intention in dying that He might lead us by the hand as the word here signifieth and give us ready accesse to a reconciled God He hath suffered for sins the Just for the unjust that He might bring us unto God 6. No lesser degree of suffering could be accepted from our Cautioner than the suffering of death there being no other way except all had eternally died to illustrate the exact justice and righteousnesse of God in punishing sin Rom. 3.24 25. and his faithfulnesse in executing that just threatning Gen. 2.17 to take away the sting out of the first death to His own 1 Cor. 15.55 and keep them from tasting of the second Joh. 8.51 for which cause the Apostle here affirms of our Mediator That He suffered being put to death 7 Although Christ did truly humble Himself even in respect of His Deity by assuming frail flesh in a personal union therewith Joh. 1.14 and obscuring the glory thereof for a time with the vail of flesh Philip. 2.6 7. Yet the Godhead being altogether impassible His sufferings were properly in His humanity to wit both in His soul which suffered the unspeakable wrath of God Joh. 12.17 Mat. 26.38 and in His body which suffered all sorts of torments whereof it was capable Luke 22.44 both which parts of humane nature are here comprehended in one because His soul suffered only while it was dwelling in flesh before His death being put to death in the flesh 8. Our Cautioner having paid our debt could not be holden in the prison of death but by the power of His own Spirit or Godhead which are essentially one was quickened in His humanity by the union of His soul to His body and raised up as an evidence that He was discharged of our debt and we in Him Rom. 4.25 as a pledge that we shall be quickened by the vertue of His Resurrection to newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 c. and after death raised to possess glory with Him 1 Cor. 15.20 for He was put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit 9. All the considerations of our suffering Mediatour whereof the Apostle doth here mention several are strong inducements to His Redeemed People to suffer for Him when He calls them to that honour for so may every particular here mentioned be applied that since the Son of God being so innocent and just did suffer and by suffering did so compleatly satisfie Justice for so mis-deserving wretches and did suffer to the very death for so sweet an end to bring sinners to God and had so glorious in outgate It becometh all His Redeemed Ones to adventure chearfully upon suffering for Him to which every expression hâ—â—e may be applied as a motive For even Christ hath suffered for sin the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened through the Spirit Vers 19. By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison 20. Which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water Here is the seventh argument pressing upon Christians constant obedience to the Gospel notwithstanding of hardest sufferings The sum whereof is That since there are many souls of men and women to whom Christ did once by his Spirit in the Ministery of Noah and others of his Servants make plain the way to life and salvation who are now imprisoned in Hell for evermore because of their slighting so much patience and pains as the Lord did exercise toward them especially during the time of Noah's preparing the Ark wherein a few only escaped destruction by the flood Therefore it doth concern those who have the Gospel more clearly preached to them to give obedience thereunto whatever they may suffer for it within time Hence Learn 1. The second Person of the blessed Trinity hath been exercising his Mediatory Office long before his incarnation and by his Spirit the third Person speaking through his Servants hath been publickly inviting sinners to repentance and faith in himself for this preaching to the old world here spoken of must be the same in substance with that which is more clearly held forth now under the Gospel it being Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 who did then preach by his Spirit who speaks his mind only Job 10.13 14. By which he went and preached 2. When the mind of Christ is plainly held forth by the Ministery of his Servants then Christ himself comes to them to bestow himself and fellowship with him by his Spirit upon them that receive his Word and to deal with others in wrath as if they had rejected him immediatly and in his own Person dealing with them for though Christ did not preach in Person to the old world but only in the Ministery of Noah and others of his Servants Yet of Him it is here said that by his Spirit He went and preached 3. It pleaseth the Lord to invite to repentance and make offers of his grace unto many who will never obey his counsel nor imbrace his offers that he may make his grace more manifest while he doth more effectually prevail with his own that are among them Act. 18.10 and may take away all excuse from them that wilfully disobey his counsels and reject his offers Joh. 15.22 for there are spirits or souls who once had Christ preached to them that are now in prison 4. The souls of men and women do not 〈◊〉 to nothing nor die as their bodies but so soon as they are separated from the body must either go immediately to the place of blessednesse Luke 23.43 or else to this place of their everlasting imprisonment for though it could not be told where their bodies were that drowned in the â—â—ood Yet their souls are to the fore and 〈◊〉 spirits in prison 5. Hell is a place of safe custody 〈◊〉 â—â—ame of it here imports where there is no 〈…〉 Devils and damned souls to torment one another out of which there is no possibility of escaping for by this prison can be meant nothing else but Hell which elswhere in Scripture hath this same name Rev. 20.7 it being the place where only the spirits of them who were disobedient to the Lord are now in prison 6. Of all the sins that men and women commit who have the way of salvation truly preached to them this is of the highest nature and the chief cause of their damnation that they will not be perswaded to accept the offers of God's grace and mercy in Christ will not obey the sweet directions of his Word will not follow the motions and strivings of his Spirit with them thereby in which course whosoever do continue they look like those that are appointed for the prison of Hell for it is clear by comparing this Text with Gen. 6.3 that these here spoken of had
sinfull motions in Christ yet He took that course which He knew would be most effectual to prevent them in his Followers whom He would have to follow his steps in this as a mean to keep them down When he was reviled he reviled not again c. but committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously Vers 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed The Apostle repeateth and enlargeth his fourth argument it being the sweetest and strongest of all the rest to presse patient suffering for well-doing to wit That since Christ hath born the weight of our sins by enduring the wrath due to us for them in his own Person upon the crosse how patiently should his Redeemed Ones bear light afflictions for his sake And withal he adds some further arguments to presse the same point taken from the sweet ends of Christ's death and the advantages Believers have thereby The ninth in number is That the very end of Christ's death being to purchase vertue for the slaying of sin in his own and for quickning them to the duties of holinesse it doth become all his Redeemed Ones to follow their duty without desire of revenge upon those who put them to suffer wrongfully The tenth is That seing the Redeemed by Christ have spiritual and eternal health and welfare by vertue of those wounds which he received from God and men for them therefore they ought not to take in evil part wounds and stripes from men for following their duty to him Hence Learn 1. Christ's suffering in the room of the Redeemed is a subject that they should not soon weary to think and speak of it being to them a ground of much patience and comfort under their sufferings to consider that God cannot now be avenging himself upon them for their sins who are fled to Christ nor taking satisfaction to his justice at their hands he having received it already from Christ Therefore the Apostle having held forth Christ's sufferings ver 21. as an argument to constancy in duty notwithstanding of persecution from men he loveth to come over the same argument here again Who his own self bare our sins c. 2. The sufferings of Christ were not only exemplary that we might have a copy how to carry our selves right under our sufferings but they were expiatory of our sins and satisfactory for them to the Fathers justice for after the Apostle had set forth Christ in the former words as casting us a copy of the right way of suffering lest any should think that to be his greatest design in suffering he addeth this Who his own self bare our sins in his own body 3. Jesus Christ our Mediatour who was altogether free of any guiltiness inherent in himself as was cleared from vers 22. had all the sins of the Elect upon him by imputation and was handled by divine justice as if he had been guilty of them all as is imported in this expression He bare our sins which frequently in Scripture signifies to bear the punishment of sin See Lev. 20.17 20. Ezek. 23.49 4. As sin is to a waking conscience one of the heaviest burdens that ever was felt Psal 38.4 So Jesus Christ hath by his satisfaction upon the crosse lifted up as the word here signifieth that weight from off the conscience of those who feel as much of it as chases them to him for ease so as it shall never presse any such down to hell or to despair for the Apostle speaketh of his own sins and the sins of other penitent and believing sinners as a weight that none but Christ was able to lift and which he hath lifted up and born Who his own self bare our sins 5. That the second Person of the blessed Trinity might be fit to bear our sins he behoved to be incarnate and to take on a true body not borrowed or assumed for a time but a body of his own which with his soul being personally united to his Godhead he will keep for ever and ever that his conversing in Heaven with his Creatures that have bodies may be the more sweet for he bare our sins in his own body 6. Although the principal part of Christ's sufferings for us was in his soul Isa 53.10 Mat. 26.38 Yet he is said to bear our sins in his body not only because that is an ordinary designation of the whole Person consisting of soul and body but because it is most wonderful that ever the Son of God should have assumed so frothy a being as a body of flesh because his bodily sufferings did visibly represent his love to sinners and the desert of sin and because his soul suffered only while it was in his body before his death therefore the Apostle saith He bare our sins in his body 7. Our Mediatour behoved to be put to a painfull lingering and shamefull death because he was in the room of many who deserve such kind of deaths even by humane Laws that he might the better illustrate the terror of God against sin and might take the sting out of such kind of deaths to any of his own who should endure the like for his sake for these causes he bare our sins in his own body on the tree to wit of the crosse 8. That which doth most heighten our esteem of Christ's love in giving himself to die for us and most strongly oblige us not to spare our persons for him is the consideration of the excellency of his Person and of our unworthinesse for whom he suffered both which the Apostle leads Believers unto here while he doth so often mention him and us Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we c. 9. Till the merit of Christ's death be applied by Faith to the hearts of sinners they are alive to sin being active and delighting in the commission thereof they are dead to righteousnesse being no lesse impotent for any spiritual act or holy performance than dead men are for the actions of the living as is supponed in this That Christ's death was for these ends that we being dead to sin might live to righteousnesse 10. Christ's intention in dying for sinners which he doth in some measure gain in all his Redeemed Ones in this life and will fully attain in the other was That the love of sin in their hearts might by the vertue purchased with his bloud be so weakened that they might have no more pleasure in the commission of it than dead men have in the delights of the living and that their hearts might be quickened with spiritual life for holy performances and they might live eternally praising their Redeemer for that righteousnesse of his bestowed upon them whereby they are justified sanctified and saved for these two are here made the great ends of Christ's death that we being dead to wit being made
well-doing as here it is by the Apostle For it is better to suffer for well doing than for evil doing 2. The consideration of this difference in regard of comfort and spiritual advantage which is betwixt suffering for well-doing and for evil doing should move the Lord's People to watchfulnesse and tender walking lest by their miscarriage they deserve suffering at mens hands and to constancy in suffering for well doing considering that they have within them strong inclinations to such evils as being acted might justly put them to suffer before men and that if they shift duty to Him for fear of suffering from men He may justly leave them to fall in those sins which may procure harder sufferings with lesse comfort than what they should have met with in suffering for well doing for this is here brought in as a motive to constancy in duty and suffering in the way of duty that it is better to suffer for well doing than for evil doing 3. Suffering for well doing is a duty that doth not bind as negative precepts do at all times and in all cases nor are the Children of the Lord tied to it as they are to some other positive duties for the opportunity whereof they are to watch 1 Pet. 4 7. but is only binding when the Lord by his providence hath brought his People under the power of persecutors and they do put them to a necessity either of suffering or sinning in which case only the Lord manifesteth his will to his People that they should suffer for the Apostle here commends suffering not absolutely as other duties but only upon this supposition that it be manifested to be the will of God For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing than for evil doing 4. When God's will that his People should suffer is manifested to them by leaving them no midst between sin and suffering then they ought with courage and chearfulnesse to choose suffering as the only best course for them considering that his will is a good will to them and so would have prevented their suffering if it had been good for them that without His will no creature could bring them to that necessity and that as it is His will they should suffer for Him so it is His will they should reign with Him for this is here cast in as a special encouragement to constancy in suffering for well doing that they should not be put to undergo that lot except the will of God be so 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 The sixth motive or encouragement to constancy in duty notwithstanding of hardest sufferings is taken from Christ's sufferings for us whence many encouraging arguments to suffer for Him may be drawn The sum of all which is That since the innocent Son of God hath compleatly satisfied God's justice for unworthy sinners that He might reconcile them to God having for that end suffered to the very death in his humanity and that He might apply his purchase is raised up again by the power of his Spirit or Godhead it doth therefore well become his sinful Followers for whom He died and rose again to undergo chearfully a suffering lot in following their duty to Him Hence Learn 1. Of all motives that may prevail with Christians to suffer for Christ when they are called His suffering in their room is one of the strongest and should be most frequently made use of by them for that end considering that He by His sufferings hath taken the sting out of all theirs Isa 53.4 hath defeated all their enemies Joh. 16.33 Col. 2.15 hath cast them a sweet copy to follow concerning the right way of suffering Heb. 12.2 hath engaged them not to desire a better lot than He had Joh. 15.20 and hath made sure their perseverance and eternal happinesse which none of their troubles can mar Rom. 8.38 for the Apostle having made use of this same argument to this same purpose in the close of the former Chapter doth here again insist upon it as the strongest and that which should have most weight with all His Redeemed Ones to move them to suffer for Him For Christ also hath suffered for sins 2. As the whole time of Christ's humiliation was one uninterrupted course of suffering So by that whole course and especially by His offering Himself a sacrifice for us upon the Crosse He hath so compleated the work of satisfaction to God's justice for the sins of the Elect and of purchasing grace and glory to them that nothing thereof remaineth to be done nor needeth that sacrifice be again repeated for though His sufferings were finite in regard of duration Yet in regard of the worth which the excellency of His Person who was God did add to them they were infinite for both in respect of the continuation of His sufferings all along His state of humiliation and in regard of the compleatnesse of them for satisfaction to God's justice as also in opposition to all the legal sacrifices which for their imperfection behoved to be often repeated Heb. 7.27 the Apostle saith here He hath once suffered for sins 3. Although our blessed Mediator had all the sins of all the Elect upon Him by imputation 2 Cor. 5.21 and the punishment laid upon Him of all the heinous crimes that ever were or shall be committed by the Elect Isa 53.6 Yet was He in Himself compleatly just and righteous not only as He is God Isa 45.21 but even as Man He being wholly freed of that original contagion Luke 1.35 wherewith all others that are come of Adam are defiled Job 14.4 and compleatly conform to the Law of God in heart and practice Mat. 3.15 that so as our Mediator He might be lovely to God Psal 45.7 and to all the Saints Cant. 5.16 for so the Apostle sets Him forth who suffered for sins the Just for the unjust 4. There was nothing in those for whom Christ suffered to have moved Him to lay down his life for them many of them who were then living being his actual persecutors and murderers and all of them being still at enmity with Him till He by the vertue of His death changed them and yet His free love made Him suffer for their sins The Just for the unjust 5. As all are naturally far from God Eph. 2.13 and the Godly at their best at a distance and â—nable to come nearer Cant. 1.4 So this is the comfortable end of Christ's death and His intention in dying that sinners might be brought to a state of nearnesse to wit of favour and reconciliation with God Col. 1.21 and that being done to a growing nearnesse to wit of communion and fellowship till they be compleatly one with Him Job 17.11 20 21 c. for thus doth the Apostle expresse the end of Christ's death and His
a motive to holinesse he doth here hold it forth again as a motive to constancy in holinesse notwithstanding of sufferings For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls CHAP. III. THis Chapter hath three parts In the first containing the duties of married persons the Apostle presseth upon Christian Women first That they should make conscience of duty to their Husbands though they were Pagans that so they might be gained to fall in love with Christianity ver 1. by the sight of their chast and religious carriage ver 2. Secondly That they should not be much taken up with trimming of their bodies ver 3. But thirdly That their prime care should be to have their souls adorned with grace especially meeknesse because 1. that's an ornament durable and 2. it 's in high esteem with God ver 4. So should they resemble holy Women recorded in Scripture ver 5. and prove themselves heirs of Sarah's blessednesse ver 6. Next he exhorteth Husbands to a wise and tender walking toward them by some arguments ver 7. In the second part he exhorteth all Christians whatever their relations be to the exercise of such graces and duties of holinesse as serve for keeping up a comfortable communion among themselves and with the Lord ver 8. and disswadeth them from some evils that might mar the same Because first they were all called to inherite the same blessednesse ver 9. And secondly because a holy walking with God and a peaceable carriage toward others is the only way to sweeten the lives of Christians under all their troubles ver 10 11. Thirdly that that was the way to have God's favourable providence watching over them for good Fourthly to get acceptance to their prayers And fifthly to eschew his wrath ver 12. The third part containeth several motives to constancy in holinesse and encouragements against suffering in that way As first that well-doing was the way toward off the evil of all their troubles ver 13. Secondly that no trouble for well-doing should hinder but rather promove their blessednesse to which encouragements the Apostle subjoyneth six directions for attaining a right carriage under suffering First that they should labour to banish the fear of flesh ver 14. Secondly that they should adore the holinesse of God in carving out a suffering lot for them Thirdly that they should timously enrich themselves with the knowledge of the Truth so as they might be able to give a reason of what they suffered for Fourthly that they should manifest meeknesse toward their persecutors And fifthly entertain fear of their own miscarriage ver 15. Sixthly that they should labour still to keep a good conscience under their suffering so should their carriage convince and make ashamed their very persecutors which is their third encouragement ver 16. Fourthly that their sufferings after this manner should prove much more comfortable to them than if they were procured by their own miscarriage Fifthly that the good will of God had the carving out of these sufferings ver 17. Sixthly that innocent Jesus Christ had suffered to the death for reconciling them to God and for the applying of his purchase was raised by the power of his Spirit or God-head ver 18. Seventhly that there are many souls now imprisoned in Hell for slighting such Truths as Christ's Spirit speaking through Noah and others of his Servants had prest upon them ver 19 20. Eighthly that the spiritual safety of Believers from the deluge of Gods wrath was made no lesse sure to them by their Baptism and the work of Christ's Spirit with it than the temporal safety of Noah and those few persons with him from the floud was made sure to them by the Ark ver 21. And ninthly that their Surety is now in highest power and glory that he may bear them through all their troubles and possesse them in that salvation which he hath purchased for them ver 22. All which prove that Believers ought to follow their duty to him notwithstanding of all sufferings for him Vers 1. Likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the Word they also may without the Word be won by the conversation of the wives 2. While they behold your chast conversation coupled with fear THe Apostle being to point out the duties of married persons he beginneth with and insisteth most upon the duties of the Women partly because they had maniest discouragements and partly because their making conscience of their duty was the best means to provoke their Husbands to their duty Upon them he presseth subjection or dutifulnesse to their Husbands by two arguments The first is Because their obligation to their duty was no less strait than the obligation of others who stood in any of those relations mentioned in the former Chapter The second is Because their unbelieving Husbands might through Gods blessing be moved to receive the Gospel which formerly they had rejected ver 1. providing they did mark nothing but chastity and holinesse joyned with the fear of God and reverence toward themselves shining in the conversation of their Wives ver 2. And therefore Christian Women had reason to make conscience of duties even toward their Pagan-Husbands Hence Learn 1. They that would rightly divide the Word of Truth among the Lord's People must not content themselves to presse the duties of holinesse in general as they concern all Christians but must learn in their Doctrine to come down to the lowest relations that are among the Lord's People and to point out the particular duties of these it being in the discharge of such duties mainly that Religion is adorned Tit. 2.10 Therefore the Apostle after he hath spoken at large of the duties of holinesse belonging to all in general he comes among other relations to point out the duties of wives to their husbands Likewise ye wives be subject c. 2. The sum of a Womans duty to her Husband is subjection which doth consist in a reverend esteem of him as of one placed by the Lord in a degree of superiority above her which will produce reverent speaking of him and to him ver 5. and in giving obedience to his commands in things lawfull both which are in the signification of this word whereby the Apostle expresseth the whole duty of Wives to their Husbands Likewise ye wives be subject to your own husbands 3. However there be difference among those relations that are betwixt the Lord's People some of them having more of dominion and subjection in them as those last mentioned in the former Chapter betwixt Magistrates and Subjects Masters and Servants others of them having more of equality and love in them as this which is here betwixt Husband and Wife Yet the obligation to the duties of the latter sort is no lesse strict than to the duties of the former both being enjoyned by the same authoritie and so to be made conscience of upon
time nor ability to reckon out all the particulars of that new and blessed Estate setteth it out by a new World which comprehendeth many new things in it We look for new Heavens and a new Earth 3. In that new World there shall neither be sin nor temptation to sin there shall be no wrong nor oppression nor affliction which are the consequences of sin there shall neither be any change nor any possibility or fear of change for righteousnesse which often falleth in the straits now and cannot get enterance but is banished out of the most parts of this World Isa 59.14 shall have a constant mansion there as the word here signifieth Where righteousnesse dwelleth 4. They that would have a well-grounded confidence of attaining to this better World must take hold of it in the promises thereof in Scripture which ordinarily contain both the qualification and duty of the person that may expect it as is clear by comparing 2 Cor. 5.17 Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 3.3 with this present Text We according to His promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth 5. They who have laid sure hold upon eternal life by faith in the promises thereof will not be shaken out of their confident expectation of it either by profane mens scoffing at the ground of their confidence or by the sight of never so strange events falling forth before they possesse what they believe for the Apostle having foretold Believers that they should hear much bold mockery of the last judgment and a better life than this and that they should see all this World on fire before they did possesse that better expresseth here what should be their hope and language notwithstanding of both Neverthelesse we according to His promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth Vers 14. Wherefore Beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace without spot and blamelesse From the consideration of that comfortable state that Believers have to look for beyond time the Apostle exhorteth them to serious and constant diligence in making use of the Bloud and Spirit of Christ for the doing away of their sinful spots as the only way wherein they may expect true peace when Christ cometh which is in substance the same with the first use of his former doctrine ver 11. Hence Learn 1. The lively hope and expectation of everlasting blessednesse should be so far from making them that have it negligent and remisse in holy duties that it should be a special motive and engagement to the same that so they may honour Him who hath made sure for them that heavenly inheritance after time and alloweth them the comfortable expectation of it in time for this exhortation to Believers is inferred upon their confidence Wherefore Beloved seeing ye look for such things be diligent c. 2. They who have an approven and well-grounded confidence of Heaven are so subject to lazinesse in their duty and thereby in hazard to lose or weaken their assurance which is only maintained in the way of diligence 2 Pet. 1.10 11. that they have much need to be frequently roused up by the word of exhortation to diligence in their duty for it is those whose confidence of Heaven the Apostle questioneth not but supposeth to be well-grounded whom he doth here as often before exhort to give diligence 3. It is not unlawful for the Lord's People to look upon the excellency of the reward which free-grace hath prepared for them and thereby to provoke their own hearts to diligence in their duty Though the reward be neither the main nor the only motive of a Christian to his duty Yet it is one that may warrantably be made use of as here the Apostle doth Wherefore Beloved seeing ye look for such things to wit the new Heavens and the new Earth spoken of in the former verse be diligent 4. The main thing whereabout Christians diligence ought to be exercised is The washing away of the spots of their by past guiltinesse by the frequent application of the Bloud of Christ and the changing of their polluted natures whereby they are inclined to defile themselves further by the vertue of the Spirit of Christ both which may be comprehended in this without spot and blameless which is here holden forth as the object of Christians constant and serious diligence 5. Although there be now many spots and much to blame in the best who may so long as they are in time cry Uunclean unclean Yet these who get grace to be seriously diligent as the word here signifieth in imploying of Christ for pardon of by-past guiltinesse and for strength in the battel against sin for time to come shall be found by Him when He cometh without spot and blameless 6. Much sweet peace and quietness when Christ cometh whether at death or judgment will be found in the spirits of those who make it their serious work in time to have their daily guiltinesse washen away by the application of the Bloud of Jesus and their filthy natures changed by the power of His Spirit and on the contrary much fearful unquietnesse and bitter anxiety will be at that time in their hearts who carry their unpardoned guilt and unrenewed nature to their end with them without any serious diligence for removal of either for the words in the Original are That ye being without spot and blamelesse may be found by Him in peace importing that these and none but these will have peace when He cometh 7. The thoughts of that peace which diligent Believers will have at Christ's coming and of that unquietnesse which will be then in the hearts of others ought to provoke all that love their own peace to much diligence in making use of Christ for pardon of sin and victory over it for the Apostle maketh this an alluring motive to diligence that such and none else shall be found in peace without spot and blamelesse Vers 15. And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you The fourth use of the former doctrine both anent the delay of Christ's second coming and the manner thereof is For upstirring of the Lord's People seriously to ponder what work the Lord is about while His second coming seemeth to be delayed to wit the working and promoting of saving grace in His own and fitting of them for that eternal salvation which He is to bring with Him for which work time and pains are necessary and this use the Apostle beareth-in upon them as a thing that had been much prest from the same ground upon these same Hebrews by the Apostle Paul of whom he speaketh with much love and respect as a man dear to him and faithfull according to his talent Hence Learn 1. The way to quiet our hearts under the delay of the performance of promises is to have them much exercised with