therefore be sure thou be a Saint be sure thou be more then flesh and bloud be sure thou lye in none of the sinnes God hath threatned with the losse of this inheritance be sure of the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ be sure thou haue in thee the spirit of the Sonne be sure to commit thy selfe to the word of grace In light The Christians inheritance is said to be held in light in sixe respects First because hee now obtaynes it in the times of the Gospell which times in comparison with the times of the old Testament are called times of light the light of the Iewes being spread abroad among the Gentiles and exceedingly enlarged by the rising of the Sunne of righteousnesse Secondly because this inheritance can neuer be assured without the light of knowledge In the vnderstanding of man there is a three-fold light of knowledge Naturall Euangelicall and Celestiall the Naturall light is the light of Reason the Euangelicall light is the light of Faith and the Celestiall light is the light of Heauen Before wee can see our inheritance in the light of Heauen wee must first see it in the light of Faith and as for the light of Reason it will doe no good for any euidence in this tenure Thirdly because this inheritance is held with true ioy on earth and perfect ioy in heauen and Ioy is expressed by the word light in many places in Scripture Fourthly in respect of the admirable communion that a Christian hath with God and Christ who is light of light that true light Iohn 8.12 Fiftly because of the certainetie of this inheritance it is said to be held in light It is worthy the noting that Catharinus a Papist writing vpon this place thus vnderstands the meaning of Light and is much offended vvith those that pleade for vncertayntie of assurance Sixtly in light that is in Heauen and the light of Heauen is an excellent light both for the perfection of it and the continuance of it It is a perfect light for there shall be on Gods part a cleare reuelation and on mans part a cleare vision and for continuance that light shall neuer be ouercome of darkenesse nay it shall neuer admit any mixture of obscuritie in as much as Heauen is a Citie that needes not the Sunne nor Moone to shine in it for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof Reuel 21.23 In the meane while till God translate vs to this light of heauen let vs labour to settle our hearts in the light of Faith and certainetie and glad our hearts with the light of the Spirit and ioy choosing rather to dye then to forsake the face and presence of God the fountaine of all true light both in earth and heauen Verse 13. Who hath deliuered vs from the power of Darkenesse and translated vs into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne IN this Verse our redemption is considered more particularly for as it is by inchoation in this life it stands of two parts the first is our deliuerance from the power of Darkenesse and the second is our translating into the Kingdome of Christ. Darkenesse This Darkenesse imports the miserie of vnregenerate men from which the Children of God in the dayes of Redemption are deliuered and it notes not onely the darkenesse of Gentilisme proper to the Pagans of that time but also the darkenesse of Sinne of Ignorance of Infidelitie of Aduersitie of Death and of Hell for euery vnregenerate man is couered with a sixe-fold darkenesse First the darkenesse of Sinne Secondly the darkenesse of ignorance which as a vayle couers all flesh Thirdly the darkenesse of Infidelitie for as there is the light of Faith in the regenerate so there is a darkenesse of vnbeliefe that possesseth euery vnregenerate man All men haue not Faith it is the gift of God both the Prophets and Apostles haue complayned Who hath beleeued our report Fourthly the darkenesse of Aduersitie miseries of all sorts breaking in vpon the soule body state and names of men Fiftly the darkenesse of Death for Death is the house of darkenesse and this is the wages of Sinne Lastly the wicked man is in danger of vtter darkenesse euen of the darkenesse of hell out of all this wee may see the extreame misery of all carnall persons vpon whom the Kingdome of darkenesse breakes in and preuayles so many wayes and therefore accursed is their misery that can liue in this estate without sense or remorse or feare If Securitie as a wretched Lethargy had not ouergrowne mens hearts how could they eate drinke sleepe marry giue in marriage c. when they finde themselues in the power of such fearefull and horrible darkenesse Power This darkenesse gets power and preuayles ouer the world by the vnwearied labour of the Prince of darkenesse who as hee seduced our first Parents to extinguish the fayre light in which they were created whence flowed an vniuersall darkenesse vpon all mankinde so doth hee still as God of the vnregenerate world worke effectually in binding mens mindes more and more that the light of the Gospell might not shine in their hearts both by hindering by all the wayes hee can the meanes of light and by leading man on from sinne to sinne till custome haue worne out sense and bred a very liking of darkenesse more then the light And thus poore man runnes from darkenesse to darkenesse and from dungeon to dungeon till hee fall vnto the euerlasting dungeon of vtter darkenesse and this would be the end of all flesh were it not that God of his infinite mercy hath prouided a meanes in Iesus Christ to deliuer the Elect from the power of this Darkenesse Deliuered Euery man hath great reason to thinke of this deliuerance out of the Kingdome of darkenesse wherein naturally hee is for while he so continueth he knoweth not whither he goeth he hath no fellowship with God his deedes are all euill his ignorance will not excuse him yea it will be his condemnation his feete treade not in the way of peace Who hath deliuered vs. Here are foure things 1. What deliuered 2. Whom vs 3. When hath 4. Who viz. God the Father Deliuered The originall word doth not signifie onely to let out or lead out or buy out but it noteth forcibly to snatch out Man is not gotten so easily out of Sathans hands nor will the World and Flesh let them goe without force or without blowes Quest. What must wee doe that wee may be deliuered from this power of darkenesse Ans. Beleeue in Iesus Christ who is the true light Know that all true light is begunne in the assurance of Gods loue to thee in Iesus Christ seeke this knowledge To this end attend vpon the preaching of the Gospell by which life and immortalitie are brought to light And because this Sonne doth not alwayes shine Walke in the light
Christian soule and this I note the rather because it should moue vs to vse carefully and constantly all the meanes that serue to breed or increase true Hope in vs and to get by prayer and practise all those things that cause Hope and that wee may get and increase our Hope wee must labour for First true Grace 1 Thes. 2.16 Secondly sauing Knowledge Psal. 9.10 78.7 Thirdly Experience Rom. 5.4 Fourthly Patience and comfort of the Scriptures Rom. 15.4 Fiftly the ioyes of the holy Ghost and peace of Conscience in beleeuing Rom. 15.13 Sixtly aboue all and for all these the Spirit of Reuelation Ephes. 1.18 Seauenthly the often meditation of Gods Promises Thus of Hope as it is considered in relation to Faith and Loue. Which is laid vp for you in Heauen In these words Hope is described in the obiect of it Laid vp viz by God in his secret Coffers as a most worthy Iewell this Metaphor giues occasion to obserue three Doctrines First that Grace and Glory are a mans best treasures and therefore wee should labour for them more then any thing else and if wee haue a comfortable euidence of them to be contented though we want other things Secondly that Hope is no common Grace in that amongst many fayre vertues which are common to wicked men hee locketh vp this Grace of Hope as a speciall Iewell hee intends to keepe onely for his owne Children Thirdly that the euidence and grace of Gods Children be in Gods keeping and laid vp safe in heauen and therefore cannot be lost and besides when they dye there is of theirs in heauen before they come Heauen Here I obserue two things First that there is a Heauen for the Saints after this life the Doctrine of Heauen is onely proper to Religion Nature hath but a darke glimpse of immortalitie or any beeing after this life and is full of stronger Obiections then Answeres and as any are more lewd in life they are more sencelesse of immortalitie But concerning the estate of the blessed in heauen Nature is wholy ignorant yea the Doctrine hereof is so diuine that Religion it selfe doth not fully purtray it out in this world to any yet as any are more holy it is more discerned The consideration of heauen may vrge vs to many duties in generall if euer wee would haue heauen when wee dye we must get holinesse both imputed or infused while wee liue Wee must be sure wee be of Gods Familie and that we are borne againe In particular we should therefore acquaint our selues with the Lawes and Misteries of Gods Kingdome and if we may come by the meanes to be effectually instructed in the way to Heauen we should account of this Pearle and rather then loose it sell all wee haue to buy it And wee should aboue all things labour for the meate that perisheth not but endures to euerlasting life in as much as in the Ministerie of the word is many times found the Keyes that open vnto vs the Kingdome of Heauen And in as much as riches may proue a singular hinderance we should take warning and see to it that they doe not intangle vs And because in Heauen is our treasures we should set our affections there and prepare for our change and departure Giuing allowance to no sinne no not the least constantly professing and confessing Christ before men that hee may not denie vs in that day Yea where God meanes to bestow heauen he bestowes heauenly qualities on men in this life they are poore in spirit they are eager after heauen and the things thereof they are like Children void of earthly carking and distressefull cares they are mercifull they loue their Enemies Secondly the meditation of Heauen serues for reproofe not onely of Atheists that would denie it or Papists that claime so great glory for their base merits but also of the most Protestants for are not the most such as can discerne the face of the Skie and yet haue no discerning of the season to get Grace and Heauen to say nothing of those that by their grosse and horrible sinnes haue forfeited ouer and ouer the claime of any interest in the Kingdome of heauen liuing in daily blasphemies whordomes drunkennesses c. Yea doe not the better sort giue Heauen faire words and yet haue their excuses why they will not come to Gods Feasts when hee inuites them And thus while men blesse themselues Gods curses vsually deuoure them Lastly it is a Doctrine of wonderfull comfort to Gods Children neyther is this the peculiar aduancement of some principall Saints as Abraham Dauid c. neither should the miseries of this life before we come to heauen trouble vs seeing there is no comparison betweene the troubles of this life and the glory of the world to come where there shall be no sinne sorrow labour weakenesse disgrace feare death where we shall enioy the sweet presence of God Christ Angels and iust men with vnspeakeable Ioyes perfect holinesse exquisite knowledge and a totall righteousnesse and all this for euer Secondly from hence also doth plainely arise this second Doctrine viz. that the hope of Christians is in another world there is their stay and comfort When they seeke by Faith the comforts of Gods fauours and by Loue seperate themselues to the communion with Gods Children they finde presently such a rent from the world and all sorts of carnall men assaulting so their rest that a little experience learnes them the knowledge of this truth that in this world and from the men of this world and the things thereof they must looke for no peace or contentment The Vse is first for Instruction to teach vs therefore to vse the world as if wee vsed it not and so to care for earthly things and persons as to resolue that Heauen is our portion and there onely must wee prouide to finde some rest and contentment yea therefore as strangers and Pilgrimes we should seeke and prouide for our abiding Citie Secondly this Doctrine giues occasion to answere that imputation that is cast vpon many professors viz. that forwardnesse in Religion makes them mindlesse of their businesse and much hearing of Sermons makes them carelesse of their callings Men may here-hence informe themselues that howsoeuer Religion tyes men to honest cares and daily diligence to prouide for their families else the very Scripture brands such Professors to be worse then Infidels that make Religion a maske for idlenesse yet seeing our hope is not in the world therefore Gods Children doe well first and chiefely to seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and so to minde an earthly calling as it hinder not an heauenly and prouide meanes for a temporall life as not to hinder the hope of an eternall life Thirdly this Doctrine may much settle and comfort Gods
saued but it is most likely they are called so by a Gramaticall Relation to the Abcedaries that as little children beginne at the Alphabet and so goe on to higher studies so did the Lord giue those lawes as the A. B. C. of the Iewes to bee their Paedagogie in the infancie of the Church Now they might be said to be of the world because they were externall rites and subiect to the sight and sense and because they consisted of a glory that was more worldly then spirituall and because worldly men doe most stand vpon that which is externall T is the drift of the Apostle to disswade from the obseruation of those rites because now the law of Moses was abrogated Abrogation is a plausible doctrine in popular estates Proclamation concerning immunities from tributes and taxations or concerning Isonomie that is indifferent libertie for all to be competitors for honors or free for profits of a common-wealth those were wont to be wonderfull gratefull to the multitude and such is the doctrine of abrogation in Diuinitie yet because it may be abused by Epicures it is to be more carefully opened The Law may be said to be abrogated diuers waies 1. When it is antiquated or obsolete so as men are neither bound to dutie nor punishment and thus the ceremonies are abrogated 2. When the punishment is changed onely the obedience still remaining in force as in the law of stealth 3. It is abrogated to the guiltie when the punishment is transferred on an other so as the law cannot exercise her force vpon the guilty person 4. It is abrogated when it is weakned and eneruated by transgressors to breake the law is to loose or dissolue the law thus wicked men by their liues abrogate it Quest. But is the whole law of Moses abrogated Answ No for though Moses be said to giue place to Christ that doth not import a change of the law but of the Law-giuer Moses gaue three kinds of lawes Morall Iudiciall Ceremoniall For the morall Law it may in some sort be said to be abrogated as 1. In respect of the curse and malediction as it did worke anger and made execrable for so there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus in as much as the law of the spirit of life hath freed them from the law of sinne and death 2. In respect of the inexorable rigour and perfection of it for we are not now vnder the law but vnder grace 3. In some sense it is abrogated in respect of iustification for now it is no more required of the godly that they should seeke iustification by the law but by Iesus Christ. Againe we must distinguish of the persons for the law still lyeth on the necke of the vnregenerate but in the former respects is abrogated to the faithfull for against them there is no law but the law is giuen to the vnrighteous Now for the Iudiciall lawes of Moses they were as it were ciuill lawes concerning Magistrates Inheritance order and processe of Iudgments contracts mariage bondage diuorce vowes vsurie and trespasse between man and man These Iudiciall lawes must be considered two waies 1. As they binde the Iewes as they were men that is in a common and generall right and so those lawes are perpetuall in the nature and equitie of them 2. As they bound the Iewes as they were Iewes in a personall nationall or singular right And thus where the reason of a law is particular there the law is so and binds not other people but as it may fit their Common-wealths The Ceremoniall lawes did concerne sacrifices and sacraments and other holy things and rituall obseruations Diuines haue a saying that the Iudicialls are dead but the Ceremonialls are deadly That the Ceremonies are abrogated was signified by the renting of the vaile of the Temple yea the Temple it selfe is destroyed as will more fully appeare when I come to the 15. verse And thus of the rudiments of the world Hithervnto also of the matter of the dehortation the reasons follow And not after Christ. These words conteine the first reason against philosophie traditions and ceremonies they are not after Christ and therefore to be auoided lest our soules be spoiled These things were not after Christ 1. because they no way tended to the furtherance of heauen reconciliation with God which in Christ we should principally looke to 2. Because they were no way warranâ—ed or approued or commanded by Christ Christ when he came imposed no such things 3. Because they doe now no way lead vs after Christ but from him rather in as much as we rest in those works done and neglect the commandement of God Lastly they feed the humors of carnall men and draw away mens mindes from the spirituall worship of God in Christ. Hence we may note an answer to that question whether the Gentiles may not be saued without Christ by philosophie The Apostle determines that the soule is spoild by philosophie if it be not after Christ. Againe hence we may learne a note of tryall concerning the truth of religions that religion which is not after Christ is a false religion for this is a foundation that euerlasting happinesse must be expected from Christ alone Lastly here we may note that sinnes against Christ will be accompted for though they were not forbidden in the morall law we haue now another law in the Gospell so as whatsoeuer is not after Christ is a great transgressâ—ion neither may we thinke that we sinne not against Christ but only by traditions and ceremonies for there are many other waies of offending against him as To liue without Christ and communion with him To be an enemie to the crosse of Christ To make the doctrine of redemption an occasion of libertie to the flesh To liue after the lusts of men and not after the will of Christ To harden our hearts against the doctrine of reconciliation To hold false opinions concerning the person or office of Christ. To peruert the Gospell of Iesus Christ To persecute or despight Christ in his members To trust in the merit of our owne works To denie him before men To reproch the seruants of Christ Not to beleeue the report of his messengers Not to imitate his graces To offend one of Christs little ones To make diuision or schisme Not to discerne his bodie in the Sacrament To build againe things destroyed To breake our vowes To fall away from the doctrine of Christ To grieue the spirit of Christ To be beguiled from the simplicitie that is in Christ Iesus To cast away their confidence Or to fashion our selues to the lusts of our ignorance Thus of the first reason VERS 9. For in him dwelleth all the fullnes of the Godhead bodily These words conteine the second reason and it stands thus If in Christ there be all
thus If in Christ we be deliuered from the power of our sinnes by his quickning grace and from the guilt of them by the free pardon which is to be had by his meanes then wee need not goe any whither else neither to philosophie nor traditions c. but so it is and so the very Colossians found it in their case as the words of the text expresse Ergo. The words in themselues expresse the twofold estate of Christians in this world what they are by nature in their vnregenerate estate and what they are by grace in the state of grace In the state of corruption two things are true of them and are true of all men 1. They were dead in actuall sinnes 2. They were then in the vncircumcision of the flesh and likewise dead in it In their estate of grace he puts them in minde of two benefits 1. Regeneration 2. Remission of sinnes Thus of the coherence and order of the words Diuers things may be noted in the generall 1. We may from hence be informed of the fruitlesnes of philosophie traditions or ceremonies of Moses they cannot make a miserable man happie they cannot infuse the least sparke of spirituall life into any 2. We see the Apostle thinks it meet to put men often in minde of their miserie by nature and great reason for it exalts the praise of the riches of Gods grace in Christ And it may serue to humble men for their falls after calling and to keep them still suspitious and watchfull ouer a nature that hath been so prone to sinne and securitie in sinning it may serue to eat down the pronenesse of our nature to vaine boasting and confidence in the flesh and it should much excite men to the loue and care of godlinesse and pietie with all life and power seeing they haue been so long slaues to sinne And lastly the Apostle rips vp this matter of purpose to withdraw their mindes from traditions and philosophicall dreames Dead in sinnes They were dead in sinnes both if you respected their publike estate or each particular person If you looke vpon publike states before they are framed and reformed by the word what are they but heaps of men dead in the graues of sinne and senselesse in their sinfull courses and thus it is with euery particular person the words import that he is guiltie of many sinnes and he is dead in them also Naturally euery man is guiltie of secret atheisticall conceits of vnbeleefe of ignorance of hardnes of heart of swarms of euill thoughts and affections of hurtfull passions and lusts besides his defects of the knowledge of God and that warmth of the holy affections of loue feare trust and ioy in God Who can sufficiently rip open the vnthankfulnes lukewarmenes hypocrisie inconstancie and presumptuous profanenesse that is in our hearts by nature in matters of Gods seruice how do men daily offend either by not calling vpon the name of God or by taking it vp in vaine who can number the othes lyes reproches curses flatteries and filthy communication hath and did daily infect the mouths of men Oh the world of sinnes wee are actually guilty of against God or men or our owne selues publike priuate secret open inward outward in prosperitie and aduersitie in the Church or familie or abroad in mens conuersation Alas we can discerne but a glimpse of that sinne and guiltinesse that is in vs by nature and this is the increase of their miserie in all their sinnes they are dead in them Dead There is a fourefold death temporall corporall spirituall eternall The state of man being in miserie he is dead temporally The bodie of man being in the graue hee is dead corporally The soule of man lying in sinne is dead spiritually And both soule and bodie being cast into hell are dead eternally The Colossians were dead spiritually there is a death to sinne and a death for sinne and a death in sinne a death to sinne and so the godly die by mortification a death for sinne and so malefactors die by execution and a death in sinne and so euery naturall man kills himselfe by enliuing his sinne The spirituall death in sinne is an vnutterable losse of the life of God by which the sinner is senselesse and carelesse in extremitie of miserie vnto his owne euerlasting ruine if the Lord preuent it not by regeneration Now that men are in this case by nature these Scriptures proue Eph. 2.1.2 Math 8.22 Ioh. 8.25 Rom. 8.10 Luk. 15.32 Reuel 3 2. Iud. 12. 1. Tim. 5.6 Neither let any deceiue themselues about their estate for a man may be dead in sinne and yet be aliue in the flesh yea thou maiest be a wise man in the flesh or a prince of this world yea thou maiest haue a name that thou liuest spiritually and yet be starke dead Now this spirituall senselesnes is called a death because it is a priuation of spirituall life from the soule as the naturall death is from the bodie 2. because it tends to eternall death The vse may be fourefold 1. For information No wonder wicked men can come and goe from the word of God and not be touched alas they are dead men and so is it with them in respect of the iudgments of God alas if thou couldest rowle a mountaine vpon a dead man he would not feele so is it with a man dead in sinne and further we may here obserue that to liue yea to die quietly is no signe of a man in a happie case for if this death in sin be not cured thousands of people may die quietly because they die senseleslie they feele no more of the feare of hell or iudgment or Gods anger then if they were already dead in their bodies they would feele outward extremities I know that God many times can lay terror vpon the flesh of wicked men and make their spirits drinke in of the bitter anguish arising from the feruencie of Gods burning displeasure but I say if God let them alone vsually the most would die in a wretched senselesnes and inconsideration being neither able nor willing to entertaine the thoughts of what must presently and necessarily befall them 2. This may serue for confutation and so 1. of the Papists about their freewill How can there be this free will in a dead soule we are dead in sin and therefore of our selues mooue not vnto life till God quicken vs by his word and spirit 2. Of the carnall Protestant that beares himselfe so strongly vpon his supposed couenant with death and helâ— his agreement must be disanulled nay his very securitie imports his vnauoidable destruction if it be not remooued by the power of Christ. 3. For instruction art thou a man that hearest this that hast liued all thy time without remorse for thy sinnes and neuer yet entertained the care of reformation of thy life be here warned of thy miserie let it be enough thou hast been dead
in sinne doe not lie still rotting in the graues of iniquitie but rise so soone as thou hearest the trumpet of the Gospell the voice of Christ sounding in thine eares and pierce thy heart 4. Lastly here is consolation implied vnto weake Christians If thou canst feele thy miserie and struggle in any measure of true constancie against the corruption of nature and the transgressions of thy heart and life thou art not dead there is some breath of life in thee there is motion and therefore life Thus of their actuall sinnes Their miserie in respect of originall sinne is exprest in these words And in the vncircumcision of the flesh These words be diuersly interpreted some thus In the vncircumcision of the flesh that is in the flesh which is vncircumcision that is a thing hatefull vnto God Some make these words to be the signe of their death in sinne as if he would say your very vncircumcision that is in your flesh which are Gentiles is a token that you are strangers from the life of God Some thus And you hath hee quickned which were dead in respect of your sinnes and carnall life which ye liue in the vncircumcision that is in your estate of gentilisme Some make these words expresse the cause of their death in sinne Thus in the vncircumcision of the flesh that is for your fleshly vices which caused that death in sinne But I thinke with those that vnderstand by the flesh originall sinne and by the vncircumcision their miserie in respect of it implied in the allusion to the circumcision literally taken Originall sinne is called flesh because the flesh is the instrument by which it is propagated 2. Because it is the subiect in which it is 3. Because it is the end it driues vs to viz. to satisfie the flesh and to seeke fleshly things This originall sinne here called flesh is a spirituall kinde of disease gall leauen and poyson which daily diffuseth it selfe throughout the whole man and still infecteth it though this be not the whole nature of the sinne for to speake distinctly in originall sinne there are three things 1. The guiltines of Adams fact deriued vnto vs by iust imputation 2. The want of that originall iustice was in vs in the creation 3. The deprauation and corrupt disposition of our natures Here the word vncircumcision imports our miserie in respect of our very corruption of nature for it imports 1. That we are hatefull to God children of wrath 2. That we haue no portion in the heauenly Canaan 3. That we haue no fellowship in the communion of Saints 4. That we haue no part in the promised Messias for all these were shadowed out by the want of circumcision in the time of the Law The vses follow First from hence wee may informe our selues in diuers things as first we may see why the faire works of wicked men as their almes prayers teares sacrifices prophecyings preaching fasting and professing are not accepted of God for the fountaine is poysoned the flesh infects all it puts to either ill ends or ill effects or ill meanes besides that it keeps the person still loathsome to God Oh what cause haue ciuill honest men to know that though they come to Church and pay euery man his owne and be no drunkards nor adulterers c. yet their case cannot be good for though they liued neuer so honestly outwardly yet the very vncircumcision of the flesh makes them miserable the inward corruption of nature is an abomination to God who searcheth the heart and reines yea what cause haue all men to be humbled and abased in themselues considering how vncleane a beginning they haue how can men be so quiet and yet be so diseased with so filthy a leprosie as is originall sinne if this disease were in the bodie as it is in the soule how would men lament their distresse Hence also may we see what a wofull estate all wicked men are in that take care for the lusts of this leprous flesh and sow to it What should I say may we not see hence the necessitie of regeneration assuredly except we be borne againe we can neuer enter into the kingdom of heauen this impure poysoned nature of ours may not enter into Gods holy place Secondly we may here discerne the fountaine of all actuall transgressions when we fall into euill courses we must not cry out of our ill fortune or of ill companie or of the deuill only but especially we must lay the fault vpon our ill natures t was thy wicked disposition made thee so to sinne Lastly from hence we may learne to know our selues and accordingly to keep a narrow watch ouer our wretched natures and daily striue and struggle against this infectious corruption and disease that hangs so fast vpon vs yea we should by confession and contrition indeuour the daily crucifying of our wicked flesh with the lusts thereof condemning our selues by a daily verdict and sentence as we are men according to the flesh so suffering in the flesh that we may cease from sinne yea we should learne constantly to denie our selues and not to giue way to the reasons or obiections or desires or excuses or delaies of the flesh yea and to this end we should be willing to suffer afflictions and to endure any hardship rather then the flesh should preuaile in vs. You hath he quickned Hitherto of mans miserie and the state of corruption now of Gods mercy in the state of grace In two things is their happinesse here described 1. In their quickning 2. In their forgiuenes We are quickned two waies 1. In Christ. 2. In ourselues when our head Christ Iesus was raised from the graue we were quickned in him In our selues we were quickned three waies 1. Sacramentally in baptisme 2. By inchoation in our conuersion 3. Perfectly by hope of perfection in heauen by baptisme by conuersion by hope The quickning he here speaketh of is the quickning of conuersion when we are begotten to God This life is called the life of God the life of grace the life of Iesus the life of immortalitie It is begotten in vs by the whole Trinitie the Father calleth vp these generations the Sonne giueth this life so doth the Spirit quicken also The meanes by which we are quickned is ordinarily only the word and that preached also which is therefore called the word of life Psal. 19.8 1. Pet. 1.22 Phil. 2.15 Ioh. 5. The necessitie of this quickning is such as without it wee cannot possibly enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3.5 They that are thus quickned and conuerted are stiled by diuers names or titles they are called the holy seede the called of Iesus the children of the most high the brood of immortalitie they that follow Christ in the regeneration and the heires of eternall life Many are the singular prerogatiues of such as are conuerted
those things that are aboue where Christ sits at the right hand of God HITHERTO of christian doctrine now followeth christian life The Apostle hath before discoursed of matters of faith now he intends to intreat of matters of life and to prescribe rules of conuersation And these rules belong either to our generall calling as we are Christians or to our particular callings as we are people of such or such condition or state of life The generall rules are set downe from the first verse of this Chapter to the eighteenth and the particular rules begin at the eighteenth verse and continue to the second verse of the next Chapter The rules of the first kind may be referred to three heads for either they concerne first the meditation of heauenly things or secondly the mortification of vice or thirdly the renouation of life The meditation of heauenly things is vrged from v. 1. to the fift the mortification of vice is vrged from v. 5. to the tenth Renouation of life is generally laid down v. 10.11 and more specially opened v. 12 to the eighteenth The exhortation to the care and studie of heauenlie things is thus digested First it is expounded v. 1. Secondlie it is illustrated v. 2. Thirdly it is confirmed by motiues and reason v. 3.4 And thus for the order of the whole Chapter and the generall frame of this first part Before I open the words more particularly there are diuerse things may be noted from the coherence and dependence of these words with the Chapter before and the matter following in this Chapter From the coherence with the former Chapter I obserue these things-First that there can be no holinesse of life without faith and therefore the Apostle first instructeth them in matters of faith It is a true rule whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and may be extended further then things indifferent while we are out of Gods fauour and know not our reconciliation and iustification in Christ our best actions are but faire sinnes For without faith it is vnpossible to please God Secondly that the terrestriall blessednesse of man is in respect of sinne two waies principally assaulted First with errors in opinion Secondly with corruptions in manners And against both we should learne from the Apostle in the latter part of the former Chapter and the first part of this to be armed and furnished with holy directions and meditations Thirdly that these men that are so superstitiouslie earnest and so zealouslie forward for ceremonies and the traditions and obseruations of men whatsoeuer they protest or pretend or seem to be are indeed void of true deuotion and feruent affection to heauenly thingsc. Fourthly that he that is by faith made a new creature must resolue to be at Gods appointment for his whole carriage in his generall and particular calling Thus of the coherence with the former Chapters From the order of doctrine in this Chapter two things may be noted First that before a man can be good in his particular calling he must first be good in his generall thou maist be painfull and diligent but thou canst not be euerie way a faithfull and sound hearted husband wife seruant child c. till thou be a good man or good woman in respect of grace and godlinesse And therefore we should first seeke the righteousnesse of Gods kingdome and it may serue for direction vnto such as choose wiues or seruants or the like if they be not faithfull to God how canst thou be assured they will prooue faithfull to thee moreouer wouldst thou haue thy seruants or children to be amended then bring them to the powerfull preaching of the word and call vpon them to get into the fellowship of the godly that they may learne to be good abroad in matters of religion and then thou maist hope to find them by proofe and daily experience trustie and faithfull in thy businesse finallie this reprooues both the sinfulnesse and follie of many carnall paâ—ents and masters they neuer care so their seruants do their worke though they altogether neglect Gods worke And many times they restraine their seruants and children and will not let them heare sermons or come into godly companie as if that were the way to make them idle and carelesse whereas we see the cleane contrary to be true Secondly that men are neuer likelie to hold out and proue sound in the reformation and new obedience of their liues till they fall in loue with heauenlie things and grow in some measure wearie of the world and the things thereof Thus of the generall obseruations from the twofold coherence Now followeth the particular opening of the words In the proposition of the exhortation to the study of heauenly things laied downe in this verse two things are to bee considered first what or the dutie required viz. seeke those things which are aboue secondly why or the reasons to enforce the dutie and they are foure First ye are risen with Christ in the first resurrection Secondly these things are aboue and not attained without seeking or studie Thirdly Christ is aboue in his bodily presence Fourthly Christ sits at the right hand of God exalted in the glory of his father each of these strongly conclude the exhortation as will further appeare in the particular handling of them If ye be risen with Christ. There may be conceiued to be a threefold resurrection of a christian The first is sacramentall And thus we rise againe in baptisme The second is corporall and so we shall rise againe in the day of Iesus Christ in our bodies out of the dust of the earth The third is spirituall and so we must rise in this life in soule from the death of sinne or else we shall neuer be deliuered from the second death of this spirituall resurrection called elsewhere the first resurrection he here intreats And it is a worke of the spirit of grace deliuering vs from the power of sinne by which vve are quickned to the heauenly desires and endeuours of holy life by the vertue of the resurrection of Iesus Christ applied vnto vs by faith in the effectuall vse of Gods ordinances It is a worke by which we grow conformable to Christ bâ—ing risen againe by which also we taste of the powers of the life to come and are borne again to a liuely hope of an eternall and incorruptible inheritance the earnest of which we haue receiued and shall shortly receiue the whole possession purchased though for a time we be absent from the Lord. This first resurrection carieth with it a similitude or resemblance of Christ rising againe so as euery Christian in this work beares the Image of Christ and in him Christ riseth before our eies not onely because the Lord Iesus doth in this gracious worke giue vs a daily and fresh remembrance of his resurrection by renewing such fruits of it but also
himselfe in his body from the graue but also because by his onely power all his members shall rise at the last day and also because that in the death of all the righteous hee doth still continue to and in the very last gaspe his assistance and holy presence Secondly hee is fittest yea onely fit to be the head of the Church because it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse onely dwell so that hee is a head in respect of plâ—nitude for the behoofe of the members And thirdly hee is a head in respect of influence for from him onely comes downe to the members all peace with God and all the fruits of that reconciliation for it is hee that made peace by the bloud of his Crosse and that hath estated happinesse vpon all the Saints reconciling them to God I say all the Saints both those that are in heauen already and those that being yet on earth hope for that glory in heauen hereafter And that this is so you are able out of your owne experience to auouch for whereas by nature you were strangers from GOD and the life of God you were very enemies to God and all goodnesse and this alienation and enmitie was apparantly seated in your very mindes through the euill workes of all sorts which abounded in your liues yet you know that CHRIST taking our Nature vpon him and in that nature suffering death for you hath reconciled you to GOD and by thee Gospell a-new created you that he might present you to God as holy and vnblameable and without fault in his sight couering your wants and hiding the euill of your workes through his owne Intercession and allowing you the benefit of the Couenant of Grace through which vprightnesse will be in him accepted in stead of perfection Now what remaines but that seeing wee haue such precious Doctrine you should be exhorted to hold out with all Christian perseuerance setling and establishing your hearts in the beliefe of the truth suffering your selues not to be caryed away with any contrary winde of Doctrine from the confidence of that hope of your reconciliation with GOD which hath beene propounded and wrought in you by the preaching of the Gospell and the rather because vnlesse you doe so perseuere you cannot haue sound comfort in your right to the benefits before named Besides there are many reasons may induce you to the resolutenesse of perseuerance in the Doctrine you haue already beleeued and hoped in First it is the Doctrine which all Godâ— Elect with one consent haue receiued throughout the world and vpon it haue founded their Faith and Hope Secondly the consideration of what yee see in mee may somewhat moue you and that if you eyther consider my Ministery or Sufferings for my Ministery I haue so throughly informed my selfe concerning the Doctrine which Epaphras hath taught you that I see it in all things for the substance of it to be the same which I my selfe haue taught in euery place Now for my Sufferings it is apparant to all sorts of men that I haue endured my part of all kindes of Troubles for the Gospell which I would not haue done if I had not had full assurance of the truth of it neyther doe I repent mee of my afflictions but reioyce in them rather and that for diuers Reasons First because they are the Afflictions of CHRIST that is such as he accounts to be his Secondly because I know that in Gods Decree I haue my part of troubles assigned mee and it is my ioy to thinke that in so good a cause I haue almost fulfilled them Thirdly because these Afflictions extend but to my flesh and outward man And lastly because it is for your good I suffer euen for the confirmation of your Faith and for the good of the whole body of Christ which is the Church Thirdly I haue receiued this Commission concerning the Gospell immediately from GOD himselfe with strict charge that for your good I should pursue the execution of it till not onely Faith and Hope were wrought but till we saw the worke and word of God euen accomplished and fulfilled Fourthly what can there be more excellent and worthy to be beleeued and trusted in then this Gospell of IESVS CHRIST and our reconciliation in him seeing it is that dreadfull Mysterie which worlds of men haue wanted as being hid from whole Ages and Generations hitherto and now by the vnspeakeable mercy of GOD is reuealed by preaching vnto the Saints as a peculiar treasure entrusted to them And fiftly the rather should you hereupon settle considering the admirable subiect of the Gospell for it is the good pleasure of GOD in this rich and glorious Mystery of the Gospell to make knowne to the poore Gentiles Christ Iesus himselfe and that by giuing him therein to dwell in your hearts by Faith and as your assured and onely hope of immortall glory Sixtly neyther should you euer cast away the confidence of your assurance and hope or grow weary herein seeing it is the drift and end of all our preaching wherein wee eyther admonish or instruct you leading you through all sorts of wisedome in the word of GOD. I say the end of all is to present you at the length perfect and compleate euery one of you in CHRIST IESVS in some acceptable measure of Sinceritie and Knowledge in him And seauenthly being incouraged with that successe which the LORD hath giuen to my ministery I will labour as I haue laboured and still striue with all possible diligence and endeauour in this glorious worke hoping that this also may proue a motiue among the rest to perswade with you to keepe Faith and Hope to the end with all Constancie and holy Perseuerance CERTAINE OF THE Chiefest things obserued in the Notes vpon this first CHAPTER WHat rules wee must obserue in alledging the examples of godly men sinning fol. 4 The assurance of a lawfull Calling serues for many vses fol. 5 Gods Children called Saints in this life in foure respects fol. 7 Comforts for the despised Saints with answere of some Obiections fol. 7.8 How Saints may be knowne 9 Christian faithfulnesse is to be shewed in fiue things in spirituall things and in three things in temporall things 10.11 Idlenesse in Professors taxed 11 Seuerall Vses arising out of the consideration of this that wee are Brethren 13 How wee may get into Christ and how we may know whether we be in Christ. 13.14 Spirituall things are the best things for nine reasons 15 The Motiue and the manner of Thankesgiuing to God 20 Foure Rules of tryall in our Thankegiuing to God for others 21 A Childe of God neuer giues thankes but he hath cause to pray and contrariwise 21 Foure sorts of prayers for others 21. 68 Fiue reasons to warrant praying euery day 22 The Sorts Obiects Parts Degrees Benefits Le ts Signes of Faith with the misery of the want
in Christ as it is an euer-flowing spring of celestiall Grace to the soule iustified and so it is taken here Peace This word also is diuersly accepted for rest and ease from paine Psal. 38.4 for familiaritie so the man of my peace Psal. 41.9 for concord Ephes. 4.3 for prosperitie in generall 1 Chron. 12.18 Psal. 125.5 Ier. 29.11 for all that felicitie wee haue by Christ Luke 19.42 for glory in heauen Esa. 57.2 Luke 19.38 Rom. 2.10 Luke 1.79 for reconciliation it selfe Luke 2.14 Esay 53.5 for the meanes of reconciliation Ephes. 2.14 for the signes of reconciliation Esay 57.19 Psal. 85.8 for tranquilitie of conscience Rom. 14.17 5.2 Lastly it is also taken for all that rest of conscience within and Synecdochically it signifieth all those blessings spirituall which eyther in this world or that other better world wee receiue from Christ together with Gods fauour and grace neyther is temporall prosperitie excluded though not principally meant and so I thinke it is taken here The meaning being thus found I consider the obseruations first generally First in that the Apostle doth in the very Salutation sow the seedes of the whole Gospell we might learne euen in our ordinarie imployments to minde Gods glory and the saluation of others Secondly wee may hence see that it is lawfull to draw abridgements of holy things and commend them to ordinary vse as here these graces to an ordinary salutation from man to man and so I thinke of teaching the Lords Prayer and Commandements with other Scripture to children or seruants that yet vnderstand not and that for such reasons as these first that so they might haue occasion much to thinke of the things are so much and commonly vrged secondly that if any time of extremitie should come they might haue certaine seedes of direction and comfort to guide and support them thirdly that their condemnation might be more iust if hauing Grace and Peace and other principles of Catechisme so much in their mouthes they should not get them into their hearts Thirdly a question may here be moued how the Apostle can in these words wish vnto them their chiefe good or felicitie seeing these are not all the graces or blessings needfull to our happinesse I might Answere this diuersly 1. Here is a Synecdoche all are vnderstood though not all named or thus these are the beginnings of all graces and blessings or thus one or two graces is worth a world besides or thus these are chiefely aboue others to be sought but lastly it is certaine these cannot be had without the most of sauing graces as for example true Peace cannot bee had without Christ nor without godly Sorrow Confession Knowledge Meeknesse Desires Faith Humilitie Loue and the like as men may easily see if they will be informed eyther by Scripture or experience Fourthly but the maine Doctrine which generally I obserue out of these words is this that spirituall things from God in Christ are the best things and most to be sought and desired and wished both for our selues and others The reasons are 1. They serue for the excellentest part viz the soule 2. They serue for eternitie and these outward things but for this life 3. Spirituall things are giuen by God in Christ the other by God without Christ 4. They onely are able to satisfie the Soule 5. in respect of continuance for outward things can last but till death but then their workes will follow the faithfull into the graue yea into heauen and therefore much more these graces 6. Spirituall things are onely proper to the Saints temporall things are common both to good and bad 7. These are to be had by vertue of an absolute promise the other but conditionally assured 8. These are more pleasing and acceptable to God Gods acceptation proues them best lastly What shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and loose his owne Soule The vse is first for the iust reproofe of the wonderfull carelesnesse and strength of folly that hath possessed the most people in the prophane neglect nay contempt of spirituall things with the meanes of them Indeede if men could be rid of Death the Graue Hell and Gods Curse or if these things could be had without seeking it were to some purpose for men to sleepe still and neuer wake Many are the sleights of Sathan Some are stubborne and will not regard some with very preiudice runne wittingly to hell some confesse it to be meete that the best things should be chiefely sought but forget some purpose but giue ouer for difficulties in the beginning some no sooner ridde off terrour but as soone off care for the life to come Secondly this Doctrine may be a singular comfort to vs if wee can finde grace and peace in our harts how euer it be with vs in our bodies or estates otherwise Thirdly it should teach Parents to be more carefull to leaue grace in their Childrens hearts then treasures in their Chests for them and friends should more endeauout to helpe one another in the comforts of an holy fellowship in the Gospell then in the ciuill furtherances they doe so much engage themselues to Lastly it should teach vs to learne the lesson giuen by our Sauiour Christ Mat. 6. neyther to enlarge our affections to the immoderate desires of superfluitie in outward things nor yet to racke our hearts with the faithlesse and fruitlesse cares for things necessarie This latter branch is vrged with eight or nine worthy reasons but of these in another place afterwards And thus much generally Grace If Grace that is Gods fauour and the graces spirituall that flow from thence be of so great worth and excellencie diuers things may be inferred by way of profitable instruction for our vse out of seuerall Scriptures First if it be so great a priuiledge to obtaine grace from God we should striue to be such as are within the compasse of the promise of grace especially wee should get humble and lowly hearts for God giues grace vnto the humble but resisteth the stubborne wilfull and proud sinner Againe if Gods Loue and Christs Grace be Iewels of so great value it should teach vs when Grace is offered in the meanes or any way bestowed by Gods Spirit neuer to receiue it in vaine so as it should be tendered without effect or kept without aduantage but especially let it euer be farre from vs to turne the Grace of God into wantonnesse to abuse eyther the promises of Grace or the pledges of Gods Loue to become eyther bawds for perseuerance in sinne or props to secure and bolde presumption And aboue all things wee should with all watchfulnesse take heede of wronging the Spirit of Grace eyther by resisting tempting grieuing quenching or despising it And further wee should learne by all good meanes as constant hearing prayer reading conference and meditation to stirre vp the Graces giuen vs
holy desire after this necessary grace two things are further to be considered 1 The Benefits men might haue by Faith 2 The wofull estate of those that want it The Benefits may be ordered into fiue ranckes 1 What Faith deliuereth vs from 2 What it preserues vs against 3 What the weakest Faith getteth 4 What we might get if we laboured for a greater growth in Faith 5 How it fits vs for heauen For the first Faith doth deliuer vs First from the darkenesse and blindnesse wee liued in before Whosoeuer beleeueth in mee shall not abide in darkenesse Wee no sooner by Faith taste of the Bread of life but the vaile of ignorance which naturally couereth all flesh is torne and rent as the Prophet Isay sheweth notably Isay 25.8 Secondly it deliuers vs from those wofull euils which as so many abhominations doe defile both the Vnderstanding and Affections Faith purifieth the heart No wonder though men be continually surcharged with euill thoughts and most vile affections and strange euils within seeing we are so hardly gotten to set about the earnest labour after spirituall application of the merits and righteousnesse of Christ which righteousnesse neuer can be imputed by Faith but it is infused by the Spirit of Sanctification at the same time Neyther is there any more clearer testimonie of the want of iustifying Faith then the continuall preuayling of euill thoughts and affections Thirdly it deliuers vs from the Law not onely from the Ceremoniall Law and other beggerly Rudiments but also from the Morall Law in two things onely first from the Curse of it which is wholy taken away by the imputation of Christs Passion secondly from the Rigour of it so that as it is commanded in the Gospell it may not exact of Beleeuers an impossible perfection but onely an Euangelicall and accepted vprightnes we are not now vnder the Law but vnder Grace as the Apostle shewes in the Epistle to the Romanes and Galathians at large And hence it is that the same Apostle saith that the Law is not giuen vnto a righteous man but vnto the lawlesse and disobedient meaning that so long as wee continue in our naturall estate so long wee haue this as one part of our miserie that wee are lyable to the Curses and impossible Exactions of the most righteous Law but from the time that we are effectually called and gathered vnto CHRIST we are not vnder the Law in these two respects which is an admirable mercy Fourthly Faith deliuers vs from the power of the first death being by Nature dead in sinnes and trespasses hauing no more sence of the things that belong vnto the Kingdome of Christ then a dead man in nature hath of the benefits of life By the power of Faith eternall life is begunne here which is called while we liue here the life of Grace and after death is stiled by the name of the life of Glory Lastly it deliuers men from eternall destruction for Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish Thus of the first sort of benefits Secondly Faith hath a power to preserue vs and that in three things First it preserues from many fearefull spirituall diseases in the soule hence commeth that Metaphoricall speech of being sound or whole or heathfull in the faith Hence that he saith Wee follow Faith vnto the conseruation of the Soule Heb. 10.39 Secondly it preserues vs against the vse of ill meanes for He that beleeueth maketh not hast Herein is a speciall tryall of Faith and is a worthy testimonie of vprightnesse when men can so rest vpon God that they will not be entangled with those profits that eyther the time makes vnseasonable as the Sabbath or the meanes make sinfull as deceipt lying c. but can chearefully beleeue that the same God that now tries him with the occasions of profit in such time and manner can giue him as much profit at a lawfull time and by lawfull meanes It is most difficult for an vnsanctified minde to forbeare eyther time or meanes when profit and pleasure intise Lastly how miserable is our life here many times in respect of the temptations with which Sathan doth fire vs Now if there were in vs conscionable respect of certaine application of Gods fauour there is a secret power in Faith as an Helmet not onely to keepe off but extinguish the fiery darts of the Diuell And the true reason why our life is continually assaulted and why the world lyeth vanquished vnder a thousand miseries is onely because men doe not labour for a particular assurance of Gods loue in CHRIST which being once had wee should soone see an happy victory ouer the World Hell and Death in respect of the beginnings of many heauenly contentments In the third place we are to consider the benefits which the weakest Faith obtayneth and they are especially sixe First it iustifies and giues vs a portion in the most meritorious intercession of Christ at the right hand of God it is no sooner had but it makes the sinner iust before God this is euery where proued Secondly it gathereth men into the family of Abraham and that as Sonnes yea the least Faith makes a man blessed with faithfull Abraham so that if Abrahams case were happy then is euery Childe of God so Thirdly it makes men not onely the Sonnes of Abraham but the Sonnes of God also by Adoption As many as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the Sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Fourthly by Faith the Sonne of God by an invtterable presence doth dwell in the hearts of the Sonnes of men Ephes. 3.16 Fiftly the meanest Faith that is a true Faith doth euer come attended with many holy Graces and therefore to dispute of Faith is to dispute of Temperance Righteousnesse c. Acts 24.25 Lastly Faith according to the measure of it is the foundation of all the hope that makes men happy therefore it is called the ground of the things which are hoped for and the euidence of things not seene Fourthly if men would labour for the increase of Faith and once get a certainetie concerning Gods fauour they might enioy many blessings more then they doe euen in this life First it might be vnto vs according to our faith what greater indulgence can be desired from God Secondly men might liue by their Faith that is they might haue from their Faith continually arguments both of comfort and direction euen in their carriage about the things of this life Thirdly wee might haue the sence of peace with God accesse vnto Grace wherein we might stand and be filled with ioy in the hope of the glory of God to be reuealed yea to be made able to hold vp their heads and reioyce in afflictions c. Fourthly there is a power in Faith to put such life into the sacred Scriptures that they would be able to make
meanes doth set before vs the way of Life and death affects vs inwardly with sence of our misery or the glory of conuersion or the necessitie of our repentance Now when the Axe of Gods Word is layd thus neare to the roote of the Tree it is then time to beare fruit or else wee are in danger The consideration hereof as it shewes that the workes of ciuill honest men are but shadowes or blasted fruit so it should inforce vpon vs a feare of standing out the day of our visitation Consider with thy selfe God cals now for repentance and the duties of new obedience If now thou answere Gods call and pray God to make thee such as he requires thee to be thou mayest finde fauour in his eyes for God is neere them that calles vpon him if they seeke him in due time while he may be found but if thou delay consider first that thy heart of it selfe without dressing will neuer be fruitfull secondly that thou art not sure of the meanes hereafter thirdly if thou werest sure yet who can prescribe vnto the most high Hee hath called and thou hast not answered therefore feare his Iustice thou mayest call and he will not answere Secondly that it is exceeding praise-worthy and a singular mercy of God if the word of God worke speedily vpon vs if wee yeeld and stoope with the first if it make vs fruitfull from the first day This liuely working of the word first is a seale to the word it selfe for hereby it is out of all doubt that it is the true word of God and this effectuall worke of Grace vpon our consciences doth fence vs against a thousand obiections about the Word secondly it is the Ministers seale as soone as he seeth this power of Doctrine hee hath his seale from God the fruitfulnesse of the people is the Preachers testimoniall thirdly so soone as we finde the Word to be a fauour of life vnto vs it becomes a seale to our owne Adoption to life and therefore we should againe euery man be admonished to take heede of delaying the time for not onely we want the testimonie of our owne happinesse while we liue without subiecting our soules to the power of the word but exceedingly prouoke God against vs we should consider that the holy Ghost saith peremptorily Now is the Axe layd to the roote of the Tree and euery Tree that bringeth not forth fruit is cut downe and cast into the fire Note that he requireth present fruit or threatneth present execution Neither may we harden our owne hearts with presumption because we see not present execution vpon this rebellion of man against God and the offer of his grace for wee must know that men are cut off by more wayes then one Some are cut off by death as an open reuenge of the secret rebellion of the heart not opening when the spirit of grace knocketh Some are cut off by spirituall famine God remouing the meanes from them or suffering them to be their owne executioners by withdrawing themselues from the means Some men are cut off by Gods fearefull Iudgement being cast into a reprobate sence Some are cut off by Church censures God ratifying in Heauen what is done in Earth by the Church Thirdly hence wee learne that if we would be truely fruitfull we must be constantly so not loose a leafe much lesse giue ouer bearing fruit Sodaine flashes will not serue turne the Lord knowes not how to intreat them whose goodnesse is but like the morning dewe eyther from the day constantly or not vpon the day truly Thus of the Time Fourthly this efficacie is limitted First by the kinde of Doctrine which especially makes men fruitfull viz. the Doctrine of the grace of God secondly by the application of it both by Hearing and Knowledge and both are limitted in that they are required to be in the truth That ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth In the opening of these words I consider first the words apart secondly the Doctrines out of the whole For the first here are three things to be considered 1. what grace of God the Gospell propounds to men 2. what we must doe that we may haue the comfort of this that we doe truly heare 3. what it is to know truely For the first the Gospell requires of men a deepe sence of the singular Grace or free Mercy of God towards men and that principally in fiue things first in giuing Christ to mankinde fallen and finding out so happie a meanes of our deliuerance secondly in accepting of the mediation of Christ in particular for the beleeuer in the age that hee liueth in thirdly in forgiuing sinnes past through his patience fourthly in blessing the meanes for mans sanctification and lastly in allowing vnto men their lot in the inheritance of the Saints in heauen Secondly that we may haue the comfort of this that we doe truly heare the word seauen things are to be done first we must denie our owne carnall reason wit parts and outward prayses and become fooles that we may be wise secondly we must feare God and set our soules in Gods presence thirdly wee must come with a purpose and willingnesse to be reformed by it fourthly wee must labour for a meeke and humble spirit mourning ouer Pride Malice and Passion fiftly wee must heare all both at all times that is constantly and all doctrines that concerne the grace of God sixtly wee must heare with faith and assurance lastly wee should especially in hearing wait for a blessing from God in the particular knowledge of Gods grace to vs else all hearing is to little purpose Thirdly men may be said to know and yet not truely first when they know false things as in the Church of Rome to know the doctrine of Purgatory Intercession of Saints Image-worship the Supremacie of the Pope or in Germany to know the Vbiquitie of Christs humane nature vniuersall grace falling from grace or that the Sacraments conferre to all the graces they signifie and such like Secondly when men haue the forme of words and vnderstand not the meaning Thirdly when the notions of the truth are entertained in the minde and not let downe into the affections when men haue knowledge in their heads and no affections in their hearts the Law should be written in their hearts Fourthly when men know things by opinion not by faith as the most men know the greatest part of Religion Fiftly when our knowledge is not experimentall in practise Sixtly when men know other things but not the grace of God to themselues Thus of the words apart The Doctrines follow First men may heare and yet not know Knowledge is not attayned by all that heare and this comes to passe eyther as a curse for mens home-sins vnrepented where Manners will not be informed there Faith cannot or by reason of pride and conceit of our owne wits and
with his life the other with his death But some would haue it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à seculis i. à filijs seculi huius from the men of this world sometimes the word notes the state of things in the world as Rom. 12.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be not conformed to this World and Ephes. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to the course of this world but other render it Ages and so from ages may note the time of the Gentiles or the time since the world began so that it is well rendred in the last Translation Hid from ages and from generations And if any will haue the two words distinguished then it may be from ages quoad Tempora from generations quoad successiones hominum but howsoeuer it is it fully imports the great antiquitie of the Gospell If the Papists will plead antiquitie let them haue recourse to the Word or if their Trumperie will not beare the tryall of this antiquitie it is because there is no truth in them and let this be a sufficient stay to all godly mindes that our Doctrine is grounded vpon the Doctrine of the Prophets Patriarkes and Apostles which are the best auncients but this is generall Ages and generations From the particular consideration â—f these words diuers things will arise First the transitory estate of the world may here be noted the things of the world in their best frame are so mutable that they expire and are altered with varieties and the men of the world haue but their short time and then they goe out and leaue their roomes to their succeeding generation which may serue for diuers vses if it be seriously thought on First it should cause vs to feare him that cannot onely change vs but mowe downe with his Sithe whole generations of men before whom the nations are but as a little dust of the ballance or drop of the Bucket and we should also magnifie and adore that God that is of himselfe subiect to no change and liues for euermore Secondly it should make vs in loue with the world of worlds and to admire the blessed estate of such as shall be accounted worthy to obtaine that world and the resurrection from the dead to such an Angelicall and vnchangeable condition and to this end we should be quickened to a serious preparation for the world to come seeing we haue but our turne and course vpon earth wee should not fashion our selues to this world wee should refuse to square our actions according to the lusts and humours of men let vs serue not the time nor the fancies of men but the King of times Secondly wee should looke to it that neither the cares of this world choake nor the God of this world hide or take from vs the word of the kingdome Thirdly and if wee must not serue the men of the world nor the things of the world much lesse may we serue sinne for if any man be a seruant to sinne hee shall not abide in the house to the next world Fourthly this may abate the great opinion of the wisedome of this world for what shall it profit mee to haue great skill to get money and meanes for this life if I haue no skill or wisedome for the sauing of my soule What shal it aduantage me to haue a nature and carriage tilled and fitted for the winning of friends for this world if I know not how to make me friends for a better world what auaileth it to haue gifts for an eminent place in mans Common-wealth and for want of grace be not acknowledged of the Common-wealth of Israell to what purpose is it to be a Disputer of this world and in the day of Christ to be swallowed vp with amazed silence as not hauing a word to â—ay for thy poore soule And yet prouidence for our future estate may be learned from these Children of this world For if the Children of sinne be so industrious to make shift for their time how much more should the hearts of the Children of eternitie be enlarged to an inflamed care of large prouision for their mortall estate Fiftly this should embolden vs to a willing forsaking of our selues in the worst of all outward trials which is to forgoe euen all for Christs sake and the Gospels if wee be put to it What great thing is it to part with that little All that wee haue in this world seeing it could serue vs but for a little time and at length wee must leaue all and besides by a voluntary abregation wee shall be aduantaged in the gaine of an eternall recompence of reward a hundred-fold better Againe in that the Gospell is hid from whole Ages and Generations of men wee may see that whole multitudes may bee in a miserable estate and that it is no priuiledge for any in sinning that many are such sinners Neither is multitude or succession of men in one minde for matters of Religion any note of the true Church For here are whole ages and many successions of men that all liued and died without the knowledge of the Gospell it is a slender prop for faith to rest on to say our Fathers and forefathers liued and died in this or that minde or opinion Further wee may obserue hence the infectiousnesse of sinne how naturally it will spread euen to the poisoning of whole Worlds of men If sinne but once get a fountaine if the Lord stoppe it not into what riuers of contagion will it defuse it selfe Also we may see how fearefull a thing it is to fall into the hands of an angry God since the liues of so many millions cannot finde pitty or pardon with him And the insensiblenesse of sinners may hence be noted also When would those ages and generations of men haue awaked out of their idolatrous sleepe if the Lord by the voyce of his Sonne and his Seruants had not awaked them Moreouer it may be manifest from hence that the Lord in dispencing his grace is not moued by any outward things for what can any person or people haue to commend them by to God which those Nations had not Lastly we may here see it verified that Gods iudgements are like a great deepe it is not for man to conceiue that hee should be able to search into them Yet least any should stand still and be swallowed vp with amazement at the fall and ruine of those worlds of men let him consider of these things following First that these people were instructed by the Creatures and had a Law written in their hearts Secondly that these terrible desertions and exquisite iudgements were deserued by an infinite measure of horrible â—innes which if wee could soundly considerâ— of our Obiections about their fals would be much dulled Thirdly that it is God that prescribes and describeth Iustice and therefore things are iust because hee doth them not that first man must pronounce them iust and then
Quest. But what is there in Christ which distinctly causeth this resurrection in the Christian or plucketh vp his heart to the care of holy graces or duties Answ. 1. The vertue of Christ. 2. The spirit of Christ. 3. The example of Christ. 4. The intercession of Christ. 5. The louing inuitations and allurements of Christ. And 6. The resurrection of Christ. And lastly the second comming of Christ is like a loadstone to plucke vp the desires and affections of Christians vnto the studie of heauenly things Thus of the Doctrine of the Christians resurrection 1. Hence may presumptuous secure wilfull sinners gather secret terror and anguish where is thy spirituall buriall in this life where is the first resurrection It is most certaine if this worke this strange worke bee not wrought in thee thou art in the power of the second death without God without Christ without hope And here thou maist see the vanitie of all thy shifts for dost thou say thou seest no such wretchednesse in thy sinnefull course why this doctrine tels thou art dead whiles thou liuest and how canst thou discerne thine owne wretchednesse dost thou thinke that this will serue thy turne that thou intendest to mend hereafter consider what is here implied the worke of true amendment is a true but spirituall resurrection T is then like that resurrection that shall be of our bodies and thou knowest when God shall raise our bodies at the last day when the trump shall blow it will bee a sillie pretence to say Oh let me alone now I will rise hereafter So is it with thee the trumpet of grace now bloweth Christ is now comming in the spirit the dead in sinne must now be raised Christs voice still reacheth vnto thee now if thou confirme thy selfe in that spirituall graue of sinne dost thou thinke thou hast reason to beleeue that Christ will tary thy leasure and to put off till thou appoint the time 2. Here is singular comfort for such of Gods children as are afflicted in spirit especially about the greatnesse of the power of sinne and the difficulties of well doing they should here consider not onely that it is Christs worke to make them holy but that he is pleased to resemble it to the resurrection of the bodie and can it be a harder thing to put downe thy sinne or to quicken thee in all well doing then to raise thy bodie out of the dust of the earth Neither ought their terrors to amaze them for it is Christs manner to bring vs downe to the graue that he may raise vs vp the feare of hell now afflicteth thee that thou maist not be hurt hereafter Besides sinne doth so cleaue to vs that it will almost kill vs before we kill it Obiect But I do not see either the graces or duties mentioned to be wrought in this resurrection Answ. 1. There may be grace though thou see it not 2. If one sauing grace be in a mans heart it is a signe the rest be there though not so easily discerned 3. The spirituall age of a Christian must be distinguished thou must not think that the graces of Gods spirit or the power of holy duties will appeare so freshly or so strongly in thee whiles thou art but an infant in grace as they will do when thou commest to be of riper yeares Lastly thy indeuour in Christ and desire is accepted and taken for the deede what graces thou vnfeinedly desirest and constantly vsest the meanes to attaine thou hast so the sinne thou striuest against thou hast not Thus of these effects as they are in themselues now as they are in their signe which is here called baptisme By baptisme Baptisme is a holy memoriall of Christ baptised in the seas of Gods wrath for vs. It is a badge of distinction from vnbeleeuers It is a certaine initiating rite by which we enter into the visible Church It is a seale of the righteousnes of faith It is a signe to teach vs by representation both our deliuerance and sanctification Quest. But what hath baptisme to doe here with our mortification and viuification or spirituall buriall and resurrection Answ. Baptisme standes in a threefold relation or respect vnto them 1. In signification baptisme doth represent them vnto vs setting out our dying to sinne and rising to newnesse of life 2. By seale for baptisme is a seale of Gods couenant assuring vs that in Christ we shall be buried to our sinnes and raised vp with him 3. It is a band it ties vs to the desires and indeuours after the beginning and finishing of these There are many other benefites signified and assured vnto vs by baptisme then these here mentioned for baptisme doth signifie and seale vnto vs 1. Our deliuerance from the seas of Gods wrath 2. The resurrection of our bodies 3. Our communion with the whole Trinitie 4. Our adoption 5. Our communion with the Saints 6. Remission of all sinnes Baptisme is auaileable for these respects when we amend our liues and confesse our sinnes and gladly receiue the word and lay hold vpon the promises of grace especially when the conscience maketh request vnto God for the application and fruition of the things signified by baptisme Hitherto of the effects The causes follow 1. Faith 2. The operation of God 3. Christs resurrection Through the faith of the operation of God The faith that is mightie through God to make baptisme effectuall and to raise vs vp after the buriall of sinne is neither historicall nor temporary nor of miracles but that which is in scriptures called the faith of Gods elect and by Diuines iustifying faith Nor is it ynough to bring hither the perswasion of Gods mercy in Christ which is the first and chiefe act of iustifying faith but we must beleeue the power of God in the particular successe of the meanes for effecting both of mortification and viuification which as I suppose is here meant where he calleth it the faith of the operation of God Quest. But shew vs how faith hath to doe in baptisme or in sanctification Answ. In baptisme faith is needfull not only the faith of explication but also the faith of appllication for wee are bound not only to beleeue that those things there shadowed out are so as they import but that also they are fulfilled not only to the faithfull in generall but to my owne soule in particular And for sanctification faith must needs be of great vse for without faith nothing we do can please God And by faith Christ liues in vs It quencheth the sierie darts of the Deuill It lightneth our darkenesse It purifieth the heart It ouercomes the world It breedes ioy and consolation And loue to Gods children It maketh the Scripture auaileable to saluation And lastly our praiers to be such as God cannot denie Quest. How may we
Chyrographe a bill of debt and it accuseth by ordinances that is it taketh conclusions from the law of God to arrest or condemne the sinner But most vsuallie it is referred to the ceremoniall law by some of them men did enter into bond as by circumcision so saith the Apostle he that is circumcised is bound to keepe the whole law Gal. 5.5 By others of them men made bills of debt circumcision confesseth corruption of nature by propagation The washings were open confessions of the foulenesse of our liues in the sacrifices men subscribed to their owne death and damnation for they confessed they had deserued to die in steed of the beast The words may be true of all but most principally of the ceremoniall law In generall he here intreateth of deliuerâ—nce from the ceremonies of Moses then two things may in particular be noted 1. What the ceremonies were in themselues 2. The manner or meanes how the Church was discharged of them For the 1. if we require what they were They were 1. for honor ordinances of God 2. for vse hand-writings 3. for effect they were against vs or contrary to vs. Ordinances Some read for ordinances some read by ordinances some with ordinances and some of ordinances They that read for ordinances say the hand-writing was for ordinances that is either in fauor of the decrees that were against vs or for the better assureing of the keeping of the ordinances it was by ordinances viz. euangelicall for they say the decrees of Christ did euacuate the lawes of Moses They that read with ordinances say that the hand-writing was the debt of death which Christ tooke away with the ordinance that is the externall rites and rudiments of Moses But I thinke the sense is cleere as it is here rendred of ordinances And so the point to be obserued is that the ceremonies imposed vpon the Iewes were Gods ordinances which may shew vs that God did take vpon him the right to binde the conscience of men by ceremonies 2. Seeing Christians are freed from them by God himselfe therefore the Apostle would haue them stand to their libertie 3. This should exalt the praise of the morrall law if they were bound to obserue the very ceremonies because they were Gods ordinances then much more should wee bee carefull to keepe the morrall Hand-writings This word notes their vse because men are by nature wonderfull slow to acknowledge their misery therefore the Lord in all ages did driue men vnder their hands as it were openly to make profession of their owne sin-guiltinesse and fall that so Gods iustice might be clered Therefore were the sacrifices required presently after the fall and baptisme now is of like nature to shew vs our naturall vncleannesse that need to be washed Against vs In effect they were against vs. The ceremonies were against vs that is against the Iewes 4. waies 1. As they were bills of debt 2. As they told the longing wife that her husband was long after to come 3. As they proclaimed God infinitely hating sinne so as he must haue attonement in bloud and that daily 4. As they were transgressed in respect of the right manner of obseruing them Now though these ceremonies belong not to vs Christians yet we are in the same debt by nature that they were though wee haue not that way of expressing our debt Quest. But how could that which God commanded them to do be against them Answ. Many waies 1. When they failed in the matter as when they offered strange fire or sacrificed their sonnes 2. When they did anger God by omissions or delaies as when Moses triâ—led out the circumcision of his sonne 3. When they did it for wrong ends as when the whore would sacrifice to colour her whoredomes Pro. 5. or when men did thinke thereby to make amends for their sinnes Ier. 7. or when they vsed them for the hurt of Gods children as Balaam vsed his sacrifice 4. When they mingle their owne inuentions with Gods ordinances and their feare towards God was taught by the precepts of men 5. When they did vse them as a burthen and it was a wearinesse to them Lastly when they that vsed them were wicked men and did vse them without knowledge or faith or repentance for their sinnes or the care of the due manner as many places of scripture shew And thus may the very law of God be against vs still aswell as against them The vse of all this cheifly may be to shew the miserie of euery impenitent sinner his sinnes are vpon record there is the hand-writing against him let him looke vpon sacrificing Iewes and there he may behold man daily in effect saying thus Thus must it be done to the man that repenteth not of his sins the obligation lies forfeited and the Lord may call vpon him for his debt of 10000. talents when he hath not a farthing to pay and then he will be cast into prison Againe when he saith vs he shewes that this is the estate of all men by nature there was a hand-writing against the very Apostle himselfe and such as were in the visible Church therefore he saith against vs. Thus of what the ceremonies were in themselues Now of the discharge from them there two things may be noted 1. The manner Christ put them out tooke them away fastned them 2. The meanes viz. the Crosse. The summe is that Christ Iesus by his sufferings on the Crosse paid our debt and freed vs from the hand-writing that was against vs the anger of God conceiued against vs for the forfeiture was thereon by the bloud of Christ appeased and forgiuenesse of sinnes and debts therein merited And by the bloud of Iesus the faithfull ouercome the deuill that had power to destroy by reason of the forfeiture and because none of the former agreements would serue by reason of mans weaknes therefore God makes a new couenant and seales it by the bloud of Christ vpon the Crosse and if we would be assured of our release in particular First for the forfeiture in Paradice we receiue an atonement in the bloud of Christ And he that from the curse in Paradice had power ouer death was now by Christ destroyed And for the law of Moses we are by Christ deliuered both from the rigor of it and from the curse of it his owne sacrifice being the propitiatorie to still the cry of the Law and to hide it from the eyes of Gods iustice h and as for the writing of the conscience the bloud of Christ cleanseth it from dead workes and quieteth it in the declaration of forgiuenes and it maketh intercession for sinne after calling to keep it quiet and as for the ceremoniall hand-writings they were both fulfilled and abolished in the sacrifice of Christ on the crosse hee himselfe saying It was finished And the more to assure vs of our safetie from these forfeitures he vseth those diuers phrases of putting
word praier and holy liuing this chariot is followed with the applause of Angells and the approbation of the Saints the place is in the new Ierusalem on earth in the temple of their God The chariot is drawne with white steeds sincere teachers it is prouoked and driuen on by the spirit of God and the effect of all is a heart inspired with heauenly ioies and refreshings 3. As it begun in Christ and is continued in the life of a Christian so this triumph shall be perfitted in death and consummate in the resurrection to the eternall dissolution and confusion of all wicked men and diuels Now for vse of this what lust cause is thereto take vp bitter lamentations for the wonderfull frowardnesse of the natures of the most men who had rather be miserable and serue the diuell still then be made glorious by conquest in repentance for their sinnes they had rather be his prisoners then such princes rather slaues to Sathan then sonnes to God rather dragged into captiuitie with the diuell then carried in the chariot of triumph with the Saints 2. If such honors be done to Christians and such ioyes had in a Christian estate Oh then let it be the praier of euery godly man daily to God as Psal. 106.4 Remember me O Lord with the fauour of thy people visit me with thy saluation c. Lastly how should it excite in vs a desire to walk worthy of such a victory yea how should it inspire vs with spirituall magnanimitie to resist Sathan and with a holy scorne to disdaine his filthie tentations and in all estates to demeane our selues so as might become men that know and beleeue that Christ hath spoiled principallities and powers for vs c. 4. For the meanes of this victorie it is added in these words In himselfe So it is read in the greeke and in the most interpreters and his in himselfe either it notes his misticall body or else it notes Christ himselfe alone and in this latter sense it is continually taken and so we may here learne that it is the Lord Iesus Christ alone euen himselfe alone that hath wrought this victory for vs there was none other able to stand in the feild against the aduersary there is no name else vnder heauen by which wee can be saued and therefore we should giue all the glory to Christ alone and not to any man or Angels for they neuer fought for vs nor were they able to â—and in this battle of our redemption VERS 16. Let no man therefore condemne you in meat or drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath daies 17. Which are but a shaddow of things to come but the body is in Christ. Hitherto of the seuen reasons of the dehortation The conclusion followes in these words and the rest to the end of the chapter and it hath three branches For 1. he concludes against Iudaisme in these words 2. Against philosophie vers 18.19 3. Against traditions vers 20. to the end In these words is contained both the conclusion it selfe vers 16. and the reason vers 17. and the drift is to shew that the ceremonies of Moses are abolished and therefore they should not receiue them or hold themselues bound vnto them This was foretold Dan. 9.17 it was signified by the renting of the vaile and these ceremonies were solemnly and publickelie laid downe in the first councell which was held by the Apostles at Ierusalem Act. 15. And they were then so laide downe that the Apostle after giues order to the Church that those ceremonieâ— should neuer be vsed nor any other deuises but such as might be to edification order and decencie and were without offence The ceremonies named in the text are the difference of meates and drinkes and the obseruation of times concerning which he writes more sharpely Gal. 3.1.3 4.10 5.9 6.12 In the law there were three sorts of meates that legallie were required 1. The meate offrings 2. The shewe bread 3. The cleane beasts The meate offring was a type of Christ our nourishment The shewe bread was a type of the Church in her mysticall vnion And the cleane beasts knowne by chewing the end and diuiding the hoofe were types of the Christians both meditation and discretion in the meanes of his holy conuersation And for the confirmation of this place the Apostle elsewhere shewes euidently that the difference of meates is taken away 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3.4 The difference of times in the law is here said to be threefold of daies of monthes of Sabbaths In respect of an holy day The originall and most translations word for word haue it thus in part of an holy day but in diuers senses some say in part of an holy day First in partition of a festiuall day from a not festiuall day aswell in daies as in monthes or Sabbathes Some say in part for they could not obserue all ceremonies being absent from Ierusalem Therefore the Apostle would haue them to receiue none at all seeing they could not receiue them all Some say in part of an holy day that is in that part of them which concernes daies c. but it is more plainly as it is here rendred Or of the new moone They did obserue the Calends or first daies of euery month Or of Sabbath daies There were diuers sorts of Sabbathes of daies of yeares or seuens of yeares The Sabbathes of daies were either morrall viz. the seuenth day which God did chuse or ceremoniall the ceremoniall Sabbathes were either more solemne such as were the three great feasts passeouer pentecost and tabernacles or lesse solemne such as were the feasts of blowing the trumpets and the feast of expiation The Sabbath of yeares was euery seuenth yeare The Sabbath of seuens of yeares was the Iubile which returned euery fiftie yeares We see here then that the Apostle shewes that we are deliuered from the bondage of the obseruation as before of meates so now of Sabbathes Obiect But is the Sabbath day that was morrall abrogated Sol. No the Apostle speakes here of the ceremoniall law not of the morrall and of ceremoniall Sabbathes not of the morrall Sabbath the word is in the plurall number The manner of propounding the conclusion is to be obserued Let no man condemne you These words may bee referred either to Gods children or to false teachers in the first sense it is thus let none condemne you that is doe not shew such loue to these ceremonies hereafter that thereby you incuâ—re iustly the blame and censure of Gods children And if they bee referred to false teachers then it is thus let no man whatsoeuer perswade you that you are condemned or iudged of God for omitting the obseruation of the ceremonies care not for their censures neuer trouble your consciences about it Which are shaddowes of things to come Here the Apostle with full saile driues into the hauen by shutting vp with this
office to be Prophets Kings and Priests vnto God 11. Vniuersall grace not in respect of persons that it reacheth to all the members onely but in respect of parts that hee being the fulnesse that filleth all in all things 12. Sympathie in all miseries 13. The sanctification of all occurrents in life or death 14. Theresurrection of the body both for matter and prioritie Lastly the opening of heauen a lease whereof is granted and sealed and earnest giuen in this life Thus of vnion with Christ. From their knitting with Christians also arise excellent aduantages and prerogatiues for hereby they haue right to the externall priuiledges of Sion they stand in relation to all Saints they receiue the benefit of the praiers of the whole body and from the knowne Saints they haue the light of example fellowship in the Gospell outward blessings for their sakes assistance in the fight against the world simpathie in afflictions the profit of spirituall mercie counsell consolation admonition c. and lastly a part in their lot By ioyntes and bondes The meaning is that Gods seruants are tied together by as neere certaine and sure meanes as any member in the body can bee ioyned to the rest by ioynts and bands We are tied to Christ both by his spirit and by faith and hope and holy desires we are tied to the Church in one spirit in one head in the freedome and vse of his ordinances the word and sacraments in affection in subordination of callings and in the couenant of grace and in the same lot of inheritance The vses of all follow First if we be thus tied to Christ by ioints and bands then they are to be reproued that like it so well to bee still chained in the bonds of iniquitie and seeke not this holy vnion let them take heede they be not reserued vnto euerlasting bonds But especially the meditation hereof should worke in vs a hatred of fornication and that filthie coupling with an harlot and we should take heede of offending wounding or wronging the brethren for thereby men sinne against Christ himselfe to whom they are vnited and it should seperate vs from sinners and cause vs to striue to shew our selues new creatures and to seeke those thinges that are aboue where our head and sauiour is Here also is great comfort for our vnion with Christ may assure vs that we shall not be destitute of any heauenly gift needfull for this life or the appearing of Christ for present sanctification or future preseruation for God is faithfull who hath called vs to this fellowship with his sonne And seeing we are tied with such ioints and bands who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ Againe are we vnited to Christians and knit together as fellow members then we should be faithfull in the vse of our owne gifts and diligent in our callings for the common good to all weldoing to doe it with loue sinceritie and brotherly affection yeelding honor to the places and gifts of others with all vprightnes diligence and respect of Gods glorie with hope patience praier with mercie Sympathie and humilitie Thus of vnion ornament followes Furnished The Church is furnished with vnsearchable riches with all sorts of spirituall blessings in heauenly things she is cleansed by the bloud of Christ Christ is her wisedome righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption she is not destitute of any heauenly gift and this he tooke order for when he ascended on high and led captiuitie captiue Oh then that the loue of Christ could constraine vs and that the spirit of Christ would inlighten vs to see the riches of our calling and the glorious inheritance of the Saints Thus of ornament growth followeth Increasing with the increase of God Growth is a maruellous glorie to Christians The body of Christ groweth 1. In the number of parts or members men being added daily to the Church 2. In the powerfull vse of the meanes of saluation 3. In grace as knowledge and the like 4. In practise of holy duties 5. In the strength of Christ There are many lets of the growth of grace and holinesse in Christians some are secret some open the secret are 1. Want of the true grace 2. A profession aduanced for ill ends inward hipocrisie 3. Errors and wicked opinions either concerning the doctrine of godlinesse or the practise of it 4. Want of knowledge how to performe holy duties and faith to beleeue Gods acceptation 5. Strong affections 6. Spirituall pride 7. Loue of ease or loathnesse to endure either the labour or the trouble of the power of godlinesse 8. Want of internall order in digesting the comforts or directions of God and vnsettlednesse in assurance And lastly some secret corruptions which they fauor and will not forgo The open and externall lets are 1. Want of publicke powerfull meanes 2. Discord with the members of Christ 3. Neglect of priuate meanes 4. Want of order of life 5. Vnfaithfulnesse in other bonds 6. Secret detractors and backbiters 7. Vngodly companie 8. Liuing without a particular calling or not diligently in it 9. Worldlinesse as in Demas Lastly resisting of counsell and admonition There are diuers motiues euen in this text which may perswade vs to striue after increase 1. It will be a signe thou art farre from fundamentall errors in opinion or worship and from pride and hipocrisie 2. Thou shouldest do it for thine heads sake dishonor not thine head by thy not increasing 3. Increase for the good and glory of the body Lastly it is the increasing of God and so it is foure waies 1. In respect of kinde it is not a thriuing in estate or temporall things but in the things of God 2. As he is the efficient cause of it God only is the author of all holy increase 3. In regard of the worth of the matter it is a diuine thing to increase 4. In respect of the end it tends to Gods glorie That we may increase we must looke to three things 1. That wee often purge our hearts by godlie sorrow and humiliation for our sinnes 2. That we loue brotherly fellowship 3. That we willingly resigne our selues to the ministry of the gospell to be subiect and obey it in all things And thus farre of the conclusion against Philosophie the last branch of the conclusion followes VERS 20. Wherefore if we be dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world why as though ye liued in the world are ye burthened with traditions 21. As touch not taste not handle not 22. Which all perish with the vsing and are after the commandements and doctrines of men 23. Which things indeed haue a shew of wisdome in voluntarie religion and humblenes of minde and not sparing the bodie which are things of no value sith they
appertaine to filling of the flesh In these words is conteined the third branch of the conclusion and it is inforced against traditions here I obserue both the manner of propounding and the matter For the first it is to be obserued that whereas he condemned the former by way of aduise he condemnes these by bitter and tart expostulation why are ye burthened with traditions as if he should say were there not a singular proannesse of nature to corruption could they be so blinded as to suffer false Teachers to impose traditions vpon them In the matter consider first what he condemnes viz. traditions explicated in the kindes v. 21. 2. The reasons why hee condemnes them and these are 6. First ye are dead with Christ and therefore yee ought not to bee subiect to traditions of the force of this reason afterwards 2. You are dead from the rudiments of the world that is from the ceremoniall lawes of Moses which yet were are rudiments or waies of instructing the world in the principles of the Kingdome of God and therfore much more should you now giue ouer traditions 3. They are burthens and the greater by how much the lesse sence you haue of them 4. The matter of them is light and vaine and idle v. 21. 5. They are all corruptible and perish with the vsing 6. They are after the counts and doctrines of men ver 22. Ob. But there seemeth to be a depth in these traditions Sol. v. 23. He confesseth that they haue a shew of wisdome and that in three things 1. In voluntary religion 2. In humblenesse of minde 3. In not sparing the body which hee censures two wayes 1. It is but a shew or flourish no true substance either of worship or sanctity 2. It with-hoolds the honour due to the body Now that the whole may be better vnderstood we must distinctly consider what he meaneth by tradition which will appeare if it be considered negatiuely with comparison with the two former 1. They are not things required by Scripture any way For all such were condemned vnder the first kinde viz. ceremonies which though now abrogated were once required 2. They are not such rites besides Scripture as are practized with opinion of worship for they are condemned vnder the second kinde viz. philosophy So then the traditions heere condemned are such rites customes or obseruations as men binde their consciences to to obserue or practize in the ciuill life of man Besides the instances in the text such are the obseruation of euill dayes or houres to be borne in or to marry in or to set out on a iourney in the rules obserued about infants vnbaptized as that they must not be washed or they must lie in a sieue or such like about weomen that lye in Such is the not marrying with kindred at the font as they call it such are the obseruation of signes of ill lucke or of death gathered from the crying of birdes or the running of beasts such is praying at the lighting vp of candles and the burning of candles ouer the dead corps or the naming of children with names that agree to men and women to make them liue the longer such is not burying in the north side of the Church and the like silly trash with which simple people abound more then is ordinarily obserued Thus of the generall Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ In these words diuers things may be obserued 1. Heere we see the necessity of our vnion with Christ the Apostle will not a done with it he remembreth it still 2. When he saith if yee be dead it implies that men may make a faire shew and professe long and liue in true visible Churches and yet it is a question whether they be in Christor no If ye be dead with Christ. 3. Note heere the praise of a mortified life for when he saith if yee be dead in Christ it imports that to be so is an excellent condition to be truly mortified with Christ is a rare happinesse to die with Christ is better then to liue with the world 4. Penitent sinners haue life and death ioyes and sorrowes c. common with Christ. 5. In speciall they haue death common with Christ. They die with Christ 1. Because Christs death was theirs when Christ died they died because his death was for their sakes for their benefit 2. Because when their bodies die they die in vnion with Christ. 3. Because the vertue of Christs death is deriued to their souls whence flowes death to the law that is a release from the rigour and curse of it 2. Death to sinne that is a power to mortifie sin conueiued in the ordinances of Christ and applied by the spirit of Christ. 3. The presence of Christ in all the duties of mortification though they be done neuer so secretly yet Christ is with them The vse may be both for triall and comfort For triall art thou not dead with Christ in respect of the mortification of thy corruptions then art thou not in Christ. For comfort to the mortified thou art in Christ and hee will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee till hee hath raised thy body and cured thy soule Thus of the wordes in themselues they are also to bee considered as they are heere vsed against traditions and so they are two wayes Christ is dead and in his death ye are freed from all bondage of soule to any thing but the will of God and therefore t' is a dishonour to Christs death and the freedome purchased in it to make our selues seruants to traditions 2. You are dead with Christ that is you are mortified persons and these things are too light for any graue and penitent persons to take vp his thoughts or cares about them fleshly persons are onely capable of this trash mortified persons without teaching suspect them Thus of the first reason From the rudiments of the world The second reason stands thus if by the death of Christ ye be freed from the ceremonies of Moses which were then rudiments or as it were the first grounds of instruction then much more are you freed from traditions which are but beggerly obseruations that no body can tell whence they came or what good they doe This should bee of force to preuaile with vs against the multitudes of idle traditions that raigne amongst the people Why as though ye liued in the world are ye burthened c Quest. Doe not the faithfull liue in the world that he saith with such a salt interrogation as though ye liued in the world Answ. They liue in the world corporally yet not in the world in respect of their profession of spirituall and celestiall life So Christs kingdome was not of this world 2. In respect of subiection to all the frame of rites and obseruations of the world they liue not as men that are tyed and vowed to the seruice of the world in whatsoeuer obseruations it shall propound Burthened Traditions are a
ministery of his angels to translate the blessed soules to their place of peace rest and ioy And lastly hee shall appeare in the end of the world in glorious Maiesty to iudge all men and Angels and this is the appearance heere mentioned There is noted to be a threefold Iudgement The first Iudgement and that was accomplished on man and Angels at their first fall then there is a middle Iudgement and so God iudgeth the wicked and the righteous euery day And there is a last Iudgement and that is this Iudgement about which Christ is heere sayd to appeare The doctrine of the last Iudgement is in a manner onely to bee found in the Church They were darke and vncertaine things the Philosopher could see by the light of nature And the Lords messengers haue in all ages from the first beginning till now mightily vrged the terror of this day to awaken the secure worlde Henoch prophesied of it so did Moses and Dauid and Solomon and Daniel and Ioel 〈◊〉 â—â—lachie so did Christ himselfe and Paul and Peter and Iohn and Iude Neither is the assurance of the Iudgement to come waranted by the words of Gods seruants onely but the Lord hath left many works of his owne as pledges that he will once at length for all iudge the whole world for sin The drowning of the old world the burning of Sodome the destruction of Ierusalem were assured foretokens that the Lord would not put vp the infinite iniquities of the world but will most seuerely punish for sinne the pleading of the conscience foretels a iudgement to come the sentence of death pronounced in Paradise and renewed with such terror on Sinay did euidently assure that God meant to call men to an account The lesser Iudgements in this life are but foretypes of that last and greatest Iudgement to come And lastly the dragging of men out of the world by death is nothing else but an Alarum to Iudgement Yet as there is a necessary vse of the knowledge of this dreadfull and glorious doctrine So there is a restraint to be layd vppon vs this is one of the things wherein we must be wise to sobriety We must represse the itching of our eares and be content to be ignorant of what is not reuealed this is a doctrine to be inquired into more for vse of life then to feede the curiosity of contemplation Concerning the Iudgement to come if any aske Who shall iudge I answer that in respect of authority the whole trinity shall Iudge but in respect of the execution of that Authority Christ onely shall iudge and that as man it is true that the Apostles and the Saints are sayd to iudge the tribes of Israel and the world but they ony iudge as assessors that is they shall sit as it were on the bench with our Sauiour Christ when he iudgeth And if any aske in the second place Whom Christ shall iudge I answer hee shall iudge the euill Angels for they are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day He shall iudge also the man of sinne euen the great Antichrist that hath made such hauocke in the Church and seduced the nations with the wine of his fornications euen him shall he consume with the brightnesse of his comming He shall iudge also all reprobates men women and children of all ages nations and conditions for though he shall not know them in respect of approbation yet he shall iudge them and make them vnderstand he knew their transgressions Further he shall iudge the very Elect though it shall be with a different Iudgement For we must all appeare before the tribunall seat of Christ that euery one may receiue the things which are done in his body Lastly in some sence it may be sayd he shall iudge the whole world for the heauens and the earth that now are are kept by the word of God reserued vnto fire against the day of condemnation and of the destruction of vngodly men and the Apostle Paul sayth that the feruent desire of the creature made subiect to vanity by man waiteth for this reuelation of the sonnes of God at the last iudgement for they are subdued vnder hope and shall at that day by the sentence of Christ be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Thirdly if any aske where this iudgement shall be I answer that seeing the Lord hath not determined it it is curious to enquire and more curious to assigne the very place as some haue that wrote it should be in the valley of Iehoshaphat or as others would haue it on Mount Sion whence he ascended This we know it shall bee neere the earth in the clouds of Heauen where Christs throne shall be set and further then this we need not enquire There haue beene also many opinions about the time when it should be Some thought that as the world was sixe dayes in creating and then the Sabaoth of rest came So the world should last 6000. yeares reckoning a 1000. yeares as one day and then should come the eternall Saboath Others distribute the times thus 2000. yeere before the Law 2000. yeeres vnder the law and 2000. yeers after the law and then comes the iudgement Others thought the world would last after Christ so long as it was to the flood from the creation and that was as they say 1656. yeers Others thought it should be as long to the iudgement after Christ as it was from Moses to Christ and that should be 1582. yeers this experience hath proued false Other say Christ liued 33. yeeres and the world should continue for 33. Iubilies after Christ. What can be said of all or the most of these opinions and such like but euen this that they are the blind fancies of men For is there not a plaine restraint laid vpon men in this question when the Lord Iesus said it is not for you to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne power And of that day and hower knoweth no man no not the Angells of heauen but my father only And the Euangelist S. Marke addeth that the sonne of man himselfe knoweth not the day and hower Not that simply Christ is ignorant of the time of the last iudgement but he was said not to know because he kept it from our knowledge Or else he knew it not as he was man or rather in his estate of humiliation and in his humane nature he did not precisely know it But that hinders not but that in his estate of exaltation as he is now in heauen and hath all power and iudgement committed vnto him he may and doth fully vnderstand it But letting these things passe the principall things for vs to be informed in is concerning the
when he should once for all accomplish his redemption for vs besides he hath already promised to acquite vs in that day and it hath been often confirmed both in the word and the sacraments and praier he hath left many pledges of his loue with vs and therefore it were shamefull vnbeliefe to doubt his terror What though he be terrible to wicked men yet by iudging in seuerity he hath not nor cannot loose the goodnesse of his own mercy what should we feare him iudging in his power when we haue felt saluation in his name besides the manner of the iudgement shal be in all righteousnesse and mercy Thou shalt not be wronged by false witnesses nor shalt thou be iudged by common fame or outward appearance the iudge will not be transported with passion or spleen nor will he condemne thee to satisfie the people and besides there shall be nothing remembred but what good thou hast sought or done And not the least goodnesse but it shall be found to honor and praise at that day And if it were such a fauour to a base subiect if the King should take notice of him to loue him and should in an open Parliament before all the Lords and commons make a long speech in the particular praises of such a subiect what shall it be when the Lord Iesus in a greater assembly then euer was since the world stood shall particularly declare Gods euerlasting loue to them and recite the praises with his owne mouth of all that hath been good in thy thoughts affections words or works throughout all thy life or in thy death especially if thou adde the singular glory he will then adiudge thee too by an irreuocable sentence And so we come to the second appearance viz. the appearance of christians in glory Then shall ye also appeare with him in glory The glory that shall then be conferred vpon Christians may be considered either in their bodies or in their soules or both The glory of their bodies after the resurrection is threefold For first they shall be immortall that is in such a condition as they can neuer die againe or returne to dust For this mortall then shall put on immortalitie Secondly they shall be incorruptible That is not only free from putrefaction but also from all weaknesse both of infirmitie and deformitie For though it be sowen in weakenesse yet it shall be raised in power though it be sowen in dishonor and corruption yet it shall be raised in honor and incorruption Thirdly they shall be spirituall not that our bodies shall vanish into ghosts or spirits but because they shall be at that day so admirablie glorified and perfected that by the mighty working of Gods spirit they shall be as able to liue without sleep meat mariage or the like as now the Angells in heauen are and besides they shall be so admirably light and agile and swift that they shal be able to go abroad with vnconceiueable speed in the aire or heauens as now they can goe surely on the earth The glory vpon the soule shall be the wonderfull perfection of Gods image in all the faculties of it Then shall we know the secrets of heauen and earth And then shall our memories will and affections be after an vnexpresseable manner made conformable vnto God The glory vpon both soule and body shall be those riuers of ioies and pleasures for euer more And thus shall the man be glorified that feareth the Lord. The consideration of this glory may serue for diuerse vses First let vs all pray vnto God vpon the knees of our hearts from day to day that as he is the father of glory so he would giue vnto vs the spirit of reuelation that the eies of our vnderstanding might be enlightned to know in som comfortable measure and that we might be able with more life affection to meditate of the exceeding riches of this glory and inheritance to come Our hearts are naturally herein exceeding both dull and blind maruellous vnable with delight and constancie to thinke of these eternall felicities and this comes to passe by the spirituall working of sathan and the deceitfulnesse of sinne and too much emploiment and care about earthly things But a christian that hath so high a calling and hopes for such a glorious end should not alow himselfe in that deadnesse of heart but as he gaineth sence by praier in other gifts of grace so should he striue with importunity and constancy wrastling with God without intermission so as no day should passe him but he would remember this suit vnto God till he could get some comfortable ability to meditate of this excelling estate of endlesse glory Secondly this should make vs to be patient in tribulation and without murmuring or grieuing to endure hardnesse and temptations in this world For they are but for a season though they be neuer so manifold or great and the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory to be reuealed though we might be dismaied while we looke vpon our crosses and reproaches and manifold trialls yet if the Lord let vs haue accesse vnto this grace to be able soundly to thinke of the glory to come we may stand with confidence vnapalled and with vnutterable ioy looke vp to the glory we shall shortly enioy when the trial of our faith being more pretious then the gold that perisheth shall be found vnto honor and praise through the reuelation of Iesus Christ Yea what were it to loose not some of our credits or our goods but euen our liues seeing we are sure to find them againe with more then a hundred fold aduantage at the time when Christ shall come in the glory of his father to giue vnto all men according to their deeds Besides we must know that there is no talking of sitting at Christs hand in glory till we haue asked our selues this question whether we can drinke of the cup he dranke of and be baptized with the baptisme he is baptized with And then if we can suffer with him we shall raign with him and shall be glad and reioice with exceeding ioy when his glory shall appeare And in the meane while the spirit of glory and of God resteth on you Thirdly seeing Christ will receiue Christians into such glory it should teach vs to receiue one another into both our hearts and houses Why shouldst thou be ashamed or thinke it much with all loue and bounty and bowells of affection to entertaine and welcome the heires of such eternall glory Oh if thou couldst but now see but for a moment how Christ doth vse the soules of the righteous in heauen or will vse both body and soule at the last day thou wouldst for euer honor them whom Christ doth so glorifie and make them now thy only companions whom thou shouldest see to be appointed to liue in such felicity for euer Fourthly
securly sinne and wallowe in all filthy abhominations they shunne Gods house for the most part and liue without any conscionable subiection to any ministery Such was the prodigall sonne and such are our common swearers drunkards and vncleane persons nay they goe further for they speake euill of their fathers house and slander their owne mothers sons Now the other sort liue in their fathers they come to heare and receiue the sacraments they are there at bed and bord but yet they will doe what they list They will not bee perswaded by the word spirit or seruants of God And so they are children of vnperswadablenesse they will not beleeue their fathers threatnings or promises and so they are children of incredulity they will not conforme themselues to their fathers will and so are called children of disobedience Now the estate of both these sorts of disobedient children is that the fearefull wrath of God is vpon them no father can so plague and cast off a wicked sonne as they are sure to be plagued and cast off of God As they are children of disobedience by their owne stubbornesse so are they children of wrath by Gods iustice And if they continue thus they may proue children of perdition Qu. But how may the children of disobedience be knowen Ans. We may gather signes either from the consideration of these words or from other scriptures From these words two waies first he is a child of disobedience that is led and ruled and hath all his thoughts and affections and his actions as it were framed and begotten and nursed vp by the corruption of his nature arising from the disobedience of the first man or by the temptations of sathan the Prince of all darknesse and disobedience It is one thing to sinne by infirmity to fall by occasion into a sinne and another thing to be led and ruled and to frame ones life and imploiment after the rules and proiects that are hatched by the flesh or sathan To be a child to sinne that is to be ruled and mastred and led by it to be as it were at the command of lust and corruption that is not in a child of God standing in vprightnesse Secondly the word here rendred disobedience imports vnteachablenesse such a disobedience as is wilfull when a man sinnes and will sinne and will not be perswaded either by Gods words or Gods spirit or Gods people that would aduise or admonish him To be of an incurable or inteachable disposition is a ranke signe of a child of disobedience Further if we marke the coherence in the second Chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians v. 2. compared with the first we may easily discerne that a child of disobedience is dead in trespasses and sinnes His soule can he at rest though he be guilty of neuer so many sinnes Cast a mountaine on a dead man and he will not complaine or aile any thing and sure it is a notable signe of a child of disobedience to be guilty of a multitude of sinnes and yet to be sencelesse vnder them to be able to goe from day to day and week to weeke and month to month and neuer to aile any thing for any sound remorse he finds for his sinne Especially when men are at that passe that the Prophet Ieremie complained of that though God strike them yet they are not grieued yea though the Lord consume them they refuse to receiue correction and make their faces harder then a rocke refusing to returne Qu. But may not the wrath of God come vpon his owne children Is God neuer angry with his owne seruants Ans. God may be angry with his owne people For when the Prophet Dauid saith his anger endureth but a moment he implies that God then will be angry And in the 89. Psalme though the Lord saith he will not take away his goodnesse and his mercie yet if they keep not his law he saith expresly he will visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with stripes And thus he is angry with them sometimes for their couetousnesse sometimes for their carelesse worship sometimes for vnworthy receiuing sometimes for their losse of their first loue but generally euery grosse sinne angers God by whomsoeuer it be committed But yet there is great difference between Gods anger towards his owne children and that wrath that commeth vpon the children of disobedience and that principally in three things First wrath comming vpon the faithfull is not eternall but temporary and in this life only For they are deliuered from the wrath to come for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus they are already past from death to life But so are not wicked men For God is so angry with them in this life that his anger may continue for euer and not be extinguished in their very death And not only so but Gods anger with his own children euen in this life is not for all their daies but only a very short time of their life For as Dauid saith his anger endureth but a moment weeping may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning And in another place he saith he will not alwaies chide neither wil he keepe his anger for euer And the Lord witnesseth by the Prophet Esay that he forsaketh but for a small moment he hideth his face in a little wrath but he hath mercy with euerlasting kindnesse When a child of God falleth he is sure he shall rise but it is not so with the vngodly Secondly as Gods wrath differs in the continuance so it differs in the measure it is milder towards his children then it is towards the children of disobedience Which appeares to be so two waies For first Gods anger as it is manifested in outward iudgements vpon his owne people is euer proportioned to their strength he doth not consider what their sinne deserues but what their spirits are able to sustaine He will not suffer them to be tempted aboue that which they are able but will giue issue with the temptation that they may be able to beare it And the Prophet Esay sheweth that the Lord hath great care least by contending ouer long with his people the spirit should faile and the soule which he hath made And the Prophet Dauid shewes that God deales not with his people after their sins nor rewards them after their iniquities But as a father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him But now with the wicked it is much otherwise For the Lord neuer askes what strength they haue to heare it or how they will take it but what sinne they haue committed and how they haue deserued it Besides the affections of Gods children are sweetned with many mercies for though the Lord be angry for their sinne yet if they will seeke God and work righteousnesse they may hold out to beare
desire is to approoue himselfe to God without respect of the world how men will take it and he will constantly professe and practise though it be against his ease credit pleasure or profit The third thing propounded was the meanes of the new birth and howsoeuer the most men stand affected yet the truth of God is certaine and vnchangeable the ordinarie outward meanes to conuert a soule to God or make vs new creatures is the word preached we are borne againe by this immortall seed of the word as the Apostle Peter saith and the Apostle Paulis peremptorie in the epistle to the Romanes how can a man beleeue except it be by hearing of the word preached the inward meanes is the spirit of Christ which in respect of his working herein is called the spirit of reuelation of glory of loue of power and of a sound minde The vses follow And first all Gods seruants that haue felt the power of the word renewing them may greatly reioyce in the mercies of God to them and the rather if they further consider the priuiledge of their new estate for art thou a new creature then thou hast the benefit of a new couenant thou hast a new name vpon thee and a new spirit within thee to comfort thee to direct thee to confirme thee and to make intercession for thee thou hast new aliance a new father euen God the Father and new kindred with all the Saints both Iewes and Gentiles a new Prince and minister euen Iesus Christ new attendants the very Angels of God new wages and new worke a new commandement the rigor and curse of the Law being taken away new food euen Manna from heauen the word of life new signes and helps to guide thee in the way And when thou shalt die a new death not die as other men and a new graue or tombe wherein no carnall man lay thy graue being perfumed by the body of Christ a new way to heauen and a new Mansion in heauen what shall I say but conclude with the Apostle if thou be a new creature thou shalt haue all things new And therefore let all the holy seede the blessed of the Lord sing new songes of praise to God Secondly the consideration of the doctrine of the new birth may serue greatly for reproofe of the fearefull security of multitudes of people that are sunke so deepe in rebellion that they cannot consider nor seriously minde their owne conuersion They looke not vpwardes to behold the angrie countenance of God nor to the times past to consider the millions of men that haue perished for want of the new birth nor within them to see the Image of God defâ—ced and the Diuell intrenched in strong holds for tentations and the conscience either awake and then the fier of hell is within them or a sleep and then they are in danger euery moment when it will awake nor doe they consider the time to come or thinke of those last thinges death iudgement and hell Oh the spirit of fornication that doth inchaunt men that they cannot so much as minde to returne Now if any prophane spirit should aske mee where are any such men as I haue before described to be new creatures I would answere him they are not to be found in Tauerns Ale-houses play-houses cocke-pits beare-baits or such like but blessed be God there is a remnant a tenth one of a City and two of a tribe that are such as the Lord doth describe and wil be accepted of in Iesus Christ. Renewed in knowledge Knowledge is a chiefe part of the new grace of a Christian without it the minde cannot be good it is a singular gift of God to the elect to reueale vnto them the misteries of the Kingdome it is the beginning of eternall life on earth but wee must vnderstand that this knowledge here ment is neither naturall nor sensuall nor ciuill nor morall nor historicall nor a generall Theologicall knowledge but a religious sauing knowledge it is a knowledge by which a Christian sees in a mirrour he standes and wonders it is a knowledge that will transforme a man it is the experimentall knowledge of the virtue of Christs death and resurrection it is a knowledge will keepe a man from the euill way it is a knowledge will encounter euery thought and affection that exalts it selfe against the obedience of Christ it is a knowledge that is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruites without iudging and without hipocrisie The vse is to teach vs that as we would be assured we are new creatures so we should labour to be possessed of sound knowledge and to this end 1. We must stand vp from the dead and with-draw from wicked society else Christ will neuer giue vs light 2. We must consecrate our selues to holy life and seeke the feare of God for that is the beginning of this wisedome 3. Wee must denie our carnall wisedome and become fooles that we may be wise 4. Wee must walke with the wise 5. We must begge of God a lowly and an humble heart for with the lowly is knowledge Lastly we must studie the Scripture and attend vpon daily hearing and reading for they are the only fountaines of true knowledge and wisedome Renewed The knowledge of the faithfull in this life euen after calling needes to be daily renewed For sinne makes a breach both in the heart and minde And Sathan plants daily temptations and obiects against the doctrin of God against which the minde needes new stoore of prouision out of the word for defence And our affections are wonderfull apt to loose sence and feeling and then there is no other way to recouer sence but by renewing contemplation And besides in asmuch as faith and repentance must be daily renewed therefore also must examination of life and meditation of Gods promise and grace be renewed also Finally we know but in part and successiuely and therefore ought continually to be growing and adding to the measure of the knowledge receiued This may serue 1. for information For here we may know the necessity of daily teaching since we neede daily to be renewed in knowledge 2. For great reproofe of that negligence is euery where to be found in omission of hearing or reading the scripture or vsing of other priuate helpes for knowledge 3. For instruction for it should teach vs to be constant in the vse of all the helpes God hath commanded or afforded vs. And wee should beare infirmities in others since our owne knowledge is vnperfit And wee should learne to be wise to sobrietie and not thinke our selues able to iudge of euery doctrine or worke of God The Lord hath laide a restraint vpon vs and in this life we cannot attaine a full knowledge and therefore we should
and it is his bloud that perfectly cures and clenseth them from all their wounds and sinnes Secondly are they distressed vnder the power of Sathans temptations or accusations why he sitteth at the right hand of God to see that nothing be laid to their charge hee maketh intercession for them and for the stings of this ould serpent hee is a continuall brasen serpent they may but looke vpon him and be healed Yea hee was tempted himselfe that hee might succour them that are tempted and his power dwelleth in them to be manifested in their weakenesse and he came into the world of purpose to dissolue the worke of the Deuill Thirdly are they dismayed with the sence of their owne weakenesses and ignorance why they haue such an high Priest as is touched with their infirmities and knowes how to haue compassion on the ignorant hee will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flaxe Fourthly are they pressed with outward troubles Why Christ is the merit of their deliuerance from this present euill world hee is the sanctification of their crosses so as all shall worke together for the best to them that loue God yea hee will be their consolation so that as their sufferings abounds his comforts shall abound also or if he doe not deliuer then hee makes a supply by giuing them better things out of the riches of his glory He is a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherlesse and as the shadow of the rocke in a weary land to them that are persecuted and driuen to and fro by the hot rage of euill men Lastly are they in the feare or in the danger of death Why Christ is all in all heere also for he hath ouercome death for them hee hath opened the way to heauen he hath destroyed him that had power ouer death he hath freed them from the wrath to come he hath begotten in them a liuely hope of a happy issue from the passage of death he is the first borne of the dead and hee will be the resurrection and the life vnto them What shall I say but conclude with the Apostle Christ is in life and death aduantage onely that Christ may be all in all to vs we must heare him we must beleeue in him we must deny ourselues and take vp our crosse and follow him and finally we must liue to him and die in him And thus of this eleuenth verse and so of the second part of the generall exhortation VER 12.13 Therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on bowells of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any haue a quarrell against another euen as Christ forgaue you so also doe you There are three things requisite to holy life First the meditation of heauenly things Secondly the mortification of vice Thirdly the exercise of holy graces and duties Of the first the Apostle hath intreated from verse 1. to verse 5. Of the second from verse the 5. hitherto Now in these words and those that follow to the 18. verse he intreats of the third for he giues rules for the obedience of the new man and those rules are more speciall or more generall The more speciall rules are from the 11. verse to the sixteenth The more generall are in the 16. and 17. verses the one concerning the meanes of holy life vers 16. and the other concerning the ende of holy life ver 17. The speciall rules giue in charge the exercise of nine graces and in the setting downe of these rules I obserue 1. The Motiues to perswade to the obseruation of them and they are three the one taken from their election the other from their sanctification the third from the loue of God to them And these are briefly thrust together in a parenthesis in the beginning of the twelfth verse 2. The manner how they be charged with these graces and that is noted in the Metaphor put on 3. The graces themselues and they are in number nine Some of them haue their greatest praise in prosperity principally as mercy kindnesse meekenesse humblenesse of mind some of them concerne the times of aduersity principally as long suffering and clemency in forbearing and forgiuing Some indifferently belong to all times as loue peace thankefulnesse or amiablenesse ver 14.15 Now from the coherence imported in the worde therefore diuers things may be noted 1 In that he prescribes the mortification of vices before the exercise of graces it shewes that till vice be mortified grace will not grow nor prosper the true reason why many men thriue no better in the gift of Gods spirit is because they are so little and so sleighty in confessing and bewailing of their corruptions of heart and life 2 In that he rests not in the reformation of vices but prescribes also rules of new obedience it shewes that it is not enough to leaue sinne but we must bee exercised in doing good It will not serue turne for the husbandman that his fruit trees beare no euill fruit but hee will cut them downe if they bring not forth good fruit barrennes is cause great enough of hewing downe 3 Men that are truly renewed after the Image of Christ are willing to be appointed and prescribed for the attaining and exercise of euery holy needefull grace and duty he that hath true experience of the beginning of any true grace hath a true desire and a willing indeauour and a iust estimation of all grace For as he that repents of one sinne loues no sin so he that trauels in the birth of any grace desires all grace so farre as in conscience he knowes them to be required of God and in some degree except it be in the time of violent temptations or that the losse of the meanes occasion any deadnesse or faintnesse in the desires of the heart or that there be a relapse into some presumptuous sinne after calling 4 If this therefore carry vs to the former verse then we are informed that our indeauour after mercy meeknesse patience loue peace or the rest will neuer want acceptation with God And withall wee may take comfort if wee would seriously set about the practise of these though wee found many lets and doubts and difficulties yet Christ will be all in all to help vs and giue good successe Thus of the coherence The motiues follow and first of Election Elect Gods seruants are Gods elect and that both in respect of election before time and also in respect of election in time for the Lord hath in his eternall counsell chose them in Christ to the obteining of saluation to the praise of his grace And besides at sometime in their life the Lord doth select and separate them from out of the world and worldly courses to the profession of sincerity hauing
But my Parents require base things and such as cast a kinde of discredit vpon me in the world Answ Consider not the things required but Gods ordination besides God the Father required of Christ to beare the Crosse spitting in the face c. yet he willingly obeied Obiect But my Parents are disordered persons and foolish c. Answ Pray for them but despise them nor besides God knowes what is good for thee and therefore hath caused them to come out of the loines of such Parents and required subiection of thee Obiect They are not my naturall Parents but my step-father or step-mother Answ Yet they must be obeied so Ruth obeyed Naomi and Moses Iethro Exod. 18.19 Obiect They are not Parents at all but my kindred onely as my vncle aunt c. with whom I am left in trust Answ Thou must be ruled by them so was Hester by Mordechai Vse This condemnes the doctrine and practise of Papists that defend the vowes of solitarie and single life of children without consent of parents and it meets with the doctrine of the Pharisies that would dispense with childrens releeuing of their Parents so they would bestow it vpon them Mat. 15. 2 This may serue for reproofe of stubborne and vngracious children that forsake their Parents instruction Prou. 1.8 but especially such monsters as despise their Parents when they are old or mocke them or curse them or chase them or robbe them c. the cursed estate of such children is set down in these Scriptures Prou. 15.20 and 19.26 and 23.22 and 20.20 and 28.24 and 30.11.17 Thus of the dutie the reason followes There are many reasons why they should obey 1 Children haue their substance from them euen their life and their education their Parents then tooke care of them when they had no ragge to couer their nakednesse no morsell to put into their mouthes and what can children render equiualent heereunto 2 Christ himselfe was obedient to his Parents Luk. 2.51 3 This is the purity and vprightnesse of children and hereby they must be tried and tried whether their worke be pure Prou. 20.11 4 The consideration of Gods iudgements vpon wicked children should much moue such as were Cham Esau Absolon Abimelech c. 5 If thou obey not thy Parents thou maiest liue to bee requited by thy children 6 In the sixth of Ephes. 1.2.3.4 There are many reasons why children should obey First it is in the Lord that is their obedience is both commanded by God and it is for God and besides it is no further vrged then as may stand with faith and pietie to the Lord. Secondly this is right it is children iustice Thirdly this commandement that requires this is the first commandement with promise for this had a promise in the verie first promulgation of it in the Tables written by the finger of God whereas all the rest had their promises annexed afterwards by the ministrie of Moses Obiect But the second Commandement had promise in the first promulgation of the Law Answ Some answer the words of the second Commandement are a proposition not a promise but this answer satisfieth not Some say the promises mentioned in that commandement belong to the whole Law and not to that Commandement alone but I thinke the plainest answere is the fift Commandement is the first Commandement with promise viz in the second Table A fourth reason is children must obey for so it shall goe well with them they shall get good and contentment and Gods grace and blessing by so doing Fifthly they shall liue long on earth to enioy the blessing of God Obiect Wicked children liue long Answ Their life is a death and it is not well with them Esay 65.20 Obiect Gods children doe not liue long Answ For the most part they doe 2 I say if God performe not this promise absolutely in the letter yet he performes this blessing by commutation into a better as when he giues them eternall life for long life But the reason why children should obey is heere mentioned in the Text. It is well pleasing to the Lord Some leaue out to the Lord and so the argument is more generall for obedience is exceeding pleasing to their Parents Prou. 10.1 and 15.20 and 19.13 and 13.16 and besides it is pleasing to God but I see no reason to leaue out the words Some render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lord and so heere is First a limitation they must obey but in the Lord. Secondly they must obey not because nature and ciuilitie requires it but for conscience sake as Gods institution But I take it as it is heere rendered to the Lord. Well-pleasing to the Lord From the consideration of these words I obserue foure things First that it is not enough to serue God but we must so serue as wee please him Heb. 12.28 Secondly that there is a way how to please God euen in Family duties and these externall and ordinarie things at home and this serues First to shew Gods great loue to man in that hee frames himselfe to mens condition and likes what may like them will be pleased himselfe with what pleaseth them obedience and seruice to men he accounts a seruice to himselfe Secondly it is a great incouragement to diligence and conscience in these Familie duties in as much as they will not onely please man but God Thirdly it reproues hypocrites that care to be good no where but in Gods house but God will haue obedience and not sacrifice yea heere he will be serued with obedience to men Thirdly that euen children are bound to make conscience of their waies and to learne to please God in their youth First God requires it Eccle. 12.1 Psal. 148.12 There is Scripture for babes and yong men as well as old men Secondly there are worthy examples to excite them recorded in Scripture as the examples of Ioseph Samuel Dauid Iosiah Ieremie Daniel and Timothie yea this was a great praise in Ierobohams yong and dying sonne 1 King 14.3 Thirdly a conscionable care in children to please God is much praised in Scripture they are blessed that beare the yoke in their youth and the workemanship of grace and obedience in the hearts and liues of children is like the grauing of a Kings Pallace Psalm 144.12 A happy thing when the yong men see visions as well as old men dreame dreames Ioel 2. Then doth the Church flourish when the Sonne marrieth the mother Isai. 62.5 Vse 1 This should teach parents to beginne betimes to teach their children the trade of their way Prou. 22.6 and to bring them vp in the instruction and admonition of the Lord Ephes. 6.4 2 Parents should learne also to be content that their children serue and please God as well as them some Parents are so bad that they neither will instruct their children themselues nor abide it that they should heare Sermons reade the Scriptures seeke the company of such as feare God or Sanctifie Gods Sabbaths 4 This
God Gen. 24. Fourthly they must be religious in the generall duties of piety to God as well as in the particular duties of seruice to their Masters they must so serue men as they feare God also Vses First for Seruants and then for Masters Seruants must learne to doe all their labour fearing God euen that God 1. That set them in that calling 2. Whose eies alwaies behold how they discharge their dutie in their calling and inasmuch as the feare of God is made the ground heere of other duties they should learne to be the better seruants to men because they feare God Masters also must learne first what seruants to choose not such onely as will doe their worke but such as feare God also and if they haue failed in that they should labour now to beget and nurse the feare of God in the seruants they haue for Gods feare would make their seruants more dutifull to them besides the reason why their seruants fall to whoring stealing vnthriftinesse c. is because the feare of God is not in them Quest But what should Masters doe that their seruants might feare God Answ Foure things First they should pray and reade the Scriptures in their houses and Chatechise their seruants Secondly they should bring them to the publike preaching of the word Thirdly they should giue them good example themselues Fourthly they should restraine them from prophane company and incourage them and allow them libertie at conuenient times to conuerse with such as feare God Thus of the feare of God Verse 23. The third thing required in their obedience is that they doe it hartily in this Verse is the manner of the dutie and the inducement therevnto Hartilie Ex animo The obedience of Seruants should be a hearty obedience the Apostle will not haue onely feare of God but loue of the master their obedience must beginne at heart not at hand or foot if the heart bee not with their obedience the master may haue their labour and that he hath of the Oxe but such seruants lose their labour Quest What is it to obey Ex animo Answ It is to obey voluntarily and out of a heart and affection rightly ordered but especially it is to obey out of a iudgement well informed The vse is therefore to vrge them to doe it and heere I would consider of the obiections of Seruants why they cannot obey Ex animo Obiect 1 Bondage is against nature Solut. It is against nature as it was before the fall but not as it is now since the fall Obiect 2 But Christ hath made vs free Sol Free in soule in this life not in bodie till your bodies be dissolued or till death Obiect 3 But my Master is froward Sol Yet thou must be subiect 1 Pet. 2.18 Obiect 4 But he doth not onely giue ill words but blowes Solu Perhaps it is needfull for a seruant will not be corrected by words Prouerb 29.19 Obiect 5. But hee correcteth me vniustly Solu First who shall iudge thus shall seruants themselues Secondly it is acceptable if for well doing and for conscience thou endure to bee buffeted c. 1 Pet. 2.19.20 Obiect 6. But my master is not onely a froward man but a wicked man and a enemy of Christ. Solu Yet thou must honour and obey him willingly 1 Tim. 6.1.2 Obiect 7. But I am an hired seruant not a bought seruant Solu Indeed Masters haue not that power ouer them they haue ouer bondslaues but yet all seruants are heere bound to obey hartily Obiect 8 But vnmeet things are required Solu Discerne things that differ but yet obey in all things All this reprooues grudging and slow and stubborne seruants Whatsoeuer yee doe Not onely faire easie cleanly and best sort of workes are to be done willingly but all or any kinde of labour whatsoeuer though neuer so base or vile As to the Lord and not to men Doctr Seruants in obeying their Masters serue the Lord. The vse is both for instruction of seruants and for comfort for instruction they must serue their masters as they would serue the Lord with all faithfulnesse diligence willingnes prouidence conscience c. For comfort and incouragement also is this doctrine and that 3. waies First heere is a limitation they must doe no seruice to men that is against the Lord. Secondly art thou a seruant care not for it thou art Christs freeman Thirdly let not the basenesse of thy worke discourage thee for in seruing thy master thou seruest God aswell as if thou wert preaching or praying c. When the Apostle saith not vnto men wee must vnderstand not principally or onely Thus of the exhortations The reasons follow VERS 24. Knowing that of the Lord yee shall receiue the reward of the inheritance for ye serue the Lord Christ. In this verse Seruants are perswaded to obedience by a reason taken from the retribution or reward of their seruice and the matter of the verse is comprehended in this Syllogisme What faithfull men soeuer serue Christ and doe their dutie to him faithfully and cheerfully shall receiue of Christ the reward of inheritance but you Christian seruants when you performe your obsequious obedience to your Masters serue the Lord Christ ergo you shall haue the reward of the inheritance Knowing Doctr Seruants may and ought to know and bee assured of their owne saluation Vse is for confutation of Papists and vnsound men that denie certaintie of saluation for if seruants that haue not the greatest wits or knowledge that are imploied about small businesses that haue not so much liberty nor learning as other men c. yet may be assured not by coniecture or hope but by certaine knowledge by most vndoubted faith then what colour of reason can there be why other Christians the Lords people should bee denied this knowledge and therefore in the second place it should teach vs to make our calling and election sure Reward Doctr The workes euen of seruants shall be rewarded Vse is for the comfort of seruants and for reproofe of the vnbeliefe that is many times in Gods children doubting of Gods acceptation of their praier and holy indeauours shall the base and secular workes of mens seruants be rewarded and the great workes of Piety in Gods seruice not be regarded Of the Lord God will be pay-master vnto seruants and in that they are turned ouer to God for payment it implies that the most masters are careles and vnmercifull and this they are not onely in withholding conuenient food and raiment but in sending their seruants after long time of wearie labour out of their Families empty and without meanes to liue in the world Reward of inheritance Two things are heere affirmed of heauen first it is a reward and so free Secondly it is an inheritance and so sure There are foure vses may be made of this Doctrine 1. We should much loue esteeme and desire heauen it is the reward of God Princes giue great gifts but
3.1 and all this they haue done with great successe for their reines haue taught them in the night and their soules haue beene full as with marrow But we may iustly complaine and take vp the wordes in Iob 35.10 But none saieth where is God that made me euen the God that giueth songs in the night But it is spirituall watchfulnesse that is here specially required and it is nothing else but a Christian heedfulnesse obseruation and consideration both for preuention of euill and imbracing of the meanes waies and oportunities of good And thus wee must watch first our owne hearts to spie out where any spot of spirituall leprosie in thoughts or affections breakes out to heale it in time Secondly the practises of Sathan that we be not insnared with his spirituall baites and methods Thirdly the waies of God if any mercy appeare or fountaine of grace open to snatch vp our incense and runne presently to Gods Altar and offer with our sacrifice the calues of our lippes or if any threatning arrest vs or iudgement befall vs to make our peace speedily and flie from the anger to come Fourthly the comming of Christ either by death or iudgement specially we should watch vpon whom the ends of the world are come But that which is here principally meant is watching vnto praier and thus wee had neede to watch 1. to the meanes to get abilitie to pray 2. To the opportunitie and occasions of praier 3. To the successe of it to take notice of Gods answere and our speeding waiting vpon God till he giue a blessing or if God hide himselfe to sue out an attonement in Christ. Thus of Watching With thankesgiuing D. 1. When we haue any suites to God for what wee want we must carefully remember to giue thankes for mercies receiued and particularly for all Gods mercies in praier 2. In that the Apostle so often vrgeth the dutie of thankesgiuing it shewes that naturally wee are exceeding vnthankefull for the mercies of God and that few of vs are carefull to yeeld God constantly this sacrifice 3. There are diuers kindes of thankesgiuing or diuers waies of thanking God For men giue thankes 1. By receiuing the Eucharist which is called the cuppe of blessing 2. By obedience of life for he that will truely offer praise vnto God must order his waies aright 3 By opening our lippes to sound forth his praise and thus Gods name is honoured both by the thankes or praise 1. Of celebration when we tell of Gods mercies to others 2. Of inuocation when we speake of Gods praises to God himselfe in praier this is heere specially meant and of this I haue intreated before at seuerall times out of other places of this Epistle Thus much of the manner how we must pray The matter followes and first of the persons for whom we must pray Praying also for vs. In Generall I obserue three things 1. That wee ought to pray one for an other 2. That one great meanes to get a large heart in praier and the perseuerance in the practise of it is to endeauour after tender and affectionate desires to helpe others by praier 3. That Christians should desire the praiers of others as carnall men make vse of their friends to get their helpe for wealth offices c. So should Christians improue their interest in the affections of their friends by seeking prayer of them Also It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together and so notes that it is not enough to pray for others but we must pray with others and mutually help one another by faith knowledge and praier For vs Here I obserue 4. things 1. That the greatest in the Church need the praiers of the meanest 2 That in hearing praier God is no accepter of persons he is aswell willing to heare the Colossians praiers for Paul as heare Paul pray for the Collossians 3. It is the dutie of the people to pray for their ministers 4 It is to be obserued That he wisheth them to pray for other Preachers aswell as for himselfe there may be a spirituall pride in desiring the praiers of others he did not enuie that others should haue roome in the hearts of others aswell as hee Thus of the persons for whom The things for which are two waies to be considered 1. As it is briefly laid downe 2. As it is more largely explicated It is laid downe or propounded in these words that God would open to vs a doore of vtterance and is explicated in these words that follow by the subiect reason and end A doore of vtterance There are diuers doores in the Scripture in the metaphoricall acceptation of the word There is the doore 1. Of admission into the functions of the Church Ioh. 10 1. 2. Of life and the doore of life is the wombe of the mother Iob. 3.10 3. Of protection and so to be without doores and barres is to be without defence and protection Ier. 49.31 4. Of grace and regeneration Ioh. 10.7.9 Psal. 24. vlt. Reuel 3.8 5. Of death and iudgement Iob. 38.17 Act. 5 9. Iam. 5.9 6. Of glory Reuel 21.12 Lastly there is a doore of guifts as of knowledge Reuel 4.1 Prou. 8.33 Of faith Act. 14.27 Of vtterance 1. Cor. 16.9 So heere the doore of vtterance comprehends 5. things 1. Libertie and free passage to preach the Gâ—spell 2. Oportunitie 3. Power of preaching 4. Courage and boldnesse with full vent to rebuke mens sinnes and reueale all Gods counsels without feare of any mans face 5. Successe euen such vtterance as will open a doore into the hearts of the hearers so that to pray for the opening of the doore of vtterance is to pray for libertie oportunitie power courage and successe Vse Is first for ministers and then for the people Ministers may see heere what it is that specially makes a happy Pastor not liuing countenance of great men c. but libertie courage power c. And it greatly taxeth foure sorts of Ministers 1. Dumbe Ministers that vtter nothing 2. Fantasticall Ministers that vtter the falshood of their owne braines that speake their owne dreames and from the vanity of their owne hearts and seeke out for the people only pleasing things dawbing with vntempered morter 3. Idle Ministers that vtter not all Gods counsell for matter or for time speake but seldome to the people preach not in season and out of season 4. Cold Ministers that seeke not the power of preaching striue not to approue themselues in the sight of God and to the conscience of men The people also should make conscience of their dutie they may learne from hence what to pray for and should daily with importunity beseech God to giue this wide doore of vtterance to their Teachers Before I passe from the matter he praies for I must note a doctrine lies secretly lodged within the same we may finde in the end of this verse that the Apostle was in prison and yet he doth not
desire to haue the doore of the prison open but the doore of his heart open to vtter the mysterie of Christ Noting that it is a greater want to want the liberty of his ministry in respect of vtterance then it is to want the liberty of his body in respect of the prison We should take notice of this for diuers vses 1. For thankfulnesse if there be a doore of vtterance opened in Gods house 2. For preuention of all things as much as lieth in vs that might stop the mouthes of Gods faithfull ministers There are fiue things that stop the mouthes of ministers in generall 1 Ignorance and presumptuous sinnes in the ministers themselues for polluted lips are no lips of vtterance the lips of the minister should be touched with the coales of knowledge zeale and mortification 2. The sinnes of the people many times put the Teachers to silence the rebellion of the house of Israel made Ezechiel dumbe that he could not preach Ezech. 3.26.24.27 3. The violence of persecutors preuailes often to shut the wide and effectuall doores of powerfull preaching 1. Cor. 16.9 and therefore we should pray that God would deliuer his faithfull ministers from vnreasonable and absurd men 1. Thess. 3.2 4. Discouragement and feare silence many a minister in respect of the life and power of preaching 1. Cor. 16.9.12 Heb. 13.17 Lastly humane wisdome not only lets the people from the profit of hearing but likewise it lets the minister from the power of preaching God would Doct. 1. The hearts of ministers yea of the best ministers are naturally shut they haue no gift to profit withall but they haue receiued it and who is sufficient of himselfe for these things Doct. 2. T is God only that opens vnto men the doore of vtterance t is hee that makes the heart of the Priest fat and creates the fruit of the lips to be peace he openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth and it should teach them lesse to feare men and their rebukes and the lesse to care for the rage of the oppressor for if he will giue libertie who can restraine it and if he will silence who can inlarge Euen vnto vs. This manner of speech notes either his humilitie or his restraint in prison or the difficultie of vtterance His humilitie it may note in this sense that howsoeuer he hath beene a blasphemer or persecuter c. yet that God would be pleased to honour him and his worke so much as giue vtterance euen to him and such as he is His restraint in prison it may import also and so his desire is they should not pray onely for ministers that were at large and enioied peace but also euen for him and such others as were in prison for a godly Preacher will not be idle no not if he come into prison and thus also it notes that the wisest men of themselues are not able to teach with power and profit the simplest and meanest men an Apostle cannot teach a prisoner without Gods speciall aid and blessing These words may note also the difficultie of vtterance as if he should say you had need to pray not only for ordinarie but extraordinarie ministers Thus of the thing praied for as it is briefly propounded Secondly it is inlarged 1. by the subiect 2. by a reason 3. by the end The subiect of the vtterance is the mysterie of Christ. To speake the mysterie of Christ. Christ is a mysterie to the Gentiles to the Iewes to Heretickes to Papists to carnall men yea to godly men It is a mysterie to the Gentile that there should be a Sauiour To the Iewes that saluation should be in the Carpenters sonne To the Papists that he should be the Sauiour alone To the Heretickes that hee should be a Sauiour in both natures To the carnall man that he should be a Sauiour in particular to him And to the godly man that he should be such a Sauiour But to expresse this more particularly Christ is a mysterie fiue waies for there are mysteries 1 In the person of Christ for what tongue can describe the supercelestiall vnion of his natures or the treasures of wisdome and knowledge or the fulnesse of the Godhead that dwels in him bodily 2 In his life and death The world could not comprehend the bookes that might be made of the wonders of his birth life and death We may see in that that is written what to adore for in this world a perfect knowledge we shall neuer attaine 3 In his body which is the Church for who can declare his generation or expresse the secrets of his power and presence in filling her who himselfe is her fulnesse and filleth all in all things or describe the manner of the vnion betweene Christ and his members Is not this a great mysterie 4 In the Sacraments of Christ The holy inuisible presence of God is a mysterie the communion of the body and bloud of Christ not locally or by contact and yet truly is a mysterie the seale of the holy spirit of promise vpon the hearts of beleeuers in the due vse of the Sacraments is a mysterie The spirituall nourishment that comes to the soule by such secret and hidden passages inuisibly is a great mysterie 5 In the Gospell of Christ. And by the mysterie of Christ in this place I thinke is meant the Gospell of Christ and it is called a mysterie because of the hiding of it If you aske me where the Gospell hath beene hidden I must answer it hath beene hidden 1. in the breast of God from all eternitie 2. in the shadowes and types of the ceremoniall Law which was the Iewes Gospell 3. in the treasurie of holy Scriptures 4 in the person obedience and passion of Christ who was the substance of the Mosaicall Ceremonies and the quintessence of all Euangelicall doctrine 5. in the hearts of Christians If you aske me from whom it was hidden I answer not from the elect for God by preaching reuealed it vnto them in due time but from wicked men but with great difference for to some there is no Gospell at all giuen as to the Gentile to some not giuen plainly as in those congregations of Israel to whom this euangelicall loafe is not diuided though in the whole lumpe it bee giuen to some not giuen in the power of it for though they heare the preaching yet by reason of mixtures carnall wisdome or ignorance and confusednesse in the Teachers there is little power in it to some not giuen internally though externally they haue meanes in the plentie and power of it If you yet aske me what causeth this hiding of the Gospell from such as liue euen in the light of it I answer it is either 1 The vaile of their owne ignorance 2 The powerfull working of the God of this world to blinde them 2. Corinth 4.4 3 The custome in sinne and customarie abuse of pleasures and profits 4 The
that some translate to make perfect is translated by others to consecrate Heb. 1.10 and 5.9 which importeth that Christ may be said to be perfect because hee was separated or dedicated or called to perfection or hath a perfect calling 3 In respect of acceptation not in respect of operation the Lord accounting our confession of imperfection for perfection 4 In respect of parts though not in respect of degrees hee is perfect in that he hath holinesse in euery part though not in such measure Thus to be perfect is to be sanctified thorowout 5 Comparatiuely not positiuely comparatiuely I say either with carnall men or ordinary hearers or infants in grace A Christian that makes conscience of all his waies and can loue his enemies is perfect in comparison of carnall men that follow the swinge of their owne corruptions and affections and so hee is too in respect of ordinarie hearers that seeke not the power of godlinesse and as for infants in grace t is perfection to be of ripe age or strong in the grace or knowledge of Iesus Christ And so the doctrine that is to be propounded is called the doctrine of perfection 6 In respect of truth though not in respect of absolutenesse thus he is perfect because he desires and indeuours after perfection though in act hee attaine it not Thus vprightnesse is the perfection of a Christian after calling 7 In respect of men or common estimation and so hee is perfect that is vnrebukeable 8 In respect of the end and so he may be said to be perfect three waies 1 In intention because he sets perfection as a marke to shoot at 2 In respect of duration because he holds out to the end 3 In respect of accomplishment because hee finisheth what he vndertaketh in godlinesse or mortification he doth it not by halfes or in some parts of it for so to perfect is translated to finish Heere then we see what we must doe to be perfect men we must confesse conscionably our imperfection we must liue in vprightnesse and not in any grosse or presumptuous sinne wee must finish what we vndertake in godlinesse and we must striue after perfection wee must loue our enemies and rule our tongues and let patience haue her perfect worke hee that doth this is a perfect man But a man shall neuer attaine vnto this vnlesse he labour for much knowledge and to that end exercise himselfe in the word of righteousnesse and besides a man must withdraw himselfe from the world and deuote himselfe to sinceritie and especially a man must get a great deale of loue for that is the bond of all perfectnesse Full The faithfull are said to be full both in respect of the number of faithfull persons added to the Church and in respect of the plentifull performance of the rich promises of God and in respect of holding out till their course be fulfilled but I take it to be meant of fulnesse in graces and duties in both fulnesse is required in duties fulnesse is taken for abundance and sometimes for the fulfilling of some particular office or charge both are required in graces there is a fulnesse of faith and knowledge and of zeale and of ioy The fulnesse of faith is the confidence and vndaunted assurance of it the fulnesse of knowledge is the largenesse of vnderstanding and discretion the fulnesse of zeale is the power of wordes and affections the fulnesse of ioy is the truth and contentment of it Hence wee may discerne the state of the soule of a Christian it is like a vessell vnder the conduit pipe of Gods ordinances filling more and more by the influence of Christ till it come to be brim-full Hence we may see cause to be greatly humbled because our workes are not full before God Now if any shall thinke this doctrine of fulnesse to be a doctrine of discouragement he may note these things for remoouall of that obiection 1 That it is a kingdome men labour about and therfore should not thinke much if much be required of them 2 We may fill spiritually though we do not discerne it 3 God requires not fulnes at first but by degrees 4 That the Lord hath in many Scriptures promised to help vs against all tentations and impediments whether arising from our owne weaknesse or from without vs. In all the will of God Caietan a Papist makes a stop at all and reads it in euery thing by the will of God and deliuers the sense thus That yee may be consummate in respect of your selues full in respect of others in euery spirituall thing by the will of God that is not by your owne merits note that but by the grace of Gods will But I thinke it should be read as ordinarily it is read and so I obserue that we should take counsell for the informing of our faith and reforming and perfecting of our liues at the will of God Which serues for great reproofe of the course of the most men who are aduised and guided either by carnall reason or by the lusts and wills of their carnall freinds or the lusts and tentations of Satan himselfe or the inclination of their owne flesh how are worlds of men swayed by these or some of these almost in all matters of religion if reformation and the practise of the sinceritie of the Gospell may not get the consent of their owne carnall reason or of such and such friends c. then it must neuer be gone about But contrariwise we should learne to sticke to Gods will in all things yea we should pray earnestly that wee might neuer be beaten from this Anchor-hold but that in all estates in prosperitie and aduersitie in life and death we might constantly exalt the glory of Gods will to yeeld it for euer our acknowledgment of soueraigntie ouer vs Secondly note heere that wee must respect all Gods will and thus wee are tyed to respect all the will of God both in respect of knowledge and in respect of practise for wee should labour to be made rich in all things in all kinde of vtterance and in all knowledge we should be expert in the word of righteousnesse accustoming our selues continually to exercise our wits about discerning of good or euill out of the worde in practise wee must haue respect to euery commandement of God and as Dauid did we must labour to doe all Gods will and not be like Saul or Herod This may serue first for confutation of the Papists that will not allow the will of God to be the onely rule though they grant it to be a perfect rule But let vs detest their subtle distinction and in the simplicitie that is in Christ Iesus acknowledge that there is a will of God for euery opinion and worke of euery man of God sufficient to make him perfect in all knowledge and euery good worke Againe if this
of righteousnesse Seauenthly wee should importune the Lord for our sakes to visit the great Leuiathan the Deuill and to receaue vs vnder his protection to watch vs and daily to water vs Lastly in the first Psalme are diuers rules first we must not sit with wicked men secondly we must priuately and constantly exercise our selues in the Word of God thirdly wee must seate our selues vnder the powerfull ministerie of the word neere the Riuers of these waters of life and lastly we must take heede of procrastination delay no time but with great heedfulnesse respect the season or due time of fruit all the yeere is not Seeds-time or Haruest The Vse is for bitter reproofe of the barrainesse and peruersenesse of our hearts Some men are so ignorant that they know not that they owe any thing of necessitie vnto Religion Some beare fruit and more then enough of it but it is onely to the flesh Some heare the Preacher with Herod gladly but they mend but what they list Some rest in the meanes of fruitfulnes It is enough with them for their praise that they haue the meanes and frequent it Some will beare fruit but they choose which fruit for some will doe somewhat in ciuill righteousnesse in their dealing with men but are little or nothing in sincere pietie to God Others beare faire Leaues of profession in the first Table but in the second Table beare such wilde fruit as it is a shame to behold it in this light and a sorrow it ought to be to them to heare God with disdaine expostulate about it Some are good abroad but naught at home but at the hands of all these will the Lord of the Vineyard require fruit and iudge them according to their workes And increaseth This also is added in some Copies Here I obserue two things First In what it increaseth Secondly By what meanes For the first the word increaseth fiue wayes First in the number of hearers so Act. 9.31 Secondly in the power of working the efficacie of it is and is felt of godly mindes more and more Thirdly In the fairenes of the leaues of profession It is noted of a good tree that his leaues shall not faile and it is certaine that the word maketh the glory of profession both more and more inoffensiue Fourthly In the goodnesse of fruit it causeth men to bring forth more and better fruit at the last then at the first yea Christians refreshed with the daily comfors of Gods word bring forth new fruit euery month Fiftly in the height of growth Gods Children are made euery day more heauenly-minded then other Secondly that the word of God may increase by making vs to increase in fruitfulnesse we must doe fiue things First wee must labour to continue neere the waters of the Sanctuary We should neuer but in case of necessity withdraw our hearts from the directions and comforts of a daily and setled effectuall Ministery Secondly we must take roote downeward and then the world will be filled with fruit The Tree groweth two wayes vpward in branches and downeward by rooting it selfe more and more in the earth so ought a Christian to grow vpward in the externall fruits of holy life and downe-wards in the rootes of faith hope and other holy graces and it is certaine if men be carefull to fasten their rootes more and more there will be a happy increase in the outward life of man Thirdly we must arme our selues against the heate of tribulations or persecutions as against the means of faâ—ling Fourthly wee must abide in Christ labouring to nourish the sence of his presence and the contentment arising from the Communion with his members c. Lastly we must be much in the exercises of Mortification euery branch that beareth fruit the Husbandman purgeth that it may beare more fruit Before I passe from these words it is to be obserued that hee saith not they were fruitfull or increased but the word is fruitfull c. To note that when men haue giuen their names to the Gospell that which befalleth them is said to befall the Gospell partly because what good men doe they doe it by direction from the Word and assistance of the spirit of Christ and partly because the world attributes what is done by professors of the word to the word they heare if their liues be full of good fruits the word of God is glorifyed but if they be any way vicious the word is blasphemed Then they say this is their preaching this comes of gadding to Sermons and tossing of their Bibles c. The vse is both for Instruction and Comfort For Instruction therefore Gods Children should worke out their saluation with feare and trembling and labour to be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse liuing inoffensiuely and holding forth the word of life in all holy conuersation shining as lights in the middest of a froward and crooked Nation For Comfort also because the Lord is pleased to communicate the honour of his word to his people so as where the word is in credit they shall be in credit and if they be despised they are not despised alone but the Word is despised with them Thus of the first thing in the efficacie of the Word viz. what it doth The second thing is vpon whom it worketh or the subiect-persons As it is also in you Doct. It helpes not vs that others though many be wrought vpon by the word gathered made fruitfull and increased vnles we be sure of the efficacie of it in our selues It had beene a small comfort to the Colossians to know that the word was fruitfull all ouer the World if it had no power amongst them There is a windie vanitie preuailes in the heads of many hearers they thinke they doe worthily when they commend the Sermon praise the Preacher tell of the working of the word in such and such though they perceiue not that vnto them it is but a dead letter Many are full-mouthed but haue empty hearts and hands but it should be our discretion to labour the cure of this loosenesse and wandering of heart and not to suffer our soules to be led aside from considering our owne way by any such smooth wiles of Satan Thus of the persons the time followeth From the day Here I obserue three things First that there is a season for men to be fruitfull in we are naturally dry trees or no trees Wee are but dead stockes neither if we should stand in Gods Orchard to all eternitie would we of our selues beare the fruits of the GOSPEL or exercise our selues in those faire fruits that are vnto eternall life if before this day the Citie of Colosse had beene searched with lights there would haue beene found no true fruits of Grace or Righteousnesse amongst them our season to beare fruit is then when God calles for it At some time of our life God giuing vs the