wrath or griefe or lust or the like may come infection to the childe but not from their soules Thirdly rather the Argument may be retorted vpon them that in asmuch as the soules of all children are not like in qualities to the soules of their parents that therefore they receiue not their soules from their parents Obiect 5. Genesis 9. Leuit. 17. The soule is said to bee in the blood Now it is euident that the blood is from the parents Solut. The soule is in the blood but how By the effect of it which is life otherwise the soule is neither deuoured in the bloud nor depends vpon it in it selfe Obiect 6. It is said Genes 2. That God rested from all his works Now if hee did daily create newe soules then hee rested not from all his works but continues creation still Solut. The meaning of Moses cannot bee that God rested simply from all creation For then it must needes follow too that the soule of Christ was not created but propagated which cannot bee true But his meaning is that he rested from creation of things in specie hee made no more newe sorts of things That hinders not creation in indiuiduo which is a work of God preseruing those sorts hee had made at the first by creating successiuely a new supply as in this case of the soules of men That God did not rest absolutely is plaine by the words of our Sauiour Christ My Father worketh hitherto and I work Iohn 5. Fiftly hitherto of the Originall of the Soule The vnion of the soule with the body followes which is a consideration of no lesse difficulty then the former no lesse needfull to be knowne no lesse certaine That it is vnited to the body so as to make it one man is apparanti by the words of God in the creation Hee breathed into him the breath of liues and so Adam became a liuing soule Hee became then a man or a liuing creature distinct from other creatures vpon his coniunction of the soule with the body And by this vnion with the body doth the Spirit of man differ from the Angels who are Spirits separate and such as exist without relation to a body wheras the soul of man in the creation of it and the disposition of it also tends vnto this coniunction with the body and doth not fully exercise it selfe liuing without the body and that is the reason why man is not absolutely perfect after death in his soule till the day of Iudgement For though the soule doe enioy an estate free fron sinne or paine or misery yet two of the faculties of the soul are without exercise till it bee vnited againe to the body viz. the faculties of vegetation and sense which cannot bee exercised but in the body The manner how the soule is vnited to the body is full of difficulty to expresse The question is whether the soule work vpon the body from without and so is by that means ioyned to it or whether it be placed in the body and work there and from thence This later is the truth for the soul doth not work from without which I shew by a comparison The light the eye are ioyned together in seeing but how The light from without extends it self to the eye and so is ioyned to it so is not the soule ioyned to the body but is seated within the body which appears so partly by experience for wee may all perceiue that our thoughts reason will affections c. doo discouer themselues within vs and it is manifest that God infused the soule not vpon the body but into the body seating it within vs. The soule then is within the body and so ioyned to it but how Diuines haue sought out diuerse similitudes to expresse their mindes And first to shew how it is not ioyned First not as water and the vessell that holds it are ioyned by contact or touching one another for the soule is not a bodily substance and therefore cannot be ioyned by touching nor doo the water and vessel make one thing as the soule and body doo one man nor do they work together as the soule and body doo for the water doth all the work therof in watering or clensing without the vessell Secondly not by mixture as water and wine are mingled together for things mingled cease to be what they were for there is no longer water nor wine now they are mingled nor is the soule materiall to suffer such a mingling Thirdly not as the heat of the fire is vnited to the water when the water is heated for though the heat bee ioyned to the water as the former yet it is but an accidentall form and they are one by accident not per se. Thirdly not as the voice is in the aire for though the voice be dispersed abroad the air and doo likewise carry something to the vnderstanding besides the sound yet doth not this reach to express the vnion of the soule with the body For the voice is not the form of the air nor is it conceiued in the air without the breaking of the air and besides it presently vanisheth whereas the soule is a substance and doth not easily depart out of the body Fiftly nor as the Mariner is in the shippe with the Gouerner for the dispatch of his iourney for though the body be as a tabernacle wherein the soule dwels yet that similitude doth not express this vnion because the soule body make one thing whereas the ship and the Mariner do not make one thing but are two distinct sorts of things yea the soule and body are so one that by sympathy what one suffers the other feeles whereas the wounding of the Mariner is not the tearing of the ship or contrariwise There are two similitudes doo more neerly reach this Secret The first is of Christ. For as God man make one Christ so the soule body make one man But I will not meddle with the breaking open of that dreadfull mystery The other is of the light of the Sun in the air for there are many things in this comparison do fitly resemble this diuine light which is our soules as they are ioyned to our bodies 1. This light doth fitly resemble the soule because it is a thing that cannot bee corrupted or diuided 2. This light doth so pearce into and penetrate the air that they are both made one and are not separated so doth the soule the body 3. The light and the air though ioyned together are not confounded or mingled together for the light remaineth light and the air the air so is it in this vnion between the soule and the body 4. The light is so in the air that the air beeing smitten yet the light is not touched nor diuided nor carried about as the air is so doth the soule remain vnpearced though the body bee wounded and fall yea and die too 5. As the light is onely from the Sun so is the soule
as intreat of the resurrection last Iudgement and the glory of heauen proue it Now for the other sort that confesse the life of the Soule after the last Iudgement but deny that the Soule liues after death till then there are diuers Scriptures against their opinion As First the former Scriptures The Soule cannot be killed at all Math. 10. And God was presently the God of Abraham as then liuing and for eternal life it is not said He shal haue but He hath eternall life that beleeueth Secondly Christ said to the theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise not at the last day Thirdly Rom. 8.38 Death cannot separate vs from God in Christ as it would if the Soule were dead or a-sleepe and did not enioy God Fourthly the dead that die in the Lord are forthwith blessed Reuel 14.14 Fiftly the soules of Abraham and Lazarus were in ioy and aliue after death so was the soule of Diues in hell Sixtly Iohn saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the testimony of Iesus and they cried with a loud voice O Lord how long c. Reuel 6. Seuenthly the soules of the wicked die not but are kept in prison and are now in prison too 1. Pet. 3.19 Before I leaue this point of the immortalitie of the soule it is profitable briefly to answere certaine obiections which may bee brought out of some words in the Scriptures as Ob. 1. The Soule that sinneth shall die Ezeth 18. Therfore it seems the soule is mortall or at least for sin it must die and the rather because it was threatned in Paradise That day that thou eatest therof thou shalt die the death Sol. The Scriptures euidently shewe that since the fall and sinne yet the Soule doth not die as the places before alleaged proue But the answere is that this death threatned or inflicted is not the destruction of the being of the Soule but the depriuing of it of the grace and fauour and presence of God Ob. 2. Eccles. 3. It is said that there is one end of the man and of the beast As dieth the one so dieth the other Sol. These are not the words of Salomon but of the Epicure who is here as in other places of that booke brought in declaring his minde of things For Salomon himselfe concludeth euidently that the Soule returneth vnto God that gaue it as in the last Chapter The other obiections are the obiections of the dreamers that is of such as imagine that the Soule lieth a-sleepe till the day of Iudgement and perceiues nothing and is without operation which is to say it is dead seeing life is nothing else but the continuall motion and action of the Soule Ob. 1. It is said that man when he dies that he sleepeth as Christ said that Lazarus He sleepeth and Stephen slept in the Lord Iohn 11. Act â—7 Sol. Other Scriptures adde another word viz. in the graue or in the dust Iob 7.21 and Psalme 78. sleeping in their graues but it is euident that the Soule cannot sleepe in the graue but the body onely And Stephen deliuered his Spirit to Christ. Ob. 2. Paul saith that if the body rise not we are of all men most miserable That it seemes cannoâ— be true if the Soule enioy blessednesse without the body Sol. The immortalitie of the Soule and the resurrection of the body are conioyned For the Soule without the body can be for euer because it is the forme of the body though God for the time do by his power and grace prouide for the Soule in glory yet it is not at full happinesse till it be ioyned to the body againe For without the body it hath no vse of vegetation or sences but onely of reason But for the Argument of the Apostle it holds good of that part of man which is in question which is the body of man For the bodies of Godly men are more miserable then other men kept vnder and exposed to many restraints and paines eyther by mortification or persecution which the bodies of wicked men are not exposed vnto Ob. 3. It is said of the spirit of Princes that it returneth to his Earth and in the day of death his thoughts perish So the Soule thinkes of nothing after death till the day of iudgement Sol. The place is corruptly alleaged two waies One in the Words the other in the Sence for the text doth not say That his Spirit returneth to his earth but thus his Spirit returneth viz. out of his body to God and he not it returneth to the earth viz. in respect of his body for the other these words his thoughts perish must not be vnderstood of his vnderstanding after death but of his proiects while hee liued For men are exhorted not to trust in Princes For they may die and then all their promises and proiects will bee of no vse and come to nothing Obiect 4. It is said that the dead cannot praise God Psal. 88. and 1 13. and 30. Sol. That the soules of the godly in heauen doe praise God is manifest Reuel 5.11 13.14 and 19.1 Now the Scriptures cannot bee contrary one to another and therefore the places in the Psalmes must not bee taken simply but onely in some respect The dead doe praise God but not as the liâ—ing did in their liues their praises cannot prouoke other men to beleeue in God or serue him as in this life they might Thus of the immortality of the soule The next thing to bee inquired after is about the originall of the soule and about this point in seueral ages diuers men haue breathed diuers and strange conceits erring because they knew not or regarded not the Scriptures First some conceiued so highly of the soule as to think it was no creature but vncreated and eternall without beginning but this must needes bee false 1. Because then the soule should bee God and infinite too For God onely is vncreated 2. Because then the soule had vnderstanding and thoughts and willed from eternity whereas till it was in our bodies it did not work and to imagine it should bee as a dead lump all that while is monstrously absurd Secondly others haue conceiued that when men die their soules goe into the bodies of other men that be borne and so our soules heeretofore were the soules of some men that bee dead This was the opinion of diuers of the Philosophers and it is apparant that diuers of the Iewes were infected with it for about Christ they said some that hee was Elias some that he was Ieremias and some one of the Prophets and some Iohn Baptist. Now they saw that his body was not theirs and therefore they thought that his soule was the soule of some of them Now this opinion cannot bee true 1. Because no Scripture giues any notice of it For in that place the conceit of the Iewes is told with dislike 2. Because the soules that were deliuered out of the miseries
sinne and misery and the setting of it in the possession of that blessed immortality in heauen The liberty of the body is the freeing of it from the bonds of death and bowels of the earth by enduing it with a glorious resurrection part of which freedome they enioy euen in the graue For though they be buried yet they are not damned to hell there but rest in hope of their finall deliuerance and with this liberty of glory both soule and body are made heires of heauen Rom. 8.21 It is the liberty of grace is heere meant and that this part of the Christian happines may the better appeare I will consider First what hee is freed from and secondly what hee is freed to For the first there are diuers things hee is freed from as First from the rigour of the morall Law hee is deliuered from the most rigid seuere execution of absolute perfect obedience so as being now vnder grace he is not bound to fulfill the law perfectly but may be accepted of God if he obey it in the vprightnes and sincerity of his heart though he haue many frailties and infirmities God hath now tempred that rigour of exaction which hee iustly stood vpon in his first agreement with man in Paradise and did with terror againe proclaime in giuing his Law in Sinai so as now in Christ our yoke is easie and our burden light Math. 11.29 Rom. 6.14 Christ our surety hath fulfilled that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or exact righteousnes of the Law for vs Rom. 8.3 Galatians 4.24.26 Heb. 12.18 Rom. 7.6 c. Secondly from the execution and condemnation into which the Law for our sinnes had cast vs our expiation being made in the blood of Christ who was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a curse for vs that wee might be iustified from these things from which by the Law of Moses we could neuer bee absolued Rom. 8.1 Galatians 3.13 Thirdly from the tyranny and damnation of sin that dwels in vs the force of it being mortified by the Spirit of Christ and so weakned that though it may rebell yet it cannot rage and rule as it did before Rom. 6.14 Iohn 8.34 2 Cor. 3.17 Romanes 6.6 18. Fourthly from bondage vnder diuels those spirituall wickednesses that had their strong holds in the hearts of euery man by nature and ruled effectually in all the children of disobedience who had possession in our hearts and kept vs in their power as most cruell Iaylers Ephesians 2.2 4. by Christ they are thrown out of possession they may tempt still but the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile againe ouer the godly Colos. 2.15 Fiftly from the Lawes of Moses The ceremoniall and iudiciall Lawes which lawes were a yoke that neither the Iewes nor their fathers were euer able to beare Acts. 15.10 The ceremoniall lawes were a very seale of our condemnation a hand-writing against vs wherein men many waies acknowledge their guiltines besides they were extremely burthensome in respect of the rules of them and the strict obseruation required from them Our deliuerance from these lawes these places proue Acts 15.1 Cor. 9.1 19. 2. Cor. 3.17 Heb. 9.10 Colos. 2.17 There were foure respects which the ceremoniall Law had or foure vses First these ceremonies as I said before did signifie our sin-guiltines and were as an obligation and hand-writing against vs Colos. 2.14 Secondly they were a badge to distinguish the Iewes from all other nations Genes 17.13 14. Thirdly they were shadowes and typicall adumbrations of Christ and his benefits Heb. 9 9 10. 10.1.4 Fourthly they were as a tutor or Schoole-master to instruct and keepe them vnder in the minority of the Church Galat. 4.1 2. Now all these vses are abolished by Christ For our condemnation is taken away by Christ and so the hand-writing is cancelled Colos. 2.14 and the Gentiles and Iewes are made all one people Ephes 2.14 15. and Christ the substance and body is come and therefore the shadowes must vanish Col. 2.17 and the heir is as it were now at age therefore needs not Tutors and Gouernors Gal. 4.1 2 3. As for the freedome of Christians from the Iudiciall Lawes that must be vnderstood with a distinction for so many of the Iudicial Lawes as did agree with the common politicall law of Nature are in force only so much of the Iudicial law as did only concern the singular particular policy of the Iewes is abolished Where the reason of the Law is Vniuersal the Law binds all where the respect and reason of the Law is fitted onely to the condition of that people there the law is abolisht Sixtly from seruile feare vnto which wee are and were in bondage by Nature and so wee are freed from the seruile feares of the graue of men of death there was a spirit of bondage in vs by nature wee durst not come into Gods presence and legall terrors did lie at the doore of our hearts to driue vs to despayre of mercy or acceptation But when Faith came then the spirit of bondage went away and the hearts of Christians are emboldned with spirituall liberty and firme confidence taking delight in the Law of God in the inner man Rō 8.15 Luke 1.74 And there was likewise in vs by Nature a feare of the reproch and rage of men and the oppositions and scornes of the World from which God's children are so deliuered that many times they haue contemned the vttermost furie of Tyrants as Daniel and his companions and the Martyrs and the Patriarchs and Moses c. and from the feare of death We were all in bondage to it all our life but now Christ hath deliuered vs by destroying him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 15. This of the first point what we are forced from Now for the second what we are free to and therein are diuers comfortable considerations First we are free to the fauor and fellowship of God the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost 1. Iohn 1.3 7. 1. Cor. 1.9 Iohn 17.21 2. Pet. 1.4 1. Ioh. 5.24 Secondly wee are free to the Communion of Saints we are fellow Citizens with the Saints we are written in the writing of the house of Israel acknowledged as members of the Congregation of the first borne This is an Article of our Faith Ephesians 2.20 3.6 4.4 5. Hebrewes 12.18 c. Thirdly wee are free to all the promises of Grace those rich and precious promises wee may safely imply they are ours 2. Pet. 1.4 Eph. 3.6 Fourthly we are free of God's chamber of Presence we may go in when we will and aske what we will and it shall bee done vnto vs we are free to put vp as many petitions and suits as we will we are free to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 Eph. 3.12 and so in generall wee are free in the whole House of God euen to the vse of all his ordinances Iohn 6.36 Fiftly
we are free in respect of things indifferent and all things are indifferent that are neyther commanded nor forbidden in the Word of God all the restraints that in the time of the old Testament lay vpon any creature are now taken off so as all the creatures of God are good and lawfull All things are pure to the pure Titus 1.15 1. Tim. 4.4 Rom. 14. so are dayes meates garments c. So as now Christians may vse them or omit them freely note what I say vse as well as omit For some are so singular or simple as to thinke Christian liberty doth onely make reference to omit but not to vse meates garments dayes or indifferent ceremonies whereas they restraine Christian liberty that forbid the vse of those indifferent things as well as they that dislike the omitting onely in vsing men must take heede as hath beene shewed before of the opinion of merit worship or necessity to holinesse or saluation which is that which is condemned by the Apostles Vses The vse may bee first for humiliation to wicked men for hereby is implyed that they are in great bondage and not free for howsoeuer it is true that euery wicked man in Christian Churches is freed from that yoake of Moses lawes yet in all the rest they are in danger still and bondage They stand bound by the couenāt of works to the absolute keeping of the Law because none haue the benefit of the new couenant till they be in the same and so all their faylings of the perfect fulfilling of the Law are imputed to them and they are vnder the execration and all the curses of the Law They are in bondage to the tyranny of their owne sinnes and haue the diuels intrenched in strong holdes in their soules They would bee troubled to know that the diuell did possesse their bodies and yet do not consider that the diuell doth certainely possesse their soules euery wicked man is possessed Besides they are in bondage by these seruile feares they dare not set their hearts in Gods sight It is a death to them nor dare they for Religions sake displease men and the feare of death is like a continuall death to them and for all this they are neuer helped till their hearts be turned to God Secondly we may hence gather the difference betweene the liberty of the new Testament and that in the old In the old Testament godly men were free from the rigour and curse of the Law and from the dominion of sinne and power of the diuels and from seruile feares onely in the new Testament there are these three things added 1. That the doctrine of liberty in the former things is more cleere and more generally reuealed 2. That wee are freed from the Mosaicall Lawes 3. That wee haue liberty in things indifferent A third vse may be for instruction to teach men to try their interest to this freedome For such men onely are made free that beleeue in Christ Iohn 1.12 and resolue to continue in the Word Iohn 8.31 and are weary and heauy loaden Mat. 11.29 and are throughly turned to God 2. Cor. 3.16 17. Lastly our Christian liberty may bee a great comfort to our hearts if we consider seriously the great miseries wee are freed from and the great priuiledges we are freed to and the rather because our freedome proceedes from the tender mercy of God Luke 1.78 and was purchased at a deare rate by Christ 1. Pet. 1.18 and the Patent of it is sealed by the holy Ghost Eph. 1.13 and also because it is graunted to none but the sonnes of God As free These words restraine the grant of our liberty and shew that though we bee made truly free by God yet in diuers respects wee are but as free rather like freemen then so indeed and so we are but as free First in respect of others for by the iudgement of others no freeman can bee knowne infallibly but onely in the coniecture of charity Secondly in respect of our selues and so we are but as free 1. In respect of the rigour of the Law For most Christians through ignorance and vnbeliefe liue vnder the bondage of Legall perfection and so discerne not that vprightnes in the Gospel is accepted in steade of perfection 2. In respect of the malediction of the Law so many Christians are but as free First because they doubt of Gods fauour Secondly because though the curse be remoued yet the things that are cursed are not remoued for the matter of affliction is still the same in respect of which our life may bee said to bee hid with God Colo. 3.3 3. In respect of the power of sin For though the dominion of sinne be taken off yet sinne rebells in the most godly and many times preuailes in a great degree through their security or infirmities Rom. 7. Fourthly in respect of things indifferent whether we respect God or our selues God hath freed vs in respect of right but restrained vs in respect of vse by a threefold commandement viz. of faith of charitie and of obedience to Magistrates The commandement of faith bindes vs not to vse our liberty vnlesse we be fully perswaded of our right that is in things we may either doe or omit at our owne pleasures Rom. 14.6 The commandement of charity in things we may either doe or omit at our pleasure bindes vs not to vse our liberty when the weake brother will bee offended The commandement of obedience bindes vs to submit the vse of things indifferent to the commandement of the Magistrate so as if the Magistrate make ordinances about the vse or restraint of things indifferent God hath bid vs to obey those ordinances and so though we be free still in respect of our right yet we are not now free in respect of the vses of them Againe many Christians binde themselues where God bindeth not sometimes by thinking things indifferent to be vnlawfull and sometimes by thinking themselues free to leaue them but not to vse them Lastly seruile feares doe much darken the glory of Christian liberty in the hearts of many Christians whilst through ignorance or wilfull vnbelief they trouble themselues with conceits that God doth not accept their seruice or when they admit too much respect fear of the displeasure of men or when they vse not the meanes to beare the feare of death in themselues Vse And therefore the vse should bee to teach Christians so to study the doctrine of Christian liberty and so to attend the informing reforming of their own hearts that they may no longer restraine their own liberty in any part of it and withal since in some things we are not fully freed in this life they should the more earnestly stire vp themselues to hope for and long for that glorious perfect liberty in heauen purchased by Iesus Christ. Not vsing your liberty as a cloak of maliciousnes In these words the Apostle remoues the abuse of their liberty The word
our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Rom. 4.25 Hee was sacrificed for vs 1. Cor. 5.7 Hee gaue himselfe for vs Ephes. 5.2 Now hee suffered for vs in diuers respects as First to make satisfaction vnto the Iustice of God for our sinnes and to appease the wrath of God toward vs as the former places shew His sufferings were a sacrifice for sinne Hee bare the curses of the Law which were due to vs Gal. 3.10 And thus he paied our ransome and pacified God especially in his death and buriall He nayled the hand-writing that was against vs to his crosse Col. 2.15 And as Ionas was cast into the bowels of the sea to still the raging of it so was Christ cast into the bowels of the earth to make the seas of Gods wrath quiet for vs. Secondly hee suffered as to make satisfaction for our sinnes so together with that satisfaction to remoue from vs the many miseries might haue falne vpon vs for our sinnes Thus hee was iudged and condemned at the barre of Pilate that we might bee acquitted at the barre of God Hee endured all sorts of paines and torments in soule and body that wee might bee deliuered from eternall torments in hell Hee died that hee might deliuer vs from death and the feare of it and from him which had the power of death which is the diuel Rom. 6.10 Heb. 2.13 Hee was crucified that hee might abolish the power of sinne in vs Rom. 6.10 Thirdly He suffered for vs that so by his sufferings He might merit the supply of our wants and the possession of happines He suffered to make vs blessed Thus hee died to ratifie the eternall counsell Heb. 9.15 16 17. Hee was poore to make vs rich 2. Cor. 8.9 Hee was bound to make vs free Hee was vnclothed to couer our nakednes Hee was forsaken of God for a time that we might be receiued to euerlasting mercy Hee was crowned with a crowne of thornes that He might merit for vs a crowne of glory Hee found no mercy from the Priests and Iewes that wee might finde sure mercy with God He was cast out of the earthly Ierusalem and suffered without the gates that He might prouide a place for vs in the heauenly Ierusalem Fourthly He suffered for vs in this that he suffered that so hee might haue a sympathy of our sufferings and haue a feeling of our miseries Hee suffered being tempted that hee might bee able to secure vs being tempted Heb. 2.17 18. and 4.15 The consideration heerof may serue for diuers vses Vses First it should breed in vs an admiration of the loue of Christ to vs that could euer be willing to become surety for vs and suffer for vs especially considering what wee were viz. vniust men 1. Pet. 3.18 wicked men Rom. 5.6 enemies to him Rom. Chap. 5.8 10. That one should dye for a good or righteous man or for one that is a common good for or to other men is very rare But it might bee Ionathan might die for Dauid or a subiect bee willing to die for a good Prince but no man would die for his enemies as CHRIST died for vs. Secondly it should work in vs sorrow and harty griefe for our sinnes wee should now mourne as heartily for piercing Christ by our sinnes as if wee had lost an onely child c. We complaine of the Iewes and Iudas and Pilate for abusing him But the truth is it was thy sinnes and my sinnes that brought him to suffer for them our debt was laid vpon him We that are principals are escaped and he that was our surety hath paied for it euen to the vttermost farthing And if there were no other reason to shew how little reason Christ had to suffer for vs euen this were sufficient that our hearts are so hard as we cannot bee grieued to remember his sorrowes for our sinnes Thirdly it should especially work in vs a hatred of our sinnes and a full and finall resolution to sin no more but to consecrate our whole life vnto him and to his seruice that hath suffered for vs and by suffering paid so dear a price Shall we not liue to him that died for vs Or doe wee so little care for his sorrow as by newe sinnes wee would as much as in vs lieth crucify againe the Sonne of God Take heed of despising the blood of Christ lest you sinne so long till there bee no more Sacrifice for sinne 2. Cor. 5.15 Heb. 6. Fourthly wee should striue to bee disposed as the Apostle Paul was to glory in the crosse and suffrings of Christ aboue all things seeing his sufferings were for vs to satisfy and merit for vs. It must needs be an estate of wonderfull safety and felicity that is purchased by such variety of sufferings of the Sonne of God As the world despiseth vs so wee should with singular and secret reioycing despise and contemne the world hauing such interest in the crosse of Christ Gal. 6.14 Lastly it should work in vs a most harty willingnesse to suffer any thing for Christ and the Gospel that hath suffered such extreme things for vs it should not bee grieuous to vs to forsake father or mother or wife or children or house or lands or our owne liues for his sake or for the Gospel Mark 10.29 Thus of the second thing in the doctrine of the passion of Christ. The third thing is the vse of it and that is to bee an example vnto vs that wee might walk in his steps Leauing vs an example The end then of the sufferings of Christ is to be an example to vs to learne by The word rendred an example is a metaphor taken from Scriueners or Painters and signifies properly a copy or patterne or portraiture of a thing exactly drawne out wee are then set to schoole to learne by example Christs suffrings are as a Writing-schoole where the Copies are most exactly drawne Before I come to the particulars wee should beare for Christ in his suffering diuers things may bee briefely noted out of the words especially about examples Doct. 1. God would haue vs learne by examples as well as by precept and thence it is the Scripture is so stored with all sorts of examples Doct. 2. Such as giue good example of well-doing are as a common treasure many may learne good by them Good examples are like common schooles and the better because they are Free-schooles wee may learne from example without cost Though thou couldst not shew all the meanes thou desirest yet to giue a good example of sound life and holines is a great treasure in the Church It doth not only make Religion wel spoken of but it profits many to teach their wel-doing And therefore such as shine by the light of good example should bee much made of in euery place and they sinne fearefully that wrong them c. Doct. 3. It requires a speciall goodnes to be fit to be an example to others which the metaphor
heare read or think of these sufferings of Christ they may rather see cause for euer to abhorre the doctrine of merit seeing heerby we proclaim our selues to bee worthy of the very merits of Christ that can be so little affected with the thought of his suffrings Thus of the matter of Christ's sufferings The effects follow and the effects in respect of vs are named to be three First the death of sin secondly the life of grace thirdly the healing of our natures That we being dead to sin Men may be said to die diuers waies First in respect of nature when the Frame of nature is dissolued by the parting of the soule from the body Secondly in respect of God when God is departed from men with his grace and righteousnes and fauour thus wicked men are spiritually dead Eph. 2.1 and 4.17 1. Tim. 5.6 Thirdly in respect of the world when a man is ouerwhelmed with crosses especially such as are ioyned with disgrace in his reputation hee is said to be dead and his life to be hid vnder those afflictions being despised and forgotten as a dead man out of minde Col. 3.3 Esay 26.19 Fourthly in respect of sinne and so men either are dead for sinne as malefactors or dead in sinne as all wicked men or dead to sinne as the godly heer To take the soule from the body is the death of all men To take GOD from the soule is the death of all wicked men To take sinne from the soule is the death of all godly men To bee dead to sinne then is to be mortified in respect of sinne Sinne is said to be dead either in appearance or in deed In appearance onely it is dead in such as haue their sinnes onely restrained for a time either by God's owne strong hand or else by themselues kept downe for certain hypocriticall ends or else for want of occasion or temptation to stir the sin thus sinne was dead in Paul when hee was vnregenerate and reuiued when the Law came Rom. 7.9 Sinne is dead in deed in godly men but with a difference for though in this life they bee wholly rid of many sinnes yet some corruptions are not wholly remoued yet are they dead to them in the inchoation of it their sins lie a-dying but in the life to-come they shall be wholly and fully deliuered from all sin Thus of the sense There be many doctrines may bee hence obserued as Doct. 1. First it is euidently heer implied that all men by nature and out of Christ are aliue to sin or liue to sin and in sinning they may bee said to liue or be aliue or liue to it in diuerse respects 1. Because all the parts of their life are full of sinne sinne infecteth their persons and their works 2. Because they are in bondage to sin so as all their life they are at the command of sin they are seruants of sin Rom. 6. 3. Because they account sinne to bee the life of their liues they could not esteem life but for the hope of liberty and power of sinning It were a death to them to liue restrained of sinne as appeares when either by punishment or for other ends they are found to cease sinning 4. Because they doo not destroy sinne in letting it liue they are guilty of the life of sinne in them because they will not vse the meanes to subdue and mortifie sin that dwels in them but let it alone vnresisted 5. Because they haue most life or are most liuely when they haue most liberty to sin 6. Because they continue in sin they spend not an houre but it is in sinne yea they so sinne now that they desire to spend euerlasting life in sinne Vse And so from hence by way of vse men may discern whether they liue in sinne or not for hee that is a seruant to his corruptions and esteemeth them as the happinesse of his life and resists them not and hath a desire to sinne euer is without doubt aliue in sinne and dead to righteousnes And so contrariwise where these things cannot be found there the person is not aliue to sin Doct. 2. Hence is implied also that to liue in sin is but miserable liuing and therefore those whom God loueth he changeth from that condition and maketh them die to sin Now this may be shewed out of other Scriptures briefly for 1. Sinne infects a man and all he goes about it stains his very conscience and like the leprosie will pollute his clothes his flesh his house and whatsoeuer he toucheth almost Titus 1.15 It maketh all things impure 2. To harbour sinne is to harbour the diuell too who alwaies takes possession of the soule that is giuen ouer to sinne so as the heart of the sinner is the Fortresse of the diuell Eph. 2.2 2. Tim. 2.26 2. Cor. 10.5 Eph. 4.26 3. While a man liues in sinne he is in danger to be crossed and cursed of God in euery thing he doth he shall haue no portion from God nor inheritance from the Almighty Iob 31. ver 2. Good things will be restrained from him Esay 59.2 And he may finde himself cursed in euery thing he sets his hand to Deut. 28.16 17 18 c. His very blessings may bee cursed Mal. 2.2 His very table may be a snare For certainly God will bee reuenged of the sinnefull man that is aliue in sin Nah. 1.2 3 6. 4. His soule is dead within him while hee is aliue Eph. 2.2 1. Tim. 5.6 And how can it bee otherwise when God which is his life is departed from him and with God all spirituall blessings are gone from his soule too 5. The end of this life is to die miserably Rom. 8.10 and 6.23 Gal. 6. and to perish foreuer with the diuell and his angels Reu. 21.8 Mat. 25.45 And in a speciall manner it is a miserable liuing to be liuely and iouiall as they call it in sin such men are worse than the generall sort of sinners for these wretched men that are so liuely in sin haue a most miserable heart in them a heart like an Adamant like a very stone within them are senselesse and brutish like the very beasts that perish Psal. 49. vlt. Besides in many of these God scourgeth sinne with sinne and giueth them vp to such a reprobate minde that their wickednes oftentimes exceeds the wickednes of the wicked Ier. 5. Rom. 1.26 28. And further many times strange punishments light vpon those workers of iniquity Iob 31.3 To which may bee added that oftentimes such wretched creatures conclude in most wofull and hellish terrors so as they howle for vexation of heart while God's seruants sing for ioy of hart Esay 65.13 14. Reu. 6.15 16. But in generall of all that liue in sinne it is manifestly heer implied that they haue no part in Christ Christ in respect of them and as they are in their present condition died in vain Vse The consideration whereof should awaken men from that
9.1 and 67.2 5. Where is that walking with God required in Scripture Who doeth alwaies set the Lord before him Where are those soliloquies betweene the soule and God Are not many content to goe weekly and monthly without speaking to God And thus of the defects concerning the first table In the second table diuers things may be noted as were defectiue in the parts of righteousnes as First there is a generall defect of mercy men doe exceedingly faile in that liberality to the distressed and poore seruants The bowels of mercy are euery-where shut vp either altogether or in the neglect of many degrees and duties of mercy Secondly in many Christians there is a fearefull want of meeknes they being guilty of daily sinnes of passions and worldly vexations and that many times with a kinde of wilfulnes against knowledge and conscience Thirdly The cares of life and worldlines doe striue and blemish the conuersation of many and discouer a strange defect of that contempt of the world should bee in them Fourthly domesticall disorders doe euen cry to heauen against many husbāds for want of loue and of most wiues for want of obedience and of seruants for want of diligence and faithfulnes in their places And thus men faile in the parts of righteousnes In the manner of weldoing many things are wanting first both in the generall weldoing of good duties secondly and in speciall affection to God thirdly and in the manner of Gods seruice In Generall First zeale of good workes is exceeding defectiue in the most Tit. 3.14 Men shewe not that willingnes and feruency of affection should bee shewed in all parts of righteousnes men doe not lift vp their hearts in Gods waies Gods commandements are vsually grieuous and tedious Secondly there ought to bee a holy feare in the practice of their good duties 1. Pet. 3.2 which is vsually wanting men do so much trust vpon themselues and doe duties with such boldnes neglect of their waies whereas they should feare alwaies Pro. 28.14 Oh that meeknes of wisdome required Iames 3.9 where is it to bee found Thirdly men are not circumspect to make conscience euen of the least duties as they ought and to obserue to doo them euen to watch for the opportunity of well-doing and to look to the means of the performance of euery duty and to abstaine from the very appearance of euill and to bee discreet in looking to the circumstances of time place persons c. Eph. 5.15 Deut. 5.32 Fourthly there is great want of moderation in Christians for either they are iust ouer-much in conceiuing too highly of themselues for what they doo or else they are wicked ouer-much in thinking too vilely of their works Eccles. 7. Fiftly men are strangely negligent in the growth of grace and knowledge men stand still and doo not prosper and striue to increase in euery good gift as they ought 2. Peter 3.18 Many graces are not strengthned and many works are not finished Secondly in mens affections to God how are men defectiue Where is hee that loues the Lord with all his hart and all his might and all his soule Deut. 30.6 and 6.3 Thirdly in God's worship these things are in many wanting 1. Reuerence and that holy feare which should bee shewed when wee appeare before the Lord Heb. 12.28 2. Men vsually forget to doo all worship in the Name of Christ Col. 3.17 3. The care of praising of God that is of looking to God's acceptation in all seruice is much forgotten Heb. 12.28 4. The desire of vnity and consent in iudgement among our selues when wee worship God is miserably neglected and reiected by diuers wilfull Christians Zeph. 3.9 Phil. 2.2 3. 5. Men miserably neglect thankfulnesse to GOD for the good they receiue daily from his mercies Col. 3.17 6. Many faile publiquely and shamefully in want of care to come time enough to God's seruice Zach. 8.21 Esay 60.8 In these things Christians should bee admonished to minde their waies and their works and to striue to walk as becommeth the Gospell and the death of Christ that they may hold fast the light of the truth and shew out better the glory of a Christian life And thus of liuing to righteousnes Now follows the third form of speech By whose stripes we are healed The healing of our sicknesses is reckoned as another fruit of the Passion of Christ or else it is the same with the former exprest in other words These words then are borrow'd from the Prophet Esay chap. 53.5 who doth chiefly vnderstand the spirituall healing of our soules of our sinnes as the coherence shewes in the Prophet but yet the Euangelist saith Mat. 8.17 and vnderstands of the healing of our bodies also And therefore I consider of the death of Christ both in respect of soule and body And first as this healing is referred to the soule diuers doctrines may be obserued Doct. 1. The soules of all men are diseased by nature euen the very soules of the Elect are so till they be healed by Christ. The soule is diseased diuers waies especially by sorrows and sins it is the disease by sin is heer meant Quest. It would bee inquired how the soule comes to be sick of these diseases and why sinne is called sicknes in the soule Ans. This spiritual sicknes comes into the soule by propagation Adam hath inflicted all his posterity and euery man hath increased the diseases of his nature by his owne wilfull transgressions Now sinne is called sicknes because it doth work that vpon the soule which sicknes doth vpon the body for sinne hath weakned the strength of the soule in all the faculties of it which all men may discern and obserue in themselues by nature Besides it causeth spottednes and deformity in the soule as sicknes doth in the body and therefore sinne was likened to the leprosie in the Law Further it often causeth pain and torment in the soule as wounds diseases do in the body for there is no peace to the wicked especially when God fighteth against them with his terrors Besides it will cause the death of the soule as sicknes will of the body if it be not helped and so men are said to be dead in sins Vse The vse may bee to shew the fearfull negligence of worlds of people that are exceeding carefull to help their bodies to health but neuer think of the poor soule that lieth lamentably full of diseases And withall it shewes that all wicked men are men of ill natures because their dispositions are all diseased though there be degrees of ill nature or of this euill in mens natures as there is difference of sicknesses in mens bodies And godly men should be compassionat when they see the grieuous diseases in the natures and liues of other men remembring that they also were by nature subiect to the same diseases as well as they Doct. 2. The diseases in the soules of men by nature are very
7.1 Doct. 4. The fourth doctrine is that wee are cured by Christs stripes His sufferings heale our sorrowes His wounds make vs whole His sicknes offers vs health and his stripes heale vs partly by satisfying for our sinnes and so remouing the cause of our diseases both spirituall and corporall and partly by an vnspeakeable vertue of his Passion which being applied to our soules makes our sins dye And this point may serue for vse many waies Vses First for information and so it may shew vs the wonder of Gods working that can doe great things by meanes in respect of vs altogether vnlikely Wee hold it a thing almost beyond beliefe that the applying of medicines to the sword that wounded a man shall make the wounds heale in a man But this heere is a mystery that onely the Christian Religion can tell of of which there neuer was president in nature that The wounding of one Man should heal another or that the stripes of the Captaine should cure all his diseased souldiers and yet thus it is euen thus is the Lord pleased to glorify the power of his working Secondly we may hence bee informed of the precious vse of euery part of Christs sufferings not his dying onely doth vs good but euery thing hee did endure His stripes cure our wounds his shame wrought our honour His temptations draue the diuels from vs not any thing was done to him by his aduersaries but GOD made it work for our good Shall wee then dare to take offence at the crosse of Christ Haue we not reason to glory in it aboue all things Thirdly doe we not heere see how hatefull sinne is in Gods sight and how foule our diseases are when nothing can cure vs but Christs blood and that must bee fetched out of him with the best stripes which the hands of the wicked inflicted vpon him Oh the hardnes of our hearts that can see Christ thus vsed for our sinnes and yet are not perswaded that sinne is hatefull to God! Oh how should wee bee sorry for our Sauiour and mourne to think of it as wee would for our onely sonnes Would it not grieue vs at the heart if we should see the young Prince the Kings sonne basely whipped by our aduersaries only for our affaires Oh what hearts haue we that as bad as they are would be melted to see this done to a Kings sonne and yet are not troubled to knowe it was done to Gods Sonne Fourthly we may see what wicked mallice will doe if it bee not restrayned to disgrace our Sauiour to get a sentence against him to binde him hand and foot yea to kill him will not serue their turnes vnlesse they may most basely scourge him before hee dies That malicious men now doe not alwaies so is not because their malice doth not tend to it but because either God or man restraines them It is a most diuelish humour and therefore to bee auoyded and detested of all those that loue the Lord Iesus Vse 2. Secondly how many waies should this instruct vs what care the Lord Iesus requires of vs what should not this make vs willing to doe Oh how should wee loue him with all our hearts aboue all the world that could endure to bee thus abased euen vnto stripes for our sakes when hee could haue preuented it if hee had pleased what a shame should it bee to vs to bee impatient or to think much of our crosses who though wee had suffered many things yet not so grieuous as those things befell our Sauiour Yea further it should encourage vs to suffer any thing for Christ and the rather because wee haue not resisted to stripes or blood nor cannot now suffer the thousandth part for him of that he hath suffered for vs. Thus of the healing of our soules These words also may bee expounded of the healing of our bodies as we shewed before and so the like doctrines may bee obserued as Doct. 1. That the bodies of all men by nature neede healing For sinne hath brought vpon man the sentence of deformities and infirmities and diseases and wee see God doth inflict diseases vpon many and that of diuers sorts and many men that for the present are free from the paines of diseases yet haue their enemies in their bodies in diuers parts of them laid as it were in garison which may and will break out vpon them at a time they know not or if they were not there the Lord from without can send diseases vpon them The world is euery where full of occasions of sicknes or if there were not outward meanes to worke them yet God can strike men from heauen Vse The vse should bee to warne such as are in health to walke humbly For they know not how soone sicknes may seaze vpon them Secondly such as haue their friends taken away by sicknes or are yet afflicted should submit to Gods will For this is the case of all men euen the greatest yea and Gods elect are liable to such a condition by nature Doct. 2. The diseases of the body are grieuous therfore Christ takes notice of that kind of distress to prouide for the healing of our bodies We see by experience that of many sorts of crosses it is most grieuous to beare the paines that arise from the wounds or sicknes of the body and it is the more grieuous partly because no men are priuiledged from diseases but either haue them or are in danger of them as was said before and partly because God hath armed such a multitude of sorts of diseases to which the body of man is liable Vse Therefore the vse should bee to take warning from these pains of the body to preuent eternall paines in hell by reconciling our selues to that God that can so fearefully afflict both body and soule and as wee feele the outward man to decay the more to labour for the health of the inward man especially by those harbingers of death to prouide for the time when our change shall come Doct. 3 Christ is a Physician for the body of man as well as for the soule In Christ our bodies may be healed Christ prouided healing for mans body as well as for his soule and mens bodies he heales either in this life or in the generall Resurrection First in this life some hee hath healed by miracle as hee did multitudes in the daies of his flesh while hee was heere in this world which he did in execution of his office as hauing charge of mens bodies and some hee healed by meanes giuing his blessing vnto the medicines prouided in nature and applied by the skilfull to the diseased yea hee vndertakes the healing of all Gods Elect in their bodies as this place imports which hee doth promise and will performe if it bee good for them Many times to heale the body would hurt the soule or keepe the leper from heauen and then Christ will not heal them else he vndertakes and is bound
to answer or obey reiect the counsell of God harden their hearts and are therefore extremely miserable for First they iudge themselues vnworthy of euerlasting life Acts 13.46 Secondly they are in danger to bee left and forsaken of God and haue the meanes taken from them Iohn 12.39 Thirdly God will prouoke them many times to ielousie by calling a people to himselfe whom they account foolish Rom. 10.19 especially when they haue rebelled against the means Ezech. 3.6 7. Fourthly God will laugh at the calamity of such men Prou. 1.26 Fiftly and they may bee taken away with sudden destruction Prou. 1.17 Sixtly if they call to God it may be hee will not answer heereafter Prou. 1.28 29 30. Seuenthly if they liue in prosperity that shall destroy them Prou. 1.31 Eightly the dust of the feet of Gods seruants shall witnesse against them in the day of Christ and then they shall bee fearefully punished Now there are another sort of wicked men that are called externally and in some respect internally too and yet are not right such as haue temporary grace doe obey their calling after a sort and for a time for they assent vnto a part of the Word of God which they receiue with ioy and this is called a taste of the good word of God they may also bee perswaded to leaue diuers sinnes as Herod was and may bee indued with diuers graces of the spirit which they had not before Heb. 6.4 5. Now this calling yet is not that effectuall inward calling which is in Gods Elect. For they receiue not the promise of grace in Christ to them in particular to rely vpon it nor are they perswaded to for sake all sinne nor haue they any one sauing grace which is in the godly Now these men are miserable because they are not truly called and the more first because they were neere the Kingdome of God and yet want it secondly because they will bee the hardlier drawne to see their miseries Harlots and Publicanes may enter into the Kingdome of heauen before them Hitherto of our calling and so of the positiue descriptiō of the happines of a Christian the cōparatiue followes in the last words of this verse the whole 10. v. where the Apostle intends to shew thē their happines now in Christ in cōparison of that miserable estate they liued in before so that hee compares the estate of a Christian in grace with the estate of a Christian in nature and this he doth first in metaphoricall termes in the end of this verse and then in plaine words verse 10. In this verse hee compares their misery to darknes and their happines to maruellous light Out of darknes From the generall consideration of all the words two things may bee obserued First that it is profitable euen for godly men to bee put in minde of the misery they were in by nature For the consideration heereof may 1. Keepe them humble to remember how vile they haue beene 2. Quicken them to the reformation of the sinne that yet hangs vpon them Col. 3.5 6 7 8. 3. Work compassion in them towards others that lye yet in their sins and teach them to deale meekely with them Tit. 3.2 3. 4. Make them more watchfull to look on a nature which hath beene so vile 5. Quicken them to redeem the time they haue spent in the seruice of sinne 1. Pet. 4.3 6. It should set the greater price vpon our happines in Christ and so is the consideration vsed heere Secondly that a mind that is truly cured of sinne can easily beare the remembrance of it as it is past A man that hath beene wounded in his arme will endure you to gripe him when hee is well healed A signe he is not well healed when hee cannot bee touched so is it with sinners Thus in Generall The first thing then to be considered of is the misery of men by nature expressed in the word darknes Darknesse The darknes that is in the world is not all of a sort For there is first darknes vpon the earth which is nothing but the absence of the light of the Sunne Secondly there is darknes vpon the outward estates of men in the world and that is the darknes of affliction Now afflictions are called darknes in diuers respects As first in respect of the cause when they fall vpon men by the anger of God The want of the light of Gods countenance is miserable darknes the absence of the Sunne cannot make a worse darknes Secondly in respect of the effects because afflictions darken the outward glory of mans estate and withall breed sorrow and anguish and the clouds and storms of discomfort and grief and for the time depriue the heart of lightsomnesse and ioy Of both these respects may the words of the Prophet Esay be vnderstood Esay 5.30 and 8.22 And so God creates darknes as a punishment vpon all occasions for sinne Esay 45.7 Afflictions may bee compared to darknes in respect of another effect and that is the amazement bred in the heart by which the afflicted is vnable to see a way out of distresse and vnresolued either how to take it or what means to vse for deliuerance Thus it is a curse vpon wicked men that their waies are made dark Psal. 35.6 Thirdly afflictions are called darknes when they are secret and hidden and fal vpon men at vnawares when they are not dreamed of Iob 20.26 And thus of darknes vpon mens estates Thirdly there is a darknes falls vpon the bodies and so it is either blindnes wanting the light of the Sun or else it is death and the graue Death and the graue is called darknes Iob 17.13 and 10.21 22. Psal. 88.13 Fourthly there is a darknes vpon the soules of men and that is spirituall blindnes when the soule liues without the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ especially As it respecteth the will of God in generall it is the darknes of ignorance and errour and as it respecteth the promise of grace in Iesus Christ it is the darknes of vnbelief Eph. 4. Lastly there is a darknes shall light vpon both soules and bodies of wicked men in hell and that is called vtter darknes Mat. 8.12 and 22.15 So that darknes as it comprehends in it the misery of wicked men is either temporall darknes vpon the estates or bodies of men or spiritual darknes vpon the soules of men or else eternall darknes in hell This darknes also may be considered in the degrees of it For besides the ordinary darknesse there is first obscure darknes called also the power of darknes and such was the darknesse of Gentilisme and such is that darknes threatned to such as curse father and mother Pro. 21.20 so was the darknes Ier. 2.1 2. and that our Sauiour Christ speaketh of Luke 22.53 Such also was that night brought vpon the Diuiners Mic. 3.6 7. Secondly there is vtter darknes or eternall darknes in hell which is the highest
for vs in all places 3. Because if a man vndertake to answere them by words he is in danger to be prouoked to speak vnaduisedly and so may prooue like those fools whom he reproues Pro. 26.5 4. Because the naturall conscience of the wicked is as it were feared to take notice of a good conuersation and will struggle and resist within the wicked man so as hee cannot so securely vent his reproaches 5. Because it is a way that brings most peace and comfort to ones owne heart If he deale with them by words his heart may afterwards smite him for some absurdity or other he hath committed whereas he is safe that fights against them by his good works 6. Because it is the surest way of reuenge to ouercome their euill with goodnes especially if thou canst get but the aduantages to doo good to them that reproach thee Rom. 12.18 19. Vse The sound consideration of this truth should subdue in vs that ouer-eager desire of answering such as wrong vs by bitter words or works of reuenge yea it should compell vpon vs a consultation whether it bee best to deale with them at all by words God's way is by works and thou must get a great deal of temperance and wisdome if thou think thy self able to confute them throughly by words It is true also that in some cases wee may resort to the Magistrate to punish them that abuse vs but yet still this counsell of God that bids vs silence them by well-dooing should intimate that other courses must bee vsed with much caution and without rashnes or confidence in them Secondly this may reprooue that vnquietnes and impatience which is found in some Christians when they are reproached and wronged they are much vexed at the indignities offred to them and think it strange that wicked men should not cease traducing of their names whereas perhaps if they examine themselues they may finde that they haue not vsed the meanes to still them they haue not muzzled these dogs and therefore no wonder if they bark and bite too and muzzled we see heer they will not bee but by their good workes And therefore if they bee barren and vnfruitfull they must take notice of the fault in themselues There are other things that may be noted out of these words but I will onely touch them as Doct. 7. That onely foolish men doo reproach godly men Such as reuile and censure many are vsually either openly carnall men as they were drunkeards that reproached Dauid and Abiects Psalm 35.15 and 69.13 They were either fools or the children of fools but viler they were than the earth that had Iob in derision Iob 30.1 8. men that ranne into excesse of riot as the Apostle writeth 1. Pet. 4.5 or else hypocrites that haue nothing in them but words and empty shewes Or if at any time there bee a sinne found in godly men it is in such as are but babes and look like carnall men and haue a great deal of their naturall folly and madnes vnsubdued in them 1. Cor. 3.1 2 3. But for the most part it is a fault found onely in wicked men Doct. 8. That it is a great pain to a wicked man to bee restrained from reproaches hee is as much vexed when hee cannot or dare not speak euill of godly men as a dogge or an oxe is when hee is muzzled Doct. 9. That the good life of godly men may silence wicked men and yet not make them leaue their wickednes hee doth not say that by well-doing they may winne ignorant and foolish men It is true that sometimes a good conuersation may winne them as 1. Pet. 3.1 2. and before verse 12. Yet ordinarily they will doo wickedly euen in the Land of vprightnes Esay 26.10 Verse 16. As free and not vsing your liberty for a cloke of malitiousnes but as the seruants of God IN the two former verses he confirms the exhortation by reasons in this he answers an obiection The obiection seems to be that Christians are made free by Christ and therefore are not to bee tied with the bonds of humane ordinances or subiection to men The Apostle answereth that it is true that Christians are made free-men but so as they must not vse their freedome as a cloak of malitiousnes and the liberty of sinning either against God or men for they are still God's seruants and bound to doo what he would haue them to do and so consequently to obey Magistrates since GOD requires them so to doo So that in this verse hee intreats of Christian liberty And so first hee grants the vse of it or the right of it in these words As free Secondly he remoues the abuse of it in these words Not vsing your liberty as a cloke of malitiousnes And thirdly he giues a reason of his remoueall Because they are the seruants of God still In the first part you must consider what he granteth viz that they are free Secondly how far he grants it viz. that they are as free Free Freedome is either ciuill or spirituall Ciuill freedom is when a seruant is manumitted or made free that was an apprentise or bond-slaue before and so when a stranger is admitted to the right of a City or a Common-wealth or the like The spirituall freedome is that estate which Christians do enioy by God's fauour in Christ after their calling It is a spirituall manumission or freedom that is heer meant and this is called Christian liberty partly because it is a freedome that we haue onely by Christ and partly because it is a freedome now onely enioyed by Christians and no other men in the world Christian liberty is one of the great gifts or endowments bestowed vpon the Church by Christ. It is not amisse to reckon vp all the gifts in order that the relation which this gift hath to the rest may appear The gifts then that Christ hath bestowed vpon Christians are these First their ransome paid vnto God for their redemption Secondly their vocation by the Gospell calling them out of the world into the Church Thirdly the holy Ghost which hee sends into their hearts Fourthly their iustification imputing his owne righteousnes and procuring forgiuenesse of all their sins Fiftly their sanctification by which hee giues them new natures Sixtly their adoption by which they are made the sons of God Seuenthly their Christian liberty by which they are freed from all former bondage and enioy great priuiledges this is a fruit of their adoption Eightthly consolation refreshing their hearts in all estates especially by the comforts of his Word Ninthly the gift of perseuerance by which tey are kept from falling away Lastly an immortall and vndefiled inheritance in heauen after they are dead Christian liberty is either the liberty of grace in this life or the liberty of glory after this life The liberty of glory concerns either the soule or the body The glory or liberty of the soule is the freeing of it from all
that loue not the Lord Iesus 1. Pet. 1.9 2. Cor. 16.22 Fiftly we should therefore eare the Passeouer with sowre hearbs we should remember his grieuous suffrings with harty affection and melting of soule before the Lord when wee come before him to celebrate the memory of his Passion in the Sacrament Sixtly we should no more stagger or wauer in faith but with all peace and ioy in beleeuing rest vpon the propitiation made by Christ for our sins we should therefore confidently beleeue the pardon of all our sinnes because hee hath borne our iniquities If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins Seuenthly wee should neuer more bee afraid of death and hell for our debt being paied by the surety the hand-writing that was against vs is now cancelled Col. 2.15 and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Romanes 8.1 Heb. 2.14 Eightthly wee should not be so much troubled to bee vniustly traduced seeing Christ beyond all example suffered most vnspeakeable ignominie bearing the imputation of the sinnes of all the Elect. Ninthly seeing hee hath beene made in the similitude of sinfull flesh and suffered for sinne in the flesh wee should striue to bee made the righteousnes of God in him and as hee hath borne our sinnes so should wee striue to beare his vertues Who his owne selfe It is emphaticall that the Apostle saith Hee bare our sinnes his owne selfe For there bee two things which are heere imported First that hee had no partners there were none with him Hee bare all himselfe Esay 59.16 Hee trod the wine-presse alone Esay 63.3 5. And therefore it is a vile dishonour to Christ to ascribe any part of satisfaction to our selues or to any Saint or Angel Secondly it imports that therefore his suffering is of infinit valew in that he bare all his owne selfe in person who was God and man Then it will follow that he hath made a sufficient propitiation for all the world 2. Ioh. 2.1 2. In his body Quest. Why did he not suffer in his soule Ans. Yes for so saith the Scripture Hee made his soule a sacrifice for sinne Esay 53.10 and the Sonne of man came to giue his soule a ransome for many Math. 20.28 Marke 10.45 This was shadowed out by the Holocaust or whole burnt-offering for it noted that the whole man should suffer So in the Sacrament the breaking of the bread is not referred so properly to his body for there was not a bone broken of him saith the holy text but fitly to his soule which was broken with sorrowes and heauines for our sakes So that by the body he meanes synechdochically whole Christ but yet the body is named because That was the outward sacrifice that was offered for our sinnes on the tree Christ then bare our sinnes in his body What may wee learne from thence First wee see a manifest difference betwixt Christs Priesthood and theirs in the Law For they offered the bodies of beasts or fowles but Christ offered his owne body Secondly wee may take comfort in the assurance that hee is the Sauiour of our bodies as well as our soules Thirdly Seeing such grieuous things befell the body of Christ why seeke wee so much ease for our bodies why pamper wee our flesh so and why are we so impatient in the paines of our bodies and remember not what Christ suffered in his body Fourthly we should therefore esteem his body to bee a precious body aboue all bodies â—â—eing it was laid downe as a price for our sinnes yea wee should long to see that glorious body of his that wee might admire it and adore it and embrace it and in the meane time loue and delight in the Lords Supper that exhibiteth the body of Christ spiritually vnto vs reioycing in such meetings aboue the ioy of all carnall people before any other things Fiftly wee should therefore take heed of sinning against our bodies but make conscience to serue God both in body and Spirit and say with Dauid Christ Lord a body thou hast giuen me for I come to doe thy will Sixtly what cursed monsters are swearers that teare the body of our Lord with their cursed oathes and rake their nailes in his wounds with their blasphemies On the tree The originall word signifies somtimes a staffe Mat. 26.47 sometimes a pair of stocks Acts 16.24 sometimes a tree growing Reuel 2.11 vsually wood 1. Corinthians 3.12 Heere a Gallowes made of wood Christ bare our sinnes on the tree because hee did in a speciall manner suffer bitter extremities on the tree which hee suffered as our Suretie and for our sinnes for First to die on a tree was by a speciall Law of God made a curse and so is euery one that hangs on a tree Gal. 3.13 Secondly he was debarred of the benefit of ordinary naturall comforts For he liued in paine 3 hours in the darke and had not the light of the sun Thirdly in that darknes he was put to the most fearefull conflict with the diuels which at that time did with their vtmost fury assault him and fight against him Colos. 3.25 Fourthly he endured most grieuous paines and toâ—ments of body and the effusion of his most precious blood Fiftly hee was reckoned amongst the wicked in his death and therefore hanged betweene two malefactors Esay 53.9 Sixtly hee was reuiled by the base multitude and mocked and derided by the chiefe Priests and Scribes Math. 27.39 to 45. Seuenthly God his father powred out vpon him the fearefull viols of his wrath in withdrawing for a time the sense of his fauour Math. 27.46 Eightthly his whole body was offered vp on the tree as a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the world and the substance of all the sacrifices in the Law Vses We haue therefore cause to reioyce in the crosse of Christ aboue all things For on the tre hee freed vs from the curses of the Law and purchased for vs the blessings promised to Abraham as the father of the faithfull Gal. 3.13 14. and besides by suffering so shamefull a death he hath sanctified all sorts of waies of inflicting death vpon the godly so as now they may with comfort in a good cause or after repentance for their faults euen suffer that death on a tree with ioy And wee should the more praise God for his fauour if he suffer any of vs to die of any other more easie or more honourable death And then wee may againe see the hatefulnesse of sinne in that God punishing our sinnes in the person of his owne Sonne doth not omit the very circumstances of abasement his iustice exacting not onely death but that painefull and ignominious death on the tree Lastly hence we may see how little cause there is for Christians to plead merit if they think how fearfully sinne hath angred God and withall how senselesse the best of vs are when wee
man in earth doth so much as in true desire forsake all sinne There bee some corruptions hee knowes that hee would vpon no conditions part with To desire and endeuour to bee rid of all sinnes is an infallible mark of a childe of God Doct. 6. Mortification makes a man dead onely to sinnes it doth not make him of a dead and lumpish disposition in doing good duties Heb 9.14 nor doth it require that it should destroy his nature or naturall temper or the parts of his body but his sinne onely nor doth it kill his contentment in the creatures of God and the vse of lawfull things nor doth it destroy his liberty in lawfull delights and recreations it kils his sinne onely Might liue vnto righteousnes These words containe the second effect of Christs death and passion viz. the raising of vs vnto a righteous life His death makes vs liue and liue righteously Diuers doctrines may bee hence obserued Doct. 1. First that men truly mortified shall liue happily These dead men will liue there is no danger in great sorrow and the other works of mortification It kils sinne but the soule liues by that meanes Hee is sure to liue that is dead to his sins Rō 8.13 Esay 26.19 1. Pet. 4.6 Eze. 18. Ho. 14.2 The reasons are First because God hath promised comfort to such as mourne for sinne Math. 5.4 Pro. 14.10 Secondly Christ hath a speciall charge giuen him to looke to those mourners that they miscarry not Esay 61.1 2 3. Thirdly they are freed from eternall death they cannot be condemned 1. Cor. 11.31 32. Iob 33.27 28. Fourthly because the fruit of the lips is peace to these they are euer after interessed in the comforts of the Word Esay 57.15 18. Fiftly the nature of godly sorrow is onely to tend to repentance It is worldly sorrow that tends to death 2. Cor. 7.10 Sixtly they that are conformed to the similitude of Christs death by mortification shal be conformed to Christs life by the resurrection from the dead The vse may be first for confutation of such as think that mortification is a way full of danger and makes many men come to great extremities wheras they may heere see there is no danger in it Hellish terrours and despaire and some kind of diseases may make strange effects in some men but neuer was any hurt by godly sorrow for sinne if wee will beleeue the Scriptures and therefore it should incourage men to fall to work soundly about searching their waies and confessing their sinnes and iudging themselues in secret for their sinnes Iames 4. chapter 7.2 Cor. chap. 7.10 11. But heere men must looke to some fewe rules First that they see the warrant of the course in the Word and know the places that require these duties that they lay vp such promises made to the duties of mortification as may vphold their hearts in the practice of them Thirdly that they refuse not consolation but when they haue found true humiliation for their sinnes and comfort from God in his ordinances that they turne their sorrow into ioy and their praiers into thanksgiuing and spend their daies alwaies reioycing in the Lord. Doct. 2. It is not enough to die to sinne vnlesse wee also liue to righteousnes It is not enough to forsake our sinnes but wee must spend our daies in good works wee are so charged to cease to doe euill as withall wee are charged to learne to doe well Esay 1.16 we must bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life as well as confesse our sinnes Math. 3.8 A man will cut downe his fig-tree for want of good fruite though it beare no ill fruit Luke 13.6 It will not please any husband-man that his Land beare no thornes nor briers nor weedes if it beare him not good graine It is not enough for a seruant that hee doe his Master no hurt but hee must see to it that hee doe his Masters worke For first obedience and good fruits are required at our hands in the Law of God besides the prohibition of sinne Secondly Christ died to this end that wee might liue righteously as well as die to sinne Thirdly because all the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on vs in our regeneration are giuen to profit withall not to lay them vp in a napkin 1. Cor. 12. Fourthly because wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to our works Rom. 2.6 Vse And therefore this shewes the dangerous folly of such carnall people as think if they come to Church and liue ciuilly and doe no body no wrong they are out of al question in a right course And besides it should awake carelesse and sluggish Christians to looke to their gifts and remember what accounts they will giue to God for their vnprofitablenesse and vnfruitfulnesse 2. Pet. 1.8 Doct. 3. It is from hence euident that the onely liuing is to liue righteously Hee is worthy to bee said to liue that liues to righteousnes a religious life is the best life And these are the reasons First because it is the most honorable life For to liue to righteousnes makes a man highly in the fauour of God Psal. 11.7 Prou. 15.9 and it shewes that a man is borne of God 1. Ioh. 2.29 and besides it helps a man to the best and most blessed memoriall Prou. 10.7 and the fruits of righteousnes are the best meanes of glorifying God Phil. 1.11 And therefore Salomon said well that The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Prouerbs 12.26 And Dauid saith They are the onely excellent Ones Psal. 16. whereas euery wicked man is lothsome and a sinnefull life is a shamefull life Prou. 13.5 and 14.34 Secondly because it is the most profitable life and the most gainfull for blessings are vpon the head of the righteous Pro. 10.6 The wicked worketh a deceitfull work but to him that soweth righteousnes shall be a sure reward Pro. 11.18 And righteousnes is both the best riches and the most durable Pro. 8.18 19 20. And it hath the promise of this life as well as the life to come 1. Tim. 6. Iob 8.6 And the profit of righteousnes will help a man when he is to die when the treasures of the wicked will profit nothing Pro. 10.2 Yea a good man lacketh not an inheritance for his childrens children and the wealth of the sinner is many times laid vp for the iust Thirdly because it is the safest and quietest life He that walketh vprightly walketh surely Prouer. 10.19 and the fruit of righteousnes is peace Iam. 3.18 For God's promise is that No euill shall happen to the iust whereas the wicked shall be filled with mischief Pro. 12.21 And God's blessing makes them rich and hee mingles no sorrow with it Pro. 10.21 and 15.6 And righteousnes is reckoned as an impenetrable armour 2. Cor. 6.7 And God doth mark euery one that doth righteousnes and solaceth his heart Esay 64.5 And the very doing of good is sweetnes to the soule
A COMMENTARY OR SERMONS VPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE FIRST Epistle of Saint Peter WHEREIN METHOD Sense Doctrine and Vse is with great variety of matter profitably handled and sundry heads of Diuinity largely discussed By NICHOLAS BYFIELD late Preacher of God's Word at Isle-worth in Middlesex LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes for George Latham and are to be sould at his shop in Paul's Church-yard at the Signe of the brazen Serpent 1623. TO THE HONOVRABLE KNIGHT SIR HORATIO VERE Generall of the English forces in the Low-countries and to his most worthy Lady the Lady MARY VERE all happiness that a poor widow may in their behalfe pray for at the Throne of Grace My much-honoured Lord and Lady AS that speciall duty which I my self owe to you both so that purpose which my deare husband had while hee liued of dedicating to you this Commentary of his vpon S. Peters Epistle bindeth mee who am left his sole Executrix to see his Will euery way performed to set out this first of his workes published since his death vnder your Honourable Names It pleased you to take into your Family a childe of his body be further pleased I pray you to take into your Patronage this childe of his soule which as an Orphane yea as a Posthumus in all humility is presented vnto you You manifested more than ordinary kindnes to my husband while he liued wee and ours haue oft tasted of the sweetnes of your bounty so that I should deserue to be accounted most ingratefull if I should bury so many fauours in obliuion or neglect to prouoke others to loue and good works by proposall of your example Accept I beseech you this poore acknowledgement of thanks which is most due first to that primary Fountain of all goodnes Almighty God for keeping your Lordship safe in your late imployment in the Palatinate and for freeing your Ladiship from those fears wherunto you could not but be subiect by reason of his long absence and for giuing you both a mutuall and comfortable fruition one of another And next to your selues for all those kindnesses which while my husband liued you did to him and his and since his death you continue to do to such as he hath left behinde him Now the good God continue his blessed protection ouer you both and take all that belong vnto you vnder the wings of his fatherly Prouidence And so I rest with the renewall of my sute that you would cast your eyes vpon this Worke of him who much honoured you in his life-time and is after his decease offred to you by Your humble Oratrix ELIZABETH BYFIELD To the Christian Reader MAny and great are the means which the Lord hath beene pleased since this latter Spring of the Gospell begunne aboue an hundred yeeres agoe to afford vnto his Church for opening of the mysteries of the Gospell Neuer since the Apostles times were the Scriptures more truly interpreted more fully expounded more distinctly diuided or more powerfully pressed then in our Times The number of those who haue taken good paine in this kinde is not small Wee may well put into the Catalogue of them the Authour of this Commentary vpon the second Chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter Master Nicholas Byfield by name who continued for the space of twenty yeeres to take more then ordinary paines in the work of the Lord. Hee had a singular gift in diuing into the depth of those points which he vndertooke to handle As the many other Treatises which in his life time he published doe verifie as much so in particular this Commentarie here commended vnto thee In it thou shalt find besides the Grammatical exposition Logical resolution and Theological obseruations many diuine points copiously handled by way of Common-place which hath made the booke to arise vnto that bignesse that it hath In this manner of handling the holy Scriptures hee hath not gone alone Many of the main Pillars of the reformed Churches haue beaten out a path before him as Martin Bucer Peter Martyr Musculus Zanchius Lauater Perkins and sundry others The large volume of Peter Martyrs Common-places was gathered out of his Commentaries on the holy Scriptures The Church of God hath reaped much good by such copious and distinct handling of heads of Diuinity Their labours therefore who take paines therein are not to bee concealed from the Church If it had pleased the Lord to haue continued the life liberty and ability of this his Seruant longer vnto his Church he had questionlesse gon on further in this course which hee so well began and so might wee haue had by his paines as compleat a Commentarie on the two Epistles of Saint Peter as we haue vpon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Colossians published by this Author In his life-time he entred vpon the third Chapter and went thorow a good part thereof all which is fairely copied out and prepared for the presse But there is so much matter in that which remaineth as it will make a competent Treatise by it selfe This I make knowne not that thou shouldst let this Book alone till the other be published for when it is published it cannot bee bound vp with this in one volume by reason of the bignes of both of them As care hath been had to print this Commentary on the second Chapter euery way answerable to the former on the first Chapter so like care shall be had of printing that which remains answerable to them both that so you may haue all the labors of this faithfull and painfull Minister of Gods Word on this part of Scripture in three euen volumes which is in a manner as good as if they were all in one volume They may for their matter be well distinguished into seueral volumes for though one continued Scripture be handled in them all yet the points in euery of them are different In this respect there is an Alphabeticall Index in the latter end that by the help of it you may the more readily finde out such points as you most desire to reade If the Author bee of force to commend a Work the more this Work may receiue no small commendation from the Author of it for hee was a man of a profound iudgement strong memory sharp wit quick inuention and vnwearied industry He was in his Ministery very powerful and that vnto all turns as we speak When he had to doo with tender and troubled consciences he was a Barnabas a sonne of comfort but when hee had to doo with impudent and obstinate sinners hee could make his face hard and strong and shew himself like to Boanerges the sonnes of thunder Graue sober and temperate he was in his carriage and yet with his intire familiar friend he could be modestly pleasant God gaue him a great measure of patience and hee had in his very body that which tried his patience for it appears that he carried a torturing stone in his bladder fifteen
yeers together and vpward I haue heard it credibly reported that fifteen yeers before his death he was by a skilfull Chirurgion searched and that vpon that search there was a stone found to bee in his bladder whereupon hee vsed such meanes as were prescribed to him for his ease and found such help thereby as he thought that either the Chirurgion which searcht him was deceiued or that the meanes which hee vsed had dissolued the stone But time which manifesteth all things shewed that neither his Chirurgion was deceiued nor yet his stone dissolued for it continued to growe bigger and bigger till at length it came to bee of an incredible greatnes After his death hee was opened and the stone taken out and being weighed found to be 33 ounces and more in waight and in measure about the edge fifteen inches and a halfe about the length aboue 13 inches about the breadth almost thirteen inches it was of a solid substance to look vpon like to a flint There are many eie-witnesses besides my self who can iustifie the truth heerof A wonderfull work of God it was that he should bee able to carry such a stone in his bladder and withall to doo the things which he did He was a close Student witnes the many Treatises which time after time he published in print He was also a diligent Preacher for constantly hee preached twice on the Lords Daies and in Summer when many of the Gentry and City came to his Parish at Isle-worth and dwelt there he spent an houre on Wednesday and another on Friday week after week in expounding the Scripture in his Church very seldome was he hindred by the forementioned stone in his bladder This course he kept till about fiue weeks before his death when the paine came so violently vpon him as it wasted his vitall vigor yet did it no way weaken his faith but as the outward perished so was the inward man renewed in him He earnestly praid that the extremity of the pain might not make him vtter or doo any thing vnbeseeming his vocation and profession but withall he aduised his friends to consider that he was but as other men and thereupon to iudge charitably of his carriage in that case Many heauenly meditations issued from him in that time of his visitation vnto the last period thereof Quietly meekly and patiently he endured till that surest Chirurgion of all Death had eased him of all his pain In his soule he euer liueth and in his name he will continue to liue so long as the Church enioyeth his Works more lasting than Marble Monuments Now O blessed Sauiour and Head of thy Church as thou transplantest some of thy Plants out of thy Nurcery the Church militant plant others wee beseech thee in their rooms that thy Church may neuer be vnfurnished of able painfull faithfull and powerfull Ministers WILLIAM GOVGE AN EXPOSITION of the Second Chapter of the first Epistle generall of PETER 1. Pet. 2.1.2.3 1. Wherfore laying aside all maliciousnes and all guile and dissimulation and enuy and euill speakings 2. As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may growe thereby 3. If so be ye haue tasted that the Lord is bountifull FRom the thirteenth verse of the 1. Chapt. to the eightth verse of the third chapter is contained matter of exhortation and the exhortation is either generall or speciall The generall exhortatioÌ„ concernes all men Chap. 1.13 to Chap. 2 13 The speciall exhortation concernes onely some men as subiects seruants wiues husbands from chap. 2.13 to chap. 3.8 The generall exhortation stands of two parts first the one concernes the matter of holiness secondly and the other the meanes of holiness Of the matter of holiness in the later part of the former chapter In these wordes and those that follow to the thirteenth verse is contained an exhortation to the right vse of the meanes by which wee might growe vp in all holiness and acceptation with God In the exhortation two things must be distinguished first the substance of the exhortation secondly the conclusion of it The substance is contained from verse the first to the eleuenth the conclusion in the eleuenth and twelfth verse For the first there are two things in which if wee be rightly ordered it cannot bee but wee must grow wonderfully in grace and holiness first The one is the word secondly The other is Christ. To a right order of ourselues in respect of the word he exhorts verses 1.2.3 To a right order of our selues in respect of Christ hee exhortes verse 4. to 11. The part of the exhortation that concernes the word hath three things First what wee must auoid we must lay aside Malice Guile Hipocrisie c. secondly what we must doe wee must desire the word as the child doth the brest thirdly Why so where diuers reasons are imported First wee are babes Secondly we are but as new born babes Thirdly the word is sincere milke Fourthly it will make vs growe fiftly haue wee not already tasted of the sweetnes of it verse the third That part of the the exhortation that concerns Christ hath likewise three things in it which I will heer but touch First what we must do verse 4. Secondly how wee must doe it verse 5. Thirdly why so viz. for two reasons First the one taken from the testimonie of Scripture which is alledged verse the sixt and expounded verse 7.8 Secondly the other taken from the conâ—iderati-of our prerogatiues we inioy in Christ which are set down first positiuely verse 9. Secondly and comparatiuely verse 10. And this is the breef order of the whole first part of this chapter The first thing then in the exhortation is about the word and therein the first thing is about the things which must be auoided if we would profit by the word of which in the first verse THere are fiue things we should lay aside and be sure wee be free from when wee come into gods presence to heare his word or to bee exercised in it viz. Malice Guile Hypocrisie Enuy and euill speaking Two things distinctly must bee considered in verse first the sinnes to be auoided viz. those fiue before named Secondly the manner of auoiding them imported in the metaphoricall tearme laying aside In generall diuerse things may be noted First that it is exceeding profitable to gather speciall catalogues of our sins which we should auoid to single out such sinnes as we would specially striue against and doo more specially hurt vs and hinder good things from vs I mean not of all sinnes so much as of special certain choice euils that yet remain in greatest force in vs. We may obserue a great wisdome of the holy Ghost in many places of Scripture drawing such catalogues according to the state of the people to whom they are giuen and so it were of excellent vse if we did gather catalogues of the duties which specially concern vs or of