As the love of Gods children growes or decayes in us so doth grace grow or decay Eph. 4.15 16. This love is the bond of perfectness Col. 3.13 Fiftly we must try our confidence in God and the assurance of our faith For as grace growes so doe wee grow more established and setled in God and the hope of his kingdome This is to abide in Christ and thus to trust in the Lord hath a promise of such a blessing as that man shall not wither Ier. 17.7 8. Sixtly we may discerne our growth by the decay of taste in sinne and the world As the violence of temptation and the admiration of the pleasures and profits of this life goe out of us by the same degrees doth the holy Ghost get the victory and the Spirit settles the possession of grace in us c. Seventhly wee may discerne it by our teachablenesse and honouring of prophecying when our Teachers according to their lines may bee inlarged and live without suspition or censure when wee can beleeve them and rest in their testimony above the whole world 2 Cor. 10.15 2 Thes. 1.10 Eighthly we may easily discerne it by our constancy and frequency in good workes either of piety or mercy or righteousnesse either at home or abroad For to such as have for use it is certain more is given Mat. 13.11 Ninthly wee may know it by the frequency of our communion with God If the Lord daily dwell in us or with us and reveale himselfe to us by the signes of his presence there is no doubt to bee made of our growing The heart of a christian is Gods Temple and you may be sure all prospers well in the Temple when the cloud sits there or often appeares there Eph. 2.20 21. Vse The use of this whole doctrine concerning growth may serve first for humiliation and so in many things First our hearts should smite us for our ignorance There are many things of excellent fruit and praise which we have not at all laboured in divers of the twelve things before Secondly for our deadnesse of heart and unprofitablenesse of life which is aggravated against us 1. VVhen God give us much meanes 2. VVhen we are insensible or at least incorrigible know all is not well and feele our selves to bee lashed and yet mend not 3. VVhen we are slothfull and weary will not stirre up our selves nor receive direction for the making up of what is lacking to our faith or to any other gifts especially when wee are weyward and will goe about rather than be at the tryall of direction or asking the way Ier. 31.21 3. Much more to such as are so farre from growing that they fall away and decline lose their first love and what they have wrought begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh This much vexeth God and is extremely dangerous to the parties Esay 1.4 Ier. 7.24 and 15.6 2 Pet. 2.20 But that this may not either pearce too farre or fall too deadly or flat upon any that are guilty we must knowe there is a double declining or apostasie the one inward the other outward First the inward is when a mans heart is falne off from the care of godlinesse and the meanes of it and regards iniquity constantly being possessed of the raigne of habituall hypocrisie and this may be in men that outwardly frequent the meanes and make a shew of godlinesse Secondly the outward declining or Apostasie is when men outwardly live in grosse sinnes or follow scandalous courses and are at last relapsed to the violent courses of the world so as the meanes of godlinesse is neglected Againe declining is first either totall secondly or in part First totall when we fall off from all godlinesse and all the meanes of it and so onely they fall that sinne against the holy Ghost Secondly in part is when men fall into some sinne or error and not lose all conscience of well-doing and such is their Apostasie also that fall off from the care of some of the ordinances of God as when men use the private and neglect the publique or use the publique and neglect the private c. Question But what shall a man doe to helpe himselfe that finds he hath declined c. Answer He must take unto himselfe words and confesse his sinne to God and returne to the Lord heartily hee will heale even his backsliding Hose 14.3 4 5. Vse 2. Secondly for instruction and so it should perswade with us mightily to hold on and never faint in the way but strive to the perfection of every good gift of God not being weary of well-doing knowing that it is a shame still to be children and that God doth require a righteousnesse of us that should exceed the righteousnesse of all the Papists and Pharisees in the world and to this end we should preserve in us this desire after the sincere milke of the word and watch against security and slothfulnesse the dangerous moaths of godlinesse Vse 3. Thirdly such may be much encouraged who have their hearts set upon growth and doe prosper in Gods worke though otherwaies they have many afflictions or infirmities yea such as with true hearts doe mourne for their not growing as they think may consider of many comforts to uphold themselves by as 1. Our Saviour Christ had not all degrees of grace at once but grew in grace by degrees 2. Though thy gifts be small and grow in thee like a graine of mustard-seed yet it may grow to a marvelous increase Matth. 13. 3. Though thou have many infirmities yet thou maist beare abundance of fruit as the vine which is the weakest plant yet is not therefore barren Isaiah 27.2 4. Though thou have little meanes to help thy selfe by yet thou maiest by the blessing of God grow the lilies spin not and yet are gorgeously cloathed Matth. 6.28 5. If wee sowe good seed it is certaine the Lord will give increase 1 Cor. 9.10 11. 6. Though we sowe in teares we shall reape in joy Psal. 126.5 6. yea though we be extremely oppressed and reproached as the Israelites grew even the more they were hated and oppressed in Aegypt Mark 4.8 7. Wee have great helps the word is more effectuall to the soule then milke to the body and we receive influence from Christ our head Coloss. â— 19 and every member of the mysticall body makes some supply to further the growth of the whole body Eph. 6.16 Verse 3. Because ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious or bountifull THese words containe the fourth reason to perswade to the desire after the word and it is taken from the experience they have had of the goodnesse of God comforting them in the word If ever they tasted the sweetnesse of the word they must needes have an appetite to it In these few words there are divers points of Doctrine to bee observed and explained as namely First that God is gracious Secondly that God doth graciously
Evangelists published by the Apostles and demonstrated by six severall apparitions Now for the second The resurrection of Christ iâ—â— fountaine of singular benefits unto us For from thence flowes 1. our glorification for hee went away to provide a place for us even to prepare those heavenly mansions for us 2. The resurrection of our bodies for the spirit that raised Christ from the dead hath thereby given us assurance that he will raise our mortall bodies also 3. The confirmation of our faith and that in divers things For his resurrection assures us that he is the promised Messias and sonne of God and that our debt is payed and that hee hath discharged the uttermost farthing for else he had not beene let out of prison and that he hath vanquished all our spirituall enemies and utterly foiled and disarmed them in that they could not keepe him downe when they had him in the grave but he hath triumphed over them 4. Our justification and regeneration for so the Apostle shewes in the 4. to the Romans that he rose againe for our justification and here it is expresly said that we are begotten againe through the resurrection of Iesus Christ. Quest. But may some one say If this be true that we are begotten again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ then it seemes men were not bâ—gotten againe in the old Testament or else not by the resurrection of Christ For he was not then risen Answ. For answer hereunto wee must consider in the resurrection of Christ two things 1. The act of his resurrection and 2. the vertue of it we are not regenerate by the act of his resurrection and for the vertue of it Faith could receive it aswell as the act was to come as now in us it doth the act being past Christ was risen in the old Testament three wayes 1. In the counsell of God 2. In the word of prophesie 3. In the efficacie of it Quest. But how doth it follow that we are regenerate because Christ is risen Answ. I answer Christ must be considered two wayes first naturally as man secondly mystically as head If Christ be considered barely as a man it doth not follow but if he bee considered in the mysticall union with his members as he sustaineth their person and was surety for them it will follow he rose againe to this end that he might receive power to raise our soules by the first resurrection and our bodies at the last day Or more plainely thus Our regeneration depends upon the resurrection of Christ three wayes 1. As his resurrection was a pledge and assurance that he would raise us he shewed his power that he could doe it he laid downe his body before our eyes and quickned it againe before our faces and gave us that signe to assure us of what he could doe foâ—us 2. As by his resurrection he merited ours 3. The spirit of Christ applies the vertue of Christs resurrection for the quickening of us and the accomplishment of our whole vivification and new obedience The uses of Christs resurrection are both for consolation and instruction It may comfort us against all the accusations or temptations of Satan or the censures of the world who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen who shall condemne them Is not Christ dead or rather risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh request for us hath hee not paid our debt hath he not fully triumphed over death sinne and hell Againe would we have a signe that in Christ all the promises of God shall be yea and Amen we need no other signe then this that as Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the belly of the whale so the sonne of man was three dayes in the heart of the earth and the third day rose againe Finally why should we now be afraid of death or any other spirituall or terrible enemy why should those last things dismay us hath not Christ had a most glorious 〈…〉 them in a most â—eâ—rible mâ—nomachy when they did the worst they could and therefore we may solace our selves in the conquest and say insultingly O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Is not death swallowed up into victory thankes be to God which hath given us victory also through Iesus Christ our Lord. But if we would have benefit of Christs resurrection we must then seek the vertue of it to our selves as the Apostle shewes in his owne practise Phil. 3.9 Quest. But how may we extract vertue out of Christs resurrection Answ. We may get out the vertue of his resurrection by meditation seriously thinking of it and of the end of it by found contemplation pondering of it and by prayer begging the working of the spirit therein but especially laying hold upon it by faith and glorifying God by beleeving that it shall be according to Gods promise effectuall unto us And we must also attend to the motions of the spirit yeelding our selves over to bee framed by them and we must not thinke much to suffer the labours of Gods messengers to worke upon our stony hearts as the Angells of God rowling away the stone that lyeth sealed upon our hearts by nature And thus much of the resurrection of Christ and of the first argument of our consolation Now the second followes in the fourth verse Verse 4. To an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us or for you THis argument is taken from our glorification which is here generally described to be the inheritance of the Saints which is amplified foure wayes First by the properties of it and they are three For it is 1. incorruptible 2. undefiled and 3 immarcessible or that withereth not Secondly by their present interest in it it is not now possessed it is held only in title being laid up for them Thirdly by the persons that shall inherite and they are you that is you that are begotten againe Fourthly by the place and that is heaven the best place For it much commends an inheritance if it lye in convenient and commodious places Incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not c. Three things are here said in the praise of this inheritance which I purpose in the doctrine of them to handle together The first thing affirmed of this inheritance is that it is incorruptible and so it is in foure respects 1. because there we shall need none of those meanes of preservation which of necessity are requisite in this corruptible world neither for the body nor soule For our bodies wee shall need no aire food sleep heat or cold apparell or the light of the Sunne or Moone or mariage or physicke And for our soules wee shall need no sabbaths sacraments temple 2. Because our happinesse shall not bee annoyed with any thing that might corrupt it either without us or upon us
also in respect of their falling by infirmities when it proves a griefe and affliction to them Gal. 6.1 Iude 22. 2 Cor. 11.29 So likewise in the case of the prosperity of others we ought to rejoice with them that rejoice and be affected as if the blessing had beene ours Rom. 12.15 3. The reasons are manifest First because hereby we prove our selves to be fellow members in the mysticall bodie of Christ which is to be doubted if this sympathie be not in us in some measure 1 Cor. 12.12 25 26. Secondly because hereby we shew our selves conformable and like to Christ our Head who excelled in this vertue Heb. 4.15 Mat. 25.40 Thirdly because that which is the case of others now may be our case hereafter as the Apostle shewes in the case of temptation Gal. 6.1 Fourthly a reason may be drawn from the excellency of the grace it excells almes and outward workes of mercy for when a man gives an almes he gives somewhat without himselfe but when we shew compassion we relieve another by somewhat that is within our selves and from our selves And lastly the coherence shewes that this may be a meanes to keepe us from trouble our selves The Use may be first to import the miserie of living in this world This life must needs be a vale of teares when we have not only occasion of sorrow many wayes from our own estates but also such varietie of occasions of sorrow from the condition of others deere unto us Neither is our case the better but the worse if we doe not sorrow with others Secondly this may greatly humble all sorts of men for their Apathie or want of care or feeling or sympathie in the distresses of others and the rather now when whole Churches are in great distresse Amos 6.6 Thirdly this should greatly move true Christians to strive after this vertue and to expresse it lively and shew it forth in all the fruits of it as first by declaring our affection to the afflicted with all tendernesse of heart and words of comfort secondly by using all our meanes and power to relieve them and help them out of distresse thirdly by pouring out our soules before God for them Love as brethren This is the third dutie charged upon them viz. the exercise of brotherly love This is vehemently urged in many Scriptures Rom. 12.10 Heb. 13.1 Iohn 13.34 1 Iohn 2.7 4.21 Now for the explication of this doctrine foure things would be distinctly considered of viz. 1. Who are brethren 2. What priviledge they have by the brotherhood or by being brethren 3. For what reasons we should so love them 4. With what kind of love we should love them For the first Men become brethren one to another many wayes as first by propagation when they are borne of the same bloud and so the children of the same parents are brethren and in a remoter sense kinsmen of the same bloud are brethren Luke 8.19 Secondly by Nation When men are countreymen they are called brethren especially when they descend originally from the fountaine of the same ancient families and so the people of the twelve Tribes were brethren Exod. 2.11 Thirdly by profession especially the profession of religion makes all professors brethren Acts 11.1 1.16 And this was one of the first titles of love and relation in the Christian world Fourthly communion with Christ and so we become brethren either by his incarnation Heb. 2.16.17 or in respect of our mysticall union with him in his mysticall bodie Col. 1.2 Mat. 25.40 and so we are brethren with the Angels as they also are joined under this head Christ Jesus Rev. 19.10 22. So then if any aske who are the brethren here meant that we must so love I answer they are such as are professors with us of the same religion and fellow members of the body of Christ. But that we may more plainely see who are meant by brethren in the Scriptures it will be profitable to observe that they are described by their holinesse The brethren we must love are such as are partakers of the holy calling Heb. 3.1 such as are begotten of God 1 Iohn 5.1 such as will doe the will of God by sound practice Mat. 12.47 49. They are the holy brethren wee are here charged to love 1 Thes. 5.27 For the second Our relation to the godly as brethren ought not to be despised for as we are brethren by religion we enjoy many excellent prerogatives for thereby we partake of a heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 we stand all in relation to God as his owne children by adoption Eph. 4.6 and so peace and the blessing of God as a Father is upon us all Eph. 6.23 Gal. 6.16 and wee are greatly beloved of God Rom. 1.7 and brought up in the same familie Eph. 3.17 fed with the same diet and entertainment in Gods house and estated into an inheritance better than all the kingdomes of the world Rom. 9.17 And hereby also we enjoy the fruit of the love of all the godly in the world even those that know us not in the face For the third There are many reasons why we should love the godly as our brethren above all the people in the world For first if to be all the children of one father have such a power over the naturall affections of men then should it not be without power in religion Secondly this is charged upon us above many other things yea above all things we should put on love Col. 3.14 and yet he had reckoned many excellent vertues before This was the speciall and one of the last Commandements of our blessed Saviour which he gave in charge when he was going to his death 1 Iohn 3.23 Iohn 13.34 Thirdly because this love comes of God and is a signe that God is in us and dwells in us and that we doe indeed love God himselfe 1 Iohn 4.7 8 12 16 20 21. Fourthly we have the example of God himselfe and Christ his Son that love them as their peculiar treasure above all the world and he shewed them love by unspeakable benefits 1 Iohn 4.10 11. Fiftly because our soules will thrive and be edified as brotherly love is continued and encreased in us Eph. 4.16 Sixtly because the godly must be our everlasting companions in heaven 1 Pet. 4.8 1 Cor. 13.8 and if we cannot see so much it is because we are puâ—blinde 2 Pet. 1. For the fourth point If any aske with what kinde of love we should love them I answer that our love must have many properties in it 1. It must be a naturall love that is such a love as is not by constraint but ariseth out of our dispositions and inclinations as we are made new Creatures in Jesus Christ Cor. 8.8 2. It must be a sincere love a love without dissimulation Rom. 12.10 not in word but in deed 1 Iohn 3.18 3. It must be a fervent love we must love them earnestly and with great
Psal. 31.22 Secondly this should teach us to looke to our faith and to provide for the daily use of it to live by it that if it might be we might be so ready and prepared that Christ when hee came at any time might find us so doing Now that we might attaine unto this daily use of our faith divers rules must be observed 1. We must be more afraid of doubts and cavils against our faith making conscience of unbeliefe to avoid it as a grievous sinne and to see manifest reason from the Word before we doubt 2. We must more study the promises of God and shake off the slaggishnesse of our natures especially wee should be more carefull to attend upon the carefull application of them 3. We should speedily run to Christ when we find any disease or neglect in our faith whose glory it is to be the finisher of our faith 4. We should often think of those that have been examples of much faith that have been full of faith Heb. 11. 12.1 5. We should watch against all things that might slacken our love to the meanes For it is certaine the love of the means is strong like death 6. If we find we have offended God let us not goe long without humiliation but quickly run and confesse our sins and not be quiet till we be reconciled It is dangerous to defer our repentance and neglect our communion with God long 7. Especially we should study for businesse to be imployed in well-doing in our generall or particular calling 1 Cor. 15.18 Hitherto of the sixt point Who raised him from the dead and gave him glory These words containe the seventh motive in the doctrine of redemption namely the ratification of it God himselfe was pleased after an admirable manner to ratifie the work of our redemption and therefore it should much work upon us for holinesse of life Now God ratified it two waies First by raising Christ from the dead Secondly by giving him glory in heaven 1. Of the resurrection of Christ from the dead divers things may be here noted 1. That Christ was amongst the dead this may shew the hatefulnesse of sin when Christ became a surety for it it divided his soule from his body and chased him downe among the dead Hath Christ been among the dead then let us beleeve him in all the comforts he hath taught us against death For he speaks by experience we may trust what he saies for he hath been there himselfe 2. Therefore dead men have a being it were good for us so to live as we may have comfort in our being after death For Christ found a world of dead men with whom he was after his death 3. How worthy is Christ to be loved that thus adventured himselfe for us how is it meet he should reap of the travailes of his soule 2. That Christ was raised from the dead Therefore it is not impossible for dead men to rise we see the proofe of it in Christ Secondly we should never be out of hope in the desperatest afflictions if we were brought as low as ever Christ was 3. God raised Christ from the dead Therefore it is wonderfull evident that our debt is paid in that the creditor came himselfe and set open the prison doore and released our surety especially in the time of distresse wee should know that God doth not require our debts at our hands For he hath hereby acknowledged ful payment by our Saviour and we did owe nothing but unto God Secondly this imports that the righteous God may sometime forsake us for a time and leave us to our thinking in unmedicinable distresses so as we should cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and yet hee will returne speedily to our succour and put to the proofe of his greatest power rather then abandon those whom he loves 4. That the resurrection of Christ is a great wonder therefore it is here mentioned as a marvellous course that God held in the ratification of our redemption The Use is Therefore cursed be those mockers that scoffe at the resurrection of the dead and let us glory in the faith knowing the victory of our Messias as also that the time will come that God will glorifie us also before men and Angels by mising our bodies also from the grave Rom. 8.11 1 Thes. 4.14 5. God lookes we should be specially affected with his glory in this great work of raising Christ from the dead The Use is Therefore let us be humbled before the Lord for the deadnesse of our spirits and slownesse of our hearts and beg of him pardon and the renting of the cursed vaile of ignorance that lets us from beholding the great glory of God herein 6. Lastly we see that the exaltation of Christ stands of two parts viz. Resurrection and Glorification and that all works of humiliation ended with his comming out of the sepulchre And thus of his resurrection And gave him glory This is the second part of the ratification The glory God gave unto Christ shewes that he is fully pleased with him and that Christ hath perfectly paid our ransome Quest. What glory did God give unto Christ upon his death for us Answ. Great and greatly to be praised and admired For 1. He assigned him all the honour of a triumph is his ascension when â—ee led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Eph. 4.7 Col. 2.15 2. He removed from him all infirmities both of body and mind 3. He gave him all power in heaven and earth even preeminence in all things Mat. 28. Col. 1.18 For he made him 1. Prince of Angels Col. 2.10 2. Head of the Church Col. 1.18 3. Heire of all things Heb. 1.3 4. Iugde of the world Act. 17.30 4. He assigned him his owne best house to dwell in and that with equall honour with himselfe at his right hand in heaven 5. He bestowed all the Elect upon him Ioh. 17. 6. He commanded all creatures to worship him This was the grace of adoration Phil. 2.10 7. He gave him promise to grant whatsoever he asked Psal. 2.8 9. 8. He proscribed all his enemies and undertooke to make them his footstoole Psal. 110.1 The Use may be first for consolation All these honours done to Christ may assure us of our reconciliation with God and that our redemption is accomplished and it may encourage us to goe unto God trusting in his mediation for God can deny him nothing yea his glory is our glory The crowne is set upon our head when Christ is exalted and therefore being his members we should rejoyce as if it had beene done to us and the rather when he appeares we shall appeare with him in glory Col. 3.4 Secondly in all affliction it should teach us to live by faith and with patience to run the race that is set before us thinking upon the end of our faith the salvation of our soules which
reason will affections c. do discover themselves within us and it is manifest that God infused the soule not upon the body but into the body seating it within us The soule then is within the body and so joyned to it But how Divines have sought out divers similitudes to expresse their mindes And first to shew how it is not joyned First not as water and the vessell that holds it are joyned by contact or touching one another for the soule is not a bodily substance and therefore cannot be joyned by touching nor doe the water and vessell make one thing as the soule and body do one man nor do they worke together as the soule and body do for the water doth all the worke thereof in watering or clensing without the vessell Secondly not by mixture as water and wine are mingled together For things mingled ceaâ—e to be what they were for there is no longer water nor wine now they are mingled nor is the soule materiall to suffer such a mingling Thirdly not as the heat of the fire is united to the water when the water is heated for though the heat be joyned to the water as the former yet it is but an accidentall forme and they are one by accident not per se. Thirdly not as the voyce is in the aire for though the voice be dispersed abroad the aire and doth likewise carry something to the understanding besides the sound yet doth not this reach to expresse the union of the soule with the body For the voice is not the forme of the aire nor is it conceived in the aire without the breaking of the aire and besides it presently vanisheth whereas the soule is a substance and doth not easily depart out of the body Fifthly nor as the Mariner is in the shippe with the Governer for the dispatch of his journey for though the body bee as a tabernacle wherein the soule dwells yet that similitude doth not expresse this union because the soule and body make one thing whereas the ship and the Mariner do not make one thing but are two distinct sorts of things yea the soule and body are soone that by sympathie what one suffers the other feeles whereas the wounding of the Mariner is not the tearing of the ship or contrariwise There are two similitudes that doe more neerly reach this secret The first is of Christ. For as God and man make one Christ so the soule and body make one man But I will not meddle with the breaking open of that dreadfull mysterie The other is of the light of the Sun in the aire for there are many things in this comparison doe fitly resemble this divine light which is our soules as they are joyned to our bodies 1 This light doth fitly resemble the soule because it is a thing that cannot be corrupted or divided 2 This light doth so pierce into and penetrate the aire that they are both made one and are not separated so doth the soule the body 3 The light and the aire though joyned together are not confounded or mingled together for the light remaineth light and the aire the aire so is it in this union betweene the soule and the body 4 The light is so in the aire that the aire being smitten yet the light is not touched nor divided nor carried about as the are is so doth the soule remaine unpierced though the body bee wounded and fall yea and die too 5 As the light is onely from the Sunne so is the soule onely from God 6 As the aire without the light is as it were dead because it is darke and cold and will putrefie so is the body without the soule 7 As no man can shew by what bands the light is fastned to the aire so is it extreamly difficult to shew how the soule is fastened to the body This similitude we see doth in many things fit this case but yet not fully For the light is not the essentiall forme of the aire onely this comparison doth in many things satiâ—fie the question in that it shewes that the soule is in the body by penetration or immeation as they call it it pierceth thorow the whole body Onely we must take heed of two things First that wee imagine not the soule to be in the body as in a place or as contained of it For the soule cannot bee circumscribed by the measure of a place wee may not imagine that the soule is just as bigge as the body and no bigger For though it bee true that the soule is in the body and the whole soule too yet it is not contained there as bodies be contained in their places for rather the soule sustaineth the body Secondly God is said to be in us and so is the soule but not alike For God is in us by his vertue and grace and operation but not as our former whereas the soule is the forme of the body and both make one man Quest. But some one will say Can it not be shewed by what band the soule is tied to the body Answ. Some Divines and Philosophers undertake to determine that and say that God hath created in the body of a man a certaine humour which is fitted for this union and so they say the soule is united to the body by the vitall spirits which are of nature mixt partly corporeall and partly spirituall For as those vitall spirits doe consist for the matter of them of the radicall heat and moisture in man so they are corporeall and as they have an unexpressable nimblenesse in working or sparkling in the body so they draw neere to the nature of the soule and by these vitall spirits thus enlived are the soule and body joyned together Quest. There yet remaineth another question and that is Where the soule resides in the body in what place is it centred Answ. The most say that the whole soule is in the whole body and the whole soule in every part of the body Others say it is a vaine question seeing the soule is not in the body as in a place For it cannot be measured by length breadth or depth but it is in the body as the essentiall forme is in the matter which cannot be locally Others say that the soule is seated in one principall place of the body as the chiefe palace and seat of residence and is in all other parts by diffusion of vertues through the instruments thereunto fitted and placed of purpose by God in the framing of the body and thus the soule reasons in the head wills and affects in the heart sees in the eyes c. The chiefest mansion of the soule seemes to be in the heart because it is the last that dies in us Hitherto of the union of the soule with the body The faculties of the soule follow There are three faculties or powers of the soule by which it workes or there are three things which the soule effects viz. 1 Vegetation 2 Sense 3 Reason
And thus the soule may be considered either as it workes upon or by the body onely or as it workes in and by it selfe chiefly Upon the body and by certaine instruments in the body it workes vegetation and sense and by it selfe without the necessity of using the body it workes reason The first power then is vegetation by which the soule workes foure things distinctly upon the body 1 Life 2 Nourishment 3 Growth 4 Procreation The first thing then by the vegetative power of the soule wrought upon the body is life which is in respect of the body nothing else but the kindling the radicall and vitall heat in the body through the conjunction of the soule with the body and the continuation of that heaâ— untill the time appointed of God for the dissolution of it So that life is two waies to bee considered first either in the breeding of it secondly or in the continuance of it The breeding of it is in the very first moment of the union of the forme with the matter and by that instrument of the vitall or radicall heat The continuance of it is nothing else but the preservation of the motion and duration of the working of these vitall spirits The second thing wrought upon the body by the vegetative power of the soule is nourishment and this power of nourishing is a faculty by which food taken into the body by the force of naturall heat is turned into the substance of the body for the repairing of that which is consumed in the body And this is a worke to bee admired For the soule by the use of naturall heat is faine to subdue the nature of the food received and having melted it as it were in a furnace it casts out what is contrary to the body and extracts for the use of the body so much as is now made like unto it The third thing which the soule workes upon the body by the vegetative power is growth And this it doth by imploying that part of the food which is now made like to the body unto the extension of the body unto the dimensions thereof even to the increase of bignesse and force which increase for the convenient actions of the body and this worke is done upon the body but unto a certaine time of mans age or till about thirty yeares and then because nature tends not into infinitenesse she gives over this worke Lastly procreation is the fourth worke of the vegetative faculty of the soule by which it raiseth up seed in the body and formeth in it a meere substance like unto the body from whence it comes unto the perpetuall preservation of the sort of the creature And this is an admirable power For hereby living creatures do approach unto eternity and are made as it were immortall For though the body die yet by procreation it is as it were kept alive and so the kind of creature is perpetuated for the other two workes of nourishment and growth onely serve for that body in individuo but this power of procreating reserves the sort or species from ceasing to be Thus of Vegetation Sense followes The second thing the Soule workes either upon or by the body is Sense and by this faculty a man in his body is enabled to discerne things without himselfe and accordingly to desire and move to them which the former faculties did not reach unto Now as the soule workes sense upon or by the body it must be considered two wayes First as it workes either apprehension secondly or motion The apprehendnig senses wrought upon the body by the Soule are of two sorts first either outward secondly or inward Outwardly the soule workes upon the body five senses or five wayes of apprehending things by sense The body of a man is enabled by the soule to discerne of things without it selfe by outward helpes five wayes viz. By 1 Seeing viz. By 2 Hearing viz. By 3 Smelling viz. By 4 Tasting viz. By 5 Feeling And these waies of discerning are not to be contemned For admirably ought it to bee conceived of Gods wisedome in and towards man even in these For first by the sight through the benefit of light which God hath caused to shine upon his whole creation man may see what God hath wrought whereas else if the light be taken out of the aire or sight from man the workes of God are buried as it were in the darke yea the body of a man is as it were but a dungeon without sight and what the Sunne and Moone are in heaven that are the eyes in man shining in his head as these Starres in the firmament The fight is a chiefe helpe for all the great imployments of life in all callings The eyes are as watchmen set on high in their watch-Tower to discover the comming of enemies The eyes are also as the true windowes of the soule by which the Species or formes of things are taken into the soule For God hath caused all substance in the World to cast out beames as it were which have the pictures of the things themselves carried about and these comming to the sight are by it above all other senses taken in and delivered to the Soules within the eyes being a looking glasse that resemble the things seene And this noble sense may put us in minde of Gods knowledge if wee marke the degrees of seeing The eye of man discernes at once a great share or quantity of things together The minde of man will take-in a farre greater quantity and number and yet is finite for it cannot reach to all things that God hath made at once Now Gods understanding is infinite and beholds all at once For the second the sense of hearing is worthy to be thought on if wee consider either the benefits come by it or the manner how it is performed for by hearing is let into the soule and body not onely sounds of delight or wonder but also sounds of necessity both for naturall life by letting in speech and discourse and for eternall life by letting in the Word of God First the manner of hearing is admirable Sound is the breaking of the aire stirred up by the dashing or collision of sollid bodies and is spread in the aire as a stone cast into the water makes and drawes from it circles Thus the sound being brought to the eare the hollow turnings in the eare gather and hold the sounds as it were canes The sound at length rusheth upon a little bone or gristle like a hammer which moved smites upon another bone like an Anvill by which stroake the spirits in the hearing move and are stirred up and so they take in the sound and carry it to the braine the feat of inward senses These two are the most noble outward senses yet there is great use of the other three Thirdly for by tasting we discerne of meates profitable or hurtfull for the body Fourthly by smelling we receive in those delightfull
3.9 Phil. 2.2 3. 5. Men miserably neglect thankfulnesse to God for the good they receive daily from his mercies Col. 3.17 6. Many faile publikely and shamefully in want of care to come time enough to Gods service Zech. 8.21 Esay 60.8 In these things Christians should be admonished to mind their wayes and their workes and to strive to walke as becommeth the Gospel and the death of Christ that they may hold fast the light of the truth and shew out better the glory of a Christian life And thus of living to righteousnesse Now followes the third forme of speech By whose stripes we are healed The healing of our sicknesses is reckoned as another fruit of the Passion of Christ or else it is the same with the former exprest in other words These words then are borrowed from the Prophet Esay ch 53.5 who doth chiefely understand the spirituall healing of our soules of our sins as the coherence shewes in the Prophet but yet the Evangelist saith Mat. 8.17 and understands of the healing of our bodies also And therefore I consider of the death of Christ both in respect of soule and body And first as this healing is referred to the soule divers Doctrines may be observed Doct. 1. The soules of all men are diseased by nature even the very soules of the Elect are so till they be healed by Christ. The soule is diseased divers wayes especially by sorrowes and sins it is the disease by sin is here meant Quest. It would be inquired how the soule comes to be sick of these diseases and why sin is called sicknesse in the soule Ans. This spirituall sicknesse comes into the soule by propagation Adam hath infected all his posterity and every man hath increased the diseases of his nature by his owne wilfull transgressions Now sin is called sicknesse because it doth worke that upon the soule which sicknesse doth upon the body for sin hath weakned the strength of the soule in all the faculties of it which all men may discerne and observe in themselves by nature Besides it causeth spottednesse and deformity in the soule as sicknesse doth in the body and therefore sin was likened to the leprosie in the Law Further it often causeth pain and torment in the soule as wounds and diseases do in the body for there is no peace to the wicked especially when God fighteth against them with his terrours Besides it will cause the death of the soule as sicknesse will of the body if it be not helped and so men are said to be dead in sins Use. The Use may be to shew the fearfull negligence of worlds of people that are exceeding carefull to help their bodies to health but never think of the poore soule that lieth lamentably full of diseases And withall it shewes that all wicked men are men of ill natures because their dispositions are all diseased though there be degrees of ill nature or of this evill in men natures as there is difference of sicknesses in mens bodies And godly men should be compassionate when they see the grievous diseases in the natures and lives of other men remembering that they also were by nature subject to the same diseases as well as they Doct. 2. The diseases in the soules of men by nature are very grievous which is here also implied in that God was faine to send his owne Son to help and heale us Now that the diseases of mens soules are so grievous may appeare many wayes First because such a multitude of men are infected not some one person in the whole world in the body of mankind not on some part but from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot all full of sores and diseases There is no man that sinneth not and so no man that is not sick and that is the reason why men feare the pestilence because it makes so many sicke Secondly because the soule of man by nature is sicke of a multitude of diseases at once for even sin is a sicknesse and so our sicknesses are innumerable because our sins are so And hence it is that in Scripture so many metaphors are used to expresse the sicknesse of the soule as leprosie wounds plagues poyson gall c. Thirdly because the disease lieth in the soule it selfe Of diseases those are most mortall that get into the spirits and doe most enfeeble man how much more when it is in the soule Fourthly because in respect of our selves our sins or our diseases are incurable we can give our selves no remedy that can help us Ier. 30. Fiftly because in the Colledge of spirituall Physicians there is scarce one of a thousand that can help the poore soule out of these diseases Iob 33. Sixtly because there be but certaine seasons onely in which men can be healed as it was with the lame man at the poole of Bethesda and if men misse these seasons they are in danger to dye of these sicknesses There be seasons of grace and dayes of salvation and men must not harden their hearts while it is called To day Use. The Use should be to awaken wicked men to a serious consideration of their danger and at length to thinke of helpe for their soules being thus diseased as they would doe for their bodies if they were desperately sicke Ob. We feele no such diseases in our soules Sol. First wicked men have a kinde of spirituall lethargie upon them and so are in grievous danger but by reason of their spirituall sleepinesse they feele it not Secondly though they feele not their diseases now they shall doe hereafter and then thinke what a paine it will be unto them when God awakens them whether they will or no. It may be it will be in this life as it was with Cain and Iudas and then a wounded spirit will ake so who can beare it Thirdly the matter is not altogether so easie with wicked men as they pretend fâ—r they doe feele so much as may shew they are very sicke Sometimes they feele their consciences galling and paining them at the very heart for the time and what are the passions and perturbations of their soules but as so many fits ofâ—a Feaver And that they are grievously sicke may appeare by the want of their spirituall senses they can hardly see or heare any thing Besides they may know they are sicke by the potions of afflictions which God gives them who doth nothing in vaine Doct. 3. That in Christ the diseases of our soules may be healed Esay 53.5 Mal. 4.2 Luke 4.18 He is a sure Physician for our soules God hath undertaken it that he will cure and heale us he challengeth it as a glory to himselfe which he executes by Christ Iob 5.17 18. Deut. 32.39 Now in as much as our diseases may be healed by Christ and that he is our Physician appointed by God we may gather many arguments of great comfort even from hence that he is the Physician First because
infected with temptations evill counsell evill example c. 3. Because the inferiour must mend first and therefore the Apostle begins with the wives and would faine have them in order before they require respect from their husbands 4. Because if the women be gained to religion they may be great meanes to worke good upon their husbands for as they are pernitious instruments of the divell to doe their husbands hurt if they bee wickedly bent so may they bee great meanes to doe them good if they bee soudly reformed themselves as the Apostle imports in the first verse of this chapter Besides if the mother be godly and carefull though the father should not be so yet the children may be by her instructed and well brought up and the advantage from her for the childrens good is the geater because shee is most with the children and usually they more affect her than the father 5. Because many times their provocations from absurd husbands are so great as if God did not speake very much to them they could never indure it with subjection To conclude when things are much urged or repeated in Scripture usually thereby three things are imported about the matter so urged the one is difficulty the other necessity and the third excellency all three may bee well thought on here The Lord is very long in giving the charge to wives and it is both because it is a very hard taske to learne to be a good wife and because it is a thing wonderfull necessary and because a good wife is a creature much set by of God The Lord accounts it a great worke and excellent when hee can informe and instruct women so farre as to make them good wives Which should bee a great incouragement to wives though God set them long lessons to learne yet it imports he will make great account of them if they bee teachable scholars Againe we may hence gather the vanity of all earthly felicities Before marriage men and women promise themselves much happinesse in their married estate and thinke they could live together with all delight but yet after they are married they see they are deceived and therefore need to goe to schoole to learne how to behave themselves one to another Further husbands may hence learne of God how to deale with their wives to make them such as might please them they must treat with them by good arguments and not by fretting or reviling or complayning of them Thus in generall The first part of the charge given to wives is the proposition in these words Likewise ye wives be subject to your owne husbands In which words foure things may be noted 1. The terme of connexion Likewise 2. The parties charged Yee Wives 3. The duty required viz. Be in subjection 4. The parties to whom the duty must bee performed viz. To your owne Husbands Likewise This terme leads us to the duty of servants intreated of before or else to the worke of coversion to Christ mentioned in the last verses of the former chapter If it lead us as is most likely to the dutie of servants in the whole latter part of the former chapter then the Apostle would thereby tell wives that God is no respecter of persons Hee that requires servants should obey them requires also that wives should obey their husbands and will indifferently punish the faults of both yea if they would have their servants obey them they must make conscience to obey their husbands else it is just with God they should bee vexed by their servants that care not to bee a vexation to their hâ—sbands And if it be referred to the worke of returning to Christ then it â—eacheth that women must so thinke of the conversion of their soules as that they make not religion a pretence for negligence or disobedience they must so seeke the Lord Jesus as withall they remember to be subject to their husbands and to looke to I their callings in their family Yee Wives Note here first that in speaking to women hee gives them such a title as imports onely their relation totheir husbands they have now lost their owne names and their fathers names and are now stiled by the terme that binds them only to their husbands Note againe that the charge of subjection is to all wives indifferently no difference of age state nation degree or the like can make any difference in the charge God requires subjection of all wives whether poore rich noble wife yonger or old or of what state or quality A Queen hath no more priviledge than the poorest Cottagers wife Hester 1. Psal. 45.10 Tit. 2.5 and so contrariwise poore mens wives must reverence and obey their husbands as well as those that are more curiously brought up which should be a comfort to such wives because no more is required of them than what is required of all Note thirdly that the Apostle speakes to women as if hee would single them out by name Ye Wives which should teach them to heare their duties as if God did speake particularly to them Be subject Concerning the subjection of the wives many things may be considered 1. The proofes that it is indispensably required Gen. 3.19 Eph. 5. 24. Col. 3.18 Tit. 3.5 2. The reasons why they must be subject and so many reasons may be assigned 1. Because it is God expresse will he will have it to be so It is not arbitrary but necessary in respect of Gods commandement and they that will not be subject must thinke what accounts to give to God for the breach of his commandement 2. It is afterwards urged for example all godly women mentioned in Scripture have obeyed their husbands 3. Because it is equall and meet for if God give the wife power over all in the family but one it is great reason she should bee subject to him God deales fairely with the wife in that hee makes her subject but to one and lets her rule many 4. Because her husband is her head and the body is governed by the head 1 Cor. 11.3 5. Because the man was not of the woman but the woman of the man 1 Cor. 11.8 neither was the man created for the woman but the woman for the man vers 9. 6. Because the Angels of heaven doe look for this in all wives 1 Cor. 11.10 7. Because it is comely Colos. 3.18 A wife never carries her selfe with better grace reputation or honour than when shee shews most obedience and subjection to her husband It is a wicked and senslesse pride in many women that they thinke it is basenesse and dishonour to bee at their husbands appointment and to be made to doe what he lists But these are utterly deceived for their disobedience can commend them to none but such as have an uncleane divell in them What more comely in a child than to obey his parents so is it in Wives Were it comely for the body to stand above the head and to rule it Doth
not experience shew that such wives as are so monstrous as to professe they will not be subject or doe in practice crosse their husbands or rule them doe we not see I say that such creatures are hatefull to God and men doe not all sorts of people detest them in their discourse The wife is the image and glory of the man 1 Cor. 11. is it not an ill favoured sight to see a scurvie picture that resembles the substance after a vile fashion As man by obedience is Gods image so is the woman by obedience mans image 8. Wives must bee obedient to their husbands that the Gospel be not evill spoken of especially the younger wives Tit. 2.5 To conclude this point it is to be noted that he faith Ye wives be subject that is ye Christian wives that professe religion as if he would say religion should make you not only better women but better wives The husband should feele the benefit of the wives religion even in her carriage towards him the should make it appeare that the more shee heard sermons or read the Scripture or praied to God the better she would become to her husband Thirdly it may bee asked why the Apostle chargeth wives onely with subjection seeing many other things are required of them The answer may be first because this of all other things is most essentially requisite as that which characteristically differenceth the duty of the wife she must love her husband but that is so reqâ—iâ—ed of her as it is required of the husband also and the like may bee said of other things But subjection is a thing God so stands upon as if they had other praises as that they were wise provident chast rich faire yea religious yet if he may not prevaile with them in this point he is not pleased with the rest Secondly because this duty foundly performed doth imply the rest and in the practice of it causeth the practice of other duties Thirdly in that the Apostle doth reduce all their duties into one word he doth it thereby to cut off all excuse for if they cannot remember one word they can remember nothing and if they will not obey in one commandement it shewes that they are governed by a very spirit of profanenesse as being persons that resolve to live as they list Fourthly it would be considered in what things they must be subject and so wives must be subject to the husbands commandements to do in all things what he appoints or desires to be done They must shew a minde desirous to please their husbands in obeying the directions he gives in matters of the family or any other things may concerne his profit or contentment As the Church is ruled by the word of Christ so must the wife be ruled by the word of her husband His will must be her law to live by So likewise she must be subject to his reproofes to amend what he dislikes and to avoid what is displeasing to him so likewise she must be subject to his restraints and to the order he gives about her labour diet apparell companâ—e or the like striving in all things to please her husband 1 Cor. 7.34 Ephes. 5.23 and this subjection extends also to that due benevolence the Apostle requires 1 Cor. 7. 3 4 5. Fifthly we must consider in what maner wives must be subject and so divers things are required of them for their subjection must have in it care honour and sincerity First they must be subject with care and study to doe and dispose of all things so as the husband may not be displeased or disquieted A wise woman is said to build her house Pro. 14.2 which notes that the studies in every businesse how to set every thing in order as the Carpenter doth study how to set every part of the frame in joint Oh that this word Studie could be carved upon the hearts of women that they might never forget it what a world of unquietnesse and inconveniences might be prevented if care and studie did enter into their hearts Secondly they must be subject with honour to their husbands now wives honour their husbands and shew it divers wayes as by giving them reverent titles as Sarah called her husband Lord and by modest and shamefac't behaviour in her husbands presence her husband should be the covering of her eyes and by striving to imitate what is excellent in her husband so she should be his image and his glory as man is the image and glory of Christ and by avoiding all company that is suspected or disliked by the husband and by concealing and hiding his infirmities as much as she can Thirdly the sincerity of her subjection must appeare many wayes as first by being subject to him not in some things but in all things as the Church is subject to Christ. Secondly by being subject at all times and in all places at home as well as abroad and alwayes as well as for the first quarter of the yeare Thirdly by practising this subjection not in outward shew only but in her very spirit Mal. 2.15 and that not for feare or shame but for conscience sake and willingly out of the love and honour she beares to her husband performing this subjection to her husband as it were to the Lord himselfe Eph. 5.12 Finally she must make conscience to obey and be subject though the husband did not find fault or much require it even because God doth require it Sixtly it would be considered negatively in what cases or respects the wise is not subject to the will of the husband and so her subjection is qualified and limited or lightned divers wayes First in the quality of her subjection she is not to be subject with a servile subjection as a servant or vassall is subject to his Lord but in a sweet and familiar kind of subjection as the body is subject to the head and as one that is partner with him in many priviledges both temporall and eternall they remaine still companions and yoake-fellowes Secondly in the matter of subjection she is not subject to his will in matters of her soule and religion when his will is coâ—trary to Gods will Wives must be subject but it must be in the Lord Col. 3 15. The unbeleeving husband must not compell the beleeving wife to change her religion or to neglect the meanes of her salvation And againe she is not so subject but she may admonish and advise her husband with certaine cautions as if she be sure the thing she speakes against be sinfull and hurtfull and withall that she speake without passion or contempt with reverence and without frowardnesse or imperiousnesse Thus Abraham is bidden to heare his wife Gen 21. 12. Againe her subjection doth not bind her to consent to or conceale his whoredomes wherein he breakes the Covenant betwixt them and defiles the marriage bed nor is she bound to obey him in any thing she knowes to be a