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death_n	darkness_n	light_n	shadow_n	7,372	5	9.4624	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17384	A commentary: or, sermons vpon the second chapter of the first epistle of Saint Peter vvherein 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.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.; Gouge, William, 1578-1653.	1623 (1623)	STC 4211; ESTC S107078	497,216	958

declared himself that hee will not shew mercy or pity towards diuers sorts of offenders Thirdly that the things men vsually obiect will not be auailable to deliuer them from Gods wrath Fourthly what sorts of men in particular God will not be mercifull vnto For the first that men are apt to plead God's mercy when it belongs not to them is apparant through the whole course of Scriptures to haue euer been in the disposition of most wicked men they blesse themselues in their hearts when their iniquity is found worthy to be hated Psal. 36.2 They liue at ease and put far away the euill day from them Amos 6.1 3. They cry Peace peace when sudden destruction is made to come vpon them 1. Thes. 5.3 For the second that God will not bee mercifull to many a man that liues in the visible Church is manifested by many Scriptures as Deut. 29.19 Ier. 16.5 Ezech. 5.11 and 7.4 9. and 8.18 Hosh. 1.6 and 2.4 and in many other places For the third their excuses and pretenses are all vain for 1. If they stand vpon their greatnes in the world it is certain that riches will not auaile in the day of wrath Iob 36.18 19 c. 2. Nor will it help them to be born of godly Ancestors for rather than God will bee tied to the wicked seed of Abraham hee will raise vp children of the stones to Abraham Mat. 3. 3. Nor can multitude priuiledge them For though hand ioin in hand yet sin shall not go vnpunished and God turns nations of men into hell Psalm 9.17 4. Nor will their outward seruing of God serue their turn It is bootlesse to cry The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord if men redresse not their waies Ier. 7.4 8 9 10. 5. Nor wil it help them that some Ministers speak comfortably to them and by their preaching they may expect mercy for GOD will iudge those Prophets that strengthen the hands of the wicked The stubborn people were neuer a whit the safer when the Prophet told them they should haue peace and no euil should come vnto them but the Lord protesteth that the whirl-wind of his fury should fall grieuously vpon the head of the wicked for all that Ier. 23.15 19 20. that at length they should consider it perfectly and the Lord threatneth that he will rent the wall of security which the Prophets haue built with vntempered morter that he will rent it euen with the fierce winde of his furie and there shall be an ouerflowing showre in his anger to consume it Ezech. 13.10 to 15. 6. Neither may the patience of God proue that he meanes to shew expected mercy for though a sinner prolong his daies an hundred times yet it shall not be well with the wicked nor ought he to settle his heart the more freely on his sinne because sometimes it is not speedily executed for God will finde a time to set his sinnes in order before him and then he may teare him in peeces and none can deliuer him Eccles. 8.11 12 13. Psal. 50.19 7. Neither will it ease them that there are so many promises of mercy in Scripture For they are limited and besides in diuers places where mercy is promised the Lord explains himselfe by shewing that he will not cheere the wicked Ex. 34.7 as was alleaged before so Nahum 1.3 and v. 7. compared with the 6. 8. Neither will their Baptisme helpe them for neither Circumcision nor vn-circumcision auaileth any thing but a new Creature Gal. 6. Ob. If any say But though they be not now vnder mercy yet hereafter they may bee vpon Repentance Ans. I answere that in this they say truely but yet not safely For many men that haue promised themselues the late Repentance and mercy haue died in their sins before they could euer repent And thy times are in Gods hands thou knowest not when nor how thou shalt die and therefore the surest way is Now to turne to God with all thy heart as they were counselled more at large Ioel 2.12 13. Now for the fourth it may awake some sort of offenders the more effectually that besides the generall threatnings against wicked men they in particular are assured that they are not vnder mercy As first such as shew no mercy to men Iam. 2.13 and such as transgresse of malicious wickednesse Psal. 59.6 and such as are people of no vnderstanding Esay 7.11 and such as walk after the imaginations of their owne wicked hearts and will not harken vnto God Ierem. 16.5 10 12. and such as blesse themselues in their heart when they heare the curses of the Lawes Deut. 29.19 and such as steale murther commit adultery and sweare falsely Ier. 7.9 and many other particulars Catalogues might be instanced in all the seuerall Scriptures the Prophet Malachy puts in such as deale corruptly in tything and offring Malach. 1.8 9. To conclude the counsell of the Prophet Ieremy is excellent in this case who most effectually speakes thus Heare yee giue eare bee not proud for the Lord hath spoken Giue glory to the Lord your God before hee cause darknes and before your feet stumble vpon the dark mountaines and while yee look for light hee turne it into the shadow of death and make it grosse darknes But if you will not heare my soule shal weep in secret for your pride and mine eye runne downe with teares Ierem. 13.15 16. Vse 2. Secondly the consideration of this doctrine may iustify the practice of godly Ministers that denounce the iudgements of God vpon their hearers that liue in sinne without repentance It is their duty to shewe them that they are not vnder mercy they are required to cry aloud and to shew Gods people their sinnes Esay 58.1 And the Prophets that cried peace peace are extremely threatened of God so as for not warning the people the blood of their soules is required of the Prophets Ezech. 33. verse 2. to 10. Vse 3. The third vse may bee therefore for the singular humiliation of wicked men that liue in the assemblies of Christians Though they haue obtained a place in Gods Church yet they haue not obtained mercy but liue vnder the fearefull displeasure of God and this is the more terrible if they consider three things First that this is the case of multitudes of men in the Church but a remnant are vnder mercy which will appeare more distinctly if you draw out of our assemblies such as in Scripture are expresly said not to bee vnder mercy as 1. Take all such as yet liue in their naturall Atheisme that mind not God nor Religion that onely care for earthly things and shew it by a constant either neglect or contempt of the publike assemblies of Christians amongst vs These cannot obtaine mercie because they refuse to heare Gods voyce and to seeke to the ordinary meanes of mercie Isaiah 50.1 2. Heb. 3.7 2. Draw out then secret offenders such as sinne in the dark and say Who seeth vs

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

men that they might know the things of God and therefore when a man cannot know the things of God it is a signe that he wants God's Spirit 1. Cor. 2.12 14. Fourthly because when God would of purpose plague a man with a speciall or horrible curse vpon his soul this is it to giue him vp to a sottish spirit Iohn 12.40 with Esay 6.10 Fiftly it may appeare by the effects of this sottishnesse when wee respect the sinnes it breedes or the punishment it brings vpon the ignorant persons for sinne It is certaine that ignorance is the mother of vice and corruption an ignorant person may quickly make himselfe guilty of a world of sins yea there is no sinne so grossely absurd or abominable but this kinde of men may commit it and without sense or care too The Prophet Isaiah opens the dotage of Idolaters and shewes the roote of it to bee their blockish ignorance Esay 44.18 20. As ignorant persons may be made wilfull Idolaters and that easily so may they be whoremongers Prou. 7.22 drunkards c. yea they would at sometimes kill Christ himselfe if he come in their way Luke 23.34 We see into what sinnes ignorant persons fall into such as whoredome Sodomitry buggery stealing murther drunkennesse swearing and yet see not their danger but like bruite beasts are senslesse and for the offences in respect of punishment they are fearefull whether wee respect this life or another world In this life their ignorance depriues them of the sight of all those things that haue true glory or comfort in them To liue in ignorance is worse for the wicked then it is for the body to liue in a dungeon besides all their best workes are lost all they doe is abominable Hosh. 6.7 Psalme 14.1 2. and it is in vaine to pleade their good mindes and meanings For without knowledge the minde is not good Prouerbs 19.2 and if they were neuer so zealous yet they lose their labour Rom. 10.2 and further this sottishnesse brings many a curse vpon men yea when it is generall it brings fearefull publique Plagues Esay 1.3 c. and 5.13 Hosh. 4.1 2. and which is worst of all after all the miseries of this life they must go down to hell they are vtterly vndone for euer this is the place of all them that know not God Iob 18. vlt. and Hosh. 4.6 Vses The vse may be First for to shew the lamentable estate of multitudes of Christians that frequent our assemblies and yet are still extreme ●ots in regard of spirituall things They sauor nothing but the things of the flesh and rellish nothing but what flowes from fleshly wisedome Aske the Labourer of his worke or the Artificer of matters of trade or the Husband-man of the fruits of the ground or the Gentleman of his pleasures or the newes of the World or the Scholler of humane learning and you shall haue an answere many times to admiration But aske of Heauen and heauenly things except a fewe generall sayings they can say nothing but froth or error they are as blockish as if they had neuer heard of the Gospell How many Masters are there in Israel and yet know not the things that concerne sound regeneration and a true sanctified life Dauid calls himselfe a beast in respect of the remainders of ignorance in some things being excellently qualified with true knowledge Oh how brutish then must these persons account themselues to bee What heart can stand before the serious thoughts of the damnation of multitudes that now sit with vs in the House of God euen for this very sin of ignorance Hosh. 4.6 And the more lamentable is it to obserue the vnspeakeable auersenesse that is in man that of all sorts though they be warned yet some will on stil and dy without wisdom Iob 4.20 and which is yet more in places where men haue the meanes plentifully yet what number doth the God of this world keepe in blindnesse so as they liue and die very sots euen in those places where they haue had line vpon line and precept vpon precept and yet the people no more instructed then the childe new weaned from the brest Esay 28.9 Yea the more fearefull is the estate of diuers that they doe not onely want knowledge but they reiect it and blaspheme it as if it were not onely vnnecessary but hatefull they loue darkenesse more then light and therefore their damnation sleepeth not Ioh. 3.19 Iob. 21.14 But on the other side so many as haue their harts touched from God let them bee warned to auoid ignorance as they would auoid the death of their soules let it bee hatefull to them to bee babies in vnderstanding 1. Cor. 14.20 Eph. 5.16 and learn of Salomon aboue all things to get vnderstanding Prou. 4.7 and to that end to pray with Dauid That God would giue him vnderstanding that he might liue Psal. 119.144 and when men haue the light they should walk in the light and when God giues the instructions they should take heed that they be not as the horse or mule to learn nothing but what they are forced vnto but rather with all diligence and readinesse to wait daily at the gates of wisdom Psal. 32.8 9. But if men bee still senselesse and wilfull then I say to them as the Apostle said if the hatefulnesse of their ignorance will not appeare Let him that is ignorant be ignorant still 1. Cor. 14.38 Doct. 4. It may bee likewise noted that in the language of God vnregenerate men are fooles or rather mad-men men without mindes Rom. 1.3 Tit. 3.3 And that this point may be more cleare I would consider of the signes of a spirituall mad-man or foole and that this point also may bee cleared you must remember there are two sorts of men are said litterally to bee without mindes the one is naturall fooles and their disease is called moria the other is furious mad-men and their disease is called mania both suffer alienation of minde they want their mindes or the right vse of them and so there are two sorts of men which spiritually want mindes some are resembled by fooles and some by mad-men A spirituall foole may bee known especially by two signes First by his mindlesnesse hee hath no thoughts nor words about the Kingdome of heauen hee is altogether carelesse and sencelesse hee sits still without any regard of it as some children that are mopish and heed nothing or some that are sicke of a kinde of a melancholy that will neither speake nor eate these lose time and will not buy it Eph. 5.16 Secondly by his sottishnesse this sort differs from the former for these will talk and bee doing and many times very busie but it is without any spirituall sense or discerning their words and workes are all idle and sottish and crosse to the Word of God and these are discouered by diuers signes diuersly as First the Wisdome of God seemes foolishnesse to them let heauenly things

degree of the misery of wicked men I take it it is especially the darknes of ignorance is heer meant though the other cannot be excluded That which is euident to bee obserued from hence is that all men that are not effectually called liue in darknes and walk-on in darknes Eph. 4.17 1. Iohn 2.9 Psal. 82.5 It is a continual night with them they are like the Aegyptians that could haue no Sunne to light them but were couered with palpable darknes Neither are they helped that they enioy the light of the Sunne for of all darknesses that which comes from the absence of the Sunne is the least or hath least distresse in it If a man liued where hee should neuer see day or were born blinde yet his distress were nothing in comparison of the darknes especially spirituall that lieth vpon the poor soule of an vnregenerate man which lieth shut vp in miserable darknes which these men may feele in themselues by their liuing without GOD in the world and by the absence of the ioies of God and by their singular vncapablenesse in the things of the Kingdome of GOD and by their strange and absurd errours in conceiuing of matters of Religion by their monstrous thoughts and obiections they feel at some times and disability to conceiue of the worth of eternal things though the least of them bee better than the whole world and lastly by their want of discouering what to do almost in all the occasions of life Vse The vse may bee for singular terrour to wicked men if they had hearts to consider of it to knowe that they liue in such a condition as no prisoner can suffer in the worst dungeon of the world and the rather if they consider the aggrauation of their distresse in respect of the darknes they liue in or are likely to liue in as First that they haue the Diuels as the Rulers of the darknes they liue in who like cruell Iaylers will see to it that they bee kept still in their dungeon with all increase of heauinesse and misery Eph. 6.12 Secondly that their darknes is also the shadow of death a most deadly poisonfull darknes that daily increaseth in the infection and annoyance of it Esay 9.2 Thirdly that they suffer so many kindes of darknes in the vexations and discomforts of each of them Fourthly that it is such grosse darknes so thick and palpable without any mixture of true light or comfort if they had but star-light or moon-light it were some ease Fiftly that they are neither safe walking nor lying still If they walk they go in singular danger for they knowe not whither they go 1. Iohn 2.11 Iob 18.5 6 7. If they lie still and sleep it out they are in danger to be swallowed vp eternally Sixtly that this darknes will not hide from God All they doo is manifest before him Esay 29.15 Seuenthly that it is a continuall darknes it will neuer be day with them so long as they liue in that estate without repentance Iob 15.30 All his daies he eats in darknes Eccles. 5.17 Eightthly that they are in danger euery hour to bee cast into vtter darknes where will bee no ease nor end He knoweth not that the day of this darknes is ready at hand into which if hee fall he shall neuer depart out Ninthly that this is the case of euery vnregenerate man the whole world of them lieth in darknes and not one escapeth it their whole earth is without form and void and their heauens haue no light in them Ier. 4.24 Ob. But wee see wicked men haue ioy and comfort many times Sol. They haue certaine sparkes of light like the light smitten out of the flint first they cannot warme themselues by it nor see how to direct their waies secondly it will quickly goe out thirdly howsoeuer it bee for a time heere yet at length they must lie downe in sorrow Esay 50.10 And the consideration heereof should in the second place much reproue the peruersenes of wicked men and that in diuers respects and considerations First that they can bee silent in darknes as the phrase is 1. Sam. 2.9 that they can liue so securely neuer make mone or humble themselues in their distresse Secondly that they dare which is worse many times call darknes light and light darknes and defend it that they are in as great liberty and safety as the best of them all Oh woe vnto them because they call darknes light Esay● 20 Thirdly that they will not come into the light when the dore is opened and while there is spirituall means of light What a thing is this that light is come into the world and the darknes comprehendeth it not Ioh. 1.5 Fourthly this is their condemnation that they loue darknes more then light and preferre their vile condition before the condition of the children of the light Ioh. 3.21 Thirdly let these poore wretches bee instructed if it bee possible 1. To embrace the meanes of light 2. To pray to God to be intreated of them to lighten their darknes doth not hee iustly perish that may enioy the light for asking for it yet and will not Ob. If any ask how may they knowe that they are in darknes Ans. I answer First By the vncapablenes and insensiblenes of the soule in the things of the Kingdome of God Eph. 4.17 1. Cor. 2.14 Secondly By the workes of darknes by the continuall practice of sinne without sound repentance Rom. 13. 1. Iohn 1.6 7. Thirdly in particular by the habituall hatred of the godly because they follow goodnes 1. Ioh. 2.9 11. Fourthly by the absence of God in the vse of his ordinances who is as the Sunne to the Godly Psal. 84.12 And thus of the vse that concerns the wicked Vse 2. Godly men should from hence gather encrease of consolation in their harts from the consideration of Gods mercy in translating them from the Kingdome of darknes into the Kingdome of his deare Loue Col. 1.12 13. they are the men vpon whome God hath accomplished the prophecy and promise of his grace They are the deafe men that are made to heare the words of the book and the blind men that see out of obscurity and darknes Esay 29.18 19. The Lord hath made darknes light before them and brought them being but blind men by a way they knew not Esay 42.16 The people that sate in darknes haue seene great light Esay 9.1 These men are the prisoners that once were in darknes and God sent his owne Sonne to the prison dore to bid them come foorth and shew themselues Esay 49.9 And their deliuerance from darknes should be the more comfortable if they consider First what a world of people are yet couered with darknes Esay 61.1 Secondly that darknes shall neuer returne They enioy a day that neuer shall haue night following Ob. But is there not darknes still in godly men as well as in other men Sol. I answer In some

3. There is not couetousnes or the loue of world there 1. Ioh. 2.14 Iam. 4.3 he vseth the world but hee admires it not His taste in earthly things is lost Hee sauours them not as hee was wont to do Romanes 8.5 And as in these things hee is new so in the furniture of his heart hee is in many things new for First hee hath a new minde hee is renewed in the spirit of his minde which appeares first by his capablenes in spirituall things Hee that lately could not perceiue the things of God 1. Cor. 2.14 now heares as the learned hee sees in a mirour hee lookes and wonders The vaile is taken away that before couered him 2. Cor. 3. Secondly by the transcendencie of the things hee knowes he can now looke vpon the verie Sun hee knowes God and Iesus Christ and the glory to come and the excellent things giuen of God which the heart of the natural man neuer perceiued Iohn 17.3 1. Cor. 2.9 10. Thirdly by the instrument by which hee vnderstands hee sees by faith and not by Reason in many things he is fully assured in diuers Mysteries where sense and reason can giue-in no euidence Secondly hee hath newe affections I will instance but in two of them sorrow and loue He is another man in his sorrowes which appeares both in the causes and in the remedies of his sorrowes For the causes hee was wont neuer to be sorry for any thing but his crosses now hee is seldome sorry for any thing but his sinne And for the remedies he was wont to driue away his sorrowes with time sleepe and merry company but now nothing but good words from God will ease him his loue may be tryed by the obiects and so whom hee can loue truely or whome hee doth loue vehemently Hee can loue his very enemies which hee could neuer doe before And hee doth loue Iesus Christ though he neuer sawe him 1. Pet. 1.9 and so feruently as hee accounts all things in the world which hee was wont so much to dote vpon but as losse and dung in comparison of Iesus Christ Phil. 3.8 9. Fiftly hee hath a new behauiour with him hee is wonderfully altered in his carriages which appeares in diuers things First in respect of the rule of his life hee walks by rule Gal. 6.16 Hee commeth daily to the light to see whether his works be wrought in God Ioh. 3.21 This is a signe giuen by our Sauiour Christ in that place Hee is carefull to order his behauiour by the warrant of the word Phil. 2.15 16. Secondly in respect of the meanes hee vseth for the ordering of his conuersation And so hee taketh presently hold on Gods Sabbath hee is carefull to keepe the Sabbath honouring that day aboue all others and esteeming and desiring it for the imployment thereof Thus the Lord of the Sabbath saith that it is a signe by which hee knowes the people whether they bee truly sanctified or not Exod. 31.13 Esay 56.2.6 Thirdly in respect of the things hee imploies himselfe in hee chooseth the things that please God Esay 56.4 his desire is now in all his waies to do such things as might bee acceptable to God Whereas before hee was most carefull to please men or to satisfie his owne lusts Fourthly in respect of the manner of his conuersation In which foure things especially shine first humility hee shewes that the great opinion of himselfe is taken downe in him hee is lowely and meek which hee hath learned of Christ Math. 11.29 Secondly affectionatenes Hee loues the name of the Lord and to bee the Lords seruant Esay 56.6 Hee doth good duties with good affections Thirdly contempt of the world hee can deny his profit pleasure ease credit or the like Hee is no more worldly or eaten vp with the cares of life He doth not esteeme of earthly things as hee was wont to doo and shewes it in his carriage Fourthly sincerity for now hee hath respect to all the Commandements of God hee desires to bee sanctified throughout he is not mended in many things as Herod was but is in some degree mended in all things and besides hee is carefull of his waies in all places and companies hee will obey absent as well as present Phil. 2.12 and there is no occasion of offense in him 1. Iohn 2.8 He is wonderfull wary and carefull to prouide that he may not bee an offense to any body and withall hee is not found to striue more for credit than for goodnes or more ready to iudge others than to condemn himself Iames 3.17 If this description be throughly waighed it will bee found to contain the most liuely and essentiall things that distinguish true Conuerts from all othermen Nor may the force of any of these bee weakned because many that seem true Christians doo shew the contrary to some of these for many that seem iust to men are an abomination to God and besides these things may be in the weak Christian in some weak measure though not so exactly Thus of the third doctrine Doct. 4. We may hence note that there is a peculiar time for the keeping of this visitation of grace All the times of mens liues are not times of visitation there is a speciall day of visitation called in Scripture The day of saluation the accepted time the due time the season of God's grace 2. Cor. 6.2 That this point may be opened first we may consider of the acceptation of this word Day It vsually notes a naturall day that is the space of foure and twenty houres Sometimes it notes the artificiall day of twelue houres from the morning to the euening so Iohn 11.9 Sometimes it notes time generally as in such Scriptures as say In those daies the meaning is In those times Sometimes it notes some peculiar season for the dooing or suffering of some notable thing as the speciall time when God plagues wicked men is call'd their day Psalm 37.13 Iob 18.20 So the time when Christ declared himself openly to bee the Messias is called his day Iohn 8.46 So it is heer taken for that speciall part of our time of life wherein God is pleased to offer and bestowe his grace vpon vs to saluation Now this cannot be the whole space of a man's life for it is euident that many men for a long time of their life haue not at all been visited of God in this visitation of grace they haue sate in darknes and in the shadow of death and this time is called night Rom. 13.13 Again others are threatned with the vtter losse of God's fauour if they obserue not a season as Heb. 3.6 c. Luke 19.41 42. Yea some men haue liued beyond this season and for not obseruing it were cast away Pro. 1.24 28. The very tearm heer vsed shewes it for when he saith The day of visitation he manifestly by the Metaphor of visiting proues a limitation of the time for all the yeer