and prevent others for the time to come both furthering their Salvation 7. For all that know they have their part in Christs death how should this work with them 1. For sin past it should vex and grieve our hearts for we were the Crucifiers of Christ Judas the Soldiers and Jews but our Servants whom our sins set on work It 's our great fault that we can think of our sins without being humbled shall Christ shed tears of blood for our sins and we not be troubled for our own 2. This should make us hate sin for ever being as it were the knife and spear that killed Christ what father could ever love that knife that should kill his childe 3. How should this inflame our hearts with love to him again and carry us on in a zealous care of obedience all our days our woful coldness in Christs cause and service deserves to be rebuked Alas how little will we do for his sake we ought to be ready to leave Goods Liberty and Life for him we should herein but do as he hath done for us yea who began thus to do for us when we were even his enemies How much more any other thing And may not this stop the mouths of all prophane persons which will be talking they hope to be saved by Christ when they shew no love nor thankfulness to him but live yet in their sins to anger him 8. An exclusion of all feigned and false satisfactions of mens own devising whereof the Church of Rome is full which would strike in for a part with the merit of Christs death which makes a great stir about the Cross when in the mean time they make void its efficacy Sprinkling c. By this word he alludeth to the sacrifices of the Law which all pointed at the sacrifice of Christ and to shew that as it had been nothing that a sacrifice had been killed unless the blood thereof had been sprinkled upon the people for so was the maner so it avails us nothing that Christ died unless his blood be sprinkled on us by the hand of a true faith applying Christ Jesus to our Consciences It s not Christ that saves but Christs death apprehended by a true and lively faith for a particular perswasion hereof are we to labor Here also in this verse is an excellent proof of the holy Trinity three persons and one God which is so to be worshipped all that do otherwise worship an Idol and not the true God Again observe That Election is attributed to the Father Redemption to the Son Sanctification to the Holy Ghost It 's not but that they be the common works of the whole Trinity as all the works of God towards the Creatures are in which respect Sanctification is also attributed to the Father but because of their immediate working The Father elected in the Son and by the Holy Ghost Father Son and Holy Ghost elected The Son is the immediate worker of our Redemption he shed his blood as the Holy Ghost the immediate worker of Sanctification Grace unto you and Peace be multiplied The usual salutation of the Jews asking the favor of God as the root and peace that is all happiness as that which flows from thence for so by peace the Jews meant Peace be with you Peace be to this house c. Hence note 1. That we should seek the favor of God as that which draweth on other things yea all things for in love is no lack Men may have other things without this but they will have an ill farewel as they that have possession but no right title to that which they possess 2. What a Minister should chiefly desire for his people even that they may be brought into Gods favor by Christ have their sins forgiven Christ made theirs and they assured thereof with so much prosperity as may stand with happiness So Husbands and Wives each for other So also Parents for their Children The favor and grace of God is the principal and root of all good Men may have abundance of outward things but if they flow not from Gods love they will have a hard farewel This brings sufficiency In his favor is life yea this were sufficient if it came alone but in
strictly meant that grace of hope which proceeds from Faith which is that whereby we wait patiently for that which by Faith we believe but it s here meant of both faith and hope even assurance of Salvation Hereunto saith he they were begot again Whence note That We have not the assurance of Salvation of our selves by nature or by our first begetting no by nature we are the children of wrath enemies to God dead in sins and trespasses having no hope and without God in the world Nay to have Faith and hope of Salvation is the onely work of God as our Savior unto Peter upon his confession of him Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in Heaven So may we affirm about this particular See to this purpose Joh. 6. 29. Acts 16. 14. Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Heb. 12. 2. The titles given unto Faith shew as much as precious Faith the Faith of Gods elect most holy Faith have we any such thing in our selves The means whereby he works this Faith are 1. The outward Ministery of the Word 2. The inward working of Gods Spirit preparing us by the Law then working it by the promises of the Gospel Father Son and Holy Ghost work Faith God that brings light out of darkness made all of nothing and raiseth up the dead to life he only works Faith in us and puts life into these dead hearts of ours it s a great work of God that we can do nothing toward it To be humbled truly in the sight of our sins is a great work hardly brought to pass yet this no part of Faith but a preparation Then when we see them it s a great work of God that we are not swallowed up of desperation but that God upholds and works by the Gospel longing after mercy and so by degrees gives power to apply it many that long seek and cannot lay hold or having yet quickly let go finde faith a great work of God What shall we say then to the hope that 's so common in the world almost at every hand Go through a Parish and you shall finde few but hope to do well to be saved making no doubt of it having no fears asking no questions about it yea thank God they have been of this perswasion ever since they can remember Surely this is but a false hope a presumptuous conceit of their own heads without ground or bottom in Gods word an illusion wherewith the Devil seeks to undo them getting them to bear themselves fair in hand that they might not be troubled till wrath overtake them without help yea it may appear they are not begotten again to it for being asked how long it hath been thus with them they thank God they have ever been of a good belief and they have no ground for it but because God's a merciful God c. not considering that God is as Just as Merciful and that his justice must first be satisfied ere he can shew any mercy Besides they cannot say it hath been wrought as God worketh Faith in his viz. First he humbles and brings to the Gates of Hell and then lifts up this is not with them They also cannot say nor remember when it was wrought nor how they came by it nor that it hath been otherwise with them at any time Besides true Faith purifieth the heart and he that hath it purgeth himself as he is pure which is not in them but they abide in their sins at least in the love of some and have no Faith for outward things but use unconscionable shifts Therefore whereas true hope makes not ashamed but in the needful time and great day will make men lift up their heads with joy this will be like Aegypt a deceitful and broken Reed to lay them under feet that do trust to it Contrarily know we that Faith and Hope are not so easily gotten they must be wrought from Heaven herein both Father Son and Holy Ghost must joyn therefore wofully do they deceive themselves that trust to any blinde conceit in stead of the true work of God as they do desperately that put off Conversion and Faith till the latter end as if they had them at command we must in time labor for this true work of grace But if any can prove themselves begotten truly to this hope they have great cause of thanksgiving whereinto the Apostle here breaks out Oh what a thing is it not only to give his only Son to the death for us but to reveal it to us in his word and thereby to assure us that we have our part in the same and we poor sinners may come to know our sins forgiven and that we shall be saved Oh unspeakable favor I What is like this Or what can make a man miserable that hath this prize we this as a Jewel nourish we it by all good means especially by keeping a good Conscience rejoyce in it as being of more worth then all the world let not a few wants or afflictions daunt us or take away this joy It 's a fault in Christians that they will be heavy if they want something they would have Oh! Is it not enough that God loves thee Again a little cross casts us down and quells us as if we had nothing to comfort us Oh no earthly thing should daunt us while we know this He that said I could be content to lie as a fire-block in Hell till the day of Judgement so I might be sure to be saved then would have been glad of assurance in this life though with many crosses If any have not yet this hope let them give no rest to themselves till they have attained it there 's no peace without it Sin lieth at the door a wounded conscience will arrest us though we may still it for a season pacifie it we cannot till our sin be taken away and forgiven Assuredly their estate is most dangerous which neither have it nor seek after it A lively hope so called not only for that it is the hope of life but because it doth exceedingly cheer and comfort the heart of him that hath is and puts more life into him then any other thing can do Herein it is opposed against all other vain hopes of the world in outward and transitory things which yield no sound contentment to them that have their part deepest in them Herein also from the forged hope of Salvation that the world fain to themselves which also hath no life in it no heartning in it But true Faith and hope do exceedingly revive the heart which before was dead without any true comfort yea being stung by the Law and so full of terror and discomfort joy and gladness comes from perswasion of pardon Neither comforts this only in prosperity when the world can be merry but even in adversity and trouble when they
light and be a peculiar people to him zealous of good works walking worthy of the Lord which is by pleasing him in all things we must be ravished with zeal towards him as he hath been for our good The zeal of the Lord of Hostes hath done it Oh how this rebuketh the scant duty that God hath from us again We receive abundant mercy but return poor sparing obedience what slender zeal in Prayer or works of mercy How quickly are we weary of well-doing What small things will we stick at to God that stuck at nothing to us If he should call us to part with our Goods Country Liberty it were no more then Christ did for us yea if to dye did not he even dye for us It teacheth us also to shew mercy one to another in giving forgiving and the like herein the Lord himself going before us as a patern of imitation It sheweth also the miserableness of our estate that without abundant mercy we can never be saved therefore must we seek for it earnestly and betimes as becometh those that need such an infinite thing which condemns the notable carelesness and desperate boldness and presumption of the World that put off seeking for mercy till the latter end as if they had it at command But do they think abundant mercy is so easily gotten Many have not found it so nay they shall with Esau howl for the blessing and go without it because they despised it when it was so often offered The foolish Virgins sought to enter in when it was too late By the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead The means whereby we are begotten to this hope namely the Spirits assuring that Christ Jesus is risen for us and giving us power through his resurrection to rise to newness of life The benefits that come to us by Christs resurrection are many 1. We are hereby assured that he hath fully paid our debt and discharged all for if one sin had remained unsatisfied for the justice of God could not have suffered him to have risen again 2. Hereby we receive power to rise to newness of life 3. Hereby we are assured of the resurrection of our bodies at the last day The same power that did the one shall be able to do the other The head being risen will draw all the members after it We should therefore often meditate on our Saviour Christs resurrection and the benefits thereof especially on the Lords-day the day whereon he rose again by which very day we are put in minde thereof and among other things we must labor by Faith to draw vertue from his resurrection whereby we may be more and more enabled to walk in newness of life for as our Regeneration hath two parts a dying unto sin and rising to newness of life so have these two springs Christs death and his resurrection Verse 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that faâ—eth not away reserved in Heaven for you HEre he explains what we are called to namely the lively hope of the Kingdom of Heaven which as it is here termed an Inheritance so is it in the next verse Salvation This is called an inheritance to shew us the nature of it being also described by sundry properties under divers-phrases as if no words could sufficiently express the same Those shew the perpetuity and purity thereof as also how we shall come by it it s reserved for us but where in Heaven where it s out of danger but how shall we come to it being here on earth among many dangers We are kept for it and that by a mighty hand even the power of God by the mean of Faith kept I say unto this Salvation prepared long ago and which shall be shewed us in the fulness of it even at Christs second coming An inheritance Therefore no purchase no wages of a servant but an inheritance given by a Father to his son not such as many heirs have entailed or as any natural son which hath it by a kinde of right after his father but an inheritance of Adopted children taken in as the childe of a Traytor nay a Traytor himself and so made heirs then which what can be freer This is said to be given and what 's freer then gift This serves to confute not onely the gross Opinion of Papists that we God setting us forward and helping us can do such things as whereby we can merit Heaven and Salvation but that which is more nice is of those which say that we have no good of our selves but that it s wrought in us by God alone yet now look for Salvation by their Holiness and Sanctification No God forbid for our Sanctification being imperfect God might justly condemn us for it and count our works a polluting of his grace therefore David saith No flesh before nor after grace can be justified in thy sight not onely by nothing of our own but by nothing that God worketh in us What differ these men from the proud Pharisee he attributed his holiness not to himself but to God and thankt him for it but he thought this would merit that he was not so and so as others and challenge something at the hand of God and therefore was rejected True it is God not onely disproveth not but liketh and accepteth of our works though unperfect yea crowns and rewards his own grace in us yet not for the worthiness of the work but for the persons sake that is in his favor by Jesus Christ whose perfect righteousness is imputed to make a supply of our imperfections and wants Seeing therefore it is an inheritance every way free bestowed upon us onely by right of Adoption in Jesus Christ which by his grace he hath called us unto let us so acknowledge it to the glory of God and like Adopted children love our Father fear him be zealous for his glory and take his part Incorruptible c. Now he describes it rather setting down what it is not then what it is which no tongue can express it is without end perpetual called therefore everlasting life Life for the excellency Everlasting for the continuance God endures for ever and ever so the happiness of his servants no death there to deprive us of it or take us from it no sin there to provoke God to take it from us it abides firm for ever it cannot be moved All earthly inheritances are subject to decay liable to a thousand perils alterations and troubles they may be taken from us and we from them by death How were the Canaanites put out and the Israelites succeeded in their places How did the Chaldeans displace them as themselves were by the Medes and Persians These things below are the meat that perisheth uncertain riches a treasure which moth and canker corrupt and whereto theeves may break in and steal whereof
in the way to it will he now disappoint thee No assuredly If he would not have saved thee he would have let thee alone as thy companions and many others and never have done this for thee O but the Devil is so strong and subtile and I so weak and simple He that hath pluckt thee out of his hands will never suffer him to get thee captive again It were else a disgrace to Christ Except therefore he be stronger then God and Christ thou needest not fear At the revelation of Jesus Christ. He plucks these Jews from Moses Law and the Ceremonies which were out of date but they could hardly be so perswaded and brings them to the Gospel which discovers Christ He was in that Law covered with Vails of Sacrifices and Ceremonies c. All these be done away in the Gospel where Christ is laid open without any covering Note We have the excellency of the Gospel that doth uncover and lay open Christ Jesus unto us brings us tidings of him who is the Way the Truth and the Life and the onely Savior of the world So that the Gospel is the glory of the World The Sun is not so necessary in the Firmament as the Gospel is to the world This teacheth us Christ which is life eternal and St. Paul desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified and counted all dung for the excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord O how welcome should this be It is well called glad tidings so it is indeed The Gospel is our pardon If we should finde evidences of great Lands and Inheritances to come to us or a Will wherein were bequeathed great Legacies to us how glad would we be of the same How often would we revise and read them over The Gospel brings us tidings and tells us the way to come to an everlasting inheritance and therein are bequeathed such blessed Legacies Item I give thee forgiveness of thy sins by my Sons death Item Eternal life by his obedience Item I give thee assurance that thou shalt be raised here from sin and that thy body shall be raised at the last day by my Sons Resurrection Item I give thee assurance of a place in Heaven by my Sons Ascension 1. Is it not a marvel then that the Gospel is so hardly entertained and that the World cares so little for it It s welcome to most people not as if it brought them news of a blessing but as if it would spoil them of all they have 2. How should they that want it be set on work to labor to get it as without which there 's no Salvation Its light food armor without which darkness famine spoil If the Sun should be wanting to a Town and could be procured how would all joyn to get it Or rain for a dry and barren ground who would not wonder at any that should be against it yet who joyns who labors for the Gospel 3. If the Gospel be the revelation of Jesus Christ then are the Ministers revealers of this blessed Secret therefore worthy to be acknowledged for their works sake for the greatness of their work and the excellency thereof Pharaoh reverenced and advanced Joseph for smaller matters O how beautiful are the feet of such Most people either rate them or at least set light by them not reverencing their calling but esteeming them more base then the meanest Tradesman But that grieves us not so much as that unkindeness that we meet with from them from whom we look for most comfort and encouragement Verse 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance TO Faith he addeth Repentance and Sanctification by the one to testifie the other as in the second Epistle he wills them to adde unto their Faith vertue as if he should say You that sometimes were the Children of wrath and are now by grace made Gods Children walk obediently as becomes such a mercy This Sanctification hath two parts and stands 1. In renouncing evil or the lusts which before grace we were wont to be led by 2. In putting on and embracing holiness of life that we may resemble the disposition of our Father who is holy and looks for holiness in his yea holiness in all maner of conversation For the order first goes Faith then Obedience and Sanctification for as the light and Sun-beams comes from the Sun a river from the Spring head fruit from the tree so doth obedience from Faith Till a man be pardoned and believe he cannot repent nor obey the will of God no more then a dead stick can bring forth fruit When by Faith we are ingrafted into Christ then we receive power not before one that hath never been humbled aright for sin cannot hate and flie from sin as he should He that seeth not the love of God to him cannot love God nor set upon a good life to deny his lusts being as dear as his life and to yield obedience is irksom to nature for this cause the Devil is such an enemy to our Faith and labors to shake it for then he knows he damps our care of a good life 1. This condemns Papists that boast of holiness of life and yet overthrow the foundation of it viz. A true justifying faith They may stir up good moods and a blinde devotion by scaring men with the pains of hell and telling them of the joys of heaven but no sound Obedience godly Life renouncing Lusts c. without the work of Faith from that will be Obedience even to suffering 2. It confutes them that think Repentance is before Faith they are indeed wrought at once and Repentance sheweth it self first but in order of nature Faith is as the root Many humble souls hold off and dare not believe O say they if I could repent so heartily as I see some and could serve God as I would then I could believe 3. It teacheth men that if ever they will set upon a good life indeed and in time they must begin at the right end and lay a foundation of true justifying faith for want of this many deceive themselves that have some purpose to do well being afflicted or somewhat stirred at the Word and fall out of a bad course to leave this and that evil or take up good duties and many that never had experience of the work of Faith that think they live well or some that upon some occasion thus promise You shall never hear me swear more I le never play more Never come in an Alehouse yet this lasts not but they fal to their old byase by and by because they took not the right course Many also purpose to repent and do great matters but this is a greater matter then the world thinks off a man must first be the childe of God ere he can obey and Faith must be wrought first ere he can
can neither take it away nor pay for it we ought to be the more careful but O Lord men commit sin as if an half peny would satisfie for it nay a straw under their feet Thus do many rap out oathes others talk ribaldry others lye others rail curse backbite c. The devil thinks nay he knows he doth us a greater spight to make us sin then to pluck away all that we have see this in his dealing with Job he desired to spoil him of his goods Why because he hoped thereby to bring him to blaspheme God and its true he doth us more mischief by bringing us to commit one sin then by stripping us of all the estate we have O do not that which when done all the world cannot make amends for But what are these things what 's their nature and quality they are corruptible things vain uncertain of no continuance fire consumeth houses water wares death cattel land is subject to barrenness to bad titles wranglings enemies all these outward things sick of a consumption They may hold out for a time but at length perish nay our selves and our own lives as frail as any thing a bubble a shadow a vapor as we heard larely yea the very heavens shall pass away 1. Therefore be not proud of these things alas they be gifts of Gods left hand common to the bad and good also they have eagles wings and are uncertain And yet how do these things lift up mens mindes and make them contemn their brethren and so lordly that they are not fit to be spoke too froward contentious c. there 's little cause they should so do but rather make them the more humble for the more a man hath the greater account he is to make If of any thing be proud of grace yet not of that and disdain not a poor Christian for though he have no wealth yet if he have more grace then thou hast he is the better man I mean in the sight of God who therefore is not to be contemned for his poverty 2. Trust not in them let them not be thy strong city hereof Job particularly acquits himself and so should we 3. Esteem of riches accordingly and seek them in their place To this purpose peruse Matth. 6. 19 20 33. John 2. 15 16 17 6. 27. 4. This condemns the common sort that seek after nothing else as if there were no other heaven nor other end of mans being here Multitudes seek after them by right and wrong yea the most unlawful and vile courses Others not so openly evil yet so seek these things as regarding them more then that one thing that is needful being so addicted hereto that in the whole day they cannot spare one quarter of an hour for prayer in their family so in the whole week no leisure to break off and hear a Sermon nay Sabbath and all onely coming to Church and some scarcely that but will lose as little time as they can for they will talk of the world till they come to the Church door and in many places in the very Church and as soon as they are out again to it again With them every little time for God and the Soul is too much no time for the world enough every small measure of knowledge a shadow of any thing in that kinde is much but much of the world seems yet small Mammon is much beholding to them God and their Soul but a little therein they are wise and have tongue enough in such things none at all in heavenly matters and so they bring up their children and so match them Thus they set the cart before the horse and speed in their souls accordingly yet is one dram of Faith Repentance Knowledge worth all the silver and gold in the world Yea it s not onely the fault of the common sort that they see no better things but even of Gods children that have the substance and yet will be catching at the shadow so did not Abraham Isaac and Jacob they dwelt in Tents and counted themselves Pilgrims neither regarded Moses the pleasures of Egypt But with the precious blood of Christ Here 's the true price of our Redemption It s true we are redeemed by the whole course of Christs obedience which he performed from his birth to his death but it s ascribed here particularly to his death and suffering being the principal part of his obedience whereby he satisfied Gods justice for our sins by his blood is here meant all his sufferings from his beginning and that not onely visible from men in his body but the inward terrors of God upon his Soul yea and death it self and no less payment would serve the turn for us for by our sin we had deserved death of body and Soul the first and second Therefore blood must be shed death must be paid else Gods justice cannot be satisfied well be it so Would not then the death of some Saints have done the turn All men are inwrapped in one and the same Condemnation unable to help themselves much less others Neither could the very Angels help us for having sinned against an infinite God we deserved an infinite punishment which being finite we could never overcome therefore it must be blood of Jesus Christ his that was both man that he might suffer and as mans nature had offended therein give satisfaction and God that he might make his sufferings of infinite worth and value and that he might overcome the same therefore it is called Precious by reason of the hypostatical union of the Divine Nature therewith and so was the blood of that man that was God and so after a sort the blood of God Hence he is called The Lord of life and glory and said to have purchased the Church with his blood No less would have served the turn so precious is the work of our Redemption and our estate before so miserably woful This was plainly prophesied Other way of Redemption there was none in the world neither is there Salvation in any other He is the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world He is the same yesterday and to day and for ever This was signified by the Sacrifices of the old Law which were types hereof and this indeed is an All-sufficient way He is the surety that hath paid our debt satisfied the creditor and freed us by whom we are discharged from all the wrath of God that we had deserved But how could he in so short a time dispatch that which was infinite and we should have lien under for ever Because he was God It was more that he should suffer for a moment then all men and Angels for ever As a rich man is able to pay that debt in an instant that a poor man can never be able to winde out of
2. It teacheth us also to be constant in all our good purposes Hell is full of purposes Heaven of performances How many good purposes in sickness after the Word before the Sacrament c. have we which prove as blossoms without fruit 2. The constancy of Gods promises they be Yea and Amen no length of time can make him break a promise as this of sending Christ into the world as neither the unworthiness of men The Israelites as wretched as might be yet they could not make him break promise with Abraham to give them Canaan one would think he should cut them off in the mid-way but he had respect to his Name This was the cause that Gods Servants were always glad of a promise as Nehemiah So are his threatnings as that with Adam and Eve though then there were no more upon the earth So even with our Lord Jesus himself that innocent Lamb of God yet standing as our Surety God spared him not but according to the threatning of death gave him to dye notwithstanding of his prayers and strong cryes he abated nothing but laid it on him to the uttermost 1. Here 's a comfort to Gods people finde out apply and hold fast the promises in all our necessities Stand upon them on any one one of them as upon an unmoveable foundation God cannot fail who ever trusted in him and was confounded Happy is the man that trusteth in him 2. Let the wicked know how small account soever they make now of the Lords threatnings they shall finde them too true for them And if the Lord Jesus the innocent Son of God the Surety found it shall those horrible monsters that shake off all care of God and goodness think to scape free and finde his Word loose No though they bare themselves upon late repentance In these last times Christ was not exhibited till after Four thousand years of the world and why not before or all this while because God decreed it to be no sooner why decreed he it to be no sooner because he would not If any go yet further and ask why he would not this is Presumption and curious Pride we must not ask a reason further then the will of God where none is revealed God determined as we shall see after to bestow a greater priviledge on the last age of the world then on the former and who should question him for the same This then was the time which God in his counsel had appointed which is called by the Apostle the fulness of time when all time was run out that was to be before then he came so that he could not possibly have comed any sooner nor tarried any longer If we respect the Power of God simply he could have sent him sooner but if Gods Decree he could come no sooner even as Christs bones could not be broken in respect of Gods Decree though the nature of them was as other mens subject to be broken Nor could Christ have lived longer in the world in respect of Gods Decree though he might by the course of nature and strength of body continued many years Note we then from hence that What God hath decreed as he will effect so will he do in the due and appointed time whomsoever he hath chosen he will call every one in their time yet after Peter writes to the Christians scattered in those places what is this but that the time of their calling was not yet come which afterward was fulfilled At the first sending out of the Apostles they were forbid to go into the way of the Gentiles but afterwards and that upon the forementioned ground bid to Preach to all Nations So the Jews shall be called but when when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be come in Some were called into the Vineyard to work at one hour some at another 1. This may teach us being truly called and our time come highly to praise God 2. And for those that yet be behinde be not out of hope wait still use the means c. and when God sends the means hope the time is coming who knoweth whether God hath not some Elect among the Indians that he will send means unto which they have hitherto wanted and so call them to the knowledge of Christ Jesus The like may be said of particular persons But let none hence cast off care and say my time is not yet come wherein I shall be called and so neglect the Word and live badly but let such use the means with all speed to day while it s called to day The longer any goeth on uncalled it s the more dangerous sign of no Election of God 3. Here see the reason why many a good Prayer and good Enterprize taketh not effect by and by but the wicked prevail even because the time is not yet come Further observe three differences of times Before the Law Under the Law and After the Law or after the manifestation of Christ Why is this last called The last times A. They be so in comparison of former times and these from Christ onward are the next before the end of the world when there shall be no more time God will never speak to his Church after any other maner he will make no new Covenant no new Gospel Religion maner of Worship Sacraments Faith but hath revealed all his will to us in his Son Christ Jesus he will never alter his course we have all that ever we may look for here on earth nothing can be more clear This condemneth the Turks which look for their Mahomet and the Jews which look for I know not what Messiah and Lordly Savior The Papists also being belike ashamed of what God hath revealed in his Gospel patch together an infinite number of mens inventions so that their Religion is as a beggars cloak full of pieces of divers colours set on at divers times These being termed the last times because they be the immediate times before the Worlds end it followeth that having been so ever since the Apostles we live in the latter end of the last times 1. Here 's comfort to Gods people that the last day is so near which therefore they may wait for with patience 2. Terror to the wicked that think it will not come because defer'd and so many hundred years it hath been called the last time but God is not slack but patient for his Elects sake that yet are behinde If it had come one hundred years ago we had been prevented But a thousand years are but as one day with the Lord and it will surely come and that too soon to the wicked who shall feel the terror thereof For you The Reason of Christs coming thus towards the end of the world because God had appointed to do a greater favor to the last age not but that those
the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever THis duty of love is of such use and we so untoward to it and so hard a thing for us to love as we ought that it s urged with a Reason True it is so and no more then needs for the spirit that is in us lusteth after envy The Reason is taken from the grace of Regeneration bestowed upon them They were born again and therefore were to shew the fruits thereof as in other things so in this of love Where might be noted 1. That such as are not born again cannot love no more then men can gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles or pour Wine out of a Bottle full of Vinegar but as Grapes are gathered of the Vine so must love come from a Regenerate man not otherwise 2. That the Regenerate man must needs love therefore they that declare no love but hate their Brethren the people of God especially shew they be not born again nor of God But I proceed to the words Being born again Here 's occasion offered to speak of the grace of Regeneration Touching it consider briefly these particulars 1. What it is to be born again It s to be made new creatures to be cast in a new mold to have the corrupt Image of Sin which we have by Nature and wherein we were conceived and born put off throughout and the contrary good one wherein we were at the first created put on to have the understanding enlightned with distinct knowledge of God the heart bowed to the obedience of God c. new thoughts desires speeches actions In the new Creature all things must become new Thus it s done to all that were elect before the foundation of the world They are changed up and down from a good state by Creation to a bad in Adam from thence to a good one in Christ by grace here in expectation of glory hereafter For the wicked they are changed from good to bad and there remain the same but still worse and worse for ever we should give God thanks that made us so good at first be humbled to see our base and woful state now and seeing there is help never to be quiet till we recover our first condition 2. That the Lord is the Author hereof he takes away the stony heart and gives a new heart an heart of flesh It s his work onely nor Man or Angel can change the heart to work a deadly hatred of that which by nature we love as our lives and to love and take delight in those courses duties companies which sometimes were as a Prison Alas the best Paul and Apollos cannot often even of their Children or very Friends not a few remain unconverted though haply in the mean time God bless their labors to convert many others Yea if an Angel should take a man and carry him to Heaven and shew him the Joys thereof and thence to Hell and shew him the Torments thereof yet this would not convert him neither all Mercies Afflictions or Plagues of Egypt It s a great work of God and so great as if all things were not possible to him he could not do it It s a greater work then the Creation of the World In that there was no opposition in this much we have not onely no aptness to good or to be wrought to goodness but a violent opposition against it there but to make the things here both to put out the corrupt nature and to put in the contrary good then he made all of nothing now he makes good of nought As its easier making a thousand glasses then the setting together one that is broke so it was easier to speak quo ad nos for all things are alike easie to God to make the world then to repair the broken Image of God in man It s a miraculous work of God greater then any miracles that Christ or his Apostles wrought our Saviors several miracles upon the bodies of men are all done in the conversation of a sinner sight restored to them that were blinde and darkness it self hearing to the deaf speech to the dumb feet to the lame Devils cast out yea many for the Devil possesseth us and all our Parts and Members Hearts Hands Eyes Tongues Feet c. as any Captain holds a Castle and hath it at command Thus it s a wonderful work of God to see a mans Soul and Life his wit will desires affections and all altered from black to white It was a wonder to see the Criple go and for him that was born blinde to see but it s more marvel to see a man converted for whereas God gave power to work all these miracles the raising of the dead not excepted to men this of regenerating is his own onely If we finde it ascribed to Ministers as Paul is said to have begot Onesimus and as a Father the Corinthians we must not conceive as if it were not proper to God onely but know that it is for that God would keep them the instruments by whom he works from contempt A good Husband or Wife may be a good means each to other but have no power of themselves Adam could easily cast away himself but none could restore him but God onely as a Childe of half a year old may break a glass which all the men in the Town cannot set together again It s wrought of God by uniting us to Christ by Faith through his holy Spirit which works this alteration when pardoning our sins past he taketh away the guiltiness and punishment thereof in his death Let all that can prove it give all glory to God for so unspeakable a mercy even that when they were going headlong to destruction when as vile as any he yet called them passing by thousands which yet lie in their sins And for them that can prove no such thing let them not delay nor put off to the last as the fashion is as though it could be dispatcht in a trice or with a wet finger but seek it both earnestly and quickly in the means appointed Why do men think they shall repent on their death bed rather then now Is it because the pain or fear of death will make them Alas all the Plagues in the world cannot change a man without God and will God be near to work then Nay he that was rejected in health and life will more likely cast off in death and if he will not bless his Word will he work in the end by other means This is little better then Sauls practise to go to the Devil when God would not help him 3. That the Lords own will is the moving cause hereof As he Elected freely and gave Christ of his love so this Nothing in us could move him hereto but whom he elected before the world those doth he of the
same grace effectually call and convert which should binde our hearts more effectually to praise and serve him all the days of our life 4. That the excellency of this grace is such as all things without it are nothing If we had the wisdom of Solomon the strength of Sampson the policy of Achitophel the wealth of Ahasuerus c. if we could measure the Heaven Earth and Sea and knew the nature of all Creatures therein from the Cedar to the Hysope nay if we could understand the Bible could Preach never so Learnedly and had all gifts of knowledge and utterance yet were we not born again all were nothing Besides it s the more excellent both because so rare only the Elect of God are born again and because Eternal In the natural birth we dye because born of mortal seed and nourished by corruptible food but they that be born again never dye more never come more into their former state as being born of the immortal seed of the Word and Spirit and being thereby nourished are joyned to the fountain of life Christ Again by our first birth we are made miserable by this happy by that sinners by this righteous persons by that children of wrath by this children of God by that slaves of Satan by this servants of righteousnes by that limbs of the Devil by this members of Christ by that heirs of Hell by this heirs of Heaven O happy day O happy birth before Regeneration Sin and Satan wholly ruled in us but after Grace and the Spirit of God 1. This should teach us if we can prove it in our selves to rejoyce and remember our birth-day Many delight to talk of their age as others when where and what year they were born But canst thou tell where and when thou wert born again thou canst else have little joy of thy first birth The older thou art the more shame and greater condemnation if thou art not born again He that is not regenerate is a Bastard for though he have after a sort the Church to his Mother yet he hath not God to his Father and though in the Natural birth the Mothers side is the surest yet in the Spiritual birth it s otherwise Therefore if thou hast Wit Beauty Strength Wealth and the like rejoyce not in them but that thou art born again yea though thou art Poor Weak Sickly yet being born again thou art happy If God hath denied thee Wealth and Health or taken them away yet if he hath given thee grace thou art to rejoyce exceedingly 2. It may teach us to rejoyce if we know our children new born We rejoyce at their Natural Birth but alas wert not for hope because they be of Christian Parents we might rather weep for when a childe is born there 's come a sinner a guilty person into the World one that is in danger of all evil subject to a great deal of sin and sorrow and one that hath deserved to be cast into Hell O therefore if we know them born again there 's cause of rejoycing yea we must rejoyce at the new birth of a servant or any other as the Angels do The World likes such the worse a sign they are the old men 3. If we know it not we are to use the means bring them to Baptism after teach them what is fit that they may make conscience of their Covenant and bring them to the Word if they be any whit forward further them if backward or unwilling use thy Authority over them 4. Rebuke them that desire to see them Strong Fair Rich Healthy and the like in the mean time not respecting whether they be born again or not 5. He that is not born again hath nothing excellent in him but abides in death and is the servant of sin 5. That it s so necessary as without which there 's no entring into the Kingdom of Heaven for thereinto can no unclean thing enter and they onely which are pure in heart shall see God We are born impure sinful defiled from head to foot while we are in this state there 's no possibility of serving God as either by thinking speaking or doing good we must therefore be washed and made clean The world imagine no such necessity herein it s a riddle to them few know what any such work or change meaneth They think to be saved by their good meaning civil life and living orderly O this is sound if these do not well God help us all Again though openly bad if they can cry God have mercy on their deathbed they shall do well enough Here 's no dreaming of a new birth of any change in the understanding will affections yea throughout both body and soul but none of the others will serve the turn therefore try whether ye be new born If we live still in sin as in lying it s a certain argument we are as we were naturally He that is in Christ is a new creature and such a one walketh not after the flesh but after the Spirit if thou art thus thou hast put off thy old conversation and put on a new 6. The effects of Regeneration 1. An hatred of all sin a love of all good 2. A strife and labor to do the one and avoid the other 3. A diligent use of the means for this purpose and a Spiritual combat against the lets wherein being conquerors we have peace and joy if otherwise grief 4. Delight in the Word Prayer and Heavenly things whereas we were wont to delight in vain and worldly things so to cry Abba-Father to love the Father to desire the sincere milk of the Word and to live innocently If upon tryal of thy self by these notes thou findest thy self not born again thy case is fearful it had been better then thou shouldest thus dye that thou hadst never been born or born a Toad whereof when its dead there 's an end but the man that is not born again while he lives when he dyeth the second death will lay hold on him eternally yet alas a number of old folks ready to drop into the grave are not yet born again What shall become of these few men are born again when they become old which I speak not to discourage you quite but to awaken you the more earnestly to look about you some were called about the eleventh hour but let them that have day before them not defer or put it to the venture 6. That the life of a Regenerate man cannot be that it was or as is the life of carnal men for the case is altered he is now united to Jesus Christ as an imp to the stock a member to the head by Faith on our parts but principally by the Spirit of God by which Faith we draw and by which Spirit is conveyed to us vertue from Christs death to kill sin our old man and the corruptions
hath given us many means to subdue them therefore will be angry if we keep them not under and grow especially against our strongest corruptions they offend God hurt us glad Satan defile the Temple of the holy Ghost were the cause of Christs death are of long continuance and therefore must be put away And as we must labor daily to mortifie our lusts and old man so to grow in all graces 8. The perfection of a Christian There 's none here in this life we know but in part there be still remnants of sin in us we are indeed perfectly Justified not but in part Sanctified Sin and Grace is mingled in every part not sin in one part and grace in another as heat and cold in lukewarm water light and darkness in the twilight God will have it so to be 1. That we might be saved of mercy and by Christs merit and not by any merit of our own for if we were perfectly Sanctified here then should Christ seem onely to make us fit to merit our own Salvation 2. That his power might be made known in our weakness whereby we are enabled to overcome such mighty enemies of our Salvation 3. That continually we might be kept humble ever thankful to God for daily pardon 4. That there might be continual use of the Word Sacraments Prayer and one of another 5. That there might be something to weary us hence and make us long for Heaven where we shall attain that which here we can never But though these Corruptions remain yet they reign not they are indeed troublesom and hurtful as the Canaanites to the Israelites or Rebels that make Insurrection in a Kingdom but have not the Scepter in their hand but are subdued in time and they dwell in us as unwelcom guests There is always a Civil war in a Childe of God two men in one man the old and the new two laws the law of our members and the law of our minde the Flesh and Spirit fight each against other now the one prevailing then the other yet so as the old man grows weaker and the grace of God stronger It had a deadly blow at first and still languisheth and is in a Consumption as a Serpent that is deadly wounded in his head yet wrigles with the tail or a Soldier deadly wounded in his brain yet thrusts with his weapon The Scripture speaks of the old man in Regeneration as if it were crucified and wholly destroyed because it s so wounded that it can never recover his former strength 1. This condemns all Anabaptists and others that dream of a purity in this life 2. It teacheth us to bear with one another The husband though godly must not look the wife should be without fault nor the wife the husband so the Master the Servant or the Servant the Master there are none without Imperfections we never read of any but noted with some weakness Christ alone excepted therefore think it not strange neither neglect the graces that be in any for one or more infirmities so as they grow to no height 3. Here 's comfort to those that doubt of their Conversion because they meet with temptation and feel sin rebelling in them and their corrupt nature lusting after evil It s not so much a sign you are not converted because you have sin for that 's common to all as that you are because you feel it strive against it and grieve for it This is indeed a sign you have the Spirit in you The godly and wicked sin both but there 's great odds in the maner the wicked sin willingly and advisedly yea delight in it are loath to be hindred from it when they have done are not humbled but go on therein whereas the Regenerate sin not with full consent but haled thereto by force of temptation and strength of corruption being thereafter humbled ashamed grieved If it be thus with thee be of good comfort be still constant in resisting use means to subdue the old man and cherish the new so shall you every day get the victory more and more and when you be overtaken thus it shall not be laid to your charge but pardoned in the Death and Obedience of Jesus Christ Neither shall your corruption recover it self again to rule over you as before but shall still languish and this is the cause why the Scripture speaks as if our Regeneration were perfect our old man destroyed And at last by death we shall get a final and perfect victory and never feel sin more for with laying down our bodies we lay down our sin and not before Not of corruptible seed c. Here is set down 1. The efficient cause of our Regeneration both Negatively where 's shewed what it is not and Affirmatively what is not 2. The instrument thereof the Word of God 3. A description of God that he liveth and abideth for ever Not of corruptible seed Of mortal seed we are born not born again by it we are made Creatures not new Creatures we are not born holy but by being born again we are made holy The godliest Saints of God cannot convey grace into their Children but sin and nature whence it is that even Abraham had an Ishmael Isaac an Esau As we are born of our Parents we are altogether corrupt our understanding seeth little in heavenly things and our Reason is an enemy thereto as that there is one God in three Persons Christ God and Man born of a Virgin the world made of nothing Man saved by the imputed righteousness of another the near Union between Christ and a Believer the Resurrection and last Judgement c. Reason sees them not yields not to them nay being much urged laughs thereat and that which it doth understand it conceives not as it ought the will desires nothing that good is or at least as it ought for it is defiled and so the whole man Again mortal seed begets that that is mortal onely and not immortal but when we be once Regenerate we never dye more but live the life of grace here and shall that of glory hereafter a final fall or the second death can never befal the new Creature Let none therefore trust in this that they were born of godly Parents but desire God as their Father to beget them anew But of incorruptible Namely by the Spirit of God which is the true efficient cause who doth alter and change our hearts and conveys power to kill sin in us and to quicken us to a good life Usually these words and the next are put together and understood of one thing namely that the Word is the immortal seed of Regeneration and after a sort it may be so called but properly the Spirit of God is the seed the Word is the instrument and we know the Word of it self can do no such thing no more then a Tool can
our bosoms and bowels insomuch that all must dye It s so appointed It cannot be shifted It s the way of all flesh high and low This grim Sergeant knocks at every door spares none will not be bribed by any Money Physick Wit Wealth cannot free us from it even Methuselah dyed They that have been most unwilling yet have dyed where are all our Forefathers where all the mighty Monarchs long since gone and so must we there 's no remedy yet we know not when to day or to morrow this year or the next nor where at home or abroad in our bed or in the fields by sea or land nor how of a natural or violent death Here to day to morrow gone The fairest flower may be soon welked A few years ago we said Our Fathers and Mothers are dead and shortly our Children will say so of us one Generation passeth another succeedeth 1. This may well serve to humble us pull down our Peacocks plumes Alas why should we be proud proud against God as most be to shake off his commandment to stand in no awe of his Word but to do that which he flatly forbids nay though he threaten never so severely O thou poor Worm thou Snail what art thou poor Potsheard that darest lift up thy self against thy Maker the mighty and glorious Lord of Heaven and Earth shouldest thou not fall down at his footstool and say Speak Lord for thy poor Creature is ready to do whatsoever thou requirest as its right meet and my bounden duty so to do proud against our Neighbors what art thou that liftest up thy self proudly vaunting of thy Beauty Birth Strength c. mayest thou not be laid full low ere to morrow Night what art thou that treadest others down by thy greatness mayest thou not be laid where others shall tread on thee and that shortly what art thou who so proudly deckest thy self with endless cost and time why dost thou so gorgeously set out and take such delight in a piece of clay may it not lie by the walls this week may not a Tuft of grass be cut down this night O that there should be such excess cost vain fangles endless and too much time spent in trimming up the body and no care of decking the soul O this curious and long dressing and pinning is but for a day and yet what a great deal of precious time is spent this way Also what art thou that bearest malice against thy Neighbor and will not be pacified but threatnest to be revenged Alas poor soul where mayest thou be ere that time lay down thy displeasure to day lest thou dye to morrow and dye in wrath 2. This may abate our care for the world O how do men toil and care as if they were to live here and never dye when as dye they shall and that haply very suddenly 3. This should make us labor always to be prepared for death To this end 1. Labor to be assured of the forgiveness of our sins and that the book be crost the reckonings cancel'd and God at peace with us wo be to him that dyes these things being not discharged But alas most as if they were not enough indebted already run on more and more 2. Walk ever carefully in the fear of God that we may be found well-doing but how do most live in sin that they are unfit to dye 3. Be we not fettered nor intangled with the profits pleasures and excessive cares of this life 4. Imploy we our selves carefully in some measure about the work whereunto we are called 5. Wait we for the Lords coming being always desirous thereof 4. It should make us seeing we be but grass not to promise great matters of our selves We will do this or that We will be revenged of him ere seven years come to an end We will go and buy and sell and get gain and tarry thus long We will repent seven or ten years hence Alas poor fool art thou not ashamed to shew thy folly Alas poor Creature whereof art thou made Thou thinkest of heart of Oak Marble or Cedar remember thou art but grass Reckon not without thine Hoast boast not of to morrow Be we hereby stirred up to do all the good we can while we may and work while its day If thou hast to repent do it to day hear this Sermon keep well this Sabbath thou knowest not but it may be the last come this Communion thou knowest not whether thou shalt live till another 6. Never trust to any mortal friends haply they may be gone when thou shalt have most need of them and when they might do thee most good Trust in God that lives for ever who is Almighty ever a merciful Father and a Friend to his So make the best use of any friend while thou hast him People of their good Ministers Husbands of their gracious Wives Children of their godly Parents c. Thou knowest not how soon they may be taken from thee we shall hear lamentings after the death of such buts it more wisdom to make use of them while they be with us so for thy Enemies fear them not too much they are but grass they may be taken away ere the time come wherein they should have hurt thee 7. For our Children delight not too much in them for their beauty stature growth they are but grass If we set our minde too much on them while we have them we will be too excessively grieved when God takes them from us love them moderately of Gods blessings If we bring them up in the fear as God that they may prove gracious and instruments to honor God in Church and Common-wealth we do well Take heed we prank them not up too much or too much cocker them and give them the head as David to Absolom and Adonijah as also that we rake not greedily for them and so hinder God of his service If they be perkt up to high or regarded more then the glory of God it s the next way to provoke God to pull them down And all the glory of man as the flower of grass Not onely the glory of men as Nobles Princes Great-men High-born Wise Witty Learned and the like which are the chief are as flowers somewhat finer and fairer then grass in colour of them some fairer then some but even the greatest man is but a flower that for all the beauty fades assoon as another But this is the meaning that The glory of a carnal man is but a vain thing and the best part of an unregenerate man is corrupt the best gift is but vain our understanding not dark but darkness The natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can flesh and blood reveals no such things to him Our understanding is altogether blinde in the first Table unless it be for some few general notions
Habitation for God as a King maketh a Cottage a Court so doth the Lord make a Bethel an House of God of him that was before Beth-aven an house of Iniquity which is an admirable advancement 1. This teacheth every one that is such to take heed he pollute not himself with any sin thereby grieving and wearying so happy a guest The Prophets were profitable to those with whom they sojourned The Widow of Sarepta had her oyl and meal increased and her life saved The wife of one of the Children of the Prophets had her two Children kept out of the Creditors hands The Shunamite obtained a son but much more profitable is Christ he brings Peace Joy and Life A pitiful thing that sundry Christians are so hasty so furious so full of pride worldly negligent in religious duties and the like How can Christ tarry in such an house can he abide in an heart full of these 2. To deck and trim up the house of our Souls with all graces of the Spirit of God therefore take pains and think no cost too much in Hearing Reading Praying to trim up this House for the Lord that he may take the more pleasure therein Solomon bestowed great cost on the Temple and was seven years in building thereof and shall we take no pains on this Spiritual Temple The Lord complained of his people that would dwell in fieled houses and let the House of God lie waste much more may he of us who minde many earthly things and minde nothing so much the dressing up of our hearts by Prayer Meditation Watchfulness and the like as a Bride prepared for the Lord Jesus When we dress up our houses to entertain strangers it were good to have such meditations saying to our selves Lift up your heads ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting door and the King of glory shall come in and thus entertain him most respectively here till he shall vouchsafe to entertain us at our death into that habitation that is not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens and when thou art at the best think that thy heart is too strait nothing good enough to entertain such a blessed guest An holy Priesthood Another branch of the benefit that believers have being received of Christ and united to him namely That whereas they were unholy now he makes them holy whereas they might not come near God neither their persons nor works now they are advanced to this dignity to be a Priesthood and every of them an holy Priest to draw near unto God and offer him Sacrifices whereas before they did nor could do nothing but was abominable in Gods sight now they are enabled to offer such Sacrifices and Services as God accepts and takes pleasure in and are not these great priviledges and all this comes by the means of Jesus Christ whom while they were without they missed all these priviledges but having him enjoy them all Holy They that are united to Christ are made holy that were nothing less before and draw sap of Grace and Sanctification from him through whom also they become new Creatures which is a wonderful priviledge that such filthy and unclean ones as we are by nature should be made holy for holiness is the greatest gift that can be a little of it is better then all the world God is holy his Angels holy therefore he gives us his Word his Sacraments Afflictions and the like means to bring us to holiness 1. They that have any measure of holiness must acknowledge that they have received it from Christ. 2. Let every one try whether he be united to Christ or not by this mark he is an holy head and all that are joyned to him partake of holiness Priesthood Believers together make a Priesthood and every Believer is a Priest to offer Sacrifice to God What are not Priests and Sacrifices at an end yet I thought they had been onely in the Old Testament and now abolished True some Sacrifices are at an end There were under the Law Priests ordained to offer Sacrifices daily to God for their own and the peoples sins all which pointed at Christ the true Priest and that blessed Sacrifice of his Body All these Sacrifices did but tend and direct to that All sufficient Sacrifice of his Death Now when he had offered himself on the Cross and dyed for our sins he put an end to all Sacrifices propitiatory as who finished all himself saying It is finished so then there is now no more need of Sacrifices for sin Christ once offered being All-sufficient Which 1. Condemns the Sacrifices of the Jews and all bloody Sacrifices which are to the Devils and not to God 2. Condemns the Blasphemous Sacrifice of the Mass where as the Papists say Christ is by the Priest offered daily on the Altar a propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead This is to overthrow Christs Cross. But though there be an end of all legal Sacrifices and Propitiatory yet there are Evangelical and Gratulatory and though those Priests that offered blood and beasts be at an end yet are there Priests still remaining in the Church of God which the Apostle mentioneth lest the Jews should think the former times better then these thereupon objecting Have we no Sacrifices now to offer to God he answereth We have though not of the same kinde We have no Propitiatory Sacrifices the date of them being out and which yet were not taken away by men but by him who ordained them but till this time who yet is not inconstant in changing them as having done away sin through the Sacrifice of his Son of whom the others were onely the types and shadows but Sacrifices of thanksgiving we have and that for the mercy of God in Christ and all other blessings flowing from thence This is no small honor and priviledge It was an honor under the Law to be Priests few were admitted to the Office they represented Christ they went near and offered Sacrifice the people standing afar off so is it now to be a Spiritual Priest to have the honor to come near to God with comfort and boldness 1. They therefore speak they know not what that use this as a name of disgrace and call Ministers in derision Priests and what is he but a Priest but it s an honor and a great one though Mass-Priests by their filthy lives have brought the same in disgrace yet is not this proper to Ministers onely which we speak not as though we were ashamed of it but that every one may have their due it s also common to all Believers and they that will none of this shake off the name of a Christian but they that are wise will take their part in it This is signified by the name Christian of Christ which signifieth anointed of that anointing by
ordained most men to destruction then is his justice greater then his mercy We must not measure his justice and mercy by the number of the one or of the other for if there had been but one onely saved it had been as great mercy as his justice in condemning the rest for if but one had been saved it must have cost the death of the Lord Jesus such was our misery Now what a mercy it was that the eternal Son of God equal with the Father and in whom he was well pleased should not onely abase himself to our nature but to our infirmities yea to sorrows and great indignities nay to death yea a cursed death O who can express this love It was a wonder he did not rather suffer us all to perish then his Son to endure the least of these Then he hath ordained the means of their condemnation namely sin and so is the Author of sin True he ordained and decreed that there should be sin in the world as he did of the fall of Adam but not as is sin and evil but as whereby and out of which God draws glory to himself and it was necessary that there should he evil in the world as well as good that a way might be made for setting out Gods mercy in pardoning some and his justice in punishing it in others but so as the Lord is no way faulty He ordained willingly to permit it as it hath respect of good in it but as no actor of it He put no evil in Adam nor any man but onely willingly permitted his fall c. 2. This should and may stay our mindes when we see any great Professors and men of excellent parts fall away It s no other then that an Hypocrite and one that never was sound nor elect of God is now discovered and let none that can prove their election be overmuch troubled onely walk reverently but never be dismaid with deadly fear They fell because they were not elect and you being elect shall be therefore sure to stand and thus our Savior comforts his Disciples That none was lost but Judas who was the son of perdition so did Paul the Christians notwithstanding the revolting of Hymeneus Philetus Alexander c. If it were not for this what a deadly fear might this breed in weak Christians to see those so far their superiors in knowledge and gifts to fall away Thus of the first The second is this That This was of his own will and for no cause out of himself for the Lord infinite in wisdom and holiness needs not as man to fetch the reason of his purposes forth of himself He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth He doth all things according to the counsel of his own will Is it not said O Israel thy destruction is of thy self and He that beliveth not is condemned and Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Cursed be the mouth that saith not so even that every mans destruction is of himself and his own just desert but we must put a difference between the decree of God and the execution of it God condemneth no man upon his bare will but his own just desert Sin comes in between the decree of God and the execution of his Decree as the cause of Damnation If then it be asked Why is any man condemned For his sin But why did God decree to condemn any Because he would As no man is saved but by Faith in Christ and Sanctification of life which yet is not the cause why God appointed him to Salvation but because he would so there 's none condemned but for his sin yet God ordained him not thereto because of sin but because of his own will If any ask further and why would he That a note too high for man or angel to sing but there in humility we must rest and not put the Lord to render a reason of all his decrees or doings which even princes will not do to their subjects he raised up Pharaoh c. even because he would get glory out of him and by his means This condemneth the Opinion of foreseen works good or bad as of this because he foresaw some would be bad and refuse grace he therefore Reprobated them c. but God loved Jacob and hated Esau not onely before the had done good or evil but before there was any thinking of good or ill If foreseen sin be the cause of Reprobation then on the contrary foreseen grace of Election but the Epistle to the Ephesians sheweth the contrary hereof Faith and Sanctification followeth upon Election as fruits thereof therefore go not before as any causes so do Infidelity and impenitency follow after Reprobation If foreseen sin had been the cause of Reprobation then we should all have been refused for he could not see us but all sinners But as the blinde man was not so born for his own or Parents sin but that the work of God in curing him by a Word might be seen so was it in this business Thus of the second The third is this That The Lord hath done this most justly His will is a rule of Righteousness and he can do nothing but most holily and justly Is there unrighteousness with God God forbid Though we cannot see into the justness of it yet we ought to acknowledge it The Sun may shine and that brightly too though a blinde man see it not Man was made holy and having free-will by his willing sin lost his state and still sins willingly It seems cruelty in the Lord to appoint most part of mankinde to Destruction He did it not as ayming at their Damnation but at his own glory which is more to be regarded then all the World And shall the Clay say against the Potter Why hast thou made me thus and thus may not he do as he list So may not the Lord get glory by his own creatures which way he will And do men for their pleasure hunt the Hare and Partridge or kill not onely Flyes and baser creatures but also Fowls with their grins in like maner appointing Sheep Oxen c. for the slaughter and shall not the Lord have as much Soveraignty over men the work of his hands we cannot make a Fly or Flea yea it s more reason that the Lord should be glorified if he would with the Damnation of all mankinde then that the killing of a Hare nay a Fly should serve to the honor or pleasure of the greatest Potentate of the world What if he had ordained none to Salvation who had had cause to complain Besides with what patience bears he with them and their blaspheming of him every day What marvellous benefits and comfortable good things bestows he upon them houses lands wealth health peace who might destroy and send them to
c. on the contrary consider the woful estate of the wicked For what be they be they Kings Priests or Prophets no such matter Believers be so They be Kings Priests and Prophets but the wicked are the slaves of sin and Satan slaves to the flesh to their own lusts to the world What though they be rich yea though they be Emperors and not Believers they are the vassels of Satan and have nothing but their drudgery in sin and Hell for their own place as their desert Neither are they Priests but prophane ones let them stand off for the holy God cannot abide unholy persons they and their Sacrifice are abomination to the Lord They offer no Sacrifices at all of Prayer Praise or Alms or if they do its abominable because they offer not themselves soul and body to God first but they offer themselves to the Devil and him they serve with body and soul might and main Neither are they Prophets but dumb beasts not savoring of the mysteries of Gods Kingdom or if uttering any thing thereof yet their ill lives disgrace it again O that such considering their own base and the others happy estate would have an holy emulation to be as they and indeed nothing in this world is worthy to be envied but a Christian Humble therefore thy self for thy sin past turn to God for thy pardon in Christ and labor to have thy part in him and by him and by Faith in him thou shalt attain to be a Christian and so consequently a King Priest and Prophet and be enabled to the duties of the same An holy nation Here 's a third priviledge not meant of all the Jews but of the elect among them and of all believing Gentiles as Acts 2. 38 39. so called 1. Because they had the Oracles of God the Word and Sacraments which no other had This belonged to all the Jews True but it might be said that they onely had them which had the power of them to the conversion of their souls and Salvation and others had them not which had no fruit and benefit by them 2. Because they were sanctified and set aside by special grace to be holy ones to the Lords use Note then That All that be the Lords are holy persons that is Not onely having Christs holiness imputed to them but in whom God worketh inherent Righteousness and Holiness by his Spirit conveying vertue from Christs death to kill sin and from his Resurrection to raise them to newness of life to alter and change them throughout in soul spirit and body This though not perfect in any yet is sound and upright in them all therefore he gives them his holy Word and holy Spirit to work this and holy Sacraments to encrease it and its requisite that as God is holy so also all his should so be and these be they shall see his face with comfort no other and for these onely is Heaven prepared O let every man examine himself whether he be a sanctified person or not if yea Then 1. To thy comfort know hereby thou art one of the Lords number a greater priviledge then to be written among the Potentates of the earth There 's Consolation to thee thou wert elected and shalt be glorified 2. Seeing thou art set aside for the Lords use and sanctified in body and soul never defile thy self again or put any part of thy body and soul to any common or unholy use of sin or Satan In the Law it was ever most fearful to take any Consecrated thing as the Holy Oyl Shew-bread or Vessels and put them to any common use so is it that we should put Hand Foot or Tongue to any use of sin or corruption for any part of our souls or lives Oh many contrarily can let loose their tongue to impatient proud and most unseemly speeches yea and their bodies and mindes some to excessive following the world as they were wont and as worldlings do and some after their pleasures and vanities O that we would grow and abound in Sanctification that here having our fruit in holiness we may have the end everlasting life If not but contrarily you either live in prophaneness the open breach of some of the Commandments or be only superstitiously holy in some odde devotions and loose in other things as Papists and a number of old Folks or such as have a counterfeit holiness in the first Table and make no conscience of the duties of the second or contrarily civil persons that seem very just in the second Table but savor nothing of the duties of the first Table Know you are yet unsanctified persons and therefore out of Gods number you may be members of the visible Church where good and bad chaff and corn are but not of the invisible who onely are sanctified ones Let such be what they will be having Wit Learning Wealth Wisdom Civility all skill of Languages yea if they could measure the Heavens number the Stars c. and be not sanctified they are of the Devils rabble and shall perish everlastingly O that you would awake out of your courses What fruit have ye had or look ye to have therein The end of these things is death Come to the Word crave the Holy Spirit desire Pardon and Sanctification till this be you are not out of the state of Damnation and all things are impure to you Word Sacraments yea your Meat Drink Apparel c. A peculiar people That is a people proper to the Lord which he himself hath purchased and which he now takes as his own and sets great store by called therefore his secret ones whom he keeps under his protection to whom also he reveals his secrets his Beloved ones his Spouse his Love his undefiled as the Apple of his eye the Signet on his right hand whom he cannot forget In the flood he saved his Church when all others were drowned he saved Lot when Sodom was destroyed he makes more account of one Christian then of thousands of others If one of them pray it s so forcible that he says Let me alone and if thousands of wicked it s but as the howling of Dogs an abomination They are his glory all the world are dross to them vile persons and base The wicked though never so many are but servants to the Church as the seven Nations were to make the Land of Canaan fit for the people of God yea even then when they seem to dominier most over them they are but their drudges They as a wisp scour the Church to make it bright in the eyes of God but the wisp is to be cast into the fire they are Gods rod to bring it to obedience when that 's effected the rod is to be flung into the fire And No marvel though the Lord set such store by his Church seeing he hath been at such cost therewith as
where it may be they receive conversion and even that terror of conscience though it were occasioned by some outward thing yet it is the Word that indeed works it as which tells them both of their sin and danger The parts of it are 1. An enlightening of the understanding with a distinct knowledge of the principal points of Salvation 2. The opening of the heart to believe 3. The changing of the whole man from that ill nature that was in him to a quite contrary The Law prepares and make them see their deadly danger and by the Spirit makes to feel it grievously and then the Gospel works by little and little hope to comfort and so a change The cause that moves the Lord to do this to any is his meer mercy and no desert as is Election and Redemption so is our effectual calling free And this inward effectual calling is an infallible argument of Election past and glory to come They are links of the golden chain of mans Salvation that cannot by all the Devils be sundred but have one and have all Hereupon me thinks every mans heart should burn within him to prove his calling that hereby he might have a mark of his Election They that can prove it may have exceeding comfort and they must also beware lest being calling out of the world to God they look any more back or be more and more defiled with the fashions and maners thereof and every day in hearing the Word obey every part thereof and walk worthy of your holy Calling Much are they to be blamed that do no more honor their Calling but drop into things like men of this world yea are overcome of the world and covetousness But haply thou doubtest of thy Calling because thou findest not these fruits or not so plentifully as thou would'st be not discouraged though thou beest dull and full of infirmities and strong corruptions yet unfainedly hating and resisting them and being grieved at them and using the means against them thou art not to call thy foundation into question yet must thou humble thy self and as occasion requires set on more earnestly use the means more carefully and daily renew thy repentance But for those that shew no fruits of their Calling but though they have had the Word and been Hearers yet remain prophane and impenitent altogether or seeming to go some steps yet are not changed throughout through Faith they are not yet called for never imagine that every one that hears Sermons yea usually and with joy and mends many things and lives in some good fashion is straight truly called not onely the high-way ground but even the stony yea thorny which went far and beyond most in Congregations yet were not effectually called and numbers among our selves that think well of themselves are not truly called are not Believers nor turned to God Well let every man examine himself throughly being not called I dare not speak a word of comfort to you in this case you have not onely no mark of Election but the contrary when God hath by all means called as by promises threatnings c. and none have prevailed O now use the means with all diligence and though hitherto you have disobeyed the words of Gods calling yet let them now open the doors of your hearts If you do God will be merciful and blot out all if you will not when you shall hereafter call you shall not be heard and you which would not obey this gracious voyce of the Gospel to believe and repent that you might be saved shall one day hear another kinde of voyce from him which you shall obey nill you will you to your own confusion Out of darkness into his marvellous light Here are the parts of calling both from whence and whereto By darkness is meant ignorance of Christ Jesus and sin which are the works of darkness and tend to utter darkness In this case they were How could these Jews be said to be in darkness which had the Law and were skilful therein and stood not a little upon it They had knowledge of the Law but Christ Jesus the accomplishment of the Law they knew not to know whom aright is life everlasting All knowledge without this is nothing but darkness still so that he means not that they were without the means of knowledge as the Gentiles were for one may have the means and yet be in darkness nor that they were called out of ignorance to some knowledge by the means for one may have much knowledge and yet be in darkness but that they were called out of darkness that is out of ignorance of Christ and Salvation by him out of the state of corruption and sin and working the works of darkness and going to utter darkness To his light that is to know Christ by a saving particular and effectual knowledge to Sanctification and Holiness of life which are the works of the light and so to the hope of the eternal light of happiness Hereunto they were called out of the state of unbelief and sin which tend to death for so sin is called darkness and holiness light Sin is termed darkness because it comes from the Devil the Prince of darkness loves darkness and goes to darkness Holiness comes from light even God the Father of lights loves and can abide the light and goes to light and God the Fountain of Holiness is called light Here note What every mans estate is till he be called even that we are not onely darkened but darkness it self We were all made light in Adam full of knowledge and holiness since the fall we are all darkness and when God means to save any he pulls them out of darkness Darkness hath a power indeed which were it not for the Almighty power of God delivering us therefrom would hold us under for ever and as long as we be in this darkness we have no right to the Kingdom of God nay we have nothing to do with God we are neither his sons people nor servants The man that is not effectually called and sanctified what gifts soever he hath is yet in darkness and never wrought other then the works of darkness He may do good things and the works of light but they be not so in him being darkly performed by corrupt nature without Faith or the Spirit neither tending to the right end This may be said of every unregenerate person though never so old civil or of good parts 1. This confutes the Papists that teach that there are some such pure Naturals left in man some Free-will to goodness which if God stir up a little and help can work and that they can merit of Congruity which crosseth both this and other Scriptures as That the thoughts of mans heart are onely evil continually That the wisdom of the flesh is enmity with God and That
carelesness of some Christians that walk so losely and lie so open as the wicked have their will even matter enough to talk of their covetousness of their wonderful impatience and the like such had need to repent much and by the contrary to labor by their well-doing to stop their mouthes which they have justly opened against Religion and the professors thereof O how far are some to blame who by too severe and sudden censuring cause many to loath the professors of the Word as if they were all such proud fellows and did condemn all but themselves O its good to have charity yet I mean not that we are to call black white c. The ignorance of foolish men Here is shewed what they be that are ready to rail and speak ill of Religion and open their mouthes against the Professors of the Gospel even ignorant foolish men Oh but many be great men for Wit and Parts and Learning that do thus It s all one such they be and no other They that will rail at a Trade for the fault of a Tradesman and condemn all of a Trade for the fault of some one of that Profession might they not be taxed of ignorance and folly So what ignorance and foolishness is it in a number to speak ill of the way of God and of the Word Preached and of the Preachers thereof and all for the fault of some that profess Religion It s true that some speak evil of Gods people not of ignorance but of hatred and contempt of the Gospel A good life will stop all cavils of the former not of these Ignorance Whoso speaketh ill of God of his Truth of his Servants that profess his Name are ignorant know not what they do as our Savior said of them that Crucified him As the Sadduces They erre not knowing the Scriptures Had the Pharisees known the Father they would not have hated and persecuted Christ the Son Had the Jews known They would not have Crucified the Lord of glory When men rail on Gods people O they know not what they say nor whom they despise for if they knew them and whose they be and their great Glory and Dignity they would catch them about the neck and earnestly desire that they may be like unto them But they know them not one brings Religion thus complaining I Religion am a meer stranger in the world therefore I do not wonder that the Dogs of this world do bark at me which I do not greatly regard my Pedegree my Father my Brother my Countrey is above yet I wish that while I stay among you you would not speak evil of me because you know me not And assuredly if men knew Christianity and the revenues thereof they would not onely not speak evil thereof but all the good they could yet this is not simple but affected ignorance therefore their judgement will be the more just and fearful 1. If therefore we hear any whosoever they be rich or poor reproaching the way of Salvation and calling it preciseness and niceness and railing on the best Preachers and most zealous Christians let us not be much troubled at it It s but the speech of ignorant men that know not what they say blinde that cannot judge of colours but through the darkness that is in them they call good evil and evil good who will one day see otherwise though it may be when it will be too late 2. While any is of this minde let him be what he will be have what knowledge he will or can have he is but an ignorant man that speaks and does he knows not what and walks in darkness and knoweth not how soon he may fall Foolish men Every natural man as long as he so continueth is but a fool even till God the fountain of all true wisdom do give him his Spirit of grace into his heart and make him wise unto Salvation whose fear is the beginning of wisdom Let men have wit to rule a Countrey to compound Controversies contrive businesses and to be so deeply fighted in the world as no man can go beyond them yet if they be in their natural and unregenerate condition they are fools the greatest fools that are such is Solomons fool throughout the Proverbs not he that wants wit but true wisdom nor one that wants natural parts but grace For is not he a fool that prefers toys and bables before matters of great and good worth such are they that are careful for the world for Profits Pleasures Honors and such transitory toys never regarding what shall become of their souls having no care of the pardon of their sins to escape from Hell and to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven such was the rich man in the Gospel Were not he a fool that in the Summer would neglect to prepare his Winter provision as having then no use thereof such is he that hath no care in the Summer of the Gospel and in the time of his health to lay up against the stormy time of sickness temptations and death Is not he a fool that runs on in the score and takes no care to discharge it such are they that go on in sin and in the abuse of Gods creatures Is not he a fool that will wallow himself in mire and think and speak ill of them that will not so do such are the wicked that wallow in their sins even wondring that others run not with them into the same excess of riot A fool will play with firebrands arrows and mortal things so the wicked make a sport of sin He is a fool that being condemned of Treason and yet in possibility to get a pardon defers to sue for it till it be too late such are the wicked that put off their repentance He is a fool that will laugh being in extream danger or being told he is going to execution doth jest at it yea if it were but to the stocks or house of correction yet thus do the wicked every day go nearer and nearer the place of their torment A fool hates those that tell him he is in danger and would help him out of it and can sleep soundly though it be told him the house is on fire over his head yet thus do the wicked being told of their sins and their danger thereby Thus are we to repute our selves being unregenerate and to labor by all means for the fear God which is the beginning of true wisdom Verse 16. As free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God HEre the Apostle prevents an Objection that they might make whereby he would cure the disease they were sick of even their not yielding subjection willingly and that both in respect of their badness which ruled and of their own liberty which they misconstrued and stretched beyond the bounds We be freed might they say by Jesus Christ therefore
of the Moral Law and the uttermost extremity of it which of the unbeliever is exacted but on the behalf of Believers is taken away by Christ so that though in them there be many wants yet God in Christ Jesus will accept the will for the deed he will accept of their hearts and of the truth of their actions pardoning their infirmities Hence it is that now they flee not from the Law as a cruel Tyrant but come thereto as to a Schoolmaster to instruct them in Gods will 4. We are freed from the Ceremonial Law whereof the Sacraments Sacrifices Rites Purifyings c. were meer shadows till the body came So from bondage in all things indifferent as meats drinks days and the like which were rudiments serving for the minority of the Church There is now no indifferent thing we are bound in for Religions sake or from which we are to abstain for conscience sake much more are we freed from all mens Traditions which serve not to binde the conscience wherewith notwithstanding the Church of Rome endeavoreth to hold people in base and deadly bondage as the Scribes and Pharisees of old and that for Conscience and Religions sake The Kingdom of God is not meat nor drink neither if we eat are we the more acceptable or if we eat not the less 1. This is a wonderful consolation to every Christian whoso can prove themselves Believers they are the onely happy persons in the world they onely are free Art thou such a one be of good comfort there 's no condemnation to thee though thou hast been stung with sin yet seeing thou hast had grace to look up to Christ Jesus thou art cured Christ hath dyed for thee thou shalt not perish but have life everlasting Who shall lay any thing to thy charge Christ hath paid thy debt to the uttermost farthing when therefore the conscience of thy sin troubles thee with the danger thereof and the Devil pursueth thee with temptations O then look up to thy Surety stick to him he hath perfectly discharged thee Though there be a Hell wide and large and the burning thereof as it were fire and much wood which the breath of the Lord as a River of Brimstone doth kindle and wherein thou hast deserved to have thy portion yet there thou shalt not come Christ hath given a discharge for every one that believeth in him Thou art humbled the Spirit of God beareth witness to thine that thou art Gods and thou findest in thy self the fruits of faith be of good comfort God can as soon deny himself as that thou shalt perish O what cause have we to thank God for Christ Jesus and all the means whereby we came to faith and to be Christians we can have no curse in this world crosses for good are no curses death shall do us no hurt yea turn to our especial good Art thou a Believer then art thou no longer the Servant of sin to be at the command and follow it in the lusts thereof though thou canst not do as thou wouldest yet having thine understanding enlightened thy will and affections reformed and thine heart changed c. thou hast a blessed freedom a pledge indeed of that perfect freedom thou shalt have in Heaven yet labor every day to be more freed from the bondage of thy corruption and set at liberty to serve God And is it not a wonderful comfort that we may offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ and that we are enabled in some measure to do the will of God and that with delight and that our works though imperfect and done in weakness yet being done in Truth are accepted of God who hath compassion on us as a father on his son He that is indeed a true Believer is the onely free person in the world so free as nothing can make him otherwise let him be bound with sickness with poverty with imprisonment let him be tyed hand and foot let him be chained about the neck to a prison wall c. yet is he free free from sin and damnation free from the bondage of the Devil is a conqueror over temptations hath a free minde to serve God and even then with Paul and Silas and the three children can sing and laud his name O praise God for this walk thankfully and joyfully love the word and search it where these blessed prerogatives and priviledges be enrolled It s a great fault we rejoyce no more herein especially considering the price that our freedom cost 2. For them that cannot prove themselves Believers O let them labor to have a part in this freedom Rome had great priviledges therefore many sought and that with great sums to be free of it When the Jews were freed from Hamans conspiracy and had the Kings favor many become Jews O so me thinks many should desire to become Christians that they may partake of this freedom which is more to be desired then the whole world Till you be freed by Christ you are in woful bondage When the Son shall make you free then shall you be free indeed till which time you are bound indeed and that in a fearful maner the curse of God follows you whithersoever you go or ride you go not over a stile but you may break your neck get up on your horses but you may receive some deadly blows to send you to Hell take tools in your hands but you may mischief your selves thereby you may be swallowed up as Korah drowned as Pharaoh burnt with fire from Heaven as Nadab and Abihu eat up with worms as Herod Being unbelievers you have no warrant to the contrary every minute you hang over the pit of Hell for whom it gapeth You are also slaves of the Devil at his command and do base work for a woful master whose wages will be accordingly But this the world will not believe they dream not of Spiritual bondage neither consider that their hearts are fast locked in unbelief were they sensible hereof they would seek by all means to be rid of the same they would be afraid even to sleep this night lest Hell should catch them ere they awoke lest their souls should be fetched from them being in this condition O never be quiet till you know your selves freed by Christ to this end humble your selves confess your deadly bondage bewail it to God cry for pardon rest not till you receive a gracious answer never leave waiting on God in his Word and craving his Spirit till he change your hearts and make you free whence will spring peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost What are Riches Wit Civility yea the gifts of Knowledge Utterance and hearing of the Word with joy and the like without this This is to be known by Faith especially But how do most content themselves to hold the hope of Heaven by sleight conceits of their own rather then seek by sound
evil slubber over this or that duty up starts the fear of God and saith Nay that must not be yielded to O the marvellous priviledges and sweet promises annexed hereunto Such as fear God need fear neither Hell Death Devil nor Judgement they need not fear Poverty Sickness or Persecution for either they shall not befal them or be sanctified to them O how should we labor to encrease herein by considering Gods greatness and our base poverty together with his justice against sin throughout all ages yea considering his wonderful goodness in himself to the Land to our selves both for soul and body who is not to fear such a glorious such a merciful God but notwithstanding both of his mercies and judgements plentifully manifested who doth truly fear him There 's indeed little fear of God in the world in England in most of our Towns O the fearful condition of such they have cause to fear all things they see as if all did conspire their ruine which also sometimes falls out as the Lord threatned by Moses Were not people hardened bold nay desperate they would not thus shake off Gods fear O let such haste out of this case O labor to get assurance of the pardon of your sins and so turn to God and walk in his fear Go not away hence to live loosly any more as heretofore you have done but fear the great Lord of Heaven and earth who is able to plague you both in Body Mindes Goods Children here and hereafter rear him that hath made thee fed thee and kept thee out of Hell and hath been so good to thee every way yea and will yet do more to thee if thou turn to him Honor the King For the coherence of these words with the former Note we 1. That the duties to God and our Neighbor the duties of the first and second Table are to accompany one another they must not be sundred God hath knit them and they must go together He that loveth God must love his brother also The second is like the first promises are annexed to the performance of both punishments threatned for the breach of either He that commandeth the one enjoyned also the other 1. This rebuketh such as make shew of great zeal in the duties to God and of his worship but in the mean time make no conscience of Deceiving Oppression Falshood Backbiting Idleness and the like break their word and promises wrong men in their bodies goods chastity good-names whatsoever such make their Religion is vain The Prophets cryed down such hypocrites in their times there 's now no less cause so to do Let men joyn both duties together and justifie the truth of the one by the other else as we commonly say He that will swear will lye he that will lye will swear he that makes no conscience of his duty towards his Neighbor makes no conscience of his towards God This rebuketh also such as are very civil and just in their dealings sure of their word and kinde neighbors and yet make no conscience of the duties of the first Table regard not the Word Sacraments Prayer publike or private the observation of the Lords-day and the like O they delight not in these they savor not of such things Howsoever the world count such right honest men yet is God little beholding to them What though they give men their due if they defraud God of his what though they steal not from men if they rob God of his Sabbaths and times of worship which he challengeth as his converting the same to their private uses Let the world think as well and as highly of these as they will wherein they do well they are to be well thought of they are not such as can abide the tryal of the Word neither shall be able to stand before God on the great day but as they have sundered that which God hath coupled so will he if they repent not sunder them for ever from his Kingdom 2. That the knowledge and fear of God is the fountain of all our duties to men in their several places none can be a good servant indeed a through good servant one to be trusted with business of weight with hope of blessing and success as Eleazer Abrahams servant but such a one as feareth God So according to the Text no man can truly honor the King and be an absolute good subject except he fear God no man will honor him from his heart as he ought nor obey him for conscience sake nor pay duties chearfully venture his life for him faithfully and pray for him heartily but such as fear God This is the onely sure bridle all others of credit fear c. will break to keep people in duty where this hath been wanting there have been mutinies and risings yea what else can be expected where this bears not sway 1. Let all that fear God shew it in their several places by the performance of their duties to men especially of subjection to their Governors that so they may bring the same in esteem and procure credit thereto 2. Would any be good Subjects let them begin at the right end perform their duties in the right maner even for conscience sake as being required of God Thus shall the Prince be much the better for them and they themselves have comfort in the performance of the same Thus shall not they dare fail herein for fear of the highest whereas worldly men perform theirs meerly for fear of men 3. Magistrates are to trust those most which do most fear God and accordingly to use them kindely and countenance them as being indeed their most loyal Subjects yea to further the Gospel what in them lies whereby people may be brought to fear God that so they may prove true and loyal to themselves and so adde strength to the Kingdom Thus of the coherence For the words themselves Honor the King I have already spoken at large of the duty contained herein Know we onely that by the King here is meant Caesar who was an Heathen Emperor one that intruded himself ruled tyrannously and was an Idolater and by Honor not Divine and Religious honor for that is due to God alone but Civil worship and honor The difference between those is not in the outward gesture of the body or bowing the knee but in the intention of the minde Divine is when we bow both knee and heart and soul to God and that for his own sake as the Lord of Heaven and Earth and the Author of all good to us to whom we pray when we want it and whom we praise as the Author of any mercy for soul or body Civil is when bowing the knee yea and the affection of the minde to men we do it yet for the Lords sake and as the Lords instruments and whom he hath set over us for good as excelling us in gifts and graces to whom we
any thing better becoming us then to please God with all our might Hath he not made us and chosen us to life before the world given his Son to dye for us and save us given us his Gospel and Spirit hath prepared a Kingdom for us and will we not please him yea if a thing stand with our profit though we know it will displease him can we be content to do it O that we should offend so good a God and so merciful a Father as he hath been unto us O do we endeavor to please him whosoever be thereat displeased whatsoever we lose or whatsoever trouble we bring upon us But O the monstrous course of this world that of all things cannot abide what pleaseth God! that so live as if God had nothing to do with them as if they were neither in his debt nor danger as if they were not afraid of them or he could do them no hurt Are you not woful creatures that thus abuse God Are you not in his debt Who gave you these Bodies and Souls who fashioned them whence was it that you were not Toads Monsters mad persons and fools who hath maintained your lives who hath kept you that you have not been ere this consumed or are not now in hell Art thou not in his debt who hath let thee live under the Gospel the means of saving thee denyed to most of the world Should you not then please him Art thou not in his danger Cannot he make the earth to swallow thee the worms to eat thee up Can he not smite thee with an incurable disease in thy bowels Can he not strike thee with madness cast thee upon thy bed and there forsake thee and give thee up to a desperate minde Is he not able to send thee to Hell ere night Can he not make every joynt of thy body every tooth of thy head so to torment thee that thou shalt be weary of thy life Canst thou promise thy meat shall nourish thee or that when thou lyest down thou shalt have one wink of sleep for pain of body or vexation of minde or shalt ever rise again When there is the greatest hope of fruit cannot he in one night by a Frost destroy it all Do we not stand at his courtesie for every shower of Rain for the Bread we eat and every thing else and should we not then please him If he smile on us whose frown need we regard If he frown whose smiles can do us good Who can stand before him when he is angry He rendeth the rocks and maketh the mountains to tremble O that any through fear or to procure the favor of any or for any other by-respects should displease him For this is thank-worthy or acceptable Whence note that The actions of Gods Children done as they ought and may be done are pleasing to God howsoever they are not as the Papists from this and the like places affirm Meritorious They are pleasing to God as being done by such as are justified by Faith in Christ the weaknesses of their actions being covered in his Death and Obedience 1. This is a great comfort unto all such as can prove themselves Gods Children and strive to do their duty in the best maner they can though the same be done weakly yet being done in truth is pleasing to God then which what greater joy comfort and encouragement unto any duty can be wished 2. This may be a terror to all that cannot prove themselves justified persons they never did that thing throughout their whole lives that pleased God A carnal man can no more make a good action then a Painter or Carver can make a living man The actions of unregenerate men want a soul. Till a mans person please God which is not till he be justified through Christ his actions cannot but displease him Even the sacrifice and prayer of the wicked is abomination before him What joy can a man have when being old and full of years he cannot truly approve that ever he spake thought or did that which was good Did men believe this they would endeavor with all speed to come out of their unregenerate condition If a man for conscience towards God endure grief c. Here he shews the maner how servants must do their duty to such unconscionable Masters even for conscience towards God because God so requires the same for if servants should bear quietly with such a Master and do their duty because they know no remedy know not how to help themselves or know that though he be wondrous hasty and boisterous yet to them that can bear with him and let him alone he will be good and bountiful whoso do their duties I say for such respects please not God neither shall have any reward with him what we do for conscience towards God is pleasing to him not otherwise whoso looketh asquint at profit pleasure honor credit favor of this or that man or the like is far from pleasing God whoso doth for conscience sake may with comfort look up to God in life and in death This rebuketh the common sort which do many duties and abstain from many sins but not in a right maner for carnal and sinister respects and not for conscience towards God Such hypocrites shall have their portion with the hypocrites Q. How may we know whether we do our duties for conscience sake or not A. By these Notes 1. If we make most conscience of the greatest things first and then of less in their place and so of the greatest sins for God hates greatest sins most as in Dâ—â—id of whom it s said He walked in uprightness all his days saving in the matter of Uriah He had other faults rashness towards Nabal pride in numbring the people rashness to believe Zibah yet that against Uriah was the worst of all Greatest sins rob God most of his glory do most disgrace the Gospel make greatest wounds in our souls procure most numbness and hardness of heart and greatest outward punishment we must make conscience of all but especially of the greatest Such as seem very earnest against some small things and make no account of greater are Hypocrites like the Scribes and Pharisees which strained at a gâ—at but swallowed a Camel Such were the high Priests they made conscience of putting the thirty pieces of silver into the treasury which Judas returned to them but made no conscience of putting Christ to death They made Conscience of going to the Common-Hall least they should be defiled and made unfit for the Passover who yet made no conscience of shedding innocent blood So the Papists stands altogether upon meats days and such trifles of their own devising making no conscience of Gods great Commandments of the 2 3 4 c. So many among our selves will speak very hardly of some small blemishes in a Professor and Oh! is this agreeable to Gods Word c. who
if it had been on them but even have sunk them for ever Thus he went too and fro to his Disciples three times they being in the mean time asleep and here in the Mount drunk three draughts as we may say of this most bitter cup of his Fathers wrath which was infinitely beyond all torment his body was or could be put to Then comes his betraying treacherously betrayed of one of his own Family whom he had used kindely thence carried away with clubs and staves as a Malefactor unto Annas and Caiphas where he was in the high Priests Hall all night misused in most shameful maner some smiting him others spitting on him and because he said he was a King they pull'd off his cloaths and arrayed him in purple and crowned him with thorns and because he was counted a Prophet having blindfolded him and smitten him they bid him prophesie who had hit him But because they have not the power of death in their own hands they make use of the secular power laying many things to his charge and arraigning him at the Bar as a guilty person a mover of Sedition one that denyed to pay tribute to Caesar and who said he was a King But Pilat seeking to rid his hands of him because he saw it was nothing but the malice of the Priests sends him to Herod who as if he had been some Jugler to play feats was glad to see him whereof failing he and his followers misused him notably at their pleasures and sent him to Pilat again Before him he was again arraigned and Barabbas prefer'd unto him the Jews in the mean time crying out against him that he might be crucified Then was he condemned to be scourged to be carryed away and crucified was made bear his own Cross till he could bear it no longer then were his hands and his feet nailed thereto himself hanging between to Thieves many in the mean time mocking him as did one of the Thieves also and wagging their heads at him he being as a But for all to shoot at and a common Mark for every mans wicked tongue to aym at On the Cross he was about three hours All this while besides bodily pains which could not but be grievous he had again a most bitter cup given him to drink and he had it poured in so fast and such load laid on him as that he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Though God did secretly sustain him yet his Humane frailty felt himself almost overcome and gone Oh! it must needs be so for it was that wrath we should have suffered in Hell though not with the same quality that the wicked feel Hell pains namely with being utterly forsaken of God and despairing and blaspheming on their parts Oh this was most grievous that the Son should have the Fathers wrath poured out upon him Oh it was more then all the pains that were ever upon all men together in this world And from the sixth to the ninth hour the Sun was darkned and our Savior all that while abode in a most grievous perplexity during which time he uttered but seven Sentences and in this while he drunk up this bitter Cup to the very bottom dregs and all Then he gave up the ghost and dyed was buried and held under death for a space Behold a little poor draught of the lamentable Sufferings of our Savior Christ to express it as it was fully no tongue of man or Angel is able And all these things he endured for our sakes and for our sins for he had none of his own They were our sins that brought all this upon him and had it not been for this we had all been damned for ever as the evil Angels that fell of whom none shall be saved He was arraigned before the Bar of an earthly Judge that we might not be arraigned before Gods Tribunal Seat He was condemned that we might be absolved He was mockt and spitted on that we might escape shame here and confusion of faces hereafter He was scourged that we might escape the stripes of Gods vengeance He dyed that we might live dyed a cursed death that we might scape the curse and be blessed and thus he had the smart and we the benefit our sins the cause of all his sorrow and his sorrow the mean of all our welfare for by this means we are discharged our Surety hath paid every farthing Neither could there be any other course taken with our sins but that a death must be suffered for Gods Justice had pronounced Death the punishment of it and so required it He could not remit our sin but upon a satisfaction therefore they that look for Salvation any other way or by their good meaning good Prayers good serving God c. shall miss thereof for none but by a payment paid and death and infinite wrath suffered can enter into Heaven No other person or persons could have undergone this all men were in our case none able to help himself much less others all unable to suffer and to overcome the least part of this wrath And for Angels alas it was far beyond their power for it was an infinite wrath that we had deserved by sinning against an infinite God but their power is finite This also was a sufficient satisfaction being performed by the Son of God it was more that he should suffer one moment then all men and Angels for ever and ever He like a rich Creditor paid that in a few hours that we poor Creatures could never have overcome and though the time of his Passion was but short and that in respect of the dignity of his person and for that he was enabled through his Godhead to perform this great work in so short a space yet he suffered so much in that short time as would have held us work and kept us under for ever and ever 1. This sets out the ugliness of sin and that most woful case wherein we had plunged our selves by our sins that if God had not put forth all his wisdom as we may so say we must all have perished 2. This setteth forth the most unspeakable love of God and of Jesus Christ towards us vile wretches That Christ should abase himself so low to all that he suffered in body in soul from men from his Father especially and for us Rebels his enemies who had no need of us nay might have been glorified in our destruction O the infinite depth of his love And doth not this call for wonderful and unspeakable love and affection from us to God again to do and suffer whatsoever he shall at any time require of us to serve him night and day on hands and knees with the whole might both of body and soul not a thought being out of his Service yea if it were to dye every day for him Should we not say with David What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits this
above all others Oh! it rebukes our cold serving him which will scarce lay down our lusts at his request who yet laid down his life for us our proud lusts revenging lusts covetous and worldly lusts unclean lusts c. O fearful unthankfulness And how hardly are we brought to do duties No forwardness therein negligence every way and when we do them how cold and careless are we O lamentable Is a cold drowsie service suitable to such a love as this we may be even ashamed herein And for suffering alas we have no will no not to endure a mock a frown of a great person we will make friendship with the world rather then to endure the least disgrace we will forbear many duties nay to keep company with Gods servants onely lest we should be counted Puritans How shall we then be able to go to Prison and death for the cause of Christ 3. To all that mourn in Sion to all that are heavy laden hungring after Christ Jesus and willing to take up his yoke and to all other Believers this is matter of most unspeakable consolation Their sins be gone and all the punishment due to them no punishment shall befal them here as on the ungodly no wrath or condemnation hereafter Their afflictions are merciful corrections to further their Salvation To them death is no death but a passage to life that whereupon their Souls are received into Heaven their bodies committed to the earth both which at the Resurrection shall be joyfully reunited O how should we walk worthy of this in all holiness and honesty But to all that shall not have part in Christ there remains unspeakable misery it had been good for them they had never been born they must bear their own burthen and sink to Hell there to be for ever and ever This will be the portion of most because so few receive Christ so few are humbled so many through pride and profaneness refuse to be guided by him O how few will cast away their lusts and yield up themselves to be ruled by him and his Word It will be most woful to the Turks Jews and Pagans that shall perish without Christ but yet of all others their judgement will be most fearful which have had him preached daily and by the Ministers of God have been so often besought to embrace him and yet have despised him would none of him Oh it will encrease their torment to consider that they had offer of Christ and many believed in him and were converted by the same Sermons whereat they themselves were no whit moved O this will fret hearts O le ts consider this we that live in this happy time One would think every man should receive and imbrace Christ Jesus but alas how few do this for them that do not it will be their undoing O give no rest unto your selves till you can get a discharge in and by Christ confess bewail crave pardon cry to God and resolve to turn to him The water is now stirring step into this Pool of Bethesda 4. This condemneth all false ways for Salvation for other then Christ never was any neither is or shall be therefore all that reject him as Jews and Turks or embrace him onely to halves as the Papists are in a fearful case as all among our selves that trust to any thing else besides him That we being dead to sin c. Another main end of Christs death and another great benefit redounding unto us thereby namely That he dyed for us not onely to free us from sins and wrath and damnation deserved thereby but also to kill sins in us to deliver us from the power thereof and to dissolve the works of the Devil in us that being dead unto sin we might live unto righteousness Of the words first in general then in particular In general note we thus much that For whomsoever Christ dyed he dyed to kill sin in them for he dyed not to free us of half our misery and leave us in the other half nor to be at a great deal of cost with us and for us and yet leave us in a case fit to do him no service as if one should ransom a man out of the Turks galleys and leave him in the midway but hath done all this that we might be fit to do him service thereupon giving us his Word and Spirit to humble us and so to change us that sin may be mortified in us and we made live He is not onely made of God unto us Redemption but also our Sanctification as he hath redeemed us so hath he purged us to be a peculiar people unto himself Christ affords both and from him we may as well look for the one as the other yea whosoever hath indeed his part in the one cannot be without the other and in token of our thankfulness we ought to labor by all means to shew forth this latter 1. This confutes that wicked slander of the Church of Rome We talk say they that we must be saved by Christs death and by Faith in him onely and not by any thing we can do and therefore that we set men at liberty to do what they list and open a gap to all licentiousness but as the Gospel is not a Doctrine of liberty so neither do we by preaching give way unto licentiousness The Gospel requires as strict obedience as the Law doth to every of Gods Commandments though not in extremity neither freeth it us from any duty to God or men yea teacheth us That denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and that none have nor can have part in Christ which give not themselves to good works 2. This setteth forth the wonderful goodness of Christ Jesus that hath not onely freed us from Gods wrath and the punishment of our sins which is unspeakable goodness but hath appointed to give us his Spirit to free us from sin for if we should all our life here have lived after our own lusts or under the power of Satan what a base and woful life had this been that we might both in heart and body serve him in the works of holiness and a godly life 3. This condemneth all those that lay claim to the death of Christ and yet live in their sins and old lusts Numbers in these days have got this by the end They hope to be saved by Jesus Christ They be no Papists that look to be saved by their works but they believe in Jesus Christ with all their hearts and yet they are not washed from their old filthiness but abide still in security in all or some of their lusts But let such know they speak impossible things God hath joyned these two ends of Christs death and they divide them yea blasphemous things that Christ dyed to set men at liberty to live as they list O woful
wretches that can say They hope to be saved by Christ and that he dyed for them and yet can follow every vain pleasure and wicked lust to redeem them from which it cost even the blood of Christ more worth then a thousand worlds what is this but to set light by Christs death which none can do who hath his part therein yea what is it but to crucifie him again and to make a mock of his death what beastly unthankfulness is it for any to say Christ dyed for me and yet to live in sin nay whosoever have faith to believe their pardon in Christ it purifieth their hearts and the assurance of such a love to us must needs work love again in us and that love will constrain us yet who useth not this shift who flyeth not hereunto as Joab unto the horns of the Altar but as there he found no shelter from the Sword of Benaiah so they that flie to Christ as their refuge having nothing to do with him they shall be cut off and cast down into Hell for ever O that the death of Christ which ought to be the greatest corrasive to eat out sin out of our hearts as which cost such a wonderful price should be made a boâ—ster for sin As beggers go with their licences boldly from place to place so do worldlings sin boldly because they can say O they believe in Jesus Christ and he hath dyed for them c. but as most of their licences being found counterfeit and made under a Bush are taken from them and they themselves cast into Prison So when God shall come to examine those this shall not free them or serve their turn but they shall be cast into utter darkness If you live in your lusts or have the love of any one â—in in you as yet ye have no part in Christs death 4. This may be a great comfort to those that can finde and feel sin dying in them and themselves dead to all sin and the love of any one and that they are renewed to live the life of God and yield obedience to all his Commandments Though this be not as they would yet if their hearts can bear witness with them that this in truth let them be assured they have their part in Christs death Having their part in the latter benefit thereof it s an argument of the former For how come they to be now so changed into an hatred of all the sins which before they loved and such a true and earnest care to please God Flesh and blood hath not so taught them but Gods Spirit and that 's an argument we are his even his Spirit that he hath given us But many that would not willingly offend God for any thing and having failed in the least thing are more troubled then most be at great matters yea and study and strive for nothing so much as to please God yet cannot be perswaded that Christ dyed for them Oh! I fear that Christ dyed not for me will such a one say because I feel such a corrupt and rebellious nature within me and I am often overcome of sin and Satan It s not the mark of such as Christ dyed for that they are freed from sin altogether but that they hate all sin that they resist it and often prevail against the same whereof if at any time they be overcome yet they rise again by unfained repentance and stand up upon their watch for in the best of Gods Servants there will some of the Canaanilist brood remain as pricks in our sides but so long as we keep them Tributaries we must not be discouraged though our corruptions salley out upon us sometimes yet if we make war upon them and chase them home and so weaken them they shall not prevail over us The Church is not in this world without spot except it be by imputation of Christs righteousness for in respect of Sanctification it s but begun to be cleansed and shall be perfected in the world to come Thus in general In particular the two clauses here mentioned contain the two parts of Repentance or Sanctification namely Mortification and Vivification or dying unto sin and living unto righteousness Dead unto sin It s the duty of every Christian in token of his thankfulness to God that hath delivered him from this most woful state to set himself to mortifie his lusts and all maner of evil and that every day more and more Though we cannot be dead to sin at once it being a work of our whole life yet must we be dead to the love of all sin open or secret outward or inward and so dye daily as Christ dyed so should we labor and be more and more dead to our lusts as he was crucified so should we crucifie them c. And can we live in sin that cost the price of the blood of Christ Who would not abhor and cast from him the knife that killed his dearest friend Thus did sin to our Savior Christ it was that which brought him to his death 1. The thing then that best beseems a Christian is to mortifie his vile lusts to finde them out to hate and pursue them to the death to apply all means to the weakning and killing thereof ever hacking at the roots thereof by continual Prayer and Meditation applying the Word Mercies Corrections all to the throat of our Corruptions for as nothing is more unbeseeming a Christian then to be carried away of any lust so this should be our continual exercise to be continually weakning our Corruptions This is true Religion it stands not in hearing Sermons but in mortifying our lusts and bringing our rebellious hearts in subjection to the will of God And as we are to labor for the subduing of all so are we especially of our strongest corruptions that have most foiled us most broke our peace most dishonored God and have been of worst example 2. This rebuketh a wonderful fault in most Christians that howsoever they have general purposes to resist sin and to do well yet think that they are not continually to labor for the mortifying thereof wherein failing they do sometimes yield and give way to their lusts to break out into open evils vain speeches slight oathes worldly talking on the Lords day gaming and the like So for their inward lusts of pride covetousness frowardness security dulness to duties unbelief coldness and customariness in the service of God Alas these they look not after but almost lay the reign on the neck of them so that if they reign not in them yet they break out at every turn and are very rank in them and shew forth themselves grosly to Gods dishonor their own discomfort and the continual breach of their peace with much evil example to others As we would prove our selves Christs let us labor to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof let us deal
with our sins as the Jews dealt with Christ kill them bury them lay a great stone upon them set a watch over them Should live unto righteousness It s not enough to be dead to sin but we must be alive to God and to his Commandments in doing all good By righteousness is meant the whole duty of man in all godliness throughout his whole conversation to God and Men When it s joyned with holiness then it stands for the duties of the second Table but alone it stands for all as in that of the Apostle Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness and to this end hath Christ dyed for us even that we should not live after the lusts of the flesh but after the will of God serving him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life And what should we else do how else express our thankfulness we ought to be exceeding thankful even for earthly benefits how much more for this Christ dying for us O happy change We that were sometimes the slaves of sin and drudges of Satan doing base work for woful wages are now become the Servants of God employed in holy works whereof here the fruits are peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost and the end everlasting life We ought therefore to give our selves to an holy life in all things shewing hereby whose we are and to whom we belong as it s said of the Merindolians That they were known by their godly behavior wheresoever they became It was a custom among the Romans that every one should carry some note of his Trade or Profession as he went in the streets a Carpenter his Rule a Taylor his Yard or Measure c. So ought we to carry a badge of our Profession every where about us whether we go to Church be at home in our Families go to Market to our Shops or Workfolks c. even holiness throughout our whole conversation In prosperity we must shew forth sobriety in adversity patience at all times the fruits of love faithfulness uprightness c. Are we in company our speeches must be gracious and godly if alone holy and heavenly minded And this we ought not to do a little by fits in a good mood and when we list but we must walk in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life we must be continually ready to every good work we must be a peculiar people zealous of good works If these things be in us and abound great profit will redound unto us and hereunto must we employ all our endeavors By whose stripes ye were healed Now he returns again to Servants applying the benefit of Christ to them By stripes or wales of the stripes he means not onely the stripes he had of men but all his sufferings he useth the word stripes in respect of Servants because they suffered stripes of their Masters and that for their especial comfort as who did not suffer alone and whose stripes were healed through the stripes which Christ suffered All that Christ suffered for us was wholesome and saving his shame our glory his condemnation our absolution his curse our blessing his strokes our peace his death our life The most grievous stripes that he suffered have healed the most ugly and deadly sores of our sins which otherwise had been incurable We ought therefore to be content to suffer some stripes for him and for his sake and for the profession of his Name he was mockt and reviled for us may not we then be content to suffer the like for him What are we to him He became poor to make us rich if we be cut short for his sake shall we not endure it Dost thou suffer any thing for Christ bear the same patiently and great reason Christ suffered much for thee Note further that Christ dyed even for poor Servants and that therefore the meanest are to labor after their part in Christ and yet who are more negligent then the poor are for the most part and those poor that have their part in him are to be highly thankful and bear their outward wants patiently and think that God hath dealt wonderfully for them having passed by so many great wise and learned ones In the words also these particulars are implied 1. That sin is a wound or disease as a disease weakens the body so doth sin every faculty of the soul As the former also brings deformity on the body causeth pain and thereupon followeth death so doth the latter on the soul. 2. That our bodies are subject to many sicknesses and the diseases thereof are oftentimes very grievous and if those be such what are the diseases and pains of the soul the one may put us in minde of the other 3. That Christ is our Physician both for body and soul He hath both skill will compassion healeth us freely and is ever near us he hath by his Passion purchased all good for us he wrought many cures and miracles in the days of his flesh now he worketh by means and his blessing thereon 4. That sin is hateful to God as for which Christ suffered stripes Seek we therefore help in Christ we are sick of many diseases we cannot help our selves by any Medicine we can devise Christ onely can cure us This Faith apprehends for that the wounding of one should heal another is above Nature Oh! how will men being sick in body bestir themselves that they may be cured but being inwardly diseased through sin how slack are they how do they defer it to the last when it s too late There be but certain seasons to be cured in as the man at the Pool of Bethesda observed miss we not our opportunity lest we perish altogether And that we may speed at the hands of this our Physician 1. We must feel our disease and be humbled confess also and bewail the same to him 2. Earnestly beg of him to heal us 3. Hurt our selves no more as near as we can 4. Believe he will heal us 5. Suffer the words of Exhortation the preaching of the Word being the means to cure our sinful Nature 6. Take heed of dawbers that cry Peace peace 7. Take heed of all false cures as by our selves Masses Pilgrimages Indulgencies c. 8. Abide the Lords leisure in the use of the means though we should be cured by threatnings of the Word or by afflictions yea being once cured do we acknowledge the same to his glory and be we thankful for it s he alone that hath satisfied for our sins he alone through whom our sinful Nature is cured Verse 25. For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the great Shepherd and Bishop of your souls THese words are a confirmation of those immediately going before that they were healed by Christ by comparing their former state wherein they were with their
present state They were once in a poor case in a piteous taking in a miserable and dangerous case but now through Gods mercy they were come home to Christ who most carefully did and would protect them to their Salvation Before they came to Christ their case was woful and dangerous as is the state of all unregenerate persons but now having taken hold of Christ their condition was safe happy as it s with all believers and penitent persons For ye were as sheep going astray Speak we first of the miserable state of all unregenerate men of all men without Christ they are as sheep going astray 1. Every Natural man is like a beast who is therefore in Scripture compared to several sorts of beasts for one ill quality or another as to Dogs for their malicious barking and biting at them they live with to Wolves for their greedy devouring of the poor to Lyons for their cruel tyranny to fat fat Bulls for their proud abuse of their prosperity to Hogs for their rude and unreverent base esteeming of Spiritual things as the Word and Sacraments and Gods Ministers to Foxes as Herod for their craft so to Horses and Mules for their ignorance and unruliness yea sometimes the beasts are preferred before them to shame them and sometimes they are sent to school to them nay all Gods Creatures are more serviceable then Man they obey God in their kind and abide in their first estate the Sun Moon and Stars obey God in their courses the huge Sea rageth and is calm at his bidding if he command it to stand as a wall it doth so to let Israel go through and will return again upon the same warrant and drown Pharaoh if God bid the Whale swallow Jonah and cast him up again it obeys him in both if he forbid the Lyons to touch Daniel they stir not though very hungry as the fire did not burn the three Children c. But man that should be best of all and for whom all were made as he for God yet walk stubbornly and rebelliously omitting what 's required of him and doing what 's again and again prohibited therefore God calls all Creatures to witness against man yea they are many times to set themselves against us as when the heavens become as brass and the earth as iron c. and to groan because of us as being weary of doing any further service to such as we are O how ought this to humble all that be such that know no mark of conversion or change in themselves from their unregenerate condition small cause hast thou to be proud the Horse thou ridest on is far better then thou art it doth that for which God did ordain it but thou doest not that which the Lord requireth of thee nay the Dog that keeps thy Yard and ears bones under thy table is in a better case then thou art its serves God in its kinde thou never didst any thing that God set thee here for O humble thy self before God crave of him to work an alteration in thee for he onely can do it and that by the Ministery of his word Thus can he bring it to pass delivering thee from thy brutish nature turning thee into a Christian man renewing in thee his image and working of grace that so thou mayest serve him in a better maner then other creatures either do or can do so shalt thou be more happy then they for they as they have no pain so they shal have no glory but thou shalt go from hence to everlasting glory in the Kingdom of Heaven But as for all that continue in their Rebellion as they are worse then beasts in their life so shall they be in their end for their death is but a beginning to eternal misery O how happy were it for every man that shall dye in his sins if he were turned this day into a Dog or Toad and no further account to be taken of him 2. As a Sheep that wandereth is out of his way so is every natural and unregenerate man quite out of his way out of the way to Peace and Happiness We were created in the right way but in Adam all went astray we have no minde but of wandering and roaming further and further the longer we live till God take us into the right way so that whosoever dyes in the way he was born in and lived in first must needs perish it s the way of ignorance of sin the broad way to destruction Some go out of the way by ignorance some by superstition some by prophaneness by hypocrisie by trusting to civility c. naturally we do all go from God and Peace to Hell and the Devil Abraham was out of his way whilest he was an Idolater so Paul whilest he was a Persecutor The wicked they go astray even from the womb they wander from every good work and do nothing well or pleasing to God They delight to wander and take pleasure in their sins yea that they thus wander may appear by these signs They refuse instruction and reproof whether publike or private whereas the regenerate account those to love them indeed which tell them of their faults they live even in known sins they are altogether for the world having no communion with God in holy duties they have no love to good company but associate themselves with others like themselves and of their own stamp If they do good duties it s for sinister respects not out of conscience Thus the Devil misleads some Antichrist seduceth thousands by false Doctrine and miracles as wicked Ministers by seldom or erroneous teaching and bad lives So is the world a great deceiver by bad examples by false reports of the servants of God and by the profits and pleasures thereof yea a mans own heart is a great deceiver as whereby many think they are in the way to Heaven when they be in the way to destruction Ignorance also of the Scriptures is a great cause of being deceived Ye erre saith our Savior not knowing the Scriptures nay God in justice gives some over to believe lyes as Ahab was seduced by false Prophets to his destruction they may provoke God so long by their wandering that he will never reclaim or bring them home but swear in his wrath they shall never enter into his rest they may despise the means so long as no Sermon shall do them good These are in a fearful state marked to destruction as Trees to be felled This also should humble men for what are they but stragling creatures and make them desire to get into the right way But how few will take knowledge they be out of their way thinking still their case to be good enough as the Lord complained by Jeremiah I hearkened and heard but none spake aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying What have I done c. There
which is That thus to put up wrongs were the way indeed still to have more and more wrongs put upon us as if they should precisely follow the Rule of the Word in their dealings poverty and beggery could not but quickly come upon them both which are and have been found contrary 2. Whoso desires to live and that peaceably let him take this course hating and avoiding trouble and vexation so much as in him lieth Let us learn to be wise and thus provide for a quiet life that we may be the fitter to serve God and do good to our selves and others if we do not believe and practice the same we shall do him less honor then we do a Physician whose prescripts we use for procuring health and when trouble comes upon us we may justly blame our selves for the same O be guided by the Word how else shall you live a comfortable and quiet life David and Peter who here urge the same knew this by experience What is herein required of us hath been throughout all ages long taught though not much learn'd Thus in general For he that will love life Life and long life are blessings of God to be desired and delighted in of Gods children See to this purpose Gen. 25. 8. Exod. 20. 12. Job 5. 26. 1 Chron. 29. 28. Psal. 128. 6. Prov. 3. 16. yea the Apostle counts it a mercy of God that Epaphroditus was restored to health To be taken away untimely is as an apple pulled from the Tree before it be ripe by living long we shall get to our souls an assurance of Gods love with more and more evidences thereof to the encrease of our joys hereby also we have time and means to grow in grace and sanctification and to have the image of God restored in us more clearly and fully hereby also we shall do God much service in Church and Commonwealth and that better at the last then at the first as being bettered through experience and hence it is that Gods servants have sometimes prayed against death and desired still to live as David and Hezekiah Quest. How is this to be counted a blessing seeing many of Gods dear servants go without it and are taken away betimes R. It s but a Temporal blessing and so Gods people may be debarred thereof as of health wealth and such like and that sometimes for correction of sin howsoever God saveth their souls as on the Corinthians for their unworthy receiving of the Sacrament so good Josiah going to war without Gods command was killed in the battel so many a Minister is taken from his people for their making no better use of him as many a husband from his wife for not regarding him or trusting too much on him the like might be instanced in other sometimes in mercy that they may not see the evils to come and thus also amends is made them they are paid weight in gold for weight in silver in stead of long life in this world they have longer time in Heaven Q. How is long life a blessing seeing even many of the wicked enjoy it R. Though it be in it self a blessing as whereby they enjoy many good comforts in this life and are not so soon in Hell as they deserve and besides have space and time to repent yet as they handle the matter it s no blessing but contrarily proves a means of the encrease of their sin and so of their condemnation Quest. How is life and the continuance thereof to be desired as a blessing seeing it hath been the desire of Gods people to be dissolved and to be with Christ R. We must not desire to live because we would live but because we would live to Gods glory our own and the good of others neither must we desire to dye for it self for that is against nature nor because of our crosses and troubles but that we may cease to sin and be with God in his heavenly Kingdom perfectly both holy and happy We must desire to be with God but yet we must not be so importunate as though we would prevent the Lord and make away our selves wittingly or negligently shorten our lives Again we must not so love our life as that we should be unwilling to yield it up if God will or to redeem the continuance thereof with an ill Conscience and denying God for he that so loves his life shall lose it and his soul too Both then may be desired but because we know not what is best we must not be our own carvers but commend our selves to God to be disposed of It s a base thing to desire life to be great enjoy pleasures be revenged of our enemies and the like Q. Whence is it that most men are strongly carried after long life R. 1. Through the corruption of nature To love life is natural but to love it so exceedingly is of corruption 2. Through ignorance and unbelief of the things of a better life 3. Through the love of worldly profits pleasures and prefermentss That such fail herein may thus appear we should not love the world nor the things thereof The whole world cannot satisfie the soul our life is but a breath a blast our days are determined beyond which we cannot pass we are here but strangers and pilgrims So long as we live we are lyable as well to sin as crosses by reason thereof Of the things here wherein we place happiness what certainty is there friends may forsake us fail us remove from us dye wealth also and honor are uncertain There 's no small labor both in getting and keeping them as there cannot but be grief in parting with them yea for the most part they prove hurtful and drown men in perdition In a word the commodities of a better life are infinitely beyond all those in this life 1. Seeing long life is a blessing we ought to be heartily thankful to God that we have lived thus long and do yet live 2. When we crave of God the continuance thereof we must so use it as that it may be a blessing to us wherein we may get the assurance of our Salvation grow in grace and do good They that do thus may account their life a blessing for those that do otherwise it had been good they had dyed long ago 3. We must take heed that we do not shorten our lives and so deprive out selves of this blessing through Whoring Drinking Gaming too too many thus do as if they should not be ni Hell time enough 4. We ought to use all good means for the continuance of their lives that be dear to us be careful especially not to provoke God to deprive us of them so should Subjects of their Prince and godly Magistrates People of their faithful Pastors Husbands and Wives each of other c. And see good days That is enjoy here in this world
when he is angry 3. God hates it and such as commit the same 4. It brought misery into the world with shame and confusion upon us all and hath always been the cause of all evils For this the Angels were cast out of Heaven Adam out of Paradice the old world drowned and Sodom burnt c. yea it wounds the Conscience which God hath set in us as a Monitor Notary Accuser Judge and Tormentor 5. It bringeth eternal destruction both of body and soul O who would not hate that Mother which brings forth no better children Besides we shun lesser things therefore should shun this much more we shun crosses exceedingly which yet are so far from hindring our Salvation as that they further the same but sin is the destruction of our souls That sins is worse then all crosses appears by the Devils practice who is that subtile one he had rather draw Job to commit sin against God by impatiency then have power to take away all his goods he did this to bring him to that and its true if a man should break an Arm or Leg or lose all he hath it were not so bad or so much to be shunned as is sin To eschew this is the note of a man that loves God of a man that fears him for eschewing this are Gods Servants commended in Scripture as on the contrary the wicked branded for committing the same We are to Eschew all evil even the least we must not give way unto any one no not the least idle thought or word even one is able to destroy us yea and he that breaks one is guilty of all Yea and All persons are to eschew the same not the greatest excepted Gods Law bindes them be they Princes Magistrates Ministers Householders c. They should eschew it most for by their example they do most hurt and as no mans greatness will bear him out so will not any mans meanness excuse him in doing of evil And as all persons are to eschew it so must they shun it At all times Amonst all the times which the Preacher setteth down there 's none for sin we must serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life Some things be in season at one time some at another but sin is never in season Many make the Lords days the times of disorder and they that will be orderly all the year yet at Christide they take liberty to ryot gaming drinking c. as if those times were not to be as well if not better employed then others We must also eschew it In all places God is the God of all places neither can any place change the nature of sin thou must eschew sin as well abroad as at home in thy House Chamber Shop as well as at Church All kindes of sin are also to be avoided Error in judgement and wickedness in Conversation evil against God our Neighbors or our selves We must also shun and avoid evil under what colour or pretence soever it comes as Usury is pretended to be lawful on the behalf of Orphans to kill ones self to preserve Chastity to separate from the Church lest they partake with the wicked c. whosoever doth command it as appears by the examples of the three Children Daniel Peter and John whose example soever we have for it for we are not to follow even a multitude though of great learned men in evil though it be never so gainful What got Achan Gehazi Judas by their booties Our Savior would not listen to the Devils proffer that of fered him All the Kingdoms of the world and we should be losers if we did gain the whole world with the loss of our souls never so pleasannt for though it be sweet in the mouth it will be gall afterward bite like a Serpent and sting like a Cockatrice for a vain short pleasure to sell our souls to everlasting pain were folly indeed yea though we could bring to pass some good thereby we must not do evil that good may come thereof better that good be left undone then that it should be purchased with Gods dishonor as to steal or take usury that we may do good to the poor c. nay we must so hate and eschew evil as we may eschew the very appearance thereof as to go to a place that is of ill report though having no ill purpose c. and must avoid the occasions leading thereunto as going in the twylight by the Harlots house anger multitude of businesses the company of angry persons multiplying of words c. yea if even things good and lawful in themselves be an occasion of evil and cause us to offend we must forbear them as some in using their recreations break out into impatience and anger and others cannot leave the same in any time better for such to pluck out this their eye cut off this their right hand and to eschew this we must eschew the persons and places where in likelyhood we are to be drawn thereunto as the company of bad persons and private familiarity with wicked doers and that not for any sinister respect but because its evil though haply we may be hated for our labor eschewing especially those sins that be most incident to our nature complexion and calling and whereunto we have been most accustomed 1. This condemns them that be so far from hating and eschewing evil though it be as poyson as the Plague that they love it with their hearts live in the continual practice thereof drink it down like water running thereunto as the horse rusheth into the Battel This is the state of most they are workers of iniquity the whole world lieth in wickedness they love not the means nor persons whereby they may be pulled out of their sins but eschew them and goodness as much as they can What Rebels be these against God their Maker Preserver and Soveraign Being made to honor him will they do nothing but dishonor him and so requite all his blessings will nothing serve those to play with but swords and fire-brands and mortal things nothing please them but to cross God and nothing like them but their own poyson Have they sped so well formerly that have done thus Do they provoke the Lord and not themselves to the confusion of their faces If they have vowed they will have their pleasures and lusts whatsoever comes of it then it must be so what remedy These have no love of God neither is there any fear of God in them They are prophane and godless persons which may look for wages answerable to their work shame and the wrath of God in this world and eternal destruction in the world to come For life is in the way of righteousness but death is in the way of sin and the paths thereof tend to Hell O that these persons would hear the
all that are not as they should be whereas they should by a wise meek and moderate defence and kinde perswasions win credit to the truth which they defend and so do good they on the contrary cause them to speak evil and to think that it s but a preposterous hate and pride of heart in them so to speak and so do hurt Some sober Christians do much good and win on many that at first were opposite when they hear the wait of their reasons rather then the bigness of their words and seeing they do it in the fear of God and for conscience sake Some are not so milde as others but of an hotter nature this must in any wise be tempered with wisdom yet are not we to part from any part of the truth but to stick as close thereto as we may Verse 16. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ. TO our constancy in the confession of our faith we must have a good conscience not so onely as it may be known to our selves but we must so walk that others even our adversaries may perceive the same that thereupon changing their mindes and being ashamed that they have spoken so evil of us they may cease to blame such as walk in so good a conversation as becometh the Servants of Christ Before I come to handle the points particularly laid down herein I will shew 1. What conscience is 2. The offices thereof 3. Resolve some questions about it and 4. Treat of the kindes thereof For the 1. Conscience is a faculty or power placed by God in the soul of a man which determineth of his thoughts desires words and deeds either with him or against him in the sight of God I say It s a faculty or power not a bare act for many actions are ascribed thereto as to accuse excuse comfort terrifie c. Placed by God for God being the creator of the soul he must accordingly be the creator of all the faculties of it In the soul called also the heart and the Spirit of a man Herein there be diverse faculties as the understanding whereby we conceive what is true and what is false what is good and what is evil the will whereby we will or nill choose or refuse any thing whereto are joyned the affections joy grief love hope fear c. and the memory whereby we hold fast things conceived or else call to minde and remember things past So also is conscience another faculty thereof whereby the soul reflects upon it self whereby I know that I do know such a thing that I think this or that that I affect or desire love or hate this or that for its one thing to know a thing think a thing remember a thing c. and another to know that I know it think it remember it Now in which part of the soul it hath its place as whether in the understanding or will or in every part of the soul I will not stand it s enough for us to know that there is such a faculty in mans soul. True it is it not only gives witness of all the faculties tels what I think desire affect c. but it useth and worketh upon all the faculties as the understanding for by it it directs and according to it it doth accuse so as if the judgement be well informed the conscience will give right witness if ignorant or ill informed then it gives wrong testimony So the memory accusing or excusing for things past so it worketh upon the will by provoking it to choose or refuse this or that so it worketh upon the affections raising up in us comfort and joy upon well doing fear and grief upon ill-doing Now though it have to do with all yet it may have its proper place in the understanding and minde according to the judgement of most Divines Of a man for no Creature on earth hath Conscience but man True the Angels are not without it the good having a good comfortable excusing joyful Conscience the evil a woful ill accusing and tormenting Conscience which is so much the worse for that they know so much and be so maliciously bent against it so that even when they be not in the place of torment but have leave to range the world yet they carry Hell with them even a tormenting Conscience whereof their trembling according to Saint James is an evident testimony But no other Creature hath it for having no Reason they have no Conscience therefore we say in our speech of a bad and unconscionable man he hath no more Conscience then a Dog or as much Conscience as an Horse whereby we mean none at all for these Creatures have none Man then hath a Conscience yea every man yet as the use of Reason may be lost by folly phrensie c. so the use of Conscience in such So by notorious wickedness a man may lose the use of his Conscience for a time whereupon we say of such a one he hath no Conscience yes every man hath a Conscience though as the use of Reason is taken from one deeply drunk so custom of sinning hath taken away use of Conscience so that it doth not admonish him before he do ill nor check and accuse him after or hath such an erronious judgement thinking good evil and evil good that he hath also an erronious Conscience But this benummed or beguiled Conscience will be awakened at one time or other in life or death or at the day of Judgement for no mans Conscience dyes but lives and shall meet him at the last day and though his sins be now as words written with the juyce of Lemmons nothing to be seen yet when their Conscience comes to the fire of Gods Judgements then every little dash idle words vain thoughts c. will be perceived Though men choak and smother Conscience though they strangle it or so drown it in their cups yet it will and doth abide still what made Joseph's Brethren troubled in Egypt but Conscience which told them of the sin committed by them twenty years before So Conscience told Pharaoh that he and his people were wicked which determined of his thoughts desires words and deeds or more briefly beareth witness either with us or against us in the sight of God It meddles not with other folks actions for that is science or knowledge but with our own and that is Conscience Conscience that is knowledge with another that is either another knowledge when I knowing any thing do know that I know it and so know my self and what is in me or another person that knows with me what I know and that as well as I or rather far better namely God who made the Conscience and will judge it and is privy to all that is in it for so is no other neither man nor Angel and accordingly the
comes not after humiliation nor proceeds from apprehension of Gods love but from a false imagination having no true reformation of life accompanying it Now that the consciences of such may be awakened here whilest there is help though usually most shun the same they must 1. Labor to be acquainted with Gods Law wherein they shall as well see the smallest as the greatest sins Therein they shall perceive their own error as who thought that they did love God above all and their neighbors as themselves that they did ever serve God and put their whole trust in him that it was lawful for them to swear so it were true that it was lawful to go to wizards that on the Lords day they might walk about their fields and do their other businesses and yet serve God as well as they that went to Church that they might do with their own what they list c. 2. Labor to know and believe that the least sin is damnation yet do most bless themselves in their evil courses and are not a whit moved by all the threatnings of Gods Word that thereupon they may be humbled and terrified and flie out of themselves to God for mercy which is the onely way to come to good To this end let them make use of the most stirring sermons meditate of Gods judgements go to such as are afflicted or lie on their death beds consider that there be thousands in Hell which have not committed the tithe of their sins and that if they themselves should dye suddenly this night their condition were miserable If any shall say My conscience hath been quiet all this while I do not mean to call my estate into question let such know that many go snorting to Hell and that a troubled conscience is better then a drowsie secure conscience for that may come to good the other is out of all possibility of mercy Indeed to stay in terror of conscience is fearful yet not worse then to have a benumb'd conscience there 's hope of them that be troubled of the others but a little Physitians prescribe their Patients sometimes to go to sea to be sea sick and that to purge away some ill humors for the health of the body no less needful is it to be soul sick for the welfare of our souls yet is it a common speech of most at the visitation of the sick Oh I pray do not trouble him he is in a very good minde c. but the Prodigals condition though he had ragged cloaths and a rent heart was better then his elder brothers and the Publican justified not the Pharisee Thus of the quiet ill conscience The stirring ill conscience is either when it stirs by excusing or by accusing Excusing upon the doing of some evil whereof John 16. 2. or the omission of some duty as the hearing of the Word Prayer and the liâ—e Thus was it with Saul when he was questioned by Samuel for not obeying Gods Commandment thus hath it been with some Papists when they have practiced Treason against their Prince and Countrey A good conscience doth excuse indeed but rightly not amiss in all things not in some onely for the maner as well as the thing it self Accusing and that 1. When it should not as an Idolator is troubled in conscience for leaving undone some piece of idolatrous service 2. For trifles and not for matters of weight as the Pharisees made great conscience of going to meat with unwashen hands but not of murthering Christ as Papists make great conscience of eating flesh on a fasting day who yet make no conscience of Whoredom Swearing so Civil persons would be much troubled if they should be but accused for wronging their neighbors who yet are no whit moved for prophaning the Lords day not coming to the Sacrament neglect of Prayer and the like 3. When it is forcible and violent causing horror and fear gastliness terror in the dark or at the sight of any of Gods Judgements trembling at the ratling of a leaf yea and desperation it self This though it be not good of it self yet turns to the good of the godly God brings them this way onely he leaves them not here but by the voyce of the Gospel doth relieve their mindes and perswades them to seek mercy upholding them with the hope thereof Some have checks of conscience but so as they can bear them out some again so as they cannot endure them Who so finde their consciences accusing them for their sins and know no pardon but their consciences still tell them of their sins and that their course is bad let such know that they have evil consciences which being let alone will accuse them worse If their consciences accuse them God is greater and knows more Therefore let them seek to pacifie God and their consciences too To this end consider That God hath provided in his infinite mercy an all-sufficient remedy in the death and bloodshed of Jesus Christ then which there is no other way to satisfie Gods displeasure nor to stanch the terrors of conscience let such bewail and lament their state to Almighty God confessing their sins and judging themselves as the Prodigal for the same thereupon craving of him with strong cryes and humble prayers the pardon and forgiveness thereof To such as thus come in the truth of their hearts God hath made many gracious promises Thus suing to him he will in his own good time send down a comfortable answer This is the onely course to come to good to still conscience with forgetting our sins and mirth is but to deceive our selves to wear it out by head and shoulders it s but as the putting away of the tooth-ake with cold water which will still it for a little but after it reboundeth more violently this is the way to get peace After this will our consciences begin to be quiet and thereupon excuse and comfort Then will Faith purifie the heart and work an hatred of all sin with a continual care to please God in all things Then shall we be quite altered and changed from that we were I cannot but wonder at a number of men whose consciences witness against them who yet seek not to pacifie them by assurance of pardon but adde more daily unto their sins whose consciences bear witness That they have no care to please God but their way and works be naught assuredly their consciences will one day cry louder O lay up no new matter of accusation all the profit and pleasure that comes of it will be dear bought It s as to drink pleasing poyson it goes down pleasantly but afterward wounds the bowels If a man had never so much wealth yet if he have an ill conscience what shall it profit him It were as if a man had a costly banket rich apparel and attendance c. and one with a sword drawn were standing ready by
him to kill him This is a Bailiff to arrest a Jailer to keep safe a witness to accuse a Judge to condemn an Executioner to torment c. It s of all foes the worst they accuse to men this to God one may go from them sometimes but not from this It s an evil help in adversity which like Jobs friends troubles us more then all the rest It will be a woful companion at the hour of death and day of Judgement It s like a woful contentious wife when a man hath had trouble enough abroad coming home he findes more there O their life is no life that live with a worm gnawing within Thus what joy will there be of health wealth or whatsoever else yea as we are to take heed of this so also are we of a benumbd conscience the end of both being bad the one no less dangerous then the other Thus of a bad conscience A good conscience is an excusing and comforting conscience that speaks on ones side and that for well doing Thus have the Angels in Heaven a perfect excusing conscience So had Adam in his innocency and we shall one day have in heaven Now our conscience is but so in part as all our other faculties Some corruption remains therein even in the best and therefore doth sometimes accuse or excuse when it should not but for the most part it excuseth and witnesseth comfortably on our sides this is either a good quiet or a good troubled and trembling conscience A good quiet conscience hath these two parts an heart witnessing to us 1. The pardon of our sins past in the blood of Jesus Christ for as Jonah's casting into the Sea stilled the same So believing in Christ stills the most troubled conscience if we be justified through him who shall condemn and 2. Our unfained uprightness and care to please God in all things detesting all evil and bearing true love to his Word and Saints of the former read these Scriptures Job 19. 25. Romans 8. 16. Psalm 4. 6. and 32. 1. Gal. 2. 20. Cant. 2. 16. Of the latter these Psalm 26. 2. and Isaiah 38. 3. Acts 23. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Heb. 13. 18. They that believe most assuredly the pardon of their sins and walk most stedfastly with God they have the good quiet conscience at least so far as is here to be attained This is a wonderful Jewel a continual feast This causeth joy This causeth boldness to come to the Word boldness before God boldness also towards men let men say what they will we care not if our consciences witness truly on our sides yea boldness against the Devil who will lay much to our charge sifting us to the full O thou art a damned Creature will he say No Satan yes an horrible sinner and who hast deserved Hell fire I grant Satan but Christ Jesus hath paid my debt and delivered me If thou shalt scape Hell yet thou shalt never get to Heaven will he say for none come there but such as keep the Law O Christ hath kept it for me But he hath dyed but for a few whereof thou art none yes I am He dyed for none but such as truly believed in him so dost not thou Yes I do believe and do lay hold on his gracious promises But Christ dyes for none to whom he gives not power to become new Creatures so art not thou Hereunto will a good conscience answer boldly and so put Satan to flight This differs from a bad quiet conscience that comes from ignorance of their danger as a blinde man standing before a Canon this out of knowledge of Gods Word This is quiet upon examination that because never examined This is quiet upon good grounds that upon nothing but upon bear conceits This hath joy adjoyned therewith which that hath not That leaves one in deadness this quickens the heart to every good duty This holds at all times that driven away by the terror of the Ministery of the Word or by afflictions especially it fails at death and Judgement day A good troubled and trembling conscience is when one is perswaded of Gods love and the pardon of sin through Christ but cannot hold it firm and fast and this not in the beginning of their conversion onely but after they hold it with a wavering hand so doubtful and full of fears because of their unworthiness and the greatness of the mercy so that ever anon they are to seek and ready to faint And for the other their heart witnesseth the true hatred of all sin and care to please God in all things but herein they think they do nothing as they should and that they can do no good and even when they have done duties very carefully yet are they still troubled as if they did all for fear of pain and Hell and not for the love of God or out of self-love in hope of Heaven and to save their souls And because they finde some corruptions and rebellions they think that these spoil all their duties and that they themselves are vile wretches yea though they hate them deadly yet this doth not satisfie them they hate them not so much as they should Again they are so timerous and fearful whether they may eat this or that or thus much wear such good apparel do this or that go this way or that all which notwithstanding are lawful for them but they are so afraid to offend God that they often accuse themselves c. This is a good conscience though not so setled as were to be desired and as the other is This may appear by these Notes Such would not part with the comfort they have for the world nor be utterly out of hope and are glad when they can believe best They resolve to trust in God and serve him though he would kill them They are humble and both much and servent in Prayer They hang upon the Ministery of the Word hunger after the Sacrament long for the Sabbath delight in the Saints There 's no Physitian more welcome to a sick body then a godly Minister to them in time of trouble They walk usually more strictly then they that have more comfort and are more zealous and more afraid to sin and more grieve at sin in others So that this is a good conscience no less then the former Both go to Heaven the one in sharpness the other in sweetness run the way of Gods Commandments They be like to two Travellers through a Wilderness or in a dark night one of good courage afraid of nothing the other of a fearful nature afraid of every thing both which get well through So do these the one hath experience of Gods goodness in not being troubled and tempted the other of his power in being upheld that he is not swallowed up and overcome of fear and grief O that there were many such consciences And yet it cannot be denyed but
are fellows to the Saints Prophets and Apostles the honor is great the cause is good how base or grievous soever the punishment be Both John the Baptist and Barabbas were imprisoned Achan and Steven stoned and Witches and Martyrs be burnt the cause was not the same and in the cause the shame lies If a Christian as Paul be a prisoner and have chains on him and being demanded why he came there and is there so used if he can truly say It s neither for Treason nor Fellony I thank God but for preaching the truth of God to the world then it s well yea this will quiet his conscience when he knows its Gods cause who will take care of him strengthen him and receive him to glory If the will of God be so Here 's the other Reason We must be patient and comfortable in suffering for well-doing for its Gods will it should be so Here note that No affliction or persecution comes to us but by the will of God Whatsoever was done to our Savior Christ was done by Gods determinate counsel not an hair falls from our heads without our heavenly Father Christ foretold Peter of his bands before they came and so Agabus forewarned Paul of his which sheweth that they came by the will of God Obj. How can this be by the will of God seeing its a wicked thing and displeasing to God that his servants should be persecuted for well doing and he hath both forbid it and will punish the same Answ. As it comes from the Devil and persecutors it s a sin and they do wickedly and it s forbid but God hath an hand in it so far forth as it is good and he that brought light out of darkness can and doth bring good out of the evil of the wicked They intend evil but God good as in Jobs losses so in crucifying Christ Judas the High Priests the Jews Soldiers and Pilate did evil yet all this was by the will of God even so far forth as it was the mean of our Salvation and thereupon Peter that gave counsel against it was rebuked sharply so in the affliction of Gods children by the ungodly the devil and they of spite punish them for their goodness and to discourage them quite but God wills this for many good reasons as to try his that they which be approved might be known and to exercise and try their faith and patience and shew that they serve not in shew and for wages to confirm the truth not for it self for their sakes which are weak ones and to leave the others inexcusable to manifest the wickedness of the wicked and make way for the manifestation of the glory of Gods justice in plaguing them as the glory of God is made manifest by the constant and patient suffering of the Righteous which they could never have done of themselves 1. Here 's a comfort to Gods servants that we are not left here to the will of the Devil and wicked men to do what they list against us O no they are set their bounds beyond which they cannot pass The Devils could not enter into the Swine without permission nor go one whit further with Job then God gave Commission A Sparrow falls not to the ground without his providence and we are of more value then they The Lord appoints out our troubles and measures them they shall not be as little as we would for then should they be too little our tender nature loathing troubles and being unwilling to undergo the same nor so great as our adversaries would for then would they be too great but as God will The wicked are but the Lords drudges to scour us and make us bright They are his Landresses to wash us white not so little as we should be never the better nor so much as should rend the Lords linen 2. When we be ill dealt with in word or deed by the men of the world we should sit down quietly and bear it It s the will of God it should be so and he doth all things in infinite wisdom and lovingly for the good of his accordingly when Paul would needs go to Jerusalem where he was to be in great danger his friends said The will of the Lord be done thou mayest say If the Lord hath sent this to try me I pray God strengthen me if to chasten and purge me then to awaken me out of security and love of the world I thank God for it if he will any way have glory by me I am glad blessed be God it s his will I am content to wait upon him not but that we may with our Savior and the Apostle Paul plead our innocency as also use lawful means for our freedom if God see it good 3. But yet let the wicked think never the better of themselves nor look ever the more to be freed from punishment because its Gods will for they do it to no such end and therefore he will cast the rod into the fire when he hath chastened his children as he did by Ashur and the enemies he used to punish his people Did Judas or the Priests and Jews aym at the Salvation of the world in Christs death Nothing less Covetousness drave on the one malice the other If God brought good out of it what thanks to them He is to be praised for his goodness they to be plagued for their sin 4. We must not bring trouble upon our selves for in that we can have no comfort but if God bring us into it we may comfortably look up to him Vers. 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit ANother Reason to perswade to couragious suffering for righteousness sake from the example of Christ Christ suffered therefore need not we shrink or think much He that was just yea that just one therefore much more may we that be sinners and by infinite degrees deserve more grievous things then we suffer He for the unjust for us wretches and to take away our sins and reconcile us to God therefore ought we to bear somewhat for his cause that is most just and hath done so much for us Speak we first of the words briefly as they are the reason of the point in hand and then more particularly and largely of the matter contained therein namely The Sufferings Death and Resurrection of Christ. Christ suffered Suffered every way in Body Minde Name at the hands of men wretched and base persons misused him railed at him slandered him spit on him smote him scourged him crucified him between two Thieves c. Now The servant is not greater then the master If they misused Christ so what may we look for In thy sufferings help thy self with this meditation Christ Jesus suffered and what am I to him
The just He is the just one as God holiness it self as man filled therewith above Men and Angels Just not as Job Zachary and Elizabeth They were Righteous by his Righteousness imputed to them as Abraham also but he by his own they by Sanctification imperfectly Holy and Righteous he most perfectly nor as Adam who though perfectly Holy and Righteous by his own Righteousness yet was mutable therein and lost it not so in Christ but immutably so There was no guile found in him none could accuse him of sin nay he was the light and glory of the world yet suffered he gross things We then though never so just and innocent must not think much if we suffer altogether without cause It s the better it s but as Christ did But alas we are very faulty before God and deserve far greater things then we meet with yea cannot be innocent towards men how much less towards God The meditation of this point will much help us in our sufferings For the unjust That is for us wretched and miserable sinners and his enemies who could do nothing for him to deserve such kindeness How much rather ought we to suffer for him that just one and for his sake especially considering our sufferings are nothing to his The meditation of this also will much help us in suffering For sins that he might bring us unto God Christs sufferings were altogether for our good and if it had not been for them we had been utterly lost But for ours they be nothing to him he is never the better for them neither be they for his benefit but for our own even the purging of our souls the tryal and proof of our faith and patience and the preparing of us to the greater glory in Heaven Let 's think of this also and it will make us suffer the more willingly and patiently Lastly as he after his sufferings and death rose again and entred into glory and sits at the right hand of God So if we shall sow in tears we shall reap in joy having fought the good fight we shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory 1. This reproveth our notable tender daintiness that can endure nothing for Christ but as if we were too good to suffer though in company we should hear never so much spoken against Gods Servants and sincerity of Religion we can be silent and pass by the same and there are many that would be forwarder but for fear of being counted Puritans O cowardly fearfulness No wonder if such be never called to that honor to suffer for Christ What if to please the world we be luke-warm and God vomit us out of his mouth What if for our zeal the world hate us and God approves of us what do we lose Shall we make friendship with the world Know we not that its enmity with God He is praised that is allowed of God 2. Let us take heed of all preposterous zeal and rash unwarrantable causes whereinto some runâ—under colour of zeal and be zealous for God we cannot hate sin too much nor love goodness too much nor the Word too much nor keep the Sabbath too carefully nor govern our families too religiously Let us go on in a zealous godly life and if this offend any let them pardon us we would do no other then God requires and for this we must pray our Landlord or whosoever to give us leave we have served the Devil a great while tell them Its time now to begin to serve God and to look about us for our souls good thus in suffering for wellâ—doing we may be comforted and by these reasons kept from being discouraged Now of Christ sufferings death and resurrection particularly Christ hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God In handling the sufferings of Christ observe 1. The circumstance of time or how often he suffered once 2. Who he was or the quality of the person suffering Christ the just 3. For whom he suffered for the unjust 4. Why he suffered even for sins and 5. To what end that he might bring us to God and hereinto our Apostle is again willing to fall as we should be to hear and often meditate thereof as hath been already shewed in the end of the last Chapter namely from verse 21. to verse 24. Much profit follows on it For 1. It sets out a notable mixture of justice and mercy 2. It shews what a mighty Savior we have in whom we may trust and to whom we may have recourse 3. It may wound our hearts for sins past and make us hate sin for the time to come 4. It sets out Gods infinite love and accordingly of all that have assurance of their part therein requireth unspeakable love 5. It s a comfort to all that mourn in Sion 6. It shews that all that miss of Christ must bear their own burthen 7. It provokes us to labor to know whether Christ hath dyed for us or not and for our assurance thereof to finde that we are truly humbled hunger after Christ and are ready to take up his yoke O that all ignorant persons which do not in any measure know the grounds of Religion that all civil persons which trust to their own righteousness that all worldlings whose hearts are altogether glewed to the things which are here below and do not so much as minde those things which are above the same being out of their element that all prophane persons which go on in open notorious lewd courses and that all Hypocrites not to speak of Turks Jews and Papists which content themselves with shews and common gifts would but duly meditate on Christs sufferings that so they might have part in Christ Assuredly all they that believe not shall be condemned but of all others they that have lived under the Gospel shall have greatest judgement and to make up all it will increase their torment to think that they had offer made of Christ and yet had not the grace to apprehend it that they were so near and yet missed and that some that sate with them were converted and are now in Heaven and they careless or wilful are now in irrecoverable damnation This will make them gnash their teeth gnaw their tongues curse themselves and the day wherein they were born Let such see feel confess and fly to Christ there being no other way of Salvation besides him I come to the particulars propounded The first concerneth the time how often he suffered Once It s true Christ suffered throughout his whole life and that diversly but all make up one perfect suffering and he suffered so as at once he finished al never to suffer again wherein his suffering is opposed to the sacrifices of the Law which were continually renewed because of their imperfection whereas he suffered once for all for being God
8. 1. Gal. 3. 13. as from the first so far forth as its a punishment and piece of the curse and the nature of it is changed to believers for whom Christ hath dyed it s become a Serpent without a sting yea a blessing as being hereby freed from sin and not before Hereby the soul is let out of the prison of this body into the liberty of Gods Servants and put into the possession of life Hereby also the body is freed from all toils labors infirmities and pains waiting in the Grave for an happy and glorious resurrection In which respect death is termed a sleep an advantage to the Saints and is better in the day wherein they were born So from all forerunners hereof which are curses plagues and punishments in body minde goods and name all which Christ hath born what crosses we meet withal they are to further our Sanctification and Salvation but not punishments for sin or parts of Gods judgement as they be to the wicked 2. We are hereby made partakers of all good God is reconciled to us which is more then to have our sins and punishments quite removed yea and sheweth us the light of his countenance not as David who though he staid his wrath from Absolom at his return home to Jerusalem yet was not fully reconciled to him of two years The Creatures also are at peace with us The Angels become Servants and ministring Spirits for our good in life to direct us protect us comfort us c. and at death to carry our souls to Heaven so all other Creatures the very Devils and wicked men shall do us no hurt we have also right and title to this life we lost it in Adam but have it restored in Christ. 3. Hereby he conveyeth power into the hearts of all that believe in him to enable them to dye unto sin and to mortifie their lusts more and more This is a singular comfort to all that believe in Christ who onely partake of the benefits of his death we need not fear Hell condemnation nor any enemy of our Salvation nor any curse or punishment in this life all shall be for our good we need not fear the first death but rather have cause to desire it O the happiness of such God is at peace with them all Creatures in Heaven and Earth are their friends they have right to whatsoever they have little or much therefore may they rejoyce O happy that ever we were born what pains soever we have taken to come to the knowledge of Christ Jesus by whom we obtain such unspeakable things whatsoever the world esteemeth of believers they are the onely happy persons in the world yea we shall have power to mortifie our strongest corruptions and lusts fear it not beg it and use the means if all these be put together O how happy is a Christian who can value his riches On the contrary they that have not their part in Christs death are most miserable their sins are not removed they lye under them so under the curse of God in this world and the world to come so in danger of the first death which will rend the soul and body asunder that the soul may be cast out into Hell so also of the second O that such would labor for their part in Christ Christ came into the world Christ is now Preached and offered unto us men be in a woful case and are told of it and yet how few regard to embrace Christ how few customers hath Christ one would think that all that hear of Christ should be heartily glad of him and embrace and flye unto him but alas most men for profits pleasures or love of their vile lusts are content to let go Christ and he lies as a dead commodity and they that bring him to the world be unwelcom and so indeed few have part in Christ. The consideration hereof might make us mourn for our sins the cause of Christs death might be a corrasive to eat our sin and make it odious to us might make us serve God zealously and faithfully all our days yea to suffer for his sake and rather to dye with the Martyrs then any way to dishonor him and besides to labor to finde the vertue of Christs death working mightily in us the death of sin and sinful lusts Thus of his death But quickned by the Spirit Now of his Resurrection His body and soul that had been sundred were by the power of his Godhead reunited and he made alive so continuing with his Disciples until his ascension into Heaven Touching it consider that it was so the Reasons thereof the place maner and time with the benefits flowing from thence and the duties thereupon to be performed That Christ rose again is so plain that none needs doubt thereof The Angels that rolled away the stone the Soldiers that watched the Sepulchre Mary Magdalene and the other Mary that came to see the Sepulchre the two Disciples going to Emmaus the eleven Disciples being together c. all were witnesses hereof So his appearances were many as to Mary Magdalene then to her and that other Mary then to two Disciples going to Emmaus then to them all save Thomas then both to Thomas and the others another time to Cephas another time to seven of them at the Sea of Tiberias as at another to Five hundred Brethren at once so when he was to ascend he was taken up in the sight of all those there present all which are so many evidences of his Resurrection Reasons 1. That it might appear he had fully discharged our debt 2. Because being the Son of God and Author and Lord of life it had been unmeet nay it was impossible he should be held under of Death 3. By reason of the second part of his Priesthood which was yet to fulfil One part was to offer himself a Sacrifice Propitiatory to God for the sins of his people this he did by his death now the other is to make intercession for his Church and to apply the vertue of his death to those for whom he dyed This he could not have done if he had not risen again The maner When they had rolled a great stone to the door of the Sepulchre sealed it set Soldiers to watch yet he rose They could as well have hindered the rising of the Sun in the Firmament as his rising An Angel was sent that caused a great earthquake and rolled away the stone c. No counsel or strength can hinder the work of the Lord. Place The same where he was laid which was by Gods providence to avoid cavils in a new Sepulchre hewen out of a rock wherein never man had been laid Time It was the third day early in the morning on the first day of the week the third day as was foretold by Christ himself for he was buried the evening before the Sabbath and rose
the day after so long between to approve the truth of his death and no longer that he might see no corruption Early in the morning to shew that he was the light of the world the Son of Righteousness a light to be revealed unto the Gentiles one that was to lighten every one that came into the world namely that is lightned even us that are by nature darkness it self from hence must every man fetch light On the first day of the week for so God disposed of it This first day was answerable to the first day of the world it was the morrow after the Jews Sabbath As he began to make the world the first day of it when before it was not so now that it was decayed and corrupted by sin he now came to make it up again which he did by his Death and Resurrection Hence the Reason of the alteration of the Sabbath from the Jews Sabbath to the day following which is ours to keep a memorial as of the Creation of the world so especially of the renewing of the world by the work of Redemption and as the first Sabbath continued from the Creation to Christs Resurrection so no question ought this to abide to the worlds end The benefits ensuing hereupon are 1. To assure us that Christ hath fully paid all our debts If Christ be not risen saith the Apostle we are yet in our sins and our preaching is in vain 2. To give us power to rise to a new life 3. To assure us of our Resurrection O then who shall lay any thing to the charge of Believers It s Christ that is dead nay rather which is risen again for whom therefore there 's no evil remaining They shall have power given them to walk in holiness of life as the Syon graft into a stock receiveth juice and life therefrom yea they shall enjoy a comfortable and joyful Resurrection Contrarily miserable is the case of the wicked their debt is all on the File against them they shall rise but to their cost and smart to a dreadful judgement when they shall stand trembling and wishing that the hills might fall on them on them the second death shall have power Now they lie snorting neither will be awakened by our preaching notwithstanding their present and approaching misery The duties which are hereupon to be performed are 1. In imitation of Christs Resurrection in a spiritual maner to rise out of the graves of our lusts and sins to a new and holy life O awake thou that sleepest the Word is appointed for this end 2. To endure any thing rather then to be deprived hereof The faithful in Heb. 11. endured racking and would not be delivered therefrom with an ill conscience that they might have a better and joyful Resurrection 3. Set our affections on those things which are above Thus of his Resurrection Verse 19. By which also he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison Verse 20. Which sometime were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water THe Apostle proceeds to comfort the faithful that suffer for Righteousness sake He had said before That as Christ rose again after his sufferings and had a good end of them so shall all that suffer for his sake Now lest this should be doubted of he sheweth how it cometh to pass namely by the help assistance and power of the Spirit of God who as he shewed himself mightily in Christs person so hath and will in his members and for instance he looks back a great while ago when long before Christs coming the Spirit shewed himself to the confusion of the wicked and disobedient and to the comfort and deliverance of Gods servants as Noah whom as this Spirit enabled to preach the to wicked world so they disobeying and mocking him the same Spirit preserved and saved in the common destruction And therefore if the Spirit of God shewed himself so in the people of God for their good so long ago then we need not fear but that he will much more shew himself in and with us inasmuch as now the Spirit is bestowed in a larger and fuller maner then before our Saviors coming into the world Now he reckons this rather then any other example because it was a famous one both of convicting the wicked world and preserving the servants of God in such a bad time and because it was so long ago I come to the meaning of the words By which his Spirit namely his Godhead and Divine Nature which raised him from the dead He went and preached namely by the mouth and ministery of Noah To the Spirits in prison even them that be now and were in Peters time Spirits and Souls in Hell but when Noah preached were disobedient men and women when God seeing the notorious corruption of the times threatned to destroy the world with a flood if they did not repent To them Noah preaching both by word and by deed also in preparing the Ark they not being moved hereat nor at the long suffering of God were at the length drowned Noah onely and his wife with his three sons and their three wives being preserved in the Ark. This Scripture hath suffered as Mr. Luther saith of the Lords Prayer much Martyrdom by false interpretations and erroneous constructions whereof that of the Papists is most gross They understand it thus that Christ being dead in his soul went down to the lower parts of the world where be four several places together one above another Limbus patrum Limbus puerorum Purgatory and Hell which is the lowest and hottest of all that Christ went into Limbus patrum to fetch out all the godly Fathers that dyed from the beginning til his coming and all such as in Noah's time seeing the flood come indeed repented and went to Purgatory and had there suffered all and so were gone into Limbus patrum also to deliver the souls then in Purgatory and into the lowest part namely Hell to Preach to the convicting of the Reprobates there c. But though in truth Christ had done thus which yet he never did this proves no such matter will afford no such sence for 1. By Spirit whereunto the word which hath relation is not meant Christs soul but his Godhead not his soul for then it was that Christ was quickned in his soul or by his soul but neither can be true not in his soul for his soul never dyed nor was mortal not by the soul for it was not the soul that raised him again but the power of God that joyned them both together as the Scripture testifieth and that his Godhead is hereby meant will appear by the like places as Rom. 1. 3 4. 2 Cor. 13. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. where that which our Apostle calls flesh Saint Paul calls infirmity and
what he calls the power of God our Apostle calls the Spirit both which are in effect one 2. Hereby cannot be meant the Fathers and godly for he speaks onely of the disobedient and Reprobate ones 3. He speaks onely of those that lived in Noah's time and no other age of the world 4. This Prison was an unhappy and miserable place and not Abrahams bosom nor the place of the Fathers 5. Even after our Saviors Resurrection when our Apostle wrote this they were then still in Prison therefore Christ had not delivered them nor fetcht them out but they that had been there were there still And where they say he went to Preach to the Reprobates this will not stand neither for he speaks here onely of the Reprobates of Noah's time and why should Christ in his soul go unto them rather then unto any other Besides to Preach to them and do them no good nor intend any is against the nature end of preaching But that there are any such places as Limbus patrum Limbus puerorum or Purgatory the Scripture gives not any inkling 1. That the Fathers went to no such place is certain but that their souls loosed by death went to Heaven Jesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for ever They had the same benefit by Christ as we after their death 2. They also believed in Christ as well as we Abraham saw my day and rejoyced They ate the same Spiritual meat and drank the same Spiritual drink and so were partakers of the same benefits of Christ. 3. Their Spirits went to God that gave them they enter into peace and so not into the Prison 4. Abrahams bosom into which Lazarus was carried by the Angels was above not beneath an happy not a miserable place Christ therefore went not to fetch them out thence there being no such place For Purgatory they say there 's such a place in the brim of Hell where the pains be almost as bad as Hell pains and the fire as hot into which are sent the souls of the godly that dye in faith and repentance but yet have not suffered the punishment of their sins in this world therefore must make up their sufferings in Purgatory for they teach that for our sins and punishments both committed before Baptism Christ suffered but for those after Baptism though Christ takes away the sins yet the punishment must be suffered by our selves and that partly in this life by penances c. and the rest by suffering in Purgatory that for every sin is due seven years of payment in Purgatory and therefore the Pope gives Pardons sometimes for fifty sometimes for an hundred years c. and therefore they say Masses for the souls of them that have been dead many 100 years and when they have suffered for all their sins paid the utmost farthing then come the souls out after they have been a while refreshed in a fair green field ful of pleasant flowers which is hard by Purgatory then they go up to Heaven notwithstanding oftentimes through the mercy of the Popes those pains are mitigated We say 1. That as they themselves do not agree about the place c. So neither is it otherwise grounded but on unwritten verities The Scriptures mention but two places whereinto the souls go immediately after death Heaven which is for the godly and Hell which is for the ungodly for the godly that they do immediately go into an happy place all the Scriptures sound with Simeon they depart in peace go not to Purgatory scorching pains Christ is to them as in life so in death advantage Having finished their course henceforth there 's laid up for them a crown of righteousness They have after the dissolution of their earthly Tabernacle a building of God an house not made with hand eternal in the Heavens Christ hath prayed for them that they may be where he is even in Heaven The thief on the right hand had as much need to have gone to Purgatory as any other yet on that day wherein he dyed he was with Christ in Paradice Blessed are they which dye in the Lord saith the Spirit for they rest from their labors After death presently comes the judgement that every man shall stick to Among all those things which God spake to Moses there 's not a word of this among all the Sacrifices that God ordained there were none appointed for souls in Purgatory and amongst all the cleansings and purifyings of all kinde of impurities of Leprosie and Issues c. there 's not a word of this What was God so unmindeful of his Church and people then Neither is there in all the new Testament any word for it 2. What a wretched thing is it to hold that our sufferings should satisfie the wrath of God and punishment of our sins when the least sin deserves eternal destruction both of soul and body And for their distinction that Christs death gives power to the pains of Purgatory to satisfie is an idle and ridiculous conceit 3. To say that Christ should satisfie for our sins and take them away but not our punishment is it not a wicked abuse of Gods justice where he forgives the sin doth he not also forgive the punishment True he chastens his servants but they are no part of satisfaction of his justice onely a means to prevent sin to come and humble for that which is past as if I had a quarrel against a man I might forgive him and yet if I see him in an Appoplexy or Swoon I may hit him a blow to fetch him again The truth is Purgatory was devised partly of a blinde and curious devotion of some Monks that thought that they that had some beginnings as they thought of goodness and so dyed it were no reason they should be damned c. who were therefore to be purged in Purgatory and so come to Heaven and that seeing most men have much sin in them even when they dye it were unreasonable they should go straight to Heaven for no unclean person shall come there and therefore they must suffer and be cleansed in Purgatory Who doth not see the absurdity of these conceits when the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth in him shal not be condemned that whosoever dyeth in the Faith all their sins and corruptions are done away and they received into Heaven But principally the Pope and his Clergy out of covetousness were chief founders hereof for hereby they did infinitely enrich themselves and every where enjoyed the very fat in the Land It was devised for the pampering of the living not the punishing or purging of the dead Through their covetousness meeting with the peoples ignorance Purgatory was hatched But what a cruelty is this of the Pope who hath power as he saith to deliver as many as he lists out of Purgatory yet will suffer so many so long to
lie there frying But he knows well what he doth if he should make it too common or let out too many then would the people care the less and say Though I go to Purgatory yet the Pope of his clemency will deliver me and so I mean to give my goods and lands to my children and not beggar my posterity by giving them for Pardons or Masses c. Thus indeed their trade would go down 1. This may stir us up to give thanks to God for his mercy in delivering us from those cousenages and revealing unto us his truth We ought to be so much the forwarder in every duty towards the worship of God the Ministers maintenance the poor c. you save it an hundred times over through the preaching of the Gospel truly It s a foul fault in people that they cannot be content thus to enjoy their goods lands and leave them to their children which they could not do but pull and rake from the Minister care not how little they allow him yea and are so miserable as they will scarce allow their part to keep the house of God upright or in decent sort neither give the poor without grudging or upon necessity It may comfort the godly There is no delaying place by the way to keep them from the joys of Heaven 3. It may teach men in any wise to look to themselves how they live for as soon as the breath is out of them they go presently to the place where they shall abide for ever as the Tree falls so it shall lie Neither went he down to Hell to preach to the Reprobates for as its absurd for one soul to preach to another so preaching is to do some good and thereby onely to do hurt is against the end thereof But say they he onely went and preached experimentally by his presence and shewed himself to them to convict them but they were already sufficiently convicted condemned and put in their place of torment if Christ should have gone thither to convict them again they were not sufficiently convicted before But if they say he went to triumph over the Reprobate there c. it may be answered That he triumphed on the Cross and shall triumph over the Reprobates mightily on the day of Judgement I proceed unto the Doctrines of the Text. By which also he went and Preached Here note 1. That when Gods faithful Ministers Preach it s the Spirit of God that preacheth in them Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost He that heareth you saith our Savior heareth me 1. Therefore Ministers must endeavor so to preach that it may appear unto all that its the Spirit of God which Preacheth in them their matter must be sound and wholly agreeable to the will of God and for the maner it must not be with enticing words of man wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power we must not seek our selves but Gods glory in the Salvation of our people Such as for their matter Preach contrary to the Word it s not the Spirit of God which Preacheth in them but the Spirit of Error and for the maner such as use a dark kinde of Preaching or curious and quaint terms or in such sort as the people cannot understand or profit do they woo for Christ or rather do they not speak for themselves Such kinde of Preaching is blasted and cursed of God and the Preachers thereof shall have their reward accordingly 2. Let people know that when they come to the Word they come not to hear such a man whosoever he be but to hear what the Spirit of God saith to them a great priviledge we must therefore prepare our selves rich accordingly with all reverence and fear as having to do with God himself laying the same to heart and endeavoring to be profited thereby in yielding obedience thereto O how many come hand over head sit sleeping at Church and are no whit moved with whatsoever is said Did we but believe that it were Gods Spirit that did Preach to us we would give better heed If we speak according to the Word in rebuking you for your sins you are not to fret and say O some body hath told him hereof or he doth this of ill will but acknowledge that its Gods Spirit which rebukes you and that God is there indeed 3. Gods people may be comforted by the promises delivered in the Word as the wicked may be terrified by the threatnings thereof They shall come to pass for that the Spirit of truth hath uttered them 2. That God will finde a time to right things when they be disordered Though the wicked may prevail for a time and iniquity abound and overflow yet will the Lord in his due time come to visit and reform all Thus did the Lord deal with this people Let the godly have patience and wait Gods leisure and for the wicked let them be never the lustier for that the Lord is patient and defers for a time for he will come to give every one his due and will come too soon for their turn In prison That is Hell the place appointed for the souls of the wicked a fearful place of Gods own preparing and whereof the Devil is the Jaylor For the wicked 1. They shall be separate and cast from God in whose presence stands happiness that as they regarded not his presence here so hereafter they shall not enjoy it 2. They shall be cast into the society of Devils and Reprobates whom they have served and whose society they have loved Yet 3. Not in their company to be with them in jollity and merriment c. as here but in torments howling and wailing c. those are both intollerable and eternal their souls are presently after death cast hereinto as both their bodies and souls which have been companions together in sin shall be on the day of Judgement And for that though many be called few be chosen and in the parable of the four kindes of seeds onely one of them was good as most of the old world perished so shall and have most of every age of the world Though Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet but a remnant shall be saved O how might this cool the wicked the proudest that live in jollity and set all others at nought Now they are lusty and swear and curse and do what they list poor woful creatures There is a prison prepared for them that will pull down the proudest of them sour sauce to their sweet meat but most live as if there were no such matter O what fools be they that for a few short profits ill gotten or onely sought after or some transitory pleasure or honor sell themselves to this woful place These count themselves wise and Gods servants fools but the contrary will be seen one day and that they themselves
To send his holy Spirit into our hearts 5. To make intercession for us And is on the right hand of God In general 1. He gathers his Church by raising up Christian Kings and Governors where he hath any Elect. 2. He governs and keeps the same defeating all subtile plots of his Enemies and confounding all their devices Thus did he on the behalf of the Church in Egypt Thus also by overthrowing Hamans conspiracy Thus did he by dissipating the Spanish Armado and defeating the Gunpowder Plot. 3. Exerciseth his Church with crosses to scour off the rust which usually long Prosperity brings thereon In Particular for the Members of his Church that shall be saved he gathers them guides them and exerciseth them to obedience by crosses and represseth a great part of the rage of their Spiritual Enemies strengthening them against the same and for the Enemies of his Church he brings confusion upon them as on Pharaoh Senacherib Haman Herod c. Thus do we also see many Enemies of Christs Church daily cut off what else would become of the Church Angels and authorities and powers c. That is both good and bad the good willingly the others against their will are subject unto Christ. 1. For the good Angels If such glorious Creatures be subject to Christ then 1. How great a one is he and how glorious is his Kingdom He that hath Kings and Princes under him is an Emperor What 's he then to whom angels and authorities and powers are subject 2. The greater honor and dignity our head hath the more joy and comfort may we have which are his members Again In that he appoints them to watch and guard us then 1. What a great honor is this to us as if a plain Countrey man should dine at a Noble mans Table and have great Gentlemen with gold Chains to attend him 2. How may we hereby be comforted and encouraged against Satans malice 3. We must keep within compass and walk carefully in Gods ways we must take heed we do no uncomely thing lest thereby we make the Angels loath to attend on us or to carry ill tidings of us to God or be Messengers of some displeasure against us They themselves are very zealous for God and accordingly look that we should so be 2. For the evil Angels I shall not need to speak of their number power subtilty malice watchfulness to do hurt as neither of their office and work which is to hinder all good and further all evil Note we onely 1. That all these are subject Christ and he hath triumphed over them 2. That as it s no small honor to him our head to have all these under him so the meditation hereof cannot but be comfortable to us both in regard of him and our selves 3. That those evil Angels cannot do that evil they would and if they cannot much less can their instruments If even the Devils be subject to him that they cannot do what they would much more can he repress the rage of wicked men notwithstanding both of their malice and power But of these points I have spoken at large by way of Catechism CHAP. IV. THis Chapter consists of three parts 1. An Exhortation to Sanctification in general being the common duty of all Christians and belonging to all that shall be saved from Verse 1. to Verse 7. 2. An Exhortation to some particular duties of Sanctification from Verse 7. to Verse 12. 3. A comfort against persecution or an encouragement to the suffering of affliction for Christs and Righteousness sake from thence to the end of the Chapter Verse 1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same minde for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin Verse 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God HEre is 1. An Exhortation and 2. A motive to perswade thereto The Exhortation is to resolve to mortifie and subdue the lusts of our corrupt nature and to cease from sin namely living in any sin which is both explained and amplified explained by setting forth the parts of Sanctification severally where 's shewed 1. What must be laid away the lusts of men these we must not follow nor walk in 2. What we must do even walk according to Gods will amplified by the circumstance of time even so much time as remaineth in this life behinde The motive to perswade hereto is For that Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh namely in his humane nature both in body and soul for that are we to understand by flesh in the first place as thereby in the second the mortifying of our corrupt nature or that sinful disposition which is in us called flesh which spreadeth it self both over our bodies and souls and in the third this natural life of ours while the soul lives in this body of ours for us not for himself but our sins for us not angels who are reserved undereverlasting chains of darkness but for us men for us even me and thee whosoever thou art that believest for us the Apostle himself being one for every man must labor to know it to be for him and the rest of Gods elect Forasmuch then I say as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh we must arm our selves with the same minde even not onely to bear afflictions patiently and if it were to suffer persecution for his cause but also to dye unto sin not living any more to the lusts of men but to the will of God As Christ hath dyed for sin so should we dye to sin and not live in that for which Christ paid so dearly and God so hated and from which we are freed but rather in token of our thankfulness for our deliverance we must labor by all possible means to mortifie these our wicked lusts and to lead an holy life to the glory of our Redeemer Our Note may be this That The passion of our Savior Christ ought to be a mean to mortifie our lusts and to kill sin in us for who can love the knife that killed his dearest friend or that would have been his own certain destruction neither can any man have any perswasion upon good grounds of his part in Christ death except he dye to sin for as one end of Christs death was to free us from condemnation so another was to kill sin in us for he purgeth those whom he redeemeth He is a perfect Savior and Redeemer not setting us free from some but out of the tyranny of all our enemies therefore of sin as well as wrath again would Christ dye for a company and have no use of them but leave them still to live in sin As therefore we would not live in sin let us often meditate
on Christs passion O it s a fruitful mother of many children To know that sin is enmity against God fights against the soul brings death with it is not so available to kill sin as to know and meditate on this That Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh From the necessity of Christs sufferings whereof I have already spoken in the foregoing Chapter Note 1. Our woful and miserable condition as we are of our selves 2. The ugliness and hainousness of sin in Gods account 3. The admirable mixture of Justice and Mercy with the unspeakable love of God and Christ Jesus The Jews said He loved Lazarus well because he wept for him much more may we say That he loved us because he hath dyed for us David loved Absolom well who wished that he might have dyed for him how much then hath Christ loved us having indeed dyed for us O what love do we owe for this so great love 4. The happiness of such as do truly believe and repent their debt is fully discharged and having right unto Christ there 's nothing that the Lord will deny them 5. That we are to renounce all false ways of Salvation the Jews the Turks and the Papists way all other ways besides this 6. That we are to labor to know we have part in this yea Christ having suffered we must also bear afflictions patiently Arm your selves likewise c. The duty whereunto we are exhorted is to suffer in the flesh to mortifie our flesh that is our corrupt and sinful nature and the lusts and sins thereof both inward and outward But 1. Most are so far from mortifying their lusts that they follow them with greediness and cannot endure any to speak against them These be fools indeed to destroy their own souls by living in enmity and opposition against God 2. Some it may be refrain some lusts but others they live in and yield to and yet these will claim part in the death of Christ hope to be saved by Christ but so long as it s thus with them its impossible that they should have any part in Christ. Do we therefore labor for mortification applying the edge of the Word of God to the throat of our lusts That we may not give way hereto le ts often call to minde the threatnings of the Word the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper what God offers us there and what we convenanted with him for the crosses which our lusts have drawn on us Gods manifold mercies unto us but especially meditate on Christs death and passion which is indeed a strong corrasive to eat out sin for our corruptions remain too rank and through want of care and too much yielding thereto be not subdued as they ought Let us know that he is the best Christian not that hears most or knows most or can utter most but he that hath most power over his affections and heart Note further from hence That as our lusts fight against us so we must furnish our selves like Soldiers that we may prevail against them It s no easie thing to get out of sin or to get the Mastery thereof it s to mortifie our members to pluck out our right eyes and cut off our right hands It s easier to take any pains in offering sacrifice nay fast extraordinarily and to part with our goods with thousands of Rams and ten thousand rivers of oyl yea with our first born then to part with one beloved sin They that would overcome their lust must not stand still or be without weapons we have that within us which rebelleth against the Law of God and would lead us captive to the Law of sin which is in our members Hereunto the Devil addes his power the world also joyns herewith by ill examples bad counsels mockings revilings c. and therefore we must be resolute and play the Soldiers if we would get out of our bad course Through want hereof some even under a powerful ministery be never converted some get a little way but hang behinde in sin some are a great while ere they can get out whom the Word having called and awakened the world the Devil and their own lusts do again freshly assault nay some being truly converted yet fall back again into foul security and have yet strong corruptions and many odde qualities c. 1. This rebukes most of the world who do indeed joyn with these enemies few fight against them but fewer resolutely and therefore are led captive of them to their destruction 2. This may provoke us to put on the whole armor of God to arm our selves on all occasions and in all temptations with good thoughts and meditations of the ugliness of sin danger of it its hatefulness to God with the passion of our Savior Christ O how few arm themselves or when they do it s but to halves O this must be put on and kept on continually night and day we shall sleep never the worse there can be no truce between us and our enemies This must be kept even in the times of greatest prosperity Ships usually are cast away in storms but Christians may miscarry when its calm Thus was it with David he abode constant in all Sauls storms but in the time of peace was carried away with Bathsheba's beauty It must be kept on even in our old age and till death for then will the Devil set himself most against us and both Noah Moses and others did then catch worse foils then ever before Suffered in the flesh To mortifie our corrupt nature is called suffering in the flesh and the truth is its hard to say whether is harder to suffer bodily torments and pains or to mortifie a mans lust O it s a death to part with them yea when in a man after long strife between the grace of God and his corrupt nature in the work of his conversion grace prevails it s even as the pangs of death as when the Devil went out of the childe he threw him down and he lay foaming as if he had been dead O it s not so easie a matter as the blinde and prophane world imagine Hath ceased from sin That is living in any sin For he that is born of God sinneth not and He that committeth sin is of the Devil That he no longer c. The whole time of our life that remains after we are called to repentance ought to be spent in the service of God and practice of Repentance and a new life We owe all our life to him all the days of our life the whole time we owe all to him who hath made and preserved us nothing to any other What time therefore we have spent in sin we have robb'd God of it and so ought willingly to give him the remainder redeeming that is past with all diligence The time past we know but
in our thoughts It s his will that we should be patient but we burst out upon small occasions It s his will that we should keep holy the Sabbath day but we do for the most part prophane the same Herein we do but foolishly for if we mark it as we do if we be of God and I speak to such we have ever checkings of conscience and smart for it as peace in cleaving close to his will O how often do we lose our comfort and pull crosses on our selves Note we further from these words 1. That to live after the lusts of men and to the will of God be opposite each to other our inward lusts with the desires and fruits thereof are enmity against God and as contrary to the holy will of God as light and darkness God and the Devil for the Devil and our corrupt hearts be much alike no marvel then if we think so well of our selves and make so much of our lusts 2. That we cannot at one and the same time both walk after our lusts and live to Gods will or live to Gods will and walk but after our lust God and Satan can never dwell in one heart together as neither the love of sin and goodness This well considered would discover some to be in a worse case then they think they think seeing they have renounced many lusts and most sins and are in many things obedient one sin is not so much but though they love that they do love God and goodness too Deceive not your selves its impossible it should be so one lust loved is sufficient to prove a man unconverted sufficient also to condemn him and all his other obedience is vain If thou wouldest indeed please God and be saved renounce the love of every lust and walk in obedience to all Gods Commandments 3. That in the course of Sanctification we must begin at renouncing our own will and the lusts of men None sow or plant till weeds be pulled up None put on new apparel till they have put off their rags So must we abandon all the love of evil ere we can entertain any good This rebukes the common course of the world that set upon goodness ere they have bid adew to their lusts All their service is abomination before God 4. That it s not sufficient that we do renounce our lusts and evil except we yield obedience to the will of God Thus the Scriptures run Cease to do evil and learn to do well abhor that which is evil and cleave unto that which is good deny godliness and worldly lusts and live holily and soberly c. dye to sin and live to righteousness put off the old man and put on the new cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light It s nothing or at least but half if a man hath renounced ill company if he hath not taken up the love of good It s not for il-doing that men shal be condemned but for the not doing good Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire It s not enough we have no disorder in our families or be no ryotors or ill example givers therein except we take up good orders in stead thereof It s not enough we do no hurt if we do no good He that gathereth not scattereth and he that doth no good in a Town doth hurt An house empty and swept if it be not garnished with goodness its fit to be possest of Satan again yet how many think highly of themselves because they have done no hurt have not wronged oppressed defrauded any who yet have done no good 5. That it s not one action or two whereby a man is discovered what he is but his constant course of walking or living The best man may be and is overtaken as Noah Lot David Peter doing according to his own lusts and will not Gods but such is not his constant course yea when he doth otherwise then is fit he is grieved and humbled unfainedly repenteth and earnestly desireth to be more watchful over his own ways We must not because of some corruptions conclude against our selves that we are not the Lords if in the mean time our hearts bear us witness that what we do is contrary to our intent and purpose our course and drift of life on the contrary it s not one good action or two that makes a good Christian if a mans course be contrary thereto for even a Thief will be sometimes in the Kings highway when it s for his advantage whereas usually he keeps in back lanes and blinde ways Thus many a bad man will come to hear the word this is one of Gods ways but all the day after he will be in his own course even lying swearing drinking deceiving without any reformation either in heart or life Verse 3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lusts excess of wine revellings banquettings and abominable idolatries HEre are more Reasons to perswade to holiness of life They had already spent a great deal of time in the service of sin and following their own lusts and therefore were not now to continue any longer therein Again whereas before the Gospel they lived in ignorance now having the light thereof another maner of behavior judgement and practice was looked for of them But one would think a few words might serve to disswade men from such filthy lusts so odious in themselves so hateful to God so harmful to the doers thereof and to perswade to holiness of life so beautiful in it self so acceptable to God and so profitable to those which did seek after the same True if we were as we should be or as we were in Adam but we are altogether corrupted and depraved and now we have no minde to that which is good nay its death and bonds to us but that which is evil we eagerly minde and seek after whereunto may be added that hereunto the Devil and the world egg us on as they hang on us to hold us back from goodness Hence it is that so few are converted that men count goodness a prison naughtiness their heaven that they mock at goodness and onely except against some men because they are good whom they could love for all other things but for that they hate him 1. Let us take knowledge of our vile disposition le ts not follow the bent thereof lest we perish It misleads us altogether let us use all diligence to mortifie our lusts and to strengthen us to good for it s no easie matter to attain this 2. Let us be perswaded that there is continual need of preaching and all other good means to bring this to pass and not say with most What need all this preaching c 3. Let Ministers be
was dishonorable and dangerous and murther most odious and fearful he gave way to the third which was drunkenness but then when he was drunk fell into both the other for having committed folly with another mans wife the husband coming in he killed him This puts out the eye of the soul and takes away the use of Reason for a time even that whereby a man differs from a beast and indeed makes a man so that being drunk he knows neither what he doth nor what is done to him as it fared both with Noah and Lot For a man to cut or hurt his own flesh were bad but to hurt the principal part the soul how dangerous is it That were but as if one should kill a Subject this as if he did take the Prince and binde him hand and foot and turn him out of his place of Government Who would put out his bodily eyes but too too many do thus put out the eyes of their soul. This disguiseth the body which is Gods workmanship and comely and ought to be preserved in holiness and honor and kept as a Temple for the holy Ghost and makes it the stye of the Devil From hence are red eyes an inflamed face a swoln body the hands quiver the feet reel and stagger yea it not onely disguiseth but endangereth it it dulls the wit spoils the memory breeds diseases Dropsies Imposthumes Palsies oppressing and drowning the natural heat before the time as a Lamp with too much oyl or a candle thrown into the water ere it be half burnt and so bringing untimely death They that are addicted hereunto are self-murtherers and though they had need to prolong their lives while they can unless they were fitter for death yet do they long as it were and hasten to be in Hell This is a stinking sin both to God and all good men It s a wicked abuse of Gods Creatures appointed to be received with prayer and thanksgiving to the glory of the giver thereof It s a wasting of the portion which God hath given us whereby we might live comfortably and do much good to others in Church and Common-wealth O how many do hereby squander all away rob Church Common-wealth Poor yea their own Families their Wives portions and Childrens Patrimony all going down their throat What cruel murtherers be these If he that provides not for them is worse then an Heathen then what is he that having already wherewith to maintain them thus pulls it as it were from them This also is a wicked mispending of our precious time This brings infamy and reproach with God and men This brings beggery along with it many having spent all on strong drink in their youth are fain to drink water in their age This hath wo sorrow and wounds attending thereon Many in their drunkenness have been stabb'd as others have come to the gallows for that they have done in their drink yea custom and continuance herein breeds not a delight onely but from thence another nature and a kinde of necessity upon the body that they cannot leave it they swallow not the wine so much as the wine swallows them up and they are buried in wine as unfit for any good as one that is buried to do the work of a living man Hereunto may be added that as there are fearful judgements threatned against this both in respect of this and the life to come for the cup of the fierceness of Gods wrath is prepared for such to drink to the bottom and the full Vials of his judgements will be poured out upon them eternally so amongst others this is the main that they seldom or never repent I have known some toucht at the Word because of this weep for it promise yea vow against it who have yet again fallen into company and could never get out 1. If this be so horrible a sin what shall we say to the Land wherein it is grown to such an horrible height and to abound in such a fearful sort It was wont to be the sin of other Countreys now we have got it and may we not boast of our gettings think ye It was wont to be rare but is now common in all places wont to be done in a corner and the parties ashamed thereof now it staggers abroad in the open streets none being ashamed of the same wont to be the sin of base ones according to the Proverb He is as drunk as a beggar but now it s the sin of Gentlemen and herein our Yeomens sons exceed to the wasting of their Revenues St. Peters argument were now a very slender one for men rise early to drink strong drink yea men are now grown into such an horrible height of impiety as that they labor and strive to excel therein they get Beer of extraordinary strength and call it by names Snapdragon and which is most horrible Blasphemy Hosanna in the highest c. drink by the yard by the dozen in pails in crooked horns that cannot be set down make matches who shall drink each other drunk under the Table O fearful Is this the fruit of the Gospel and of this peace and light It s indeed a work of darkness though it abounds in the light of the Gospel a lust of the Gentiles and so not beseeming Christians Do we marvel at unseasonable Weather at Famine and Scarcity c we may rather wonder at Gods patience And were it not that our Governors and the chief of the Land have taken it to heart and Enacted good Laws to suppress it both by prescribing a penalty upon it and preventing it by diminishing of Ale-houses the sinks of all disorder and mischief and by forbiding excessive strong Beer and enjoyning a moderate size thereof c. We might have looked for some notable judgement of God but when men of authority take sin to heart and seek to punish the same then God takes it well and is pacified Contrarily when Magistrates have not grace and courage to put life into his Laws by the due execution of Justice the Lord is enforced to take his rod into his own hand 2. This condemneth those which are addicted unto this sin of drunkenness What Think they that God gave them their souls and bodies their goods health wealth his good creatures and their precious time to use thus hath he bestowed on them the days of the Gospel that they should make themselves Beasts unfit for any goodâ— what answer and account think they to make to Almighty God for these things They may justly fear some notable judgement from God to be inflicted on them as of late there hath been on divers and do not these things affright you dare you go on in the like were they not sent for your admonition and to be warnings unto you Awake therefore you Drunkards and howl humble your selves on the knees of your soul confess your horrible wickedness to Almighty God
cry for mercy and pardon and if it be possible turn from this base vice renounce hate detest vow covenant swear against it pray also to be kept therefrom avoid all company of lewd ones which will either by flattery allure you or if you yield not to them reproach and mock you But what do I speak to them that have lost their wits Is there any hope of repentance for such Well yet nothing is impossible to God The harder it is labor the more and weep and lament for that is past redeem the time to come give your souls and bodies to please God in all good life and sober conversation you have spent your goods and time hereon do so no more If thou wiltst not be perswaded but go on still and hate to be reformed thou mayest look for some one or other dreadful judgement to be here inflicted on thee and at thy death to be cast into utter darkness who hast wallowed in the works of darkness and for thy drunkenness to drink off the full cup of Gods judgement for ever and ever Neither are common drunkards onely to be rebuked but such also as will now and then drink with their friends and sit so long talking and bibbing or gaming and drinking that they be caught and are scarce wise enough to finde the way home they may count themselves wise men but Solomon saith nay to it they shall not be counted innocent Nor are those only to be condemned that be so drunk as they be like beasts but even such as take delight to quaff and to carouse and spend their time in swilling having yet strong brains to bear it and herein they glory that they can drink others under-board and because they be never so drunk but they can carry it away therefore they think themselves no such persons but they are as bad drunkards and as guilty as the other they waste as much time as much wine or strong drink as the others they waste also their substance and delight in this course nay haply they drink much more then the others for some are so weak brained that a little tâ—rns them over There 's a wo denounced against such their brain was not given them for this end but for the service of God they should prove their strength in good things and strive to exceed others in goodness not in dishonoring God by abusing his Creatures There are also that delight to see others drunk that allure or enforce them so to do to delight herein how horrible is it how ill a sign no childe can delight to hear or see his father misused he is else a bastard not a son Gods Children delight in his Commandments in his Sabbaths in his Saints in the publike performance of his worship contrarily they are grieved and vexed as David and Lot at the dishonor which is done unto him so are not the wicked but God will laugh at their destruction and mock when their fear cometh when judgement cometh those mourners for sin shall scape when as these rejoycers therein shall not go unpunished and who indeed could laugh to see a man running on his own sword or casting himself in the fire To make others drunk enticing them hereto and to this end under colour of kindeness to drink to them often as is usual in Gentlemens Butteries and Cellars in Inns and Taverns c. where men will be at great cost to dishonor God this also is fearful these be zealous Servants of the Devil But if one should allure another to go in such a way where he were sure to fall into a pit or be drowned or be robbed c. would not every one cry out of such a treacher no less treacherous are those which make others drunk We are willed indeed to provoke each other to love and good works to call one another to the house of God to exhort and edifie one another but in no sort to destroy one another as those allurers and enticers do To compel others to drink till they be drunk or to drink more then they can bear is usual to refuse is accounted of sundry ruffians in our days a matter of great disgrace which they will not put up and therefore stab or challenge to the field those that will not drink as many and as big carouses as they that have begun them What inhumanity is this what folly hath nature made all alike can one of low stature reach as high as he that is far taller can a weak man bear as heavy a burthen as a strong man Besides what greater wrong then to force a man to do that which will hinder his health shorten his life wound his conscience and destroy his soul But especially what an outragious wickedness is this against God cannot we our selves be content to do wickedly but as ringleaders we must enforce others whosoever scape such traytors shall not What woful wretches are those have they not sins enough of their own to answer for but they must needs desperately pull other mens sins on their heads whereof they themselves are the principal cause For those they shall answer on that dreadful day Against such shall Ahasuerus his injunction though an Heachen rise up for their condemnation It s the duty of all those which as yet are free from this sin to be truly thankful to God for keeping them therefrom They must also endeavor for the time to come to avoid the same with all the occasions inducing thereto God gives us his benefits to provoke us to well-doing we must not use them to sin like the Mastiffs that flies in his face that gives him meat Wiltst thou so foully dishonor God shall thy body and soul appointed for Gods service be for the service of the Devil in this base sin Wiltst thou thus make thy self unfit for any good in danger to run into any evil Wiltst thou so disguise thy self as to make thy self a scorn so abuse Gods creatures to hazard thy health bring diseases and untimely death on thy self Wiltst thou so wound thy conscience and provoke the Lords judgements against thee here and hereafter O God forbid Be earnest always with God to keep thee see the ugly face of sin think of the judgements denounced and lighted upon many that are past help how pleasant soever it be at the first in the end it will bite like a Serpent Flie from Alehouses and Taverns as from infected houses think it an odious disgrace to be seen in any such house except in travel or for necessity flee the company also of such as are addicted to this vice as infectious and dangerous together with their enticements and provocations follow also your calling diligently whereby both this and other sins may be prevented together with the judgements due thereto 4. It s the duty of all those which are in Authority to set themselves against this sin whether Ministers Magistrates
then more sparingly to us more plentifully then under types to us the body is revealed 1. This confutes those that think that those before the Law were saved one way they under the Law another they under the Gospel another 2. It confutes them that hold That every man is saved by his own devotion and religion whatsoever it is so he be zealous in it and live orderly This they would prove hence namely That the Jews were saved by observing of a few Rites and Ceremonies a false foundation must needs lay the building under foot Do not we see that when they were even most zealous in Ceremonies that yet the Prophets cryed out that God was not content but called both for Faith and Love Besides what a folly is it to think that every man shall be saved by his own Religion Is any thing pleasing to God but that which himself hath appointed in his Word not our conceit but his wil is the rule of his Worship The Word sends us to Christ in whom alone God is well pleased without him there 's no Salvation for any 3. It confutes those among our selves which hope to be saved by their good meaning good prayers civil righteousness by their repenting and crying God mercy c. All these are blinde Sodomites they grope for a door where there 's none wil but hit their heads against the wal to their destruction O how happy are we that there being but one way of salvation known but to a few it should be so clearly made known to us were we so happy as to make it good to our selves That they might be judged according to men in the flesh c. Here note from the end of the Gospel that The Gospel calls for sanctification and all the parts thereof for as the Law hath Commandments so hath the Gospel it cals for faith and repentance and in this latter obedience to all the Commandments of the Law The differences are 1. The Law requires obedience but gives no power the Gospel doth both 2. The Law requires strict obedience to the utmost the Gospel requires an upright endeavor onely and to believe in him who hath performed it perfectly The Sacraments and Sacrifices of the old Testament called for this even for truth of heart for faith repentance God bade them circumcise the foreskin of their hearts and under that Law of purging all leaven out of their houses the people were called to repentance So Baptism and the Supper of the Lord the appurtenances of the Gospel call for Sanctification And doth any thing more cal for mortifying of our lusts living to God then the death of Christ for sin wherein we see how hainous a thing sin is in Gods account as also the unspeakable love of God to us in giving Christ thus to dye for us The death of Christ should be a great corrosive to eat our sin This was the end of Christs suffering for us Will Christ dye for a man and yet have no use of him after but that he may live as he list assuredly God would never cause his Gospel to be preached but to bring men to Sanctification 1. This confutes as well the Papists for affirming that we preaching Justification by Faith onely preach a doctrine of liberty to sin but on the contrary this doctrine doth notably establish good works as those among our selves that cry out upon going to sermons O say they we see none worse then they they will deceive they will cut their neighbors throat but of most this is a lye but if some be so let them know that the Gospel teacheth them not so to do 2. This rebuketh those carnal wretches which live under the Gospel yet abide still in their sins They think the Gospel brings onely tidings of salvation but requireth no amendment or mortification If Paul Tit. 2. had gone no further but stayed at Bring salvation we should have had a number of Christians but his other words teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly c. O this part they cannot away with so they could willingly hear Come unto me â—ll ye that are weary c. but not take up the Cross but God hath joyned them together and they cannot be separated he that hath the one must have the other as he that was to have the inheritance was to marry Ruth Hence it is that multitudes have in their mouthes They hope to be saved by Christ and yet remain in their lusts without mortifying the same or giving up themselves to God in an holy life Thus is it with ignorant persons prophane persons civil persons worldlings and hypocrites What impudent wretches are these They hope to be saved by Christ and yet live in their sins thus making Christs death to be a license to all evil Sundry deceive themselves in these days some content themselves with an outward profession some are haply at some times humbled and thereupon conceive themselves to be converted c. but let every man try himself by his Sanctification If this was required of them that lived before Christs coming who had dimmer light and more sparing means and promises then we then think what 's required of us that have heaven set open to us and all the Fathers minde revealed yea Christ dead risen ascended and all fulfilled 3. For Gods children which do indeed hope for Salvation by Christ and have yielded obedience to the Gospel in some measure there is nothing that can become us better then to labor to profit in mortifying our lusts and to shew the fruits of the Sprit more plentifully and powerfully in our lives Every Sermon and Sacrament should put new life in us For what is the profiting by the Gospel but to dye to sin and live to righteousness daily by an effectual knowledge of Christ Jesus O it s our great fault that we grow so slowly that we get not a full mastery of our lusts that sometimes we shrink at the yoke of Christ as thinking some part of it too strait and desiring more liberty who yet thought we could never do enough for the Lord O that our actions should favor so much of the flesh and so little of the Spirit O that we might encrease in our zealous affection to God for his love in Christ and for the Gospel and that our behavior may be daily more answerable thereto as our Salvation doth more nearly approach Vers. 7. But the end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer THe former part of this verse may be either a reason of the exhortation past and that from the shortness of the time to come or of the Exhortations ensuing unto sobriety watchfulness in prayer charity hospitality c. The end of all things is at hand The end of all things not of men onely or of some creatures not
such a destruction and desolation as hath been of some particular Cities and Nations nor a destruction of some Creatures in all places as was in the Flood but the end of all things that is All things shall come to that end that God hath appointed them to come to many and most Creatures to an utter end the heavens and earth to be purged by fire men and women not to come to an utter end but to live immortally in joy or wo but to be at an â—nd for living here so that as the world had a beginning it shall have an end the same God that created it shall destroy it Is at hand That is draweth near therefore these are called the last times and the Apostle saith Time is short and That upon them the ends of the world were come Obj. How could this be true that it was near when now 1600 years are past since and yet it is not come did the Apostle speak as he thought or onely to scare the people Answ. He spake as he was perswaded and that truly 1. Either in respect of the times before Christ it was nearer then to those under the Law or 2. In respect of God to whom 1000 years are but as one day or 3. In respect of eternity a thousand years are nothing to the time to come which is for ever it s as little as a drop of water to the whole ocean Sea Obj. But did the Apostle think that it was thus far off and should last thus many years as it hath since he spake this A. It s likely he thought it nearer for Christ Jesus being come and all the Prophesies of him fulfilled the Gentiles called and the mystery of iniquity begun already to work why might he not think this and though some things were yet to be accomplished touching the calling of the Jews yet might he think that that might quickly be dispatched Howsoever that that time was the last time they knew and that God would never speak after any new maner to his Church as he had done before from time to time and the Apostle Paul though he would often signifie the end to be approaching yet he knew it was not to be by and by but that some things must first fall out though haply he conceived that the same might have been dispatched in lesser time then it hath been But we have the advantage of them because we have the Book of the Revelation left to the Church by the Ministery of John the last living Apostle containing things to come from that time till the worlds end whereof many things be already accomplished which makes the Book more lightsom other things are yet to come touching the ruine of Antichrist calling of the Iews destruction of the Turks but in what time the Lord will finish these things we know not What if the day be yet some scores of years off yea some few hundreds as we may well think that is the utmost is it not then near by It was near in the Apostles time much nearer now then began the last time now is the end thereof But that is not so much the force of the Reason as this That we live in the last times nearer the worlds end then our Forefathers before Christ therefore ought to minde earthly things less and seek more after heavenly and lead an holy and godly life But say the day of Judgement were not so near as it is yet every of our particular ends is at hand we know not how soon when where how to day or to morrow and that is to us as if the world were at an end for any use thereof and for our state it shall be with us at the last day as when we dye 1. This may provoke us to Sanctification and a godly life seeing we live in the clearest times when the last day draweth near They that lived long ago were to live godly much more we having so short a time we must so live that when our Master cometh he may finde us so doing If death or judgement take us in our sins how miserable is our condition 2. It may reprove such as so live here as if here they were to live for ever eating and drinking and beating their fellow-servants c. others also that go on carelesly either making no profession or contenting themselves with a shew thereof as the five foolish Virgins every one must prepare himself that he may be found in peace at Gods coming 3. It may comfort the godly in bearing the Cross patiently yet a little while and we shall be in heaven from the same yea that day draweth near wherein God will be glorified in the sight of all his enemies See Phil. 4. 5. Heb. 10. 36. James 5. 8. 4. We should not set our mindes on these transitory things but on them that endure for ever The things of this world are vain uncertain perishing the world it self shall be consumed and our selves be most frail of all we must therefore be sober in seeking these earthly things laboring after grace life everlasting and the means thereof Be ye therefore sober Now of particular duties one helps another The former reason strongly enforceth these duties From the coherence note 1. That as before he exhorted to Sanctification in general so he doth now in particular for we are subject to deceive our selves Many be good in the gross not so in particulars they think they love God above all and their neighbors too and that they live holily but come to particulars it s nothing so 2. That as he forbade the forementioned lusts and vices so he now exhorts to the contrary duties the one must not be without the other see Acts 26. 18. In particular we are to be sober both in the use of riches and in the use of pleasures but of this last with the appurtenances thereof Meat Drink Apparel Recreations we shall speak afterward For sobriety in Riches Riches as Gods creatures be good in themselves and promised by God to his servants as blessings nay given to some of them as blessings as to Abraham Isaac Jacob Job c. They are encouragements to duty and well-doing and may be great helps and furtherances to us in and unto many good duties and that both towards our selves for we may spend the more time and have more freedom about matters of our soul and to others in shewing liberality and mercy and to the children of God that use them well they are as pledges of better and everlasting good things as Canaan was to the godly Jews a type of heaven But it may seem needless to speak of the goodness of riches seeing most men count them the onely good but the truth must be taught we speak of the things themselves yea some have utterly hated them as evil as Crates and among the Papists there be some that profess voluntary poverty
in my minde But I will not spend any time to approve or disapprove the one more then the other but speak something of both as in some such cases is not unusual nor amiss when both may very well stand and it be difficult to say which is the true meaning of the place this or that For the first The duties of people towards their Ministers laid down in the fifth commandment stand in these four things 1. They must reverence them for the dignity highness and excellency of their Calling in which respect they are termed Angels Stars the light of the world Gods Ambassadors 2. They must yield obedience to them in their Ministery 3. They must willingly allow them a sufficient maintenance that they may wholly without distraction attend on their souls 4. They must pray for them both that their Ministery may be fruitful and that they may long continue amongst them of those the second is the principal Namely that People must submit themselves to the Ministery of the Word in the mouths of their Ministers as we stand bound to preach so do you to hear and obey For Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it that are doers as well as hearers God hath not appointed us to Preach in vain but for the conversion of people The Ministery is ordained to work faith to convert souls it was the peoples request with promise to hear and do God hath yielded and sanctified it to be the onely ordinary means not reading not preaching by an Angel even the foolishness of Preaching by the hand of men to save them that believe If Ministers must be called to an account for Preaching shall not the people how they have profited and if a wo to us if we preach not is there not to them if they repent not For this cause our Savior upbraided those Cities wherein his mighty works were done not because they would not entertain him nor hear him as the Gadarens but because they repented not we have done you no good nor have you heard well till you have repented and be converted till you have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine delivered you The Law humbleth the Gospel woâ—â—th Faith both bring to a reformed new and godly life we hear aright when we go away pricked in our hearts Till then there 's no good wrought on us as appears by the Prophets complaints Isaiah 49. 4. and 53. 1. Jer. 6. 10. else no mark of Election faith being a demonstration hereof we make sure our Election by our effectual calling The Apostle also termeth the Thessalonians Elect of God because the preaching was not to them in word onely but in power and they received the word in much affliction and became followers of us c. and that they received his preaching not as the word of man but as it is indeed the Word of God not to hear and obey is rather a mark of reprobation as in Eli's Sons If we be Christs sheep we hear his voyce in the Ministery and follow him O what an excellent harmony would this make if Ministers preach faithfully and the people become converted and then built up in all obedience thereby 1. Then this rebuketh the woful contempt of the world at most hands for how few yield obedience thereto look in all Towns how many ignorant persons that have no knowledge neither will have any give their mindes to none but pul in their heads that they might not see the light that would glister in their faces who so blinde as he that will not see These are far from conversion This is condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather more then light So how many prophane persons that live in some known sin though some more outragiously then others as in Drunkenness Whoredom Malice c. That hear not though the Charmer charm never so wisely and do even stop their ears God knocks at the door of their hearts but they will not open his Ministers cry out against their sins yet they rush on every one after his own hearts lust and hateth to be reformed having a pardon brought and offered them if they would come in they stand out What will become of these having refused to hear a gracious voyce offering mercy they shall hear a fearful voyce denouncing judgement not hearing a voyce calling them to him they shal hear a voyce commanding them from him and as he called and they refused so shall they call but not be heard or regarded What shall these have to say for themselves Their iniquity shall stop up their mouth How many civil persons are there also that be not converted if they so continue they shall perish unless they be born again truly humbled planted into Christ obey in all things not in the duties of the second Table onely giving men their due but of the first also giving God his they cannot be saved What should I speak of worldlings that are so glued to the world as they savor not at all of Heaven or heavenly things no such thing can enter into their hearts either they hear not the Word at all or the thorny cares of the world quickly choak that seed What of Hypocrites some professing outwardly and yet living in some known sin others not so bad that yet fall far short having gone some steps and hoping that all is well These were never as yet truly humbled and so not converted so had not that that accompanieth Salvation these hear but not aright Every man therefore must examine himself how he hath heard and whether the Word hath been a means of his true conversion and whether he make conscience to submit himself to the precepts thereof They that can prove themselves thereby converted how comfortably may they go on walking in obedience thereto Contrarily the care of others is dangerous for think not that our preaching will go away unregarded or that it s no matter how you have heard Oh! Preachings and Sacraments be dangerous things life or death can do a great deal of good or as much hurt to them that obey its Salvation but to the disobedient it s the savor of death unto death This is a fearful sin in this Land and the cause of all our plagues by reason whereof we may fear worse Remember the wo pronounced against Chorazin and Bethsaida 2. This may be for exhortation to all that as they come and hear so to submit themselves and pray God to make his word effectual by his Spirit So shall God be glorified if of Lyons we become Lambs If won from Satan to God The Ministers shall rejoyce as having the greater Crown The Angels in Heaven will rejoyce having new fellow Servants yea God himself will rejoyce the Father as having a new Son Christ as having another member the Holy Ghost another
the alarms either of mercies or judgements He sees not one step of the way to Heaven nor the danger he is in Though he wallow in the mire of foul sins that a good man will stop his nose at yet he smells nothing he cannot taste good and evil asunder but calls sweet sower The Word good Counsel good Company c. wherein Gods people take most delight are bitter to him Though the word hit him never so hard blows he feels not as neither though he wound his own conscience with never so foul sins And 2. As a man asleep loves not to be awaked so a natural man out of his sins and to be called upon to repent 3. As in sleep men dream of that they have not so a natural man dreams he is in a very good case hath faith repentance love c. when it s nothing so and when he awakes he confesseth it 4. As a man in sleep speaks some good words but knows not what and by and by is out so a natural man in good company will speak good words but hath no feeling of them and will again be quickly out of them 5. As a man before he sleeps gives direction that none awake him and turns from the one side to the other sleeping now on the one then on the other so a natural man will not be called upon to repentance having slept long enough on the one side in prodigality will haply turn on the other and lie as long in covetousness 6. As a man that hath been in a long deep sleep can hardly be awakened though it thunder though the winds be ready to blow down the house he hears nothing so it s hard to awaken any out of sin especially when they have lain long and lived therein no Preaching or calling on no Judgements of God though never so apparent can awake them from their security 7. As sleep is an image of the first death so is sleep in sin of the second Therefore we must endeavor for faith and set upon a good life we must learn to watch and keep us well while we be well To this end we must make use of the Trumpet of the Word daily sounding in our ears and take notice of Gods Judgements both on our selves and others What may not induce us hereunto Reasons are many 1. We are of the day and the light of the word shines in our faces It s enough for them in the night of Popery and where the word is not to sleep in sin he is a sluggard indeed that sleeps when the Sun shines his face Some of you have slept till nine a clok till high noon till three in the afternoon for shame awake 2. He that sleepeth in Harvest is the Son of confusion This is the plentiful harvest of the Gospel Now there is good to be done good gathering of faith knowledge repentance and such other graces 3. It s a shame to sleep when others be at work Many through Gods grace be awakened by the word and are busily working out their Salvation laboring for grace and using the means diligently and will you lie snorting in sin then will they be provided of necessaries when you will perish 4. It s a shame to sleep when all one's work lies to do but many among us have done just nothing of that that God hath set them here for nothing done towards their Salvation but all against it awake therefore ere night come when you cannot work 5. It were strange if a man should sleep when he were in great danger the house burning over their heads or in an hideous Tempest ready to be cast away but every natural man hangs as it were over the pit of Hell by a twined threed 6. It were strange if one should still sleep having many Messengers sent to awake him Some will say If any had called me I would have awaked with all my heart we are called by Sermon after Sermon by this Preacher that Preacher the other c. to whom the Lord will say Did not I send you and you to awake such a man c. you are now come under the means of awakening O that it might please God to bless his Word in piercing the ears of your soul to this end And be not half awaked and afterward when you be gone hence fall asleep again as a man in a deep sleep being called upon he begins to stir and lift up an eye and it may be his head from his pillow but hearing no more he lies down again and falls again as fast asleep as before let it not be so with us Some I doubt not begin to think with themselves about awaking and that it were good for them so to do but beware when you be gone hence you lay not your head down again but come and hear again and again till you be soundly awakened that you may not hereafter sleep any more if you be not awaked you must perish for ever A man would be loath to dye in his Natural sleep having gone well to bed and thinking of no such thing yet this cannot hurt a good man but to dye in the Spiritual sleep is damnable And I beseech you yong men and women be awakened betimes defer no longer the longer the worse Come to a man newly gone to bed ye may easily awake him come an hour after more hardly but come at midnight and then though you call and shout you can scarce awake him Sleep not till your middle age you can hardly be awaked then but if till your old age with exceeding difficulty if at all But of this also I have spoken before Because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour A Reason of the forementioned Exhortation By yielding thereto we shall take away advantage from the Devil who else will draw us into manifold temptations He is here described by all things that make a dangerous Enemy as Malice called therefore Our adversary the Devil Strength called therefore A Lyon A roaring Lyon Subtilty That he walketh about seeketh by all ways and means as by violence and craft to draw us into evil Diligence That he walketh about c. His malice is exceeding against God and man especially Gods people and against all goodness It hath been so from the beginning from his fall he was filled with malice against God laboring by all means that no reasonable creature might praise him on earth His envy also against mankinde continueth he is still a most deadly enemy against all goodness and means thereof against good persons good duties good meetings the Word Sacraments Prayer Fasting c. laboring to hinder these and the good success of them as the good Angels are filled with love and zeal to God and goodness rejoycing at the conversion of a sinner so is the Devil on the contrary yea his malice is deadly nothing will content him but our
put altogether O Lord who shall escape him 1. No marvel that most men go the broad way and perish and so few be saved seeing there is such an enemy and so armed and so followed that hath sworn all mens destruction he so malicious and we so careless of our Salvation he so strong and we so weak he so subtile and we so simple for our souls and in Spiritual things he so diligent and we so retchless and lazy in the great matters of our soul. Every man by nature loveth sin and carrieth along with him as ready a disposition to yield to temptations as Satan is to tempt him Marvel not that so few but that any are saved and if thou hast any hope and assurance wonder and praise If God were not infinite in wisdom power love and care over us we should certainly perish 2. See what wonderful need there is of diligent continual zealous earnest and plain preaching of the Word it s that must cast the strong man out This is the mean to scale his walls batter his Kingdom were it not for this he would do what he list in the world and carry all to destruction Where this is not he may sit and sleep for his work and will goes forward What should let therefore it s no marvel he is such an Enemy to it and the Preachers thereof O what should become of Gods people already pluckt out of his Kingdom if they had not the Word to shew his subtilties what is the will of God what good what evil how to do it what be the advantages that Satan takes and how we may be able to resist them Hence Gods servants are made wise and strengthened against his Temptations they come weak to the Word but go from thence mightily strengthened What do they then that seek the hinderance of the faithful and zealous preaching of the Word but gratifie the Devil in an high degree and work journey-work to him in the best maner it s to learn the Devil to have his will to devour what souls and as many as he lists 3. We may wonder and praise God that seeing there be so many Devils and such as we have spoken of that the Church of God can be upon the face of the earth that it is not rooted out and swallowed up the Devil having so many and such armed instruments in the world A wonder the Church hath any abiding but that God Almighty hath a care of it and will defend and preserve it Christ Jesus the Husband thereof will not suffer his Spouse to be trodden under We may wonder we be yet a people under this peace of the Gospel there being so many Papists within and without the Land and such an infinite number of most subtile and malicious Jesuits that like the Devil go up and down compassing the earth to work mischief That poor weak men and women in themselves sinful and poor creatures should yet be got out of Satans power and then defended from his malice not in body goods and name onely but from his deadly temptations and to escape them and get safe to Heaven O this is Gods Almighty power and goodness so may every poor Christian man say and wonder 4. This rebuketh 1. Such as make a League with the Devil to obtain their purposes It was death by the Law of God and so ought to be still What fools be these They think the Devil serves them and is at their command when indeed he hath got them to serve him and that in an high degree of sin to their destruction 2. Such as seek to such for things lost or for cure from them for them and theirs Those woful Creatures seeking to the sworn Enemy of mankinde for help are like to speed as if a Lamb should run to a roaring Lyon to be kept from harm Think they that he will do them any little pleasure outwardly unless to fasten deadly on their souls to work the ruine of them His help is as the milk which Jael presented unto Sisera 3. All such as live in sin and so serve the Devil These count him not a deadly Enemy if they did they would not be at his beck as the most part be Though they stop their ears against God their Parents Magistrates Friends yet they open them to all his temptations no Servant can serve his Master so diligently as the world doth the Devil even with all the might both of their bodies and mindes speaking and writing and employing both their goods and pains on his behalf and for sin and that both night and day What he bids them do they do Lye Swear Curse break the Sabbath Oppress Cozen Mock c. who yet for that their humor likes it and its agreeable to their own minde observe not Satans policy herein nor suspect him for an Enemy They will say they hate the Devil as much as any and defie him alas he can give them leave so to do as long as they serve him and do his works This is as good as Popish holy Water and crossing themselves 4. All civil persons that say they never found the Devil so troublesom as they hear folks talk They never doubted of their Salvation were ready to make away themselves were never troubled with such wicked and blasphemous or troublesom thoughts were never so troubled but that they could go to Church and serve God quietly c. True the Devil tempts them not to dispair because he hath them fast enough in pride and presumption He tempts them not to foul sins because he sees God hath restrained them and so that there 's no great likelihood he shall prevail neither cares he seeing he hath them fast enough in the main namely in ignorance unbelief or carelesness of the first Table He troubles them not with thoughts it may be when they go to good duties because he knows they are likely not to do any good duty yet he tempts them in things which through blindeness they discern not as being none of the foulest things as they think Though in the hearing of the Word they have many wandring by-thoughts they feel not that the Devil is at their elbow and at work with them because they make no account of such smal things also about worldly idle speeches on the Sabbath they see not Satan going along with them because they count them small whereas a good Christian in these espies Satan and is troubled thereat when the strong man hath and holds his Possession all things are at peace the Devil having these fast enough he cares not for troubling them but let him be about to be cast out and then I le warrant you he will bestir himself and they shall have trouble Let a civil man that lived never so quietly before be smitten in conscience for his sins and begin to be converted he shall finde his case altered and that the Devil will do him all the mischief he
battel a Mariner in a tempest a friend in adversity so are the godly known in adversity As the Apostle speaks of Heresie so may I of afflictions They must needs be that they which are approved may be made manifest among us 2. To confirm his Truth not in respect of it self but of men and to whet on others as the seed of the Church is the blood of the Martyrs 3. To make a way for his judgements on his enemies and persecuters of his Saints whereof though the perfection be to come yet even here God suffers them not to escape his hand in a notable maner which doth not a little strengthen his servants 4. To prove the faith and patience of his own children and to encrease the same Spices smell best when they are bruised and graces appears most when most tryed 5. To scour off their soyl that they gather in the world and make them bright 6. To stir them up to every duty the more fervently 7. That they may be like to their head Christ Jesus who by suffering entred into glory 1. When we enter into the profession of Religion we must beforehand sit down and cast up our accounts what the same may cost us which if many had done they had escaped the horrible sin and foul shame of Apostacy Most profess Religion in the time of peace but when trouble comes they will be gone one would sit at Christs right hand another at his left in his Kingdom but will not be batized with the baptism wherewith he is baptized neither with him will drink of the bitter cup of affliction They will save themselves from any hurt yea they think themselves wise persons that can shift off sufferings and them fools that suffer for the Truth but they will prove fools in the winding up 2. When troubles come bear we the same patiently and joyfully we have the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the troop of Saints for our companions To us its a sign of salvation and great is our reward in Heaven It s a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble us And to us that are troubled rest with him When we have fought the good fight we shall enjoy a Crown of Glory Because Christ also suffered for us Another forcible Reason from Christs example which was done also for our imitation If Christ hath suffered why should not we If he that was God suffered at the hands of wretched men how much more may we men of mortal men like our selves If he for you then good reason you should suffer for him That he did was for a patern for us to follow and that patiently as he did his whole life was no other Though our salvation come cheap to us and of Gods meer gift yet it came not so to Christ he paid full dearly for it Gods Justice which would be satisfied required the same There was an infinite wrath due for our sins which Christ did undergo 1. If Christ hath suffered are not we to pledge our Master if the servants do but what their Master hath done before they have no cause to complain 2. If Christ the Son of God most holy suffered is it such a matter for us poor miser sinners to suffer 3. If he suffered for us his enemies should not we be much more willing to suffer for him and think our selves happy as who hath delivered us from the everlasting sufferings in Hell by his suffering for us and from reproachful sufferings that we might have had for some foul offences in this world and hath turned them into a few glorious sufferings for his name 4. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your mindes Consider who he was and what thou art and it wil much take away the bitterness of affliction For you so some read even for servants for the meanest with him is no respect of persons No rich nor poor bond nor free in Christ the one have as good right as the other nay though God have some of all yet most of the mean are Christs they receive the Gospel This may make the mean of the world to bear their condition the more patiently and comfortably they have part in Christ if fault be not in themselves and may be heirs of grace but for the most part the poorest of all exclude themselves and I know not how the hand of God goeth out heavily against them Leaving us an example c. We must not set Christ before us and consider him as a Mediator and Savior onely but as a patern and example to follow and that a most perfect one we must labor to imitate him and if we belong to him we must walk as he walked we must thus think with our selves when we are about any thing what would Christ Jesus do if he were in my cloaths So do thou and not otherwise so do in thy calling in patience forbearance c. And in a doubtful case ask what would Christ do in such a case That may we know by the rule of the word for accordingly would he do this is a good image of Christ better then Popish Pictures and Crucifixes Get we an image of Christ out of the Gospel and accordingly live we thereby and be we more and more changed thereinto Verse 22. Who did no sin neither wus guile found in his mouth THe example of Christs sufferings is illustrated 1. By his innocency 2. By his admirable patience Innocency that he had no sin no not so much as ever slipt in his tongue and so was perfect Now if he had no sin suffered patiently much more should we that are sinful Creatures and do one way or other deserve a thousand times more then that we suffer His admirable patience set forth by that he suffered and his bearing the same sufferings in word and deed where 's shewed both what he did not and what he did He requited not onely not ill words with ill deeds but not the worst deeds that were done to him with an ill word again and he committed his cause to God knowing that he knew what was to be done and would judge righteously between him and them Who did no sin c. He had no Original sin but was conceived by the holy Ghost The matter whereof he was framed which he took of the Virgin was freed from all spot of sin and filled with fulness of grace yea from the first moment of his Conception was united into one Person with the divine nature So did the Angel declare to his Mother That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God 1. Then he suffered not for his own sins as they wickedly imagined that put him to death as was foretold but from ours altogether
which should make us loath our selves that put the innocent Son of God to such things which we had justly deserved Oh! How should we hate sin and love God and Christ Jesus for ever and ever But how could it stand with Gods justice that he should suffer being every way innocent and we which were guilty persons should go free Christ was an able surety to dye and overcome death and he was willing and the Father could not refuse one in our own nature to undertake for us to satisfie his justice and free us Here also we may see how we stand righteous before Almighty God though we be not perfectly righteous though not at all till we be sanctified and then but in part How even by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and reckoned and made ours by Faith which is not an imaginary thing as the Papists scoff at it but a true and real righteousness for as Christ was no sinner yet was counted as a sinner and being so accounted bare the intollerable weight of our sins so we by his righteousness imputed stand verily and truly just before God and shall be saved 2. This should teach us to labor for innocency of life The more means we have and the more shew we make we must be the more careful to walk warily as they that have many observers some that will be grieved if we do ill and many as the Devil and the wicked that will rejoyce Let the forwardest Towns and persons take heed to themselves that they be innocent in their example you may do much good this way else much hurt look to your selves you are watcht and that narrowly 3. If he suffered and that patiently who never offended God nor man but was the most pure and innocent Son of God how much more should we who never suffer but our hearts can tell us we have deserved the same and ten thousand times more through our sins against God we have small cause to be impatient but must submit our selves hereto yea we have not onely sinned against God and so deserved all evil and that God should make us a Reproach a By-word a Scorn of men and a Threshold for all to tread on but we have sinned against our Magistrates against our neighbors yea against them that misuse us whosoever they be for want of reverencing them praying for them doing our duties to them not carrying our selves so innocently towards them nor so wisely patiently unblameably as we ought so that though we deserve not to be thus dealt with for this that we are punished for yet in many other things we do Submit we our selves therefore in all humbleness of minde and patience What are we sinful creatures too good to suffer when as the Lord of all and he that was the Son of God did yet suffer Verse 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously HEre 's our Saviors admirable patience both in what he did not and what he did being reviled and called a Samaritan a friend of Publicans and Sinners a glutton a wine bibber yea said that he had a Devil that he was a blasphemer that he cast out Devils through Beelzebub the prince of Devils that he was a deceiver and an enemy to Caesar being I say thus reviled and his Enemies having shot such arrows of most vile slanderous and cruel words against him and such as might not onely raze the skin but pierce him to the very heart yet he reviled not again he required them not like for like thereby to be revenged of them True it is in his publique Ministery he told them plainly of their sins and called them Blinde guides and Hypocrites and denounced Gods judgements against them but that was from conscience of his duty and of love to win them to repentance if it might be not upon spleen to revenge himself as the Ministers of God may rebuke sin severely and denounce Gods judgements against them that live thus and thus and yet not out of any malice or ill will but from an earnest desire of their amendment and therefore they do wickedly that call that railing yea when they posted him from the place where they took him with swords and staves brought him to Caiphas the high Priest and then led him into their counsel and then when they had bound him they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilat the Governor from him he was sent to Herod by whom being mocked and set at naught he was sent again to Pilat where he was mockt smitten scourged and misused beyond all measure yet when he thus suffered he threatned not He could have commanded fire as Elias to come down and consume them or Legions of Angels to destroy them He could also have served them as Corah and his Company were served but he did patiently put up all Here 's a fit patern for our imitation we must take heed of revenge The Heathens are accustomed hereunto but Christians must not be like to them This is often forbid say not I will do to him as he hath done to me give word for word taunt for taunt blow for blow c. For 1. This is a work of the flesh 2. God hath a hand in whatsoever is done against thee Job acknowledged it so David To use revenge were to resist God as the dog that bites the staff would be willing to bite the man if he could It s as if a Childe should pull the rod out of his Fathers hand and break it before his face What would we say of such a Childe The Magistrate indeed may take revenge for wrongs done us we our selves must not 3. It were in vain to fight with the world with the worlds weapons they will be too hard for us Prayers and patience are our proper wepons whereby we shall be too hard for them 4. Thus we hurt our selves more then them them a little in body goods or name our selves a great deal in our souls as the Bee by stinging loses her own life we have our wills a little but the wrath of God withal and that 's dearly bought 5. It proceeds of great weakness If we had Spiritual strength we would pass by great things we do therefore but proclaim our own weakness when we revenge Moses David and others of Gods dear servants would not give way hereunto especially beyond all comparison our Savior Christ who suffered so monstrous things of such base persons and that so unjustly as one that had never the least ill thought against God or man O this ought to move us to great patience yea of the Heathens themselves there were not a few which were admirable in patience This condemneth the monstrous practice of the world that is set upon nothing but revenge give taunt for