after an estimation of this salvation for certainly it must needs be excellent that is so long in preparing But thirdly and principally we should learne to prepare for it For if God prepare it for us wee should much more prepare our selves for it yea it may be that God writes this for our instruction we heare what God doth that we might learn what to doe our selves Now if any should aske what we must doe in preparing for salvation I answer we must prepare five waies 1. By repentance for our sinnes 2. By procuring the assurance of it in the signes seales and pledges of it 3. By the labour of love endevouring with speed to dispatch Gods work even the taske that God hath set us to 4. By laying up treasures in heaven both by sending our prayers thither before and by conversing in heaven by meditation and desires 5. Lastly by speciall preparation for death waiting till the time of our changing doâ— come Thus of preparation The revelation followes To be revealed Two thingâ— are here implied and one expressed The things implyed are first that the salvation of the soule is a hid mysterie It is not yet revealed and so it is first in the doctrine of it to Pagans secondly in the assurance of it to wicked men in the Church they sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death sometimes for want of meanes but alwaies for want of faith to beleeve it in their owne case nay they see not clearly the happinesse of the elect in general for the glory of their salvation is darkned by their afflictions and disgraces in the world thirdly it is in some respects hid and not yet revealed to the faithfull For first many of the children of God want the knowledge of it which they might have through neglect either of the means of assurance or the order of life For God doth in the brightnesse of it shew his salvation to them that dispose their waies aright Secondly none of the children of God know it as it shall be and that if we respect either the instant of time when God will accomplish it or the full perfection of the glory of it 2. That it shall never be fully revealed till the last time But is it not at all revealed in this life I answer it is But then consider to whom and how and in what things It is revealed to the godly in a more particular manner for the wicked have but a generall glimpse of it It is revealed by the word which teacheth it by the spirit which sealeth it and causeth us by the word to understand our right in it and by the graces of Christ which as signs prove iâ— And for the last it is revealed three waies 1. by way of negation for in this life wee see by the word what shall not be in heaven as not sinne sorrow sicknesse death c. 2. In respect of the assurance of faith and hâ—pâ— 3. In â—â—spâ—â—t of the fâ—â—st fruits and pledges and beginnings of salvation in saving graces The doctrine expressed is that salvation shall be revealed at the last day and that three waies fiâ—st by the voice of Christ who in the last sentence shall set out the glory of Gods mercy before men and Angels describing the worth of the Kingdome of God which he hath prepared for the elect 2. God will then inlarge and perfect the understandings of the faithfull in full conceiving of the worth of eternall things 3. It shall be revealed in that it shall be enjoyed The revelation of it shall be the possession of it and this is principally meant here The Uses of this doctrine concerning the revelation of salvation are divers First it is exceeding comfortable unto Gods children and thiâ— comfort may be concluded out of this doctrine three waies First from the generall they may hence be greatly heartned that those great things which are promised shall one day be revealed They are now the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what they shall be their miseries are revealed now but their salvation is but prepared to be revealed Secondly here is comfort in particular against slanders and reproaches and the evill censures and surmises of men and wretched imputations Their innocencie shall one day be revealed and the sinnes and secret plots of adversaries shall one day be discovered There is nothing covered that shall not then be revealed that day shall try mens works And also against all sorts of erosses might this doctrine comfort us For if we did thinke of the things that are not seene as yet they would make us hold all our afflictions light and momentary in comparison of what we expect And thirdly from the lesse to the greater they may hence deduce singular comfort For if now at some times when it is but in preparation to be revealed Gods people doe find so much comfort what shall that superabundant happinesse be when that Abyssus shall be broken up and the mines of treasure shall be discovered and possessed Here is also implyed by the contrary wonderfull terror to the wicked men they little know what shall befall them the Lord now treasures up much for them and a day will come when it shall be revealed If that anger that God in this world doth reveale from heaven by his threatnings or by his judgements be so terrible oh what shall it be in the last day they shall call for the mountains to cover them when the Lambe shall sit upon his throne to open the mysterie of their iniquity and Gods anger and it is a misery added to their misery that they cannot discerne it but for the most part die without knowledge and sinke into perdition before they be aware But especially woe shall then be to the hypocrite for his maske shall then be pulled off Thirdly this doctrine may serve for instruction and that two waies First we should be thankfull if God have in any measure revealed unto us his love and this mysterie of our salvation For there are many wise men and great men to whom in the secrets of his judgement that knowledge is denied Secondly we should with earnest expectation waiâ— for the revelation of the sons of God seeing that that is the time of glorious and unexpressible liberty And thus of the revelation of salvation In the last time These words are diversly accepted in Scripture Sometimes they note in definitely any time that is far off sometimes they note the whole space of time from Christs first comming to the second sometimes they note the later age of the world neerer the second comming of Christ sometimes it notes the time after the resurrection till the end of the judgement and so it is here Before I come to the particular consideration of these words there are divers things may be noted in
preaching of the Gospell he being diversly shaked to and fro in the divers manners of propounding of Christ in the Gospell 3. The moving of the lips of the sinner in his confession and prayer before God 4. It might note the trembling of the Christian when hee comes first unto God and the various conflicts in his soule with which he is shaken and yet Christ is accepted as an offering for them before the Lord for all their feare and doubtings and tossings of temptations for the Christian holds his sacrifice in his hands for all his feares 3. The pinte of oyle that was to be waved also may note 1. That there is abundance of joyes will follow care and conscience in faith and repentance for trespasses 2. That before we can get abundance of joy it must be waved before the Lord that is Christ must beg it for us in heaven and preach it often to us in earth we must heare joy and gladnesse 3. It may perhaps note that marvellous feare and sorrow of heart for sinne which a Christian feeles when he is most joyed by the holy Ghost He rejoyceth with trembling Psal. 2.11 VERSE 13. The killing of the lambe followes amplifyed by the place and the person to whom it belonged and the worth of it Foure things were here signified 1. That Christ must be killed for us and in his death is our sacrifice 2. That the place where being the holy place notes 1. That Christ was slaine onely by and for the Elect. 2. That Christ crucified is taught and knowne onely in the Church 3. In that the Priest must have all the offerings is noted 1. That Christ onely can make an atonement 2. That the honour of our sanctification belongs to the Ministers 4. In that it was most holy is noted that this way of holinesse in Christ is an absolute way as ever was devised VERSE 14. The sprinkling followeth and is twofold 1. Of the bloud ver 14. 2. Of oyle ver 15. to 19. 1. The sprinkling of bloud noted the worke of God and the Gospell applying CHRISTS bloud to the distressed sinner 2. The sprinkling of the eare hand and toe noted that our hearing of the Word the principall meanes is sanctified by the bloud of Jesus Christ so as our unworthinesse shall be no barre to our successe in the meanes Secondly that our practice likewise is sanctified in the bloud of Christ. Thirdly that our progresse also and perseverance depends upon the merit and vertue of Christs passion and these are the three things Christ undertakes for the penitent sinner VERSE 15 16 17 18. The sprinkling of oyle followes where note 1. Who doth it viz. the Priest 2. How he doth it He poureth into his left hand and dippeth his finger 3. How many wayes he doth it 4. Where he doth it 5. Whâ—t he doth with the remainder 1. The Priests sprinkling of the oyle noted that Christ and his Ministers are the chiefe fountaine of our joy 2. The warinesse of the Priest in the manner shewes that God would have his consolations warily propoundâ—d unto men 3. He was to sprinkle both before the Lord and upon the party 1. The sprinkling before the Lord noted the joyes of Gods presence and that he is privie to all the comforts befall us 2. In that it was done many times is noted 1. The perfection of the joyes God hath prepared c. 2. Our imperfection in beleeving it 3. The sprinckling upon the partie noted the particular interest of the penitent in the joyes of Christ. 4. The sprinkling of the eare thumb and toe assured comfort in hearing practice and perseverance and in that it must be put upon the bloud of the trespasse offering it signified that wee cannot have true joy but in the sacrifice of Christ and the application thereof It is all merited in his death and to be applyed by Pâ—ith 5. The remainder was to be poured out upon the head of the person which might note either 1. The fulnesse of joy which Christ our head hath in heaven the same with ours saving in the measure 2. That our consolations are given us that we might comfort others by the running downe of our c. 3. That we were abundantly consecrated unto God and annointed as Priests Kings and Prophets unto the Lord and shall have everlasting joy in our callings Esay 35. ult So that that joy upon their heads was shadowed by this type Quest. But why joy upon their heads Answ. Though the seat of joy be the heart yet the cause of joy is in the head and that is the understanding of our happy estate in Christ. Where he addes that the Priest shall make an attonement for him wee must understand it thus that the Priest hereby shall ratifie the attonement 〈◊〉 in the sacrifice of Christ c. These joyes shall abundantly settle his heart in the assurance of Gods favouâ— in Christ and so it notes that usually Gods servants have not that setled peâ—swasion of their happinesse in reconciliation with God untill they have had abundance of experience of the joyes of the holy Ghost in the knowledge of their calling in Jesus Christ. VERSE 19 20. Quest. Now that the 〈◊〉 iâ— satisfied in Gods goodnesse and favour what is more to be done Answ. There must be yet a sinne offering and a burnt offering For after he hath taken a course for outward sins by which he trespassed against God and man he returnes and finds a marvellous deale of drosse in his nature and of secret corruptions that hang upon him daily and therefore now he needs a new application of the sacrifice of Christ to comfort him against his sinnes that hang on so fast though he be freed from grosse sins or outward trespasses that men take notice of The repetition of his clensing from his uncleannesse imports that for sinnes after calling a child of God is afresh humbled with a loathing of his impurities of heart as he was at his first setting out his daily corruptions and frailties make him seeme wonderfull uncleane in his owne eyes and therefore he seeks a new atonement Now when he addes And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering it was to signifie either 1. That God in this life after long conflicts doth at length reveale Jesus Christ in a great measure so as the Christian is fully satisfied in the application of all the merits of Jesus Christ as knowing his discharge from all his sinnes in him 2. That at our death Christs sacrifice shall fully free us from all the guilt and staine of sinne The repetition that the Priest must offer all these offerings shews wee need still both Christs intercession in heaven and the ministery of Christs servants to preach him crucified while we live in the world The meat offering annexed to the burnt offering shews either that Christians grow marvellously in this life after they have full assurance of their pardon for all sins or else that Christ will
of his that we might admire it and adore it and embrace it and in the meane time love and delight in the Lords Supper that exhibiteth the body of Christ spiritually unto us rejoycing in such meetings above the joy of all carnall people before any other things Fiftly we should therefore take heed of sinning against our bodies bâ—â— make conscience to serve God both in body and Spirit and say with David and Christ Lord a body thou hast given me for I come to doe thy will Sixtly what cursed monsters are swearers that reare 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 sometimes a staffe Mat. 26.47 sometimes a paire of stockes Acts 16.24 sometimes a tree growing Rev. 2.11 usually wood â— Cor. 3.12 here a Gallowes made of wood Christ bare our sins on the tree because he did in a speciall manner suffer bitter extremities on the tree which he suffered as our Suretie and for our sins for First to die on a tree was by a speciall Law of God made a curse and so is every one that hangs on a tree Gal. 3.13 Secondly he was debarred of the benefit of ordinary naturall comforts for he lived in paine three houres in the dâ—rke and had not the light of the Sunne Thirdly in that darknesse he was put to the most fearfull conflict with the Divels which at that time did with their utmost fury assault him and sight against him Col. 3.25 Fourthly he endured most grievous paines and torments of body and the effusion of his most precious bloud Fiftly he was reckoned amongst the wicked in his death and therefore hanged betweene two malefactors Esay 53.9 Sixtly he was reviled by the base multitude and mocked and derided by the chiefe Priests and Scribes Mat. 27.39 to 45. Seventhly God his Father poured out upon him the fearfull vials of his wrath in with-drawing for a time the sense of his favour Mat. 27.46 Eighthly his whole body was offered up on the tree as a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the world and the substance of all the Sacrifices in the Law Uses We have therefore cause to rejoyce in the crosse of Christ above all things for on the tree he freed us from the curses of the Law and purchased for us 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 wayes of inflicting death upon the godly so as now they may with comfort in a good cause or after repentance for their faults even suffer that death on a tree with joy And we should the more praise God for his favour if he suffer any of us to die of any other more easie or more honourable death And then we may againe see the hatefulnesse of sin in that God punishing our sins in the person of his owne Sonne doth not omit the very circumstances of abasement his justice exacting not onely death but that painfull 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 us are when wee heare reade or thinke of these sufferings of Christ they may rather see cause for ever to abhorre the doctrine of merit seeing hereby we proclaime our selves to be worthy of the very merits of Christ that can be so little affected with the thought of his sufferings Thus of the matter of Christs sufferings The effects follow and the effects in respect of us 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 divers wayes First in respect of nature when the Frame of nature is dissolved by the pâ—â—ting of the soule from the body Secondly in respect of God when God is departed from men with his grace and righteousnesse and favour thus wicked men are spiritually dead Eph. 2.1 and 4.17 1 Tim. 5.6 〈◊〉 in respect of the world when a man is overwhelmed with crosses 〈…〉 as are 〈◊〉 wit◠〈◊〉 in his reputation he is said to be dead and his life to be hid under 〈…〉 being despised and 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 mâ—n oâ—t of â—inde Col. â— 3 Esay 26.19 Fourthly in respect of sinne and so men either are dead for sin as malefactors or dead in sinne as all wicked men or dead to sinne as the godly here 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 be dead to sinne then is to be mortified in respect of sin Sin is said to be dead either in appearance or in deed In appearance only it is dead in such as have their sins only restrained for a time eâ—â—her by Gods owne strong hand or else by themselves kept downe for certaine hypocriticall ends or else for want of occasion or temptation to stir the sinne thus sinne was dead in Paul when he was unregenerate and revived when the Law came Rom. 7.9 Sin is dead indeed in godly men but with a difference for though in this life they be wholly rid of many sins yet some corruptions are not wholly removed 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 delivered from all sin Thus of the sense There be many Doctrines may be hence observed as Doct. 1. First it is evidently here implied that all men by nature and out of Christ are alive to sin or live to sin and in sinning they may be said to live or be alive or live to it in divers respects 1. Because all the parts of their life are full of sin sin infecteth their persons and their workes 2. Because they are in bondage to sin so as all their life they are at the command of sin they are servants of sin Rom. 6. 3. Because they account sin to be the life of their lives they could not esteeme life but for the hope of liberty and power of sinning It were a death to them to live restrained of sin as appeares when either by punishment or for other ends they are found to cease sinning 4. Because they doe not destroy sin in letting it live they are guilty of the life of sin in them because they will not use the means to subdue and mortifie sin that dwels in them but let it alone unresisted 5. Because they have most life or are most lively when they have most liberty to sin 6. Because they continue in sinne they spend not an houre but it is in sinne yea they so sinne now that they desire to spend everlasting
repented It is a signe of true mortification when 1. A man hath seriously condemned himselfe before God for his sin 2. When he feeles the wonted violence of affections after sinne and the world to be deaded and his heart growne dull and out of taste in matters of sin and the world He is crucified that hath his lusts and affections crucified Gal. 5.24 3. That he is weary of life is selfe by reason of the remainders of sin in his flesh Rom. 7. 4. That hath felt as sensible sorrowes for his sinnes as he was wont to doe for his crosses sorrowes I say that are voluntary and for sinne as it is sinne Doâ—t 4. The Passion of Christ is the best medicine to kill sin in us he died that we might die to sin There is a vertue in the death of Christ to kill sin Rom. 6. Now the death of Christ may be said to kill sin First in respect of the guilt of sin Christ in his death paid all that was needfull for satisfaction and â—o destroyed the imputation of it and stilled the clamour of it It cannot cry against us in heaven because God is fully satisfied and the bond discharged and cancelled the plea of our sins died in the Passion of Christ. Secondly in respect of the hatefulnesse of it or the demonstration of the hatefulnesse of it The Passion of Christ gives all men occasion to see how unworthy sin is to live that made him die when it was only imputed to him and not done by him Thirdly in respect of the power of it in us actually There is a secret vertue in the wounds of Christ to wound sin and in the death of Christ to kill sinne and therefore the Scripture speakes not only of the merit but of the vertue of his death Rom. 6. Phil. 3. which vertue is secretly derived unto the penitent sinner by the ordinances of Christ his Word Prayer and Sacraments Uses The Use should be for triall men may know whether as yet they have any part in the death of Christ by inquiring whether they be dead in their sins First they have no interest in the merit of his death that have not experience of the vertue of his death in killing their corruptions Secondly for instruction When godly men find any corruption begin to be too strong for them they must flye to Christ for this medicine and then there is no sin so strong in them but by constant prayer to Christ for the vertue of his death will be subdued if they pray in faith Prayer gets the medicine and faith applies it to the disease Doct. 5. True mortification doth not encounter one sin only but sins in the plurall number and indefinitely It notes that in true repeâ—tance there is a respect had to amendment of all sins To amend only one or two faults is not true repentance for he that is truely dead is dead to sins there is no sin but the true Convert desires and endeavours to be rid of it so far as hee knowes it to be a sin Herâ—d did mend in some things but yet was not sound because in one sin he minded no repentance And this point doth give an infallible rule of triall of mens estates in Christ for no wicked man on earth doth so much as in true desire forsake all sin There be some corruptions he knowes that he would upon no conditions part with To desire and endeavour to be rid of all sins is an infallible mark of a child of God Doct. 6. Mortification makes a man dead only to sins 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 sin only nor doth it kill his contentment in the creatures of God and the use of lawfull things nor doth it destroy his liberty in lawfull delights and recreations it kils his sin only Might live unto righteousnesse These words containe the second effect of Christs death and passion viz. the raising of us unto a righteous life his death makes us live and live righteously Divers Doctrines may be hence observed Doct. 1. First that men truely mortified shall live happily These dead men will live there is no danger in great sorrow and the other workes of mortification It kils sin but the soule lives by that meanes He is sure to live that is dead to his sins Rom. 8.13 Esay 26.19 1 Pet. 4.6 Ezek. 18. Hos. 14.2 The reasons are first because God hath promised comfort to such as mourne for sin Mat. 5.4 Pro. 14.10 Secondly Christ hath a speciall charge given 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 ever after interessed in the comforts of the Word Esay 57. 15 18. Fiftly the nature of godly sorrow is only 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 shall be conformed to Christs life by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 6.5 8 11. Uses The Use 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 whereas they may here see there is no danger in it Hellish terrours and despaire and some kinde of diseases may make strange effects in some men but never was any hurt by godly sorrow for sin if we will beleeve the Scriptures and therefore it should incourage men to fall to worke soundly about searching their wayes and confessing their sins and judging themselves in secret for their sinnes Iames 4.7 2 Cor. 7.10 11. But here men must looke to some few rules First that they see the warrant of the course in the Word and know the places that require these duties that they lay up such promises made to the duties of mortification as may uphold their hearts in the practice of them Thirdly that they refuse not consolation but when they have found true humiliation for their sins and comfort from God in his ordinances that they turne their sorrow into joy and their prayers into thanksgiving and spend their dayes alwayes rejoycing in the Lord. Doct. 2. It is not enough to die to sinne unlesse wee also live to righteousnesse it is not enough to forsake our sinnes but wee must spend our dayes in good workes we are so charged to cease to doe evill as withall we 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 Matth. 3.8 A man will cut downe his fig-tree for want of good fruit though it beare no ill fruit Luke 13.6 It will not please any
brought to light none can reach to it but such as God endues with speciall wisedome for Solomon long since had observed that life is above to the wise only Pro. 15.24 The things I would consider of about this life are these 1. The degrees of it 2. The originall of it 3. A ghesse at the nature of it 4. The things that nourish it 5. The differences betweene this life on earth and as it is in heaven 6. The meanes to attaine it or what we must doe if wee would enter into life 7. The signes to know whether it be in us 8. The properties of it 9. Lastly the Uses of it 1. For first we must understand that this life hath three degrees into which we enter in at three gates as it were The first degree of eternall life begins at the first spirituall acquaintance with God in this life when his favour is made knowne to us in Jesus Christ by the Gospel so as we are truely justified and sanctified being reconciled unto God having all our sins forgiven us and our natures made new and into this degree we enter by the gate of regeneration Thus our Saviour saith This is eternall life to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ Iohn 17.3 Thus he that heareth Christs words and beleeveth is passed from death to life Iohn 5.24 The second degree begins at our death and continueth the life that the soule separated from the body enjoyes till the resurrection at the last day And concerning the estate of the soule in this degree of life we have no absolute revelation but yet are taught in Scripture that it returnes to God that gave it to the body at first Eccles. 12.7 and that it is with Christ Phil. 1.23 that it is in the hands of God and in Paradise Luke 23.43 and lives in unspeakable joy Luke 16.25 and is freed from all miseries of this life and enjoyes the honour of all good workes Rev. 14.13 the bodie resting in the grave from all paine and labour as in a bed of rest till the resurrection Esay 57.2 And into this degree of life eternall we enter in by the gate of death The third degree of life eternall begins at the resurrection of our bodies at the last day and is enjoyed by body and soule for ever comprehending all possible consummation of felicity and glory in the heavens And into this we enter by the gate of resurrection which is a kind of new begetting of us and therefore is called the resurrection of life Iohn 11.25 and so the blessed in heaven are called the children of the resurrection and by that way the children of God Luke 20.36 In the first degree life is imperfect in the second it is perfect in the third it is consummate And the Use of this first point should be to warne men to looke to it that they enter into the first degree of eternall life while they are in this world or else they shall never get to heaven when they die and therefore should strive for saving knowledge and to become new creatures or else it is in vain to hope for heaven 2. For the second which is the originall of life it is greatly for the praise of it that it flowes from that life which is in God himselfe which is an unspeakable glory to the creatures that enjoy it With thee is the fountaine of life saith David Psal. 36.9 So he calls him the God of his life Psal. 42.8 Naturall life is but a sparkle that flowes from the life of our Parents but spirituall and eternall life is kindled from that infinite light and life of God but yet not as Christ received we this life for he had it by naturall generation we have it by a way unspeakable from God but yet by Jesus Christ. In him was life as the life was the light of men Iohn 14. He that hath the Son hath life Iohn 5.12 and he it is that is eternall life viz. to us ver 20. As there is no light in the visible world but from the Sun in the firmament so there is no life in the spirituall world but from God in heaven which hath caused it to shine in our hearts by the Son of righteousnesse Christ Jesus Thus our life is called the life of God Ephes. 4.18 and Christ is said to live in us Gal. 2.20 Which should teach us greatly to admire and adore the excellency of Gods goodnesse and make us to rest our selves for ever under the shadow of his wings Psal. 36.7 8 9. But that this point may be more cleerely understood we must consider of the originall of this life from God three waies First in respect of ordination and so it flowes from Gods decree he hath ordained us unto life Acts 13.48 and our names are written in the booke of life Phil. 4.3 Secondly in respect of merit it was bought of God by the death of the flesh of Christ. I give my flesh for the life of the world Iohn 6.51 This life will not be had without his death that we might live in eternall life he must die a temporall death And shall not this greatly inflame our hearts to love the Lord Jesus that gave himselfe for us that we should not perish but have everlasting life Thirdly in respect of operation or inchoation and so the fountaine of life is either without us or within us without us is the Word of Christ that is the immortall seed by which we are begotten unto life 1 Pet. 1.24 and so is called the Word of life Phil. 2.15 And the Word is so as it is the Word of Christ that is Gospel My words saith he are spirit and life Iohn 6.63 And that Word considered as it is preached to the dead soules of men the dead shall heare the voice of Christ and live Shall heare it note that Iohn 5.25 which should make us greatly to esteeme the preaching of the Gospel Within us the fountaine of life is the Spirit of Christ which is called the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 Now the Spirit of Christ that we may live doth two things viz. it quickens the seed of the Word and unites us unto Christ as members of the mysticall body and then looke how the soule of man doth give life to every member of the body so doth the Spirit of Christ to every soule as a severall member of the mysticall body 3. For the third Wee shall not exactly know what the nature of eternall life is still it be perfected in us or consummate yet by divers words God hath let fal in Scripture we may ghesse at the nature of this life and in generall I thinke it is a kind of celestiall light falling into the soule that doth to it that which naturall life doth to the body This Saint Iohn shewing how Christ was the life of men saith he was the light of men Iohn 1.4 And David having said
concerning the practice of true Christians it shewes That the rules of holy life have beene the same in all ages of the world before the Law and under the Law and now under the Gospel We may see by the carriage of holy men before the Law that they walked by such rules as these and the reason is because the rules of a religious and vertuous life were in the minde of God from all eternity and so given to men from the beginning and cannot change in as much as God is unchangeable in the formes of things And this point may shew us how hard the world is to learne in that these lessons have beene taught from the beginning and yet the most men have not learned them And besides godly Christians should be encouraged to live by rule and to walke circumspectly seeing this is no harder a taske required of them than what hath beene required in all ages Thirdly it is worth the observing who the persons are that give this counsell to strive as well as we can to live out of trouble and to lead a quiet life They were two great Champions that had endured a world of troubles themselves Peter I meane and David and yet we see they presse other men to seeke to live as quietly as is possible and thus did Paul doe also 1 Tim. 2.2 1 Thes. 4.11 Heb. 12.11 Now one maine reason why they doe so is because they themselves did feele by experience how unable they were to beat crosses when they fell upon them It was this Peter that denied his Master upon the very sight as it were of adversaries and it was this David that gave this advice after himselfe had changed his behaviour before Aâ—imâ—lech as you may see by the title of the Psalme Which should teach us to be thankfull for that publike or private quietnesse any of us doe enjoy and besides it should warne those unruly froward Christians that live not in quiet either at home or abroad to repent and amend their words and works They cannot imagine what singular comfort and contentment they withhold from their owne lives and the lives of others If they did but know how much God abhorrâ—s a froward Christian they would be more affraid than they are Thus of the generall observations The first part concernes the persons that are exhorted and they are described by two formes of speech the one such as will love life the other such as would see good daies If any man will love life From this forme of speech three things may be observed Doct. 1. That men by nature are prone to the love of life and so prone that the most men will breake all bounds and will love life whatsoever be said to them or done to them This is a point so sensibly felt by the experience of the most that heare it that it needs no proofe If any man aske what the reason should be why there is such an inordinate love of life in the most many things may be answered The first cause of it is the generall corruption of nature in the most men which came in by sin To love it selfe is nature but to love life so pertinaciously is from degeneration and the great abasement of the nature of man that cannot now move it selfe towards the perfection of it selfe for unto the godly the change of life is an alteration that brings perfection Secondly ignorance and unbeliefe is the cause of it If men did know and beleeve those glorious things God speakes of a better life they would loath this present life and long to be in heaven Thirdly the cause in many is that their hearts are ingaged upon such perplexed and intricate projects about profit or pleasure or greatnesse in the world that they are not at leasure to examine the reasons of the love of life the heart of man is usually oppressed with some one or other of these projects Fourthly in all sorts of people there is such an inâ—â—rable inconsideration that no warning from the Word or workes of God no experience of their owne or other mens can force them to a serious and constant meditation of the things concerne their true happinesse Fiftly the love of life ariseth in the most from the Idols of their hearts There is one thing or other that they have set their hearts upon in a vicious manner and this unreasonable love of their particular sins doth hold them downe in bondage to this present life and so cannot be cured of the disease till they repent of their beloved sins And the guiltinesse of their consciences makes them affraid of death and judgement and to embrace this present life upon any conditions And in godly people this inordinate love of life ariseth from the defect of particular repentance for it Thus of the first point Doct. 2. Men have cause to take off their affections and not to be so desperately bent to the love of this present life This is a point very profitable to be urged and most men and women have need of it and therefore I will shew more largely the reasons why wee should not love life or not so inordinately as to be unwilling to leave it upon any termes The first reason may bee taken from the commandement of Christ who gives this charge to all that will bee his Disciples that they must not love life As they must deny themselves in other things so in this particular And be so gives this in charge as he seemes to threaten them with the losse of life if they love it so Luk. 17.33 Ioh. 12.25 The second reason may be taken from the example of the godly that have not loved life Iob detested life Iobâ— Salomon tels of a multitude of occasions that he had to hate life in his book of Ecclesiastes and a multitude of godly men have shewed the proofe of it in laying down their lives willingly when they have beene calâ—â—â— to it Act. 20.24 Phil. 2.20 Heb. 11.35 37. The third reason may be taken from the consideration of life in it selfe both in the nature of it and in the end of it for the nature of it it is but a winde or a vapour Iames 4. so meane a thing that no man can well tell how to describe it perfectly which is the greater wonder that it should get the love of all the world and yet no body knowes what it is he loves And for the end of it it is not in the power of man to number his owne daies God hath set an appointed time for every mans death and though they love life never so much they cannot hold it beyond that time Iob 7.1 And besides our times are so hid that a man cannot be sure of a moneth a weeke a day an houre and shall our hearts be so bewitched with that which we know not how long we shall enjoy Iob 24.1 and the rather because there are so many wayes for life to goe out at though but
to carry themselves to God 351 352 How many wayes Gods People are the only beloved oneâ—â— 361 S. Peter what he was by name and office 1 2 Plagues Spirituall Plagues are worse than â—â—mporall 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 reasons 302 Power Questions concerning Gods Power in keeping of us 43 Excellent uses of it 44 Prayer What we must doe that God may answer our Prayer 85 Prayer how it may be hindred both in the bearing and making of it 671 The excellencie of Prayer in 〈◊〉 respects 669 From whence its 〈◊〉 doe arise 670 Praise Wherein it is unlawfull to seeke the Praise of men 448 If 〈…〉 would be praised they must doe well 449 〈◊〉 to get Praise from men 450 Pâ—ecious Christ is so 〈…〉 wayes 254 255 The reasons why he is 〈…〉 with men â—55 What uses are 〈…〉 〈◊〉 256 Prescience Prescience 1. Absolute 2. Speciall 3. Of approbation 8 How God forâ—knoweth 9 How his Foreknowledge may comfort us in our distresses 9 10 What it may teach us 10 Terrible to the wicked in foure respects 11 Preservation Faith doth ten things to further our Preservation 45 46 Presumption How to know whether we sin presumptuously or no 115 Priests The godly are Priests in many respects 264 265 The uses of it 265 The Priesthood of Christians is a singular priviledge 320 Princes All good Christians must be obedient to their Princes 422 Ministers should teach and presse this duty 423 The submission that belongs to them hath sixe things in it 425 Pure In what respects godly men may be said to be Pure 597 A Christians Puritie hath in it many things 597 598 Q QUicken What we must doe to Quicken our hearts 260 Quiet Sixteene helps to a Quiet life in marriage 576 Five speciall causes of their unquietnesse 577 Helpes to cause them to bee Quiet 578 Helps to attaine quietnesse 616 〈◊〉 things of singular use to keepe us quiet in trouble 673 R RAiling Reviling The wicked are prone to it 687 It is a great sin ibid. Though we be reviled we must not revile againe ibid. Excellent uses of it ibid. c. Reason The facultie of Reason in the soule and wherein it excels 382 Recreations Rules for them 104 105 Redemption Of all other doctrines we must be sure to know the doctrine of our Redemption 137 138 Wee are redeemed from sixe things 139 Five degrees of Redemption from vaine conversation 141 Seven signes of it ibid. Two wayes our Redemption is ratified 159 Refuse Christ many waies refused 298 Regeneration How it depends on Christs resurrection 38 Rejoice Rejoicing Vide Joy 54 55 56 72 c. Religion How hard a thing it is to reduce a man from his Religion though it be never so absurd 390 A religious life is the best life 541 Repentance Against such as presume on late Repentance 417 Their vaine objections for it answered ibid. c. Repentance of sin doth in divers respects kill a man 538 Divers things in Christs death which ought to be in our Repentance 539 Why Repentance is called a new birth with five differences betweene false and true Repentance 184 Report The lot of the righteous is to be evill spoken of 393 The causes and causers ibid. c. How hurtfull it is to report evill of the good 394 Reasons against it ibid. c. In what cases it is odious 395 Helps to beare them 396 To have a good Report among men is a great blessing of God 447 Reproaches They are to be avoyded as much as in us lies 457 That onely fooles reproach good men 465 Reprobation Proofes of Reprobation 311 Observations for consolation in the point of Reprobation 312 Resurrection Foure benefits of Christs Resurrection 35 Christ risen in the Old Testament three waies 37 How our regeneration depends on Christs Resurrection 38 It is a great wonder with an excellent use thereof 159 The glory given to Christ after his Resurrection shewed in eight things 160 Revelation A twofold Revelation of Christ 69 God hath revealed his will three waies 1. By the light of nature 2. By the booke of the creatures 3. By his word 77 And by that many wayes ibid. Distinctions of Revelations 86 A difference betweene Revelation and Knowledge ibid. We have sixe sorts of Revelations under the Gospel 87 Why the day of judgement is called The Revelation of Iesus Christ 111 Revenge It is unlawfull 686 Reviling What it is 526 Who are guilty of it 527 Not to render Reviling for Reviling 528 Rich Riches The wofull estate of Rich men 138 139 Vertue and grace are a Christians best Riches 618 Righteous Righteousnesse Signes that desery a Righteous man in himself 542 Sixe other signes of Righteousnesse as it groweth 543 How the Righteousnesse of a Righteous man differs from the Righteousnesse of a Pharisee ibid. Why so few embrace Righteousnesse 544 Helps thereunto 545 Defects of Righteousnesse 546 Defects in the manner of doing Righteously 547 Royall Christians are Royall many wayes 318 S SAcrifices Christians have divers sorts of Sacrifices 266 Speciall lawes to be observed in offering our Sacrifices 268 269 The use of it ibid. What to doe to make our Sacrifices acceptable 270 271 Three comforts from an acceptable Sacrifice 271 Saints Saints are strangers 4 In foureteene things they should be strangers 4 5 See more 132 Salvation What it imperteth in the originall 48 Salvation may be said to be prepared for us five wayes 49 50 To whom revealed 50 In the last day revealed three wayes ibid. Excellent uses of this revelation of Salvation ibid. c. Foure signes of the perswasion of our Salvation 75 76 Such as have the Assurance of Salvation should looke to foure things 77 Why such a multitude of men enquire so little after Salvation 81 We ought to devote our selves to the study of it ibid. We must study our Salvation with diligence 82 Divers wayes from God to further our Salvation 594 Salutation Of the usuall forme of Salutations 27 Sanctification Man is sanctified three wayes 1. Ex non sancto privativè 2. Ex minùs sancto 3. Ex non sancto negativè 14 What need our spirits have to be sanctified 15 This lyeth in two things 1. In cleansing it from sin 2. In adorning it with grace ibid. The Spirit is cleansed by eight things 16 Three things which adorne the mind in Sanctification 1. A heavenly light 2. A humble mind 3. A pure imagination ibid. The nature subject forme cause and end of our Sanctification 162 163 164. c. Two things in our Sanctification 1. Healing 2. Cleansing 164 Scandall It is defined 302 Christ a Scandall to the wicked many wayes 304 Wherein we are not to regard the offence of wicked men 305 In what things we may be guilty in giving Scandall to wicked men 306 Rules for the preventing of a Scandall ibid. c. Rules for it in matter of Ceremonies 436 Scripture Proofes of doctrine are to be fetcht from Scripture 124 The Scripture why so
God hath given of his free grace and shall be fully brought upon you at the last day when Christ shall bee shewed in his glory to the world Now there are six reasons which may induce you to the care of a holy conversation intended in the former dutyes 1. The first concernes the image of God ye are the children of God and therefore you should live so as becomes Gods children and expresse in your cariage the resemblance of the nature of God not given your selves over onâ— of the liking of sinne to the service and obedience of any of those corruptions which either your selves lived in before your calling or are usually found in such onely as know not GOD. But as God who by the power of his word hath converted you is holy so should you strive with respect of all his commandements to resemble the praises of God in all your carâ—age striving in every duty to follow your patterne And the rather because this hath beene anciently required in the old Testament of Gods people to propound unto themselves the imitation of Gods holinesse and to detest sinne because they would not be unlike to God 2. A second reason may be taken from the judgment of God For the time must certainly come when God whom we call a Father and call upon as a Father in this life will summon us before his Tribunall certainly and speedily and then no man shall escape but shalt be dealt with without partiality or any corrupt respect according as mens workes have beene either good or evill and therefore it behoves us that are in this world but as sojourners for a time to spend our daies in all carefulnesse and godly feare 3. A third reason may be taken from the consideration of our redemption which hath many important motives in it For it cannot bee but yee all know that your misery by nature was so great that yee could not be ransomed if all the treasures of gold and silver in the world had been given for you and when you were redeemed a chiefe respect was had to the freeing of you from the viciousnesse of your conversation in which vainely yee spent your times and which corruption in many things yee sucked in from the sinfull examples and precepts and ill education of your Parents and ancestors But especially if yee consider what a matchlesse price was given for your ransome even the pretious blood of Christ who as a most absolute sacrifice for our sinnes was without all soule of nature or life and so the full substance of all the ceremoniall sacrifices and in particular was the true lambe without blemish or spot that makes attonement for the sinnes of the world And the rather if yee consider that from all eternity God had ordained that Christ should dye for you and when the fulnesse of time came that God was to reveale his Sonne as the Saviour of the world hee shewed him in the flesh and caused him to be preached unto you and for your sakes with far more evidence and clearnesse than in forâ—er ages To you and for your sakes I say that doe constantly put your trust in Gods mercy through his merits that God that to shew he was fully paid the uttermost farthing of our debts came to the prison doore and let him out which he did when he raised him from the dead and besides exalted him to wonderfull glory when hee ascended up into heaven that so for the time to come you might beleeve and trust upon Gods goodnesse and favour to you without all feare or doubting 4. And the rather in the fourth place should you be carefull of the former exhortation if you consider your relation to the godly to whom ye are 〈◊〉 For seeing that by the spirit of God your soules are purified from the leprosie of inward evills by the holy course you have held in clensing your hearts of those evills which might hinder your internall sanctification in that obedience you yeeld to the truth of God and inasmuch as the end of all this reformation was that there might be a holy communion and affection without hypocrisie and dissembling among such as feare God who are all the children of one Father therefore see to it by any meanes that yee order your lives and hearts so that you may love one another both with ardent affection pure sincere hearts which you never doe unlesse you gird up the loines of your mindes and live soberly be setled in the assurance that yee shall altogether one day raigne in heaven 5. And fiftly the immortality of your soules should perswade with you you were made new men not as you were made men by a naturall propagation but inspired with a life that should never cease having the seed of this eternall life cast into your hearts by the word of God which in it selfe and by effect in you liveth and abideth for ever And lastly if you consider the mortality of your bodies All in a mans outward estate is but vaine and transitory the bodies of all men are but as the grasse which is to day and tomorrow is cut downe and cast into the oven Man is quickly and suddenly gone nor is the glory of mens outward estate better than their bodies For all the riches pleasures c. of this life in which men glory most they are but as the ' flower of grasse His body withereth like the grasse decaying in a short time till he have nothing left but the very roote of life and as for his riches and pleasures they like the flower fall off so as they are never recovered againe many times in this life but alwaies in death But on the other side the word of God upon which men should set their hearts continueth in the efficacie of it in the sense of it and in the fruit of it for ever and that you may not be mistaken this is that word of God which is daily preached unto you AN EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST EPISTLE generall of PETER CHAP. I. verses 1 2. 1. Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ to the strangers that dwell here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father unto sanctification of the spirit through obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ Grace and peace be multiplied unto you THe purpose of the Apostle in this Epistle is to confirme the Christians to whom he writes in the faith and to assure them that it was the true grace of God they had received and to perswade them to all possible care of sincerity of life becomming the Gospell and to constancy in tryalls The Epistle stands of three parts 1. The salutation Chap. 1. ver 1 2. 2. The body of the Epistle Chap. 1. ver 3. to Chap. 5. ver 12. 3. The Epilogue or conclusion Chap. 5. ver 12.
we might partake of his holinesse and live and there is much fruit in the afflictions of the godly all working together for the best unto them If God spare wicked men it is because they are bastards and not sonnes and yet there is a great deale of difference betweene Gods usage of wicked men and of godly even in their trouble For he spares and pitties his owne children as a man will spare and pitty his owne son He never strikes them but it is in measure and in their branches He doth not make a full end of them to confound them as he will doe with wicked men Heb. 12. Esay 27. Ob. The world sees no such excellency in them or in their Estate Sol. The world knowes them not because it knowes not God their father they are now the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall bee but we know that when Christ shall appeare we shall be all like him 1 Iohn 3.1 2. This doctrine of Gods fatherly love to his people may serve for instuction 1. To godly men 2. To carnall men 3. To earthly fathers 1. Godly men should learne here to live like the children of God and so they'doe if they looke to three things 1. That they live without sin and not shame their father by their wicked lives their workes should shew and beare witnesse by their care to finish them that God is their father and set them about them Iohn 5.36 Their righteousnesse must exceed the righteousnesse of civill men in this world Mat. 5.20 and therefore their daily prayers unto God should be that hee would establish them in holinesse before him till the comming of Iesus Christ 1 Thess. 3.13 2. Secondly that they live without care having such a heavenly father to provide for them Mat. 6.25 c. 3. Thirdly that they live out of the society with wicked men cleaving only to the houshold of God 2 Cor. 6.18 they should love their fathers house Psal. 27.4 and deny utterly the love of this world Iohn 2.15 16. 2. Carnall men should hence take notice if it may be to be better advised and not meddle with the godly no not to despise the least of these little ones Their Angels alwayes behold the face of God for them and their heavenly father will requite their wrongs Mat. 18.10 c. 3. Earthly parents should here learne of God God cares for his children before they were and shall not they care for their children when God hath given them to them Gods greatest care is to provide holinesse for his children and should not they learne of God therein Lastly this may serve for reproofe both of some of the godly and also of the wicked that live in the Church of God some of the godly doe greatly forget themselves about this point that is such as stirre not up themselves to take hold of God and to call upon his name in their distresses but sit downe dismaide and dead hearted as if there were not the compassion care or help of a father in God this is reproved Esay 64.8 Those sons of Belial also that live in the Church and call God father but live like the Devill who indeed is their father whose workes they doe those I say are most bitterly reproved in these and such like Scriptures even from their daring to call God father Mal. 1.6 3. ult Ier. 3.4 c. Mat. 3.9 7.21 Iohn 4.23 8.38.41.44 1 Iohn 3.15 2 Iohn 9. Through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ. There is difference of senses about the understanding and dependancy of these words amongst Interpreters Some take sanctification in a large sense for mans righteousnesse in generall and obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ as the two parts or kindes of it by obedience understanding mans righteousnesse or holinesse in himselfe and by sprinkling of Christâ— blood that righteousnesse of Christ that righteousnesse I say made ours by imputation both which are applyed or wrought by the spirit of God Some others make sanctification the end and obedience and sprinkling the meanes and so conceive that before mans sanctification there goes two things in God Election and fore-knowledge and two things in Christ obedience and sufferings and all this in both that we might be sanctified Others understand sanctification of the heart or spirit of man as a means intended in Gods Election for the fitting of us unto obedience of life and the fruition of the benefits purchased by the blood of Iesus Christ and thus I take it it is meant here The summe seemes then to be this that our lives may bee obedient to Gods will and that we may enjoy the benefit of Christs death we must be sanctified within in our spirits Sanctification of the spirit Man is said to be sanctified or made holy three wayes 1. Of not holy privatively and so man that was once without holinesse is made holy by regeneration and justification 2. Of lesse holy and so Gods children are daily sanctified by proceeding from grace to grace 3. Of 〈◊〉 holy negatively and so Christ as hee was man was sanctified For there was a time when Christ had not this holinesse in his humane nature viz. when his humane nature was not Spirit is taken sometimes for the holy Ghost sometimes for an evill Angell 1 Kings 22. Luke 10.20 sometimes for the Gospell which hath adjoyned to it the spirit or working of the spirit of God 2 Cor. 3.6 sometimes for the soule of man and so it is taken sometimes more strictly for the understanding the Queene of the soule the reason of mans minde and then the soule is taken for the feare of affections Ephes. 4. â—3 1 Thess. â— 23 sometimes more largely for the whole inward man the whole soule with all the faculties of it and so I take it here Divers things may be noted here in the generall 1. First that without sanctification we can never have comfort of our Election by our obedience others may discover our Election and by inward holinesse we may discerne it of ourselves 2. That our sanctification hath some dependance upon Gods election and that 1. as he hath ordained the rules of good workes we should walke in Eph. 2.10 2. as he hath bound himselfe by his decree to guide his people to the holinesse he doth require of them 3. That an outward civill life will not serve the turne God requires especially the sanctification of the heart of man 1 Sam. 16.17 when God looks for the markes of his owne people he trieth the heart and reines Ier. 11.20 4.14 Prov. 4.23 23.16 Gods wayes are in the blessed mans heart Ps. 84.5 4. That there is flesh in the best of Gods Elect in this life their spirits onely are sanctified Thus in generall More particularly concerning the sanctification of the spirit I propound two things distinctly
two should suffer with him per compassionem mentis and by the scarlet should be meant the theefe that suffered with him per compassionem carnis Some thinke that the Cedar-wood is hope that dwels on high and will not be putrified Hysop is faith a low growing herb that fastens her roote upon the rocke scarlet is charity Others understand by the Cedar contemplation by the hysop humility and by scarlet twise dyed charity which is twise dyed viz. on the one side with the love of God on the other with the love of our neighbour All these must burne in the Lords passion but I thinke that hereby may be noted that three things arise out of the passion of Christ 1. th◠〈◊〉 of immortality 2. the hysop of mortification For so the word purge applyed to hyssop Psal. 51. doth import 3. the scarlet is the blood of Christ which is twise dyed in that it is twise applyed once for expiation 600. yeares agoe and then againe for justification of every particular beleever 17. The impurity of the Priests mentioned verses 7 8. might prefigure the impurity of the Jewish Priests till they were washed by conversion from their sinne in killing Christ of whose conversion is mentioned Act. 6. But rather hereby may be gathered as the Apostle doth gather it the great excellency of Christs Priesthood above all those legall Priests For they in their solemnest sacrifices were impure themselves and needed cleansing but Christ was not so Heb. 10. Quest. How could the Priests be made uncleane by that which did purifie the people Answ. Uncleanenesse was two wayes contracted 1. First by the foulenesse of the things touched and so he that touched a dead corps was uncleane 2. Secondly by the unworthinesse of the man touching and so it was here He must professe himselfe unworthy to touch so sacred an expiation we had need to take time even till the evening to humble our soules and bewaile our unworthinesse of the blood of Christ. 18. Now after the death of the Heifer it is said Verse 9. that a man that is cleane must gather up the ashes of the Heifer and lay them up without the Campe in a cleane place This man that is cleane is the Gentile purified by faith For this is after the death of Christ The gathering of the ashes is the applying of the merits of Christ and laying hold of the mysteries of his kingdome The laying up of the ashes imports the Christians accounts of Christs merits as his chiefe treasure The cleane place is the cleane heart for the merits of Christ belong not to all Gentiles but to such as have a clean heart and will keepe the mystery of faith in a pure conscience Without the Campe notes the native condition of the Gentiles who were without the law strangers from the common-wealth of Israel and from the covenant of promise without sacrifices and out of the Synagogue of the Jewes 19. These ashes are kept for the congregation to note that there shall never be want of merit to any Christian to any member of the congregation of Christ when he saith it is to make a water of separation it notes what our sins bring upon us by nature we are separate and cast out of Gods sight and need the blood of Christ to recover us from our separation This water was made of the ashes of the Heifer and running water to note that after separation to cleanse us again we must be sprinkled with a water made of the ashes of Christs merits and the water of the grace of the holy Spirit of God This is the perpetuall way of purification for sin and in that it must be sprinkled upon us with Hyssop it notes that we can have no comfort either of the merits of Christ or the grace of the Spirit without the hyssop of true mortification 20. He that gathereth the ashes must wash his clothes and be uncleane till the Even to note that even the neerer a Christian comes to the merits of Christ the more he is affected with the sense of his owne uncleanenesse he that hath the strongest faith doth most wash his clothes yea he retaines the sense of his uncleanenesse till Even that is till death as some interpret it Thus much of the sprinkling of the blood of the Heifer In the sprinkling that was used about the passeover there are not many things which need expounding The Lambe for the Passeover is Christ the lambe of God the blood is the blood of Christ. The sprinkling of the blood is the application of the blood of Christ. The sprinkler is the Minister The hyssop wherewith it is sprinkled is the word of mortification The people are the faithfull The house is the soule of man The doores of the house are the eares eyes and mouth of man The benefit is deliverance and protection from the destroying Angell In the narration of the sprinkling of blood used at the ratification of the covenant The sense of the most things may be briefly touched The altar under the hill is Jesus Christ ready to succour and sanctifie those that are afflicted in spirit with terrors of conscience in the sense of the law given on the hill Sina The pillars are the faithfull that stand before and beare witnesse to the comforts expected or felt for the sacrifice of Christ and they are 12. to note out the 12. Tribes and in them all the faithfull The young men and the first borne of the children of Israel were types of the Elect in visible Churches borne againe to God his first fruites of the multitude a people consecrated to God as his onely portion These offer to God two kindes of sacrifice the one was the Holocaust or the whole burnt offering even the dedication of themselves wholly even of their lives unto the death for the service of God and the practise of godlinesse The other was the peaâ—e offerings which were sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving The blood was the blood of Christ. The basons that received the blood are the word and sacraments The Altar sprinkled with blood is Christ truly suffering and truly retaining in himselfe all sufficiency of merits The other part of the blood sprinkled on the people notes the application of the merits of Christ to the faithfull and of his graces without diminishing from the fountains of excellency of merit and grace in himselfe The meanes by which it is sprinkled is to be supplyed out of the Heb. 9.19 viz. the hyssop of mortification and the scarlet of charity and the Christian love 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 against sin and â—ervent desire of piety The benefit is the reconciling of the people to God and the establishing of the covenant In the aspersion of blood mentioned Levit. 16. I note onely foure things 1. The benefits that come by it which are first entrance within the vaile even the right to the kingdome of heaven 2. The assured procurement and continued establishment
Evangelists published by the Apostles and demonstrated by six severall apparitions Now for the second The resurrection of Christ iâ—â— fountaine of singular benefits unto us For from thence flowes 1. our glorification for hee went away to provide a place for us even to prepare those heavenly mansions for us 2. The resurrection of our bodies for the spirit that raised Christ from the dead hath thereby given us assurance that he will raise our mortall bodies also 3. The confirmation of our faith and that in divers things For his resurrection assures us that he is the promised Messias and sonne of God and that our debt is payed and that hee hath discharged the uttermost farthing for else he had not beene let out of prison and that he hath vanquished all our spirituall enemies and utterly foiled and disarmed them in that they could not keepe him downe when they had him in the grave but he hath triumphed over them 4. Our justification and regeneration for so the Apostle shewes in the 4. to the Romans that he rose againe for our justification and here it is expresly said that we are begotten againe through the resurrection of Iesus Christ. Quest. But may some one say If this be true that we are begotten again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ then it seemes men were not bâ—gotten againe in the old Testament or else not by the resurrection of Christ For he was not then risen Answ. For answer hereunto wee must consider in the resurrection of Christ two things 1. The act of his resurrection and 2. the vertue of it we are not regenerate by the act of his resurrection and for the vertue of it Faith could receive it aswell as the act was to come as now in us it doth the act being past Christ was risen in the old Testament three wayes 1. In the counsell of God 2. In the word of prophesie 3. In the efficacie of it Quest. But how doth it follow that we are regenerate because Christ is risen Answ. I answer Christ must be considered two wayes first naturally as man secondly mystically as head If Christ be considered barely as a man it doth not follow but if he bee considered in the mysticall union with his members as he sustaineth their person and was surety for them it will follow he rose againe to this end that he might receive power to raise our soules by the first resurrection and our bodies at the last day Or more plainely thus Our regeneration depends upon the resurrection of Christ three wayes 1. As his resurrection was a pledge and assurance that he would raise us he shewed his power that he could doe it he laid downe his body before our eyes and quickned it againe before our faces and gave us that signe to assure us of what he could doe foâ—us 2. As by his resurrection he merited ours 3. The spirit of Christ applies the vertue of Christs resurrection for the quickening of us and the accomplishment of our whole vivification and new obedience The uses of Christs resurrection are both for consolation and instruction It may comfort us against all the accusations or temptations of Satan or the censures of the world who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen who shall condemne them Is not Christ dead or rather risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh request for us hath hee not paid our debt hath he not fully triumphed over death sinne and hell Againe would we have a signe that in Christ all the promises of God shall be yea and Amen we need no other signe then this that as Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the belly of the whale so the sonne of man was three dayes in the heart of the earth and the third day rose againe Finally why should we now be afraid of death or any other spirituall or terrible enemy why should those last things dismay us hath not Christ had a most glorious 〈…〉 them in a most â—eâ—rible mâ—nomachy when they did the worst they could and therefore we may solace our selves in the conquest and say insultingly O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Is not death swallowed up into victory thankes be to God which hath given us victory also through Iesus Christ our Lord. But if we would have benefit of Christs resurrection we must then seek the vertue of it to our selves as the Apostle shewes in his owne practise Phil. 3.9 Quest. But how may we extract vertue out of Christs resurrection Answ. We may get out the vertue of his resurrection by meditation seriously thinking of it and of the end of it by found contemplation pondering of it and by prayer begging the working of the spirit therein but especially laying hold upon it by faith and glorifying God by beleeving that it shall be according to Gods promise effectuall unto us And we must also attend to the motions of the spirit yeelding our selves over to bee framed by them and we must not thinke much to suffer the labours of Gods messengers to worke upon our stony hearts as the Angells of God rowling away the stone that lyeth sealed upon our hearts by nature And thus much of the resurrection of Christ and of the first argument of our consolation Now the second followes in the fourth verse Verse 4. To an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us or for you THis argument is taken from our glorification which is here generally described to be the inheritance of the Saints which is amplified foure wayes First by the properties of it and they are three For it is 1. incorruptible 2. undefiled and 3 immarcessible or that withereth not Secondly by their present interest in it it is not now possessed it is held only in title being laid up for them Thirdly by the persons that shall inherite and they are you that is you that are begotten againe Fourthly by the place and that is heaven the best place For it much commends an inheritance if it lye in convenient and commodious places Incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not c. Three things are here said in the praise of this inheritance which I purpose in the doctrine of them to handle together The first thing affirmed of this inheritance is that it is incorruptible and so it is in foure respects 1. because there we shall need none of those meanes of preservation which of necessity are requisite in this corruptible world neither for the body nor soule For our bodies wee shall need no aire food sleep heat or cold apparell or the light of the Sunne or Moone or mariage or physicke And for our soules wee shall need no sabbaths sacraments temple 2. Because our happinesse shall not bee annoyed with any thing that might corrupt it either without us or upon us
power can keepe us to salvation His worke it is to preserve whose will it is to save Mans naturall life stands not in the abundance of the things he doth possesse neither is our spirituall life sustained by the bare having of abundance of meanes Thirdly it may serve for instruction and that divers wayes 1. First we should beg of God the spirit of wisdome and revelation to shew the exceeding greatnesse of his power that we might discerne it and beleeve it by faith seeing we doe not observe it by sense and reason 2. Secondly we should daily ascribe power unto God even acknowledging continually his power in keeping us from day to day as our Saviour Christ teacheth us in the Lords prayer when hee teacheth us to ascribe kingdome power and glory to him and with Peter wee should learne to put off praise from our selves unto God as hee did in the cure of the Cripple saying not by our power is this man made whole 3. Thirdly wee should particularly of God seeke the experience of his power As for example we should not rest in the forme or shew of godlinesse but seeke the power of it wee should not only get a little faith but strive with God by prayer till he fulfill the worke of faith with power we should not thinke it enough to pray but we should seeke the spirit of prayer and to doe it with power even to be made by the annointing of Christ Priests after the power of endlesse life so we should seeke the power of conference and utterance in the confession of the truth in admonition instruction consolation or propounding of our owne doubts for the kingdome of God is not in word but in power 4. Fourthly we should hence learne to be undaunted in afflictions though it were to adventure all even life it selfe for the Gospell seeing we are kept by Gods power we may say in any distresse as Paul did I know whom I have beleeved and he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him till the day of Iesus Christ. If God keep our soules it matters not what else be in danger 5. Fifthly Ministers should hence learne to preach with power and strive after it For it is not the ordinance of God but the power of God that preserves the hearers It is not preaching but powerfull preaching that keepes the soules of men till the day of Christ. 6. And lastly the people should learne to place their faith not in the wisdome learning paines or graces of men but in the power of God Lastly this serves for consolation to all Gods servants against all their feares troubles adversaries temptations or what else might make them doubt their perseverance For God is able to doe above all that they can aske or think according to his power which worketh in them The divine Power gives us all things needfull to life and godlinesse and though they have but a little strength yet the Lord can open a doore of knowledge and grace and comfort unto them which no man nor devill can shut and therefore let us from our hearts give praise unto the onely wise and strong God that is able to support us from falling and to present us faultlesse before the presence of his glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ By faith or through faith The meanes in us to preserve us is our faith and that this will keepe us through the power of God is apparant by the scriptures Hee that beleeveth on the sonne of God hath everlasting life he is as sure of it as if he had it and he shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Christ is the bread of life for nourishment and he that commeth to him by faith shall never hunger nor thirst He that commeth to Christ shall in no wise be cast out Christ will be so far from losing any one soule that beleeveth in him that not so much as his flesh or any part thereof shall bee lost but the whole body that is delivered to the grave shall be raised at the last day whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall never die For hee that confesseth with his mouth and beleeveth with his heart shall be saved God will keep that which by faith is committed to him and Christ will bee at the last day made marvellous in all that beleeve but that this point may bee more plainly understood I propound three things 1. First what faith doth for our preservation 2. Secondly how it doth it 3. What kinde of faith doth it and then the uses For the first there are tenne things which faith worketh by all which and every of which wee are greatly helped and furthered in our preservation First it inflames in God a singular tendernesse of care to remove out of the way what might be an occasion of falling and therefore our Saviour Christ shewes that God so loveth the weakest Christian that is truely humble and beleeveth that if any whosoever shall offend him that is cast any stumbling block in his way in respect of the sore judgements of God upon those by whom such offences come it were better a milstone were hanged about their neckes and they cast into the bottome of the Sea 2. Secondly as it procureth the healing of the soule of temptations even of all the wounds of the serpent quenching his fiery darts by shewing us Christ the true brazen Serpent of our recovery 3. As it is the daily hand and mouth of the soule by which we feed upon Christ the bread of life and so are by the strength of that precious nourishment kept to life everlasting 4. As it lighteth us the way to heaven For as there is a light apprehended by sense and a light of reason so there is a light of faith by vertue of the promise of Christ who said I am come a light into the world that whosoever abideth in me should not abide in darknesse 5. As it bringeth us within the compasse of Christs intercession For when hee prayed the father to keepe them from evill hee expounds his meaning to be to extend that his intercession not onely to his Apostles but to all that should beleeve through their word 6. As it procures the pardon of all sins according to that of Peter to him gave all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of their sins 7. As it will excite and compell a Christian in all suits to seeke his owne help If a man beleeve his faith will make him speake both by confession and prayer to God and by inquiry and counsell and reproof to men 8. As it procures the seale of the holy spirit of promise and the earnest of the inheritance purchased Faith opens such a fountaine of joy and incouragement within a
the Papists for 1. This word of God was afterwards written and so written as nothing must be added Rev. 21.18 2. The doctrine here reported was delivered by the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven as the coherence shews Therefore unlesse they can shew the like authority for their traditions they say nothing 3. Their traditions were of the first sort and so condemned in Scriptures Secondly we may note that Christians when their hearts are turned unto God doe see a wonderfull glory in spirituall things They see that which the Prophets desired to see and could not Mat. 13 16,17 2 Cor. 3.16 17 18. which is one difference betweene the knowledge of the godly and the knowledge of the wicked For wicked men have but a dark glimmering knowledge that tends to basenesse and bondage and this should teach us to pray for the spirit of wisdome and revelation to know the riches thaâ— is in Christ Jesus being daily carefull that the god of this world doe not hide the glorious Gospell of Christ from us But have we the will of God onely by report This word report belongs principally to the first times before the Scriptures of the New Testament were written and so the word was sure enough being delivered by Apostolicall men who confirmed it by miracles And if the word doe also belong to our times then Godâ— Ministers are said to report Gods will unto us as Embassadors doe the wills of Princes by the instructions given in their commissions or as Lawyers report the law out of their great Charter or Statute-books or as Physitians report their remedies out of the books of practice and tryed experiments It is true that the doctrine of holy things is like unto a report 1. In respect of wicked men who passe all over as a tale that is told or respect it at best but as a nine dayes wonder 2. In respect of godly men who receive it but by peeces and degrees not as one continued story but as a report 3. In respect of the matter of happinesse it is so removed from our natures and we have so little right unto it that it comes to us as a report not aâ— any thing we knew before or could expect or looke for 4. In respect of the opportunity of it if wee take not hold of it in the very season it will be gone The Lord doth not every day set before us life and death but onely at some times and then how soone is the voice gone if our hearts open not to receive it Thus of the things contained in Gods answer as they are barely propounded Now in the words that follow they are further commended to us First by the efficient causes of them By them which preached the Gospell unto you The Gospell is diversly accepted in Scripture Sometimes it signifies the history of the life and death of Christ so in the title of every Evangelist his booke and so 2 Tim. 2.8 Mat. 26.13 Sometimes it signifies the glorious tidings of Christ come in the flesh and of salvation in him so it was promised by the Prophets Rom. 1.2 Act. 13.32 but most usually it signifies in generall the joyfull newes of happinesse eternall through the favour of God in Christ Jesus notwithstanding our misery in our selves and this was called the promise in the Old Testament and the Gospell in the new The Greek word properly signifieth good newes and in the New Testament the word is used to expresse that most happy newes of God reconciled in Christ and of perfect happinesse in him Now because this newes contains the more excellent part of Gods word therefore I will consider of it more exactly This heavenly newes is the more admirable if we consider 1. What it is that the Gospell doth signifie 2. How we are assured of the newes in the Gospell 3. What are the effects of it 4. What is required in the persons that have any part in this newes Then I would resolve certaine questions and lastly make some use of all For the first the Gospell brings newes unto forlorne men 1. Of peace and reconciliation with God The Gospell of peace 2. Of remission and forgivenesse of our sins Act 10.43 3. Of freedome from death and condemnation 4. Of a divine and most sufficient righteousnesse to be revealed from heaven Rom. 1.16 17. 5. Of eternall life The Gospell of the Kingdome Mat. 9.35 and all for Christ Jesus sake the son of David Rom. 1.23 But how can we be certaine of this newes 1. By the testimony of the Spirit 2. By the vaticinies of the Prophets 3. By the miracles that first confirmed it 4. By the testimony of Christ himselfe that in our nature preached it Mat. 4.13 5. By the word of God or of the Apostles The effects of the Gospell are 1. It brings life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 2. It melts the hearts of Gods elect more then any thing with voluntary griefe for sin it makes men condemne themselves in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.6 3. It revives and refresheth with wonderfull encouragements 1 Pet. 4.6 4. It makes a man sacrifice himselfe to God Rom. 15.16 5. It is the ministery of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. It fenceth the affections against the love care after worldly things Hence we are said to be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace 7. It establisheth hope Col. 1.23 8. It is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Fourthly there are eight things required in every one that would have part in the Gospell 1. Reformation of life 2. Faith and trust in it Mat. 16.15 16. Eph. 1.13 Heb. 4.2 and to this end get evidence and seale to it Eph. 1.13 3. A singular estimation of it so great as 1. Our chiefest praise should be in the Gospell 2. We should be content to suffer any thing for it and not be ashamed of the afflictions or bonds of the Gospell Marke 8.35 10.29 1 Thes. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.8 Philem. 13. 4. Poverty of spirit Esay 61.1 5. A diligent strife and constant endevour to attend upon it wee should presse to it Luke 16.16 6. Professed subjection to it 2 Cor. 9.12 7. We should endevour to live so as might become the Gospell Phil. 1.27 8. We should continue in it and not be moved away from the hope of it Col. 1.23 a vile offence to be turned from it Gal. 1.6 But was the Gospell never preached till now that hee saith it is now reported Distinguish If the Gospell be taken for the newes of Christ come in the flesh then it was not preached till the times of Christ and the Apostles But if it be taken for the promise of grace and pardon in Christ it was given in Paradise to Adam and continued by the Patriarks and Prophets Act. 10. 43. Heb. 13.8 Moses wrote of Christ Ioh. 5.46 Moses wrote of Christ two waies 1. By writing the promise concerning
Col. 2.10 The consideration hereof should kindle in us a holy impatience of desire so to dispatch Gods worke on earth that wee might haste to that time and place when we shall be like the Angels of God yea their very society should kindle desire to be with such glorious creatures and in the meane time how can we sufficiently praise God that hath appointed such excellent câ—eatures to attend upon us both in life and death how should we esteeme faith and repentance that in Jesus Christ works unto us such a safety of estate under their willing and carefull protection 3. Now for their affection which they beare to man we must in generall know that as understanding is yeelded them so is will and desire inseparably joyned with their knowledge though in a far more noble manner then they are in man There are two principall differences between the affections in Angels and those in men For first Angels have not those base and inferiour our affections that are in men I meane the sensitive appetites Secondly Angels have not their affections seated in any one place or subject as the fountaine of affections as in man the heart is the seat of affections of some of them I meane which are more noble besides that their affections are carried without all sinfull or unhappy perturbations Now for their speciall affection they beare to man either of love or joy or desire divers Scriptures testifie Mat. 18.10 Luk. 15.7 10. Eph. 3.10 This also appeares by their wonderfull readinesse and wisdome and care in the discharge of their protection and preservation of man excellently shewed in a Vision Ezech. 1. Now this desire in them ariseth 1. out of the flames of desire after the glory of God 2. Out of a sympathy or fellow feeling that they have as the members of the same body with the Saints Col. 2.10 Now for the Use of this third point Doe the Angels thus affectionately long after joy in and desire to be hold the spirituall riches of the Church 1. How should this confound us with shame that have no more care to look into our owne happinesse 2. The desire and joy of the Angels should be unto us a quick spur unto all well-doing 3. We should learn of them how to rejoyce in and desire after the good of others we should be so far from envy at their happinesse that wee should desire to know the riches of Gods love to them that we might joy in it This were to be as the Angels of God and the contrary is to be like the devils of hell Now the last thing is their knowledge in those words to looke into To looke into Three things may be here noted 1. That the Angels doe looke into the things of the Church they doe take notice how things are carryed which may both comfort and instruct us Comfort us that so excellent creatures who have the charge over us are so watchfull over all our wayes so as there cannot be the least advantage of our good but they behold the face of God and are ready prest to receive commandments for our succour and good 2. It should make us wonderfull respective of our waies if not for other reasons yet because of the Angels they looke upon us and take notice of all we doe 2. The word here used in the originall seems to allude to the Cherubins about the Arke in the Law and so imports that the Angels looke upon and into the things of the Church as the Cherubins did looke upon the Arke and so it assures us three things in the manner of the looking of the Angels 1. That they looke into the Church and the things of the Church with wonderfull sincerity and singlenesse and purity of nature This was shadowed out Exod. 26.8 in that the Cherubins that should looke upon the Arke were of gold yea of beaten gold not onely excellent by creation but by confirmation also as the workmanship of Christ so as their natures were every way far from contempt or envy or any corrupt desires or ends Besides they did take this view as in the presence of God whom they made the witnesse and Judge of the uprightnesse of their desires 2. That it is with singular perfection and exactnesse This was shadowed in that the Cherubins were not onely placed within the most holy place but close to the Arke yea at both ends of the Arke ver 19. so as they throughly looke into the affaires of the Church 3. That it is with singular constancy of desire and admiration For their faces are alwaies upon it as if they could never looke enough into it 4. That they desire to look into these things as being wonderfully ready to doe any service for the good of the Church This was shadowed in the stretching out of their wings as if they were ready to fly to the succours of the Church Now lest man should grow proud of his estate it is added in the Law that all this view of the Angels was upon the Arke but especially as it was covered with the Mercy-seat to note that that which they most wonder at is the marvellous favour of God in the mediation of Christ stilling the displeasure of God justly conceived by the view of his law broken by man Thus of the manner of the knowledge as it was shadowed out in the old law Now thirdly I consider of the kind of knowledge more distinctly that is in the Angels and that both negatively and affirmatively 1. Negatively We must lay this as a ground that the knowledge of Angels is not sensitive but contemplative that is it is not by sense They doe not know things as we doe by seeing or hearing or smelling or rasting or feeling They have no eyes to looke upon things withall nor doe they know things by images or by reason as the soules of men doe When we conceive of any thing we conceive of it either by images in the phantasie or we find it out by reasoning or discourse and so make judgement of it and this judgement is as it were the eyes of the soule but thus doe not the Angels know things nor doe they know things by their essence as God doth For Gods essence is as it were an infinite looking glasse in which all things shine in their natures and motions and so he knowes them That God that hath given vertue to precious stones or glasses to shew things remote from them hath such a power in his owne being infinitely much more but thus doe not the Angels know things Thus negatively 2. Affirmatively there is a fouretold knowledge in Angels 1. Naturall 2. Supernaturall 3. Revealed 4. Experimentall 1. Naturall was the knowledge all Angels good and bad had of things by creation 2. Supernaturall was that saving knowledge as I may so call it by which the good Angels so know God that they cannot nor will not fall from him but perfectly cleave to
It should teach us by all means to labour about assurance that we might with boldnesse and confidence goe unto God and cry Abba Father 2. That he that is the Father of the Elect will be the Judge of the world Though it be hard for a pittifull man to be strict in punishing yet with God his mercy and justice doe not fight one against another The Use is to warne wicked men to take heed how they apply the promises and prerogatives of the godly to themselves for God will certainely judge them according to their estate 3. Constant prayer is a great meanes of comfort against the feare of judgement in this life and against the hurt of it in the last day Luke 21.34 The Use is to shew us how wee may remedy the feare of death and judgements much prayer and calling on the Name of God will exceedingly availe 4. That to call on God as a Father will not serve turne unlesse our practice answer our prayers unlesse we passe the time of our sojourning in feare it is not any pattering our of words will serve the turne nor praying for customes sake it must be such a prayer as makes us afraid to sin before such a Father 〈◊〉 such a Judge 5. Whâ—n he saith if we call it imports that many professe God to be their Father who yet doe not shew it to be so by daily and constant calling upon his name It is a great question whether many that professe God and his truth doe indeed conscionably pray unto him which should awaken us and make us settle close to the practice of daily prayer 6. It is a lawfull prayer that is directed to one of the persons of the Trinity in the outward forme of words I meane that though we should name onely the Father and not mention the Son or holy Ghost yet the prayer were lawfull so as 1. We doe not exclude the other persons in our judgements and affections 2. That we desire upon the present occasion to compell our hearts to a more speciall meditation of the glory of one of the persons as the occasion of the matter requireth But the maine and principall doctrine is that God as he is our Father shall be our Judge If any aske How then is Christ commonly said to be our Judge Act. 17.30 I answer that the last judgement being a work ad extra is common to all the three Persons and is so attributed in Scripture but in different respeâ—ts for the authority of the last judgement is in the whole Trinity but the execution of it is in the Sonne This doctrine must needs be comfortable to the godly who would feare the tryall when his owne Father is Judge yea and law-giver and hath before promised infinite mercy and is an everlasting Father 〈◊〉 compassion never failes for so is God to us and hath given pledge and seales and earnest of assurance that it shall goe well Thus of the person who shall judge The manner followeth Without respect of persons Theâ—e are 〈◊〉 downe many admirable praises of the justice of these last Assises whereof this is one that here shall be no respect of persons It pleaseth God in so great mysteries as this is not to set downe all at once but to distill some few memorable things and those severally both to excise diligence in the study of the Scriptures and to imply the disability of our na 〈…〉 comprehend much at once of such dreadfull things Not to respect persons in judgement hath divers things in it It is to judge without 〈◊〉 â—t is to judge without care how the judged takes it it is to judge without respect of their strength or disgrace it is to take no reward 〈…〉 accept the persons of great men for their greatnesse or riches sake it is to be led with no colours or vain pretences it is to judge according to truth and not according to opinion or the common voice and tâ—us much and much more is imported in this justice of the Lord at that day The Use is 1. For humiliation and terror to wicked men This should wonderfully pierce them â—o hear how they must speed at that day their judgement shall not be to amend them but to confound them the same God that hath dealt with other men in justice will judge them also and this may increase the terror that there will be no taking of rewards nor can riches availe in the day of wrath Iob 36.18 19. unlesse it be to increase their judgement Iam. 5.1 3. 2. For instruction it may teach divers things 1. To chase out all evill conceits and secret boilings of the heart against God Iob. 34.19 2. To humble our selves now in the dayes of our flesh and make our peace with God before this day come Deut. 10.17 Iob 34.19 32 33. 3. To imitate this praise in God not to know men after the flesh or to judge of things according to outward appearance or the opinion of the world especially not to give titles to men Iob 32.21 and especially Judges and such as rule others should looke to this 2 Chron. 19.7 Col. 3.25 4. To long to see that day every body delights to be at the Assises and we see how men are pleased and that wonderfully when Princes doe justice upon great persons we gladly hearken after it and continually talke of it how then should we long to see this last and greatest judgement the like to which never was in the world scarce any glimpse of it 3. It may serve for singular consolation to all the godly especially it may incourage the poore and all inferiors to doe their duties since here they shall be assured of acceptation and the oppressed shall here be righted Act. 10.34 Col. 3.11 Eph. 6.9 Rom. 2.11 Iudgeth The manner of propounding the time is to be obserued There is a threefold judgement 1. The first judgement was that executed upon Angels and men fallen in the beginning of the world 2. There is also a middle judgement even that by which God in this life judgeth the righteous and the wicked every day 3. Now there is also the last judgement to be performed in the end of the world and that is here meant yet the Apostle well expresseth it in the present tense to note 1. The speedinesse of it he will come to judgement wonderfull quickly either by particular or generall judgement Phil. 4. Iam. 5. 2. The suddennesse of the judgement he many times comes on a wonderfull sudden Iob 36.33 and at the last he will come as a theefe in the â—ight 1 Thes. 5.2 3. But principally it noteth the certainty of it it is as sure as if it were now a doing certainty I say in freedome both from inconstancy and impediments There are many things may assure us of the certainty of the last judgment 1. The constant doctrine of it before the Law Iud. 15. under the â—aw by David Psal. 50.
was shed willingly Ioh. 10. 2. Because it was the blood of an innocent man but especially because of the dignity of his person it was the blood of him that was God as well as man Acts 20.28 and therefore must needs be of infinite merit and vertue Is the blood of Christ so precious 1. Then let us for ever exalt that riches of grace in God that spared not the blood of his owne Sonne that hee might not destroy us Ephes. 1.7 Revel 1.5 2. Then let us for ever detest merits of our owne workes seeing the price is of such infinite value and sufficiency Rom. 3.25 Coherence 3. â—t should then augment the confirmation of our faith in our redemption against all the temptations of Sathan or rebellion of our owne hearts or oppositions of the world Rom. 5.9 4. If shewes how carefull we should be of our selves that were bought at so precious a rate Mat. â—6 5. Let 〈◊〉 all then take heed of sinning against the blood of Christ for if it be thus precious it must needs diffuse a horrible guilt upon such as offend against it if Abels blood cryed so what will Christs blood doe c. as they doe 1. That sweare by it 2. That commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost 3. That trust to their owne merits 4. That receive the Sacrament unworthily 1 Cor. 11. As a lambe without blemish and spot Hitherto of his passion Now followes his obedience or innocency both of naâ—â—re and action and both as they commend the excellency of him that suffered for us His innocency is set out by comparison of a spotlesse lambe in which words it is Gods purpose to lift up our hearts to an apprehension of a wonderfull purity in Christ as he is our surety and Saviour The maine observation is that God would have us to know affectionatly the wonderfull holinesse of Christ as he is our Mediator and Redeemer it is one chiefe thing we should be informed in Hence the sacrifices still shadowed him out by the similitude of a spotlesse lambe and therefore hee is called the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 and the Apostles for urging this point may well be called the Apostles of the Lambe Rev. 21.24 Iohn calls him the Lambe of God Ioh. 1.29 36. Christ may be called a Lambe 1. For harmelesnesse 2. For patience and silence in affliction Esay 53.7 Ier. 11.19 3. For price and value for rarenesse and high account it seemes lambes were of speciall account Gen. 33.19 21.28 30. 4. For infirmities he tooke the infirmities were miserable but not those were damnable 5. For meeknesse and humility 6. For sacrifice He was the substance of all that was signified by the typicall lambes he was the substance of the paschall lambe of the lambe for daily sacrifice for the peace-offrings for the trespasse-offrings for the purification of women and of the lepers and the lambe for the first fruits and for the trespasse-offâ—ing of the Nazarites and for the free will offrings or vowes and the lambe for the sabbaths and new moones and the feast of trumpets and the lambe for the day of humiliation and for the feast of tabernacles the lambe for the Priests and the Princes and the people It is by the sprinkling of his blood we scape the destroying Angels It is for his sake that God is every day pleased in his propitiation for our sinnes He is our daily sacrifice that we must still offer to God for our selves It is he we must offer to God for our trespasses and no gifts wee can bring to God will be acceptable without him In him we are freed from the corruption of our natures and from the leprosie of actuall transgressions In him we have the confirmation of all our outward blessings The Priests and Princes as well as the people must ascribe all their reconciliation to him There are no persons so devoted to religion but they must acknowledge their needs of Christ nor can our best actions or times be accepted without him Whereas it is said he was without spot or blemish the Holy Ghost meanes to avouch that he was most holy both in nature and life there could not be a spot found in his actions nor any the least blemish in his disposition And it was needfull Christ should be so pure 1. Because else his passion could not be accepted 2. Because he must become a righteousnesse to many If any aske how he could be so seeing he came of Adam and had his infirmities both of body and mind I answer that he came of Adam but not by Adam that is not by carnall propagation but was conceived by the holy Ghost and so originall sin stopped and for his infirmities I said before he received such infirmities as the Fathers call miserable that is such as were punishments not sins but not such as were damnable as all sinfull infirmities are The Uses follow 1. We should informe our selves by often meditation of this wonderfull righteousnesse in Christ beholding by our medication the lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world 2. For instruction many things may be urged 1. We should give honour to the lambe that sitteth upon the throne whose praises fill both heaven and earth Rev. 5.7 c. 2. We should daily send this lambe to the ruler of the earth daily present him to God for us Esay 16.1 3. These praises of Christ should convert us to his image this very doctrine converted the Eunuch Act. 8.31 we should imitate the praises of Christ hereby imported as these places shew Rev. 14.1 to 6. 4. Let us for his testimony resist the gates of hell by beleeving in him and love not our lives unto the death for his sake Rev. 12.11 3. For consolation Shall we not sing the song of Moses and the song of the lambe Rev. 15.3 Oh how happy are his servants Revel 22. What should dismay us if we know we are contracted to this lambe of God and shall enjoy eternall fellowship with him and in the meane while to be clothed with the white linnen of â—â— righteousnesse Rev. 19.7 8. 4. Woe unto them that will not rest upon him for righteousnesse the smoke of their torment shall ascend for evermore Rev. 14.10 11. Verse 20 21. 20. Which was ordained before the foundation of the world but was declared in the last times for your sakes 21. Which by his meanes doe beleeve in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God HItherto of the meanes by which we were redeemed The antiquity of the project concerning our redemption followes Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world The drift is to shew that we have reason to be wonderfully affected with the manner of our redemption because it was from all eternity projected by God Two things may be here noted in the words 1.
sparkles of appetite after it and delight in it and care to have recourse unto it in all estates It quickens to a continued diligence in exercising themselves in it and therefore we should study the continuall praises of it and pray God also that he would give his Ministers a doore of utterance to set out the glory of those mysteries contained in it Col. 4.3 and besides it should much humble us for our marvellous neglect both in faith and obedience especially if any way wee have caused the word of God to be blasphemed by our indiscretion or sinne wee cannot worse vexe God then by neglecting or despising or dishonouring his word and contrariwise God is wonderfully pleased with us if hee may finde his word to be had in honour and respect with us and therefore such as love the word heartily have great cause to comfort themselves For they are deare to God and Christ ever for that reason as these places shew Ioh. 14.23 17.6 1 Ioh. 2.5 Revel 3.10 The particular doctrine may be raised either from the coherence or from the words in themselves From the coherence wee may note that the Word is the onely ordinary instrument outwardly for the begetting of the seed of true grace in us Iam. 1.18 Rom. 10.14 c. The Uses are divers 1. For first this may inform us concerning the distinct offices of the word and Sacraments The Word begets grace the Sacraments confirme it the beginning of grace we have from the Word the strengthning and nourishing of grace from the Sacraments 2. This may informe us how much we are bound to God for his Word and how much we are beholding to the ministry of the Word 1 Tim. 5.17 spirituall things are hereby ministred unto us Hereby we are begot againe to God we had perished for ever without the Word 3. This may informe us concerning the wofull estate of all such congregations or particular persons as live without the Word of God in the life and the power of it they sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death There is neither wombe to beare thee nor breasts to give thee suck Oh the depth of the judgements of God upon millions of wretched men Oh the sore famine of the Word and this distresse is the more miserable because people are lesse sensible of it Oh if men would think without grace I cannot be saved without the Word I cannot have grace and therefore what shall it profit me to win the whole world if I lose my owne soule by living in places where I cannot heare the voice of Christ Note that the Spirit of God as the internall efficient is not mentioned of purpose it is lest out to compell in us a care of the outward means in which we are sure to find the Spirit working Ministers should therefore speake it boldly and pray that God would open their â—ouâ—hes to speak of these mysteries as becomes the mysteries of God and Christ Phil. 1.14 Col. 4.2 Hence wee may know also how to judge of those that consent not to the wholsome words of God See 1 Tim. 6.3 4. In themselves the words afford us three doctrines 1. The Word is of God and it is of God as the Author of it For man wrote it by the inspiration of the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. ult and men preach it now by the commandement of the everlasting God Tit. 1.3 And it is of God that disposeth of the due times of publishing it Tit. 1.3 and God is the subject of it For the Word principally intreats of God his nature and his works All the successe also of the Word it depends upon God There are divers Uses may be made hereof 1. It should set us on longing after Gods word to heare God speake or write to us wee see men long to reade or heare the speeches of the King much more of GOD the King of Kings 2. It should teach us to heare the word as the word of God and not of men 2 Thes. 2.13 that is 1. Reverently as if the Lord himselfe spake to us from heaven 2. Without ascribing to men the praise and glory is due to God wee should glorifie the word Act. 13.48 3. Not daring to let it run out lest God require it Heb. 2.2 If the Angels keep them how much more we Rev. 22.9 4. With confident assurance trusting upon it infallibly 2 Pet. 1.19 5. With subjection of our reasons and conscience to it nothing but the word hath this soverâ—ignty 6. Without adding or detracting Rev. 22.18 19. 7. With passion or wickednesse Iam. 1.18 c. 8. With all possible care to practice it Iam. 1.18 3. We may be assured it will have effect it cannot be bound no malice of men can hinder the will of God 2 Tim. 2.9 4. Therefore let not men despise it for the Ministers sake It is of God and that will appear when the dust which we have shaken off our feet shall witnesse against the world that receives us not Mat. 10.24 Which liveth This which may be referred to either seed or God or the Word but that in the originall the word for seed is not of the same gender and the testimony of Esay in the next verse quoted shewes it must be referred to the word The word lives in God It is a fountaine issuing out of the spring of Gods knowledge and will It lives in Christ the personall word of the Father The word of life is attributed to Christ 1 Ioh. 1.1 to the Scriptures Phil. 2.15 It lives also in the heart of a Christian who conceives by vertue of the seed cast in by the word It lives by effect as it makes us live and so it doth in divers respects both in respect of our naturall life and in respect of eternall life In respect of naturall life First Man liveth not by bread but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Deut. 8.3 and the creatures are sanctified by the word of God and prayer 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Secondly because the word upholds the godly in their afflictions David saith heâ— had long since perished in his affâ—â—ctions but for the word and our Saviour Christ prayes that God would keepe his by his word Ioh. 17.14 15 16 17. Now for spirituall life The word lives by effect in that it enlives us three waies For first it quickens us in regeneration so in this verse 2. It sanctifies us to live holily Ioh. 17.17 3. It preserves us in the most deadly spirituall assaults in which else we might perish 1 Ioh. 2.14 The word may also be said to live because it is lively Heb. 4.12 It may be said to live because of the sure performance of that which God promiseth though the promise were made many ages since and because the efficacie of the Scriptures abideth still they are as lively now as in Davidâ— time or in Christs time There may be many Uses made hereof First
it should teach us divers things 1. If we desire the kingdome of God should come pray that the word of the Lord may run and have a free passage for it will worâ— mightily in gathering soules to the kingdome of God 2 Thes. 3.1 2. Would wee have life put into us Let us come to the word it liveth by effect If any thing in this world will either direct or comfort us it is the word 3. Looke to thy heart for uprightnesse make conscience of thy wayes harbour no secret sins For the word is lively in operation and is a discernes of the very thoughts and intents of the hearâ— Heb. 4.13 If thou wouldst have the fruit of the lips to be peace walk uprightly 4. Such as professe love to the word should hold forth this word of life and make it appeare in their conversation that it is a living word Quest. But how should wee shew the life of the word in our conversation Answ. Many waies 1. By practising it It seemes but a dead letter till thou put it in practice For there is the life of hearing 2. By living without rebuke Then thou shewest effectually that the word hath a lively power ever thee if it can make thee unrebukeable Phil. 1.15 16. 3. By the unmoveablenesse of thy conversation in all estates There is life in godlinesse when a man hath learned to be content with that he hath 4. By thy affectionatenesse and cheerefulnesse in the manner of doing holy duties 5. By the depending upon it as upon the life of thy life Psal. 119. 6. Lastly by thy confidence in beleeving all that is written in the word And thus for instruction Secondly this may serve for humiliation 1. To such as heare not the word at all they sit in darkenesse they want the very life of their lives that that should be the very joy of their hearts 2. To such as heare it but feele no life in it If the word of God have no life in it woe unto thee if the booke be sealed to thee when it is open to others feare lest the god of this world hath blinded thee that thou mightest perish search thy soule there is abundance of soule stuffe in thee if the word cannot quicken thee 3. To such as finde some kinde of life in the word and put it out by the cares of life such as by covetousnesse or voluptuous living extinguish that remorse was bred in them and so make the word an instrument of death inasmuch as such remorses or quicknings serve but to leave them without excuse 4. To all hypocrites For here they must know that which they have often found if they heare much that they cannot be hid though they may deceive men yet God and his Word will find them out the shame of their secrets of corruption shall be discovered this word of God will ransack them and give them a very glimpse of the judgement to come Heb. 4.13 5. This may in speciall smite dreaming and carelesse Preachers that doe the worke of the Lord negligently such must know their work shall never prosper for it is the word of God in the life of it that gathers soules to God a dead dull kinde of preaching the word will never do it Besides they dishonour the word as if it had no life in it whereas the fault is in their dull and dreaming kinde of handling of it Thirdly this may informe us 1. That the word is not a dead letter as many thinke of it and have blasphemously reported 2. That it is the Gospell that is that part of the word that settles the conscience in the assurance of Gods love in Christ that is the principallest treasure in the scripture For the Law is a killing letter and the ministry of it the ministration of death 3. That it is never likely that powerfull preaching and sincere practise shall have any long peace in the world For this life of the word makes such a stirre where it comes that wicked men will not be quiet but ever hate the godly for this very reason as experience shewes Ioh. 17.14 c. 4. That the wits of men and the wisdomes of mens words and conceits are not necessary unto the unfolding of the word for the word is a lively word in it selfe it needs not the conceits of mens braines to quicken it 1 Cor. 2.1 4 13. Fourthly this may be a great comfort to all the godly that love the word they may have sure recourse to it it is as full of life now as it was many hundred yeares agoe it shall abide for ever it is as mighty now to cast downe strong holds of sin or Satan as ever It is as able to refresh them in all afflictions as ever It will quicken them in all their dumps and distresses It lives and will live for ever And abideth for ever Of these words in the end of the 24. verse where they are repeated againe and thus much of the fift reason c. VERSE 24 25. 24. For all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower falleth away 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which is preached among you THese words containe the sixt and last reason for the inforcing of the exhortation in the 13. verse and it is taken cheefly from the mortality of the body where his drift is to set before us the marvelous vanity and brevity and transitorinesse of the naturall life and condition of all men amplified by the eternity of those spirituall effects which are wrought by the word of God preached that so wee might be induced with the more sincerity and earnestnes to deny the world and to provide an infallible assurance of hope in the grace to be brought in the day of Christ and so it impliedly shewes that the reason why the most men are so intangled with all sorts of impediments and why men so greedily and excessively seeke the profits and pleasures of this world and why men are so slenderly furnished with arguments of sound hope of a better life I say the reason of all this is the forgetfulnesse of our mortality and our transitory estate in this world The words in themselves containe a lively description of our transitory and mortall condition in this world amplified by the commendation of the word of God by which we are borne againe and fitted for a better world The vanity of man is set downe verse 24. the eternity of the word verse 25. The vanity of man is both propounded and repeated propounded in these words All flesh is grasse and all the glory of man as the flower of grasse repeated in these words the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away The proposition concernes either the persons of men or the condition of men For their persons all flesh is grasse For their condition the glory
of man is as the flower of grasse and so the proposition shewes that he is mortall The repetition shewes how he is so His body withereth as grasse and his glory falleth away as the flower From the coherence with the former verse I might note two things 1. That man is a creature both mortall and immortall mortall as he is borne of his Parents immortall as he is borne of God mortall in respect of his naturall life and immortall in respect of his spirituall life mortall in repect of his flesh and spirituall in respect of his soule 2. That the consideration of the mortality of our bodies will quicken man unto a care of the immortality of his soule But I passe from these All flesh is grasse The words of the proposition are all plaine taken in their proper signification save that by flesh is ment the nature of man in respect especially of his body but for the doctrine of these words three things would be weighed 1. The affirmation concerning the body of man that it is like grasse 2. The extent of the affirmation when he saith all flesh is grasse 3. The consideration of the time when he saith in the present time It is grasse not it shall be For the first the word rendred grasse is translated sometimes the blade of wheate as Mat. 13.26 sometimes hey as 1 Cor. 3.12 but most usually grasse and so the sense gives it here Now for the phrase of speech It is true that sometimes it is spoken in the praise of Gods Elect that they are like grasse viz. for their growing and flourishing in grace and happinesse as Esay 44 4. Psal. 72.16 Rev. 9.4 but usually in scripture it is taken to signifie the misery of all men by nature And so it notes especially the fraile condition of man in this life he is like grasse because as the grasse is to day and to morrow is cast into the oven so is man to day and to morrow is cast into the grave he is suddenly gone and in short time spoiled of all his earthly glory The world of men might be resembled to a field of grasse in many respects but this is that the Holy Ghost cheefely aimes at So then the first doctrine is that a man by nature is like grasse for the brevity of his life and the suddennesse many times of his death The Uses are divers First for reproofe of three sorts of men 1. Of all those that minde onely the things of the flesh why do men so studie for the provision of the flesh can men remember that their flesh is as grasse and yet seeke great things for this life onely let all men know that they that sow to the flesh shall certainly of the flesh reape corruption 2. Of such as place their trust and hopes in man for this reason he is cursed that maketh flesh his arme seeing all flesh is grasse 3. It reprooves divers of Gods children too for their too much feare of the rage of wicked men The Apostle when he said we wrastle not with flesh and blood meant to shew that we should not be so much distressed for that kinde of combat as teaching that it were better to wrastle with ten adversaries than with one temptation but most plainely Esay 51.12 Secondly there is matter of consolation too and that divers waies For first though our flesh be as grasse yet that hinders not Gods love to us for he clâ—theth the very grasse of the field and shall he not provide for us also Secondly the Lord is pleased to use the consideration of this doctrine as an argument to move him to pitty us he knowes our frailty and therefore will not deale rigorously with us as these places shew Ps. 103.13 90.6 78.39 Esay 40. c. Thirdly the mortality of the flesh should occasion us to rejoyceâ— in the immortality of our spirit and to bee glad at heart that we are borne againe not of the bloods of mortall men but by the will and word of the immortall God that so we may be comforted against the sense of the decaies of our bodies by remembring that we have a building made of God without hands e ternall in the heavens though the earthly house of our Tabernacle be dissolved Lastly it may comfort us if we consider that the Lord hath beene pleased to resolve with himselfe to take the care of us and our posterity after us because he knowes we cannot continue alwaies with our children for so the Prophet David assures the godly that though their flesh be but as the grasse yet God will establish his mercy to them that are left behinde them the Lord will deale righteously with their childrens children Ps. 10â— 15 18. Thirdly wee should all therefore learne to crucifie the bootlesse lusts of the flesh and to compell our selves so to thinke of saving our spirits in the day of Christ as to forbeare to entangle our selves with the cares of life seeing it is all in vaine we must dye and goe hence and that suddenly and shortly â—especially we should provide that Christ may live in us by faith that so we may be provided to continue when our flesh will faile us yea thirdly seeing in this world it will never be better with our bodies therefore wee should reach our flesh that great lesson of resting in hope even wee should learne to waâ—â— for the resurrection when even our flesh shall be made spirituall and this corruption shall put on incorruption Thus of the affirmation it selfe Now the extent of iâ— is in the second place to be considered viz. that all flesh is grasse All flesh Not onely the flesh of beasts of the field and sowles of the ayre but even the flesh of man is grasse and amongst men there is no difference The flesh of Princes is as mortall as well as the flesh of peasants the most mighty helpers must stoope to the power of death There is a great deale of difference in grasse a thousand formes in one medow or pasture yet all alike in this that they must wither The outward difference of mens places in the world makes no difference in death The rich and the poore both meet together in the grave as dies the begger so dies the King Riches will not ransome from death no price can be a redemption from the grave Healthfull bodies are as grasse as well as sickly bodies such as abound in the helps of physick must dye as well as they that are destitute of all meanes to preserve life The strongest must stoope to death as well as the weakest the longest livers must dye at last as well as the creature but of a dayes continuance If men then should live 900. yeeres and more yet at length it must be said of them they died yea godly men must die as well as wicked Psal. 102.12 The people are but grasse Esay 40.7 yea the flesh of the
son of God had no priviledge from death he was put to death in respect of the flesh 1 Pet. 3.21 Therefore this may serve first for singular reproofe of that unspeakable beastlinesse that is in wicked men that will not be moved with the contemplation of the ruine of the whole world oh the unutterable Lethargy of these mens hearts that will not consider their latter end when so unchangeable a decree is prest upon all men that at their appointed time they must once die This very doctrine may shew the horrible effect of sinne in the hearts of men that can extinguish a consideration so universally obvious to every mans sense oh yee brutish amongst the people when will yee understand Secondly this may informe us that multitude is no prerogative multitude cannot protect men against the stroke of God and death Though hand joyne in hand yet sinne cannot be unpunished It is as easie for God to smite all flesh as any flesh It is as easie for him to destroy the whole world as to destroy one man All flesh is grasse If the sithe can with few strokes move downe thousands of formes of grasse how much more easie is it for God with the sithe of his judgements to cut downe multitudes of men And besides that may informe us that the doctrine of death must be sounded in the eares of all men there is no man but this doctrine belongs to him and therefore woe unto him if he make no good use of it yea so necessary is this doctrine that the Ministers of the Gospell are commanded not to write it onely but to speake it nor that onely but to cry it out with all possible both affection and power of inforcement Cry all flesh is grassâ— Esay 40.6 Thirdly this may teach 1. Rich men in speciall to lay this to heart For God hath given them this doctrine to humble them and to teach them not to glory in their wealth but if they have gotten grace let them rejoyce that God hath provided better things than the things of this life for them They are more happy that God hath made them low by giving them a sight of their sins and so to be humbled for them then that he made them great in the world for their flesh is but grasse and all that glory must vanish as will be shewed afterwards The Use is urged Iam. 1.10 11. Ps. 49. 2. Strong men to whom God hath given helps of nature or arte Use thy strength but rejoyce not in it Use thy Physicke but trust not upon it For for all that thou must dye there is no arte nor remedy against death 3. All men and so we should all learne two things especially 1. To put our trust in God which liveth for ever since all men must perish and wee cannot continue here it is the best relying upon God and his favour and helpe who liveth ever to performe his promise and to provide for his servants thus David useth this consideration Ps. 102.12 13. 2. To be patient when we feele the walls of our earthly house begin to moulder down when we feele death beginning like a moth to feed upon us we should be patient seeing it is not onely unavoidable but that it is the case of all men as well as ours Thus of the extent of the affirmation The time followes Is grasse This mortality may be said to be so presently It is so in divers respects 1. It is so â—n the cause which is sin the cause of death is in us already it hath infected our very bones 2. It is so in the sentence the doome is already gone out upon all flesh It is appointed that all men shall once die The very sentence uttered in Paradise of dying the death stands still unrevoked in respect of our flesh 3. It is so in experience all flesh is dead never any scaped 4. It is so in respect of dâ—sposition to death we are all but dying men death hath taken hold of us and doth every day feed upon us insensibly To live is but to lie a dying The disposition to death is inflicted upon all men for all tend to death 5. Lastly it may be said all flesh is grasse for certainty that is we shall as certainely vanish hereafter as if it were now presently done The use should be the more to inforce upon us the care of providing for a change since death is so many waies made fast unto us and withall it may serve to confute the vaine hope of long life here seeing we are all but as so many dead men here to day and to morrow cast into the grave and wee should also learne hence to be continually thinking of death must we not do the worke that is present to us why death is before thine eyes why then dost thou not the thing of the day in the day It is thy every dayes worke to die to learne to die seeing we die daily Hitherto of that branch of the proposition that concerns the body of manâ—noâ— followeth the vanity of mans condition in this world The glory of man is as the flower of grasse Here first the sâ—â—se of the words is to be considered By the glory of man he meaneth whatsoever it is in outward things which man glorieth in any thing that man rejoyceth in admireth praiseth seeketh as an ornament or happinesse to himselfe such as are riches strength honour high places and command over others beauty praise of men excellency of naturall gifts noble birth calling multitude of attendants and such like By man he meaneth here the naturall man or the outward man for of the spirituall man it is not true because he glorieth in that shall never fade nor be taken away from him Now this glory is compared to the flower of grasse for transitorinesse because it will fade and fall away as the repetition sheweth and that speedily too as the uses of this similitude in divers scriptures shew as will afterwards more appeare The doctrine then is that all the outward glory of man in this world is exceeding vaine and so it may appeare for six causes or considerations for I omit many other reasons First for the most part these things so much desired cannot be had or not as they are desired and therefore their glory is vaine because they are sought in vaine 2. If they be obtained yet the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with bearing of them they cannot fill the heart of man 3. Many times it fals alike in these things to the foole and to the wise both in having them and in losing them and this is a miserable vanity and vexation of spirit 4. The glory that is placed in these things is liable to be interrupted with a thousand crosses either they expire the vanity or are taken away by violence 5. If they could make us happy yet death will not let us enjoy them many men spend
their daies in getting these things and then in learning how to put them to their delightfullest use and then when to possesse them might seeme a happinesse they die 6. Lastly that which is now our glory will not be remembred when we are gone as we care not for the glory of those that are past It is a poore praise to say of a man when he is gone he was a rich man a strong man a noble man c. and yet even this also will be forgotten The holy Ghost in divers Scriptures points at divers uses of this doctrine and first for instruction it should teach us divers duties 1. Not to trust upon these outward things if God give them not glory in them nor boast of them Psal. 49.4 to 15. Ier. 9.24 yea if God give us to taste some sweetnesse in them yet be not too confident for the comforts of mans heart wither like grasse Psal. 102.5.4 Iam. 1.10 11. 2. Not to contend for precedency in these things nor to strive that our glory should exceed the glory of others for God many times ends the quarrel with his judgments and staines their glory on al sides as Zach. 12.7 3. Not to feare wicked men when they are made rich or grow great and when their glory is increased For their glory will not last when they dye they carry nothing with them their glory cannot descend after them Psal. 49.15 16 18. and therefore we should never envy their prosperity for the same reason as Psal. 37.1 2. 4. Not to know any man after the flesh nor to measure mans happinesse by the possession or want of this glory 2. Cor. 5. 5. If thou possesse these outward things doe good to thy selfe eate and drinke and let thy heart rejoyce and deny not contentment to thy heart through vaine care or bootlesse feares Psal. 49.18 Eccles. 8. 6. It should teach men faithfulnesse in their particular calling For seeing these things last but a while wee should take heed to our charge whilst God leaves them to our disposing or using so Pro. 27.23 25 26. Heb. 13.5 6. 7. If God give thee but a little yet be content it is no great restraint to have the abundance of such transitory things withheld see Pro. 27.23 25. Heb. 13.5 6. 8. It should teach us then to enquire after true glory that may enrich the spirituall man seeing this glory of the outward man is so transitory now here is a great and profitable question to be propounded and resolved and seriously to be received and practised Quest. What are those things wherein true glory lyeth and in the profession of which we possesse true glory seeing all those things be not worth the seeking after Answ. For answer hereunto if wee follow this word glory through the scriptures we shall find it lighting downe and setting upon divers particular distinct excellencies worthy the utmost labour of all men to studie them and seeke after the fruition of them This glory is either in this world or the world to come In this world if we marke the scriptures quoted we shall find divers things to be mans true glory as 1. Christ is the King of glory the fountaine of all true glory Ps. 24. and he is unto us the foundation of all our hope of glory Col. 1.27 2. The spirit of adoption is the spirit of glory and of God and if this rest upon us we cannot be miserable 1. Pet. 4.14 3. Our soules are our glory and if we provide for them we provide richly for our selves so are our soules called Ps. 16.8 30.13 Gen. 49.6 Esay 5.14 4. The meanes and signes and pledges of Gods presence and our communion with him are our glory Thus the Arke was called the glory Rom. 9.5 and thus plaine and powerfull preaching is accounted glory 1 Cor. 2.7 2 Cor. 3.9 10 and thus our godly teachers are the glory of our lives 2 Cor. 2.14 5. The favour of God and the assurance of his mercy is our glory an incomparable treasure Psal. 90.14 16 17. 6. Faith is a mans glory and will be so acknowledged in the day of Christ Iam. 2.1 1 Pet. 1.7 7. True grace and the gifts that resemble Christ the vertues of Jesus Christ even these are our glory 2 Pet. 1.3 Esay 1.5 and thus wisdome is durable riches Prov. 8.18 8. A free estate in the profession of the Gospell and serving of God 1 Cor. 9.15 9. The testimony of a good conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 In one word God is our glory Esay 6.19 Ps. 3.4 Thus we see what is our glory in this life and unto those things we must aspire The Lord give us understanding to lay these things to our hearts Now because these things are not fully possessed in this life therefore our greatest glory is in the world to come Rom. 5.2 Col. 3.4 9. Seeing all the glory of man is as the flower of grasse in this world therefore we should thinke the oftner of death and pray to God to teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome Ps. 90.6 12. Ioâ— 14.1 2. 10. Lastly we should all be perswaded to subscribe easily and willingly to the tried doctrine of Salomon that hath written a booke of purpose to record his experiences concerning the vanity of all those earthly things such was his Ecclesiastes Oh that we could beleeve it without trying conclusions and further engaging our selves to these base and fading things And thus of the Uses for instruction Secondly wee may hence be informed concerning the misery of wicked men For since they have no glory in another world and their glory in this world is so transitory and vaine it may evidently prove that their distresse is extreamely great and their misery the more that they cannot understand the basenesse of their owne condition This very similitude of grasse and the flower of grasse is used in divers scriptures to this end as Psal. 91.7 8. 49.20 Ioh 8.12 13. Ps. 129.6 37.36 Especially how wofull is the estate of those men that glory in their sinnes that have no better felicity in their desires but that which is properly their shame For if their estate be vaine that have no other happinesse then in the riches and honors and pleasures of life oh how wofull is the case of these men that glory in their shame their end is damnation as their God is their belly oh woe unto them they have rewarded evill unto their owne soules Phil. 3.18 19. Esay 28.1 4. Thus of the proposition The repetition or exposition of it followes The grasse withereth The repetition importeth generally three things First the certainty of our vanity and mortality we must flee away hence all outward glosse and glory will decay what man liveth and shall not see death It is appointed by a decree irrevocable that all men shall once dye there can be no redemption for our lives death passeth upon all men Secondly the
scandall and then secondly to despaire Before I open the words particularly divers things may bee noted in generall First that the punishments that light upon particular wicked men are to be accounted the punishments of the whole body of unbeleevers as here despaire and taking offence at Christ it may light upon some particular offenders onely yet they are punishments belonging to all First because there is no judgement but all wicked men have deserved it Secondly because when God plagues some hee meanes all he threatens all Thirdly because no wicked man can be sure for the time to come that he shall not fall into them Fourthly because the afflictions of this life are typicall to wicked men as despaire is a typicall hell and so all other judgements are but little hells And this doctrine should much amaze impenitent sinners if they consider that any fearefull judgment they see fall upon others may fall upon them and that God is as well displeased with their sinnes as with the sins of those he so plagued as Christ shewes Luk. 13.1 to 6. Secondly that from one and the same cause may arise divers and contrary effects as Christ that is a stone of foundation to the beleever is a stone of stumbling to the unbeleever Thus in Luke 2. hee was appointed for the rising and falling of many in Israel Thus the Gospell of peace is to wicked men a fire a sword a fanne It is a savour of life to the godly and a savour of death to the wicked 2 Cor. 2. as the Sunne melteth the wax and hardneth the clay This comes to passe by accident and by the corruption that is in the hearts of wicked men and by the fearefull judgements of God Use. The use should be to teach us therefore not to rest in the having of the meanes of salvation as the preaching of the Word c. for through thy corruption it may be a meanes of greater damnation Thirdly that of all judgements in this life spirituall judgements are the worst which appeares from hence in this that when the Lord would declare his speciall displeasure upon wicked men hee threatens these in this place as the most fearfull Now for explication of this point All judgements in this life are either spirituall or temporall By temporall judgements I meane such as have their proper effects on the outward man such as are poverty disgrace sicknesse imprisonment losses in mens estates and the like By spirituall judgements I meane such as have their proper effects upon the soule as for example Hardnesse of heart the spirit of slumber desertion or the absence of God the taking away of the gifts of the minde the with-holding of the Gospel the delivering of men up to the power of Satan or to the love of lies terrours of despaire or taking of offence of which latter in this place Now these spirituall judgements are much worse than any of the former temporall crosses first because these judgements light vpon the best part of man which is the soule and by how much the soule is better than the body by so much it is worse to be distressed in soule than in body Secondly because they with-hold from us the best good which is God or Christ now that which straightens us in the best things must needs be the worst kinde of restraint Thirdly because these crosses are more hardly cured it is much easier to heale a sicknesse in the body than a disease in the soule Fourthly because these judgements for the most part are inflicted upon the worst offenders I say for the most part for sometimes the godly themselves may bee scourged for a time and for just reasons with some kindes of spirituall judgements Use The use may bee first for reproofe of the madnesse of multitudes of people in the world that can bee extreamly vexed and grieved for worldly crosses yet have no sense or care of spirituall judgements they howâ—e upon their beds if God take from them corne or wine or the fruits of the field but never grieve if God take the Gospel from them they are much troubled if they lose the favour of their greatest friends but never mourne because God hath forsaken them they are very impatient if their bodies be sicke and yet very quiet if their soules be sicke they would thinke themselves undone if they were carried to prison who yet are not much moved at it that God should deliver them up to Satan And yet I would not be mistaken I do not meane to say that wicked men should not mourne for wordly or outward crosses It is true godly men should not or not with great sorrowes but for wicked men they ought to be extremely grieved for every outward affliction because it comes in wrath from God and is but the beginning of evils But then two things must be noted first that their sorrow should be godly viz. for their sins that brought those judgments not for the crosse it selfe secondly that they ought to be more troubled for spirituall judgements than for temporall Secondly this should much comfort godly men and women in all their afflictions and it should make them patient because though God afflicts them in their bodies or estates yet he spareth their soules and doth not execute those outward crosses but with much compassion Thirdly it should teach us how to pray in the case of afflictions if they be spirituall judgements we may pray directly for the removeall of them but for temporall judgements we must pray with condition And thus of the generall oâ—servations Before I enter upon the particular breaking open of the doctrine of this verse it will not be amisse â—o shew that this and such doctrine as this is not unprofitable Quest. For some one might say To what end serves this doctrine of Gods dealing with unbeleevers Answ. I answer it is profitable both for godly men and wicked men For wicked men may hence heare and feare and doe no more wickedly seeing hence they may discerne what they may come to if they prevent it not by repentance And for godly men they may hence be the more inflamed with the admiration of Gods goodnesse when they shall heare of their owne priviledges by 〈◊〉 Such Scriptures as this containe the arraignment and triall of the ungodly Now it is very profitable for us to stand by and heare the triall Wee know multitudes of innocent men flocke to the Assises to heare the arraignment of malefactors which breeds in them first contentment in the observation of the solemnity and manner of administration of justice secondly a feare to offend the terrour of their sentence frights the heart for many dayes after thirdly a love of innocency it makes men love innocency much the better for a long while after fourthly compassion to malefactors it softens the heart and makes men fit to shew mercy to these poore condemned men The like to all this is bred by the consideration of such
no King on earth can grant to all his subjects and seldome or never so much as to any one Esa. 30.19 Ioh. 14. Whatsoever they aske in the name of Christ shall be granted unto them Tenthly they are the longest lived of any people As the dayes of a tree are the dayes of my people saith the Lord they may endure many a storme but they are fast rooted still Mine Elect shall long enjoy the workes of their hands Esa. 65.22 For first they onely have the promise of a long life in this world and it is limited onely with that condition If it bee good for them And secondly if that God take away some of his people and that quickly out of this world yet that shortens not their life or dependance upon God For when they die a bodily death they are said to bee gathered to his people or their people and there receive eternall life in stead of it Death doth not put them out of service or deprive them of the Kings presence but removeth them onely out of one roome into another whereas they stood below staires before they serve now above staires and are all of the Presence and Privie-Chamber to God Eleventhly they are the wealthiest people in the world none better provided for For first for Spirituall gifts and rich favours from the King of kings they are not destitute of any heavenly gifts 1 Cor. 1.5 Ephes. 1.3 And for outward provision God hath taken all the chiefe creatures and bound them to serve them with provision in whatsoever they want The heaven the earth the corne c. all are bound for the supply of their wants Hos. 2.21 22 23. Twelfthly they excell for protection whether we respect their preservation or the revenge is done upon their enemies for their preservation though the earth and the heavens should bee shaken yet God will be the hope of his people Ioel 3.16 and as the mountaines are about Jerusalem so is the Lord about them that feare him and therefore they cannot be moved Psal. 125.1 2. and if the rod of the wicked do enter upon them yet it shall not rest upon their lot vers 3. of the same Psalme And for vengeance It is certaine the Lord will avenge their quarrell upon all their enemies though they bee unable to right their owne wrongs and because God would have it done throughly he reserves the worke of vengeance to himselfe to make the recompence Heb. 10.30 Rom. 12.20 Uses The use may be both for consolation and instruction For it should exceedingly comfort Gods children considering what singular happinesse they enjoy by the government of Jesus Christ. Oh! blessed are the people whose God is the Lord Ps. 33.12 and 144.15 Moses admires a little before his death the wonderfull felicity of the godly considered as they are Gods people Israel is happy none like to Gods people or this people nor is there any like unto the God of Jerusalem For God rides upon the heaven in their helpe the eternall God is their refuge and underneath are the everlasting Armies He will thrust our their enemies before them and say Destroy them Israel alone shall dwell in safety The fountaine of Iacob shall be upon a land of corne and wine and his heavens shall drop downe deaw They are a people saved by the Lord who is the shield of their helpe and the sword of their excellency Their enemies shal be found liers to them Deut. 33.26 to the end And this excellent estate is the more comfortable to be thought upon First because people of any nation may be admitted to this estate and the Lord without respect of persons will blesse them with the blessing of his people as the Prophet excellently shewes Esa. 2.19 and 19.24 25. The Gentiles have come to rejoyce amongst his people Rom. 15.9 10 11. They were hard times when the Lords dominion was in a manner confin'd in the Kingdome of Judah and Israel Secondly because it is so great and glorious a worke on Gods part to make us his people for hee doth as it were plant the heavens and lay the foundation of the earth that hee may say unto Sion Thou art my people Esay 51. vers 16. Thirdly because in the hardest times that can befall the godly the Lord will have them plead this priviledge and they may goe to God and hee will acknowledge them in all their distresses and sanctifie their afflictions and deliver them at the voice of their cry Esa. 64.9 Zech. 13.19 Fourthly because they shall yet enjoy a farre more excellent estate in another world than now they have Rev. 21. They are now but as the children of Israel in Goshen or in the wildernesse Use 2. Secondly divers things may be hence observed for instruction as First such as live in the Church and yet have not the markes of Gods people on them should awake and looke about them and labour to get into the number of Gods people These fooles among the people as the Prophet David calleth them should understand and these evill neighbours unto Israel should be perswaded to learne the wayes of Gods people that so they may be built up in the midst of Israel Ier. 12.16 And it should be their daily prayer unto God to grant them this one request namely to blesse them with the favour of his people Psal. 106.3 4. Secondly the penitent sinner that feeles his heart called by the voice of Christ should hence be moved to enter into the covenant of God and speedily to take the oath of subjection and alleageance binding himselfe with all his heart to God and his divine service Deut. 29.10 11 12 13. Ier. 50.5 Thirdly such as have taken the oath and are acknowledged for true Subjects should for the rest of their time study how to carry themselves as becomes the people of God and so In generall they should remember two things First to give eare to Gods Law and hearken what the Lord will say unto them from time to time Psal. 78.1 Esa. 51.4 Secondly to lead a holy life and conversation for therefore hath God severed them from all nations that they might be holy to him Levit. 20.26 All Gods people are righteous Esa. 59.21 and 62.12 and Christ hath redeemed them from all iniquity and purified them that they might be a peculiar people unto him zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 They must therefore be no more polluted with their transgressions nor bee fashioned to the lusts of their former ignorance Ezek. 14.11 and 36.25 c. In particular they should First give God thankes for ever for blessing them with the blessing of his people Psal. 79. ult Secondly they should humble themselves to walke with their God Mic. 6.8 being humbled at his feet to receive his Law Deut. 33.3 bowing downe with all reverence to worship him Psal. 95.7 For God is a great God above all gods and a great King above all kings Thirdly they must avoid needlesse society with
by the bodily eyes The fourth thing to be proved is that the soule is immortall it cannot die when it is once kindled it will never goe out or be extinct as the Sadducees wickedly imagined and some Athiefts still thinke the contrary This is a point necessary to be knowne as for the truth it selfe so for the use of it in our lives For to doubt of immortality makes us miserable and to beleeve the soules are mortall makes men Epicures Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die But to be fully assured of an estate after life makes a man carefull so avoid sinne lest his soule live for ever miserably and to serve God that hee may live for ever happily Now things may be said to be immorrall two waies either absolutely and in their owne nature and so God onely is immortall or else they are so by the will and pleasure of God and not by their owne nature and so the soules of men and so the Angels are immortall There have beene two sorts of men that have denyed the immortality of the soule the one were the Sadducees among the Jews who held that in death the soule of man is utterly extinct as the soule of a beast the other were certaine Arabians of whom Eusebius and Saint Augustine make mention who said that the soule died with the body and so remained dead till the day of Judgement and then they revived with the resurrection of the body Now against the first sort may be produced many reasons as also evident Scriptures The reasons are such as these 1 The providence and justice of God proveth the immortality of the soule For here in this life good men have not all their happinesse and evill men live in prosperity so there must be another life where justice must be done 2 Religion confirmes this for to what end were religion and serving of God if the soule died like the soule of a beast seeing in this life the most godly are outwardly in great misery many times For if S. Paul say If the dead rise not then of all men are we most miserable it will hold much more strange if the soule live not at all after death 3 The wisedome of God proves it for else man were not in better case than the beast yea in some cases worse For man from his infancie to his death is liable to many diseases subject to cares and griefes which the beast is free from yea this addes to mans misery that he knowes he must die which the beast doth not Now shall man that was counted like God be thought to have no better end than the beast that did exalt himselfe so much in the glory of his beginning 4 The conscience of malefactors proves this who feare a judgement after this life and an estate of misery 5 The nature of the soule proves it for it is simple and void of all contrariety and accidents and causes of corruption or putrefaction and is besides the Image of God Now no mortall thing can be the image of that which is immortall These reasons make it exceeding probable But I am of their mindes that thinke it may be beleeved by faith but not be proved by reason The Scripture therefore onely makes this point cleere such as these First our Saviour proves it out of the Word of God saying I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob c. Secondly it is most plaine Mat. 10.28 Thirdly eternall life is every where promised to them that beleeve Fourthly such places as treat of the Resurrection last Judgement and the Glory of heaven prove it Now for the other sort that confesse the life of the soule after the last Judgement but deny that the soule lives after death till then there are divers Scriptures against their opinion As First the former Scriptures The soule cannot be killed at all Matth. 10. And God was presently the God of Abraham as then living and for eternall life it is not said He shall have but He hath eternall life that beleeveth Secondly Christ said to the theese This day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise not at the last day Thirdly Ro. 8.38 Death cannot separate us from God in Christ as it would if the soule were dead or a-sleepe and did not enjoy God Fourthly the dead that die in the Lord are forthwith blessed Rev. 14.14 Fifthly the soules of Abraham and Lazarus were in joy and alive after death so was the soule of Dives in hell Sixthly Iohn saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the testimony of Jesus and they cryed with a lowd voice O Lord how long c. Revel 6. Seventhly the soules of the wicked die not but are kept in prison and are now in prison too 1 Pet. 3.19 Before I leave this point of the immortality of the soule it is profitable briefly to answer certaine objections which may be brought out of some words in the Scriptures as Ob. 1. The soule that sinneth shall die Ezek. 18. Therefore it seemes the soule is mortall or at lest for sinne it must die and the rather because it was threatned in Paradise That day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Sol. The Scriptures evidently shew that since the fall and sinne yet the soule doth not die as the places before alledged prove But the answer is That this death threatned or inflicted is not the destruction of the beeing of the soule but the depriving of it of the grace and savour 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 mind of things For Salomon himselfe concludeth evidently that the soule returneth unto God that gave it as in the last Chapter The other objections are the objections of the dreamers that is of such as imagine that the soule lieth a-sleepe till the day of Judgement and perceives 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 Object 1. It is said that man when hee dies sleepeth as Christ said of Lazarus He sleepeth Ioh. 11. and Stephen slept in the Lord Act. 17. Sol. Other Scriptures adde another word viz. in the grave or in the dust Iob 7.21 and Psal. 78. sleeping in their graves but it is evident that the soule cannot sleepe in the grave but the body only And Stephen delivered his Spirit to Christ. Object 2. Paul saith that if the body rise not we are of all men most miserable That it seemes cannot be true if the soule enjoy blessednesse without the body Sol. The immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the body are conjoyned For the Soule without the body can bee
subtiâ—â— Esau. This ought much to bee sought after by Christians that men may see their hearts by their words 2. Cor. 1.12 The sixt is profitablenes rendred in the end of this verse good works They lead a faire conversation that doe good and are helpfull to others and ready to shew any kindnes or mercy to any that live neere them or have occasion to use them This is an admirable prayse The use should be therefore to teach us to study how to adorne our conversation with such integrity and vertuous behaviour as may winne prayse and reputation to our profession especially we should at least shunne all those hatefull evils which by experience we finde to bee grievous and loathsome and are to be accounted as blemishes in our conversings being things as are in a speciall manner loathsome and provoke ill opinion in others as being against honesty and that faire conversation should bee found in us as First the sins of uncleannesse and whoredome and fornication and lasciviousnesse and filthy speaking Rom. 13.13 Eph. 5.3.4 Secondly the sins of drunkennes and riotousnes Rom. 13.13 1. Pet. 4.3 Thirdly the sinnes of passion malice wrath bitternesse clamour and evill speaking Eph. 4.31 Fourthly sinnes of deceit lying dissimulation and hypocrisie Fiftly pride statelinesse desire of vaine glory Gal. 5.26 Sixtly backbiting coÌ„plaining censuring judging Mat. 7.1 Iam. 4. Gal. 5.13 Seventhly idlenesse and slothfulnesse 1. Thes. 4 11.12 Eighthly to bee a busie-body in other mens matters prying and inquiring and meddling with things that belong not to them 1. Thes. 4.11.12 1. Pet. 4. To which adde pratling and talkativenesse 1. Tim. 5.13 Ninthly such courses as have appearance of evill in them such are the use of vain apparell and wilfull resorting to persons and places that are of evill report Thus of the matter to which he exhorts The reasons follow why they should bee carefull of an honest and faire behaviour and first because they live among the Gentiles Among the Gentiles Those Gentiles were such as lived in their naturall idolatry the nations that had not received the Christian faith Those that think this Epistle was written onely to the provinciall Jews alledge the words of this verse to prove it for say they it was written to such as lived among the Gentiles and were no Gentiles and they only were the Jewes But this reason is of no force for those Gentiles that were converted to the Christian faith became Christians and so were no more Gentiles or Pagans And so these words may bee understood of all sorts of Christians that lived among the unconverted Gentiles whether they were in their naturall estate either Jewes or Pagans In that the Christians lived among the Gentiles and must by their faire conversation bee rightly ordered towards those Gentiles divers things may be observed First we may hence note how hard a thing it is to recover men from a false religion though their religion bee grossely absurd In this place whither the Gospell came we see multitudes of men remained Gentiles still and would not receive the Christian faith And this is the more to be noted if we either consider the reasons the Gentiles had to remain in their religion or the manifest causes they had to moove them to imbrace the Christian Religion For for their owne religion they might easily observe these things amongst many other First their palpable and sottish idolatry in worshipping so many gods and those so accounted to bee gods being many of them apparently but senselesse creatures as the Sunne Moon and Starres others of them but dead men and others of them such as of whom there was not the least colour or appearance of Divinity Secondly the most notorious wickednes of life which did every where abound in all the nations that were Pagans Rom. 1. Thirdly that they followed a religion that gave them no hope of a better life after death nor could describe any estate worth the desiring Fourthly there was no agreement among them what should be the chiefe good while they lived but men were carried according to the sensuall desires of their owne hearts On the other side for the Christian Religion they saw that the doctrine of it was every where prooved by miracles and that their owne Oracles in every place where the Gospel came were put to silence Besides they might observe that the Christian Religion did teach the most absolute way for holinesse of life and that the Christians did live the most unrebukeably of all others yea did with gladnes dye in the defence of their religion and further the Christian Religion did shew them the glory of heaven and discovered that certain estate of most blessed immortality Quest. But may some one say what might be the motives to the Gentiles to make them continue so obstinate Ans. There were chiefly five things which caused this obstinacy in the Gentiles The first was the tradition of their fathers forefathers thy would not forsake that religion which for so many hundred yeers their Ancestors had professed 1. Pet. 1.18 Secondly the God of this world did mightily labour to blinde their eyes that they might not understand the Gospell 2. Cor. 4.4 Thirdly they saw that the Christian Religion was persecuted in all places both by reproaches and martyrdome Fourthly they would not receive the Christian Religion because there were but few that professed it and that their wise men and great men of the world for the most part did reject it 1. Cor. 1. The last and chiefe reason was the love of their sins which they saw they must forgoe if they embraced the Christian Religion It was true also that the wickednesse of some hypocrites that crept in among Christians did make the way of God evill spoken of and many Gentiles to blaspheme Rom. 2. I might adde that the doctrine of Christs Passion was a scandall unto many Gentiles who accounted it as a foolish thing to beleeve him as a Saviour that could not save himselfe from so ignominious a death being willingly ignorant of the necessity of that oblation of Christ as the Surety and Sacrifice for our sinnes It is profitable to consider of the obstinacy of these Gentiles together with their motives for first we may see that they stood upon the same grounds in effect upon which the Papists do rest at this day for the Papists maine allegations are the traditions of Fathers and Fore-fathers together with the multitudes of people that follow their Religion but especially the consideration of the wofull estate of forâ—orne men should teach us with the more thankfulnesse to celebrate the prayse of Gods mercy to us that did subdue our natures and draw us out of blindnesse and wickednesse into the true Religion and into the kingdome of Jesus Christ. And Ministers should hence learne with patience to doe their worke and not to be discouraged though multitudes of people be not brought to the obedience of Christ. They must not look to
of the people Matth. 15.31 Luk. 7.16 so the contemplation of such great workes may worke the same effect in us and the same effect also may the thoughts of the workes of Gods speciall justice or mercy have Ezek. 38.23 Esa. 13.13 especially the consideration of those workes of favour or deliverance by which God hath declared his speciall goodnesse unto us Gen. 19.19 1 Chron. 17.24 David also clotheth the thoughts of God with glory greatnesse in his heart by thinking of the monuments of Gods wonderfull Power and Wisedome in the heavens earth and seas c. Psal. 104.1 c. yea by thinking of his owne forming and making in the wombe Psal. 139.15 Thirdly wee must pray earnestly to God with Moses and begge this of God that he would shew us his glory Thus also of the third thing The next thing is to learne how to establish the thought of Gods glory in us and this is done especially two waies First by striving to set God alwaies before us as David did Psal. 16.8 Secondly by remembring God in all our wayes doing all our workes unto the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Lastly to make us in love with God thus conceived of according to his glory the thorow meditation of his mercies to us is of singular use to thinke either of the variety of them or of the speciall respect God hath had of us above many others and the frequencie of his mercies that he sheweth us mercy daily but above all to consider that his mercies are free to thinke how vile we are upon whom God lookes with such grace and goodnesse Thus the blessed Virgin taught her selfe to magnifie God and to love his name Luk. 1.46 48. Thus of making God glorious in our hearts by knowledge Now for the second which is to make him glorious by acknowledgement The particular waies how that may be done have beene reckoned before in the explication of the doctrine only we must labour by prayer to fashion our selves to that worke that God in any of those particulars doth require of us and that is the most speciall helpe which I know thereunto But by the way let me warn thee to looke to two things First that in any course of glorifying God which is to be done by thy words thou be carefull to avoid hypocrisie and be sure that thy heart be lifted up and affected according to the glory of God for the Lord abhorres to be glorified with thy lips if thy heart bee farre from him Esa. 29.13 And the next is that thou presume not in any case to make the pretence of Gods glory a covering for any wickednesse as the Pharisees that would hide their devouring of widowes houses under the praise of long prayer or those in the Prophet Esay's time that would persecure godly men and molest them with Church-censures and say Let the Lord be glorified Esa. 66.5 Thus of making God glorious in our selves Lastly that we may make God glorious in the hearts of other men and cause them to speake of his praises we must carefully looke to foure things 1 That when we speake of God or his truth wee do it with all possible reverence and feare that wee be carefull in all our discourses of Religion instructions admonitions reproofes confutations or the like to treat of these things with all meeknesse and reverence God hath given us a commandement of purpose to restraine the taking up of his Name in vaine 2 That we strive by all meanes to live unspotted and inoffensive in life that if any perverse men did seeke occasion against us yet they might finde none and to this end striving to avoid those things distinctly which we perceive by the miserable example of others do vexe and provoke men to speake or thinke evill such as are idlenesse frowardnesse deceit conceitednesse and the like Phil. 2.15 3 That we shew forth the vertues of Christ. It is a singular meanes to stirre up others to glorifie God if they might perceive in us the sound habit of such Christian vertues as are not to be found in other sorts of men such as are humility lowlinesse contempt of the world subjection to Gods will love of the godly and the like The most of us have but the bare names of these there is not a reall demonstration of them Christian vertues set forth to the life are amiable and will compell men to conceive and speake gloriously of God and his truth 4 That we be helpfull upon all occasions to others ready to every good worke and hearty in all workes of mercy it is our good workes must make men speake well of us and our God and Religion Hitherto of the doctrine of glorifying God In the day of visitation This word Visitation is in Scripture attributed both to men and to God To men in such cases as these as first to shepheards who when they did specially survey their â—â—ocke with intent to redresse what was amisse were said to visit them Ier. 23.2 As also to such men as had the gathering of tribute when they came to exact their tribute to the great vexation of the people they were said to visit them So the word rendred Exactors Esa. 60.17 in the Originall is Visitors or Visitations Thirdly to visit was a tearme given to the Bishops Apostles in the Primitive Church that went about through the Churches to take notice of the estate of the Churches and to reform what was amisse Act. 15.36 And so the originall word here used is translated a Bishoprick Act. 1.20 agreeable to the Hebrew word used Ps. 109.8 Finally to visit is reckoned among the works of curtesie or mercy Iam. 1.27 The Hebrew word in the old Testament signifies oftentimes to muster or number up the people as 1 Chro. 21.6 But in this place visitation is not referred to men but to God Now God is said to visit not onely men but other creatures so he visited the earth graven Images the vessels of the Temple and Leviathan He visits the earth when he makes it in an especiall manner fruitfull Psal. 65.9 He visited Images when he brake them to pieces and confounded them He visited the vessels of the Temple by causing them to be brought backe again into the Temple Ier. 27.22 He visited Leviathan the divell by restraining his power and disappointing his malice Esa. 27.1 But most usually Gods visitation is spoken of in Scripture as it concerneth men And so God holdeth two sorts of visitations the one is the visitation of all men the other of some men onely The visitation called the visitation of all men concernes either life or death In respect of life God is said to visit all men in that he doth by his daily providence both give and preserve life till the appointed time so Iob 10.12 And in respect of death God keepes his visitation when he causeth men to die an ordinary death at the time thereunto
downe in him he is lowly and meeke which hee hath learned of Christ Mat. 11.29 Secondly affectionatenesse He loves the name of the Lord and to be the Lords servant Esa. 56.6 He doth good duties with good affections Thirdly contempt of the world He can deny his profit pleasure ease credit or the like He is no more worldly or eaten up with the cares of this life He doth not esteeme of earthly things as he was wont to do and shewes it in his carriage Fourthly sincerity For now he hath respect to all the Commandements of God he desires to be sanctified throughout he is not mended in many things as Herod was but is in some degree mended in all things and besides he is carefull of his waies in all places and companies he will obey absent as well as present Psal. 2.12 and there is no occasion of offence in him 1 Ioh. 2.8 He is wonderfull wary and carfull to provide that he may not be an offence to any body and withall he is not found to strive more for credit than for goodnesse or more ready to judge others than to condemne himselfe Iam. 3.17 If this description be throughly weighed it will be found to containe the most lively and essentiall things that distinguish true converts from all other men Nor may the force of any of these be weakned because many that seeme true Christians do shew the contrary to some of these for many that seeme just to men are an obomination to God and besides these things may be in the weake Christian in some weake measure though not so exactly Thus of the third doctrine Doct. 4. Wee may hence note That there is a peculiar time for the keeping of this visitation of grace All the times of mens lives are not times of visitation there is a speciall day of visitation called in Scripture The day of salvation the accepted time the due time the season of Gods grace 2 Cor. 6.2 That this point may be opened first we may consider of the acceptation of this word Day It usually notes a naturall day that is the space of foure and twenty houres Sometimes it notes the artificiall day of twelve houres from the morning to the evening so Ioh. 11.9 Sometimes it notes time generally as in such Scriptures as say In those dayes the meaning is In those times Sometimes it notes some peculiar season for the doing or suffering of some notable thing as the speciall time when God plagues wicked men is called their day Psal. 37.13 Ioâ— 18.20 So the time when Christ declared himselfe openly to be the Messias is called his day Ioh. 8.46 So it is here taken for that speciall part of our time of life wherein God is pleased to offer and bestow his grace upon us to salvation Now this cannot be the whole space of a mans life for it is evident that many men for a long time of their life have not at all beene visited of God in this visitation of grace they have fate in darknesse and in the shadow of death and this time is called night Rom. 13.13 Againe others are threatned with the utter losse of Gods favour if they observe not a season as Heb. 3.6 c. Luk. 19.41 42. Yea lome men have lived beyond this season and for not observing it were cast away Prov. 1.24 28. The very terme here used shewes it for when he saith The day of visitation he manifestly by the Metaphor of visiting proves a limitation of the time for all the yeare is not the time of visitation among men but some certaine season onely Quest. But how may we know when this season of grace is Answ. It is then when God sends the Gospel to us in the powerfull preaching of it when the light comes then comes this day when the doctrine of salvation is come then the day of salvation is come and God offers his grace then to all within the compasse of that light God keepes his visitation at all times and in all places when the Word of the Kingdome is powerfully preached the time of the continuance of the meanes is the day here meant in a generall consideration But if we looke upon particular persons in places where the means is then it is very hard precisely to measure the time when God doth visit or how long he will offer his grace to them only this is certaine that when God strikes the hearts of particular men with remorse or some speciall discerning or affections in matters of Religion and so bringeth them neere the Kingdome of God if they trifle out this time and receive this generall grace in vaine they may be cast into a reprobate mind and into incurable hardnesse of heart and so God shuts the kingdome of God against them while it is yet open to others Mat. 3.12 Esa. 6.10 compared with Mat. 13.14 15. Use. The use is for the confutation especially of the madnesse of many men that so securely procrastinate and put off the time of their repentance as if they might repent at any time never considering that the meanes of repentance may be taken utterly from them or that they may be cast into a reprobate sense or that death may suddenly prevent them or that the times are onely in Gods hand it is he that appoints and begins and ends this day of visitation at his owne pleasure yea hee doth not allow to all men in every place the like space of time for the continuance of the meanes This day lasteth in some places to some men many yeares whereas in other places the Kingdome of God is taken away from them in a short time as when the Apostles in the Acts were driven from some Cities after they had beene in some places but a yeere or two in others but a month or two in others but a day or two If men object that the theese on the Crosse did delay and yet found the visitation of grace at his last end I answer foure things First that the theese was by an unexpected death prevented of a great part of that time hee might have lived by the course of nature and therefore his example cannot patronize their resolution that thinke they may safely put over all till their last end and yet suppose they may live the full age of the life of man Secondly what can the example of one onely man helpe them seeing thousands have perished at their latter end going away without any repentance or grace Why rather do they not feare seeing so many millions of men are not visited in their later end yea at the very time the other theese repented not so that that example can shew no more than that it is possible that a man should find grace at the end it doth not shew that it is probable or usuall Thirdly they should shew the promise of grace not such men as wilfully neglect the present means and put all off to
before did signifie our sin-guiltinesse and were as an obligation and hand-writing against us Col. 2.14 Secondly they were a badge to distinguish the Jewes from all other nations Gen. 17.13 14. Thirdly they were shadowes and typicall adumbrations of Christ and his benefits Heb. 9.9 10. and 10.1 4. Fourthly they were as a Tutor or Schoole-master to instruct and keepe them under in the minority of the Church Gal. 4.1 2. Now all these uses are abolished by Christ For our condemnation is taken away by Christ and so the hand-writing is cancelled Col. 2.14 and the Gentiles and Jewes 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 heire is as it were now at age and therefore needs not Tutors and Governors Gal. 4.1 2 3. As for the freedome of Christians from the Judiciall Lawes that must bee understood with a distinction for so many of the Judiciall Lawes as did agree with the common politicall law of Nature are in force only so much of the Judiciall Law as did onely concerne the singular and particular policy of the Jewes is abolished Where the reason of the Law is universall the Law bindes all where the respect and reason of the Law is fitted onely to the condition of that people there the Law isâ—abolished Sixthly from servile feare unto which we are and were in bondage by Nature and so we are freed from the servile feares of the grave of men of death there was a spirit of bondage in us by nature wee durst not come into Gods presence and legall terrours did lye at the doore of our hearts to drive us to despaire of mercy or acceptation But when Faith came then the spirit of bondage went away and the hearts of Christians are emboldened with spirituall liberty and firme confidence taking delight in the Law of God in the inner man Rom. 8.15 Luke 1.74 And there was likewise in us by Nature a feare of the reproach and rage of men and the oppositions and scornes of the world from which Gods children are so delivered that many times they have contemned the uttermost fury 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 delivered us 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 divers comfortable considerations First we are free to the favour and fellowship of God the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost 1 Ioh. 1.3 7. 1 Cor. 1.9 Ioh. 17 21. 2 Pet. 1.4 1 Ioh. 5.24 Secondly we are free to the Communion of Saints wee are fellow Citizens with the Saints we are written in the writing of the house of Israel and acknowledged as members of the Congregation of the first-borne This is an Article of our Faith Ephes. 2.20 and 3.6 and 4.4 5. Heb. 12.18 c. Thirdly we are free to all the promises of Grace those rich and precious promises we may safely imply they are ours 2 Pet. 1.4 Ephes. 3.6 Fourthly we are free of Gods chamber of Presence we may goe in when we will and aske what we will and it shall be done unto us wee are free to put up as many petitions and suits as we will wee are free to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 Ephes. â— 12 and so in generall wee are free in the whole House of God even to the use of all his ordinances Ioh. 6.36 Fiftly we are free in respect of things indifferent and all things are indifferent that are neither commanded nor forbidden in the Word of God all the restraints that in the time of the old Testament lay upon 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 meats garments c. So as now Christians may use them or omit them freely Note what I say use as well as omit For some are so singular or simple as to thinke Christian liberty doth only make reference to omit but not to use meats garments dayes or indifferent ceremonies whereas they restraine Christian liberty that forbid the use of those indifferent things as well as they that dislike the omitting only in using men must take heed as hath been shewed before of the opinion of merit worship or necessity to holinesse or salvation which is that which is condemned by the Apostles Uses The Use may be first for humiliation to wicked men for hereby is implyed that they are in great bondage and not free for howsoever it is true that every wicked man in Christian Churches is freed from that yoke of Moses lawes yet in all the rest they are in danger still and bondage They stand bound by the covenant of works to the absolute keeping of the Law because none have the benefit of the new covenant till they be in the same and so all their saylings of the perfect fulfilling of the Law are imputed to them and they are under the execration and all the curses of the Law They are iâ— bondage to the tyrannie of their owne sinnes and have the divell intrenched in strong holdes in their soules They would bee troubled to know that the divell did possesse their bodies and yet doe not consider that the divell doth certainely possesse their soules every wicked man is possessed Besides they are in bondage by these servile 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 never helped till their hearts be turned to God Secondly we may hence gather the difference between 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 divels and from servile fearest 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 revealed 2. That we are freed from the Mosaicall Lawes 3. That we have liberty in things indifferent A third Use may bee for instruction to teach men to trie their interest to this freedome For such men onely are made free that beleeve in Christ Ioh. 1.12 and resolve to continue in the Word Ioh. 8.31 and are weary and heavie loaden Mat. 11.29 and are throughly turned to God 2. Cor. 3.16 17. Lastly our Christian liberty may be a great comfort to our hearts if wee consider seriously the great miseries we are freed from and the great priviledges we are
with what kinde of reviling he was 〈◊〉 and that was with most hatefull 〈◊〉 as deceiving working by the Divell blasphemy sedition treason c. The Use followes Use. Was Christ reviled Then it is most manifest that the world hates goodnesse incurably if that just One cannot scape reproach and slanders then may not any godly persons promise to themselves peace that wayes Therefore carnall friends of such as suffer reproach for Religion many times say It must needs be they are faulty some way or at least are not discreet whereas this instance of our Saviour shewes that wordly-minded men will reproach such as are godly though they were never so discreet or innocent Besides this should teach us patience under such indignities and wrongs Christ was reviled and shall we be so troubled and disquieted Christ did not revile againe And the reason was partly because reviling is a sin and partly because he suffered as our surety though he had deserved no such shame and we had and therefore holds his peace not onely from reviling but many times from just apologie confessing our guiltinesse by his silence The practice of our Saviour is here reported for our learning that all Christians might hence be warned not to render reviling for reviling 1 Pet. 3.9 There are many reasons to perswade us to patience and not to render reviling for reviling First the reproaches of unreasonable men cannot take away thy innocency Secondly better men than we have beene as vilely abused Thirdly as David said God may blesse thee for their cursing and honour thee for their disgracing of thee Fourthly because we are heires of blessing and therefore such foule language as cursing and reviling should not be found in our mouthes Fiftly though thou deserve not those reproaches from men yet thou art not innocent before God Sixtly herein thou shalt be conformed to the Patterne and Image of the Lord Jesus Christ not onely in suffering wrongfully but in forbearing reviling for Conscience sake He threatned not To threaten those that wrong us is usually a blemish and a fault First because usually it ariseth of passion and desire of revenge Secondly because oftentimes it is joyned with lying when such things are threatned as for matter or degree cannot be done or are not intended to be done Thirdly because by threatning so passionately we doe injury to God to whom vengeance belongs This condemnes the usuall practice of all sorts of men that sin fearfully in the customary practice of thwarting upon all occasions of discontent and displeasure Who is he that suffers now and in his heart or words threatens not Especially how exceeding common is this sin in the most families where parents and masters can hardly tell how to speake of the faults of servants and children but it is with foolish and passionate threatning contrary to the expresse prohibition Eph. 6.9 Masters use not threatnings But all such as would have the comfort of a sound conversation and desire to carry themselves as Christ hath left us a patterne must strive to breake off this wretched habit of threatning and if they be oppressed by Superiours or wronged by the incurable faults of Inferiours they must learne of Christ to commit all to him that judgeth righteously which is the affirmative part of the manner of Christs suffering But committed himselfe to him that judgeth righteously From these words divers things may be observed Doct. 1. First that in case of wrongs from other men it is not alwaies needfull or convenient to complaine to the Magistrate for redresse Christ here commits his cause to God but complaineth not nay though he were wronged almost continually and with grievous wrongs yet we read not that ever he complained against them that did him wrong Here two things are to be enquired after First in what cases it is not fit to complaine to men Secondly in what cases it may be lawfull and fit In these cases following it is not fit to complaine to the Magistrate First where redresse of the wrongs may be had by private and peacefull courses 1 Cor. 6. Secondly where the lawes of men doe not provide punishment some wrongs are offences and yet not punishable by mens lawes Thirdly where the offence is commited of meere frailty or ignorance Fourthly where the offence is grounded upon meere surmises which in the judgement of charity ought not to be conceived 1 Cor. 13. Fiftly where the injury is lesse and the party trespassing doth acknowledge the wrong in this case the rule of Christ holds If thy brother say It repenteth me thou must forgive him Luke 17.4 Sixtly where by the suit religion will receive greater dammage by the scandall than the party suffers by the wrong as in the case of the Corinthians where a brother went to law with a brother before Judges that were Infidels Seventhly where the Magistrates have declared themselves to be enemies to justice and just men as here in the case of Christ it was boot lesse to complaine because all the Rulers were his professed enemies Contrariwise in these and such like cases following men may lawfully seek justice from men in authority First where the offence is grievous and against the lawes of God and men Secondly where the offender persists in evill-doing without repentance Thirdly where the offence is against God and Religion as well as against the party wronged Fourthly where such wrongs are usually punishable Fiftly where the party complaining is bound to complaine by his office either by charge or oath provided that the party complaining first love his enemies and secondly prosecute with continuall respect to Gods glory and thirdly use the benefit of the Law with charity and mercy without cruelty or extremity Thus of the first Doctrine Doct. 2. The malice of wicked men against the godly is so great that when they begin to oppose them though it be but in their name they will never cease opposition if they have power till they have their lives too Thus I gather from hence that our Saviour being reviled doth not only commit his cause to God but commits himselfe to God as expecting the increase of their oppositions till they have put him to death This is the reason why God indites every man that hates his brother of murther 1 Iohn 3.15 And David so often complaines of his enemies that slandred him that they also sought his life yea his soule as if they were desirous not only to kill his body but damne his soule also Doct. 3. We may here also note that God is to be conceived of according to the occasion seeing we cannot comprehend God wholly as he is we ought to raise up such conceptions in our hearts of the glory of God as may with honour answer the occasion that presently concerns us as here in the case of wrongs God is conceived as a righteous Judge in the case of death he is called the God of the spirits of all flesh in
conversation in the world but have no taste of religion or conscience of zeale for Gods glory fourthly all open worldlings that minde not heavenly things and savour nothing but the things of this world and lastly all hypocrites that make a shew of mortification and yet are not mortified and then suppose how small a number will be left in every place to be reckoned in this lift of true Christians Doct. 2. Mortification is the very first step of grace and the entrance into all power of godlinesse Till our sins be soundly crucified and dead no worke of Religion that is acceptable to God can be done and therefore Iohn Baptist and Christ and the Apostles call for repentance as the first thing that opens a way into the kingdome of heaven because else sin unrepented like a prison will infect all wee doe Esay 1.13 to 16. Besides the heart of man being naturally like a stone or iron till it be softned no impression of grace can be fastned upon it and if the ground of our hearts be not well plowed up the seed of the Word cannot but be lost Ier. 4.4 The seed cast upon the high way will be picked up by the fowles of the aire and not grow or if any seed or plant of grace did grow for a while in the heart yet the weeds of sin would overgrow and choake all as is evident in seed sowne iâ— thorny ground or plants set in ground that is not digged and weeded And fâ—â—ther while the person is evill the worke will be vile and abominable An evill tree canâ—ot bring forth good fruit And therefore this shewes that such Christians as leape into the profession of Religion so easily and thinke it is no more but to give-ovâ—r ill courses and fall to the practice of good duties are deceived for if by â—ound mortification their sins past be not bewailed and they soundly humbled either their sins will after a while grow and revive againe or else the conscience of these sins will secretly throughout their lives torment them or else the Divell on a sudden may seize upon them with deâ—paire having so manifest a reason against them that they did never practise mortificâ—tion for their sins Besides lamentable experience shewes in those places where Christians are not soundly formed at first in the exercise of mortification they leade their lives in a dull course of profession and have not the experience of the life and power of Religion in themselves for the joyes of it or towards others in the practice of it The mourners in Sion and such as are broken-hearted are the most glorious and the most fruitfull Christians Is. 61.1 2 3 4. and continue in the greatest power of Religion And further it may be noted in the best of those that their separation from the love of the world is most really performed as hath appeared when in any speciall workes of men or for the help of the Church of God they are called upon to shew their zeale by their bounty in such cases one poore Macedonian would shame a hundred of those rich Corinthians 2 Cor. 8. Doct. 3. True repentance for sin doth in divers respects kill a man it strikes him dead to repent is to be a dead man not only in respect of the world which casts off a man that will not run in the excesses of the time as a dead man indeed Col. 3.3 but in respect of themselves For first by the assise a man must keep upon himselfe he will be found dead by sentence when he judgeth himselfe before the Lord he stands as a man condemned in the flesh he sentenceth himselfe to eternall death for his deserts by confessing what he meriteth 1 Pet. 4.6 Now a condemned man is reckoned for a dead man in Law Secondly repentance destroyes the senses and affections and conceits and reason that were wont to be alive in men it dissolves the very frame of the old conversation The word rendred dead signifies to undoe what was done about the life of man to unmake him as I may say so as all the old things passe away and all becomes new 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 6.6 1 Iohn 3.8 In the new Convert there is not left the savour sent lust or affections after sin and the sinfull profits and pleasures of the world he doth not find that inflammation or inticement he was wont to feele from evill example or the glory of the world or evill compaâ—y or the things before he most esteemed and delighted in Thus he is dead to himselfe because he denies himselfe and could be well contented to forget that ever he had beene such as he was before Thirdly in some of Gods children their repentance is performed with such griefe and sorrow as brings their life almost to the buriers as is noted Iob 33.19 20 21. Fourthly they may be said to be dead in repenting because repentance is never fully finished till their naturall death sin sticks so fast as they have daily cause of mortification in some degree and it will never be gotten wholly out till they be indeed dead men though in the mean time God accepts of their first repentance as if it were perfect This Doctrine serves effectually to discover the estate of multitudes of Christians not to be right as they That doe nothing at all about their sins That excuse their sins and hide them and favoâ—r them and cast the fault upon others Pro. 28.13 Gen. 3. Iob 20.11 12 13. That blesse themselves in their hearts when their iniquity is found worthy to be hated Psal. 36.2 That haunt with such persons as may make them sin more That say It is no profit to walke humbly before the Lord Mal. 3.14 and rather blesse the proud That hate and revile such as are mortified That are dead rather in faith and good workes and finde a deadly savour in the Word That have sense and savour onely in the things of the flesh Secondly this should teach all that mind their owne salvation to looke carefully to the truth of their mortification and not to thinke it is such a sleight and easie worke but to consider that in repenting for sinne they must never cease till they be like Christ dying for sinne and that is in the sense before given So our bearing of the similitude of Christs death in our repentance notes divers particular things in our repentance as 1. That our sorrowes be voluntary not inforced he gave his life it was not taken from him we must not tarry till the Divell fire us with the terrors of despaire 2. That we be pained at the very heart for our sins so was Christ it must be a hearty griefe 3. That wee shew forth the fruits of our repentance so hee suffered openly 4. That he suffered by degrees and ceased not till he died so must we by degrees resist sin and never cease untill it be quite abolished Hence also we may know whether we have truely
husbandman that his land beare no thornes not briers not weeds if it beare him not good graine It is not enough for a servant that he do his Master no hurt but he must â—ee to it that he do 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 dyed to this end that we might live righteously as well as die to sinne Thirdly because all the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on us in our regeneration are given to profit withall not to lay them up in a napkin 1 Cor. 12. Fourthly because we shall be judged at the last day according to our works Rom. 2.6 Use. And therefore this shewes the dangerous folly of such carnall people as think if they come to Church and live civilly and doe nobody no wrong they are out of all question in a right course And besides it should awake carelesse and sluggish Christians to look to their gifts and remember what accounts they will give to God for their unprofitablenesse and unfruitfulnesse 2 Pet. 1.8 Doct. 3. It is from hence evident that the only living is to live righteously He is worthy to be sayd to live that lives to righteousnesse a religious life is the best life And these are the reasons First because it is the most honorable life For to live to righteousnesse makes a man highly in the favour of God Psa. 11.7 Prov. 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 Prov. 10.7 and the fruits of righteousnesse are the best means of glorifying God Phil. 1.11 And therefore Salomon sayd well that the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Pro. 12.26 And David saith They are the only excellent Ones Ps. 16. whereas every wicked man is lothsome and a sinfull life is a shamefull life Prov. 1â— 5 c. 14.34 Secondly because it is the most profitable life and the most gainfull for blessings are upon the head of the righteous Pro. 10.6 The wicked worketh a deceitâ—ull work but to him that â—oweth righteousnes shall be a sure reward Pro. 11.18 And righteousnesse 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 righteousnesse 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 layd up for the juit Thi rely because it is the safest and quietest life Hee that walketh uprightly walketh surely Prov. 10.19 and the fruit of righteousnesse is peace Iam. 3.18 For Gods promise is that no evill shall happen to the just whereas the wicked shall be filled with mischiefe Pro. 12.21 And Gods blessing makes them rich and he mingles no sorrow with it Pro. 10.21 and 15.6 And righteousnesse is reckoned as an impenetrable aâ—mour 2 Cor. â— 7 And God doth marke every one that doth righteousnesse and solaceth his heart Esay 64.5 And the very doing of good is sweetnesse to the â—ouâ—e Pro. 13.19 And whereas there is no peace to the wicked the righteous is at peace with God with Angels with the creatures and with all godly men Fourthly because it is the most durable life for the feare of the Lord prolongeth the dayes but the yeeres of the wicked shall be shortned Pro. 10. 27.30 The way of righteousnesse is life and in the path-way thereof is no death Pro. 12.28 As a whirl-winde so is the wicked seene no more but the righteous is an everlasting foundation Prov. 10.25 Fiftly because it is a life that ends the best of all mens lives for the wicked is driven away in his wickednesse but the righteous hath hope in his death and great hope too having the promises of a better life and so much glory as the eye of mortall man never saw nor eare of man heard nor came into the heart of a naturall man Pro. 14.32 1 Tim. 6. 1 Cor. 2.9 Sixtly because righteousnesse is more proper to the soule What is riches or honour or any outward thing to the soule of man or what shall it profit a man to provide the whole world to be his estate if hee provide not grace for his soule Riches profit but the outward estates of a man whereas righteousnesse profits the man himselfe And therefore Adams losse was greater in losing his innocency than in losing of Paradise What can it profit a man to have all other things good about him if he be not good himselfe Use. The Use should be first for triall Men should throughly search themselves whether they be indeed righteous men and the more carefully should they search because the most righteous on earth have their many ignorances and frailties There is no man but sinneth daily and in many things And besides a man may attaine to some kinde of righteousnesse and yet not enter into the Kingdome of heaven as there is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet are not cleansed from their sins And the Pharisees had a righteousnesse that had many praises they gave almes and fasted and prayed long prayers and did that which was warrantable in respect of the Law outwardly and yet if our righteousnesse exceed not the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees we cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven Quest. But how may a man know all his infirmities notwithstanding he be truely righteous and have such a righteousnesse as doth exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees Ans. For answer hereunto I will cast the signes of a righteous man into two rankes First such as describe him in himselfe secondly such as describe him in the difference from Pharisaicall righteousnesse The signes that describe him in himselfe either appeare upon him in his infancy or in his ripe age In the very infancy of the just man even when God first changeth his heart and cleanseth him and raiseth him up to live righteously there be divers things by which he may discerne the truth of his sanctification as First by the dissolving of the stoninesse of his heart When God comes effectually to cleanse a man he takes away the stony heart out of the body and gives him a heart of flesh he may feele his heart melt within him especially when he stands before the Lord when the Lord is fashioning of him for himselfe by his Ordinances Ezek. 36.25 26. He hath a new heart that hath not a stony heart Secondly by the rising of the day-starre in his heart The Father of lights when he renueth the heart of a man causeth a sudden and heavenly light as it were a starre to shine in the understanding by vertue of which men see more into
hearts break that is they let the doctrine runne out and never thinke of it when they are gotten out of the Church Heb. 2.1 Or else they have resisted the light of the truth so long that God hath now delivered them over to a spirit of slumber lest they should convert and he should heal them Mat. 13.15 16. Isa. 6.10 Secondly in some the world is the cause of it For either they are entangled with the examples of the multitude especially of the wise Ones and great Ones of the world 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. Or else they are affrighted with the evill reports with which the good way of God is disgraced in the world Act. 28.22 Or else they are insnared with respect of their carnall friends they are loth to displease father or mother or sisters or brothers or any they have great hopes from or dependance upon Mat. 10.35 37. 1 Pet. 4.2 Or else they have so much businesse to doe and so many cares about their worldly affaires they cannot be at leisure â—o long as to thiâ—ke they cannot bring their lives into order Mat. 13.22 Luke 17. Or else they live at hearts-ease and prosper in their estate and so desire not to alter their course of life and so their prosperity destroyes them Prâ— 1.32 Thirdly in some men the cause is the lust after some particular wickednesse of life in which they live either secretly or openly which sinne is the very Idol of their hearts and hinders a good resolution Fourthly in some the cause is conceitednesse they are pure in their owne cicâ— and yet are not cleansed they rest in the outward profession of religion and the feare of godlinesse and regard not the sound power of it in their lives Lastly in all unregenerate men there are three causes why they are not perswaded to a religious life First the one is the forgetfulnes of their death therefore their filthinesse is still in their skirts because they remember not their latter end Lam. 1.9 Secondly the other is that they are dead in sin What should hinder the conversion of multitudes at once but that we preach to congregations of dead men Thirdly the divell workes effectually in all the children of disobedience striving to hide the Gospel from them and the glory of a righteous life that so they might perish 1 Cor. 4.4 And thus of the second Use. Use 3. Thirdly such as consent to obey and feele themselves raised from death to life and are now desirous to spend their daies in a religious and righteous course of life must observe all such rules as may further them and establish them in an orderly and fruitfull conversation Hee that would live in righteousnesse must thinke on these directions following as the very gates of righteousnesse First he must give over all needlesse conversation with vaine persons and profane men hee must shunne their company as he would such as have the plague running upon them hee must not come neere them as is urged Pro. 14.15 For what fellowship can bee between righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse 2 Cor. 6.14 Depart from me ye evill doers saith David for I will keep the commandements of my God Psal. 119.115 Secondly he must redeeme time he must buy time from his worldly occasions and settle such an order in his worldly estate or outward estate that he may provide to serve the Lord without distraction abstayning from all things that may intangle him or interrupt him Eph. 5.16 1 Cor. 7.29 35. and 9.28 2 Tim. 2.4 He must provide to him time for Gods service and for commerce and fellowship with the godly and for works of mercy Thirdly he must be wise for himselfe that is he must in all the meanes hee useth for or in religion especially apply what hee can for his owne use and study himselfe and to understand his owne way and provide whatsoever he doe for his justification and sanctification and finall salvation Prâ— 9. 12. and 14.8 And to this end he must meddle with his owne businesse and take heed of being a busie-body in other mens matters so much as in his thoughts 1 Thes. 4.11 12. And he must also avoid vaine janglings and doubtfull disputations in religion and quarrels that tend not to his edification but to shew wit or science Tit. 3.9.1 Tim. 6.20.2 Tim. 2.23 And he must keep his eye straight upon the mark to proceed directly and distinctly in building himselfe up in knowledge and grace not losing his time or going about but keeping a straight path to supply what he wants and grow in what he hath Pro 4.25 Ier. 31.32 Hee must take heed of uncertaine running but bee sure to take accounts of himselfe for all his courses to see that hee goe very straight towards the mark and finally hee must not respect company to goe the pase of other men but run as if hee alone were to obtaine striving to excell 1 Cor. 9.24 and 14 12. Fourthly he must esteeme the Word above all treasures Psal. 119.72 Mat. 1â— and take hold of the instruction thereof as that must bee the very life of his life Pro. 4 1â— For by the Word doth God sanctifie us and make us righteous Ioh. 17. And he must order his whole course of life so as that he may see the meanes of all his actions from the Word he must live by the rules of Scripture that will live righteously Gal. 6.16 Now that he may doe thus he must looke to divers things First that he place no confidence in the flesh neither trusting upon his owne wit nor carnall reason nor gifts nor yet yeelding himselfe to be a servant to any mans humour or opinions or example or commandement Secondly he must provide to live so as he suffer not a famine of the powerfull preaching of the Word hee must labour for the meat that perisheth not Ioh. 6.27 and so exercise himselfe in the Word morning and evening that the Word may dwell plenteously in him Psal. 1.2 Col. 3.16 Thirdly he must take heed of adding any more sinnes or duties than are discovered in the Word and of detracting from any thing that is forbidden or required there Psal. 30.6 detesting conceitednesse and singularity having his conversation in all meeknesse of wisedome Iam. 3.13 Fiftly he must daily lift up his heart to God to seeke a way of him whose glory it is to teach to profit and who giveth his Spirit to lead men in the paths of righteousnesse Psal. 23. Esay 48.17 Sixtly he must remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it For this will be both the meanes and the signes of his sanctification and true righteousnesse It is the market day for the soule Esay 58.13 14. Exod. 31.13 c. Seventhly he must haste to the comming of Christ hee must dispatch his worke as fast as he can and to this end he must cast about to finde out waies of well-doing and when he hath any projects or opportunities of well-doing he must not
delay but with heart and readinesse finish his worke This is to seeke righteousnesse and to haste to it Esay 16.5 Amos 5.14 Thus he must observe to doe as the phrase was Deut. 5.22 Eighthly it will be a great helpe unto him if he get into the way of good men and walke with the wise sorting himselfe with discreet and sincere Christians Pro. 2.20 Ninthly he must keep his heart with all diligence for thereout commeth life He must carefully resist the beginnings of sinne within and avoid those secret and spirituall dalliances of the soule with inward corruptions and temptations and withall take heed of secret hypocrisie in suffering his heart to be absent when God is to be served Pro. 4.23 For thereby hee may lose what he worketh if his spirit be not without that guile Tenthly all that know the happinesse of a righteous life should strive to amend those defects which are found even in the better sort of people that so their life at length may answer to the end of Christs death and therefore wee should examine our selves throughly The defects and faylings found in the lives of righteous men may be referred to two heads First for either they faile in the parts of righteousnesse Secondly or in the manner of well-doing In the parts of righteousnesse there are great failings whether we respect the first or second table I will briefely touch the principall defects which are observed and complained of in Christians in both tables In the first table men faile either in the knowledge of God or in the affections to God or in the service to God First for knowledge how little do many men know of Gods praises and glory that might be knowne and how farre are many from a right conâ—eit of God when they come to thinke of him or to worship him Secondly in the most there is a great want in the exercise both of the fear of God and trust in God men have not such awfull thoughts of God as they should have nor doe they tremble so as they should at his judgements that are in the world Psal. 4.4 Heb. 2. ult Dan. 6.26 And for the trust in God men are specially faulty that they doe not commit their waies daily to God for assistance and successe in all estates resting upon him alone as they ought to doe Thirdly joying and delighting our selves in God is hardly found in any and yet no wife should take such continuall delight in her husband to solace her selfe with him as a Christian ought to doe with God Psal. 37.4 and 68.3 4. Phil. 4.4 Fourthly in the service of God there are divers defects as 1. Some neglect the private reading of the Scriptures who ought to exercise themselves therein day and night Psal. 1.2 2. In prayer some have not the gift of prayer nor seeke it and prayer for others is extremely neglected contrary to Gods expresse commandement that enjoynes us to pray one for another in many Scriptures 3. Praising of God in our discourses as becommeth his great glory in his workes where is this found and yet required at our hands and at the hands of all people and that which we should doe with a whole heart and while we live Psal. 96.6 7 8. and 63.4 and 9.1 and 67.2 4. Where is that walking with God required in Scripture Who doth alwayes set the Lord before him Where are those soliloquies betweene the soule and God Are not many content to goe weekely and monthly without speaking to God And thus of the defects concerning the first table In the second table divers things may be noted as were defective in the parts of righteousnesse as First there is a generall defect of mercy men doe exceedingly faile in that liberality to the distressed and poore servants The bowels of mercy are every-where shut up either altogether or in the neglect of many degrees and duties of mercy Secondly in many Christians there is a fearfull want of meekenesse they being guilty of daily sins of passions and worldly vexations and that many times with a kind of wilfulnesse against knowledge and conscience Thirdly the carâ—â— of life and worldlinesse doe strive and blemish the conversation of many and discover a strange defect of that contempt of the world should be in them Fourthly domesticall disorders doe even cry to heaven against many husbands for want of love and of most wives for want of obedience and of servants for want of diligence and faithfulnesse in their places And thus men faile in the parts of righteousnesse In the manner of well-doing many things are wanting first both in the generall well-doing of good duties secondly and in speciall affection to God thirdly and in the manner of Gods service In generall First zeale of good workes is exceeding defective in the most Tit. 3.14 Men shew not that willingnesse and fervency of affection should be shewed in all parts of righteousnesse men doe not lift up their hearts in Gods waies Gods commandements are usually grievous and tedious Secondly there ought to be a holy feare in the practice of their good duties 1 Pet. 3.2 which is uâ—ually wanting men doe so much trust upon themselves and doe duties with such boldnesse and neglect of their wayes whereas they should feare alwayes Pro. 28.14 Oh that meeknesse of wisedome required Iames 3.9 where is it to be found Thirdly men are not circumspect to make conscience even of the least duties as they ought and to observe to doe them even to watch for the opportunity of well-doing and to looke to the meanes of the performance of every duty and to abstaine from the very appearance of evill and to be 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 just over-much in conceiving too highly of themselves for what they doe or else they are wicked over-much in thinking too vilely of their workes Eccles. 7. Fiftly men are strangely negligent in the growth of grace and knowledge men stand still and doe not prosper and strive to increase in every good gift as they ought 2 Pet. 3.18 Many graces are not strengthened and many workes are not finished Secondly in mens affections to God how are men defective Where is he that loves the Lord with all his heart and all his might and all his soule Deut. 30.6 and 6.3 Thirdly in Gods worship these things are in many wanting 1. Reverence and that holy feare which should be shewed when we appeare before the Lord Heb. 12.28 2. Men usually forget to doe all worship in the Name of Christ Colos. 3.17 3. The care of praising of God that is of looking to Gods acceptation in all service is much forgotten Heb. 12.28 4. The desire of unity and consent in judgement among our selves when we worship God is miserably neglected and rejected by divers wilfull Christians Zeph.
preserving his authority as he judge not partially but with equall judgement shewing the fault wheresoever he find it else he may extremely harden his servants against them both Giving them honour This is the second thing required in the Exposition They must honour their wives and this the husband doth 1. When he useth her with signes of his estimation of her according to her ranke in the family and her relation to him entertaining her as his companion and not as his servant or slave To honour her is to carry himselfe with such respect towards her that all may see that he makes a great account of her as the companion God hath given to him for his life to be a helper to him 2. When he is carefull to protect her from wrongs and dangers and indignities 1 Sam. 30.5 3. When he provides for her maintenance both in his life time and after his death as well as he may allowing her such apparell and other things as may shew manifestly how great account he makes of her and doing all with cheerefulnesse and not like chuâ—lish Nabal and the rather because for the most part they are not able to make shift and provide for themselves 4. By the speciall delight he takes in her above others cherishing her as his owne flesh and making as much of her as he can doe of himselfe Pro. 5. 19. Eph. 5.28 5. By suffering himselfe to be intreated and in some cases advised and admonished by her Gen. 21.12 6. By giving her such emploiment as her gifts are fit for leaving to her trust such things in the family and his estate as she is fit to dispose of It is a dishonour to the wife when the trust of businesse is committed to servants or others when she is able and willing to undertake it Pro. 31.11 7. By yeelding a free and just testimonie of her praises upon all fit occasions both to her selfe and others Pro. 31.28 29. 8. By covering her infirmities passing by meere frailties and not speaking to her to provoke her when she is wayward or else giving soft answers and forbearing as much as may be to speake to her disgrace before others 9. When he gives her leave to dispose of some things at her pleasure not exacting account of her allowing her as a reward of her care or diligence some such overplus as his estate will beare that she may be free to give for pious or charitable uses what may be for her credit or encouragement Ob. But my wife was of mean birth condition or portion when I married Sol. So and much worse was the Church before Christ married her and yet Christ loves the Church Ob. But since marriage she is idle and froward and wastefull c. Sol. If shebe so thou hast cause to pray for and admonish her but for all that thou must love her and yeeld her due honour The Church sinneth after calling and yet Christ honours the Church both by praying for her in heaven and by labouring to clense her by his Spirit and Word in earth Ephes. 5. Ob. But she is profane and carnall a wicked woman a scorner of religion or perhaps of a contrary religion Sol. Thou must love and honour her not because she deserves it but because God requires it Thus of the Exposition The reasons follow and the first is because they are the weaker vessell As the weaker vessell The word translated Vessell is diversly accepted in Scripture sometimes properly sometimes metaphorically As it is taken properly it is sometime taken for goods or any houshold-stuffe Mat. 12.29 Luke 17.31 Sometimes againe it signifies any instrument used in the house or without the house so the instruments used in the Temple about any part of Gods service were called Vessels of the Ministery Heb. 9.21 So a Bushell is called a Vessell Luke 8.16 So that which held the foure footed beasts and fowles c. in the vision Acts 10.11 16. is called a Vessell yet like a sheet so is a saile of a ship called by this terme Acts 27.17 Now in a metaphoricall sense this terme signifies either the parts or members of the body of man or woman that serve for generation 1 Thes. 4.4 or else it signifies any person that God hath set apart for some speciall service or ministration Thus Paul was a Vessell of election or a chosen Vessell to beare Gods name among the Gentiles and Kings and the people of Israel Acts 9.15 Or else such persons upon whom God will declare either his mercy or justice Thus Vessels of honour and mercy and Vessels of dishonour Rom. 9.21 23. and in generall any man or woman that God appoints to doe any worke or his instruments either publikely or privately Thus all men in respect of the worke God requires of them are Vessels 2 Tim. 2.20 21. and so women are Vessels here because they are instruments God makes use of for the helpe of man Now for the word Weaker It signifies the frailties and defects in the sexe of women in respect of which they are inferiour to men not so much for their sinfull defects as their naturall defects defects of negation rather than defects of privation So then the sense is that in as much as women whom God hath given unto man instruments of his blessing and their help are by nature fraile and have many weaknesses and defects men should be the more tender and carefull in their carriage towards them And so here are three points of doctrine may be observed Doct. 1. In that men and women are called Vessels in respect of the service God doth cause them to performe we may learne That in workes of grace or matters of holinesse we are rather Patients than Agents Not but that by Gods assistance men and women doe worke that which is good but because thereby God would have us to ascribe all to his grace And therefore he compares us not to active instruments as tooles are in the hands of the workemen but to passive instruments such as Dishes are that beare and carry treasure or meat or such like Hence it is the Apostles call themselves earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 and Paul in converting the Gentiles did but beare Gods name Acts 9.21 And therefore we should all acknowledge our insufficiency and flye to the bloud of Jesus Christ to sanctifie us for all the Vessels of the Ministery in the Temple were sprinkled with bloud Heb. 9.21 And further such as are unprofitable should repen t and amend for they are but as the vessell in the hands of the Potter and God will breake them in pieces with his rod of iron Rev. 2.27 Doct. 2. Women are weake and fraile called here the weaker Vessell and I take it this weaknesse is attributed to them not in respect of sin so much as in naturall defects so as he meanes not personall faults but such weaknesses as are found in all women or the most But yet I would not be understood to
heed that wee provoke not God by carelesnesse and boldnesse in favouring any corruption Deut. 32.18 19. Thirdly our adoption should be a singular consolation to us against all the miseries of this life It matters not though our life be hid and though it doe not appeare to the world what we are and though we have many crosses and losses and persecutions yet the thought of our inheritance with God should swallow up all Whatsoever we are now yet when Christ appeares we shall appeare in glory and there can be no comparison betweene the suffering of this life and the glory to be revealed upon us Rom. 8.17 Mat. 19.29 Col. 3.2 4. 1 Iohn 3.2 And that we may be the more comforted we should often pray to God to shew us by degrees and to make us know the riches of our inheritance both in what we possesse in this world and what we looke for in heaven And thus of the title of our dignities We are heires Of life Now follows to consider what we inherit and that is life wee are heires of life It is somewhat a strange speech but yet if we consider of it life is a most sweet thing there can be no happinesse without it A living Dog is better than a dead Lyon But as life is to be taken here it is a treasure above all treasures in the world But the enquirie into it is very difficult it is wonderfull hard to find out what life is especially to describe or define the life here mentioned as the glory of Gods adopted ones Life in Scripture is either naturall or spirituall as for naturall life especially since the fall that is so poore a thing as to be an heire to it is no great preferment By naturall life I meane that life that men live while they are unregenerate I say that life is a very poore thing which will appeare if we consider the qualitie of it or the meanes of preserving it or the short continuance of it or the subject of it or the things with which it is opprest or the whole nature of it 1. For the qualitie of it what is life It is but a winde or breath God breathed into man the breath of life as if his life were but his breath Gen. 2.7 and so it is said Every thing that had the breath of life Gen. 6.17 7. 15.22 My life is a wind saith Iob chap. 7.7 What is your life saith S. Iames it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away Jam. 4.14 2. If we consider the short continuance of it It will vanish away of it selfe after a while as we see in that place It is compared to a Weavers Shuttle or at the best every houre of our life or every action addes secretly a threed till the web be woven and then we are cut off So Hezekiah compares himselfe to a Weaver in that respect Esay 38.12 Our life is scarce a span long for to live is but to die to begin to live is to begin to die for death takes away time past and every moment we yeeld something to death 3. If wee consider the poore meanes of preserving life It is such a weake thing that if wee doe not daily give it food it will faile us and if it be not kept with rayment it will be extinguished And for the meanes we use how silly are they Our life is called the life of our hands Esay 57.10 because it will not last unlesse wee make hard shift with our hands to preserve it 4. If wee consider the subject of it it is but our bodies for our soules in our naturall condition according to the sense of Scripture are dead in trespasses and sinnes They have as it were a being but not a life Our soules in respect of the substance of them are excellent things because invisible and spirituall existences but yet are destitute of that life is proper to them They are things indeed will last long but are void of that life which is spirituall 5. If we consider the miseries with which this life is infested both by sin and the punishments of it As for sinne it is leprous from the womb and charged with Adams fault and erres so often as cannot be numbred the faults of it are more than the haires of our heads As for punishment how hath God avenged himselfe upon thy wretched life to thrust thee out of Paradise and would not let thee enjoy life in any place that was not accursed The Divels also compasse about thy life to destroy it 2 Cor. 10.5 What deformities and infirmities are found in all the Vessels of life even in all the parts of thy bodie in which it dwells And without thee in the objects of life how is it frighted with cares plagues or vexed with particular crosses How doth God passe by thee in many blessings he gives before thy face to others and will not to thee And what thou hast to comfort thy life is it not cursed to thee so as thou feelest vanity and vexation in the use of it But above all how is thy life frighted with the danger of eternall death 6. Lastly if we consider the whole nature of life The Apostle here thinkes it is not worth the naming by the name of life when he saith only of the godly that they are heires of life as if there were no living men but they and as if they had beene dead all the time they were till they were adopted But it is not naturall life is here meant but spirituall life called in Scripture new life and the life of God and eternall life The words of the Apostle Paul Tit. 3.7 when he saith We are heires according to the hope of eternall life serve to expound these words of the Apostle Peter Now concerning this life it is above the reach of all mortall creatures to describe it as it is especially in the perfection of it in heaven for Saint Paul saith of what he saw in heaven that he saw things that could not be uttered 2 Cor. 12. and Saint Iohn saith it doth not appeare what we shall be â— Ioh. 3. 2. And in 1 Cor. 2.9 it is said that eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him Yea Christ himselfe doth seeme to grant that as man he did not fully see the glory of this eternall life in his mortall condition where speaking of his estate after death he said Thou wilt shew me the paths of life Acts 2. And for so much as is revealed concerning this spirituall and eternall life two things must be remembred the one That the doctrine of this life lieth hid from ages and generations in extreme darknesse and when the Gospel treats of it it brings it as it were out of a darke dungeon into the light 2 Tim. 1.10 the other is That when it is
yet it is so rich as the tongue of man cannot utter if it be in any measure true and sincere Besides how should this fire our desires after wisedome and spirituall understanding in the world of Christ seeing it is our life and in the same degree we encrease in eternall life that we encrease in acquaintance with God in Christ and therefore above all gettings we should be getting understanding And finally it shewes the wofull estate of ignorant persons that are carelesse of the studie of the Word of God and of hearing of the Gospel preached This is their death and will be their eternall death if they prevent it not by repentance and sound redeeming of the time for the service of the soule about this sacred knowledge Now for the fourth point the things that nourish life are greatly to be heeded both to shew us what we should apply our selves to and with what thankfulnesse to receive the meanes of our good herein 1. We must know that the principall cause of the nourishment and increase of spirituall life is the influence of vertue from Christ our mysticall head by the secret and unutterable working of the spirit of Christ which is therefore called the spirit of life because it both frees us by degrees from the feares of death and from the power and blots of sin Rom. 8.2 and withall it quickens and encreaseth life in us for the better exercise of righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 2. The contemplation of Gods favour and presence doth wonderfully extend and inflame life in us To marke God any where or by any experience to find effectually his love and to taste of the sweetnesse of his goodnesse this is life from the dead better than all things in naturall life it doth a godly mans heart more good than all things in the world can doe as these places shew Psal. 30.5 63.7 8. 36.3 16. ult with coherence 3. The entertainment God gives his people in his house is one speciall cause of encrease of this life in us as it encreaseth both knowledge and joy and all goodnesse and satisfies the heart of man especially amongst all the things that are without us the Word of God as it is powerfully preached in Gods house is the food of this life called the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.16 Christ words are the words of eternall life Iohn 6. see Psal. 36. 8. Iohn 12.50 Pro. 4.22 4. Fellowship with the godly is singular to quicken and excite the life of grace and joy and knowledge in us therefore it is an amiable thing for brethren to dwell together in unity because there God hath commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psal. 133. ult Pro. 2.20 The mouth of the righteous is a veine of life Pro. 10.11 Yea the very reproofes of instruction are the way of life Pro. 6.23 And therefore weake Christians should be instructed from hence with faith to rest upon the God of their lives who by the spirit of Christ can enable them to eternall life and with thankfulnesse to embrace all signes of Gods favour and presence and above all things in life to provide for themselves powerfull meanes in publike and good societie in private and not to be turned off from either of these by slight either objections or difficulties and to resolve to labour more for these than carnall persons would doe to have their naturall lives if they were in distresse or danger It is also excellent counsell which Saint Iude gives in this point concerning eternall life he would have us looke to foure things The first is to edifie our selves in our most holy faith striving to get in more store of Gods promises and divine knowledges and to strive to establish our hearts in our assurance of our right to them The second is to pray in the holy Ghost for he knew that powerfull prayer doth greatly further eternall life in us The third is to keepe our selves in the love of God avoiding all things might displease him chusing rather to live under the hatred of all the world than to anger God by working iniquity The fourth is to looke as often and as earnestly as we can after that highest degree of mercy and glory we shall have in the comming of Christ Iud. 1.19 20. I will conclude this point with that one counsell of Solomon Keepe thy heart with all diligence for thereout come the issues of life Christians that would prosper in spirituall life should be very carefull of the first beginnings of sin in their thoughts and desires and be very diligent in nourishing all good motions of the holy Ghost preserving their peace and joy in beleeving with all good consciences Pro. 4.23 Thus of the fourth point 5. Now for the differences of life in these degrees especially the first and last degree they are very great for though eternall life in the first degree be a treasure of singulaâ— value yet the glory of this life doth greatly excell as it is to be held in another world I intend not to compare life in heaven with naturall life here for that is not worthy to be mentioned in the ballance with that eternall life of glory but with eternall life it selfe as it is held by the godly only in this world And so the difference is very great 1. In respect of the place where the godly live in each degree 2. In respect of the meanes of preservation of life in each degree 3. In respect of the company with whom we live in each degree 4. In respect of the quality of life it selfe 5. In respect of the effects of life eternall in each degree For the first There is great difference betweene the life of grace and the life of glory in the very place of living Here we live in an earthly tabernacle in houses of clay there we shall live in eternall mansions buildings that God hath made without hands 2 Cor. 5.1 Here we live on earth there in heaven Here we are strangers and pilgrims far from home Hâ—b 11. there we shall live in our Fathers house Here we are in Egypt there we shall live in Canaan Here wee live where death sorrow and sin and Divels dwell there we shall live in a place where God and immortality and all holinesse dwels 2 Pet. 3.13 Here we are but banished men there we shall live in the celestiall Paradise Here we have no abiding City but there we shall abide in the new Jerâ—sâ—lem that is above The glory of the whole earth can but shadow out by similiâ—ude the very walls and gates of that Citie Rev. 21. Here wee can but enter into the holy place there we shall enter into the most holy place Heb. 10.19 To conclude there we shall enter into the heaven of heavens which for lightnesse largenesse purenesse delightfulnesse and all praises almost infinitely excells the heavens we enjoy in this visible world For the second In this life unto the
then we shall see God by direct vision Moses that saw as much of God as a mortall man then could saw but his backe parts he saw God as we see a man going from us but then we shall see him face to face as he is comming to us yea as he is possessed by us Wee shall not need helpe to shew God to us as we doe now for God himselfe shall be our everlasting light as was shewed before There is a foure-fold vision of God the one is natuâ—all as when wee see him in the creatures the other is speculous or Symbolicall when we see God in certaine signes of his presence as in the burning fire in the Bush or in the Cloud or Pillar of fire at the Tabernacle The third is the vision of Faith when we know how good God is by the promises of his word to us in Christ. The last is the vision of â—lory which differs from all the former in a way of seeing unknowne to us Thirdly our knowledge will differ in the measure Now wee know bâ—t in part there are many things wee know not and what wee doe know wee know but obscurely and darkly then wee shall know perfectly even as wee are now knowne perfectly of God 1 Cor. 13.10 11. c. and so wee shall know both God and the Creatâ—res There is a world of most delightfull and rare knowledge of the Creatures which wee attaine not to in this life but the chiefe glory of our knowledge then shall bee in the perfect vision of God and those unspeakable beauties of his nature when wee shall behold perfectly the glory of every propertie or attribute in God which will be sufficient to breed everlasting wonder and delight In a word the knowledge of the meanest Christian in heaven shall be above the knowledge of Prophets or Apostles on earth The first difference is in the effect of our knowledge for from our knowledge and this celestiall light flowes righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost which the Apostle Paul makes to be the parts of the Kingdome of God and so both in this life and in heaven Rom. 14.17 And unto these three heads may bee referred all things that concerne the glory of eternall life and all these are held with great difference in each degree of eternall life For though we have righteousnesse and peace and joy now in the truth of them yet wee have â—hem not as we shall have them in heaven as will appeare if we consider of them distinctly First for righteousnesse Here it is the greatest burthen of life unto the godly that they are not able to serve God as they desire the imperfections of their gifts the corruption of their natures the daily infirmities that discover themselves in their conversations make life many times more bitter than death would be to them as appeareth by St. Paul Rom. 7. But there all that is imperfect shall be done away there shall be no danger of displeasing God for we shall be made perfect in all parts and degrees of holinesse our nature shall be perfect like the nature of God our members shall never more be servants unto unrighteousnesse and our soules shall exactly resemble God in all perfection of goodnesse and gifts Here the glory of mans inheritance lieth in the goodnesse of things without them there it shall consist principally in an everlasting goodnesse confirmed upon themselves We shall be without spot and wrinkle Eph 5.27 We shall be as he is in holinesse 1 Iohn 3.2 Here is our griefe that our hearts cannot be so filled with the love of God and the godly as they should be there our hearts shall burne with an eternall inflammation of affections towards God and the blessed ones without any interruption or decay we shall never morâ— be troubled with hardnesse of heart discouragement feare distractions inordinate desires and perturbations Yea our holinesse shall be better than Adams in Paradise for he had a power not to sin but we shall have no power at all to sin Yea in relation to Christ it shall be better with us then than it is now for now we are reckoned just men only by the benefit of Christs righteousnesse imputed to us but then we shall be made so perfectly holy by inherent righteousnesse that we shall stand everlastingly righteous before God by the righteousnesse that is in us Imputation shall there cease for ever when Christ hath delivered up the kingdome to God the Father and when faith shall be done away Lastly the difference in this point may further appeare in the freedome of our wills In this life many times our wills are not free to desire to doe the good we should doe and most an end want power to execute what we desire but there shall be all libertie so as we shall never want either desire or power to accomplish what may be for Gods everlasting glory or our owne felicity Secondly for peace there is great difference for first in this life we have but little peace in respect of the miseries of life Sometimes we have but little inward peace our hearts being unquiet with feare or griefe or discouragement or passions or else our consciences are unquiet either because God fights against us to trie us or to humble us or we fight against our selves through ignorance and unbeliefe or distresse for sin Sometimes when our spirits are quiet and there is a truce from inward war we then want out vard peace either men are unreasonable and molest us without cause in our estates or names or else God afflicts us in body with paine and weaknesse or in estate sometimes with easie crosses like small rain sometimes with greater crosses like some fierce storms Now in heaven there shall be an eternall cessation of all miserie there shall be no curse and affliction shall be cast into the Sea Rev. 22.23 Secondly our Sabbaths or dayes of rest which Gâ—d hath consecrated and blessed to us as the chiefe joy of our lives prove many times daies of sorrow affliction because either our bodies are molested with pain or our soules distressed for want of powerfull meanes or for want of abilitie to keepe a Sabbath unto God or for want of joy in our soules but in heaven we shall have an eternall Sabbath not one day in seven but all our dayes rest without labour and solace of heart without any difficultie in our selves or interruption without us God and the Lamb will be an eternall Temple to make our rest for ever glorious Wee shall be freed from all the labours of life and from all paine and difficultie in serving God and our works shall be all easie and full of delight even the praising of God for ever Rev. 14.12 Heb 4.9 Thirdly for joy There is great difference both in the causes and in the measure and in the continuance of it The causes of our joy shall be the highest can befall a
creature Here while we are present with the bodie and the blessings of life we are absent from the Lord the infinite life of our lives but there we shall enjoy him as fully as our hearts can desire 2 Cor. 5.8 Here we want our crowne whatsoever else we enjoy but there our honour and glory and majestie shall be so great as if all the Kings of the earth did bring their glory to one man it would not equall what every one shall have there 2 Tim. 4.8 Rev. 2.24 3.21 we shall reigne in life Rom. 5. And this Crowne is the more glorious because it shall not consist of some precious thing without us but of royall excellency with which our soules and bodies shall shine as the Sun in the firmament our very bodies in qualitie being altered to such an expression of majestie and beautie and Angelicall excellencie as now exceeds all mortall language being rather like spirits than earthly bodies And for the measure now we have but little tastes of joy and if these tastes be unspeakable and glorious what are those rivers of joy at Gods right hand Psal. 16. ult And for continuance they are for evermore as the Psalmist there speakes whereas now they are gone from us like lightning in an instant and our lives are afterward assaulted almost continually with causes or occasion of sorrow so as the world in the best place is but like a vale of teares but there shall be no sorrow no death no crying nor paine but God shall wipe away all teares from our eyes for ever Rev. 21.4 6. Thus of the differences of life on earth and life in heaven What men must doe that they may enter into life followes And about this point our Saviour tells us two things before hand First that the way to life is a narrow way and the gate is exceeding strait men may be mis-led by a thousand by-wayes and the worke to be done is a very hard worke Secondly that there are but few that finde the right way yea but few amongst those that seeke it and seeme desirous to know what they should doe for either they understand not the directions when they are given or by taking time to thinke of them they forget them or else when they have the answer they goe their waies like the young man in the Gospel and are sorrie the conditions be so hard and so give over all further care and rest in the estate they were in before And therefore we had need to attend the more carefully and resolve to doe whatsoever God requires of us whatsoever it cost us and not be troubled at the difficulty of the worke considering the excellency of eternall life and the many helps we have to further the worke Of which afterwards This then is the question What should a man or woman doe that he might be sure to enter into life Answ. 1. Thou must lay the foundation of all in Jesus Christ thou must disclaime all trust in any thing in heaven or earth in thy selfe or thy owne workes or any other creature and relie upon the merits of Jesus Christ as the onely meanes of pacifying Gods anger or procuring eternall life Acts 4.12 Iohn 3.16 and thou must inwardly lay up Christ in thy heart so as spiritually ever to eat his flesh and drinke his bloud by applying all he hath done or suffered for thee in particular Iohn 6.53 1 Iohn 5.12 2. Thou must pray hard to the God of life Psal. 42.8 and with great importunity beseech him to give thee the spirit of life that is Jesus Christ and with the more encouragement because he hath promised to give even his holy Spirit to them that aske him Luke 11.13 3. There will be no life in the soule if thou dost not repent thee of thy sins Acts 11.18 And this is the harder worke because first to confesse thy sins will not serve turne unlesse thou forsake them and overcome them Rev. 2.7 so as the power of them be mastered and thou doe from thy heart desire and resolve to leave them If thy lusts passions disorders of life in drunkennesse swearing sinnes of deceit or the like be not mended thou canst not live this life 1 Cor. 6.9 Gal. 5.22 23. At the best without an apparent victorie there will be little comfort in life Secondly in turning thou must turne from all thy transgressions so as thou be sure thou leave no sin thou knowest but thou wilt endevour to judge thy selfe for it and strive to forsake it Thy heart must be turned from it Ezek. 18.21 Yea if some of thy sinnes for profit or pleasure be to thee like thy right eye or right hand thou must cut them off or pull them out or else thou canst never enter into life Mat. 18.8 9. As in the case of rich men the way of life is compared to the eye of a needle and their hearts to a great cable now there is no way for thee to enter into life but by untwisting the great cable till it be made like small threeds which is done by great humiliation Iames 1.10 And withall thy heart must continue affraid in the least thing to offeâ—d God This feare of the Lord is required to the very beginning of this life Pro. 14.27 4. Thou must deny thy selfe extremely in outward things thou must look for persecution yea and perhaps be put to it to forsake father and mother house and lands wife and children yea and life it selfe so as to hate and lose this naturall life in comparison of the gaining of eternall life Marke 10.30 Iohn 12.25 5. Thou must be tied to walke in a strict course of life all thy dayes resolving to walke in the way of righteousnesse and let the word of God be the rule of allâ—thy actions and by patient continuance in well-doing to seeke encrease of happinesse and holinesse for life is only in the way of righteousnesse Pro. 12.28 Rom. 2.7 8. Ezek. 33.15 16. Now though this worke be very hard yet thou hast many helps if thy heart be right and willing to obey for 1. God will give thee his holy Spirit to worke all thy worke for thee and to cause thee to walke in his statutes and keepe his judgements and to doe them and will mortifie the deeds of the flesh and teach thee in all truth and comfort and support thee and make thy workes acceptable to God as hath beene shewed before 2. Thou hast the help of spirituall armour that is mighty through God to cast downe strong holds 2 Cor. 10.3 4. thou wilt find a strong supply from every ordinance of God the Word and Prayer and Sacraments all sâ—rve to help against the difficultie of this worke and so will the societie of the godly as was shewed before 3. Thou wilt have the benefit of Christs prayers and intercession for thee in heaven Iohn 17.15 which is of unspeakable force and power to helpe thee 4. The greatnesse of
affection above all other people 1 Pet. 4.8 brotherly kinde love 2 Pet. 1.7 4. It must be a pure love that comes from a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 and projects not any iniquitie 1 Cor. 13.6 and therefore must be a love in the Spirit Col. 1.8 5. It must be a diligent love that will expresse it by the daily fruits of it upon all occasions a labouring and working love 1 Thes. 1.3 Heb. 6.10 6. It must be a speedy love that will not put off or delay a love that will not say Goe and come againe to morrow Pro 3.22 7. It must be an humble love a love that would ever serve the brethren not doe them good only Gal. 5.13 and that is farther shewed by not respecting persons but loving all the Saints even those that are poore or sick or in temptations or fallen by weaknesse Eph. 1.15 Pro. 19.7 Iames 2. and that is also shewed by carrying our selves with all lowlinesse and meeknesse of minde in all long suffering and forbearing one another Eph. 4.2 8. It must be a constant love we must love alwaies as well as earnestly Gal. 4.18 9. It must be a growing love that will still encrease and abound Phil. 1.9 1 Thes. 4.10 The Use may be divers for Use. 1. First carnall Christians are by this doctrine sharply to be reproved for their want of love to the brethren and for all the courses by which they shew their dislike or hatred of godly Christians This very sin is grievous in the sight of God for for this sins sake when they haâ—e a godly Christian because his works are better than theirs God reckons of them but as Cainits the seed of Cain yea as the children of the Divell 1 Iohn 3.10 yea God will reckon with them as if they were guilty of murther To hate a godly man is murther in the sight of God and deprives a man of eternall life 1 Iohn 3.14 15. and proves him that is guilty of it to be a person that abides in death And it is in vaine to plead that they love God for if a man say he loveth God and hateth his brother he is a lyar foâ— he that loveth not his bâ—other whom he hath seene how can he love God whom he hath not seen And it is Gods peremptory Commandement that he that loveth God love his brother also 1 Iohn 4.20 21. Yea this Doctrine affordeth matter of reproofe to divers that goe fâ—r true Christians and so for many fault As first it reproveth those that have the faith of Christ in respect of persons Iames 2.1 〈◊〉 This is a fault in the richer sort and such as stand upon their worâ—dly greatnesse they rest in their shew of respect and love to some Ministers or to some great persons that answer to their owne ranke but wholly neglect the acquaintance and entertainâ—ment and fellowship of poore Christians and thereby not onely displease God but much darken their owne evidence in this signe of the love of the brethren because they shew not their love to all the Saints as they might and ought Secondly it reproveth intemperate Christians that sin against brotherly love by 〈◊〉 censuring and condemning of their brethren especially when they become divulgers of 〈◊〉 and stand out as â—câ—users of 〈◊〉 brethren This is a divellish sin for it is the Divels speciall 〈…〉 adversary and an accuser of the brethren Rev. 12.10 so that he is a divell incarnate that useth this course Rom. 14.3 10 13. Iam. 4.11 12. 5.9 Thirdly it reprooveth the great worldlinesse that is discerned in divers Christians that are so hardly drawne to shew compassion and mercy to poore Christians when they are in distresse They have this worlds goods and yet shut up the bowels of their compassion from their brethren though they see they have need and therefore how dwelleth the love of God in them 1 Ioh. 3.17 Fourthly it reprooves the great aptnesse to contention that appeares in many that easily fall into discord and from thence into suites of Law against their brethren which is cleerely condemned in these Scriptures both by example and prohibition Gen. 13.8 Act. 7.26 1 Cor. 1.10 6.5 Fiftly it greatly reprooveth such as by their opinions or practise offend and grieve weake Christians and cause them to stagger or stumble or be unsetled in the good way of God and so endanger not onely their present consolation but as much as in them lieth their salvation also Mat. 18.6 1 Cor. 8.11 12.13 Thus of the use for reproofe Use 2. Secondly this Doctrine may serve for instruction and so it should prevaile with us to desire and endeavour to expresse and preserve amongst us brotherly love that it may be and continue and encrease amongst all such as feare God Heb 13.1 And to this end divers rules are to be observed for that brotherly love may continue 1. Wee must not fashion our selves according to this world but avoid all needlesse conversation with wicked men Rom. 12. â— 2. 2. Wee must take heed of and avoide such as sow discord or cause divisions amongst men whether they bee such as goe about to seduce men in opinions Rom. 16.19 Gal. 5.12 2 Pet. 3.16 or such as make contention in practise A little leaven of dissenting or discord â—â—y leaven the whole lumpe 3. Wee must take heed that we be not ensnared or entangled with vaingloâ—ious desires after worldly greatnesse whether in Church or Common-wealth Therefore Christ chargeth his Disciples not to be called Rabbi because they and all thegodly were brethren Mat. 23.8 Gal. 5. ult 4. If wee would preserve brotherly love wee must take heed of conceitednesse and wilfulnesse of judgement we must not be wise in our selves but rather in lowlinesse of mind esteeme another mans gifts and judgement better than our owne and shew it by making our selves equall to them of the lower sort Phil. 2.3 Rom. 12.10 16 Prov. 12.15 5. We must take heed of worldlinesse and selfe-love and the minding of our own things and studying of our ends in conversing â— Cor. 13.5 Phil. 2.4 6. We must take heed of overmuch retirednesse and neglecting of comfortable fellowship with our brethren Heb. 10.25 Phil. 1.6 Psal. 1 33.1 These are things we must avoid Theâ—e are divers things likewise to bee done that we may preserve brotherly love as 1. Wee must provoke one another to love by all words and carriages that 〈◊〉 be without flattery or dissimulation Heb. 10.24 2. We should strive without complement to shew the sound proofe of 〈◊〉 love in 〈◊〉 our actionâ— and by the fruits of it in all well-doing strive to 〈…〉 to God and before men in this thing 2 Cor. 8 2â— 3. In all things wee doâ— to or for the brethren we should strive to doe 〈…〉 respective maâ—â—er Let all your things be done in 〈…〉 Apostle â— Cor. 16.14 4. We 〈◊〉 â—â—rive to be â—ightly ordered towards our brethren in case of siâ—â—e 〈◊〉 God or
make a man truely happy and therefore much lesse these silly parcells of the world we can attaine to Eccles. 1.3 2. These are all common things and that in two respects first there is nothing now new to be had which hath not beene had heretofore ordinarily What is now hath beene before and will be afterwards Thou canst enjoy no felicity of life that can be proper to thy selfe Eccles. 1.9 10. 3.15 And then further all these things a foole may enjoy as well as a wise man and a wicked man as well as a godly man A man shall never know love or hatred by these things for they fall alike to all sorts of men Eccles 2.14 3. All things are full of labour who can utter it If men doe reckon the paines and care and unquietnesse and wearinesse they are put to about the getting or keeping or using of these things they would find little cause to love them especially considering that unto the use of the most of these is required a daily labour with toile that men that possesse these things cannot possesse themselves they are so overburthened with the cares and labours of life Eccles. 1.8 4. If a man had never so much of these things yet they cannot satisfie him his soule will not be filled with good The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver Man walketh in a vaine shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine Eccles. 1.9 5.10 Psal. 39. A shadow is something in appearance but nothing in substance if a man would seeke to claspe it or receive it to himselfe 5. All these things are transitory and uncertaine and mutable which may be considered of three wayes First if thou love these things thou art not sure thou canst keepe them they may be lost suddenly and fearefully for either they may weare out of themselves or they may be taken from thee they are liable to vanitie in themselves or to violence from others Mat. 6.19 20. 1 Pet. 1.24 Secondly if thou be sure to enjoy them yet they will be suddenly lost to thee because thou canst not make thy heart to take delight in the same things still for not onely the world passeth away but the lusts thereof also 1 Iohn 2.15 Eccles. 6.1 7. 9.3 Thirdly if neither of these befall thee yet thou art mortall thou must be taken from them and thy life is short like a dreame and passeth away like the winde and thou art but a stranger and pilgrime here and thou must carry nothing out of the world but in all points as thou earnest in to the world so must thou goe hence Psal. 90. Iob 7.7 Eccles. 5.13 14 15. All flesh is grasse Esay 40.6 6. That a man may receive much hurt from them they may steale away our hearts from God The amitie of the world is the enmity with God Iames 4. They are like pitch to deâ—â—le there is a snare and temptation in all of them they fill mens hearts with foolish and noisome lusts and a man may damne his soule for too much loving of them 1 Tim. 6.9 Phil. 3.18 and they may serve to witnesse against a man at the day of judgement Iames 5.1 Lastly consider that there is no comparison betweene the commodities of this life and the commodities of the life to come There are rivers of pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. ult There are Crownes of honour and glorie such as will neither be held with envie nor lost with infamie there shall men possesse enduring substance Heb. 11. treasures not liable either to vanity or violence Mat. 6.20 an inheâ—itâ—â—â—e immortall and undâ—â—â—led and that withereth not and lieth in heaven 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Thus of 〈◊〉 second doctrine A third Doctrine may be gathered out of these words and that is That in some cases there is a permission of the love of life In that he gives rules to such as will love life it imports That God is contented to suffer or tolerate that humour in men Now this toleration may be considered of as it is granted to some men or as it extends in some sort to all sorts of men Some men that are high in place and have publike emploiments and are about some speciall service for the glory of God and good of the Church or Common-wealth in these men the desire to live longer in it selfe is not sinfull this was the case of David and Hezekiah Now further unto all sorts of men the Lord doth allow a certaine kind of liking of life so as they observe such cautions and rules as he appoints as namely that the cares of this life hinder not the preparation for death or the provision for a better life and withall that they limit not God for the time of life but be willing to die when God calls for their lives Now for a conclusion to this point I would advise those that have such a minde to live here to looke to certaine rules which will prevaile with God to grant them long life if any thing will prevaile as first they must be exhorted to take heed of overmuch desire of life they must moderate their desires after life If they could once attaine to it to be content to die when God will it may be they should find life prolonged according to that of our Saviour He that will lose his life shall finde it Secondly such as have Parents in nature or religion must be very carefull to give them due honour for to such God hath promised long life in the fift Commandement Thirdly godlinesse hath the promises of this present life as well as of the life to come and therefore ever the more godly we are in all manner of conversation the longer we may be likely to live and contrariwise a profane man hath no assurance to live out halfe his daies Thus of the first forme of speech The second forme of speech by which the persons he adviseth are described are such as will see good dayes And see good dayes Before I come to the observations here is worke of large enquirie and consideration about the sense for these words import That in the life of man there be some good daies and some evill daies Physicians tell us in their profession of some daies in the yeare that be good daies and some that be evill daies for their directions and superstitious and idle people in the world tell us that there are some good daies to begin businesses in and some evill It seemes here the Prophet David in Theologicall contemplation findes that in the life of man some daies be good and some be evill This would be enquired into And that we may finde out which be good daies we must first enquire which be evill daies and that by Scripture account And that we may distinctly understand this we must enquire which be evill daies 1. For wicked men 2. For godly men The daies of
must know that in the first sense none enjoy good daies but good men Now good daies in the sense of the Scripture must be considered either in generall or in particular In generall and so first all the daies of Christ after he is revealed in a Christian are good daies and so all the daies of a true Christian from his conversion to his death are good daies Which appeares thus Saint Paul saith that Christ is our Passeover and the Passeover is a feast which we must keep 1 Cor. 5.8 and such high festivall daies are good daies especially the first and last daies of the Passeover were good daies in a speciall solemnity that is the day of thy conversion to spirituall life and the day of thy death which is the beginning of the day of eternall life Secondly all the daies in which Christians enjoy the preaching of the Gospel in the power of it and other ordinances of Christ in their glory all these daies be good daies for they are daies in which God makes rich feasts unto all Nations as is effectually described in the Allegory Esay 25.8 Thus David saith One day in Gods courts is better than a thousand any were else Ps. 84.10 The righteous flourish when Christ comes down upon their souls as rain upon the mowne grasse Ps 72.6 7. Thirdly those be good daies in which we see the Church of God in generall to prosper when God keeps his Church as his vineyard waters it every moment and watcheth it night day and destroieth every thing that might annoy it In particular a Christian finds divers sorts of good daies as first the Sabbath daies well sanctified are good daies above all other daies of the weeke when his body enjoyes rest and his soule is blessed according to Gods promise with spirituall rest and grace in Jesus Christ. Secondly the daies in which the soule of a Christian after sin and the judgement of God for it is humbled soundly and anew admitted into Gods presence and reconciled to God those daies when God entertaines the repenting sinner that prayes unto him especially at the first reconciliation are wonderfull good daies Iob 33.25 26. with the coherence 36.11 Psal. 90.14 Luke 4.21 with Esay 61.1 2 10. Thirdly all the daies in which a Christian thrives and prospers in the knowledge of Gods Word and growes in the spirituall understanding in the mysteries of Gods kingdome are all good daies for this knowledge is that wisedome Solomon speakes of which makes a man so happy Pro. 3.18 2 16. Thus of the good daies that are so in the judgement of the inward man God is pleased also to grant such good daies as are or ought to be so accounted in the judgement of the outward man and so First the daies of youth in which a man hath strength of body and vigour of mind to fit him not onely for the comforts of life but for the service of his Creator are good daies Eccles. 12.1 it being a blessed thing to beare Gods yoake in a mans youth Secondly the daies of speciall prosperity in the world which sometime God grants unto his people are also good daies when God gives his people aboundance of blessings in their families and estates and withall publike honour and respect with all sorts even the great ones of the world as was in the case of Iob which he describes in the whole 29th Chapter of his booke but then it must have this indeed that in this prosperity the godly man be imployed in all well-doing and get himselfe honour by the flourishing of his gifts and good workes as is shewed in that Chapter by Iob. Thirdly such daies in which a man enjoyes a quiet estare free from all trouble or vexation or contumely at home or abroad being free from Gods afflicting hand or mans injurious dealing are good daies and such as perhaps are specially meant in this place Thus of the sense of the words Divers Doctrines may be observed from hence 1. That the daies of men usually are evill which is true not onely of the wicked but of the godly also This Iacob said long agoe his daies were few and evill Gen. 47.9 but of this point before Only this may serve for great reproofe of those that so little minde a better life and so willingly love this life that though they live in much misery are loath to thinke of dying and make no conscience to provide for a better life 2. It is evident from hence that the life of man is but short whether he live happily or miserably yet his life is reckoned by daies not by longer measures of purpose to signifie the shortnesse of our lives This is expressely affirmed in other Scriptures Iob 10.20 Iob saith his daies were few and of all men that are borne of women that they have but a short time to live Iob 7.1 And this is resembled by divers similitudes so our life is compared to a Weavers shuttle Iob 7.6 to a Post for swift running out Iob. 9.25 to the grasse of the field Iob 7.12 Esay 40.6 to an hand breadth so as he saith his age is as nothing Psal. 39.5 to a watch in the night Psal. 90.4 to a sleep ver 5. to a tale that is told ver 9. Thus the life of man is said to be short either as he is in Gods sight with whom a thousand yeares are but as yesterday when it is past Psal. 90.4 or in his owne account if he measure time to come as he measures time past and in plaine reckoning let the life of man be improved according to mans utmost strength ordinarily a mans yeares are threescore and ten and if he live to fourescore it is but labour and sorrow to him Psal. 90. Quest. But what should be the cause that mens lives are so short Answ. If there were no other cause but the will of him that hath the disposing of the times and seasons in his owne power yet that might satisfie us but we may ghesse at other causes as both the mercy and justice of God This world is so bad to the godly that it is Gods mercie to take them quickly out of it and contrariwise it is so good to the wicked considering their desects that it is justice in God to take them hence and send them to their owne place which is hell Besides many men bring speedy death upon themselves by their owne ill courses or by sinning against their owne bodies by lewd courses and by eating up their owne hearts with worldly cares and sorrowes or by living in any grosse sin to provoke God to cut them off or by falling into such disorder as the Magistrate cuts them off or by laying of violent hands upon themselves or by getting their goods unlawfully to bring upon themselves that curse Ier. 17 11. Finally in this last age of the world there may be this reason assigned that the Lord makes haste to have the