in their consciences or in their estates It may be observed that all the while a man is in contention about his divers or strange opinions in which he dissents he is not quiet in himselfe nor enjoyes firme rest and peace in his owne heart and conscience And experience shewes that many both Ministers and private Christians have brought a great deale of trouble upon their estates by dissenting Now out of other Scriptures we may observe divers other ill effects of diversities in opinions as first it breeds confusion in the Church as the Apostle shewes 1 Cor. 14.32 33. Secondly it breeds division and schisme 1 Cor. 1.10 When men begin to broach new opinions schismes begin in the root of it though it may be a long time before it come to the full growth Thirdly it much disquieteth the hearts and heads of many weak Christians in which respect S. Paul wished they were cut off that troubled the Galathians chap. 5. Fourthly it not onely troubles Christians but many times workes still in them as it proves the subverting of their soules as the Apostles shew in the case of difference about the Ceremoniall Law Act. 15.24 Eph. 4.14 2 Tim. 2.14 16 17. Fifthly it drives men many times into divers acts of hypocrisie or passion or pride or such vices as are contrarie to singlenesse of heart Act. 2. 46. Sixtly it breeds many times strange censuring the authors of new opinions censuring of others as if because they received not their doctrine they were not spirituall enough but too carnally minded and that they were fâ—rre behinde them in knowledge as we may gather 1 Cor. 14.36 37. Thus the false Teachers vilified Saint Paul and the Apostles Thus of the motives to unitie in judgement Before I come to the Use I must put you in minde of a limitation that concernes this doctrine We must be of one minde but then it must be according to Christ Jesus Rom. 15.5 that is this consent in juâ—gement must bee in the truth and in such truth especially as may further the edification of the mysticall bodie of Christ else agreement in judgement is a conspiracie rather than unitie The Use may be both for instruction and reproofe for instruction and so we should all be affected with a great estimation of unitie in judgement and strive by all meanes to attaine to it and keepe our selves so all of us that we doe live in unity with the Church of God Now that we may doe thus 1. Wee should beseech the God of patience and consolation to give us to be like minded even to worke in us the unity he requires of us Rom 15.5 2. We must take heed of private interpretations Men should with much feare and jealousie here or reade of such opinions or interpretations of Scripture as have no authors but some one or few men Of such authors of doctrines we should say with the Apostle What came the Word of God out from you or came it unto you only 1 Cor. 14.36 Especially men must take heed of receiving opinions from meere private persons that are not Ministers of the Gospel for I suppose it cannot be shewed from any place of Scripture that ever any truth was revealed to or by a private man that was unknowne to all the Teachers of the Church yea if the Authors of divers and strange doctrines be Ministers yet that rule of the Apostle should hold that the spirits of the Prophets should be subject to the Prophets Such doctrines as may not be approved by the grave and godly learned that are eminent in the Church must not be broached 1 Cor. 14.32 And this rule hath one thing more in it viz. that men should not expresse difference of opinion without open and manifest Scripture Avoid doubtfull disputations Rom. 14.1 Esay 8. 3. A great respect must be had to the Churches peace so as such doctrines as are likely to breed either scandall or division in the Church are either not to be received or not uttered except in some speciall case Yea moderate Christians that make conscience of unity should hold themselves in conscience bound to be affraid to depart from the judgement of the Church in which they live unlesse it be when doctrine is brought in with great demonstration to the conscience To preserve the unity of the spirit we must have great respect to the bond of peace Rom. 14.19 1 Cor. 14.33 Eph. 4.3 We must greatly reverence the forme of doctrine in the Church where wee live Rom. 6.17 4. That we may be of one mind every Christian must be sure to know the truth which is given to the Churches and to make himselfe fully perswaded in his mind about such truths as are fundamentally necessarie to salvation â— Tim. 1.1 3. 5. Private Christians in receiving opinions should have great respect unto such Teachers as have beene their fathers in Christ God hath bound them to a speciall reverence towards them which they should shew by reverencing their judgements more than any other men in meet comparison 1 Cor. 4. 15 16. 11.1 2 4 5. Phil. 3.15 17. 6. To preserve a further unity it should be the care of such as have gifts of knowledge and utterance to helpe forwards such as are weake in judgeâ—â—nt and to comfort the feeble minded lest they being neglected become a pâ—â—y to deceivers of mindes 1 Thes. 5.14 and to warne such as are not of the same minde Phil. 4. Lastly we should marke such as cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which we have lâ—â—rned and avoid them Rom. 16.17 18. The second 〈◊〉 may be for the reproofe of multitudes of Christians in all places that 〈◊〉 greatly against this doctrine by their dissenting in opinions without due respect of the former rules There is almost no Congregation in the kingdome but is disquieted with this sin yea many times the glory of such as professe religion is greatly obscured by this sin and the sincerity of religion much exposed to contempt and the profane reproach of the wicked And this sin is the greater 1. When men not only bring in new opinions but also bring them in with an opinion that they are more holy and more spirituall than such as receive them not or resist them 1 Cor. 14.37 2. When the opinions are meerely new and unheard of before in the Christian world 3. When they are brought in by private persons that goe from house to house to inferre upon others the singularity of their conceits 4. When themselves are doubtfull inwardly of the truth of what they affirme and are not fully perswaded but doubt both waies and yet take to that side that differs from the generall judgement of the Churches Rom. 14.5 1 Tim. 1.6 7. 5. When men urge their dissenting so violently that a Schisme is made in the Church or Christians are divided from the exercise of brotherly love and mutuall fellowship 1 Cor. 1.10 11. 6. When men are
it still if thou live free from it For the first if any body hate thee observe these rules 1. Render not evill for evill to any man at any time Rom. 12.17 2. If thou have any way done wrong seek to be reconciled Mat. 5. 3. If the contention be secret complain to no body but goe and debate the matter with thy neighbour himselfe and discover not thy secret to any other Prov. 25.4 4. Be courteous and patient and tender hearted and ready to doe any good to them speaking no evill of them without a calling Rom. 12.17 Ephes. 4.3 Tit. 7.2 To keep thee from other mens malice observe these rules First keep thee from other mens strife meddle not with the strife that belongs not to thee Prov. 26.17 Secondly Wrong no man but follow that which is good both among your selves and toward all men 1 Thess. 5.14 Thirdly strive to shew all meeknesse and softnesse to all men Tit. 3.2 Iames 3.13 17. Guile The second sin to be avoided is Guile The word here rendred Guile is diversly accepted in scripture Sometime it is taken in good sense and so there is a justifiable Guile so Paul caught the Corinthians by craft he wonne them by his discretion and godly policy 2 Cor. 12.6 So Samuel by a godly policy giving it out that hee came to sacrifice did safely performe his chiefe businesse of anointing David 1 Sam. 16. and so did Paul deale cunningly when in the broile hee cryed out he was a Pharisee But most usually this word is taken in ill sense and so sometimes it is all one with hypocrisie as Hos. 11.12 Psal. 17.2 But so it is not taken here by all likelyhood because hypocrisies are mentioned in the next words sometimes it signifieth fraud and falshood in opinions either in the matter when the doctrine is strange and false and so the false Apostles were deceitfull workmen when they put in that for good stuffe which was counterfeit and devillish 2 Cor. 11.13 Or when good doctrine is handled corruptly deceitfully for wicked ends 2 Cor. 42.1 The. 2.3 Sometimes it signifieth deceit in words and so flattery is Guile Psal. 12.2 3. And lying is Guile Mich. 6.12 Zeph. 3.13 And so is all false testimony Sometimes it signifieth deceit in workes and so false weights and ballances and all fradulent dealing and cousenage in buying and selling is Guile Mich. 6.10 11. So there is Guile in Tything Mal. 1. ult And so all lying in waite to seek occasion against others and all subtle dealing to oppresse others is Guile Psal. 105. 2 Cor. 11.12 13. Mat. 26.4 Mar. 14.1 and such Guile was in them that would make a man sin in the word Isay 29. Bribery also is Guile Iob 15. ult Now if any aske me why this sin should be avoided in them that desire to profit by the word I answer it is to be avoided as it is a sinne that much dishonours God and the profession of godlinesse It is a â—â—amefull offence in any that would seeme to love the word but more particularly the sinnes of deceit are a great impediment in hearing the word For first the guile of false opinions and strange doctriâ—e is like a poison to the sincere milk of the word and to bee eschewed of all that follow the Truth Ephes. 4.14 15. Heb 13.7 Secondly a heart accustomed to deceit and subtlety cannot be a plaine and honest heart and without a plaine honest and good heart men can never receive with any fruitfulnesse the seed of eternall life Luke 8. Thirdly he that is false to men will never be true to God he that will lie to men will lie to God Also he that is not faithfull with men will compasse God about with deceit Hos. 11.12 He will never be faithfull in the true treasure that is unjust in outward things Luke 16. Fourthly it is a sinne that God in a speciall maner hates Psal. 5.7 Fiftly the sinnes of deceit usually attend upon some Idoll in the hearts of men which hath such command over the deceitfull person that he cannot attend to the word of God or not have leisure to practise it he is so mastered by this particular corruption Ier. 9. The use of this may be threefold For humiliation to all deceitfull persons that use lying fraud subtlety and guilefull dealing in their trades and callings and course of dealing and conversation with men they shall never prosper in spirituall things The Ordinances of God are blasted to them Moreover there are two considerations which should wonderfully affright such as are accustomed to lying and deceit First it is certaine they are wicked men and have not the feare of God before their eyes they are the children of the Devill and enemies of Righteousnesse as these places fearefully shew Psal. 36.1 3. 10.7 Rom. 3.13 1.29 Acts 13.10 Secondly the curse of God is upon them God will weigh them in the balance Iob. 31.5 They are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 11.1 20.23 The Lord will surely visâ—t and his soule will be avenged on such persons Ier. 8.26 27 29. They shall be destroyed Psal. 52.4 They shall not love 〈◊〉 halfe their dayes Psal. 55. ult And as this is terrible to all deceivers so especially to such as are guilty of the aggravations of the sinne As 1. When deâ—eit is covered with smooth words and a flattering stile Ier. 9.8 Prov. 26.24 c. 2. When men delight in it and take a contemplative kinde of pleasure in their â—uilefull projects as the voluptuous person doth in his lust When â—ens belâ—â—â—â— prepare deceit Iob. 15. ult not their heads but their bellies Psal. â—â— 2 4. 3. When men make a trade of it give their tongues to evill and will frame deceit Psal. â—0 19 Bend their tongues to lyes and teach their tongues to speake lyes and weary themselves to commit iniquity Jer. 9.5 4. When men think all time spent about Gods service too long they would have the Sabbaths over that they might practise deceit Amos 8.5 5. When men sweare deceitfully Psal. 24.4 6. When men boast of it Psal. 52.1 3. And as deceit is aggravated by the maner so may it be by the persons upon whom it is practised so it is an aggravation to deceive ones neighbour and ones brother Jer. 9.5 and so it is to deceive the harmlesse and quiet of the Land Psal. 35.20 And as by the persons so by the time It is an aggravation when men imagine deceit as the Prophet David saith all the day long Psal. 38.12 Now if the former terrors belong to deceitfull persons in the generall how much more to them that are guilty of deceit with all these or any of these aggravations Some one might here say wee feele the sweetnesse of it wee grow rich by it and wee see many men in the world waxen great by the same courses and if wee should not lie and deceive wee
former ages In old time The example is in the second place commended for the antiquitie of it Where we learn that a respect may be had to old time yea respect is due to the times of old Antiquitie is an argument of praise therefore are wee bidden to aske after the old way Ier. 6.16 to aske of the daies that are past Deut. 4.32 to remember the daies of old and to consider the yeeres of many generations Deut. 32.7 And Ministers in publick teaching must be like the good Scribe that brings out of his treasurie things both old and new Mat. 13.52 fathers must talke of the things of old time to their children Ps. 44.1 Now because the argument from aâ—â—â—quitie or the old time hath beene much abused and such reasoning is taxed in many Scriptures therefore that the point may be more cleare I will distinctly consider first in what cases the old times and antiquitie may not be pleaded and then in what cases antiquitie may be pleaded and good use may be made of it For the first antiquitie is ill pleaded in the caseâ— folloâ—â—ing as 1. When antiquitie is counterfeit when that is called the old time which in comparison was but yesterday as the Papiste lead us to the ages not long since past and will not permit us to looke higher to the times of the Prophets and the Apostles which is the true antiquitie 2. When antiquitie is pleaded to confirme 〈◊〉 in doctrine And so the doctrin was never a whit the better that caught the law of God 〈◊〉 only bind the outward man not the heart the outward man â—oo but in some higher cases And therefore our Saviour rejects the errours of the Pharisees though they would confirme thâ—â— by the sayings of oldâ—imeâ—punc Mat. â— Ioâ— â—5 â—0 3. In the case of sinne sinne is not the better for the oldnesse of i◠〈◊〉 the worse therefore the old man must be mortified and all old things must be put away 2 Cor. 5.17 As an old leprosie is worse than a new Lev. 13.11 so their hatred was the worse because it was old Ezek. 25.15 And the godly pray Remember not against us our old iniquities Psal. 79.8 and the wicked are condemned for not purging out their old sins 2 Pet. 1 9. and all men should purge out the old leven 1 Cor. 5. And as in the sins of life betweene man and man so about Gods service old courses are barefull if they be idolatrous and superstitious and therefore they were condemned for doing after the old maner 2 Reg. 17.34 and they are reproved by the Prophet Ieremy that so commended the old times of Idolatry Ier. 44. 4. When God abolisheth the old things and brings in new and so the old Covenant is not better than the new nor the old Testament better than the new Heb. 8.6 7 13. 2 Cor. 5.17 5. In the case of the discoverie of such mysteries as for the time of revealing them depend upon the good pleasure of God only so things hidden for ages and generations are revealed in the Gospel and yet must not be rejected Col. 1.16 6. When old times are pleaded of purpose to lessen the glory or profit of the present workes of Gods power and mercie Esay 43.18 And this way the Pharisees offended that to avoid subjection to Christ and his doctrine would magnifie Moses and the Prophets of old time And so doe those people offend that commend the old Teachers more that are dead or absent and will not profit by those they have Mat. 23. 7. When it is used in defence of publike disorders and offences and grievances in Church or Common-wealth The pretence of Innovation must not hinder the reformation of knowne diseases in publike States Such things as have beene wastes of old must be built though it were not done of long time They shall build the old wastes saith the Prophet Isa. 62.4 8. When particular Christians doe mis-apply it to confirme them in their unbeliefe or doubting as if God did not regard or accept as informer times whereas if we serve him in uprightnesse of heart he will accept our offerings as in the dayes of old Mal. 3.4 And if we get Davids affections to God and goodnesse and will attend upon Gods mercie in the meanes we shall have the sâ—â—e mercies of David Isa 55.1 4. Thus of the wayes how old things and the pleading of them may be misapplied and done in our owne wrong Now followes to shew in what cases respect must be had to Antiquitie and old times And so Antiquitie commends 1. The workes of Gods power and mercie Deut. 32.7 2 Kings 19.25 Psal. 44.2 and God is well pleased to be urged with arguments taken from his old dealing with his people Arise as in the daies of old Isa. 51.9 so in Mich. 7.14 20 and bath left the memory of them upon record that we might thence confirme our weake faith 2. The particular experiences we have had of Gods goodnesse towards us Thus David remembers dayes of old Psal. 77.6 143. â— 3. The profitable determinations of right in judiciall things betweene man and man and so the old bounds are to be greatly respected Pro. 22.28 4. The publike orders of the Church about the circumstances of Gods worship as the orders of the Jewes to have the preaching of Moses in every Citie on the Sabhath day Acts 15.21 This order is the more observeable as few other reasons 〈◊〉 because it was so in oldeiâ—â—â— 5. Gods Commandements It is an argument of weight to perswade to obedience when it can be shewed that that Commandement is an old Commandement Iohn 2.7 6. In things that one doubtfull or difficult such respect is to be given to Antiquitie as men should not rashly oppose their owne or other mens new conceits so as due respect be had to equally comparison in the nature of the things questioned Ioh. 32.6 7. In the examples and patterns of wel-doing that have had due conformity to Gods will revealed in his precepts and so the examples of holy practises in old time should much move the consciences of the godly now-adaies as the Apostle shews in this verse And thus of the two points in the description Holy women The persons from whom this patterne is taken are holy women where observe 1. That holinesse in the first Table is required of women as well as men and they are bound to the duties of Gods worship and to be religious women as well as to the duties of the second Table to be chaste mercifull faithfull diligent in the affaires of the family or obedient to their husbands Which serves to confute those men that say women need not be studious in matters of Religion it is enough for them to be good house-wives and obey their husbands And withall it may comfort women in the practise of the duties of Religion for by the commendation given of holy women in this Text it appeares
God doth not know things by defining dividing compounding or reasoning 5. Successively For God knowes all things in one view and not one after another 6. Nor lastly by Images but by his essence by a way more excellent above all Men or Angels by a knowledge most true certaine evident and perfect In this fore-knowledge of God is as in a booke recorded the persons birth qualities and deaths of every man Psal. 139.16 and the deeds of all men according to which they must be judged The speciall fore-knowledge of God lookes upon the Elect onely and is joyned with an infinite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and delight in them Rom. 8.27 11.2 2 Tim. 2.19 Exod. â—â— ult This is called the 〈◊〉 of life and the writing of the house of Israel Esay 4.4 Revel 20.12 Phil. 4.3 Dan. 12.1 Ezek. 13.9 The Uses follow 1. For information We have here a sea of contemplation that the heart of man can never be able to conceive of How great cause had the Apostle to cry out as he did God! so David Psal. 114.24 Rom. 11.29 Secondly this may shew us that men cannot possibly be just before God seeing the knowledge of God is so excellent and infinite Iob. 9.2 3. 2. The doctrine of this infinite and eternall knowledge or fore-knowledge of God is used in divers scriptures for singular consolation in divers distresses as 1. Against the malicious practises of evill men that set themselves against the godly They shall not prevaile though they thinke the Lord doth not see yet they shall one day know that he that made the eye doth see and he that gave man understanding will correct and for the godly in the meane time this may comfort them that all the haires of their head are numbred Psal. 94.1 to 12. Mat. 24. 2. Against the errors and spirituall frauds and deceits of men The deceiver and the deceived are with the Lord Job 12.13 16. and therefore it is not possible that the Elect should be finally deceived Mat. 24. 3. Against our owne cares and doubtfulnesse under the afflictions and troubles of this life Doth our heavenly father know what we stand in need of Mat. 6.33 doth not knowledge also extend to the number times places and measure of our crosses and not our persons onely but our banishment teares c. are in his booke Psal. 56.9 4. Against our unbeleefe and distrust of Gods love and favourable acceptance of us His eye hath beene ever is and will be upon the righteous Psal. 34.16 5. Against the feare of falling away Is not the foundation of God sure Hath it not this seale he knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 6. Against the spirituall distresses and diseases of our soules Hee hath experience and skill to heale the broken hearted and this is a great addition to our comfort he knowes our desires in all the afflictions of our spirits Psal. 147.5 7. Against the troubles of our private Calling Thus God comforted and incouraged Jeremy Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee and before thou camest out of the wombe I ordained thee a Prophet to the Nations c. Ier. 1.5 6 7. 8. Against the weaknesse of our faith in things promised and are not yet performed In respect of this fore-knowledge he calls things that yet are not as if they were Rom. 4.17 9. Against the doubt of audience and successe in prayer and the Lord said unto Moses I will doe this thing also that thou hast spoken For thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name Exod. 33.17 10. Against the feare of Gods wrath and forsaking of man when he enters into judgement The Lord will not cast off the people whom hee knew before Psal. 94.12 to 17. Rom. 1â— 2 8.29 11. Against the contempt of the world and the censures of the wicked and all their flanders and indignities The Lord knowes us and our desires and indeavours God knowes our hearts and our innocency whatsoever the world say or thinke of us It matters not what the prisoner saith if the Iudge acquite us If God know us it is no matter whether the world doe or no. 12. Lastly How can it be but well with the righteous whom not only a God loves but with such a lasting and preventing love when he cares for them and takes order so long before 3. Thirdly the doctrine of Gods fore-knowledge may teach us 1. To feare God and forsake sinne and not to dally with disobedience seeing all is naked and manifest before him with whom we have to deale Heb. 4 13. and we may be the surer of it seeing his very word can tell us of our thoughts and the secret intent of our hearts ver 12. 2. To trust upon God and rely upon him in all estates seeing there is nothing but he knowes it and hath considered of it long since 3. It should inflame us to piety seeing no good can be done but he will know it though it be done never so secretly It should make even holy thoughts precious and deare to us and it should make us abhorre hypocrisie seeing it is so vaine and God seet so evidently through us at all times and in all actions Psal. 139.17 1 Thess. 5.8 9. 4. It should quicken us to the meditation and care of our assurance of our eternall salvation God hath delighted himselfe to foresee it from eternity and shall not we fore-know and fore-meditate of our owne glory 5. Paul useth this as a reason why we should help and incourage Christians and doe all the good we can for them For their names are in the bookâ— of life Phil. 4.3 c. 6. When we are to choose men for any Calling wee should learne of God to know before and those we see to be wicked we should never Elect custome riches friends intreaty kindred c. should never prevaile with us 7. It shewes us how we should love one another wee should imitate God no time should weare out our affection God is not sadded with love though hee set his affections upon us before the beginning of the world was 4. This doctrine of Gods eternall knowledge is terrible for wicked men and that in foure respects 1. Against the conceit of their owne parts and praises Iob. 11.11 If God should set in order before thee what he knowes by thee thou wouldst appeare more ugly then any Leper 2. Against their perswasion of secrecy in their sinnes as these places tell them Psal. 90.8 139.1.11 to 16. Ier. 17.9 10 11. yea this doctrine tells them that God hath had time enough to know them he hath observed them from eternity 3. Against their perswasion of impunity they thinke they shall escape punishment for their sins but they are deceived as is at large shewed Psal. 94.1 to 11. 139.8 9. Revel 2.23 4. Lastly woe to the man whom the Lord doth not acknowledge by his word spirit and children in this world
redeeming the holy Ghost by calling The word of God is the sampler or patterne of our obedience for if ever wee would bring our lives into order we must resolve not to follow mens examples wills lusts or our owne reasons inclinations or conjectures but only to have recourse to the Law of God this must be the light to our feete and the lanthorne to our pathes Psal. 119. 19.2 Tim. 3.15 to the end we must obey them that have the over-sight of us and doe instructs out of the word and observe the forme of doctrine into which wee are delivered Rom. 6.17 Heb. 7.18 and receive such teachers as the Corinthians received Titus 2 Cor. 7.15 we should get an eare of obedience Prov. 25.12 2. The causes within us are either 1. generall the sanctification of our spirit or 2. speciall and so it is Faith For the first the coherence shewes that unlesse our hearts be sanctified our lives can never bee framed to true holinesse and obedience and for faith it is certaine before ever we can practise true obedience to the Law we must have the obedience of Faith that is we must be perswaded of Gods love to us and receive his promises in Christ and repenting of our sinnes beleeve the Gospell Rom. 1.5 10.16 2 Thess. 1.8 The faith of the Truth is generally the chiefe guide of all our actions whether they be workes of reformation or of our generall calling or particular cariage 2 Thess. 3.16 For we must beleeve Gods threatnings power promises assistance and reward or else our worke will goe slowly forward 2. Now for the second there are sixe things to be observed in the maner of our obedience without which our life will never be brought into order 1. The first is care The Apostle saith we must yeeld our selves as servants to obey Rom. 6.16 which notes that wee must doe the workes of God and sâ—ew our obedience to him as the servant doth his worke that is with great heed forecast and care God doth not only require we should obey but obey as servants obey 2. The second thing required in our obedience is Wisdome It is not enough to doe good but we must be wise to that which is good and simple concerning evill This the Apostle shewes Rom. 16.19 3. The third is Constancy our obedience must bee fulfilled 2 Cor. 10.16 We must not be weary of well-doing 1 Thess. 3.13 4. The fourth is abnegation In obeying Gods will we must throughout the course of our lives be contented to deny our selves so as we would doe Gods will with patience though crosses follow Luke 8. A signe of the seed sowne in good ground it bringeth forth fruit with patience and besides it imports that if we meane to reforme our lives aright we must live soberly shewing our moderation in diet apparell recreations and the like yea we must not thinke it much to be crossed in our reason desires ease profits or preferments but be contented to be that we may be with a good Conscience Heb. 11.8 Gen. 22.18 5. The fifth is sincerity and the sincerity of our obedience appeares both when we shew respect to all Gods Commandements as well as one obeying in all things as also when we obey without corrupt and carnall ends and respects Gen. 26.5 Phil. 2.12 6. The sixth thing is peace wee must lay our projects so for holinesse as we follow after peace as much as is possible and that with all men much more with the Church and people of God Rom. 12.19 Heb. 12.14 so as our conversation be without division or offence Rom. 16.18 19. 3. For the third point we may remember that it was long since noted by Samuel that obedience is better than sacrifice 1 Sam. 15. This obedience is the end of the writings of the Apostles and Prophets If we be not trained up by the Scriptures to good workes we doe nothing with generall profession of the name of Christ. Rom. 1.5 2 Tim. 3.15 c. If we obey not we are the servants of sinne and it will be our ruine we shall dye in our sinnes The Ministery had never been broken open but that the Nations might bee brought to obedience Rom. 16.26 If you obey not you breake the hearts of your teachers it is not good words and liberall pensions will serve the turne you must yeeld obedience to our Ministery in your lives or else you doe nothing Phil. 1.15.16 2 Cor. 7.15 Vengeance is ready against all disobedience every whit as ready in Gods hand as in the Ministers mouth 2 Cor. 10.4 5. In this text we may see God delights to receive the obedience of his people from all eternity and all the benefits purchased by Christs blood shall be given to them that obey he is author of eternall saluation to them that obey Heb. 5.9 Thus of obedience in generall Externall obedience which is here entreated of is distinguished by the Apostle Rom. 15.18 into two kindes For either it is obedience in word or obedience in deed Quest. Here might some one say what need the obedience of the tongue our tongues are free Answ. It seemes some men thinke so Those hypocriticall flattering and wicked men mentioned Psal. 12.3 say their tongues are their owne and yet it is certaine the Lord will have the tongue bound to the good behaviour Iam. 3.3 Quest. What great hurt can there be in the tongue if men live honestly otherwise It seemes there can be no great offence in the tongue Answ. Men are extreamely deceived that think they cannot commit dishonesty impiety by their words There is a world of wickednes in the tongue Jam. 3.6 There are many sins which are most vile and hatefull which have their principall seat in the tongue or are practised in words as blasphemy murmuring desperation lip-service swearing cursing perjury charming reproaching persecution by the mocking of the godly bitter words silthy speaking lying backbiting slandering flattery and false witnesse bearing together with divers sinnes of deceit hypocrisie heresie c. And on the other side excellent graces and duties depend much upon the service of the tongue Gods glory our owne Callings and other mens good are much furthered by the tongue By the tongue men preach pray confesse their sins give thankes comfort exhort rebuke sweare vow c. and therefore great reason wee should shew our obedience even in the tongue Under the obedience of conversation are comprehended duties of piety to God of mercy to the distressed of justice to all men of temperance to our selves The catalogues of the sinnes we should avoid in our conversation or of duties we should doe I omit here having some purpose if God will to handle them more largely in Treatises by themselves And thus of obedience And sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ. Before I come to the more particular and full opening of these words these things may be touched in the generall 1. There was blood
would be glad to bring their honour in exchange for it Think of it If it were such a great glory to be honoured by earthly Kings as it was done to Ioseph and Mordecai what is it to be such whom God will honour God gives more honour then Kings have and therefore much more then they give Christians shall have this honour not in the sight of a few men but before all Nations of men Angels this honour shall not be for a small while but for ever For the King of heavens mind will not change nor shall the Elect die and lose their honor or live and staine it Besides God will give fulnesse of gifts and grace to use this honor which earthly Princes cannot give and this honor shall be held without envy or opposition and they shall have eternall possessions answerable to their Honor. And thus of the 7. verse and so of the fourth reason to confute the first objection Verse 8. Whom yee have not seene and yet love him in whom now though yee see him not yet doe you beleeve and rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious THis verse and the next containes an answer to a second objection which might be made thus Might some one say I know not whether the former comforts belong unto me I know not whether I be borne againe c. To this the Apostle answers by giving two signes by which men might try themselves 1. The first is the love of Christ. 2. The second the joyes of the holy Ghost Concerning which the meaning is that whosoever loves Christ whom he hath not seene and hath felt those unspeakable and glorious joyes of the holy Ghost hee is undoubtedly borne againe But such are you therefore you need not doubt your estate In generall we may then note 1. First that there are certain and infallible signs of a child of God there is such a way of tryall by signes 2. Secondly that the triall of our estate by effects wrought in us is a safe and profitable way 3. Thirdly that though we see not all the signes yet if we discerne any in sincerity they are infallible therefore the Apostle here propounds two of many Whom having not seene ye love Two things may here be observed the one exprest the other implied The doctrine exprest is that the unfained love of Jesus Christ is in every one that is borne of God and where it is it is an infallible signe He that loves Christ it is certaine that both God the Father and Christ love him Ioh. 14. 21. Eph. 6.23 and contrariwise 1 Cor. 16.22 The Use of this doctrine is threefold 1. First it should teach us to try our selves whether the love of Christ be in us or no now that this may be distinctly discerned wee must understand that the love of Christ may be two waies considered either as it is in the sparkle or as it is in the flame In some the true love of Christ is as it is but in a small measure Now others have the inflamed love of Christ. First there are 7. signes of the love of Christ wheresoever it is in truth though but weak 1. First we may know whether we love Christ by our estimation of him if we doe truly love him wee esteem him above all other persons and things in the world Mat. 10 37 Phil. 3.9 2 Secondly we may know it by our constant desire after the meanes of communion with Christ he loves not Christ that loves not the meanes in which Christ makes his favour knowne to men doe we love the kisses of his mouth that is doe we affectionately desire the meanes by which hee shews his love even those sweet pledges of his love in his word 3 Thirdly we may know our love to Christ by our love to Christians that are his members we love him that begat if we love them that are begotten of him 1 Iohn 5.1 4 Fourthly we may know it by beleeving in him Iohn 16.27 For if we love him we put our trust in him and relye upon him and his merits 5. Fiftly we may know it by our care to keep his commandements For so he saith himselfe He loveth me that keepeth my commandements Iohn 14.21 The love of Christ and the love of sinne cannot stand together 6 Sixtly we may know it by our griefe for his absence if to misse Christ be the sorrow of our hearts it is a signe we love him Cant. 3.1 7 Seventhly we may know it by our willingnes to suffer for his sake Ioh. 21.19 Thus Peter must one day prove that he loves Christ by being willing to be caryed whither naturally hee would not for the confirmation of the truth 2 Now there are seaven signes also of the inflamed love of Christ For they that have such tender affection after Christ 1 Doe sometimes feele the very passions of love they are as it were sick of love for the time overcome with the wonderfull affection they beare to Christ Cant. 2.5 especially when they have felt great comfort in the meanes 2. Their love is unquenchable and unresistible it is strong as death and much water cannot quench it Cant. 8.6 7. 3. They doe wonderfully earnestly and affectionately sometimes long after his second comming greatly desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ 2 Tim. 4.8 Phil. 1.23 4. Fourthly they doe almost onely joy in Christ. God forbid I should rejoyce in any thing but the crosse of Christ Gal. 6.14 They account all other things losse dung in comparison of the excellent knowledg of Christ Phil. 3.9 5. Fiftly they continually talk of him they never linn they have words at will their tongue is as the pen of a ready writer Psal. 45.1 They can easily praise him and admire almost every thing in him Cant. 5.9 to the end 6. Sixtly their inflamed love is shewne by a willingnesse with contentment to doe the meanest service to Christ or his religion This was a signe Mary loved much that shee could even kisse the feet of Christ and wash them with her teares and wipe them with the haire of her head Luke 7.44 to the end 7. Seventhly they are wonderfully incouraged with his praises they are more fiered with his praises of them or his acceptation of them in the word or prayer then with the applause of the whole world besides Cant. 4.16 Coherence 2. Secondly if wee want the love of Christ wee should use all meanes to get it Now there are three things that would further us in getting this love 1. To pray for it to God 2. To acquaint our selves with the word of Christ. For that sets out his praises his love to us and the singular blessings he hath purchased for us 3. To converse with Christians that doe tenderly love Christ and abound in holy affections Those daughters of Ierusalem that wondered why the Church should make such adoe about Christ when they had conversed with her
and I place all under the head of imperfect revelation because though the things revealed to the Prophets were perfectly revealed in respect of certainty and evidence yet it was but a revelation in part that is of some things onely There were many things knowne to Christ and the Angels which the Prophets never knew There is also difference betweene Visions and Revelations Visions are external in some things shewed to the sight Revelations are internall shewed â—nely â—o the understanding But what is the difference betweene Revelation and Knowledge and Prophesie and Doctrine mentioned 2 Cor. 14.6 There are two waies by which men come to the understanding of Gods will The one extraordinary and that is by revelation and the other ordinary viz. by knowledge attained by labour and industry in the use of meanes this the Apostle calls knowledge now prophesie and doctrine depend upon these two For men did vent and utter their revelation by prophesie that is by foretelling things to come and men doe vent their knowledge by doctrine and teaching others Are not we more miserable now then they were in the times of the Prophets seeing they had revelations and we have none We are not for these reasons 1. Because we have the substance of all their revelations For their most glorious revelations were concerning Christ to come whom we possesse as the riches of the Gentiles whom they had not in the flesh but saw him a farre off 2. Because the Lord hath now fully revealed his will in the Scriptures of the old and new Testament to be a perfect guide unto eternall life 3. Because we have all their revelations that could profit us in any speciall measure we have them I say left upon record written for our learning 4. Neither are wee altogether without revelations that for the riches of them answer the full value of their revelations For to omit that God hath revealed his Sonne in the flesh in these latter ages of the world which was a greater shew then was ever made in heaven or in earth to omit this I say 1. In the doctrine of the Gospell now there are divers riches mines and mysteries of knowledge broke open which were hid since the world begun from ages and generations Col. 1. 26. Rom. 16.26 and these made knowne not to Apostles onely but to babes and infants Mat. 11.25 to abiect Gentiles as well as Jewes Luke 2.32 for revelation of the Gentiles to young men and maidens Act. 2. 2. Christ is revealed in the hearts of men now as well as then and that is the best revelation the works of the grace of Christ such as his image graciously revealed in their hearts Christ lives in his people now Gal. 1.12 2. 20. Rom. 8.29 3. The righteousnesse and favour of God is with a speciall lustre revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 4. The Lord doth still assist his servants in speaking and hearing and teaching to profit we have more than we bring into the pulpit and thâ— Lord still opens mans understanding and is with our mouthes to give us a doors of utterance Eph. 1.18 Col. 4.3.2 Cor. 3.5,6 5. The Spirit of Christ doth reveale now also both daily the things given us of God 1 Iohn 5.10 2 Cor. 2.10 and at some times the particular pleasure of God in some speciall cases 6. We are neerer unto and wait for the revelation of Christ and the sonnes of God from hâ—aven of which theirs was but a glimpse and in this we shall in the day of Châ—â—st have as full a measure as they Their revelations were but a drops to this sea Rom. 8 1â—,19.2 Thes. 1.7.1 Cor. 1.7 So that we are happy sixe waies in respect of revelation The Use should be therefore to learne thankfulnesse and contentation as resting assureâ— thaâ— if wee truely feare God though hee make us not Prophets yet his secrets shall be with them that feare him and he will answer us when we call and shew us great and hidden things Thus of the manner how God did answer them the matter followes which concerneth either Persons or things Persons in these words Tâ—at not unto themselves but unto us they did minister The plain meaning is that the Lord would have them to know that they were implyed in these prophesies of glory not that they should thereby reveale any further blessednesse unto themselves for they should die before those daies come but should therein doe service unto Churches that should come long after Here are divers things to be noted hence That the Lord hath beene used to deny the requests or desires of his servaâ—ts in respect of the circumstances of their suits such as were time place manner meanes measure c yea we see how he denieth his best servants in the letter of his desires Isaac must not have his will concerning Esau nor Ioseph concerning Manasses Moses may see Canaan but he must not enter in David must not prosper in his beloved Absolon the Apostles must not be great in an earthly kingdome nor Paul have his tentation depart just as soon as he prayes Ionah must not be humored nor Elias die when he list David shall not bring in the Arke at his pleasure nay Christ himselfe must not be heard in the very letter of his desires for the cup did not passe from him The Use is therefore to commit our waies to God with all patience and humility and never rebell in our hearts if the Lord crosse us but rather confesse our errors and yeeld our selves to God as knowing that all shall work together for the best c. and he will so heare and so answer as may be best for our best good The Lord hath been used to traine his servants to know that their labours are to be spent for the good of others as well as themselves thus the Prophets must heare of it God hath distributed his gifts not onely for the use of each member but for the benefit of the whole body 1 Cor. 12. The Use should be to teach all sorts of men to promote to their uttermost the common good and to doe it out of conscience and heartily and with all diligence as we would care for our owne things especially promoting the edification of the body with all love and industry Rom. 12.6.1 Pet. 4.9 10. Eph. 4.26 Thus should ministers and magistrates and masters of families and every Christian with his acquaintance We are Stewards of Gods gifts and they must be imploâ—ed about Gods worke not our owne onely the Masters advantage is most principally to be respected and therefore this must needs be a great reproofe to such as can onely minde their owne things and not the things of Iesus Christ Phil. 2. It will be a singular comfort to such as excell in gifts or riches or power if they can say at their death beds not unto my selfe but unto the servants of God
of Christ. Oh might some Minister think I shall never rule such a people or perswade with them yet you see God will put his Spirit in their mouth and men shall not be able to withstand the Spirit by which they speak he will give a doore of utterance and secretly bow mens hearts unto the obedience of the truth Secondly the consideration of this second doctrine may instruct us how to order our selves towards the meanes of salvation and so it may teach us 1. not to rest in the act done we mâ—y heare the best Sermons and receive the Sacraments c. yet if wee beg not the assistance of the Spirit all may be in vaine if we heard Christ himselfe yet it may not profit us 2. To beleeve in God when wee carefully use the meanes how unlikely soever the successe seeme to be God can work by the meanes as pleaseth him notwithstanding infiâ—mitâ—eâ— either of the teacher or hearer 3. To render all the praise to God and his hâ—ly Spirit in the mediation of his Son seeing thence flowes all blessing and good successe as being the onely originall fountaine of all holinesse and knowledge Thirdly in that the holy Ghost in the primitive times did so visibly fall upon the Apostles and the Disciples it may serve for divers uses 1. To confirme uâ— in the truth of the Gospell since the prophesies were therein so accomplished and the doctrine of Christ crucified so miraculously sealed 2. It may â—uâ—ble us that wee cannot see the glory of the Scriptures seeing they proceed from such a fountaine 3. It may make us in love with the Scriptuâ—es since they were penned by men so miraculously qualified by the holy Spirit of God 4. It may assure us of incredible successe if wee could stir up the holy Ghost in us we might get wonderfull knowledge and grace if we did strive in these times of the Gospell For though that manner of presence be ceaâ—ed yet God is no respecter of persons but the Spirit of God now by lesser means is able to produce the same effects in the hearts of men in what is necessary to salvation For of these times it is that was spoken Ier. 31.33 to spare iâ—stances in other things 5. Lastly it may confirme us against the scornes and disgraces of the world by which men every where dishonor the knowledge and practice of the holy things brought to us with the Gospell These things that so many deride came to us from the holy Ghost who came downe from heaven to propound and conferre them upâ—n the Church Sent downe It is to be noted further that he saith that the holy Ghost was sent For from thence 1. I observe an evident proofe that the holy Ghost is a person distinâ—t from the Father and the Son 2. Hence ariseth the consideration of the nature of this mission Mission is aâ— attâ—â—bute given here to the holy Ghost Now divine attâ—â—bute are either essentiall or personall Essentiall are such proprieties as equally belong to all the persons in respect of the essence as to be wise just mercifull holy c. Personall attributes are such proprieties as are given onely to the persons apart the one from the other do note a difference of the persons as to beget to be begotten to send forth to be sent forth to proceed to conceive c. Now these personall attributes may be distinguished also thus Some are proper to each person alone so in one as not in any other as to beget in the Father to be begotten in the Sonne to proceed in the holy Ghost some of these attributes are common to two of the persons but not to the third as proceeding in the holy Ghost is both from the Father and the Sonne so to send forth is the attribute both of the Father and Son so likewise to receive is common to the Son and to the holy Ghost so that we see whither mission must be referred Yet to make it more cleere we must understand that there is a double sending forth the one internall the other externall Internall when the Father and the Son cause the holy Ghost to proceed Externall when the Father and Son send forth the holy Ghost for outward operations amongst the Creatures especially in the Church and thus the holy Ghost is sent forth by the Father Ioh. 14.16 and by the Son Ioh. 15.16 of this mission is that speech Gal 4.7 3. Here may be a doubt might some one say Doth not this mission of the holy Ghost expresse an inequality with the Father and the Son It doth not For 1. it is not alwaies true that he that is sent forth is inferiour to him that sent him For Ionathan may send David and David send Ionathan and yet be both equall Commission may import inferiority not mission or if it did hold amongst men yet it is not true in the Trinity 2. This word is used for want of words metaphorically to shadow out something above our reach For it doth not note either a servile subjection or a locall motion but it is used to expresse either some effect of his working or some signe of his presence so that the meaning is the holy Ghost was sent that is he wrought some notable effect on earth or shewed that he was present by some signe Now for some use of this sending of the holy Ghost we may in this doctrine observe 1. That to be sent of God is no disparagement unto us hee sent his owne Spirit 2. We may here note some things wherein wee may resemble and expresse the image of the holinesse of the Trinity in us Would we live together as the three persons in the Trinity doe Then 1. we must live without envie one at another 2. Wee must not think much to be imployed one by another or to be advised and appointed in well doing 3. The salvation of the elect should be dearer to us then any respect of our selves or our owne estate we must not seek our owne things The holy Ghost repines not at his mission and the Father thinks not his Son and Spirit too good to be sent unto us As we grow in these things so we more expresse a likenesse to the Trinity Downe from heaven Something may be noted in that the holy Apostle addeth that hee was sent from heaven 1. It imports what this world is it is but a place of misery and to come into it is to come downe 2. It expresseth what heaven is it is the place of Gods residence the place where God dwels the Palace of the great King as Princes have their Palaces so hath God and as a Princes palace differs from a cottage so doth heaven from earth The Use should be to inflame our affections towards this holy place oh how should wee loâ—g to see where God dwels what natures have wee to long to see the courts of Princes and yet cannot long after the courts of our
ordered and guided The testimony of God is either immediate or mediate God hath given an immediate testimony either by vision or by voice By vision either in in sleep or in a certaine extasie when men were awake thus did he reveale his will often in the Old Testament sometimes in the New aâ— to Paul By voice God testified either to particular persons as when he gave answers to the Priest as some think wearing his Ephod or else by publike voice as when from heaven he said Mat. 3. This is my welbeloved Son heare him The testimony God hath given by meanes is threefold 1. By his Sonne 2. By his servants the Prophets and Apostles by word of mouth 3. By the Scriptures and of this here Now concerning the proofe of doctrine in Scripture we must observe 1. That the testimony of God onely is authenticall 2. That a divine testimony now adaies is no where to be had but in the Scripture 3. The testimony of Scripture is sufficient for all things needfull to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 4. That we both Ministers and people should have recourse to the Scriptures for warrant for what we teach beleeve or doe For if Christ and the Apostles men priviledged from error doe yet for honors sake alledge the testimony of Scripture then much more ought we to have recourse to what is written seeing we can have no assurance that we erre not but as wee are warranted by the Word Thus of the first point Now for the second point Inasmuch as the proofes are taken out of the Old Testament it shewes the wonderfull harmony and agreement between the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and that the Old Testament is to be acknowledged of equall authority with the New Hence it iâ— that the quotations of authorities out of the Old Testament are so frequent for there are above 260. places of the Old Testament cited in the New so as there is almost no point of doctrine needfull to salvation but the harmony of the Old Testament and the New is exprest yea hence it is that there are very few bookes of the Old Testament but they are cited in the New amongst the historicall bookes I except Iudges Ruth Ezra Nehemiah and Hester amongst the Prophets I except Obadiah and Nahum amongst the dogmaticall books I except Ecclesiastes and Canticles else proofes are taken out of all the rest and very frequent out of many of them as the Psalmes are cited 53 times Genesis 42 times Esay 46 times and so I might note of the rest Lastly from the manner of propounding this authority or testimony out of the Word we may note two things 1. The great mercy of God afforded to us in these times that have so many helps for knowledge wee see here in those daies they quoted neither Chapterâ—or â—or vâ—rse and many times not the booke and therefore we should praise God that have the Scriptures digested so easily and our doctrine confirmed with such expresse quotations 2. This shews what labour knowledg the godly then had they were so conversant in the Scriptures that they could discern of a quotation though the place were not cited And thus of the fountain from whence this proofe iâ— fetched The matter alledged followeth Be ye holy for I am holy The drift is to shew that it hath beene anciently taught unto the people of God that if they profeste themselves to be his children they must imitate his holinesse and shew themselves like unto God their heavenly Father This sentence is chiefly found in the book of Leviticus and is there often used as Lev. 11.44 19.2 20.26 21.8 From hence divers things may be observed 1. That exact holinesse hath beene anciently required This is a doctrine hath ever â—ounded in the Church that we must be holy yea so holy as wee might in some meaâ—ure be like unto God and expresse his image Exod. 19.6 Dâ—ut 26 19. 2. That holinesse of life is indispensibly required of every child of God for so this speech is used Lev. 19.2 3. That true holinesse stretcheth it selfe to the care of lesser offences as these places shew Lev. 11.44 20.26 therefore God will accept our service in lesser duties 4. That we cannot have true holinesse without some competent knowledge of the nature of God Verse 17. And if you call him Father which without respect of person judgeth according to every mans worke passe the time of your dwelling here in feare HItherto of the first reason The second reason to inforce the exhortation in the 13. verse is here taken from the consideration of Gods judgement The time must certainly come that we must appeare before the Tribunall of God receive reward or punishment according to our works and therefore it stands us upon with all care and feare to carry our selves so reservedly and holily as in that day we may have comfort and reward In the words two things may be noted 1. The proposition of the reason 2. The inference or the conclusion of it or here is the doctrine and the use of it The proposition of the doctrine is He whom we call Father or call upon as a Father shall without respect of persons judge every man according to his works The inference or use is therefore wee should passe the time of our dwelling here in feare In the proposition concerning the last judgment observe 1. who shall be the Judge viz. God the Father whom we call upon 2. How will he judge viz. without respect of persons 3. Whom hee will judge viz. every man 4. For what they shall be judged viz. according to their works In the setting downe of the first point both matter and manner are to be observed The matter is that the same God and Father who is called upon by us is the judge of the world The manner oâ— expressing it is conditionally if you call him Father The words in the originall be both waies read Some reade if you call him Father and the meaning is not of prayer but of profession if you professe God to be your Father Some reade it if you call on the Father that is if in prayer you goe unto God the Father with your requests so the Kings Translators reade it and so I think it is most agreeable to the intent of the Apostle in this place If you call on the Father Many things may be noted from these words with their coherence 1. That the heart of man is not able to beare the contempâ—ation of the last judgement nor can we with comfort any way be fitted for it â—ill we know and by practice and experience doe find that God is our Father The Use is 1. for information The reason why many are so troubled with the thought of the judgement to come is the defect of assurance of Gods love as a Father these fears shew weaknesse of faith and if they raign constantly shew there is no assurance at all 2
shall suffer for anothers workes further then he is some way 〈◊〉 of it But how can infants be iudged according to their works We understand not clearly how the proceedings shall be with infants it is evident that corruption of nature can make even infants children of 〈…〉 Psal. 51. and the covenant of God with the faithfull doth 〈◊〉 even their seed also Besides the Spirit of God doth supply externall works by internall sanctification in the elect infants But how shall poore men doe that are not able to doe good works It is an error to think that there are no good works but giving of almes For the obedience to Gods law in any commandement is a good worke works of piety to God are good works and so are the works of a particular calling It is a good worke to provide for a mans family and so to deale iustly with men is a good worke Besides there are many works of mercy which the poorest Christian may doe hee may pray for others or reprove or comfort or instruct c. The Uses may be collected out of the severall Scriptures where this doctrine is taught as 1. In Iob 7.2 We should long for that day seeing it is the day of paying wages 2. Iob 34.11 14 15 19 20 to 25. It should terrifie the mightiest sinners seeing God will not spare but without respect of persons iudge every mans works and if a temporall iudgment so affright all sorts as is reported Ezech. 7.27 how much more should this last iudgement 3. Psal. 62. ult We should daily think of this day of reckoning and not suffer any doubt against it For it will certainly be so 4. Prov. 24.12 Two things are inferred 1. That wee should not faint in the day of adversity 2. That without trifling we should doe good and shew mercy when we have occasion 5. The Prophet Ieremy useth this doctrine as a meanes to stirre up their hearts to a more awefull feare and admiration and adoration of that God whose eyes behold the waies of all men and whose iustice will reward according to their works 6. Our Saviour Christ useth it to excite the care of saving our soules and to work in us a contempt of life and this world and to deny our selves and take up our crosse and follow him Mat. 16.27 7. The Apostle Paul Rom. 2.7 useth this doctrine 1. To fright and terrifie three sorts of men viz. 1. Hypocrites ver 1 2 3. 2. Impenitent hard-hearted sinners ver 4 5. 3. Contentious and froward adversaries of well-doing ver 8. 2. To incourage the godly in all well-doing ver 9 10. 8. In the 2 Cor. 5.10 it serveth to inforce 1. Walking by faith ver 7. 2. Care to be accepted of God ver 9. 3. Desire to be absent from the flesh and present with the Lord ver 8. 4. Diligence in Ministers with all power to perswade with their hearers ver 11. 9. In the Eph. 6.8 9. it is used 1. To comfort servants 2. To warne masters ver 9. So it is also Col. 3.24 26. 10. In Rev. 22.11 12. it is used to upbraid the pertinacie of wicked men in sin and to incourage the godly in all perseverance in well-doing 11. Lastly you see how the Apostle make a use of it viz. that we should passe the time of our sojourning here in feare And thus of the doctrine of the second reason Paâ—e the time of your sojourning here in feare These word containe the inference or use of the former doctrine viz. it should imprint in us such a sense of our mortality as should stir up in us a daily care and feare in the spending of our time we are to live in the world These words aâ—firme fâ—ure things 1. That we are but sojourners 2. That we have but a time to sojourne 3. That this time passeth 4. That therefore we ought to spend the time in feare Sojourners This word may be taken either literally or mystically if it be taken literally it must be referred to the provinciall Jews so it may import two things 1. That Gods children in this life may be so driven from their native abodes that they may be compelled to live in strange places 2. That though the Lord suffer the Jewish Nation to be under a soâ—e dispersion for the time yet the time will come when they shall be gathered home together in great glory though now they are but sojourners But it is rather to be taken mystically and so it is to be referred to all the Elect who in respect of their absence from their heavenly Canaan are but soiourners at best in this world Heb. 11. Psal. 39. There may be some difference put betweene a home-dweller a stranger and a soiourner The dweller is perpetually resident and is at home The stranger staies but for a short time and is from home Now the soiourner differs from them both for he hath some setled abode but it is not at home as the dwellers is nor is it for so short a time as the strangers is Now if in this strict sense we should stand upon the words then in this world dwellers are no men strangers are wicked men and soiourners are godly men But it is evident that this word sojourner is taken promiscuously for any abode that is from home for Luke 24.18 it is taken for a stranger in the strictest sense and Act. 7.19 it is taken for a sojourner in the strictest sense But usually it is a word that notes the condition of the godly absent from their heavenly happinesse and imports an allusion to the childrenof Israel living in Aegypt absent from Canaan and so our Aegypt is the world our Canaan is heaven our soiourning is our entertainment in this world The world is like Aegypt and our entertainment like the children of Israel in Aegypt For 1. Pharaoh the Devill doth with all cruelties oppresse the gâ—dly 2. As Aegypt was full of enchaunters so is the world 3. As Aegypt abounded with superstitions so doth the world with ignâ—rance and all sorts of vaine observations â—ut the similitude will more appeare in the use The consideration of this that the godly are in this world as Israel soiourning in Aegypt may afford both matter of Instruction and matter of Consolation For Instruction it should teach us divers duties 1. Not to seeke unto our selves great things in this world Ier. 46. 2. To study to be quiet and meddle with the world no more then wee must needs 3. To please our selves or rest in no prosperity but to expect alteratiâ—â— never trusting the favour of the Aegyptians the men or this world For thâ—y will change 4. To have recourse to the promises of a better life and live by faith and wait for the time of our changing 5. Live separate from the conversation of worldly men as Israel did in Goshen 6. Endure much with patience and commit all to God Secondly this similitude imports
all thâ—ir workes but I will restraâ—e the diâ—course to the godly feare The fâ—are then here required is that reverence humility lowlinesse tendernesse modesty and carefulnesse that shâ—uld in all our wayes Thus we should feare the presence of God Psal. 16. the name of God Deut. 28 58. the Ministers of God 2 Cor. 7 5. the displeasure of God Psal. 90.11 Thus we should shew feare when wee speaâ—e of the mysteries of godlinesse 1 Pet. 3.16 thuâ— we should be affraid to offend the godly 1 Cor. 10. or be infected by the wicked or that others should ruine themselves when we might help them Iud. 23. we should feare to provoke wicked men we should feare lest we neglect the precious promises offâ—ed unto us Heb. 4.1 we should be jealous of others fearing lest they should fall fâ—oÌ„ the simplicity in Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 11.3 wee should feare the corruption of our owne nature and make conscience of the least evill 2 Cor. 7.11 wee should live in feare lest the day of Christ should come upon us before we be prepared we should also shew this feare in all our service of God Psal. 2.11 In these and many other waies we should shew our feare in our conversation The wives also should fear their husbands Eph. 5.33 and servants their masters 1 Pet. 2.18 To have our conversation in feare excludes carnall mirth and jollity and carelesnesse in our waies and unreverentnesse in our carriage towards God or amongst men This feare was eminent in Paul 1 Cor. 2.3 and this is required 2 Cor. 7.1 The Use may be 1. For great reproofe 1. Of the universall fearelesnesse that abides in all sorts of men never regarding the terror of the Lord nor thinking upon this fearefull judgement of Christ. How doe men cast off feare and dare restraine prayer and all holy duties and plunge themselves into all sorts of sins with all stupidity and carelesnesse 2. Of the great neglect of this vertue even in the godly there is not that awfull humble reverent respective carriage that should be the hearts and faces of men are every where wanting in this feare oh this conversation with feare where is it to be found almost Where is this feare in the people towards their Ministers in the wife to her husband in the servants to their masters 2. For instruction Let us from hence be informed in this duty and for hereafter never have our hearts and carriages polluted perfecting our holinesse in fear and abstaining from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit shewing in all places a feare to offend God or dally with sin in all things mistrusting the corruption of our nature 2 Cor. 7.1 Phil. 2. Rom. 11.20 3. Such as have attained unto this feare should be wonderfull thankfull to God and carefull to preserve so excellent a grace it wins them a wonderfull deale of respect both from God and men 2 Cor. 7.15 1 Pet. 3.2 Psal. 90.11 Besiâ—es of all other these are likely to hold out Ier. 32.40 and are sure to find comfort in the day of Christ. And thus of the second reason Verse 18. Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things aâ— silver and gold from your vaine conversation received by the tradition of your fathers c. THese words containe the third Argument for the inforcing of the exhortation laid downe in the 13. verse and it is taken from the consideration of our redemption by Christ wee are bought out of a miserable servitude by the bloud shedding of Jesus Christ and therefore being redeemed we ought to doe two things 1. To be carefull of the reformation of our vaine conversation 2. To place all our faith and hope in God Now because he would the more drive in the power of this Argument he layes downe divers specialties and important reasons why we should be moved with this Argument from our redemption 1. Because all the precious things in the world could never have delivered us in the beginning of ver 18. 2. Because our deliverance from our vaine conversation was one of the principall ends of our redemption and therefore if wee should not be stirred up to the care of a holy life we should be as if we had never been redeemed in the latter end of ver 18. 3. Because our redemption was effected by so matchlesse a price viz. the passion of Christ which was incâ—eased in that it was a suffering even to effusion of bloud and in that it was a suffering of a person of wonderfull parity of nature ver 19. 4. Because our redemption was a thing before the world was made ordained in Gods eternall counsell ver 20. 5. Because we that now beleeve in Christ have more honour done us in our redemption then all the Fathers in the old Church had for the manifesting of our redemption was an honour done to us that live in the times after the Law both if we respect the incarnation of Christ who was exhibited now and not before and also the publication of our deliverance by Christ already borne in the flesh in the preaching of the Gospell 6. Because the certainty of Christs victory and our purchase was in speciall manner confirmed of God and that two waies 1. By raising him from the dead to shew that no adversaries could hold him downe 2. By exalting him to so great glory in heaven which shewes he had fully pacified Gods anger and accomplished the merit of our redemption and this was done that our faith and hope might be in God ver 21. So that all these words commend unto us the Argument taken from our redemption in Christ and serve to compell us to the perfecting of our hope and the ordering of our conversation In the unfolding of this reason we may perceive that here are divers great things concerning our redemption to be intreated of as 1. What would not redeeme us viz. not corruptible things 2. From what we are redeemed viz. from our vaine conversation 3. By what price we are bought viz. the precious blood of Iesus Christ c. 4. The antiquity of this project concerning our redemption by Christ viz. before â—ver the world was 5. The time of manifesting it to the world viz. in those times 6. The persons that have profit by it viz. you that beleeve in God by him 7. The ratification of the assurance of it viz. the raising of him from the dead and his glory in heaven 8. The end of it viz. that we might have faith and hope in God Before I break open these particulars two things may be noted 1. The coherence with the former reason 2. The Apostles insinuation or communication as they call it in Rhetoricke For he doth not barely relate the Argument but to win advantage in their affection he tells them they know this doctrine concerning our redemption implying that it were a vile shame to be ignorant of the doctrine of redemption and importing that he was perswaded that they
is urged from the example of Christ Heb. 12.3 4. 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Rom. 8.17 That your faith and hope might be in God In these words the eighth point is contained viz. the end of our redemption viz. that our faith and hope might be in God that is that knowing our debts to be paid in Christ and God to be well pleased in him we might for ever relie upon God for present favour and future salvation Faith and hope are not all one Faith lookes upon Christ exhibited and made present in his ordinances Hope lookes upon Christ hereafter more fully to be revealed Faith beleeveth the promises to be true Hope expecteth performance Faith beleeveth eternall life is given us and Hope waiteth when it will be revealed Faith is the mother of Hope and Hope is the nurse of Faith Faith takes notice of present prerogatives and Hope chiefly looks to things to come The doctrines that may be observed from hence are divers Though we doe truely beleeve yet we doe need to be often stirred up to faith and hope still For 1. We beleeve but in part 2. We need faith all our life long 3. We are hard of beleefe in our selves 4. There is nothing the devill more opposeth 5. There is nothing God or Christ more desireth as the coherence shews 6. Nothing more glorifieth our profession and daunteth our adversaries then an unmoveablenesse of hope 7. Nothing more provides for us A Christian could live by his faith if he had nothing else The Vses also are divers for therefore 1. We should stir up one another and be examples one to another in beleeving and receive the exhortation one from another 2. Especially every one of us should be carefull to increase in faith and provide to beleeve in God at all times Quest. But what must we doe that we may doe so Answ. 1. Desire the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2.2 2. Be frequent in the use of the Sacraments 3. Pray to God to increase thy faith Luke 17.5 4. Practice holinesse and be diligent about those graces mentioned 2 Pet. 1.10 in the coherence Quest. But how can we beleeve still For 1. We have not alwaies meanes to accomplish the good we desire Answ. Doe as Abraham did Rom. 4.10 beleeve the promise above hope Quest. 2. God himselfe sometimes fights against us Answ. Say with Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Iob 1.3 Quest. 3. But our crosses are desperate Answ. Yet say as David did Psal. 23.4 Though I walke in the shadow of death yet c. Quest. 4. But we have sinned Answ. Christ hath prayed that thy faith might not faile Luke 22.32 Quest. 5. But our faith is so weake we feare we cannot beleeve still Answ. There are comforts for that in these places Esay 42.3 2 Cor. 12.9 and God hath received the weake in faith Rom. 14.1 3. Quest. 6. But I have so many hinderances and have so many things to passe through Sol. Yet be perswaded as Rom. 8.38 and say with Paul Through Christ I can doe all things Phil. 4.13 3. All this adoe about faith and hope should make us carefull to informe our selves of the things by which faith is assaulted that when such things befall us we may be armed against them Now besides such things by which faith is assaulted intimated before there are many things without us to omit our owne doubts and Sathans tentations within us that have assaulted and tryed faith 1. False doctrines 2. Contentions in the Teachers of the Church 3. Treacherie of brethren 4. Prosperity of the wicked and impuâ—ity of wickednesse 5. The small number of beleevers 6. The deformity and oppression of the Church 7. The falling away of many from the faith 8. The delay of Gods promises 9. The tokens of Gods wrath 10. The scoffes of mockers 4. Lastly hence wee may gather a reproofe to our selves for our marvellous neglect in faith and hope how might the Lord justly have left us for ever as a people without Christ and without hope in the world There is one faith and hope in all Gods servants Your faith Eph. 4.5 The use is therefore to love one another seeing we have all one faith one I say in respect of the Author meanes object and end 2. It should comfort poore Christians whatsoever difference God hath put otherwise yet they have the same faith that Abraham David the Martyrs or any had Here is implyed that all faith and hope in other things besides God is vaine Hope in the wedge of gold is vaine The Hypocrites hope in credit is vaine Trust in the arme of flesh is vaine c. And the truth is a Christian is never perfectly well till he can place his faith and hope onely in God It is good for him sometimes to be stripped of all other things that he may put his confidence in God Verse 22 Seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the Spirit to the unfained love of the brethren so that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently THE fourth reason to inforce the exhortation in the 13. verse is contained in these words and is taken from that relation and respect wee beare unto the godly it is in effect this By repentance and holinesse we are all made brethren and in repentance and reformation of our lives one main thing we aime at is the advancement of our happinesse and holinesse in the love of the brethren whom we prefer before all people in the world and resolve to rest in the contentment of their communion and therefore wee ought so to resist the impediments within us or without us and to order our lives with such holy sobriety and so to stir up our hearts in the hope of the happinesse to come that we may in all purity of nature and life and earnestnesse of affections cleae unto them in this world as the onely people we shall live withall in the world to come There are two things in this verse 1. A proposition of doctrine 2. and an exhortation by way of Use. The proposition is this Ye have purified your soules in obeying the truth by the spirit unto unsained love of the brethren or brotherly love The Use is therefore see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently The proposition properly and in it selfe concerns sanctification which is here described in five things 1. The nature of it imported in that metaphoricall tearme purified 2. The subject of it their soules 3. The forme of it in obeying the truth 4. The cause of it which is twofold 1. The principall the Spirit of God 2 The cause in some respect is themselves ye have purified 5. The end is brotherly love amplified by the speciall property of it viz. unfained Before I enter upon the particulars in generall and for the coherence divers things may be noted The Coherence is double 1. both with
them they should not be saved without their teachers 2. That not all preaching hath this effect but it must be good preaching or preaching of the gospell or publishing of the glad tidings in and through Jesus Christ the word may signifie to preach happily or to preach well or to preach glad tidings or the gospell It is certaine it is a great happinesse to a people when they get faithfull teachers and it is true that not all preaching but preaching well is that which must make us abide for ever but I take it in the usuall sense It is the preaching of the gospell that is thus glorious in effect For the law is the ministration of death 2 Cor. 3. and this should both teach Ministers to studie to preach the gospell which to do requires exceeding great labour and judgement and besides the people should set their hearts upon the comforts propounded to them in the ministry of the word and open their hearts wide to receive them with all joy and much assurance yea when they feele the sweetnesse of the gospell they should glorifie God and receive their teachers as the Angells of God as the allusion of the word imports 3. That the word must be considered as it is propounded to them to you saith the Apostle and this may be restrained either to the scriptures as they were first preached by the Apostles themselves men inspired of God or in generall it may be extended to the faithfull Ministers that are over the godly in any place It is true that there is great difference betweene the preaching of the Apostles and our preaching and the people are not bound to respect our preaching now as theirs then because the Apostles could not erre and were immediately inspired with the Holy Ghost but yet when that we preach we demonstrate to the consciences of our hearers to be the very word of God and doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles we ought to be received Sure it is that though wee give the scriptures never so faire tâ—â—rmes if we love not the preaching of the word we cannot live for ever and there is a secret deceit in mens hearts they thinke they must honor Gods word but they are not bound to thinke any thing highly of their Ministers preaching especially if they have any quarrell or grudge against their Minister But let all men well consider when the Apostle here saith this is the word which is preached unto you if the word which is preached to you be not regarded you cannot stand in the day of Christ. Againe others thinke if wee had such preaching as was in the daies of Christ and the Apostles or as others have in other places we could then do that is required of us still marke the words it is the word preached to you you must rely upon If therefore the Preacher prove what he saith in the word of God this text will rise up in judgement against thee if thou obey noâ— Or if for want of life and power in application in thy teacher thy soule do not prosper then why livest thou in places where thou canst not stoope â—â— this to say this is the word which is preached to me Why are not men 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—full to provide a place where their soules may live well as where 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ies may live well I meane this of such as live in a free estate 4. Lastly this to you notes that the word is never powerfull but when we â—â—ply it to our selves and receive it as spoken to us in particular in all things 〈…〉 when we can say this word was preached to me then will th◠〈◊〉 worke FINIS A COMMENTARY OR SERMONS VPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF the first Epistle of Saint PETER VVHEREIN METHOD SENSE DOCTRINE AND USE IS WITH great variety of matter profitably handled and sundry heads of Divinity largely discussed BY NICHOLAS BYFIELD late Preacher of God's Word at ISLEVVORTH in MIDDLESEX London Printed for George Latham MDCXXXVI TO THE HONOVRABLE KNIGHT SIR HORATIO VERE Generall of the English Forces in the Low-Countries and to his most worthy Lady the Lady MARY VERE all happinesse that a poore widow may in their behalfe pray for at the Throne of Grace My much honoured Lord and Lady AS that speciall duty which I my selfe owe to you both so that purpose which my dear husband had while he lived of dedicating to you this Commentary of his upon S. Peters Epistle bindeth mee who am left his sole Executrix to see his VVill every way performed to set out this first of his workes published since his death under your Honourable Names It pleased you to take into your Family a childe of his body be further pleased I pray you to take into your Patronage this childe of his soule which as an Orphane yea as a Posthumus in all humility is presented unto you You manifested more then ordinary kindnesse to my husband while he lived wee and ours have oft tasted of the sweetnesse of your bounty so that I should deserve to be accounted most ingratefull if I should burie so many favours in oblivion or neglect to provoke others to love and good workes by proposall of your example Accept I beseech you this poore acknowledgement of thanks which is most due first to that primary Fountain of all goodnesse Almighty God for keeping your Lordship safe in your late imployment in the Palatinate and for freeing your Ladiship from those fears whereunto you could not but be subject by reason of his long absence and for giving you both a mutuall and comfortable fruition one of another And next to your selves for all those kindnesses which while my husband lived you did to him and his and since his death you continue to doe to such as he hath left behinde him Now the good God continue his blessed protection over you both and take all that belong unto you under the wings of his fatherly Providence And so I rest with the renewall of my sute that you would cast your eyes upon this VVork of him who much honoured you in his life time and is after his decease offred to you by Your humble Oratrix ELIZABETH BYFIELD To the Christian Reader MAny and great are the meanes which the Lord hath been pleased since this latter Spring of the Gospell begun above an hundred yeares agoe to afford unto his Church for opening of the mysteries of the Gospell Never since the Apostles times were the Scriptures more truly interpreted more fully expounded more distinctly divided or more powerfully pressed then in our Times The number of those who have taken good pain in this kinde is not small Wee may well put into the Catalogue of them the Author of this Commentary upon the second Chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter Master Nicholas Byfield by name who continued for the space of twenty yeeres to take more then ordinary paines in the work of the Lord. He had a singular gift in diving into the depth
thoughts and be yeelded to and delighted in and that constantly they seeke the pleasure of contemplative wickednesse and doe not resist it by praying against it even vaine thoughts may dead the affections and poison them Psal. 119.113 Fourthly sometimes it is neglect of mortification the sâ—ule will gather aboundance of humors as well as the body and therefore Christians should not goe too long especially if they â—eele a kind of fulnes to grow upon them but take a purge that is seriously and secretly set time apart to humble themselves before God purging out their most secretest corruptions with all hearty confession before God Fiftly sometimes it is want of practice or want of an orderly disposing of their waies in godlinesse If they rest onely in hearing their affections cannot last long sincere and besides the most Christians burden their own harts for very want of order and that they goe not distinctly about the works of godlinesse but rake together a great heape of doctrine which they know not what to doe withall Psal. 50. ult Sixtly sometimes againe it is occasioned by inordinate feeding when Christians begin to affect novelties and seeke to themselves a heape of teachers they scape not long without fulnesse and the fits of lâ—athing 2. Tim. 4.3 Seaventhly sometimes very idlenesse is the hindrance The want of a particular calling to imploy themselves in the sixe dayes breeds a generall kinde of wearinesse and satiety which extends the heart of it not only to the times of private dutyes in the working dayes but to the very Sabbath also They cannot worke at Gods worke with any great delight that had no more minde to their owne worke Eighthly sometimes it is neglect of preparation and praier before we come to the word Ninthly sometimes it is a violent kinde of ignorance and unbeliefe when a Christian knowes not this right to the word and will not be perswaded of the fatherly love and presence of God in his ordinance If Preachers must say I have beleeved therefore I will speake so must Hearers say I have beleeved therefore I will heare They should know that they are welcome to Christ and may eate and drinke Cant. 5.1 And that their heritage lieth in the word Psal. 119. Tenthly sometimes it is a very disease in the body as melancholy or some other which doth so oppresse the heart that it doth not take delight in any thing But of this more in the next Use. Lastly any of the sinnes mentioned in the former verse will hinder affection Malice Hypocrisie or Envy or any of the rest Vse 3. The third use may be for instruction to teach us to strive for affection to the word and to provide to order our selves so as we be not wanting in the direction of the Apostle and so two sorts are to be taught that is such as want appetite and such as have it that they may keepe it aright Quest. What must such doe as finde either want of appetite or decay of it Ans. Such as would get sound affections to the word must doe sixe things First they must refrain their feete from every evill way It is impossible to get sound affections without sound reformation of life Psalm 119. Secondly they must pray for it they must beseech the Lord to quicken them Psal. 119.37 and to inlarge their hearts verse 32. especially to give them understanding verse 34. and to open their eyes to see the wonderfull things of his law verse 18. Thirdly they must chuse an effectuall Ministery to live under it such as is executed with power and demonstration to the conscience 2. Cor. 4.2 Fourthly they must remember the Lords day and that they doe when they empty their heads and hearts of all cares of life which might choak the word diligently doing their owne works on the sixe daies and finishing them that they may be free for the Lords work on the Lords day The cares of life choake the word Matthew 13. Fiftly they must converse much if it be possible with affectionate Christians For as yron sharpneth yron so doth the exemplary affection of the tender-hearted whet on the dull spirits of others Sixtly they must purge often they must be frequent in the duties of humiliation by solemne fasting and prayer and sound confession striving when they feele fulnesse to grow upon them to disturden their hearts and to quicken their spirits more forcibly to the love of Gods name and word Quest. But what must such doe as have gotten some affections to the word that they neither lose them not be unprofitable in them Ans. They must looke to diverse things First they must hate vaine thoughts take heed of those secret vanities of imagination and that delightfull contemplation of evill in the minde Psalm 119. 113. Secondly they must trie all things and keepe that which is good they must heare with judgement and make speciall account of such parcels of doctrine as doe most fit their particular needes labouring by all meanes that such truths run not out 1. Thess. 5.21 Thirdly they must take heed of itching eares For where mens desires are still carried after new men they are in great danger of fulnesse or of declining and which is worse of being carried about with diverse doctrines and at length to be a prey to deceitfull mockers Fourthly they must preserve by all meanes the feare and trembling at Gods presence and humiliation of minde For so long as we can dread the presence of God in his ordinances we are in no danger of losing our love to the word Psalm 119.120 Lastly in Esay 55.1 2 3. wee may note diverse things that God requires in such as have the same thirst 1. They must come to meanes 2. They must buy and bargaine with God by prayer and vowes 3. They must eat that is they must apply it to themselves 4. They must be instructed against merit in themselves and bring faith to beleeve success though they deserve it not they must buy without mony 5. They must hearken diligently 6. They must eate that which is good that is they must apply effectually that doctrine they feele to have life in it 7. Their soules must delight in fatnesse that is they must be specially thankfull and cheerefull when God doth enlive his promises and sweeten his words to their tastes 8. They must after all this incline their ear and come to God they must make conscience to strive against dulnesse and distractions and seeke God in his word still or else their affections may decay and then if they doe this they shall live and enjoy the sure mercieâ— of David by a perpetuall covenant Quest. But what shall such godly persons as are afflicted with melancholy doe in this case of affections Ans. They must attend these things First they must be perswaded to see the disease in the body which extends the oppression of it to the very affections Secondly they must remember times that are past
same First then of the description of Christ. And therein the first point of doctrine that offerethit selfe to our consideration is that Christ is a gracious Lord. He is a Lord and Master to all true Christians and such a Lord and Master as never men served for wonderfull graciousnesse That he is a Lord to the faithfull is evident by other Scriptures also 1 Cor. 1.2 Hee is said to be a Lord to all that call upon him in every place Thus David cals him My Lord Psal. 110.1 And great Apostles confesse themselves to be his servants Rom. 1.1 Iâ—â—â— 1.2 Pet. 1.1 And that he is most gracious the Apostle shews when he telâ— that all Ages have cause to wonder at the marvellous kindnes that God hath shewed to men in Christ. The use may be both for information instruction and consolation First we may 〈◊〉 be informed that Christ is God with the Father For the which the Prophet David Psal. 34. whence the words of the for 〈…〉 borrowed Give to God the Apostle applies here unto Christ and the reason of the application may in the second place informe us that God is gracious to men onely by Jesus Christ. It is impossible ever to feele or taste of Gods graciousnesse but in his Sonne And thirdly wee are here told as it were that Christ is God visible God is made visible and sensible 〈◊〉 men by Jesus Christ This is that mystery of godlinesse God is manifested in the flesh Secondly is Christ our Lord and Master then these things will follow 1. That we must live and die to Christ Rom. 14.7 8 9. wee are not our owne men we must live to him that died for us 2 Cor. 5. ult The love of Christ must constraine us and all old things must bee passed and all things must become new unto us If Christ be our Lord where is his service he must rule us and rule over us If wee walke in the vanity of our minds according to the deceiveable lusts of our old conversation wee have not yet learned Christ nor the truth that is in Jesus Eph. 4. And therefore letus 〈…〉 looke to his wayes as hee that must one day give account of 〈…〉 Christ which will be judge both of quick and dead Rom. 14. 2. That every 〈◊〉 bow at the name Christ and every tongue must 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 to the glory of God Philip. 2.1 Rom. 14. Wee must all take motion of 〈◊〉 supreme authority and forme in our hearts all possible reverence toward him 3. VVee must not judge one another For what have wee to doe to judge another mans servant He stands or fals to his owne Master Rom. 14. 4 9. Thirdly it ought to bee the singular joy of our hearts that wee serve so glorious a Master Never servants served such a Lord as it may appeare by the enumeration of divers particular differences As First other masters are not wont to die for their vassals Christ shed his blood for us one drop of whose blood was more precious then all the bloods of all the men in the world and this he did onely to ransome and redeeme us that wee might be a peculiar people unto him Titus 2.13 Secondly never Master had such power to preferre his servants Christ hath all power in heaven and in earth Mat. 28. and all that to enrich us Thirdly we serve the best Master because we serve him that is King of Kings and Lord of all other Lords Revel 19. Fourthly in the service of other masters there is wonderfull difference of places and many of the servants serve in the lowest and basest offices without hope of any gaine or respect But in Christ Jesus there is no difference bond and free male and female Iewâ— and Grecian c. in Christ are all one Col. 3.11 Fiftly other Lords may advance their servants to great places but they cannot give them gifts to discharge them but Christ doth enrich his servants with every needfull gift for the discharge of their callings 1 Cor. 1.30 Eph. 1. ult Sixtly other servants know that their Lords may and doe die and so they leave their servants usually unpreferd But Christ lives for ever as the Author of eternall salvation to them that obey him Seventhly other Lords may take offence and doe often put away their servants But whom Christ loves he loves to the end so as whether they live or die they are still Christs Rom. 14.8 Eightly no Lord can give such sure protection to his servants as Christ gives to his No man shall pluck them out of his hands Efay 4.5 6. Iob. 10. And whatsoever wrong is done unto them he takes it as done to himselfe and therefore the afflictions of his servants are called the afflictions of Christ 2 Cor. 1.4 Ninthly and lastly never Lord was so boundlesse in his favour Christ makes his servants his fellowes 1 Cor. 1.9 They sit with him there in heavenly places Eph. 2.5 6. He is not ashamed to owne them as his brethren Heb. 2. His servants he makes sonnes and heires too yea heires with himselfe unto God Rom. 8. Never man was so fond of his wife as Christ is of his servants Rom. 7.4 and all the booke of Canticles shewes it Finally they shall all mign with him and be partners with him in his glory after they have laboured and suffered a little when hee appeares in glory they shall bee for ever glorified with him Secondly The second thing affirm'd of Christ is that hee is said to bee a living stone A living stone A stone and a living stone The holy Ghost is used in Scripture to liken God and Christ unto a stone so Gen. 49. 24. God is said to be the shepherd and stone of Israel and Revel 4.3 God is likened to a jasper stone and Psal. 118.22 Christ is said to be the stone which the builders refused and so in many other places Christ is said to be a stone three waies First For hee is either a rock or stone for refuge because in Christ men may safely rest against all the surges and waves of affliction in the sea of this world Psal. 18. Secondly Or else hee is a stone of stumbling as the Prophet Esaiah called him long since Chap. 8.14 And the Apostle Paul acknowledgeth the same Rom. 9.33 and this Apostle in verse 6. following Because wicked men take occasion from this doctrine of Christ to fall into sinne and mischiefe and because if Christ may not be the meanes of their salvation hee will bee an occasion of their falling but in neither of these senses is it taken here Thirdly But Christ is here likened to a foundation stone to signifie that it is hee upon whom all the Church must bee built This is that stone which was cut out of the mountaine without hands Dan. 2.45 that hard stone of which the Prophet Zachâ—ry speakes Chap. 4.7 10. He is said to be a living stone and some thinke to liken him
thereby to a flint stone which being smitten the sparkles as if it had fire in it give fire and light to other things It is true that Christ hath life in himselfe and doth give the sparkles upon the flames of life and light to other men But I thinke the stone here doth not import so much by any likenesse in it because it is a corner stone in the building which usually neither is nor can be of flint But he is said to be a living stone to distinguish him from materiall stones and by that word living to shew what the metaphor stone cannot resemble For though a stone might shadow out the continuance and eternity of Christ by the lastingnesse of it yet life is given here to Christ not onely because he lives himselfe and can doe no more Rom. 6.9 But because he is by effects life that is he makes life in the godly whereby they become living stones also The maine doctrine here intented is that Christ is the onely foundation of the Church Ob. David is said to be a stone and a hard stone of the corner Psal. 118. Sol. David was so onely by way of type his life being somewhat like the state of Christ in respect in the oppositions of men and preferment from God and that that place doth specially belong to Christ appeares by the application of Christ himselfe Matth. 21.32 Ob. But the Apostles are said to be the foundation of the church Eph. 2.20 Sol. The place is to be understood of the doctrine of the Apostles which treats in one maine point of Christ. Ob. But the Church is founded upon Peter Sol. The Church is not builded upon Peter but upon the rock which was the confession of Peter and so the doctrine of Christ for the text doth not say super banc Petrum but super banc Petram Vse The use may be first for confutation of the Papists about their blasphemous doctrine in ascribing this glory of being the foundation of the Church unto Peter and so to the Pope which they doe most absurdly for that place Matth. 16.18 is not understood of Peters person but of his confession And besides if it had beene true of Peter by what word of Scripture shall it be proved that it is true of the Pope who is not once named in Scripture except hee bee described as Antichrist Besides if the Church be built upon Peter or the Pope then it will follow we must believe in Peter and the Pope else wee cannot bee founded on them which is extremely blasphemous but that it may bee put out of all doubt let us heare the testimonie of Peter himselfe who best knew his owne right and you see in this text Peter saies Christ is the living stone and not hee This likewise imports the misery of all such as runne after other gods their sorrowes shall be multiplied Psalm 16.4 They build in the sand quite besides the foundation and so doe the Papists that put their trust in Saints and Angels But especially this should teach us as wee are here exhorted to build all our faith and hope in Christ and to cleave to him in all uprightnesse of heart and life and the rather because this stone hath seven 〈◊〉 and most perfectly viewes all and every part of this building that every stone bee set right c. Zachar. 3.9 Especially we should rest upon this stone when wee have any great sute to God and have occasion to continue to hold up your hands in praier and so we shall prosper as it was with Moses Exod. 17.12 Lastly it should bee the singular joy of our hearts when wee see the corner stone cast downe and God begin to build in any place the work of godlinesse and religion Wee have more cause to rejoice for that spirituall worke then the Iewes had to shout when the corner stone of the Temple was brought out to bee laid for a foundation of the building Zachar. 4.7 10. Thirdly the third thing said of Christ is that he was disallowed of men Disallowed of men This is added of purpose to prevent scandall which might arise from the consideration of the meane entertainment the Christian Religion found in the world The point is plaine that Christ was disallowed of men and this is evident in the stone The greatest part of the world regarded him not The Gentiles knew him not and the Iewes received him not Though three things in Christ were admirable his doctrine his life his miracles yet the Iewes beleeved not in him Hee came unto his owne and his owne received him not Nay they reviled him called him Samaritane and said he had a Divell They preferred a murtherer before him and their wise men even the Princes of this world crucified the Lord of life and glory This as it was storied by the Euangelists so it was foretold by the Prophets Esay 53. and 49.8 and so we see he is still of almost the whole world The Pagans yet know him not The Iewes yet renounce him The Turk receiveth him but as a Prophet The Papists receive him but in part and wicked men denie him by their lives Vses The first impression this should make in our hearts is admiration and astonishment This should be marvellous in our eies that men refuse the Sonne of God miserable men their Saviour captives their Redeemer and poore men such unspeakable riches as is offred in Christ that almost all mankind should be guilty of this sinne so as in comparison he should be Elect onely of God Secondly since this was foreseene and foretold we should be confirmed against scandall and like never a whit the worse of Christ or Religion for the scornes and neglects of the world Thirdly since the world disallowes Christ we may hence gather what account wee should make of the world and the men of the world we have reason to separate from them that are separated from Christ and not to love them that love not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 16.23 Fourthly we may hence see how little reason we have to take the counsels and judgements of carnall men though our friends and never so wise in naturall or civill wisdome their counsels were against Christ they disallow Christ and all Christian courses Fiftly why are we troubled for the reproaches of men and why doe we feare their revilings Shall we heare that Christ was disallowed and shall we be so vexed because we are despised Nay rather let us resolve to despise the shame of the world and to follow the author of our faith even in this crosse also Sixtly wee may be hence informed that indiscretion or sinne is not alwaies the cause of contempt For Christ is disallowed and yet without all spot of indiscretion or guile Seventhly and chiefly we should looke every one to our selves that we be not of the number of those that disallow Christ. For Christ is still disallowed of men and if any aske Question Who are they
their latter end What can be concluded from an example when Gods promise cannot bee shewed If any object that they have a promise for the Scripture saith that At what time soever a sinner repents himselfe from the bottome of his heart God will forgive him I answer that this sentence doth containe no such promise for it onely promiseth forgivenesse to them that repent at any time but it doth not promise that men may repent at any time when they will Besides the words in the Prophet Ezekiel are onely In the day that he turneth which import nothing to prove that a man may repent in any part of his life when he will Fourthly the conversion of the theese was without meanes miraculously by the divinity of Christ and is recorded among the workes of wonder such as were The raising of the dead the trembling of the earth the darkning of the Sunne and the like and if men dare not be so foolish as to expect that at their pleasures these other wonders should be done then neither may they in that of so late conversion without meanes If others say that men were hired into the vineyard at the eleventh houre and were allowed and rewarded as well as they that went in at the third houre I answer that the drift of the parable is onely to shew that men that had the meanes later than other men may yet be saved it cannot be stretched to so large a sense Besides being a Parable it may illustate but cannot prove without some other Scripture to which it serves as an illustration But my speciall answer is this that those men were never hired before the eleventh houre they went in so soone as any came to hire them And so it is true that if men have lived till extreame old age and never had the meanes till then they may have as much hope as they that had the meanes in their youth but that will not warrant the presumption of such as being called the third houre will not goe in till the eleventh houre Use 2. And therefore the second use should be for instruction to perswade all that minde their owne good to walke and worke while they have the light while it is yet to day before the shadowes of the evening be stretched out as our Saviour exhorts in the Gospel We should bestirre our selves to make all the profit we can of the present meanes God affordeth us for the night may many waies come upon us ere we be aware For first who knowes how soone the night of death may come upon any of us and then if we have no oyle in our lampes it will be too late to goe to seeke Secondly the night of restraint may come upon us the meanes may be taken away wee are not sure how long the Candlesticke may continue before it be removed God may take away good shepheards and suffer idle shepheards to succeed in the room of them Besides a mighty storme of cruell persecution may surprise us Thirdly the night of temptation may come and so for the time frustrate the life of the meanes for either God may hide himselfe from us and then the Sunne will be set to us even at noone day or God may hide the power of the Word from us even when it is of power to others as David imports Psal. 119. when he saith Lord hide not thy Commandements from mee or the Lord may restraine the spirits of his servants that speake unto us for the hearts of the Apostles themselves were not alwaies enlarged in the like manner towards the people as is imported 2 Cor. 6.11 Thus of the fourth doctrine Doct. 5. We may further hence note concerning the time of this visitation that not onely there is a season but withall that it is but a short time in comparison therefore here called The day of visitation Now a day is one of the least measures of time and this ariseth not onely from the brevity of mans life and the infinite mutations that befall the outward conditions of men and the extreame malice the divell and the world beare to the Gospel but also from the will of God who will offer his grace in so speciall a manner but for a short season Neither is the Lord bound to give account to us of his so doing since wee have more reason to admire his mercy that will offer us his grace at all than to murmure because it is not offred alwaies yet this shortnesse of the season doth the more magnifie Gods power that can so quickly conquer and set up the Kingdome of Christ and gather his elect And some cause may be taken from the rebellion of wicked men who when they despise holy things and use them vile the Lord to shew the account hee makes of those treasures removes them from them Thus the Jewes lost their glory Act. 13. When a people growe obstinate and will not be wrought upon that God that commands us not to give holy things to dogges doth himselfe also many times remove his Word for the unprofitablenesse and unworthinesse of the people Use. The use should be so much the more strongly to inforce the care of speedie profiting by the meanes while it is yet called Today as the Apostle urgeth it at large in the third and fourth chapters to the Hebrewes And withall it should teach us to bewaile the stupidity and carelesnesse of the multitude that in these times of peace and spirituall plenty have no care to make any provision for their soules over whom we may lament as Christ did over Jerusalem Luk. 19.42 c. And the shortnesse of the time should teach Ministers to labour more diligently they that are the stewards of the manifold graces of God should be instant in season and out of season and with all authority beseech rebuke and correct knowing that their time is short and uncertaine Doct. 6. We may here note that the day when God visits a man with his grace is a glorious day The Apostle speakes of it as of the most happie time of the life of man and so was it ever accounted by the godly Esa. 24.22 23. And it must needs appear to be a day of singular happinesse if we consider what that day brings forth instantly unto the man or woman visited of God For First in that day God reveales in some measure his love to the visited which is the more admirable a benefit because Gods love is a free love and it is everlasting and is also immense Secondly in that day he gives that particular person unto Christ and gives Christ unto him with all his merits Ioh. 10. and 17. Thirdly in that he justifies him both forgiving him all his sinnes and clothing him with the righteousnesse of Christ. Fourthly in that day he adopts him to bee his owne child that was before the child of wrath Rom. 8.16 Fifthly in that day hee gives him a new nature and creates and
fashions in him the Image of Jesus Christ and so reveales Christ in him Colos. 3.10 Galat. 2.20 Sixtly in that day he gives him the holy Ghost never to depart out of his heart Gal. 4.7 Seventhly in that day he makes him free so as hee is inrolled amongst the living and acknowledged particularly of God amongst the Saints Hee is written in the writing of the house of Israel and is free from all the miserie and bondage he was in before or was in danger of and hee is henceforwards free of the house and presence of God Hee may feede at his Table and eate the food of life He hath accesse with boldnesse at all times into the presence of God with any suites He is also free to the Communion of Saints and is restored to the free and lawfull use of the creatures in generall Psal. 87.5 Esa. 4.4 Rom. 8.1 Gal. 1.6 Esa. 25.8 Mark 11.24 Eph. 2.20 21. Mat. 5.5 Eighthly he sets a guard of Angels about him to attend him all the dayes of his life Heb. 1.14 Psal. 34. Ninthly in that day he is received into Gods protection in respect of afflictions which protection containes in it foure things First the withholding of many crosses which doe fall upon others God spares him as a man would spare his onely sonne Mal. 3.17 Secondly the bounding of the crosse so as God appoints the measure which is ever with the respect of the strength of the party Esay 27.7 8. Thirdly the sanctification of the crosse so as all shall work for the best Rom. 8.28 Fourthly deliverance out of trouble in due time Psal. 34.17 Tenthly he assures and estates upon him the evidence of an inheritance that is immortall undefiled that withers not reserved for him in heaven 1 Pet. 1.3 The use should bee chiefly to move godly men to the exact study of those things and to all possible thankfulnesse for Gods visitation and they should with much joy remember the very time if it may be when God did so visit them and if the men of this world keepe commemoration yearely of the dayes of their birth or marriage how much more cause hath a Christian to preserve in himselfe and to speake of it to the praise of God the very day and season when God did first reveale his grace unto him Let none mistake me I meane it not of all Christians for many Christians did never observe or know distinctly the very first day of their conversion being not called either by ordinary meanes or not in such a sensible manner as some others were or stood for a time in temporary grace yet unto all the counsell is profitable that taking a day in the sense as it is here they should often thinke of with gladnes the season of their conversion or at least magnifie God for the thing it selfe that they are converted And besides all such as enjoy the meanes of grace and yet have not felt this visitation of God should be much allured to the care of attending upon the meanes and be made desirous to receive the grace of God and that effectually it should much move them that God hath now sent them the means and keepes his publique visitation and that God stands not upon desert nor doth he make exception of them but offers his grace unto all and desireth not the death of any sinner yea beseecheth them to be reconciled and to that end hath committed the Word of reconciliation to his servants with expresse commandement that they should be instant and with all patience instruct men and call upon them and perswade them to save their soules Doct. 7. We may yet further from hence observe That before calling the very Elect of God may be as bad as any other as here till God visited those elect Gentiles they were railers as well as others so were the former sinnes mentioned 1 Cor. 6.9 found in the very Elect as the eleventh verse sheweth This appeares by the example of Manasses Mary Magdalene Paul and the theife on the Crosse see further Tit. 3.3 And the reasons may be easily assigned For first the very Elect before calling have the same corruption of nature that other men have and so all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God so as there is not one of them doth good no not one Secondly they have the same occasions to sin from the Devill and the world Thirdly and were their natures somewhat better than other mens yet they would have bin leavened as they were a part of the lump of infected mankind This may both informe us and teach us in divers things It may informe us in three things viz. about our election and our justification and about the Gospell as the meanes of our vocation For election this point proves it must be free seeing there was no goodnesse in the very elect more than in the reprobate in the estate of nature And for Justification the Apostle Paul useth the consideration of this doctrine in the third Chapter to the Romans to prove it cannot be by workes And for the Gospell wee may here see the mighty power of it it may well be called the Arme of the Lord and his power to salvation that can thus mightily and suddenly change men And it should teach us also divers things as it concernes either ourselves or other men or God 1. For our selves it should teach us to walke both more humbly all our dayes seeing wee have beene vile as well as others and also more watchfully seeing wee carry about us a nature that hath beene so rebellious against God and besides wee should resist the beginnings of sinne in us as having knowne by experience whither sinne will lead us if wee give way to it and dally with it 2 For others not yet called it should teach us both compassion of their miserie it having beene our owne case and a care to shew all meekenesse to all men in waiting for their conversion and patience in bearing their wrongs 3 For God how can we ever sufficiently love him that hath shewed such love to us even when we were his enemies Yea wicked men that are smitten with terrors for the hainousnesse of their sinnes should hence confirme themselves against despaire seeing they may hence learne that as great offendors as they have beene converted and saved 2 Tim. 1.15 There is one thing that from hence men must take heed that they doe not learne that is that they abuse not these examples to confirme themselves in sinne for there is matter to daunt them and fright them from this presumption For first not all that have lived licentiously but some few onely have beene saved the rest perished in their owne wickednesse Secondly of those that were saved none were saved without amendment of life and regeneration and therefore so long as thou livest in thy sinne so long their example fits thee not The last Doctrine that may from hence bee made is
Christians as in the manner shew no scruple nor feare nor trouble of minde for breaking Gods expresse Law in requiring obedience to Magistrates while they are ignorant whether it be a sinne or no to obey and yet on the other side are extremely fearefull and troubled in themselves to vary from the advice or example of such men as they account godly or fathers to them or others in Religion and so are more fearefull to breake mens traditions than Gods Commandements Tradition is ill as well when it comes from good men as when it comes from bad men 3. The Jesuites that maintaine that horrid doctrine of deposing or murthering of Princes so farre are they from obeying them Persons rather to be confuted by strokes than by arguments as men that offend not onely against the Lawes of God but the Lawes of Nations and the Law of Nature Hitherto of the things to which they must submit themselves viz. to every ordinance of man The motive or manner followes For the Lords sake These words doe import both the cause and the manner of submission they must submit for the Lords sake and so First there are divers things in God which should move Christians to all possible care of pleasing and obeying their Magistrates as First Gods and mens Magistrates were ordained of God and therefore for his sake that set them up we should obey them Secondly Gods Commandements God hath required our submission and therefore for the respect of the dutie wee owe to God we should obey them Thirdly Gods Image Magistrates are little Gods in the world they resemble Gods soveraignty or Majesty and therefore because they are like God we should obey them even for so much of the similitude of God as wee may behold in them or their authority Fourthly Gods mercies we are infinitely bound unto God and therefore for his sake even for the love we beare to him wee should doe this which hee requireth Fifthly Gods glory God shall get much honour and his religion will be well spoken of if Christians live obediently and contrariwise if Christians be not obedient God may be much dishonoured thereby and great stormes of affliction may be brought upon the Church by the wrath of Princes Sixthly the judgements of God because they must give account to God for their behaviour toward Magistrates as well as for their behaviour towards God himselfe Secondly these words may note the manner of obedience we must obey Princes for Gods sake not onely for conscience sake but even as if wee did obey God himselfe and with a due respect unto God and so it may make also a limitation We must so obey man as we still have respect unto God so as nothing be done against the Word or pleasure of God Use. The use should be therefore for instruction to teach us to looke carefully to our selves in our submission and so to obey First from the heart because God is intituled to this service Secondly with feare because God will be an avenger of disobedience and resisting of the powers Thiâ—dly though our subjection should be to our losse or discredit or danger or hurt any way yet for the Lords sake we should doe it There is motive enough in God though there were not worthinesse in the Magistrate or recompence to us Againe it serves to shew the hatefulnesse of those transgressors that resist the power and will not make conscience of it to submit themselves to the ordinances of Magistrates For this is to resist God himselfe this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God will certainly be a revenger of this disobedience it being his owne cause as well as the Magistrates Besides it serves to informe us concerning the admirable power and wisdome of God in effecting the subjection of man to authority of Magistrates All men naturally affect to excell and like not superiority in other men And besides it is needfull that one man should governe and keepe in order millions of men disposed as before Now this well points at the cause of this order and suâ—jection which is the respect of God God naturally hath planted in the hearts of men a feare to rebell or disobey even for feare of God himselfe more than Princes and besides God hath made man to see by experience that he doth defend the persons and rights of Kings by revenging the disobedience of men this naturall conscience keepes under naturall men Now though the Apostle would have godly men to obey for the same reason yer it iâ— upon an higher ground for godly men are instructed by the Word of God to obey Princes yea herein differâ— the obedience of the godly from the wicked that the godly man obeyes for the meere love hee beares to God and the wicked only for feare of vengeance from God so both obey for an higher reason than the respect of Princes themselves even for the Lords sake the one for the love of God and the care of his glory the other for feare of his punishments and judgements Lastly it shewes men must so acknowledge the glory of Princes as that especially we have respect unto the glory of God who is King of Kings we must obey Kings in the land so as God be not disobeyed Thus of the Proposition the Exposition followeâ— The Apostle labours to cleare this doctrine from divers scruples might be conceived by Christians whether they arise from the diversitie of the sorts of Magistrates or from their soveraigntie For the sorts hee shewes they must obey Magistrates of all sorts both superiour and inferiour the highest and those which are subordinate to them both Kings and Governours also for their soveraigntie Hee teacheth them to observe the supremacie of Kings and Monarchs In generall we may learne from the Apostles care to prevent mistaking herein that he accounts it a pernicious thing to erre about the authoritie of Princes and their Goverâ—ours And experience shewes it to be pernicious sometimes to the persons of Kings who are often by treason murthered upon wicked and erroneous grounds and sometimes to the subjects who draw upon themselves not onely fearefull sinnes but miserable punishment also by erring herein sometimes it is pernicious to religion it selfe and religious causes giving not onely scandall but procuring desolation in the Churches through errours sometimes on the left hand and sometimes on the right hand Whether to the King It may be questioned whom the Apostle meanes by the word King Such as understand the Epistle to be written to the Jewes may perhaps conceive that the Kings that ruled by deputation in Judea should bee meant such as were Herod and Agrippa But in as much as the Jewes were scattered thorow the Provinces and those provinciall Jewes were most in quiet and in as much as for the reasons afore given it is likely that the Epistle was written to all Christians both Jewes and Gentiles therefore by the King hee meant Caesar. And then a more scruple ariseth for the Romans
the Inhabitants that the common priviledges might be maintained that courses for raising of riches and trades might be held Each man did looke to his owne wealth but the King was to looke to the Common-wealth And thus much of the Originall of Kings Their excellencie above other men followes Secondly it must needs appeare that Kings are of all men most excellent in respect of their outward condition and calling 1. Because God himselfe was a King and is delighted to ranke himselfe among men of that degree 2. Because their creation is from God they are a speciall sort of men raised in a peculiar manner to their places by God who pleads it as his glory that Kings raigne by him Prov. 8. Rom. 13. 3. Because God hath communicated to Kings the image of his owne Majestie and printed in the natures of men a naturall forme of Kings as the Vice-gerents to God himselfe 4. Because a divine sentence is in the mouth of the King as Salomon faith their judgement is God's judgement and God would have the people to beleeve that what they say in judgement God himselfe saith it 5. Because they have a power above all other men of which when I come to treat of the word Superiour 6. Because they take accounts of all other men but give accounts onely to God 7. Because they have the treasure of honour they give all the honour which is possessed by any of their subjects and so doe they all offices of honour and government in their Dominions 8. Because they are the Basis or the foundation or stay of all their subjects who are maintained in Religion Justice and Peace by their meanes And thus of their excellencie Thirdly it is to be noted that the word is set downe indefinitely and so it shewes that this honour belongeth to all Kings in the substance of it whether he be a King of one City or many whether he be a Jew or Gentile a Christian or Pagan Hereticall or Orthodoxall Caesar or Herod young or old vertuous or vitious Use. Fourthly the use should bee therefore from hence to inforce upon our hearts an increase of care and conscience in acknowledging the honour and right of Kings and in loyall and sincere observance and obedience to their Lawes It should not seeme grievous to men to bee held under the yoke of obedience and to bee subject to others that are but men as well as themselves There are many things may encourage the hearts of subjects without grievance to beare the superiority of Princes and not to be discontented for First Kings have nothing but what they have received Secondly if Kings doe wrong they must give account to God for all the wrongs that they have done Thirdly God hath charged Princes to bee carefull of their subjects hee hath given them lawes though they bee Kings Fourthly Princes subjects are first bound to God and therefore they are not tied to Princes in any thing contrary to Gods Word Fifthly though the outward man be subjected to the power of Princes yet their consciences are free in spirit they are subject onely to the God of spirits Sixthly the hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord and he turneth them as he pleaseth Prov. 21. Seventhly though God hath set up Kings yet he hath not put downe himselfe but he ruleth in all these things he is King of heaven Dan. 4.34 and he is King of all the earth Psal. 47.8 He is a King immortall 1 Tim. 1.12 Eighthly whereas thousands of subjects cannot attaine to the sight of the King nor obtaine any particular suit from him nor can the King provide for them in particular yet may they goe to God and Jesus Christ who is King of righteousnesse and peace they may get great suits in heaven and shall bee provided for in all needfull things Psal. 23.1 and 5.3 and 48.15 and 74.12 and 80.2 Esay 49.10 Mat. 2.6 Revel 7.17 Lastly though they be subjects now in respect of earthly Princes yet in respect of God they are anointed to be Kings themselves and shall receive a Kingdome better than all the kingdomes of the earth The Princes of this world are but mortall Kings but every godly man is a King immortall hee partakes the title of God himselfe God is a King immortall by nature and he is a King immortall by adoption and grace and besides the poorest subject that is a true Christian entertaineth the King of glory every day Psal. 24 7 9. As superiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth one that hath above the havings of other men and so the King hath more than all his subjects not onely in matter of maintenance but also in matter of authoritie and supremacie this his having in supremacie is here meant That the King is supreme is so manifest by this text as it needs no proofe Princes are called therefore in the Old Testament Heads of the Tribes or of the people to signifie that they were not onely higher in place but had soveraigne and supreme authoritie over all the people This supremacie of Kings gives them authoritie in all causes both ecclesiaâ—ticall and civill and over all persons Church-men as well as Lay-men as hath beene proved at large before in the former parts of this verse The use is therefore to coufute the damnable pleadings of the Popes of Rome and their adherents that claime to have the right of supremacie above the Kings and Princes of the world There are divers manifest arguments to overthrow the supremacie of the Pope First this expresse text that acknowledgeth the Kings to be superiour this was the Doctrine in the Apostles times Secondlyâ— it is more to bee noted that Peter himselfe who by the opinion of the Papists had the height of place in the Church that even Peter I say is so far from claiming this to himselfe that hee directs Christians to acknowledge supremacie onely as the right of Kings yea and flatly forbids dominion in the Clergie 1 Pet. 5.5 Thirdly our Saviour Christ at large beats downe this primacie or supremacie in his Apostles and all Church-men shewing that they had not authoritie as the Kings of the earth had it must not bee so with them and much lesse had they authoritie over the Kings of the earth Matth. 20.25 Luke 22.25 Fourthly every soule must bee subject to the higher powers If every soule then Church-men if they have soules must be subject and therefore may not rule Rom. 13.1 Fifthly Christ and the Apostles never claimed any such supremacie but shewed the contrary by their doctrine and practice Sixthly it is made the expresse marke of that man of sinne that hee lifts up himselfe above all that is called God that is above Magistrates 2 Thess. 2. This hath beene the constant Doctrine of the ancient Fathers Origen Homil. 7. in Isai. faith Hee that is called to a Bishoprick is not called to principality but to the service of the Church Tertullian lib. ad
incorrigiblenesse fourthly by the vanity of his thoughts fifthly by his dotages about earthly things sixthly by his idolatry seventhly by his hypocriticall tricks eighthly by suffering the injuries of false teachers and lastly by the vaine grounds of his hope and faith The spirituall mad man followes to be described and so these sorts of men following are convicted of madnesse in the Scripture First the Atheist He is a man void of reason that denies principles and such an one is he that faith in his heart There is no God as hee that denies the providence of God Psal. 14.1 and 94.8 Secondly the swearer The fooles or mad men blaspheme Gods name Psal. 74 18. Hee were a mad man that would daily raile at the King to his face and such are blasphemers Thirdly the persecuter The Apostle speaking of men that resist the truth as Iannes and Iambres resisted Moses saith that their madnesse shall bee manifested to all men so that he particularly cals tesisting of the truth madnesse 2 Tim. 3.9 Fourthly the idle person Hee is a mad man that will eat his owne flesh but such a one is the slothfull person because hee brings poverty upon himselfe like an armed man or else destroyes the health of his body by his lazinesse or brings misery upon his wife and children or because his soule is eaten up with rust and the canker of his negligence Eccles. 4.5 Fifthly the wilfull offender Hee is a mad man that when hee heares of some imminent danger yet will not avoid it such a one is every grosse offender that hearing of the judgements God will bring upon him for such sinnes or perceiving that the wrath of God is broken out upon others for the like offences yet will madly goe on without feare The prudent man feareth and departeth from evill but he is a foole or mad man that rageth and is confident Prov. 14.16 Ierem. 5.21 22. Sixthly the senslesse praâ—er We discerne him to be a mad man that talking continually faulters in his words and utters sentences that are unperfect without sense or coherence such persons in religion are those prating fooles Salomon speakes of that are full of words and void of sound judgement as the legs of the lame are not equall so is a parable in a fooles mouth As you discerne a lame man by this that his legs are one longer than another so you may discover a spirituall mad man by his discourse about the high points of religion for his words agree not together his sentences are senselesse and unequall A foole hath no delight to get sound understanding in these things and yet is wonderfull forward to utter his minde though hee discover nothing but his ignorance and folly Prov. 18.2 and 26.7 Seventhly the Epicure or voluptuous person He is a mad man that is never merry but when hee hath done some mischiefe and such are all they that make a sport of sinne Prov. 10.23 and 14.9 and 15.22 Eightly the railer He is a mad man that will goe up and down a Towne or a Citie and set fire on the houses of other men as he goes and therefore is the railer called a foole because in his lips there is a burning fire hee devoures the reputation of good men every where where he comes The Apostle Iames cals it The fire of hell Iam. 2. Prov. 16.27 Iude 10. And thus he is a mad man that hateth other men for doing good as the Pharisees did Christ for healing on the Sabbath-day for whâ—ch they were said to bee mad Luke 6.11 Ninthly the Apostate or backslider in Religion Thus the Galatians were bewitched with madnesse that had begun in the Spirit and would end in the flesh that had forsaken the glorious ornaments and priviledges of the Gospel so trust upon beggerly rudiments that forâ—ooke the pretious merits of Christs righteousnesse to trust to the stained clouts of their owne unrighteousnesse Gal. 3.1 3. Tenthly the unthankfull and injurious person Hee is a mad man that will strike his friend that provoketh him not and so are all Nabals their folly is with them that use their friends as Nabal did David 1 Sam. 25.25 Eleventhly the contentious person He is a mad man that layeth snares to catch himselfe and will speake things that force strokes upon himselfe so is every unquiet intemperate busie-body A fooles lips saith Salomon enter into contention and his mouth calleth for strokes A fooles mouth is his destruction his lips are the snare of his soule Pro. 18.6,7 Eccl. 10.12 Pro. 14.3 Twelfthly the implacable person Such men as are so furious there is no appeasing of them but they are like a Beare robbed of her welps Prov. 17.12 They are mad men that will heare no reason A stone is heavie and sand is weightie but a fooles wrath is heavier than them both Prov. 27.3 Thirteenthly all men that abuse their prosperity to the greater liberty of sinne and injury They are mad men that cannot be ruled unlesse they bee kept fasting A man distracted if you let him have his belly filled will trouble the whole house so a wicked man if hee enjoy prosperity and successe will disquiet the whole towne where he lives There are foure things saith Salomon disquiet the earth and one of them is a foole with his belly filled that is a wicked man when he prospers and hath what he will Prov. 30.22 Uses The use of all may be first to shew the misery of all unregenerate men that live in a continuall phrenzie or deâ—ect of all spirituall understanding It is a wofull judgement to have our reason taken from us in naturall things but much more in spirituall for upon this ground it manifestly followes 1. That they lose all the benefit of spirituall instruction all the Ordinances of God during the time of this folly or madnesse are meerely in vaine to them Their phrenzie makes them not onely to want sense but withall to despise all Gods counsels Prov. 1.7 2. That they shame themselves in all their dealings for when a foole walketh by the way he saith to every one that he is a foole Eccles. 10.3 And thus they will undoe themselves soule and body if they hold on A mad man if he governe his estate will soone ruine it Iob 5.3 3. That they live shut up from all the sound comforts of life as fooles and mad men they are shut up in darknesse Eccles. 2.14 God useth them as we use mad men for though he let them goe up and downe the world and so they have a larger roome to walke in than ordinarily our mad men have yet God hath chained them though insensibly the world is but a house of darknesse to their mindes the saving light and all the fruits of it are withheld from them 4. That they are in great danger to dye of their phrenzie and to perish for lack of wisdome Prov. 22.23 Iob 36.12 And therefore in the second place this may serve for instruction unto
in the very pulpits showers of reproaches which ambitious and malicious temporizers poure out to strengthen the hands of the wicked and discourage the hearts of the righteous they thinke they may revile securely because they heare that way every where evill spoken of that cause and language is the cause and language of the multitude Fifthly because many ignorant persons when they are confuted yet are so foolish that they will wilfully persist in their objections upon this pretence that though they cannot reply against the answer yet they thinke if such and such were there that have more experience and learning they would confirme and make good what they say Sixthly because malice hath no eares they hate the truth and godly men and therefore are utterly unwilling to abate any thing of the disgraces of the truth or godly persons If it be not as they say yet their malice would faine have it so and if it may disgrace the godly they care not whether it be true or no. Seventhly because many times God gives them over to such a reprobate sense that through custome and evill thoughts and evill surmises they think verily they doe not much amisse to oppose and hate such persons This was the case of such as reviled and persecuted the Apostles they thought they did God good service as Christ prophesied of them The Uses of this doctrine follow Uses First therefore we should not wonder if we see this daily come to passe that men of all sorts should reproachâ— the good way of God so unjustly so foolishly so pertinaciously Secondly it shewes that godly men had need to be circumspect and to watch their words and workes with all exactnesse and that they which will confute ignorant men must strive to be very able and throughly furnished with wisedome of words and abundance of good works Thirdly it shewes that ignorant persons are in a lamentable case that are so inwrapped in the snares and cords of their owne folly that so willingly and wilfully run towards the gates of death and ruine that are so hardly cured of this spirituall blindnesse Fourthly it imports that study self-will'd perverse Christians that cannot be diverted or advised are to be reckoned in the rank of these fooles what shew soever they make of a better estate Fifthly it doth comfortably import that when one is teachable and hates reproaching and will doe or say nothing against the truth and is not pleased with his ignorance but judgeth himselfe for it and useth the meanes to get the knowledge and love of the truth that such a person is escaped from the congregation of these fooles and is in some measure enlightned with true wisdome from above Sixthly it may warn all that love their owne soules hereafter to take heed and with care to avoid wilfulnesse and self-conceitednesse Let men take heed they be not wise in themselves but strive to frame themselves to be true workers of wisdome and withall to take heed of a multitude of words hee that cannot be silent cannot be wise of godly And thus of the fifth doctrine Doct. 6. Sixthly we may here note that wel-doing is the best way to confure wicked and unreasonable men A sound and fruitfull life is the likeliest and surest way to still them if any thing will doe it it is the best way for divers reasons 1. Because we see here it is a course of Gods chusing and he saith it will even muzzle them and binde up their mouthes and he will give successe to the obedience of his owne commandements 2. Because by a conversation full of good workes we doe not only confute them our selves but we make others able to answer for us in all places 3. Because if a man undertake to answer them by words he is in danger to be provoked to speake unadvisedly and so many prove like those fools whom he reproves Pro. 26.5 4. Because the naturall conscience of the wicked is as it were feared to take notice of a good conversation and will struggle and resist within the wicked man so as he cannot so securely vent his reproaches 5. Because it is a way that brings most peace and comfort to ones owne heart If he deale with them by words his heart may afterwards smite him for some absurdity or other he hath committed whereas he is safe that fights against them by his good workes 6. Because it is the surest way of revenge to overcome their evill with goodnesse especially if thou canst get but the advantages to doe good to them that reproach thee Rom. 12.18 19. Use. The sound consideration of this truth should subdue in us that over-eager desire of answering such as wrong us by bitter words or workes of revenge yea it should compell upon us a consultation whether it be best to deale with them at all by words Gods way is by works and thou must get a great deale of temperance and wisedome if thou think thy selfe able to confute them throughly by words It is true also that in some cases we may resort to the Magistrate to punish them that abuse us but yet still this counsell of God that bids us silence them by well-doing should intimate that other courses must be used with much caution and without rashnesse or confidence in them Secondly this may reprove that unquietnesse and impatience which is found in some Christians when they are reproached and wronged they are much vexed at the indignities offered to them think it strange that wicked men should not cease traducing of their names whereas perhaps if they examine themselves they may finde that they have not used the meanes to still them they have not muzzled these dogs and therefore no wonder if they bark and bite too and muzz'ed we see here they will not be but by their good works And therefore if they be barren and unfruitfull they must take notice of the fault in themselves There are other things that may be noted out of these words but I will only touch them as Doct. 7. That onely foolish men doe reproach godly men Such as revile and censure many are usually either openly carnall men as they were drunkards that reproached David and abjects Psal. 35.15 and 69.13 They were either fooles or the children of fooles but viler they were than the earth that had Iob in derision cap. 30.1,8 men that ranne into excesse of riot as the Apostle writeth 1 Pet. 4.5 or else hypocrites that have nothing in them but words and empty shewes Or if at any time there bee a sinne found in godly men it is in such as are but babes and looke like carnall men and have a great deale of their naturall folly and madnesse unsubdued in them 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3. But for the most part it is a fault found onely in wicked men Doct. 8. That it is a great paine to a wicked man to be restrained from reproaches Hee is as much vexed when hee cannot or dare not speake
men especially about doubtfull or indifferent actions of men 1 Cor. 5.10 Iam. â— 17 2. To shew all meeknesse and gentlenesse to all men striving to bee soft and amiable in all their occasions of conversing Tit. 3.1 2. Iam. 3.17 studying to be quiet and to meddle with their owne businesse 1 Thess. 4.12 following peace towards all men Heb. 12.14 Rom. 12.19 Onely in this generall respective behaviour towards all sorts of men Christians must looke to two rules First the one is that they never justifie the wicked nor condemne the righteous Prov. 17.15 Secondly the other is that by needlesse society they make not themselves companions with open evill doers Psal. 1.1 Love the Brother-hood The second thing requisite to the framing of a complete citizen or subject is the soundnesse of his affection or carriage towards such as bee religious in the Common-weale where he lives The brother-hood is the society or company of so many as are true Christians in the place of a mans aboad or acquaintance that which is required is that howsoever wee should shew a generall respect of all sorts of men to carry our selves fairely towards them yet we should in a speciall manner set our love upon such as bee religious persons and should shew upon all occasions that wee doe honour and affect them as heartily and as tenderly as if they were our very brethren in the flesh or rather more stricter in that they are allied unto us in a far greater and better bond than that naturall consanguinity This is that which is also earnestly required and urged in other Scriptures as Rom. 10.12 Heb. 13.1 1 Pet. 1.22 Ioh. 13.34 Ephes. 2.5 Now this love to the godly of our acquaintance wee should shew divers wayes First by making choice of them as the onely companions of our lives Phil. 1.5 All our delight should bee in them Psal. 16.3 And so wee should receive them and intreat them as Christ received us to glory that is freely and with all heartinesse of affection thinking nothing too deare for them Rom. 15.7 1 Pet. 4.9 This is the noblest kinde of hospitality no fellowship like the brotherly society of true Christians so it bee without dissimulation and constant Rom. 12.10 1 Pet. 4.5 Secondly by imploying our gifts the best that we can for their good 1 Pet. 4.10 Now our gifts are either spirituall or outward gifts First spirituall gifts are knowledge utterance prayer or the like Now these are given to profit withall not our selves onely but others 1 Cor. 12. Thus Christians should help others with what they have learned when they meet together Prov. 15.7 1 Cor. 14.26 Col. 3.16 And thus they must help one another by prayer whether they be absent or present 2 Cor. 1.11 Secondly outward gifts are riches friends authority and the like and these should be imployed especially for the good of the brethren Psal. 16.3 Gal. 6.10 Phil. 2.4 And all this we should doe with all faithfulnesse 3 Ioh. 3.5 and with all compassion putting under our shoulders to beare their burthens Gal. 2.6 Now their burthens are either inward temptations or outward afflictions in both these we should help to beare their burthens If they bee burthened with infirmities or temptations wee should beare their burthens by laying their griefes to our hearts and by striving to comfort them and if their sorrows be for wrongs done us we should let them see how easily we can forgive them If it bee outward afflictions that burthen them we beare their burthens when wee sorrow with them that sorrow and are ready to the uttermost of our power to advise them or releeve and help them Thirdly wee should shew our speciall love to them by striving together with them in the cause and quarrell of Religion striving by all meanes to bee of one opinion and affection with them in matters of Religion and to the uttermost of our power to defend them by word and deed according to our callings and occasions Phil. 1.27 1 Cor. 1.10 Phil. 2.3 Uses The use may be first for the discovery of the notable wickednesse of multitudes of Christians that are so farre from loving godly men in the places where they live that of all other men they most dislike them and shew it by reproaching them by traducing them by avoyding their society by divers hatreds of them and by many injurious causes against them And this is the condition of multitudes of Christians that imbrace any fellowship with other sorts of men though never so vile and stand in direct opposition to the godly yea so blinde are the most that they almost thinke they doe God good service if they could rid the countrey of them Esay 65.5 The misery of such men is manifestly described in divers Scriptures and by this signe they are discovered to be no Christians indeed 1 Ioh. 2.9 but rather of the race of Cain or Ismael 1 Ioh. 3.20 Gal. 4.29 and therefore most hatefull to God 1 Ioh. 3.15 Secondly we may hence gather a signe of such as are in the state of salvation actually For if we love the brother-hood we shall be saved as the Apostle is peremptory 1 Ioh. 3.14 and the more apparent will be the signe if we love all the godly and for godlinesse sake both which the word brotherhood imports Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly I might hence observe also that all the godly are brethren and so they are in divers respects First in respect of profession they have all one faith and weare one and the same livery of Baptisme and serve all one Lord Ephes. 4.4 Secondly they have all one Father Mat. 2.10 one God begate them Thirdly they have all one mother the Church Fourthly they must needs be brethren they are so like one another they are all fashioned in the image of God and are all like the Father Use. 1. The use should be first for instruction and so to teach Christians to take heed of judging and censuring one another Rom. 14.10 of offending and grieving one another Rom. 14.13 21. of contentions and schisme one from another 1 Cor. 1.10 of going to law one with another 1 Cor. 6.1 2 c. to verse 8. of coozening and defrauding one another 1 Thess. 4.6 of accepting of persons to preferre a rich man before a poore beleever Iam. 2.1 2. of detracting one from another or grudging or complaining one of another Iam. 4.11 so also Matth. 23.8 of all dissimulation and guilefull courses Rom. 12.9 All these things ought to bee avoided in our carriage toward godly men because they are our brethren Have wee not all one Father why then doe we transgresse even more against our brethren Thus Mal. 2.10 And secondly it should teach us divers things to be done or sought after as for instance 1. It should teach us unity to live together with all concord because we are brethren For how comely a thing is it for brethren to live together in
unity Psal. 133.1 2. It should teach us mercy and that both spirituall and corporall as was in part shewed before they are brethren and therefore if thou bee converted strengthen them Luke 22.32 If they trespasse against thee and confesse it forgive them Mat. 18. If they fall by temptation into any sinne of infirmity hate them not but reprove them plainly Lev. 19.17 If they offend more freely separate from them but yet hope the best as of a brother reject them not as enemies 2 Thess. 3.15 And if they be in any outward adversity remember that a brother was borne for the day of adversity Prov. 17.17 And therefore if thy brother be impoverished let him be releeved to the uttermost of thy power Lev. 25.35 3. All just and faithfull dealing should we shew one towards another because wee are brethren yea none of us should allow himselfe liberty so much as to imagine evill against his brother Zach. 7.9 10. Thirdly Superiours also should learne here not to be tyrannicall or hard-hearted or proud or arrogant in their carriage towards their inferiours for they rule their brethren not their slaves Deut. 17.19 Phil. 10. Nor yet should inferiours for this reason grow carelesse or disobedient for the Apostle shewes that that were an abuse of this doctrine 1 Tim. 6.1 2. Use. 4. Fourthly all poore Christians that are true Christians have much cause to rejoyce Iam. 1.9 for they have a great kinred All the Godly are their brethren yea the Apostles Acts 15.23 yea the godly Kings Psal. 122.8 yea the Angels Rev. 19.10 yea Christ himselfe is not ashamed to call them brethren Rom. 8.29 Heb. 2.10 Mat. 12.49 I might adde that wicked men should take heed how they oppose godly men there are a great kinred of them and they never prospered that wronged them yea some great Ones have bin fain to humble themselves to lick the very dust of their feet sometimes that they might be reconciled to them Esay 60.14 Mat. 7.17 And thus of the second part of the Apostles Charge The third part forms the Christian in respect of pietie to God Feare God Piety to God consists either in knowing him or in worshipping of him and the right knowledge of God is conceived in the godly not for contemplations sake oâ—ly but for practice 1. Ioh. 2.3 4. And all the use of our knowledge in respect of practice toward God is comprehended in his worship This worship is a religious honour we giue to God I say religious honour to distinguish it from that civill honour which in generall we give to all men or inspeciall to some men either for their graces as to the godly or for their authority as to Kings and Superiours This worship of God is either internall or externall The internall is the worship of the heart the externall is the worship of the body The internall is the very life and soule of the externall without which the externall is but a dead and contemptible carcase The fear of God here commanded belongs to the inward worship and so it is to be noted that the Apostle when he would charge Christians about piety and devotion to God doth not enjoyne them to come to Church to hear the Word receive the Sacraments or pray though these be else-where required but especially requires that they looke to the heart within that the true feare of God be preserved in them and that especially for two causes First because men may doe that which belongs externally to the outward worship and yet be still but hypocrites and wicked men as is manifest in the case of the Jews Esay 1. and of the Pharisees Mat. 23. Secondly because if they be rightly formed in the inward devotion of the heart that will constraine them to the care of the outward worship he would have them then to be sure of the fear of God in their hearts The fear of God is sometimes taken generally for the whole worship of God sometimes more especially for one part of the inward worship of God and so I thinke it is to be taken here The feare of God is either filial or servile the one is found only in the godly the other in the wicked A servile fear is the terrour which wicked men conceive concerning God only as a Judge whereby they only fear God in respect of his power and will to punish for sinne and it is therefore servile because it is in them without any love to God or trust in God and would not be at all if his punishments be removed It is the filiall feare is here meant this feare of God is here peremptorily required of Christians as it is in other Scriptures Psal. 2.11 and 38.8 Prov. 3.7 Esay 8.13 â—his filiall fear to God is an affection which Gods children bear to God whereby they reverence his glorious nature and presence and withall carefully honour him in his Word and Workes being affraid of nothing more than that they should despise him that hath been so wonderfull good unto them That this definition of the true and filiall fear of God may be rightly understood and formed in us we must knoâ— that there are six distinct things we should feare and stand in awe of in God First his Majestie and glorious Nature We cannot rightly thinke of the transcendent excellency of Gods Nature and supreme Majestie as King of all kings but it will make us abase our selves as dust and ashes in his sight Gen. 18. If we feare Kings for their Majestie how should we tremble before the King of kings If the glory of Angels have have so amazed the best men how should we be amazed at the glory of God! Secondly his justice and singular care to punish sinne should make the hearts of men affraid and wo to men if they fear not for according to their fear is his anger Psal. 90. Thirdly his goodnesse is to be dreaded of all that love God and this is the proper fear of Gods Elect. To fear God for his justice may be after a sort in wicked men but to fear God for his goodnesse is only found in true Converts Hos. 3.5 Fourthly his Word is to be feared because it is so holy and pure and perfect and mighty in operation this trembling at Gods Word God doth not onely require but accept very graciously Esay 66.3 And so godly men do tremble as much at Gods Word as at his blowes Fiftly his mighty works and marvellous acts are to bee exceedingly reverenced of what kinde soever Revel 15.3 4. Lastly if God would never punish sinne nor chide men for it by his Word yet the very offence of God ought to be feared and is in some measure by all godly Christians Uses The Use may be divers First we should be hence incited to seeke the true feare of God and to labour to fashion our hearts to it it being a speciall part of the Apostles charge wee should specially respect it And
So with God there is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision Jew nor Gentile bond nor free but all are one in Christ Col. â— 11 Which should be a marvellous comfort to Christians that are meaner than others in the world to think on it that God requireth as hard worke of the richest as he doth of them and makes as great account of a poore Christian as of the mightiest Monarch And it should teach Christians humility and not to strive so much for precedency but rather if men will excell others it should be in service and sufferings Fourthly all men are not called he saith here Yee are called as importing that it was a speciall honour done to them Many have not the meanes of Calling and many refuse their Calling when they have the meanes Which shewes the wofull estates of worlds of men unto whom the voice of God by his Word in the Spirit comes not Fiftly the Calling of God doth propound conditions upon which his election in time doth depend for many are called but few chosen upon their Calling and the reason is because they yeelded not to the conditions of their Calling God calls men to a new Covenant and requires first the beleefe of all things promised on his part secondly sanctity and holinesse of life thus they are said to be Saints by Calling 1 Cor. 1.1 thirdly to suffer for well-doing if there be occasion so here Now upon the Conscience and consent of the heart unto these conditions doth God make his choice or acknowledge men and therefore hereby mens hearts must bee tried or men must try their hearts and estates whether they be effectually called or no. Sixtly men are bound to take notice of and to learne and obey the will of God revealed in his Word though it be hard to finde out as here the Apostle faith They were called to suffer which is a thing that is not easie to prove by expresse Scripture but must be found out as it lies enwrapped in consequences in divers places of Scripture For if the lawes of men binde and oblige us to punishment though we know them not because we ought to take notice of them much more must we study the Lawes of God though they be many in number and hard to finde out without much labour and many helps Seventhly our generall Calling doth binde us to a carefull observation of our particular Calling as here their Calling in Religion to be Gods servants did binde them to looke to their duty as mens servants yea and to be subject to their corrections though unjust And therefore those Christians are farre out of the way that neglect their particular Calling and the charge God hath delivered them upon sentence of Religion and their generall Calling Eightly the maine doctrine in them or in the scope of them is that God calls his servants all of them to suffer for the truth Hee shewes them heaven and the salvation of their soules and bestowes rich treasure upon their hearts but withall tells them he lookes they should arme themselves with a resolution to suffer what may befall them for well-doing Our Saviour Christ told his Disciples plainely that they must thinke of taking up the Crosse daily before they come to wearing of the Crowne And therefore they do foolishly that undertake the profession of Religion before they have set downe to know what it will cost them Thus of the second reason The third reason is taken from the example of Christ who suffered greater wrongs than can be befall servants or any other sort of men and this doctrine of Christs suffering he handles at large from verse 21. to the end of the chapter Which doctrine of Christs suffering is fitted partly to the case of servants and partly to the use of all Christians Concerning the Passion five things are in all these verses noted First who suffered Christ suffered ver 21. Secondly the end of his suffering viz. to leave us an example c. verse 21. Thirdly the manner how he suffered set out 1. Negatively and so he suffered first without sin verse 22. secondly without reviling ver 23. 2. Affirmatively and so hee commits himselfe to him that judgeth righteously Fourthly the matter what he suffered viz. our sins in his owne body on the tree ver 24. Fiftly the effect of his sufferings 1. In respect of us and so his sufferings serve To kill our sins Verse 24. To make us alive to righteousnesse Verse 24. To heale our natures Verse 24. 2. In respect of himselfe and so they procured his exaltation to be Shepheard and Bishop of our soules ver 25. Thus of the order Even Christ suffered The first thing to be considered in the Apostles description of the Passion of the person who suffered is that it is named here with speciall Emphasis Even Christ or Christ also Christ is the sir-name of our Saviour as Jesus was his proper name Jesus is a name onely given him in the New Testament but Christ was his name in both Testaments and signifies Anointed being a Greek word as Messiah doth in the Hebrew And so it is a name importing his office of Mediator as being thereby proclaimed to bee the substance of the ceremoniall types even the supreme Doctor or Prophet Priest and King of the Church for these three sorts of men were anoynted in the Old Testament and were types of Christs anointing It is true that we doe not reade that our Saviour was himselfe anointed with oyle because his anointing consisted in the substance of that shadow For the shadow signifieth two things first ordination to the office secondly the pouring out of gifts by the holy Ghost for the exornation of the office Now whereas Christ is Mediatour in both natures his anointing must be distinguished according to his natures The whole person was anointed but yet differently in respect of his natures for gifts could not be poured out upon his divine nature yet as the Sonne of God the second person in Trinity he was anointed in respect of ordination to the office of Mediatour and as the Sonne of man he was anointed in respect of the pouring out of the gifts of the holy Ghost upon that nature in measure as the Psalmist saith above his fellowes Psal. 45. The first doctrine about the Passion is here briefly contained in these three words of the Apostle Even Christ suffered which is a doctrine full of excellent Uses for thence First we may see how vile the errour was of those Hereticks they called Patri-passianus who taught that God the Father suffered whereas in this and other Scriptures we are taught that it was onely Christ the second Person in Trinity that suffered The ground of their errour was that there was but one Person in the Deity which in heaven was called the Father in earth the Sonne in the powers of the creatures the holy Ghost and thence they affirme the same things of the Father they did of the Sonne that he was
other side The use may be for complaint of the generall and grievous neglect of these things in the most men and women Where may a man observe in any family almost that amiable carriage betweene man and wife that ought to be Quest. What are the causes of this generall disorder and unquietnesse betweene men and their wives Ans. 1. It may be God revengeth some sin in the manner of the marriage or going about it of which the parties have not soundly repented as precontracts or marriage for carnall ends without respect of Religion or Gods glory as for wealth or the like or some secret wickednesse betweene the parties before marriage 2. In the most it is the want of the true feare of God they are carnall and so their natures being not regenerate are full of all evill fruits Two carnall persons can no more agree together than two wilde beasts and what will not men and women allow themselves in when they doe not from their hearts feare Gods displeasure 3. In many it is ignorance of their mutuall duties men and women doe not studie with care and conscience the particular duties which in this estate God requires of them 4. In such as know their duties it is either unskilfulnesse to beare with infirmities or neglect of daily prayer to God to fashion their hearts to obey his will in those things as well as in other points of his service and worship 5. In some it is strange and strong lusts and inordinate desires which being not resisted and subdued the inward cause of all that absurd and perverse carriage shewes it selfe openly Quest. 2. But what should men and women doe that they might attaine to this orderly and amiable conversation Answ. 1. They should heartily in secret bewaile their former disorders and seeke pardon of God and then reconcile themselves one to another by confessing their faults and follies These things will never be mended till they be repented of 2. They should seriously attend to the doctrine of their duties and heare it with all conscience and desire to obey and take notice of Gods preceptorie commandement in requiring these things and by all meanes take heed of prejudice in hearing but make conscience to heare this part of the word of God as the word of God as well as any other Thinke not this doctrine too base or meane to be heard or studied nor imagine that it is but the severitie of the Teacher to tell of so many things to be done by men and women especially take heed of that profane jesting to put off the sound practice of this doctrine with jesting one at another Remember one thing by the way that it is a great testimonie of true uprightnesse of heart when men and women make conscience of it to be good at home as well as abroad Thus of the first generall doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly we may hence in generall note That the Word of God and the instructions of the ministry of the Word belong to women as well as men and therefore the Apostles call to the women to heare the Word of the Lord. This point is to be noted the rather because many give out that the knowledge of religion and hearing of Sermons and studying the Scriptures is not fit for women God doth not require it of them Now that this dotage may be the more evidently confuted consider that which is here intimated There are a multitude of arguments may be brought as First the image of God by creation was stamped upon the female as well as the male Gen. 1.27 2. The profession of godlinesse good workes faith charity and holinesse is required of women as well as men 1 Tim. 2.10 15. and therefore all means of grace is necessary for them as well as men 3. It is required of them to be teachers of good things though they are not allowed to teach publikely 1 Cor. 14. yet they must teach their children and the elder women must teach the younger women Tit. 2.3 4. They are commanded expresâ—ly to learne the doctrine is publikely taught 1 Tim. 2.11 5. The Scripture is full of instances Of the good woman in the Proverbs it is said that she was not only a good house-wife but the law of grace was in her lips Pro. 31.26 King Lemuel was taught prophecies by his mother Pro. 31.1 and women followed our Saviour to heare his Sermons some followed him I say from place to place Luke 8.3 and Mary was commended by our Saviour for choosing the best part when she set her heart about religious duties â—itting at the feet of Christ to hear his word Luk. 11. Our Saviour instructs a woman of Samaria in the great mysteries of conversion and salvation Iob. 4. At Philippi Pauls hearers at the first were onely women Acts 16.13 and an honourable narration is made of many Christian women converted Acts 17.4.12 ult and we reade of Priscilla that she was a meanes to instruct Apollos an eloqent and learned man and to make him more perfectly to understand the way of God Acts 18.26 and so we reade of women that laboured with Paul in the Gospel Phil. 4.3 6. If women must suffer for their Religion it is reason they have all the knowledge and helps in Religion but women are in danger to suffer for Religion as well as men Acts 8.3 9.2 22.4 7. Finally the way to be saved is the same for women as well as men and therefore all meanes of salvation belong to them and are to be used by them as well as men Which as it may incourage all women that are religious to study the things that belong to the kingdome of God so it should teach them to make conscience of what they heare and learne of the Virgin Mary to lay up the good word of God in their hearts and keepe it and to looke to their waies in all things that they may please God for as God is no respecter of persons but loves godlinesse in women as well as in men so he doth require sound obedience and reformation and holinesse of life of women as well as men â—or with God there is neither Jew nor Greeke bond nor free male nor female but all are one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.27 28. Thirdly before I yet come to open the particular parts of the text it may be asked why the Apostle is so large in speaking to wives as spending so many verses upon them I answer it is not simply because wives are more faulty than husbands though many times it proves to bee so in many wives but 1. Because it is more against nature to obey than to rule 2. Because women have many hinderances or lets both in receiving the doctrine and in practising it sometimes they rest in the generall that they must obey and so never study particulars and therefore had need to have it beaten out in particulars for them Besides they are in danger to be
meant carnall Christians that had turned from Gentilisme and received the profession of Christian religion but yet followed their carnall courses we may then note that the bare change from a false religion to the profession of the true is not sufficient to salvation A man that hath professed a false religion had need of two conversions the one is from his false religion to the true and the other from profanenesse to sincerity in that religion The corne must be fetched from the field into the barne but that is not enough for so is the chaffe but it must then be taken from the barne into the garner To leave Popery and turne Protestant is not in it selfe sufficient unlesse a man turne from the profanenesse that is in the multitude in true Churches to embrace the sincere profession of the Gospel And there is reason for it for in changing from a false religion to a true a man doth but change his profession or his mind at best but he that will be changed effectually must change his heart and whole conversation and become a new creature So that then these words describe a carnall man viz. that he is such a one as doth not obey the word of God By the Word he meanes here the doctrine published by the Prophets and Apostles and now contained in the Scriptures Many Doctrines may be hence observed 1 The Scripture is Gods Word because God thereby doth expresse the sense of his mind as men doe by their words The Scripture is not the word which God the Father begate but is the word which God the Father uttered and is the word which God uttered to us bodily creatures God though he be a Spirit yet doth speake both to spirits and bodies to spirits by a way unknowne to us to bodies he hath spoken many wayes as by signes dreames visions and the like so by printing the sense of his mind in the minds of creatures that could speake and by them uttered in word or writing what he would have knowne Thus he spake by the Patriarks Prophets Christ and the Apostles They that deny that God hath any words either deny that God is as Psal. 14.11 or else that conceive him to be like stockes or stones or beasts as Rom. 1.23 or else thinke he can speake but will not because hee takes no care of humane things as Iob 22.23 These are Atheists 2. The Scripture is called the Word by an excellency because it is the only word we should delight in God since the fall did never speake unto man more exactly than by the Scriptures and we were better heare God talke to us out of the Scriptures than â—eare any man on earth yea or Angell in heaven yea it imports that we should be so devoted to the study of the Scriptures as if we desired to heare no other sound in our eares but that as if all the use of our eares were to heare this Word Let him that hath eares to heare heare 3. This Word of God now in the time of the New Testament belongs to all men in the right application of the true meaning of it Once it was the portionof Iacob and God did not deale so with other Nations to give them his Word but now that the partition wall is broken downe the Gospel is sent to every creature That is here imported in that unbeleeving husbands are blamed for not obeying the Word which should teach all sorts of men to search the Scriptures and â—o heare the Word devoutly and withall know that the comforts terrours and precepts coâ—â—ained in it will take hold upon all sorts of men respectively 4. The Word of God ought to rule all sorts of men That is implied here in that fault is found with these unbeleevers that they obeyed it not It was given of God to that end to instruct reprove and direct men in all their waies 2 Tim. 3.16 17. It is the Canon or rule of mens actions Gal. 6. 16. It is the light and lanthorne God hath given to men it hath divine authority If we will shew any respect to God we must be ruled by the Scripture which is his Word 5. Unregenerate men have no mind to obey the Word and the reason is because they are guided by other rules which aâ—e false as their owne reason the customes of the world the suggestions of the divell and the like and because too the Word is contrary to their carnall desires and therefore they yeeld themselves to be guided by such rules as are most pleasing to their corrupt natures and besides too the light of the Word is too glorious for his eyes he cannot see into the mysteries contained in it because they are spiritually to be discerned and the naturall man therefore cannot perceive the things of God 6. It is a dangerous thing not to obey the Word of God they are accounted for lost and forlorne men here that doe not obey the Word Men be deceived if they thinke it is a course may be safe for to disobey Gods Word for Gods Word will take hold of them and destroy them and it will judge them at the last day Zech. 1.4 5. 2 Thes. 1.8 They are but lost men cast-awaies that care not for Gods Word 7. Nothing is to be reckoned a sin which is not disobedience to the Word That which is not contrary to some Scripture is no transgression and therefore men should take heed of burthening themselves with the vaine feare of sinning when they breake no commandement of God but only unwarranted traditions either on the left hand or the right 8. The constant omission of religious duties and good workes proves a man to be a carnall person as well as the committing of manifest injuries or grosse offences Here the Periphrasis of a carnall person is That he did not doe what the Word required 9. Men that obey not the Word may be won which should be a great comfort to penitent sinners It is true that disobedience clothed with some circumstances or adjuncts is very dangerous as when men have the means and love darknesse rather than light Iohn 3.20 and when men are smitten with remorse and have blessing and cursing set before them and see their sins and feele the axe of Gods Word and yet will on in transgression Deut. 11. 28. Mat. 3 10. or when men are called at the third or sixth or ninth houre and will put off and delay upon pretence of repenting at the eleventh houre Ma. 20. or when men are powerfully convinced and will raile and blaspheme and contradict the Word Acts 13.45 46. 18.6 and when God pursues men with his judgements and they refuse to returne Ier. 5.2 3 or lastly when men despight the spirit of God and sin of malice against the truth Heb. 10. 26 27 28 29 30. 10. The chiefe doctrine is That sound obedience to the Word of God is the Character of a true Christian a marke to distinguish the true
they desire to be as pure as he would have them to be 3. Sound mortification and judging of our selves for what impurity we finde cleave to our workes 't is Christian perfection to judge our selves for our imperfections 1 Iohn 3 3. 4. Freedome from the grosse impurities and vices and vanities of the time God accounts us pure when our spot is not as the spots of the wicked and when we are not infected with the corruptions which are usually in the world 1 Tim. 5.22 2 Pet. 1.4 5. Freedome from the reigne of hypocrisie in the heart and from hypocriticall courses in the life Thus Saint Iames accounts the heart to be pure when men are not double minded Iames 4.8 And in conversation he is a pure man that is like Iacob a plaine man without fraud trickes or dissimulation 6. Precisenesse circumspection or exactnesse of conversation when a man sheweth respect to all Gods Commandements and makes conscience to avoide lesser sins as well as greater Eph. 5.15 Mat. 5.19 7. Devoutnesse and zeale in matters of religion and Gods worship and glory and so a pure conversation is a religious conversation that expresseth zeale and conscience in the things of Gods service in a speciall manner seeking Gods Kingdome first and above all other things 2 Tim. 2.22 Titus 2.14 8. Chastitie in keeping the heart and life cleane from the impurities condemned in the seventh Commandement is one great part of Christian purity But before I come to entreat of chastity in particular I would apply this doctrine of purity in generall first to the Text and then to the times As for the Text a pure conversation is here considered only so far as it may fall into the observation of carnall men and so it comprehends of the former senses chiefly inoffensivenesse separation from impure men freedome from grosse impurities and dissimulation a Christian and wise strictnesse of life and devoutnesse and well ordered zeale in matters of religion Use. Now for the Use of it If these be applied to these times it shewes first how wicked and profane those sorts of people are who reproach godly men for the care and practice of these things as if to be a Puritane even in these senses were to be some vile man not worthy to live amongst men Secondly it shewes that worlds of people that beare the name of Christians are not true Christians because their conversations are not pure for their swearing or drunkennesse or whoredomes or sins of deceit or dissimulation or fashioning themselves to this world or the liberty they take to live as they list testifies against them to their faces that their workes are not pure and therefore unlesse they repent they will all perish Rev. 3.1 2. and the rather because they cause by their evill lives not only the hearts of the good to be grieved but the mouthes of the enemies of religion to be opened to blaspheme Thirdly godly men that find these cares in them should comfort themselves much in the testimonies of their owne consciences and the gracious acceptation of God who will shew himselfe pure with them that are pure 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal. 18. Thus of Purity in generall Now of Chastity as a part of a pure conversation and it may well be that which is chiefly here intended Chastitie is either of the mind or of the body and it is a most certaine truth that God requires a chaste minde as well as a chaste body and doth forbid unchaste thoughts and desires aâ— well as unchaste words or deeds For unchaste thoughts and desires are first foolish and noisome 1 Tim. 6.9 secondly they hinder the power of religion and true knowledge and grace 2 Timâ— 4 thirdly they fight against the soule 1 Pet. 2.11 A man were as good have his body wounded with weapons as his soule wounded with lusts fourthly they cause many times many and monstrous sins in the life which arise at first from the nourishing of soule desires and thoughts in the heart The wickednesse that was in the lives of the Gentiles did in many of them spring from the lâ—sts which they harboured in their hearts Rom. 1. lastly if men repent not of them in time they will drowne them in perdition 1 Tim. 1.9 But it is the chastitie of the body which is especially here intended our Saviour Christ divides those chaste persons into three sorts some are termed Eunuches from their mothers wombe and so are disabled for bodily fornication some are made so by other men who by violence for their owne service made some men Eunuches Now the third sort are they that made themselves Eunuches for the kingdome of Heavens sake Of this third sort are all chaste persons who by a godly care and watchfulnesse keepe themselves from the sinnes of filthinesse as well as naturall Eunuches doe Mat. 19.12 Now these persons that are made chaste for the kingdome of Heavens sake are either single persons or married persons of chastity in single persons other Scriptures intreat as 1 Cor. 7. of chastity in married persons this place intreats Now this vertue of chastity is of purpose imposed upon godly Christians by the Apostle because the sins of fornication were so rife and common among the Gentiles who oftentimes defended their filthinesse to be either no sin or a very small sin But before I come to speake of chastity in particular some doctrines would be in generall observed as first Doct. 1. A godly Christian must shew the proofe of his religion especially in keeping himselfe free from the sins that are most common and rife in the world and even the more sinne abounds in the world the more strict they should be in resisting sinne as here even the more filthy the lives of others were the more chaste should the conversation of godly Christians be because their love to God should constraine them the more to be zealous for his glory by how much the more God is dishonoured by other men and because they are flatly forbidden to follow a multitude to sin and because God hath chosen them out of all other sorts of men to beare his name and to hold forth the light of the Word in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation and because thereby the conscience of wicked men may be the more effectually convinced and prepared to repentance Thus Lot is righteous in Sodome and Ioshua and his house will serve the Lord though all the Nation serve Idols This point as it should inflame the zeale of the godly to contend for the truth the more earnestly and to resist all the vices of the time so it shewes that they can hardly have any truth of grace in them that are so easily borne downe with the streame of evill example and are so apt to follow the fashion of the world Doct. 2. Chastity may be in married persons as well as in single persons as here wives are said to be chaste in conversation though they with-hold not
take oft our affections from all things that may offend as resolved if our right eye offend us to plucke it out and if our right hand offend us to cut it off that is to deny all sinfull things though they were as deare to us as our right hand or right eye Mat. 9.45 Secondly we must be such as yeeld our selves to obey the voice of Christ and to bee ruled by him Hee gives eternall life to his sheep we must bee sheepe then for hearing his voice and tractablenesse Iohn 10.29 Thirdly wee must give glory to God and rely upon his promise of grace in Jesus Christ wee must be beleevers Iohn 3.16 Fourthly wee must by patient continuing in well-doing still seeke immortality Rom. 2.7 Thus of the first use Use 2. Secondly seeing the portion of the godly lies in incorruptible things wee should not be much troubled for the wants or losses in corruptible things Wee have so large an inheritance in things that will last for ever that it should be no grievance to us though we should want those transitory things 〈…〉 world Use 3. Thirdly for this reason such as abound in earthly things should bee 〈◊〉 more willing to distribute them and give them for good uses seeing those things are not thâ—ir portion and therefore they need not be overcarefull for the keeping of such things Useâ— Fourthly hence wee may gather infallibly That the godly can never fall from grace for Gods mercies cannot corrupt or fall away and his giâ—ts are without repentance If they could be lost then they were corruptible as well as earthly things But this is a comfort that must not bee taken away that God will establish Sion for ever Psal. 48.8 and though the 〈◊〉 passe away and the lusts thereof yet he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 1 Iohn 2.17 and though the servant may be cast out of the house yet the sonne abideth for ever Iohn 8.35 Lastly we should the lesse feare deâ—th seeing hence we learne that we have many things that will last with us even after our bodies be rotten in the grave Thus of the third doctrine Doct. 4. Now a fourth point is also cleare and that is That incorruptible things doe wonderfully adorne and make men comely This is the maine scope aâ—d drift of the Text and therefore we should the more seeke after thâ—se things for if wee could see the beauty of the inward man as it is adorned with grace wee would bee wonderfully enamoured and in love with it No comelinesse of the body can so allure as would this inward beauty of the man of the hear and therefore againe we should hence learne to make the more account of poore Christians There are no persons in the world so comely as they if wee knew the worth and ornament of true grace And so in generall we should love the godly above all people because they are the fairest and best adorned of all the men and women in earth and in particular those husbands that have gracious wives should learne so much religion as to love them entirely even for the beauty of the man of the Heart though they wanted the outward ornaments of riches or extraordinary comelinesse of the outward man Women also should especially hence learne to get grace and knowledge and holinesse into their hearts for their best handsomnesse is in their qualities and gifts 'T is not their cloathes but their manners and disposition that becomes them or disgraces them A faire body doth commend little if the heart bee fowle it is a small praise to have a good face and an ill nature Some women are like Helen without and like Hecuba within Thus of the adorning of the man of the Heart in generall Now followes the particular ornament which the Apostle commends by name and that is a meeke and quiet spirit Of a meeke and quiet spirit Quietnesse is added to meeknesse lest by mistaking the definition of meeknesse they should not understand the Apostles meaning Now the doctrine hence to bee gathered is That amongst all the particular vertues required in Christians meeknesse and quietnesse of nature and spirit is a speciall vertue and carefully to bee sought and in particular by Christian wives as this and other Scriptures shew Eph. 4.2 Mat. 11.28 Zeph. 2.3 Col. 3.12 Before I make use of this point I must consider what is comprehended in those termes of a meeke and quiet spirit and first we must know before hand what it doth not comprehend It doth not require that women or men should be so quiet as not to be troubled for their sinnes or not to humble their soules for sinne or that they should bee carelesse of their callings either generall or particular or that they should not admonish or reprove sinne in others when they have a calling and fitnesse But unto the constituting of true meeknesse and quietnesse of spirit is requisite 1. Freedome from the evils that disquiet and molest the spirits of men such as are first anger frowardnesse fretting and peevishnesse secondly worldly sorrow crying and aptnesse to take unkindnesse and fullennesse thirdly distrustfull cares of life arising from covetousnesse 1 Tim. 6 10 11. fourthly rash zeale and fiercenesse or inordinate striving and wilfulnesse as may bee gathered in the case of a Minister 2 Tim. 2.24 25 26. fifthly contention and evill speaking or ill language as may bee gathered from Tit. 3.2 and stirring up contention or brawles sixtly all inordinate desires and raigning heart-sinnes whether sinnes of ambition lust malice or the like Iam. 1.21 seventhly unconstancy and levity of minde Especially it crosseth those evils which are noted to be most usuall in women such as are fretting crying taking unkindnesses unconstancie wilfulnesse complaining of their husbands or the like 2. A kind of peacefull contentment when Christians are habitually well pleased with their condition 3. A gentle behaviour in case of wrongs or faults from or in others so as to be first able to beare them secondly not to render evill for evill but rather to overcome evill with goodnesse thirdly ready to forgive fourthly not provoked to anger 4. A harmelesse and innocent behaviour Zeph. 2.3 5. The fixing of the heart by trusting upon God and living without care like a little child that beleeves his father will provide for him Mat. 18. 6. Lowlinesse of mind thinking no great thoughts of our selves and esteeming the gifts of God in others and accounting others better than our selves and therefore is lowlinesse so often added to the word meeknesse to explaine it 7. Silence from many words from vaine and rash speeches especially provoking termes 8. Retirednesse when a Christian is no busie-body in other mens matters and his feet will be kept out of his neighbours house and refuseth to have to doe with the strife that belongs not to him 9. Tractablenesse and easinesse to be directed or appointed and governed as in relation to God it is meeknesse to take
have no mind to pray The Use may be to reprove two sorts of men in speciall besides those mentioned before 1. Such as pray not at all Is it such an evill to omit prayer for a time what is it then not to pray at all 2. Divers weake Christians are to be warned about fainting or discouragement in praying they interrupt themselves with their owne feares and objections As for instance Ob. I finde so much hardnesse of heart and insensiblenesse and therefore I dare not pray Sol. David himselfe in the beginning of many of his Psalmes expesseth a kind of want of feeling and yet before he hath done he is full of life Besides hardnesse of heart felt and mourned for is no hinderance to the successe of prayer And further for this reason thou hast more need to pray for prayer is like a fire to melt the leaden heart of man Ob. I want words I know not what to say when I come to pray Sol. Pray for that very thing that God that commands thee to take unto thee words Hos. 14.2 would himselfe give them to thee Secondly the Spirit helpes our infirmities when wee know not what to pray as we ought Rom. 8.16 Thirdly wee serve such a God as will heare us if like little children wee can but name the name of our heavenly Father Rom. 8.15 2 Tim. â— 19 Ob. But I am affraid God will not regard what I say to him Ans. Consider first the nature of God he loves to heare praier Psal. 95.1 then thinke of the commandement of God who in so many Scriptures doth so peremptorily enjoyne us to pray to him and thirdly thinke of the many promises he made unto such as doe call upon his name and then thou hast no reason to doubt of audience if thou bring lawfull petitions and an honest heart Ob. But I have praied and I finde no successe Sol. God sometimes seemes not to heare of purpose to make us the more importunate Luke 18.1 c. Againe God may heare us and not grant what we aske but something that is better for us as he heard Christ Heb. 5. and Paul 2 Cor. 12.8 9. Vers. 8. Finally be yee all of one minde one suffer with another love as brethren be pitifull be courteous HItherto of the generall exhortation to all Christians and the speciall exhortation to suâ—jects servants wives and husbands Now followes the third part of my division which I made when I entreated of vers 3. of Chapter the first viz. matter of dehortation For I conceive that the Apostle in the rest of this Chapter doth secretly entend to dehort Christians from impatiency under the troubles may befall them in this life Where he proceeds in this order First hee strives to shew them the best course to avoid trouble as much as in them lies from vers 8. to 14. Secondly he shewes them how to avoid impatiency if trouble doe come from verse 14. to the end of the Chapter About the avoiding of troubles he gives both rules and reasons rules vers â— 9 reasons verse 9. to 14. The rules shew us how we must carrie ourselves both towards the good verse 8. and towards the bad verse 9. And to strengthen those rules especially the latter of them he gives three strong reasons one taken from the state and condition of the true Christian verse 9. the other taken from a propheticall testimony where he shewes what the Prophet Davids opinion was long since vers 10.11 12. the third taken from the profitable effect or event of such a course vers 13. About avoyding of impatiency if trouble doe come 〈◊〉 proceeds in the like order For first hee gives rules vers 14 15 16. then Reasons ver 17. to the end of the chapter In giving rules he shewes 〈◊〉 what to thinke on ver 14. and what to doe both towards themselves ver 14. and towaâ—dâ— God ver 15. and towards other men ver 16. In generall if we marke the whole frame and the Apostles order we may observe divers things as 1. That troubles are not to be desired for the Apostle shewes how to avoid them Which is to be noted to confute those weake Christians that long for that which they call persecâ—tion 2. That a man may be a good Christian and yet not be much opposed outwardly which blames those that dislike their owne estate or censure the estate of others because they are not afflicted or persecuted as other men 3. Yea it is the duty of every Christian to looke carefully to his conversation and to strive by the use of all good meanes to avoid unquietnesse and trouble in the world Rom. 12.19 Amos 5.12 1 Tim. 2.2 3. 4. That some Christians may carry themselves with great discretion humility piety and inoffensivenesse and yet cannot avoid trouble but shall suffer from the world 5. That impatiencie and disquietnesse in the time of trouble is a very dishonourable vice in a Christian and with great care and all possible endevour to be avoided 6. That it is possible for a Christian to attaine to that degree of goodnesse as to be able to expresse great patience and unmoveablenesse though many and great troubles befall them if they will use the medicines prescribed in Gods Word and follow such directions as the Apostle here gives Thus of the generall doctrines In this eighth verse the Apostle gives rules that shew a way how to avoid trouble and they are rules that concerne our conversation with godly Christians and so he shewes that there are five things that are of singular use to preserve a man from unquietnesse and trouble if it may be as 1. To agree in opinion to be all of one mind for many discords and much unquietnesse and sometimes publike troubles arise from singularitie and diversitie in opinions 2. To be compassionate and like affected when other men are in trouble for as this is amiable amongst men so many times it moves the Lord to keep us from trouble because we are tenderly affected towards other men in their troubles 3. To love our brethren for that both shewes us to the world to be the true Disciples of Christ Iohn 13. and besides by the quality of brotherly love a world of discord and trouble is prevented 4. To be pitifull or as it is in the originall to be well bowelled in respect of mercy to have right bowels of mercy in comforting and relieving such as are in distresse for to the mercifull God will shew mercy and if it be good for them even this mercy of living a quiet life 5. To be courteous for a courteous and loving behaviour prevents suspition and quenches much fire of discord that other waies would breake out and wins much affection both in good and bad Be yee all of one minâ— Divers things may be here observed The first is generall to the whole verse and that is That in this world in the best estate of the Church there are many defects
and disagreements and faults in the carriage or judgements of Christians in their living together The earnestnesse of the Apostle in heaping up these directions imports that he discerned many things amisse which was not only true of the Churches of Corinth and Galatia and Thessaloniâ—a but even of the Church of Philippi which St. Paul most commends And the like we may find in the estate of the seven Churches of Asia if we mark what is said to them by S. Iohn in his Revelation Yea there was not perfect agreement at all times amongst the Pillars of the first Christian Churches Paul and Barnabas were at variance Actsâ—5 â—5 â—9 and Paul and Peter did openly disagree Gal. 2. The reason is because in this life we know but in part and are sanctified but in part 1 Cor. 13. The Use should be first to teach us not to be offended or scandalized at the differences of opinion that breake out in all the Churches of Christ every where in our times Wee must pray the God of peace to give us peace and know that it hath alwaies beene so and therefore it should not hinder us from embracing the known truth Secondly this should the more enflame our desires after heaven and make us the more willing to die because there will never be perfect holinesse and agreement till we come to heaven then we shall be holy as God is holy and know as we are known and charity will be perfect for ever And besides this should teach us with the more patience to instruct and waite for the amendment of such as are contrary minded and not strive over violently or passionately with them 2 Tim. 2.25 Lastly if Christians can agree no better and have such defects then wee should never wonder overmuch at the monstrous abominations in opinion or life that are found amongst the wicked of the world and in false Churches A second doctrine I observe from hence is That we ought to be rightly ordâ—red in our minds as well as any other part of our soules or lives Yea the minde is to be looked to in the first place Hence it is that in our regeneration our mindes are especially renewed Rom. 12.2 and God requires to be served with our minds Mat. 22.37 Yea as God is an eternall mind so the service of the mind is most proper for God And besides our mindes give lawes to our lives and therefore if the mind be not good the life must needs be evill The happinesse of the whole man depends upon the mind and therefore the Apostle reckons the impuritie of the mind and conscience to be the worst impurity can befall a man Tit. 1.15 and the same Apostle makes it a signe of a man whose end is damnation to have his mind taken up and wholly bent to earthly things Phil. 3.19 This point may serve first to shew the wofull estate of such persons as have ill and unsound minds And the mind is unsound when it is corrupt or putrefied with ill opinions concerning either faith or manners 2 Tim. 3.8 1 Cor. 11.3 and when it is blinded with ignorance 2 Cor. 4.3 4. for without knowledge the mind cannot be good Pro. 19.2 and it is a divellish mischiefe to have darknesse in our mindes as that place in the Corinthians shewes The minde is also unsound and in wofâ—ll â—aking when it is taken up with vile thoughts and contemplative wickednesse Rom. 1.21 Eph. 4.17 and when men have double mindes Iames 4.7 or wavering mindes Iames 1.7 And therefore one of the highest curses God inflicts upon men with whom he is angry is to plague them in their mindes either with a reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 or with a desperate minde Secondly this Doctrine shewes what harmfull creatures deceivers of mindes are they doe more mischiefe than such as deceive men in their estates or poison mens bodies Tit. 1.10 Thirdly this should teach all carefull Christians to gird up the loynes of their mindes 1 Pet. 1.13 and to labour to get a sound minde 2 Tim. 1.7 and in particular to get the unitie of minde which the Apostle here requires And so I come to the third point The third Doctrine then which I observe out of these words is That all true Christians are bound in a speciall maner to strive to be all of one mind which in this place is meant of unity and agreement in judgement and matter of beliefe in the points of Religion This is urged in divers Scriptures as 1 Cor. 1.10 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 2.2 Rom 15.5 and this was the great glorie of the first Christian Church that all the multitude were of one heart and one soule Acts 4.32 There are many reasons to perswade us hereunto 1. From the nature of this agreement It is as it were one of the bonds of the mysticall union for though it be not the principall one for that is the Spirit of Christ yet it is a speciall one it is like the veines and sinewes which tye the bodie together to breake this unitie is to cut asunder the very veines and sinewes of the mysticall bodie of Christ 1 Cor. 1.10 2 From the equitie and comelinesse of it We have but one Father one Baptisme one Spirit one Hope and therefore should have but one Faith Eph. 4.3 4 5. 3 From the good effects of this unitie for first it will make us the fitter to prayse God and doe him service with the greater encouragement and comfort as we may see Rom. 15.5 Secondly it will make us ever eat our meat with more gladnesse and singlenesse and quietnesse of heart Act. 2.46 Thirdly it will winne us the more favour and honour amongst the people as wee reade in the example of those first Christians Act. 2.47 yea in the end of that verse wee may gather that it is a great advantage for the conversion of others when they see us agree so well together and further it will bee a singular joy to our Teachers to see us agree and be all of one minde and to serve God with one shoulder as the Prophet speaketh Zeph. 3.9 so Phil. 2.2 Yea it will bee a signe to us that wee are true Christians and have found true comfort in Christ and in brotherly love and that we have fellowship by the Spirit in the bodie of Christ and that we have right bowels and mercie unto others Phil. 2.1 2. 4 From the ill effects of dissenting Two of them may be gathered from the coherence in this place for first it is implyed That if Christians agree not in opinions they will hardly practise the foure other vertues here named towards the persons with whom they dissent they will not love them as brethren heartily nor bee so pitifull to them in distresse nor so mercifull to helpe them if they be in need nor so courteous and kinde to them Secondly if this first rule be transgressed it is very probable they will bring trouble upon themselves and that either
vaine talkers and will have all the words and by their good wills will talke of nothing else and so hinder edification in profitable doctrine and such as is out of question Tit. 1.10 11. and when men lust to be contentious and are like Salamanders that live alwaies in the fire and know no zeale without contention 1 Cor. 1â— 16 7. When men differ in judgement in the very points of foundation and erre against such truths as must be beleeved to salvation 8. If men be so â—â—ghâ— headed and variable that they are tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine sometimes of one opinion and shortly after of another especially when men are so new fangled as in every place to receive almost any doctrine that is new divers Ephes. 4.14 9. When men quarrell so earnestly about things of lesse moment contrary to the custome of the Churches as about praying or prophecying bare or covered or about eating the Sacrament full or fasting 1 Cor. 11. or about such indifferent things as may bee used or not used with Christian liberty Rom. 14. or about Genealogies 1 Tim. 1.4 and such like And that this reproofe may enter the more deeply upon the hearts of some Christians it will be profitable to consider of the ill causes of disseâ—â—ing which are these and such like 1. Ignorance of the Scripture if they had more true knowledge they would not disagree and this ignorance yea sometimes palpable ignorance may bee found in some that thinke themselves to have more knowledge and to be more spirituall than a multitude of those from whom they disagree Mat. 22.1 Tim. 1.6 7. 1 Cor. 14.37 38. 2. Want of love to those found truths that morâ— concerne sanctification causeth God in his justice sometimes to give men up to delusionâ— and to beleeve lies 2 Thâ—s 2. 3. Vaine-glory the very desire to be some body and to excell others makes some Christians gladly to receive or bring in different opinions 1 Câ—r 4.8 Phil. 2. â— Gal. 5.26 4. Over much trust upon the judgments of some â—hâ—n they esteeme when they respect some Ministers so much as to be of their opinion though their consciences be not enformed of any â—ound reason from the word of God for it This estimation of men above that is written hath deceived â—â—â—y â— Cor. 3.21 4.6 5. Respect of earthly things Some men teach and professe to hold opinions of dissenting sometimes meerely for advantage to their estates either to get maintenance or preferment in the world by it Tit. 1.10 11. Rom. 16.19 20. 6. Prejudice is the root of dissenting many times as the Gentiles would not abide yeelding to ceremonies out of very dislike of the Jewes and the Jewes would not understand the needlesnesse of their ceremonies out of very contempt of the Gentiles and so the strength of faction on both sides kept them from agreeing 7. Heaping up of Teachers disorderly when Christians are so diseased with humour and so hard to be pleased with sound doctrine that they hunt up and downe to heare all sorts of men it many times proves hurtfull in this respect that they get infection from the different humours of the many Teachers they heare Disordered hearing in this respect breeds as a surfeâ— of the inward regard of sound doctrine so a great aptnesse to receive divers and strange doctrines 2 Tim. 4.3 4. 8. The contempt of their godly Teachers and want of sound affection to them to them I say that have a charge over their soules whom they ought to obey And this is the more vile as some Christians order the matter because of their hypocrisie in magnifying the judgement or gifts of Teachers that are absent and have not the charge of their soules and abusing the due respect of their owne Teachers which is yet more vile if this injury be done to such as were their Fathers in Christ. Thus of the Use for reproofe By the limitation given before from other expresse Scriptures we learne so to understand this doctrine of unity as it excludes all unity of opinion or practice with such Churches or particular persons as hold doctrines against the foundation of Christian religion so as we must never agree with them As for instance We may not without the damnation of our soules be of one mind with the Church of Rome for there are many things which they beleeve and practise which we must in no case joyne with them in and it is impossible to reconcile us to them unlesse they change their minds I will instance in divers things wherein we cannot without losing Christ be of one minde as 1. In opinion of merit of workes for thereby we make the Gospel or Doctrine of Gods grace of none effect and the promise of God void which is to deny the grounds of Christian religion Gal. 5.3 Rom. 4.14 11.16 2. In the opinion of worshipping Saints and Angels for the Apostle saith expressely that they that doe so hold not the head and so cannot be true members of Christ Col. 2.18 19. 3. In their Idolatry in making and worshipping of Images and almost infinite superstitions contrary to the second Commandement expressely and so as we are commanded to get out of this spirituall Babel in respect of her spirituall fornications 4. In their doctrine of Traditions for they teach that Traditions that are not agreeable to Scripture yet are to be received if they be deliveâ—â—d by the Church in equall authority with the Scriptures If we be of one mâ—â—de with them herein we cannot escape Gods eternall curse as these Scriptures shew Gal. 1.8 Rev. 22.18 5. In their doctrine of perfection for they teach a man may perfectly keepe the Law of God Now this is so dangerous an errour that the Apostle saith there is no truth in the man that holds it 1 Iohn 1.8.10 I omit the rehearsall of other differences Thus of the first vertue The second vertue charged upon Christians is compassion one towards another Have compassion one of another The word signifies such a fellow-feeling or sympathie that makes us like affected as if we were in their case The doctrine then is cleere That we ought to have a sympathy one towards another this is a singular vertue In handling of which point I will observe these things 1. The proofes of it from other Scripture 2. The Explication of the sense shewing in what things we should be like affected 3. The reasons of it 4. The Uses 1. The proofes are very pregnant and full in these other Scriptures Rom. 12.4 15. Heb. 13.3 2. For the explication This sympathie is to be exprest both in the case of the evills of others and in the case of the good of others In the case of the evills of others we ought to be tenderly affected towards them both in respect of their sufferings troubles griefes and crosses Heb. 13.3 10.34 Iob 30.25 whether they be inward or outward as
they live Prov. 24.11 12. But judgement mercilesse shall be to them that shew no mercy Iam. 2.13 4. Divers of the better sort are to bee rebuked about this point many Christians spend a great deale of zâ—ale about lesser matters and in the meane time neglect the greater things of the Law such as are judgement and mercy for few Christians are sufficiently instructed or inflamed in the estimation of the worth of the workes of mercy or the necessitie of them to the glorifying of God and the profession of Religion Matth. 23.23 Secondly for instruction and so this doctrine should worke in us a great impression of desire to shew forth the fruits of mercie with all tendernesse and sinceritie and to this end we should shew that we desire in practise to obey this doctrine as neere as we can I say we should shew it by accepting the exhortations of others that move us for any workes of this kind 2 Cor. 8.17 especially we should strive to answer the expectation of our Teachers herein and willingly give our selves first to the Lord and then to them suffering them to direct our workes herein with all readinesse 2 Cor. 8.5 24. and to this end we should use all good meanes to stirre up our selves to good workes of this kinde all our dayes and therefore we should plow up the fallow ground of our hearts by prayer and confession of our naturall barrennesse herein and indisposition Hos. 10.12 and withall thinke much of all the motives might stirre us up hereunto And so we should thinke of the matchlesse patterne of Gods mercy and in particular of his mercy to us Mat. 5. Luke 6. as also of the worth of mercy it is better than sacrifice Mat. 9.13 and of the originall of it God is the father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 and of the use of it it proves us to be the true brethren and true neighbours Luke 10.37 and of the great profit of it for they that are mercifull shall obtaine mercy Mat. 5.7 and to give to the poore is but to lend to the Lord and so there is no usury can be so gainfull as this of laying out of our estates for the reliefe of the poore Thus of the right bowels of mercy Be courteous Courtesie is the fift thing required in our conversation one towards another This is exacted in other Scriptures as Eph. 4. ult Tit. 3.2 Col. 3.12 this is called by the title of comitie and kindnesse Now that we may know distinctly what is meant by courtesie I will shew both what it comprehends and what it hath not in it It comprehends divers things as 1. A willing saluting of those Christians we meet 2. A conversation void of harshnesse sullennesse intractablenesse scornfulnesse clownishnesse churlishnesse desperatenesse or hardnesse to please 3. In matters of offence it makes the fairest interpretations and forgives heartily and cheerefully Eph. 4.32 4. In entertainement it is free and hearty and loving Acts 28.7 5. In hearing others speake it is patient and willing Acts 24.4 6. In giving honour it preferreth others almost of all sorts 7. In moderating authoritie over inferiours so as to be better towards them than they can require Thus of the courtesie of the Master to his Servants 1 Pet. 2.18 But yet we must know that under pretence of courtesie we must not hold needlesse conversation with the wicked nor any way countenance or honour open and notorious offenders nor use a promiscuous respect of good and bad all alike nor unadvisedly contract any speciall familiaritie or friendship with persons unequall or unmeet nor rashly discover secret things to all we meet withall The use should be to teach all Christians to make conscience of this vertue seeing God requires courtesie as well as pietie and the contrary causeth the good way of God to be evill spoken of And besides the Apostle imports here that a courteous conversation may preserve us from many troubles But yet let men be againe warned not to rest in meere complements and outward formalities but practise such a courtesie as is joined with the right bowells of mercy and good workes which may be observed from the coherence Especially let all true Christians abhorre that dissimulation that men should salute willingly and speake faire and use men with great kindnesse and yet plot malice and mischiefe in their hearts and speake evill behind mens backs and secretly labour to subvert other men who are deceived by their complement and mistrust not their envie or malice and withall men should avoid complementing with others when it is for the compassing of their owne ends especially when they are sinfull as was the practise of Absolon when he aspired to the kingdome And thus of the directions the Apostle gives for the avoiding of trouble as they concerne our conversation towards the godly Vers. 9. Not rendring evill for evill or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing REnder not evill for evill Now followes the directions for our carriages to wicked or unreasonable and injurious men and so if we would live in peace and out of trouble we must take heed that wee be not provoked by them to revenge or reviling Where observe 1. That wicked men are naturally bent to doe evill and to be injurious and to revile others especially the godly Psalm 36.3 4. Destruction and misery are in their waies and the way of peace they have not knowne and their throat is an open sepulchre their mouthes are full of cursing and bitternesse the poyson of Aspes is under their lippes Rom. 3.13 14 16 17. The use should be therefore to teach godly men to provide for it wheresoever they live in this world they must looke for it to be abused and reproached they may thinke to live safely in a wildernesse as well as to live without receiving injury from carnall and profane men God can restraine the very Lyons that they should not fall upon Daniel and hee can cast a feare upon the wicked that they shall not attempt injury against the godly but though God doe thus at sometimes yet he will not be bound alwaies to doe it Secondly this should teach such as desire to live in safety to avoid all needlesse conversation with the wicked for though at the first thou mightest thinke they were of faire carriage and would doe no wrong yet after a time they will shew their nature especially if they see they cannot draw thee to run with them into the same excesse of sinning And thirdly as any desire to have evidence to their owne soules that they are become new creatures and have new natures so they should shew the proofe of it hereby viz. by avoiding all injurious courses and reproachfull and bitter words 2 All private revenge is forbidden for it is unlawfull to render evill for evill 2 Thes. 5.15 the Apostle saith See that no man recompence unto any man evill
for evill Note there three things first that hee gives this as a speciall charge as a thing most hatefull or ill-beseeming a Christian. Secondly what he saith No man must doe it Great men have no more liberty by private quarrels to revenge their dishonour or hurt than meane men Thirdly that he saith To no man wee must not render evill to any man of any religion condition or estate whatsoever the injurie bee So Rom 12.17 the like charge is given and two excellent reasons against private revenge One because vengeance belongs to God onely it is his office And it is best God should revenge because he gives recompence to every transgression and besides he gives a just recompence Heb. 2.2 whereas men that will perform their owne revenge give or seeke many times an unequall revenge as when our Gallants will have blood for a reproach this is not equall that a mans life should be taken for a supposed wrong to their reputation And further God hath never failed to execute vengeance whereas men many times fail and cannot perform the revenge they seeke but rather the contrary Gods vengeance falls upon them for taking his office out of his hands as many of those that seeke the bloud of others in revenge lose their owne Heb. 10.30 Also it is worth the noting that in that place to the Romans the Apostle adds another reason against private revenge which greatly crosseth the proud and passionate spirits of our times and that is couched in these words Be not overcome of evill but overcome evill with goodnesse which words import That he is over comâ—â— and hath lost his honour that will revenge and contrariwise he doth overcome that will render good for evill If this point were seriously considered it would mightily subdue that unruly pride and passionâ— that discovers it selfe in the most men and it doth directly prove that Duels or single combats are simply unlawfull and intolerable in any well governed Common-wealth and should warne all Christians to take heed of allowing themselves in the desires or projects of revenge Nor is their sin the lesse that seeke revenge but it is closely and much dissembled while they watch for an opportunity to be even with them that have wronged them Nor reviling for reviling Observe 1. That people that are ungodly are very prone to reviling This we may see in the conversation they have among their neighbours what brawling and scoulding from day to day and also in the case of religion how doe they continually reproach and slander the true Christians so in family affaires with what disgracefull and hatefull termes are all the businesses almost of the household dispatch But of this I spake before 2. That reviling and railing is a very hatefull sin It is here accounted a great suffering to suffer reviling Our Saviour reckons it murther in his exposition of the sixt Commandement Mat 5. And if godly men be reviled it is termed blasphemie in divers places of Scripture in the Originall It proceeds from vile and base natures Heb. 12.14 15. Iames 1.21 3.9 Gods spirit is a Spirit of meeknesse and evill words corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15.16 The Use is therefore for great reproofe and shame to all those that are guilty of this sin especially such as have their mouthes full of cursing and bitternesse Rom. 3.14 and such as revile men for this very reason because they follow goodnesse calling good evill Esay 5.20 21. 1 Pet. 4.5 and such as revile those that are neere unto them in the strong bonds of nature or covenant as when wives revile their husbands or children their parents 3. That though we be reviled yet we must not revile againe because reviling is a sin and God hath flatly forbidden it in this and other Scriptures and besides we have an excellent example of our Saviour himselfe that suffered all sorts of reproaches and yet was so far from reviling that he threatned noâ— 1 Pet. 2. and all sorts of godly men have endured reviling that were many degrees better than thou And further what knowest thou but God may blesse thee for their cursing as David said And therefore all that are true Christians should be effectually warned from hence to resolâ—e against bitter words and reviling though they be never so much provoked Thus of the rules the Apostle gives for avoiding of troubles Now followes the arguments for the confirmation of those rules especially of the later and the first is taken from the estate or condition of a Christian in this verse the second from the Prophet David ver 10 11 12. and the third from the probable event or effect of such a course ver 13. In the rest of this verse he infers from their calling to Gods blessing That they should be so far from cursing and reviling that they should use no other language than blessing even to the wicked and their adversaries But contrariwise This very terme imports That the life and discourse of a true Christian should be not onely different from the life and language of wicked men but in many things contrary And it must needs be so because the godly and wicked arise from a contrary fountaine the one borne after the flesh the other after the spirit Gal. â—4 and their words and actions flow from contrary principles for the one is led by the old man the other by the new manâ— and they have from without contrary leaders the one led by the Divell Eph. â— the other by the Spirit of God Rom. 8. and further they trade about contrary commodities the one for earthly things only iâ— the â—ther for heavenly the one for things of this world the other for things of another world and lastly they goe contrary waies the one to hell the other to heaven and therefore there can be no agreement betweene them no more than between ligth and darknesse Christ and Belial This point serves for great reproofe of some weake Christians for comming so neere the waies of carnall men as they can hardly be distinguished from them that looke so like them Such were those Corinthians Saint Paul reproves 1. Cor. 3. 1 2 3. Blesse It is required of all true Christians that they should blesse their conversation should expresse blessing continually Now for the understanding of this point wee must know that man is said in Scripture to blesse â—ither God or man He blesseth God when he praiseth his mercy and acknowledgeth his blessings he adds nothing to Gods blessednesse but onely acknowledgeth Gods blessed nature and dealing towards man This exercise of blessing God began betimes in the world as Gen. 14.20 and was constantly continued in all ages among the godly But in this place the Apostle meaneth it of blessing man and to blesse man is either a vice or a vertue There is a vicious blessing of men which must be separated from the doctrine of this Text. Now it is vicious first when a man blesseth himselfe
brutish then must these persons account themselves to be What heart can stand before the serious thoughts of the damnation of multitudes that now sit with us in the House of God even for this very sin of ignorance Hosh. 4.6 And the more lamentable is it to observe the unspeakable avertnesse that is in man that of all sorts though they be warned yet some will on still and die without wisdome Iob 4.20 and which is yet more in places where men have the meanes plentifully yet what number doth the god of this world keepe in blindnesse so as they live and dye very sots even in those places where they have â—ad line upon line and precept upon precept and yet the people no more instructed than the childe new weaned from the brest Esay 28.9 Yea the more fearefull is the estate of divers that they doe not onely want knowledge but they reject it and blaspheme it as if it were not onely unnecessary but hatefull they love darknesse more than light and therefore their damnation sleepeth not Iob. 3.19 Iob 21.14 But on the other side so many as have their hearts touched from God let them bee warned to avoid ignorance as they would avoid the death of their soules let it be hatefull to them to be babies in understanding 1 Cor. 14.20 Ephes. 5.16 and learne of Solomon above all things to get understanding Prov. 4.7 and to that end to pray with David That God would give him understanding that hee might live Psal. 119.144 And when men have the light they should walke in the light and when God gives the instructions they should take heed that they be not as the horse or mule to learne nothing but what they are forced unto but rather with all diligence and readinesse to wait daily at the gates of wisdome Psal. 32.8 9. But if men be still senselesse and wilfull then I say to them as the Apostle said if the hatefulnesse of their ignorance will not appeare Let him that is ignorant be ignorant still 1 Cor. 14.38 Doct. 4. It may bee likewise noted that in the language of God unregenerate men are fooles or rather mad men men without mindes Rom. 1.3 Tit. 3.3 And that this point may be more cleare I would consider of the signes of a spirituall mad man or foole And that this point also may bee cleaâ—ed you must remember there are two sorts of men are said literally to bee without mindes the one is naturall fooles and their disease is called moria the other is furious mad men and their disease is called mania both suffer alienation of minde they want their mindes or the right use of them and so there are two sorts of men which spiritually want mindes some are resembled by fooles and some by mad men A spirituall foole may be knowne especially by two signes First by his mindlesnesse he hath no thoughts nor words about the kingdome of heaven he is altogether carelesse and senselesse he sits still without any regard of it as some children that are mopish and heed nothing or some that are sicke of a kinde of melancholy that will neither speake nor eat these lose time and will not buy it Ephes. 5.16 Secondly by his sottishnesse this sort differs from the former for these will talke and bee doing and many times very busie but it is without any spirituall sense or discerning their words and works are all idle and sottish and crosse to the word of God and these are discovered by divers signes diversly as First the wisdome of God seemes foolishnesse to them let heavenly things be spoken of with never so great wisdome and power of words yet these sots have one senselesse objection or other in respect of which they reject all they heare and being led by their sensuality or their carnall reason Prov. 23.9.1 Cor. 1. and 2. goe no further but in these cases thinke they are in their owne conceit wiser than any man that can give a better reason and proofe Secondly they discover it by senslesnesse and incorrigiblenesse when they are pursued by the hand of God many times round about Ier. 5.3 4. Though God should seeme to bring all to the first Chaos yet they understand not you cannot heat into their heads the hatred of their sinnes or the cares of a better life Ier. 22.20 21 22. Isai. 42.27 This Apathy is onely in mad men and fooles Prov. 17.10 and 27.22 Thirdly they discover it by their continuall entertainment of the innumerable enormities of their thoughts which arising from their heart in the dark they play withall with as much earnestnesse and attendance as if they were some needfull and profitable things This customary daily entertainment of vaine thoughts is a signe of a spirituall sot Rom. 1.21 Fourthly they discover it by their continuall grasping at shadowes that is their doting upon earthly things with strange cares and paines and jollity without any sound endevour to provide for their soules and eternall salvation Psal. 49.10 Luke 12.16 to 21. Ier. 17.11 Fifthly some of them discover their sottishnesse by following the service of idols which they worship in stead of the living God this is called brutishnesse Deut. 32.6 16 17. Esay 44.19 20. O what a number of these sots are there in the world if the worshippers of idols of Romish and Paganish idols were summed up Sixthly others discover it by making cleane the outside of the cup and platter but never regard the filthinesse of the inside such are they that are only carefull of the shew of their actions before men while their inside is full of ravening and wickednesse These our Saviour cals fooles or sots because hee that made that which is without made that which is within also Luk. 11.39 40. Seventhly some of them discover themselves by suffering themselves to be buâ—â—etted and abused and yet are content to be used so still and such are they that will suffer themselves to be abused by false teachers so they be of their owne humour though they devoure them in their estates and bring them into bondage in their mindes though they take of them and exalt themselves insolently among them 2 Cor. 11.19 20. Eighthly they discover it by building the hopes of the salvation of their soules upon most vaine and insufficient grounds they build on the sands they trust upon an universall mercy of God and the example of the most and upon the bare use of Gods ordinances without any power of faith or practice in their hearts or lives and therefore in time of tribulations their hope is as the giving up of the ghost all is ruined and their soules are desolate Mat. 7.26 They will be at no paines to be assured of their salvation and religion but goe on without any particular regard of their owne way to heaven Prov. 14.8 A spirituall foole then is discovered first by his mindlesnesse secondly by his uncapablenesse and contempt of heavenly doctrine thirdly by his