Habitation for God as a King maketh a Cottage a Court so doth the Lord make a Bethel an House of God of him that was before Beth-aven an house of Iniquity which is an admirable advancement 1. This teacheth every one that is such to take heed he pollute not himself with any sin thereby grieving and wearying so happy a guest The Prophets were profitable to those with whom they sojourned The Widow of Sarepta had her oyl and meal increased and her life saved The wife of one of the Children of the Prophets had her two Children kept out of the Creditors hands The Shunamite obtained a son but much more profitable is Christ he brings Peace Joy and Life A pitiful thing that sundry Christians are so hasty so furious so full of pride worldly negligent in religious duties and the like How can Christ tarry in such an house can he abide in an heart full of these 2. To deck and trim up the house of our Souls with all graces of the Spirit of God therefore take pains and think no cost too much in Hearing Reading Praying to trim up this House for the Lord that he may take the more pleasure therein Solomon bestowed great cost on the Temple and was seven years in building thereof and shall we take no pains on this Spiritual Temple The Lord complained of his people that would dwell in fieled houses and let the House of God lie waste much more may he of us who minde many earthly things and minde nothing so much the dressing up of our hearts by Prayer Meditation Watchfulness and the like as a Bride prepared for the Lord Jesus When we dress up our houses to entertain strangers it were good to have such meditations saying to our selves Lift up your heads ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting door and the King of glory shall come in and thus entertain him most respectively here till he shall vouchsafe to entertain us at our death into that habitation that is not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens and when thou art at the best think that thy heart is too strait nothing good enough to entertain such a blessed guest An holy Priesthood Another branch of the benefit that believers have being received of Christ and united to him namely That whereas they were unholy now he makes them holy whereas they might not come near God neither their persons nor works now they are advanced to this dignity to be a Priesthood and every of them an holy Priest to draw near unto God and offer him Sacrifices whereas before they did nor could do nothing but was abominable in Gods sight now they are enabled to offer such Sacrifices and Services as God accepts and takes pleasure in and are not these great priviledges and all this comes by the means of Jesus Christ whom while they were without they missed all these priviledges but having him enjoy them all Holy They that are united to Christ are made holy that were nothing less before and draw sap of Grace and Sanctification from him through whom also they become new Creatures which is a wonderful priviledge that such filthy and unclean ones as we are by nature should be made holy for holiness is the greatest gift that can be a little of it is better then all the world God is holy his Angels holy therefore he gives us his Word his Sacraments Afflictions and the like means to bring us to holiness 1. They that have any measure of holiness must acknowledge that they have received it from Christ. 2. Let every one try whether he be united to Christ or not by this mark he is an holy head and all that are joyned to him partake of holiness Priesthood Believers together make a Priesthood and every Believer is a Priest to offer Sacrifice to God What are not Priests and Sacrifices at an end yet I thought they had been onely in the Old Testament and now abolished True some Sacrifices are at an end There were under the Law Priests ordained to offer Sacrifices daily to God for their own and the peoples sins all which pointed at Christ the true Priest and that blessed Sacrifice of his Body All these Sacrifices did but tend and direct to that All sufficient Sacrifice of his Death Now when he had offered himself on the Cross and dyed for our sins he put an end to all Sacrifices propitiatory as who finished all himself saying It is finished so then there is now no more need of Sacrifices for sin Christ once offered being All-sufficient Which 1. Condemns the Sacrifices of the Jews and all bloody Sacrifices which are to the Devils and not to God 2. Condemns the Blasphemous Sacrifice of the Mass where as the Papists say Christ is by the Priest offered daily on the Altar a propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead This is to overthrow Christs Cross. But though there be an end of all legal Sacrifices and Propitiatory yet there are Evangelical and Gratulatory and though those Priests that offered blood and beasts be at an end yet are there Priests still remaining in the Church of God which the Apostle mentioneth lest the Jews should think the former times better then these thereupon objecting Have we no Sacrifices now to offer to God he answereth We have though not of the same kinde We have no Propitiatory Sacrifices the date of them being out and which yet were not taken away by men but by him who ordained them but till this time who yet is not inconstant in changing them as having done away sin through the Sacrifice of his Son of whom the others were onely the types and shadows but Sacrifices of thanksgiving we have and that for the mercy of God in Christ and all other blessings flowing from thence This is no small honor and priviledge It was an honor under the Law to be Priests few were admitted to the Office they represented Christ they went near and offered Sacrifice the people standing afar off so is it now to be a Spiritual Priest to have the honor to come near to God with comfort and boldness 1. They therefore speak they know not what that use this as a name of disgrace and call Ministers in derision Priests and what is he but a Priest but it s an honor and a great one though Mass-Priests by their filthy lives have brought the same in disgrace yet is not this proper to Ministers onely which we speak not as though we were ashamed of it but that every one may have their due it s also common to all Believers and they that will none of this shake off the name of a Christian but they that are wise will take their part in it This is signified by the name Christian of Christ which signifieth anointed of that anointing by
then more sparingly to us more plentifully then under types to us the body is revealed 1. This confutes those that think that those before the Law were saved one way they under the Law another they under the Gospel another 2. It confutes them that hold That every man is saved by his own devotion and religion whatsoever it is so he be zealous in it and live orderly This they would prove hence namely That the Jews were saved by observing of a few Rites and Ceremonies a false foundation must needs lay the building under foot Do not we see that when they were even most zealous in Ceremonies that yet the Prophets cryed out that God was not content but called both for Faith and Love Besides what a folly is it to think that every man shall be saved by his own Religion Is any thing pleasing to God but that which himself hath appointed in his Word not our conceit but his wil is the rule of his Worship The Word sends us to Christ in whom alone God is well pleased without him there 's no Salvation for any 3. It confutes those among our selves which hope to be saved by their good meaning good prayers civil righteousness by their repenting and crying God mercy c. All these are blinde Sodomites they grope for a door where there 's none wil but hit their heads against the wal to their destruction O how happy are we that there being but one way of salvation known but to a few it should be so clearly made known to us were we so happy as to make it good to our selves That they might be judged according to men in the flesh c. Here note from the end of the Gospel that The Gospel calls for sanctification and all the parts thereof for as the Law hath Commandments so hath the Gospel it cals for faith and repentance and in this latter obedience to all the Commandments of the Law The differences are 1. The Law requires obedience but gives no power the Gospel doth both 2. The Law requires strict obedience to the utmost the Gospel requires an upright endeavor onely and to believe in him who hath performed it perfectly The Sacraments and Sacrifices of the old Testament called for this even for truth of heart for faith repentance God bade them circumcise the foreskin of their hearts and under that Law of purging all leaven out of their houses the people were called to repentance So Baptism and the Supper of the Lord the appurtenances of the Gospel call for Sanctification And doth any thing more cal for mortifying of our lusts living to God then the death of Christ for sin wherein we see how hainous a thing sin is in Gods account as also the unspeakable love of God to us in giving Christ thus to dye for us The death of Christ should be a great corrosive to eat our sin This was the end of Christs suffering for us Will Christ dye for a man and yet have no use of him after but that he may live as he list assuredly God would never cause his Gospel to be preached but to bring men to Sanctification 1. This confutes as well the Papists for affirming that we preaching Justification by Faith onely preach a doctrine of liberty to sin but on the contrary this doctrine doth notably establish good works as those among our selves that cry out upon going to sermons O say they we see none worse then they they will deceive they will cut their neighbors throat but of most this is a lye but if some be so let them know that the Gospel teacheth them not so to do 2. This rebuketh those carnal wretches which live under the Gospel yet abide still in their sins They think the Gospel brings onely tidings of salvation but requireth no amendment or mortification If Paul Tit. 2. had gone no further but stayed at Bring salvation we should have had a number of Christians but his other words teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly c. O this part they cannot away with so they could willingly hear Come unto me â—ll ye that are weary c. but not take up the Cross but God hath joyned them together and they cannot be separated he that hath the one must have the other as he that was to have the inheritance was to marry Ruth Hence it is that multitudes have in their mouthes They hope to be saved by Christ and yet remain in their lusts without mortifying the same or giving up themselves to God in an holy life Thus is it with ignorant persons prophane persons civil persons worldlings and hypocrites What impudent wretches are these They hope to be saved by Christ and yet live in their sins thus making Christs death to be a license to all evil Sundry deceive themselves in these days some content themselves with an outward profession some are haply at some times humbled and thereupon conceive themselves to be converted c. but let every man try himself by his Sanctification If this was required of them that lived before Christs coming who had dimmer light and more sparing means and promises then we then think what 's required of us that have heaven set open to us and all the Fathers minde revealed yea Christ dead risen ascended and all fulfilled 3. For Gods children which do indeed hope for Salvation by Christ and have yielded obedience to the Gospel in some measure there is nothing that can become us better then to labor to profit in mortifying our lusts and to shew the fruits of the Sprit more plentifully and powerfully in our lives Every Sermon and Sacrament should put new life in us For what is the profiting by the Gospel but to dye to sin and live to righteousness daily by an effectual knowledge of Christ Jesus O it s our great fault that we grow so slowly that we get not a full mastery of our lusts that sometimes we shrink at the yoke of Christ as thinking some part of it too strait and desiring more liberty who yet thought we could never do enough for the Lord O that our actions should favor so much of the flesh and so little of the Spirit O that we might encrease in our zealous affection to God for his love in Christ and for the Gospel and that our behavior may be daily more answerable thereto as our Salvation doth more nearly approach Vers. 7. But the end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer THe former part of this verse may be either a reason of the exhortation past and that from the shortness of the time to come or of the Exhortations ensuing unto sobriety watchfulness in prayer charity hospitality c. The end of all things is at hand The end of all things not of men onely or of some creatures not
blood and destruction both of body and soul therefore called Satan An Adversary The Envyous man The Accuser of the Brethren A Murtherer from the beginning and because there is no man so vile but hath some reliques of humanity in him he is compared to the Beasts without reason and so termed here A roaring Lyon as elsewhere A red Dragon c. he it is that first tempts and then accuseth us to God and ready to be the executioner Let him suck the blood of never so many yet is not his malice the more satisfied he hath been so from the beginning but now more by much because his time is but short Strength He was strong by Creation which though it be diminished yet continueth it exceeding great He can do marvellous things though no true miracles Through Gods permission he were able to do infinite mischief see in Job what havock he soon made his names declare it The strong armed man A Lyon yea A roaring Lyon his strength being doubled with hunger A great red Dragon Principalities Powers c. Prince of this world bearing a great sway and having many at his command The God of this world yea that doth almost what he list and who in respect of mans power to resist hath as it were an Omnipotent strength to do what he list And as he is wonderful in strength so he knows it well enough and is audacious and bold to put it out to the outmost when he may as to Job he wil set upon any the greatest and worthiest servants of God and sometimes foil them He set upon David a man according to Gods own heart and foiled him twice shamefully and again got him to number the people He winnowed Peter that was so couragious he buffered Paul that valiant Champion yea he set upon our first Parents in their innocency when he had no great likelihood of prevailing yea upon our Savior Christ himself having no likelihood at all and that again and again and again and when he had been so often foiled yet he departed from him but for a season who no doubt was busie with him in his passion in the garden Subtilty He was made exceeding wise by Creation which is not lost but perverted and turned to evil much hath been revealed to him and wonderful much he hath gotten by his almost 6000 years experience which would make a simple body wise yet he hath not an absolute knowledge He knows not our thoughts and hearts perfectly nor things to come but he can guess very shrewdly and nearly at them by signs and comparing things past with present as at our thoughts by observing our speeches actions and desires So at future things by knowing and seeing further into the nature of things and of mens bodies then men can but he is exceeding cunning to do evil and compass his purpose He was so at first much more now therefore called not a Tempter but the Tempter by way of excellency he that hath the Art and Trade of Tempting that is the Master thereof all others learning of him So the old Serpent which was subtile at first but now much more How cunningly dealt he with Eve 1. He goes to her not to Adam 2. When she was alone 3. Pretends great good will 4. Takes away the fear of all danger 5. Tells her of great benefits which would come by eating of the forbidden fruit yea such a benefit as she most desired and was most fit to tempt her she wanted nothing but to be as God c. 6. He shews her the beauty of the fruit and how like it was to be good meat and so perverted her So dealt he with our Savior Christ when he had fasted forty days and was alone in the wilderness then he tempts him to trust and not prevailing therein to presume wherein failing he propounds wealth and honor So now he tempts some to be Atheists and of no Religion if not so then to be of a false Religion if not so then to be careless and idle professors of the true if not so but that men will be somewhat careful to read hear get knowledge be forward then he labors to lift them up with pride and blow them out of the Church to Amsterdam make them too forward c. yea some he will not leave there but provoke them further to be Anabaptists nay Sebaptists as Mr. Smith who Baptized himself If he cannot tempt men to keep from Church then will he go with them to hinder them from receiving any good there and there bring them asleep if they be inclined that way or if not then fill their heads with worldly thoughts if not so then he brings in good thoughts of some good things that at another time were good but now out of season as thoughts of some other Sermon so in Prayer he fills the head with odde and strange thoughts or else with thoughts of the Sermon to keep them from lifting up their hearts wholly to God If he cannot keep men in presumption but that they be troubled about their estate then he seeks to drown them in dispair Bad men he will incite to those evils they be most apt to Civil men he will keep in a coldness in Religion and carelesness in the matters of Salvation as about the Word Sacraments Sabbath Prayer Good men he will incite to do good things but to ill ends or if they propound good ends to themselves to compass them by unwarrantable means Thus is he a cunning fisher and fowler He hath baits and nets for all kindes high and low rich and poor learned and unlearned men women yong old he will spread them and so lay them that he will not lightly miss He hath for every sex age constitution complexion state and condition he will make his shraps of profits or pleasures or honors and then get in some especially of the fairest marks and set them up as a stall and by both together tills in many Diligence He will spare for no pains he rests neither night nor day but goeth about continually His occupation is to compass the Earth If he prevail not at one time he will come again and again yea he will not leave a man as long as he lives and though there be such an infinite number alive at once in the world yet what with the multitude of Devils and with their most exceeding diligence and unwearied pains no man is free So that he is armed on all sides to do mischief If he were malicious and had no power we might despise him if power and no malice or but a little we might the less fear him or if malice and strength yet if he had no wit nor cunning there were much less danger for he were as a Gyant without eyes one might keep out of his hands or if he were all those and yet were lazy and could take no pains we might be free most what but