to our selves or the use of any lawful means If he set open the door then we may go out but not break away but be content so long here to stay as God shall see meet The world cannot abide to think of death or of the day of Judgement would buy them off yea but to be deferred with much money an ill sign nay many of Gods Servants be much to blame some so addicted to the world as not willing to part with it O ye be of little faith It s base that any thing here should take up our affections from longing to be with our true Inheritance Nay thus some Christians are held lingring indeed and that for wife and childrens sake especially namely to see them brought up and kept from evil courses seeing often the contrary through the want of Parents the wrack of many children As for the most part this argueth weakness of faith in Gods providence especially if their desire be excessive for God can provide for them without us moderately to desire life for this cause or only to do God some other service is tolerable always provided that it be the love of nothing here below that detaineth our affections but that we so esteem of the world and all that is in it as we see no cause in it why it should take up our hearts and make us linger here The causes that should make us desire to be hence should be sin and the desire to be with God sin to chase us hence and the love of God and Heaven the excellency of that place and state should allure us thither Some desire to be gone but it s most ignorantly and desperately for its onely because they be in trouble full of pain have many crosses Thus many make away with themselves others impatiently wish to be gone poor mad fools not knowing what is a coming onely looking to be eased of the present grief O our poor folly also and the earthliness of many of Gods people that are not wearied hence by sin and by their corrupt nature and continual spring of sin that they cannot be rid of but annoys them daily and continually Therefore God is pleased to send them sorrows and pains and with a week or fortnights pain they are made willing to dye that were not so before A great fault of sundry Christians that have their hands and heads so full of business as they cannot desire to be gone nay had need of a twelve-moneths warning to set their matters right This is not Pilgrim-like they may hap not have a week therefore so walk as you may ever be willing to be gone and be ever of this minde that to be gone is most happy and most to be desired 10. Pilgrims the nearer their Journeys end they are the gladder So ought Christians that have passed many years and are grown old to thank God highly that now their salvation is nearer then when they first believed it that they would not their time were to begin again and that they were yong again c. but thank God they draw nearer the shore where they shall arrive at the Haven of rest Ancient Christians near their end have this advantage that they have almost past the Pikes yong ones know not what remaineth for them yea every day a Christian at night should thank God that hath brought him safely one days journey nearer his end then in the morning Many think they grow old too soon too fast if they could make their years stand still as Joshua's Sun they would be glad Verse 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation VNto the former Exhortation of purging the heart he adds this of looking to our outward behavior and conversation among men namely that it be honest good godly and every way such as may not onely not be offensive but may be of good example yea to the very wicked that though for a time they speak evil of us as our nature is to do of every one that differs from us thinking our own courses still to be best yet at last they looking more narrowly and seeing our constancy in well-doing may be enforced to think well of us and whensoever God shall touch their hearts with his grace they may glorifie God and say This is the onely true way of worshiping God and thank God for it and all the means that have brought them to the sight of it The parts are two 1. The Exhortation 2. The Reasons thereof The Exhortation is to godly life and that is inlarged by the circumstance of persons or company before whom namely the Gentiles that is the Idolatrous Wicked and Unbelieving The Reasons 1. That they may be prepared to their conversion by beholding our good life which is set forth by the contrary in former time namely their speaking ill of us 2. That they may glorifie God which is set out by the time namely when God shall please particularly and in a special maner to bestow his grace upon them so that by our innocent godly life led among the wicked we shall provide for our own credit their good and Gods glory which is the thing we should chiefly aym at in all our actions Here observe we first our Apostles order He begins at the right end as a wise Builder he lays a good Foundation then builds on it as a skilful Chyrurgion he first purgeth out dead flesh then heals which else would heal and break out again Reformation if ever if be good must begin at the heart No man can have a good conversation whose heart is Unregenerate and Unsanctified for from the heart proceeds the life if sin and lusts be nourished there they will break out as fire hid in straw or dry wood for our bodies are as apt to execute as our hearts to broach evil For one to purge the Channels and leave the Fountain foul were to lose his labor for one also to pull off the tops of the weeds and leave the roots still were to no purpose The heart must be washen kept cleansed from inward lusts else no godly life 1. This confutes the Papists that talk of good conversation and yet regard not the heart either seek after true justifying faith whereby to purge the same 2. This shews and rebukes the folly of those that think to frame a good life as civil persons and yet never knew the corruptions of their hearts nor what Faith means that purifieth the heart nor make Conscience of their inward lusts Hence it is that they shamefully deceive themselves especially in the first Table and in the sight of a true Christian that can tell what belongs to good conversation Numbers think upon occasion they will never do as they have done but promise great amendment as upon
of man is taken 1. For those outward qualities that be common to good and bad that yet set out a man as Birth Wit Learning Strength Beauty Wealth c. Now God is no respecter of these things though amongst men they are much lookt after by reason of which not a few scape their deserved punishment and yet the same is prohibited of God He forbids it in others therefore will not himself have respect of persons Therefore let no man think he shall escape better by his Wealth Birth Learning Authority c. and because of them embolden himself to do that which a poor ignorant mean man may not Gods laws be not Spiders-webs Nay for these a man shall scape the worse for the greater the wages are which God gives he requires the more work the higher place he sets men in he looks for the better carriage where there 's more knowledge there must be more obedience else there must be more stripes 2. For the outward appearance of a work the shew of Holiness Costliness Painfulness Multitude c. and so it s here God respecteth not the out-side of a work and the shew that it hath to the eye of the world but looketh to the inside and respecteth with what heart it s done and from what affection it comes The Jews did abound in their outward works and service yet their hands being full of blood and abomination his own Ordinances were irksome to him and accordingly he did reject their Humiliation though it was extraordinary So he respected not the sacrifice of Cain though he were the first-born nor made choyce of Eliab for all his outward appearance God is a Spirit and will be served with a spiritual service My son saith he give me thy heart God seeth into the heatrs and reins whom therefore we are to serve with a perfect heart and willing minde To the being of a good work these things are required 1. That the person be justified in Christ and so pleasing to God 2. That it be done in Faith or a particular perswasion of the lawfulness of the thing done 3. It must proceed from a sanctified heart else the fountain being impure makes the sacrifice or work abominable to God 4. It must be done to a good and right end our own discharge and the good of our brethren as inferior ends but the main end the glory of God 1. Here are rejected all the works of natural and unregenerated men all the civil vertues in the Heathen Philosophers their Justice Temperance Liberality Fortitude contempt of the World Patience and the like which great works of theirs were but shining sins So the actions of such as are meerly civil though never so fair conditioned to the world-ward these are in no account with God nay their hearing praying Alms-giving are abominable till their persons please God and be sanctified and all such though haply of great age did never in thoughtword or deed please God trust nor then to these things Oh many will brag with the Pharisee of their just dealing but resting thereon they shall have the Pharisees reward Many a poor man will say I thank God I have lived honestly followed my work earned my living truly no man can say Thus and thus hast thou done amiss but even this not done to a right end and in a right maner is sin O but Christ loved the rich yong man though not yet converted He loved that seed or good that was in his own work but not the person 2. Here are rejected all works of Hereticks though never so costly devour painful as their early rising to Mass their painful travel on Pilgrimage their costly gifts to Religious houses So of other nations that coming into the Temples of their gods throw themselves down on the ground smite themselves on the breasts c. of all these being done without Faith God will say Who required these things at your hands The faster one runs in a wrong way the further he is out and the longer ere he come in 3. Here are rejected the works of hypocrites and carnal Gospellers which make a profession hear receive the Lords Supper joyn in outward performance of duty but look not to themselves their hearts remaining tainted with their lusts Such as yet live in some sins may go to Hell with Water of Baptism on their faces and the Bread of the Lord in their mouthes They care not how works be performed but slubber them over so they be out of their hands they care not how these will be paid according to their work They make sale ware for the Lord slight and of no substance but this the Lord cannot abide he will have it substantial If it come not inwardly from a good heart let the outside be what it will it s but like a painted Tomb or gilded Idol hollow within that cannot speak We are here met to day to hear Gods Word a good work an excellent work if all came with an upright heart God requiring it and that we should know his will and in all things be ruled thereby but few be such but when they have heard all they can yet do as they list at least in part It s true Ahabs hypocritical repentance was rewarded with a temporal benefit but not for love of the work but for example to others how well God would reward things done in truth 4. Let this teach all Gods servants not onely to have a care to do duties so can hypocrites but to do them in a right maner Herein lies the difficulty to bring our vile hearts to do them aright else the doing of the duty is an easie thing and no straight way if that were all but we have a wretched heart full of inwindings and privy corruptions that cannot be seen to others when we do our duties for even sundry of them are unknown to our selves pride hypocrisie dulness earthliness unbelief and the like look therefore when we Hear Pray give Alms follow our Callings or whatsoever that we do it well and substantially using all skill and diligence for we have a God with whom we deal that looks to the inside and hates all slightings and he will pay well cares not what he gives so the work be done well Commonly men that be good husbands will look to have their work well done so doth the Lord and he pays presently in hand Peace of Conscience Joy in the Holy Ghost with divers outward Blessings besides the inheritance reserved for us hereafter Verse 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your Fathers Verse 19. But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot HEre 's another main Reason of the foregoing Exhortation drawn from a wonderful benefit
conversation may become wicked through the tradition of our Elders So among our selves if any be reproved for this or that they will answer It hath been done thus these forty years It was so ere you came and will be when you are gone If it be a wicked and unlawful custom why plead you for it It s more then time it were banisht it stinks because thus they did in darkness therefore we should so do in the light what folly were this They will not do so in worldly things as apparel dyet building They were wont to go in hose and stockings all of one and have no chimneys in their houses who will now do thus yet better retain those then bad and unlawful customs Holy women There hath always been a company of holy women in the world as well as of men and why not both were made after Gods image at first equally good and in the fall both are equally corrupt and the children of wrath and in the recovery have equal right to Christ to the Gospel to Grace to Sanctification and Holiness Men have no priviledge this way Grace had been as well bestowed on them as in the Old Testament on Sarah Rebekah Rachel Deborah Jael Hannah Naomi Abigail c. and in the New on the three Maries Elizabeth Lidia Dorcas with sundry others as on men Women also were as forward to maintain Christ to follow him to bury him and Christ after his resurrection first appeared to them Our own experience also Sheweth that in most Congregations women be as forward as men in frequenting the Word and Sacrament And why not 1. They are of a timerous nature and so more easily wrought upon by the Word and by Gods Judgements 2. They keep at home not seeing or hearing the abominations that be abroad 3. They have many crosses and pains sicknesses and Childe-bearings putting them in minde of death and drawing them near to God and so furthering their Salvation 1. This serveth to stop the mouths of such idle heads as take pleasure to disgrace women 2. It serveth to encourage women and to comfort them There have been ever good women women therefore must stir up themselves to encrease the number especially having more means then those had in former times And needful it is that there should be good women as well as good men 1. For their own sake who have souls to save or destroy 2. That there might be an holy seed to make up the number of the Elect good Mothers bringing up their children well and good Wives being helpers to their Husbands both in soul and body As for those women that be wicked unclean prophane and ungodly notwithstanding the fearfulness of their nature their keeping at home and their manifold crosses What would they have been if they had been men They would have been monsters and of such women-monsters Hell is as full as of men-monsters Note further That he saith not wealthy women fair women but holy women Here 's the ground of his commendation A little holiness is better then a great deal of riches and beauty That that is to be desired of a man is his goodness Beauty fades with sickness wealth hath many ways to take it away but grace holds ever to life eternal and commends before God Angels and good men Therefore when God threatned to take the wealth from the rich men of Jerusalem and gay cloaths from the women yet saith he will make them amends How Every one shall be called holy They shall so profit by their affliction as where it might have been said Yonder goes a rich man yonder goes a fair woman a woman in costly apparel now Yonder goes a godly man a vertuous gracious woman This is commendation indeed and for this we ought to labor that we may have our part herein Again He calls them holy though they were married Marriage hinders not holiness nor is single life more holy then it It s the holy Ordinance of God and the bed undefiled The gift also of continence and single life is sometimes given to carnal worldlings and prophane persons but denyed to Gods dear Servants by whom he will encrease his Church and Kingdom This condemneth the Church of Rome Oh they extol single life and disgrace Marriage as if it were a living in the flesh O their vile hypocrisie they would seem holy and yet maintain Stews openly yea some of them have written in defence of Sodomy and for Fornication and Adultery the infinite skulls of murthered Infants the fruit of their Whoredoms found near the Dens of their abode witness how unholy they are The Pope would be Peters Successor yet was he a married man Till God call us to marriage we are to live in single estate purely when we are married soberly and holily If we be single we are not the more holy or if married the less holy But how could they be holy in those days By Faith in Christ whereby their hearts were purified they severed from the world to the Lords use There 's no Sanctification no Salvation but by Christ Now Christ is more clearly revealed then he was in those days more holiness is therefore now expected all ignorant unbelieving impenitent and unholy women are in a fearful case especially considering the means The Lord will one day present these holy women Look you here here be women that in the dawning of the day saw Christ and you have lived in the Sun shine of the Gospel and have not believed He calls them holy though they had their weaknesses as Sarah had so that we are not to account those as not holy that have imperfections for God accepteth of Believers in Christ and pardoneth their imperfections This therefore correcteth the over harsh spirit of those which cry down our Church as unholy and a Synagogue of Satan and no Church because of some blemishes Our Savior did not so but more charitably calleth Jerusalem The holy City which indeed was the Church though stained with many blots of error and bad life It comforteth also those that be truly sanctified and upright in heart notwithstanding their imperfections and failings God accounts you Saints and righteous persons Adorned themselves c. Of those duties which they did perform I have already spoken observe we onely this how they came to do their duties thus he sheweth they were holy and godly women and so performed the same Note then that Wives cannot perform their duties aright unless they be holy no being a good wife till a good Christian no building of a godly life on any foundation but upon Faith in Christ Whoso would do their duties aright to Gods glory their own comfort and anothers good they must fetch and draw grace from Christ by Faith they that think to do otherwise build in the Ayr build that which will fall on their heads and which will never
strictly meant that grace of hope which proceeds from Faith which is that whereby we wait patiently for that which by Faith we believe but it s here meant of both faith and hope even assurance of Salvation Hereunto saith he they were begot again Whence note That We have not the assurance of Salvation of our selves by nature or by our first begetting no by nature we are the children of wrath enemies to God dead in sins and trespasses having no hope and without God in the world Nay to have Faith and hope of Salvation is the onely work of God as our Savior unto Peter upon his confession of him Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in Heaven So may we affirm about this particular See to this purpose Joh. 6. 29. Acts 16. 14. Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Heb. 12. 2. The titles given unto Faith shew as much as precious Faith the Faith of Gods elect most holy Faith have we any such thing in our selves The means whereby he works this Faith are 1. The outward Ministery of the Word 2. The inward working of Gods Spirit preparing us by the Law then working it by the promises of the Gospel Father Son and Holy Ghost work Faith God that brings light out of darkness made all of nothing and raiseth up the dead to life he only works Faith in us and puts life into these dead hearts of ours it s a great work of God that we can do nothing toward it To be humbled truly in the sight of our sins is a great work hardly brought to pass yet this no part of Faith but a preparation Then when we see them it s a great work of God that we are not swallowed up of desperation but that God upholds and works by the Gospel longing after mercy and so by degrees gives power to apply it many that long seek and cannot lay hold or having yet quickly let go finde faith a great work of God What shall we say then to the hope that 's so common in the world almost at every hand Go through a Parish and you shall finde few but hope to do well to be saved making no doubt of it having no fears asking no questions about it yea thank God they have been of this perswasion ever since they can remember Surely this is but a false hope a presumptuous conceit of their own heads without ground or bottom in Gods word an illusion wherewith the Devil seeks to undo them getting them to bear themselves fair in hand that they might not be troubled till wrath overtake them without help yea it may appear they are not begotten again to it for being asked how long it hath been thus with them they thank God they have ever been of a good belief and they have no ground for it but because God's a merciful God c. not considering that God is as Just as Merciful and that his justice must first be satisfied ere he can shew any mercy Besides they cannot say it hath been wrought as God worketh Faith in his viz. First he humbles and brings to the Gates of Hell and then lifts up this is not with them They also cannot say nor remember when it was wrought nor how they came by it nor that it hath been otherwise with them at any time Besides true Faith purifieth the heart and he that hath it purgeth himself as he is pure which is not in them but they abide in their sins at least in the love of some and have no Faith for outward things but use unconscionable shifts Therefore whereas true hope makes not ashamed but in the needful time and great day will make men lift up their heads with joy this will be like Aegypt a deceitful and broken Reed to lay them under feet that do trust to it Contrarily know we that Faith and Hope are not so easily gotten they must be wrought from Heaven herein both Father Son and Holy Ghost must joyn therefore wofully do they deceive themselves that trust to any blinde conceit in stead of the true work of God as they do desperately that put off Conversion and Faith till the latter end as if they had them at command we must in time labor for this true work of grace But if any can prove themselves begotten truly to this hope they have great cause of thanksgiving whereinto the Apostle here breaks out Oh what a thing is it not only to give his only Son to the death for us but to reveal it to us in his word and thereby to assure us that we have our part in the same and we poor sinners may come to know our sins forgiven and that we shall be saved Oh unspeakable favor I What is like this Or what can make a man miserable that hath this prize we this as a Jewel nourish we it by all good means especially by keeping a good Conscience rejoyce in it as being of more worth then all the world let not a few wants or afflictions daunt us or take away this joy It 's a fault in Christians that they will be heavy if they want something they would have Oh! Is it not enough that God loves thee Again a little cross casts us down and quells us as if we had nothing to comfort us Oh no earthly thing should daunt us while we know this He that said I could be content to lie as a fire-block in Hell till the day of Judgement so I might be sure to be saved then would have been glad of assurance in this life though with many crosses If any have not yet this hope let them give no rest to themselves till they have attained it there 's no peace without it Sin lieth at the door a wounded conscience will arrest us though we may still it for a season pacifie it we cannot till our sin be taken away and forgiven Assuredly their estate is most dangerous which neither have it nor seek after it A lively hope so called not only for that it is the hope of life but because it doth exceedingly cheer and comfort the heart of him that hath is and puts more life into him then any other thing can do Herein it is opposed against all other vain hopes of the world in outward and transitory things which yield no sound contentment to them that have their part deepest in them Herein also from the forged hope of Salvation that the world fain to themselves which also hath no life in it no heartning in it But true Faith and hope do exceedingly revive the heart which before was dead without any true comfort yea being stung by the Law and so full of terror and discomfort joy and gladness comes from perswasion of pardon Neither comforts this only in prosperity when the world can be merry but even in adversity and trouble when they
be dismaid and dead as it were on the nest Through this they can even in Prison with Paul and Silas sing Psalms as through this the Martyrs endured the fire Daniel and the Three Children went cheerfully to suffer This also makes a Christian lively to serve God and in every duty to praise him as David Open thou my lips saith he namely with assurance of thy love and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise So to do good to others as being fitted to teach them as well the way of Gods justice against sin as the way of his mercy to them that repent yea hereby we shall be fit to every good duty I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge mine heart namely by the perswasion of thy love and by thy Spirit and the hope of Salvation It s a fault in Christians that they be no more cheerful in this hope but lumpish and soon daunted in afflictions a fault I say that we are no more active and lightsom in Gods business Let every one then labor for it till this we are not alive our soul never prospers nor sees good day This even this is the beginning of life and the first step to eternal life Would any man live and be cheerful and see good days and have that which might keep him from being daunted in adversity persecution death at the day of Judgement let him by all means get this Without this mens hopes are vain their stout courage will fail them in those times when God shall frown It s Faith onely which will carry a man through all things Hereby he shall have a heart to serve God yea both do and suffer the greatest things for him and his sake According to his abundant mercy The moving cause of this benefit of our calling to Faith and hope is Gods mercy nay hit abundant mercy The cause of all the good that ever came to us or ever shall come is no other but onely free favor Why did he elect us before the world but onely of his undeserved love According to the good pleasure of his own will not for works we had done it was before the world not for any we were like to do as who do none till he work them in us So also Why redeemed he us when we were all fallen into condemnation even for his meer mercy was there any thing in us could deserve it when we were utterly unable to do any good nay when his utter enemies why also hath he called us Did we or could we do any thing before our calling to deserve it We were not onely unable to think a good thought but serving the Devil with all our power walking in our lusts after the Prince that ruleth in the children of disobedience See our case in Ezek. 16. both in respect of our Parents sinners and our selves or any thing we can do Nay to cut the throat of all conceit of any merit less or more before or alter he saith His abundant mercy So that a little mercy such as is in man or some reasonable store as in Angels would not serve the turn nor was sufficient to save us or move the Lord to call us to this hope but an abundant deal of the mercy of God which is infinite Was it a small matter that moved God to chuse thee to Salvation rather then thousands of others or was it a small mercy to give us his onely Son to save and deliver us by suffering all the wrath due to us What Not his Servant nor his Friend but his Son his only begotten Son the wisdom of the Father the Image of the invisible God the engraven form of his Person to stoop so low as to become man nay in that base estate to be despised of men to be hated spitted upon mockt shamefully Crucified and he that knew no sin to stand in the stead of most vile sinners and so to be dealt with and that for us no friends but enemies no good persons but vile and wretched ones Was a little love enough to bring this to pass Oh no but a love without measure without example never such another even that any Father gave his only begotten Son to save traitors and enemies It was wonder that the Father did not rather suffer all mankinde to perish then to give his only most blessed Son to suffer the least of these indignites And it was no small love of Iesus Christ that moved him to leave the glory of the Father and stoop to the estate of a man and all his infirmities save sin and to endure all these tortures of men and his Fathers wrath especially It was no small love that made him give us his heart-blood when he shed a few tears for Lazarus the Jews said Behold how he loved him but having shed his blood for us what may we say So also is it a small measure of mercy to call us to the hope of Salvation from our wretched estate when we went on in sin and minded no good nay all evil It must needs be a great deal of mercy to move God to think well to us when we went on madly in our sins and did fight against him so also to forgive so many and horrible offences as we had committed no marvel though David craved the multitude of Gods mercies If they were not infinite our sins could not be forgiven for our sins come as neer infinite as number can make them then to cloath such wretches with the righteousness of his Son then to forget and forgive all that is past and take us into favor and make us here heirs of all his promises and priviledges and of life eternal hereafter who will not admire it Is not this abundant mercy to work this hope in us whom he might have justly condemned and when he might also have been glorified in our condemnation as he was in Pharoahs Plagues So also to adopt us for his children men adopt that have none of their own God had a natural beloved Son men adopt their kinsmen God us nothing of his kin yea his enemies men adopt for some good quality we had no such thing to move God was it not a great deal of mercy that moved God to call Paul that ran a persecuting of him in his members to forgive Mary Magdalen Manasses c. So every one of us What were we when God called us Must not we say that it was abundant mercy that ever we were called forgiven and saved They that have had their part in this abundant mercy must be stirred up to abundant thanksgiving saying with the Psalmist What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me We must testifie our love in â—ealous obedience all the days of our life shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous
the rest of the Apostles if they had not been tryed So what grace hath appeared in some as weakness and impatience in others in the time of affliction neither of which before could have been believed Are afflictions tryals then 1. Labor we for such soundness of grace that when afflictions shall come they may finde us pure gold and wheat and not cast us out for chaff and dross 2. Do we consider that God now tryes us by them and so look we to our selves observing what they discover if it be more grace then we thought that we may thank God if more corruption be truly humbled laboring for more grace yea whatsoever shall be discovered we are to thank God as which will tend to our good There 's therefore no cause why we should be impatient in troubles for they try us and who would be unwilling to be tryed It s a sign he meant not well that would not have his gold put to the Touchstone or he that proffering Land to be sold would not have his Writings perused In heaviness Can heaviness and rejoycing stand together A. They can in divers respects and degrees In Heaven where our joy shall be in such an high degree and great measure we cannot mourn nor the wicked in Hell rejoyce but here on Earth we may The wicked be merry because they have their will yet inwardly they are wounded in their consciences for fear of that which may come after So the godly are joyful in the assurance of Gods favor and Heaven and yet heavy thorugh troubles which here lie upon them As a sick man hearing glad tidings may rejoyce and yet be heavy for his pain a Father also may be heavy for his childes death and yet rejoyce for his happy end and godly departure Amongst the Israelites upon the rebuilding of the Temple some wept and others rejoyced both might have been and haply were even in some one Gods servants as by their Faith they are not freed from afflictions so neither from heaviness but have sence of their miseries which are grievous to them as Poverty Sickness Imprisonment and the like even our Savior himself mourned and wept and so he said his Disciples should Nay our Savior himself shed tears of blood in his passion saying yea crying out My soul is heavy unto the death Faith makes us not blocks neither takes away sense onely moderates our grief The Martyrs had pain but Faith prevailed and enabled them to bear it Where there 's no pain there can be no patience nothing due to blockishness else were frantique persons worthy commendation which feel nothing Faith moderates our grief makes us wait upon God speak good of him using no unlawful means when the cross is upon us 1. This is contrary to that blockishness of the Stoicks that profess to be moved with nothing so much as to change countenance but to be at the hardest tidings as if the joyfullest news had been brought them 2. To those half Stoicks amongst our selves which think it too much weakness to complain or make moan in any affliction 3. This may comfort the servants of God when they are pinchad hard by troubles and are affected thereat and feeling pain declare it Though they may be thought impatient they are not God knows we be not iron as long as Faith can moderate and we being heavy and pincht to the heart with pain are yet upholden with the joy of eternal salvation and can say with Job Though he kill me yet will I trust in him in the mean time using no unlawful means our care is good Job is renowned by S. James for a mirror of patience yet he rent his garment shaved his head put on sackcloth and the like For a season Our afflictions are but short as our life is as a span long as a vapor a Weavers shuttle a thought yet in this short time our good days have been â—o then our afflictions We think them long if they have been on us a few days but it s our weakness they are short in respect of that we have deserved in respect of the pains we be freed from and joys we go to If our enemy should burst with malice he cannot hurt us after this life Therefore bear them patiently think them not long They that lie in Hell shall have a long task indeed let us think of our long eternal joy we if our afflictions be but very short think much but look on Jacob and David that from their youth were never free If need require That is as it seemeth good to God as it pleaseth him as he seeth it fit and expedient Hence note that Our afflictions come not to us at adventure nor by the will of Satan and wicked men for then woe to us they would afflict us too much nor yet by our own will for then either we would have none or too little but they come by the will providence and wise disposing of Almighty God who is infinite in wisdom and knoweth what is best for us who in love will do for the best to all his Therefore 1. We may bear them more patiently seeing they come from our Master Nay from our most wise and gracious Father thanking him that he hath not left us into the hands of Satan or any of his but hath the rod in his own hand and knoweth when to stay with him is mercy with them none 2. We must not rush into troubles and draw them upon our selves not being called of God thereto but must be wise as Serpents we must save our heads whilest we may lawfully and not exasperate men against us wilfully Neither must we trust to our great strength for then we prove weakest they have not always proved the stoutest in the end that have been forwardest to thrust themselves into troubleâ— Our Saviour Christ bade them when they were persecuted in one city fly into another but if the will of God be that we shall suffer we must be couragious and quit our selves like men Verse 7. That the trial of your Faith being much more precious then of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. HEre also he qualifieth their troubles from the end of them They come not for our hurt but for our good Thereby we are no more hurt then Wheat is by threshing or Gold by fining they come for the trial of our Faith and tried Faith is better then any tried Gold For that will perish and be lost but this will abide and come forth to our honor and praise at the great appearing of Jesus Christ It may be conceived as if he had said The affliction and persecution which you now suffer bear patiently as serving for the trial of your Faith which how painful soever the tryal thereof may
seem for the present will be found to your praise at the great day This being so who should not willingly undergo them If we take pains and toil our selves to get riches and so long as we get them forget our toil should we not much more be concent to endure some trouble that our souls may get the true riches Now particularly for the trial of our Faith afflictions come 1. To try whether we have any at all 2. Whether it be so much as we take it to be 3. To purge and refine that which we have 1. To try whether we have any Faith as God doth it sometimes by false teachers and heresies so doth he also by afflictions wherein many that have not received the love of the truth have been carried away whereas others though haply of less parts but more soundness have resisted and stood to the truth for there be false Faiths and our hearts are deceitful and the Devil is subtile to make as believe we have the right when we have nothing less Affliction will prove this as in those whom our Savior termeth the stony ground They went far yea farther then most in most congregations go yet had they not that which would serve to Salvation affliction discovered what they were that they were not such as before they were taken to be The Israelites were proved in the wilderness whose troubles manifested their unbelief for which they were both plagued in the wilderness and shut out of Canaan Many a one thinks himself a tall man till he comes into the field with his adversary where he proves himself a rank coward many think they can do great matters till they come to it A Mariner is not tried till a storm nor a friend till adversity he that then stickâ— to one is a friend indeed So afflictions have discovered many that have thought but too well of themselves Many talk that they believe in God and put all their trust in him yet when they are visited with sickness losses and the like they run to witches and wizards for help or in poverty steal lye dissemble or use any other unlawful courses to help themselves Many also that in prosperity profess the Gospel very forwardly when trouble comes fall quite away are not onely shaken as Peter or a good man may be on the sudden or for a while but fall quite away when many poor souls it may be of less gifts have stood out and suffered Seeing then that God will try us by troubles we should labor to have true Faith against troubles come that we prove not drâ—ss Therefore let us try the Faith which we think we have by the touchstone of Gods Word if it will abide that then will it endure the furnace of affliction It may be tried 1. By the maner of Gods working it even through humiliation 2. By such companions as go with Faith or follow it as peace joy and the like so if we love God most dearly as they that have much forgiven love much if we love his Saints and people most heartily if we wonder at and admire his unspeakable mercy to us passing by so many thousands of others with one hearts and mouths enlarged praising him secretly and openly for the same if we pity comfort and strengthen others if we long to go hence where we are absent from God and to be with him if we mourn for our sins committed against him who was kinde to us when we wandred from him and have an hatred of all evil with an unfeigned care hereafter in all things to please him they are infallible tokens of a sound Faith It s needful that we should thus try our Faith as being of that absolute necessity that by it Christ and Salvation are made ours without it no hope of either In so weighty a thing we had not need to venture without tryal without it no person or work is pleasing to God and its the foundation of a good life and all true comfort therein 2. To try whether our Faith be as much as we take it to be or more this affliction will discover sometimes we think we have more then we have as Peter who notwithstanding his bold and confident protestations to our Savior Christ shamefully upon the trial denied him Contrarily others think they have little Faith that upon the trial appears more and shines gloriously as Jobs and Davids Who also could have believed that there had been so much in many poor Martyrs if they had not come to the field and encountred with Tyrants and their Torments as who would imagine such sweetness in Spices till bruised We should not be against such afflictions as are sent for this end for what 's more comfortable then to know we have more Faith then we knew of and what more necessary then to know that our Faith is weaker then we imagined that so we may labor to have it strengthned If it appear weaker then be we humbled and distrusting our selves let us ever fly to God for more grace and strength against temptations so will God give us as much as shall stand with his glory but if we trust to our selves and be slack in seeking to God then are we like to bewray our own weakness 3. To purge and purifie that true Faith which we have and encrease the same this also is most necessary for though a small Faith being true will save us yet the more and purer it is the better it will carry us to Heaven and though by a weak Faith and mingled with corrution we shall see the face of God and his loving countenance yeâ— the cleerer and brighter it is the more certainly comfortably shall we see him As they that have weak eyes yet see so as they are directed to their ways end who if they had cleerer would be there sooner and with less danger As therefore its requisite to have those gross humors purged thâ—â— dim the sight so those corruptions that dim the eye of our Faith Beside such is our corrupt nature that much dross and corruption is mingled with the grace of God in us so as except it be subdued by continual affliction it will wax wanton against God and hinder his grace in us Standing waters corrupt and bodies not exercised are full of gross humors So would it be with our souls were we not continually exercised with troubles as the finest Wheat not faâ—â—ed will be musty with dust the finest cloaths catch dust and moths if not continually brushed the finest vessels take soil if not continually scoured so our Faith not looked to is quickly overgrown as the 〈◊〉 with weeds if the husbandman plucks them not out As far brush weeding-hook wisp fornace are to these things so afflictions to the children of God We are as an untamed heifer if not held under the yoke God therefore
If we take care unfainedly to keep his Commandments in one thing as in another 2. If we love the brethren which are members of Christ so as we dare not harm them yea love them not onely because they have his image restored in them but are a part of Christ as it were and of our selves 3. If we be content to suffer for his sake and will not be pluckt from him but are vexed to see him dishonored by any 4. If we long for his coming that so we may be with him and married to him to whom we are already betrothed It s the Churches voyce and should be ours in particular Come Lord Jesus If the husband be gone a long journey his wife doth not much love him if she never desire his coming home 5. If in the mean time we desire to hear often of him and from him as the wife that loves her husband will send or be often at the Carriers to hear of her husband and receive Letters from him So must we frequent the Word upon every occasion where we may hear of him and of his great honor and glory and of his providing us a place there and of the glory there and how he would have us in the mean time to carry our selves taking heed of any other lover in his absence which also doth inform us That his coming draweth nigh and is at hand Thus to hear of him and from him as much and as often as we can we should be desirous By this Touchstone we may thus try both our faith and love In whom though now ye see him not yet believing Here 's the object of our faith the Lord Jesus Christ. The common people say They believe in God and trust in God which is in truth but meer self-deceiving for though when we believe in Christ we believe in Father Son and holy Ghost yet our faith must directly fasten it self upon Christ Jesus who hath wrought our Redemption and on our behalf suffered all things and so he must come in as a Mediator between the Father and us else how should we poor worms come to put our trust in that glorious God and being vile sinners dare to look for any favor at his hands but in and by him who without him is a severe Judge How dare any poor wretch put his trust in God for all good that knoweth not that he is his God nor how to bring it to pass Here also the Divinity of our Savior Christ may be noted for we may believe in none but in God If even he be cursed that putteth his trust in any other for outward things how much more for Salvation He created all things Tryeth the hearts Forgiveth sins Stilled the Sea with his word Raised the dead by his own power all which point out his Deity yea it appeared even in his greatest abasement He took upon him the seed of Abraham but in this seed were all the Nations of the earth blessed He was compassed in the Virgins womb yet even then at his presence John the Baptist sprang in his mothers belly He was laid in a Cratch but even therein was he worshipped by the Wise-men of the East He was hungry but he fed five thousand with five loaves and a few small fishes He slept but at his awaking he caused the winds and waves to cease He paid Tribute but out of the fishes mouth He wept for Lazarus but he raised him from the dead He was taken by wicked hands but then he healed him with a touch whose ear was cut off He was crucified and dyed but at the same time he darkened the Sun and shook the earth the vail of the Temple rent which made the Centurion say He was the Son of God He was buried but he raised up his body the third day He was manifested in the flesh but justified in the Spirit And it was necessary that he should be both else had he been no Savior for us which sheweth our gret misery and Gods great mercy Who should not embrace him that abased himself so low for our sins as if a King should rise from his throne and row in a galley-slaves room what then should not we be willing to do for him yea to abase our selves to any service he requires of us on the behalf of our brethren but how few embrace him how few entertain him with an humble and contrite heart Ye rejoyce The other fruit of Faith is joy being assured of so great things done for them by Christ and so great things prepared for them by him they could not but rejoyce for as the feeling of Gods wrath for our sins is fearful and cannot be endured a wounded spirit who can bear as may appear by the heavy cryes and complaints of some of Gods servants in agony of conscience O I am cast out of his sight I shall perish O what shall I do but especially by the desperate horror of the wicked who feel it so intollerable as that they cannot bear it as Judas who went and hanged himself for no man seeing and feeling himself under the wrath of God and no way to be freed therefrom but must needs wish he had never been or now were not or were a Toad or the vilest creature so contrarily they that feel themselves freed from this and called to the hope of so great glory must needs rejoyce as Joseph doubtless was a glad man when being delivered out of prison he was advanced to honor The way hereunto is true Faith Worldlings indeed think Christianity a dumpish estate but it s the onely estate wherein we may be merry and whoso is merry not being assured of Gods favor is a desperate person as if one were merry that hanged over a deep pit by a twined threed In the midst of their mirth the wicked have secret gripes as thieves condemned though they drink and play at cards yet to think that on the morrow they must be executed chokes them and their mirth The wicked also can be merry in nothing but some wickedness or other as if one should be merry when he eats and drinks poyson when he slashes and cuts himself for hereby provoking God they increase their own damnation This joy then coming from Faith comes not from our works or any thing that we can do These cannot bring sound peace to the minde or quiet to the conscience or joy to the heart for 1. We have many sins and therefore can merit nothing of God 2. We know by our selves that even many of them are unto us unknown who knows the errors of his life no man can say he hath found out all his sins or the corruptions of his heart so that he can say now here be no more 3. Our best duties be mingled with much weakness and imperfection so that though they may appear before men
thus Trust perfectly on that Grace c. Where we have three things 1. What they are exhorted to namely To trust 2. How Perfectly and 3. On what Grace That is Salvation which is described by the means how they came by it It was brought them and that by the Gospel which revealeth Jesus Christ. 1. They are exhorted to trust and believe in Christ for Salvation Faith is a particular assurance that whatsoever Christ hath done he hath done it for me This is to put on Christ to eat and drink his flesh and blood It hath three parts 1. Knowledge of the mystery of Salvation 2. Consent 3. Particular Application This is the instrument of our Salvation and puts a difference between justifying and temporary Faith what else soever a man hath there 's no Salvation promised to it This the mother of all true joy and peace The mother of all obedience and good life See it in Abrahams offering up his Son Hereby we are induced to do or suffer any thing for Christ This we must labor to come to when we feel our misery and desire to come out of it and hunger after Christ we ought to believe that we shall be saved This is the will of God saith our Savior that ye believe in him c. God is willing and deâ—irous we should believe The commandment of the Gospel is so and its commandments are as necessary to be obeyed as those of the Law He that believeth hath put to his seal that God is true It s therefore our fault that being come to the birth as it were we stand still and do not believe when God hath made us fit to believe either raze your selves out of the number of weary loaden sinners c. or else believe you shall be refreshed and are pardoned in Christ. 2. They are willed perfectly to trust namely 1. Sincerely without faining 2. Stedfastly without wavering 3. Constantly without breaking off Sincerely nor fainedly but so believe as we have ground out of Gods Word for it many say they hope to be saved and this is all but put them to prove why and whereon their perswasion is grounded they can say nothing Can you prove it out of Gods Word What promise have you thence if you have then it s well else its Presumption not Faith Try it by the fruits of Humiliation and by the fruits of Sanctification by thy love to the Word and Saints Stedfastly without wavering we must not be off and on we hope well but we cannot tell Gods promise is not yea and nay but most certain and infallible so that we may be out of all doubt To this purpose its called assurance of Faith and as Abraham we are willed to ask in Faith and not to waver It s true no mans faith is so perfect but there may be sometimes some doubtings but they are not of the nature of Faith but being from our corrupt nature are contrary thereunto 1. This condemns the Papists that tell us we may be of a good hope but are great enemies to assurance we may be assured say they in respect of God but in respect of our selves we cannot he being faithful changeth not but we are weak and variable may be well now but by and by fall a tormenting Doctrine If we look to our selves we need not doubt but despair rather and God hath not promised Salvation to us upon condition of our constancy as to Adam but of his unchangeable love he will never leave us but finish the good work he hath begun in us yea say the Papists if we hold out What a foolish repetition is this God will do great things for us if we continue what were this to us if we were left to our selves nay he will give us a minde to continue and so do all these things for us 2. This reproves even good honest humble Souls that long after Christ and hate sin with a deadly hatred and have many excellent things in them and yet stand at a stay they would not for all the world but hope that God will have mercy but cannot be assured Why Is not God faithful hath he not said that such and such shall be saved shall he say it and not do it God forbid O am I so unworthy Therefore he will have mercy on thee if thou didst not feel and bewail that he would not care for thee O my sins be so great Is his mercy onely able to take away small ones or the blood of Christ onely for lesser offences take heed O but it s not for me He names thee not but faith he not All weary and heavy loaden ones shall be eased all that take up his yoke shall finde rest to their Souls excludes he any exclude not thy self O but I have such a corrupt heart and offend him every day But how dost thou like thy sins I hare them they are as gall to my mouth I desire to be rid of them c. Why then be of good comfort no better sign of a childe of God then that thou strivest to mortifie them and to please God There is none free from corruption yet if thou fightest this Spiritual combat thou mayest believe and be thankful therefore this do strive against thy corruptions all thou canst and labor to reform more and more and then shalt not thou need to doubt of thy Salvation Lay the foundation of thy Salvation once sure and never raze it more if there be any fault in the roof be mending it but let the foundation he still Imitate thy Father Abraham God promised him a Childe What did he he neither looked on his own old age nor the deadness of Sarahs Womb but looked on the promise of God So do we look not on this or that our own unworthiness or what Satan saith but on Gods promise If the Devil do but put into your head you shall not be saved it shall prevail more then all we can say out of Gods Word fie upon it Is not he a lyar and a murtherer from the beginning Doth he not tell them that have no Faith that they have as them that have it that they have none Cleave to one testimony of Gods mouth and let all the temptations to the contrary be gone Renounce Thousands of them and stick to the promise O but I feel it not No how canst thou when thou wiltst not believe believe first and thou shalt feel after but though thou shouldst not feel of a good while yet believe the promise of God constantly without breaking off believe to morrow as to day next year as this we have good leave God is the same so shall we with Abraham Isaac and Jacob dye in the Faith Therefore use all good means to continue it and encrease it hear diligently receive the Sacrament carefully pray continually
businesses and le ts be over nay thou mayest be dead or meet with more ere they be gone 6. Voluntarily not be haled onely by pain and misery as Pharaoh God loves a chearful servant 7. Constantly not for a while as Joash but as Caleb and Joshua followed the Lord to the end yea when most revolted See the contrary punished in the Prophet that came from Bethel We must not be weary in well doing Reasons hereof may be these 1. Gods Soveraignty over us we Clay he our Maker 2. His Will a rule of Righteousness 3. His great mercies every way even to the worst but to his children wonderful ones 1. This condemns them that are so far from obeying and that in all things and after this maner that they will obey in nothing but as if they were set to cross the Lord what he forbids they love what he enjoyns they cannot away withal They live like masterless men as if they ought nothing to any were beholding to none What art thou not a piece of Clay the Lord thy Maker even he that threw Angels out of Heaven Adam out of Paradice opened the Earth rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom c. If his Soveraignty move thee not consider I beseech thee his Goodness Who hath nourished thee up given thee a comely body a reasonable Soul and so long kept thee that thou art not now in Hell What 's all this for that thou shouldst flie in his face that gives thee bread He lets thee hear his Word calls thee to Repentance c. Is it that thou shouldst tread these things under thy feet Oh thou art of thy father the Devil whose works thou dost and except thou fall down at the Lords footstool and humble thy self before him he will confound thee O consider this all ye that now forget God 2. It condemns such also as obey God to halves and in what they list in the mean time lying still in some beloved lust So Pharaoh obeyed so Herod and Saul But as Moses would not part with one hoof so will not God have us cast off any one Commandment God will have no parting Stakes The Devil like the Harlot would be contented with the one half but God like the true Mother will have all or none If God were so revenged of half-obedience under the Law what then now This halving is an Argument of no true Faith for that purifieth the heart also of no Repentance for he that repents truly of one sin repents truly of all Whosoever therefore thou art that dost thus thou art in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity thou art in the state of damnation If thou livest in the practice and love of one known sin profitable or pleasing this one shall be enough to sink thee down to destruction as one leak in a Ship may endanger the whole and one gate in a City open let in the Enemy 3. This rebukes the servants of God that yet walk not in that obedience that were meet but leave undone this and that duty slighting over others and letting loose their affections and lusts O this is not the chearful and constant obedience that we ought to perform in all things If neither his Authority nor his outward Benefits will move us consider we his love towards us in Jesus Christ that of children of wrath he hath made us his children that by giving his Son he hath freed us from Damnation and means to save us Oh the Name of Children calls for much obedience as the Name of Brethren should still all Controversie And this is the Argument which the Apostle here useth to perswade to obedience Oh we be Gods Children Children ought to obey their Parents there 's nothing more uncomely then the contrary much more we the Father of our Spirits Christ the natural Son was obedient to the death How obedient then must we be being but adopted ones Again That he hath called us to the hope of such an Inheritance what obedience doth this challenge For this is the force of the coherence of Verse 13. with those that go before Wherefore gird up the loyns of your minde c. That is Seeing God hath done such and such things for us let us trust perfectly on that grace that is brought unto us and walk obediently Yea the more we profit in obedience the more comfort we may have that we be the Lords and have true Faith the more will our comfort be also in our death So many of us therefore as can prove our selves the Lords do we labor to walk worthy hereof in all due obedience and for others that know not they are the Lords let them try it by obedience Many Covetous Usurers Oppressors Swearers c. will say they believe no be tryed by this rule If your heart stand to obey all Gods commandments it is so but while you live in any thing you know is sin you are voyd of Faith Other poor humble Christians that hate sin deadly and unfeignedly desire to please God in all things yet say they cannot believe Why who hath wrought these things in you Not flesh and blood they are the gifts of Gods sanctifying Spirit therefore they come from Faith as if we see a Sun-beam we say the Sun is risen if an Apple that is good we say there is a good Tree Except therefore you will say that men can gather Figs of Thistles or Grapes of Thorns you cannot deny but that you have Faith wheresoever Sanctification is there Faith went before O but I finde it but weak yet as long as it is in truth with desire of increase it presupposes Faith as if we see a Sun-beam though but dimly yet we say the Sun is up after it will shine out more clearly So we say it s a good Tree though the fruit be small at first so long as it is good If any shall say I feel in me no such thing now therefore I have no Faith what shall become of me Was it ever so with thee Look to the time past and thou must not deny the mercy of God shewed thee Thou canst not deny but it hath been so then thou hast had Faith then hast thou Faith still though it seem raked up in the ashes when thou with the bellows of Prayer and the Word and God with his Spirit shall blow away these ashes it will uncover it self and burn out again Not fashioning your selves c. There are two parts of Obedience or Repentance a dying unto sin and a living unto righteousness a renouncing of lusts and imbracing holiness a ceasing to do evil and a learning to do well an abhorring of that which is evil and cleaving to that which is good a putting off of the old man and putting on of the new he that hath the one hath also the other they
to set on to Religion O these Puritans are the vilest persons in the world even as the name of Hugenot in France was enough to help one to his death But let such take heed believe not all its malice speaks So take heed we believe not all we hear of particular Ministers and Christians some slandred one way some another Is this a new trick or rather is it not the old course of Satan to raise up such things to hinder men if he could from profiting by their Ministers or set men off from the profession of Religion It s more to be wondred that he raiseth not up ten to one therefore never condemn them in your hearts till you have tryed them Do them that equity ere you believe it ere you report it ask and expect if they have so carried themselves as they have deserved to be wel thought of before Is it not therefore a grievous thing that even such as profess the same truth and that have also good things in them hearing an ill report of their Neighbor Christian shall be too ready to believe it and report it to others but I hope saith he it is not true and so he tells it to another and so it encreaseth like a Snow-ball who should rather have stopt it when he heard it first and have used means to have come to the truth Verse 20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of tbe world but was manifest in these last times for you Verse 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God HE proceeds to speak of Christ as of one of whom he cannot make an end of speaking and describes him 1. By his Antiquity 2. By the time of his taking flesh and the reason of it He was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world there 's his Antiquity He was manifest in these last times for you there 's both the time and reason of his Manifestation Those for whom he was manifested he describes also 1. By their Faith in God 2. By the means whereby they did attain thereto namely Jesus Christ where 's shewed both why they did for the time present and might still also believe and hope in God namely because he raised him from the dead and gave him glory both which were for our good Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world Here the Apostle prevents an Objection He had said they were redeemed from their vain conversation which they had received from their Fathers by Christs Blood why then belike might they have said our Fathers lived and dyed in their sins and in their vain conversation or else they had some other way of being Redeemed and Sanctified and so God had no Church in former times yet saith the Apostle God had his Church among the Forefathers and such as were Redeemed Justified and Sanctified as well as we and that also by no other way then we for Christ though he came not in the Flesh till these last times yet he hath been the Savior of the world from the beginning in Gods counsel and the efficâ—cy of his death and merit So that first he answereth what they might have doubted of their Fathers and then shews Christs Antiquity that they might see he was not a new way devised of late and that after Four thousand years it came into Gods minde thus to redeem mankinde Oh No saith he it was ordained before the world and hath been in force in all times And this he speaks the rather because we are ready to suspect Novelty neither can we freely fasten our Faith upon any new devised way He tells then they may freely rest upon him as being the ancient way of Salvation But was manifest in these last times for you He adds these words to stir up their hearts to more thankfulness and duty who being so unworthy should yet have the vantage of all the Fathers Christ was but promised to them he was performed to themselves Now its worth much thanks to have a benefit promised of God who is so sure of his Word and to us so unworthy but then it deserves much more thanks when the benefit is performed Who was fore-ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordained before The word signifieth foreknown as it s elsewhere rendred to shew that Gods foreknowledge is not idle nor separate from his Decree and Will as some think Now that Christ was ordained before the World he was he that was foretold by the Prophets signified by their Sacrifices promised to Abraham The seed in whom all the nations of the world should be blessed so to Adam The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent yea he is termed The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world neither is this all He was ordained before the world Whatsoever God brings to pass in time as nothing nor the smallest or most casual thing but comes to pass by his Providence that he decreed beforetime for nothing comes to pass without Gods knowledge for then were not he infinite in Wisdom nor without his Will for then were not he infinite in Power How could this be seeing there was no need of Christ till after the world was made and man was the last creature that was made and that in innocency Was the remedy ordained before the malady The remedy was ordained before the misery was but not before the misery was foreknown to be Thus was the Lords order He before all time set down this to glorifie himself How In the Salvation of some of mankinde and condemnation of others Well how could he bring this to pass he decreed to make man male and female and to make them holy he decreed also to leave them to themselves that falling he might make a way for the glorifying of his mercy and justice which if man had continued righteous had been stopt up then he decreed to give his Son to redeem the vessels of mercy Now for his decreeing of Adams fall let it not seem strange he did not onely foresee but decree it yet so as he is altogether free from any fault thereof God Man and the Devil had all a hand in that action yet man and the Devil most guilty and the Lord most free as may appear partly by their diverse ends that they aymed at and partly by their maner of bringing it to pass Their ends God aymed to glorifie his mercy in saving some and his justice in condemning others a good end The Devils aym was to strip the Lord of any creature on earth to serve him and to overthrow all mankinde Adam and Eve they listened to the Devil counting God as it were a lyar that had threatned them when there was nothing so and envious of their good estate therefore thought without him to thrust themselves up into his seat and make
Christian love wherein we have 1. The ground of it The grace of God which they had received namely for that they were Justified and Sanctified which is set out by the part purified Their Souls the outward means whereby the word called Truth which they did obey and the inward worker the Spirit 2. The end of it which was as to all good duties so to true love amongst the rest as if he had said Seeing you are pardoned and purged to this end that you should love purely see that you do so This ground is a Reason of the Exhortation where it seemeth the Holy Ghost keeps a good order both in his Exhortations and Reasons Before he exhorted to the fear and love of God now to the love of the Brethren Before he had used Reasons both from the Godhead in general vers 15 16. and from the first two persons of the Trinity the Father vers 17. and the Son vers 18 19. Now he useth one taken from the third person the holy Spirit of God who had wrought grace in them and purified them to this end From the order which the holy Ghost useth Note we two things 1. Where there 's no love nor fear of God there can be no true Brotherly love that being indeed the root from whence this springeth 1. Therefore there can be no true love amongst the wicked Drunkards meet together and Pot-companionship is common but this is no love its conspiracy Love rejoyceth in good not evil No more is a company of Thieves and Traytors that conspire together or many or fewer that combine against a good part they may stick close and hold together in evil but this is no love nor in those Towns where there 's scarce any or but mean teaching where people meet twice or thrice a week to Bowls and women to Stool-ball or other games thus to spend out their time and to no good is far from love and yet if one speak against such things Oh say they You are an enemy to love and friendship and It was as a peaceable Town till such a one came as any other whatsoever now there 's no good-fellowship c. But our Savior Christ saith He came to bring no such peace in evil but rather debate The Devil is content with this peace because they strengthen one another in evil for if any good come to cross this merry prophane world then will it be opposed What hold is thereof their love they go arm in arm to the Tavern yet straight ready to stab one another or betray each other as Joab did Abner and it was between the men of Sechem and Abimelech if they be once out at deadly defiance it s seldom forgiven never forgotten 2. Nor can the wicked love the children of God truly they may be convinced in their conscience as Saul that they be the Servants of God innocent men and God may encline their hearts to favor them as Cyrus to set the people at liberty to return and build For if a mans ways please God his very enemies shall be at peace with them and Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes favored Ezra and Nehemiah yea as God kept Daniel among the Lyons so he can and doth keep his children among the wicked and as he made the Ravens bring Elijah meat so he can make even the wicked instruments for his childrens good but love them they cannot They may do a man outwardly some good and not amiss to take it but to do it aright they cannot as neither to pray or do any other duty and what hold of their favor If they cry Hosanna now within a while they will cry Crucifie him as those of Lystra would have sacrified to Paul and Barnabas as gods but by and by upon a lying report of some stoned them and as Herod reverenced John the Baptist yet at the perswasion of Herodias her Daughter cut off his head Judas betrayed Christ and David complained that it was his familiar friend that did him the greatest hurt If some great body shall say to them I perceive or hear you are a great favorer of Puritans they are gone and hide their heads if the multitude go the other way or it be any thing dangerous when there 's most need of them they are gone 2. Upon this coupling of these two together Note further that Wheresoever there 's the true fear and love of God there will be also love towards our Brethren 1. Therefore they that declare no love but that they are void of all bowels of compassion being all for themselves are also void of the love of God 2. They also that malign mock and persecute the better sort no worse brand of such that they have in them not the least dram of the love of God He that loveth him that begetteth loveth also him that is begotten and they that love God make much of them that fear the Lord having all their delight in such The contrary is a black mark and as bad as may be as bad a brand as any can bear as hereby we may know that we are translated from death unto life so by the contrary that we are yet under darkness 3. They that are contentious giving or embracing every trifling occasion conducing hereto and can fret and fall out and live in enmity and that day after day week after week moneth after moneth let these suspect themselves either the love of God hath no place in them or else it s in a very small measure and their corruption overgrows the same Having purified your souls These words are the Ground and Reason of the Exhortation namely That forasmuch as they were Justified and Sanctified by the Spirit of God to the exercise of all good duties and so of love that they would do that for which they had this cost bestowed upon them This presupposing a former impurity notes the uncleanness that is in Soul and Body They were created pure but are now defiled in the sight of God and that with sin which God who is of pure eyes cannot abide we are guilty of Adams sin born in Original sin therewith tainted throughout so with infinite actual sins Not only are our eyes full of adultery our feet swift to shed blood our mouthes full of cursing c. but our very souls defiled and every faculty thereof the thoughts of our heart being onely evil continually thereout proceeding Murthers Adulteries c. whereby we are defiled This is implyed in that of the Prophet Cease to do evil learn to do well and that of Saint James Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded We are not without filthy nakedness we are so corrupt that our nature taints all our actions be they never so good in themselves yea the best and most holy of Gods Ordinances the Word Sacraments and Prayer making them
abominable in the sight of God So impure that we cannot cleanse our selves nay nor desire it conceiving that even our uncleanness is purity and becomes us well So as all the water in the Seas all the help of Men and Angels cannot help us it must be the mighty work of God alone as the very water in Baptism teacheth us This should humble us and make us desire speedily to be cleansed which is by the Blood of Christ Jesus from sin past and from the taint of nature by the Spirit of Sanctification But how few are thus affected how few take knowledge of their uncleanness and that sin doth so defile them 1. There are even open prophane ones which yet seek no washing but refuse it yea think themselves clean enough yea hate them that wallow not in the mire as themselves thinking strange to see any cleanse themselves by the Word and Prayer yea think them strange that will not go on in their filthiness by companying and joyning with them 2. Civil persons can see no such thing therefore few of them are cleansed because few finde themselves leprous and desire to be cleansed let such take knowledge of their uncleanness yea let the civilest know that if they be not born again of water and the holy Ghost they cannot see the Kingdom of God Seek therefore to be purged in time that you may please God and see him for without holiness none shall see him He onely that hath innocent hands and a pure heart shall enter into his Tabernacle else person service and all is loathsom to God and what should such a man do living And the servants of God that are in some measure purged must desire to be more purged of these evils that cleave to them and prevail so much over them and defile even their best duties Your souls Hereby he means the whole man both Body and Soul for God sanctifieth throughout and there the body is Sanctified where there 's Sanctification of the Soul as from which comes the Sanctification of the Body In obeying the truth The Word of God is the outward instrument of our cleansing Thus were Zacheus Mary Magdalene and the Goaler thus also are we sanctified The Law pulling down the Gospel by degrees lifts up working an high prizing of the remedy vehement longing after it at last some perswasion which Faith unites to Christ whereby guiltiness and sin is pardoned in Christs death and corruption being taken away the grace of Sanctification is given which Faith sucketh from Christ the fountain of life so that as he that is out of Christ can do no good so united to him we receive sanctifying grace therefore Faith is said to purifie the heart namely by uniting us to Christ and the Word is the instrument to work Faith Besides the Word purgeth thus not onely setting before us as in a glass all our faults and what we should do but it worketh in us care and conscience to be obedient 1. Therefore thank God for the Word the instrument of purging Where it is not all lie in the mire O how we should desire the free passage of it 2. If we see our children and servants defiled we must bring them to the Word and pray and wait thereon 3. For our selves we are to try whether it hath been effectual to wash us both heart and hand if yea then there 's comfort it hath obtained the right end if not but that we remain in our filthiness or in any part of it willingly it s a fearful sign Many have been cleansed by it what hath it purged us of Hath it washed our mouthes from swearing lying our hands from wrong our eyes from wantonness our hearts from the love of all sin our master sin especially as Zacheus They obeying the Word their Souls and bodies were purged thereby else they could not This is better then Sacrifice and disobedience is that which the Lord cannot away withal but will grievously punish All the stir is about obeying the truth for men can be content to hear but to obey is death O how would the Word purifie men if they would obey it its just with God to take away the Truth from us because we obey it not Truth The Word is called Truth not true onely but Truth the Truth nothing but Truth and in matters of God and our Salvation all the Truth the rule of Truth 1. Then Traditions contrary to this are lyes and whatsoever else 2. It s Blasphemy to speak against this Truth or any part of it 3. Let Gods poor people get the Word on their sides humble persons get a promise and stay upon it against all contrary temptations They are lyes the Word is the truth yet they suffer themselves to be more carried away with a temptation of Satan or that riseth of their own unbelief then they are comforted by three or four plain promises of Gods Word 4. Let the wicked that make such slight account of Gods threatnings know that they shall prove all too true for them they shall not be held guiltless and they go in danger of all Gods wrath and curses every hour and hang over the pit of Hell c. These things move not but the Word ought to make their hearts ake and tremble as who shall one day finde whose word shall stand theirs or the Lords Through the Spirit The inward worker is the Spirit without which all will be in vain It s the Spirit that worketh all from first to last opens the understanding works Faith and then conveys power from Christ to dye to sin and live to righteousness without him we shall have but binde eyes ears stopt no hearing ears he opened the heart of Lydia We must not then trust to our selves or our wit learning and parts but acknowledge the very best thing in us the wisdom of the flesh to be enmity against God Nor must we trust to any Preacher in the world for its God onely that giveth the encrease but ever come in humility calling upon God both on our own and the Preachers behalf that God would give us his Spirit to make all effectual that through him we may understand believe and obey Unto unfained love of the brethren Hence note 1. That till a man be cleansed by the Spirit of Sanctification he is not fit to do any good no not for love for the heart must first be emptied of the love of all evil ere the love of any good can take place The garden must be rid of weeds and stones ere we sow and plant For those therefore that declare by their loosness that there remaineth the love of some lust in them it s as sure as God is in heaven for all the countenance they make of Religion and shew of profession and good things there
is not any dram of true grace in them and all the seeming good things they do are in hypocrisie and to no purpose for the love of evil and of good cannot be at one time in one heart O look to it will you lose all your comfort here and all your labor yea Heaven it self for some one sin 2. The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works and to set upon good duties Such therefore as profess themselves to be Sanctified must be more fruitful Touching the grace here exhorted unto speak we both in general and particular In general where consider 1. What Love is It s a Sanctified affection of the heart wherewith whoso is endued endeavoreth to do all the good he can to all but especially to them that be nearest unto him It s an affection seated as is said in the heart as the others of Hope Fear Joy Grief c. are They were all good and well ordered in Adam but ever since his fall wofully corrupted and utterly disordered and perverted as this of love is turned either into an hatred of that we should love or into self-love It s a Sanctified Affection For ere a man can love he must be Regenerate and Sanctified throughout which comes by being united to Christ by Faith whereby our affections are in some measure purged and restored to their former integrity as to hate evil and love good God and our Brethren for Gods cause Love is a fruit of the Spirit and must come from a pure Heart good Conscience and Faith unfained and therefore cannot be in an unregenerate person there may be indeed a shew and shadow of it but that 's no true love They do not love one another neither possibly can love the people of God There 's no trust in them they do but watch their opportunity when to do them mischief O the wretched condition of such how needful wert for them to be wearied thereof And for the people of God they must not trust them or too much open themselves to them He onely that fears God is to be trusted he dares not deceive Wherewith whoso is endued endeavoreth Though love be in the heart yet it must and will shew it self forth in the Life Words and Deeds to Soul and Body else it s like the love of bad men to God who yet keep not his commandments or like the worldlings Faith which is without Works To do good For it s the nature of love it can do no hurt but what good it can it will do to Soul and Body and wheresoever any true good is done to Soul or Body Goods or Name there was love love did it To all For though brotherly kindeness be to the people of God yet love reacheth to all whether near or far off to Strangers Enemies such as are not yet called under the Turk Pope Pagans c. for whom we are to pray and to do them all the good we can with the pitiful Samaritan But especially to them that be nearest So God gives leave nay commands that our love begin at our selves and ours and so go on forward to them that be nearest by nature Therefore they that prefer Strangers before Kinsmen and Kinsmen before Children are blame-worthy and to bestow upon any to the undoing of ones Family is not love but folly as in them which wil spend in lewd company their Wives and Children at home being in want So must it be to them that â—e nearest by grace This is often commanded and highly also commended in the Scriptures This is the bond of perfection It bindes up all the duties that we owe to our Neighbor which are many holds them together as the bond of a Fagot and makes every duty easie as where this is not every duty is irksome nothing comes well off hand It ties Societies together and Families O how it keeps out evil how it sets up good By it small things have become great and for want of it great things have come to nothing It s the fulfilling of the Law It s a most beneficial vertue other vertues benefit our selves but this doth good to others Faith draws all from Christ to us Love lays out it self for others good as the Sun that hath no light for it self other vertues be like the Bung of a Barrel Love like the Tap that sets it abroach to the benefit of them that need If a man be as full of gifts as a Tun of Liquor if he have no Tap others may starve so for Temporal things without this all gifts are nothing but as sounding Brass We are not born for our selves but the perfection of all we have is to employ This is the lasting vertue which when others as Faith and Hope shall end shall spring afresh abound and abide for ever that vertue that makes us like to God for he is Love and doth good to all even his enemies though he have a special affection to his Children O that I could paint out the face of this lovely vertue that every one of us might grow in love therewith 2. The properties thereof whereby we may try whether it be in us and in what measure They are laid down by the Apostle unto the Corinthians Charity suffereth long and is kinde Charity envyeth not Charity vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly c. Take we notice of a few of them 1. Love will interpret things doubtful to the best that is speeches or actions of men towards our selves or others and if they may be taken well will not take them ill Our nature is to take every thing in the worst part Love doth otherwise the Mother saith a pin pricks the Childe or it breeds teeth when it may be its of frowardnes that it cryes Thus Josephs Brethren sold him spitefully into Egypt afterward when by reason thereof they were afraid what construction made he thereof God saith he did send me before you to preserve life If a thing be plainly evil yet it will make it no worse then it is nor say it was done deliberately when it may be it was done rashly or maliciously when it may be it was done weakly and in temptation for one may do injury to a bad action in making it worse and its better to judge a little better of a thing then worse then it is Always provided this be understood not of palpable notorious foul evils nor of continued courses in sinning for what good or charitable construction can a man make of these Therefore such say foolishly when being informed hereof they Reply Oh ye must not judge what can be judged of this case but onely that there may be Repentance It s a fault in Ministers and others that will extenuate foul sins in bad persons and wicked livers in the mean time aggravating a
work without the hand of the workman Joh. 1. 13. is a notable Exposition of this place where by Blood and the will of Man and of Flesh the same is meant that here he calleth mortal seed and that which is here immortal or incorruptible seed is there but of God All Men and Angels cannot do this whomsoever God useth as the instrument he himself is the worker therefore is the Spirit compared to water as washing and making fruitful and to fire as through whom our corruptions are purified 1. This should stir up those that are born again to labor with all their might to shew themselves thankful to God that hath done that for them that their own Father their Preacher nay all the men of the world could not have done for them and to labor to glorifie his name in all holy obedience all their days for therefore hath he done it that they should be as the first fruits of his creatures even set apart for his service as the first fruits were 2. For those that are yet natural let them not trust to Ministers nor means but desire Almighty God to open their heart and to work in them that work that may be to their Salvation 3. Here 's an exceeding comfort to all new born persons namely That though they have a corrupt Nature the Devil subtile the World naught and themselves subject to many temptations and dangers yet they shall never fall finally from God it s not possible they should perish for then the immortal seed the Spirit given them and which is in them should perish which is more impossible then that that should perish whereby they are sealed unto the day of Redemption By the Word of God It s the mean to make of the servants of sin the servants of God of unclean clean of vile persons like Lyons Tygers and Bears to make meek humble Lambs to raise up the dead in sin and to bring to the Kingdom of Heaven which is therefore called The Gospel of the Kingdom See to this purpose Psal. 19. 7. Isa. 53. 1. Rom. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Jam. 1. 18. Acts 26. 18. and for examples hereof Acts 2. 37. 11. 21. 16. 30. The Law preparatively makes a way for Conversion and Faith by humbling and affrighting the heart with the sight of misery the Gospel effectively This works Faith and Repentance tells us of the remedy the sufficiency of it and how freely it is offered then works an earnest desire after it and an heart to leave any thing that might let us from it not that God is tyed to this but thus it hath pleased him to appoint ordinarily to work In times of persecution he can bless and doth reading of the Word to convert yea the report of private men So also for Infants he hath another way no less easie to him then hidden and admirable to us how to work in them as he sanctified John Baptist in his mothers womb He hath not ordained Angels to come and tell us news from heaven nor any to come from the dead with tidings but Moses and the Prophets Ministers to open and apply the Scriptures and this he makes effectual It s true God prepares men sometimes by crosses as the fire doth the iron but most are moved presently at the Word some by sickness or terror outward or inward sent of God have something brought to their conscience that they have heard and so are converted as others thereby prepared to the Word and thereupon converted by it as by experience hath been often found This is the reason that the Devil hath ever been a spiteful enemy hereto an enemy to true sound plain and diligent preaching raising so many Enemies against it laying so many logs in the way to hinder the course of it raising up such in the Ministery as either preach not at all or seldom or in the fleshly words of mans wisdom crying down preaching under this or that colour c. for he knows well that its the mighty Engine to batter his Kingdom it s that which pulls down the walls of Jericho how base soever in the worlds eyes It s the strong voyce of God that casts Satan out of his hold and possession his mighty arm that plucks us out of his power and Kingdom and translates us into the Kingdom of his dear Son 1. This teacheth us highly to esteem of it above all other means not preferring or equalling thereto either Reading or Prayer publique or private For what were this but to thwart the Lord hath he blest these alike to win souls If thou sittest at home and readest when thou shouldest be hearing God will curse thy pride that thinkest to be wiser then he or teachest any so to do 2. It teacheth us to praise God for his unspeakable mercy towards us that whereas most of the world sitteth in darkness he hath given us the means of the new birth If thou art hereby Regenerate thou art happy if not thy case is hard then will it profit us when it hath wrought this in us therefore pray unto God to continue his Word and give it power to change thee and that he would whet this two-edged sword to pierce through thee and make it an hammer to break thy stony heart 3. They that have it not should mourn for it and pray for it as being subject to perish For where prophesie faileth the people perish we must pity them who do not pity themselves 4. Labor to profit daily by it for it s also for our further building up and whereby we go on to perfection praying that it may be so long continued till we shall have no more need of it or our poor children whom we leave behinde us 5. Pray to God to give it free passage every day to the winning of many souls to the accomplishment of the number of Gods Elect and let every man further it what he can to the utmost of his power herein shewing himself Christs true friend And let all men take heed of hindring the same hinderers are enemies to mens souls and to the Kingdom of Christ and friends to the Devils Kingdom Here I may speak how God hath appointed Ministers to be the bringers of this glad tidings that converts the soul and that the Lord useth them as instruments to win the soul who are therefore called in Scripture by many Honorable names as Men of God Angels Ambassadors from God Spiritual Fathers c. so Builders Laborers Watchmen Shepherds c. in respect of their pains They are appointed over the Lords flock they have the trust of Souls the greatest trust that can be other callings are about mens bodies or goods but this their Souls 1. Therefore for Preachers we must be faithful in token of our thankfulness to God that hath so highly honored us and deeply entrusted us
joyned to us so are we to Christ by believing in him and this is a real and true Union but a Spiritual one not that we are thereby united to Christs soul but to his body also and by his humanity to his Deity and by both to God the Father and the holy Ghost which is an admirable prerogative If any say How can this be Christ being in Heaven and we on Earth It is so by the Spirit on Gods part and Faith on ours Those joyn things far distant in place most nearly together If any say I cannot see nor comprehend how this should be If we cannot no marvel for its a great mystery which we are to believe and adore in our hearts The benefits hereof are unspeakable as the honor most glorious for by vertue hereof we that were as dead as blocks and stones draw spiritual life and Grace to become new Creatures to dye to sin and to lead a righteous life as the members receive sence and motion from the head and the Vine-branches sap from the root Hereby also we have title to Christ and all his good things He also bears our troubles with us and hereby our souls shall be as filled with Grace here so taken up to glory with him at death and the body remains united to Christ even in the grave by vertue whereof it shall be raised up a spiritual and glorious body to be glorified for ever And this is yet so much the more absolute and blessed a Union because its indissolveable No violence of Satan nor any other Enemy can break off the same He hath not therefore fastened us as stones into this building to be ever pulled out any more If they had been of us saith the Appostle they should have continued with us What God hath joyned together who can separate 1. This is for instruction to all that are believers and so members of this body stones of this building that they walk in their conversation answerable to such high Dignity to such an Union The Members must be like the Head the stones answerable to the Foundation as the Fruit to the true Vine Take heed they disgrace not themselves and their stock by bringing forth sowre fruit even of the wilde Olive of their own sinful and corrupt nature but mortifie the same more and more But how cometh it to pass that they which are graft into Christ should bear any sowre Fruit Even because there are some suckers of our own crabbish and sinful nature shut out and have through heedlesness and want of care grown apace and which we must pluck off by any means 2. Comfort to all believers O admirable priviledge to be joyned into one with Christ and with God! What grace or good thing can he stand in need of that is joyned to such a plentiful and living head He cannot but mortifie the strongest Corruptions overcome the greatest Temptations perform the most difficult Duties Such thou mayest draw from thy head but make no obstructions by sin Keep open the passages and by the Word Sacraments Prayer and other like means fetch Grace from Christ Jesus He also will strengthen thee and even in the fiery Fornace be present with thee and after take thee up to glory neither shall all the power of Hell ever seperate thee from him for though Hypocrites that hang on onely by the untemperated morter of outward Profession shall fall off thou that art saudered into Christ by the Spirit of God shalt never be pluckt off 3. To discard all those that profess themselves believers and stones of this building and yet have no life in them let such know they have no part in Christ nor fellowship with him 4. This should perswade all men to labor to have part in this blessed Union Till this be they are quite dead and have no more Spiritual Life then a stone hath If thou beest not united to Christ thou canst never have Life of grace here nor glory hereafter And if not a Member of Christ thou art a Limb of the Devil If not a Branch of this Vine thou art a dry withered stick for the fire of Hell If not a stone of this Building thou art refuse and rubbish to be thrown into Hell Q. But how should we become stones of this building A. By suffering the ax of the Word of God to cut off our knobs to hew and square us that thereby we may be humbled and mortifie all our sins and lusts for if there be but one sin in us unrepented of we are not fit to lie in this building And though all stones be not alike some bigger some less some more costly some less yet happy we if we be any true stone of this building let us now suffer our selves to be fashioned for it it must be now in this Life or never As there was no hammer heard about the Temple but all was hewen in Libanus so must we be hewen in this Life that we may rest in the Spiritual Temple for ever Having a house to build will we lay in a stone rough as it comes from the Quarry or a piece of Timber as it comes from the Wood much less will the Lord suffer any to be joyned into his Spiritual building till they be squared and hewen by his Word Therefore le ts be tenderly affected one towards another and build up one another and do all the good we can one to another not living to our selves or having hand in Contentions Rents Divisions which do so abound among Christians and that for toyes Are built up a spiritual house So foretold by Haggai Not a materiel one as was the Temple of Jerusalem but a far more excellent as much as the body is better then the shadow which the Apostle speaks to take off the mindes of these Jews from the material Temple on which they too much doted and on the promises made thereto not considering that it was appointed but for a time and that it was but a type of this Spiritual house infinitely more excellent and to labor to become stones of this Spiritual house which did so far excel the other All the Church of God and Believers make together a Spiritual house as a house though it hath but one foundation yet hath many stones to make up the building This sheweth the communion that the Saints have one with another members of the same Body stones of the same Building with this Union that we have with Christ we have also communion one with another as Fellow-members Stones Branches Besides As all the Saints together are here said to be built up a Spiritual house so els where the like is affirmed of every particular Believer that whereas before he was but a Cage of uncleanness and a Den for the Devil and an Habitation for foul Spirits now he is made the House of God of a poor mortal man an
hold on In his death he shall not be comfortless but finde enough in Christ to carry him to heaven though through the gates of death He knoweth whom he hath believed At the day of Judgement he shall not be ashamed but lift up his head with great joy when he shall see Christ coming in great glory and power to save all them that have embraced him and to receive them into the glory which he hath prepared for them then shall he be our Judge who hath been our Surety and Savior Contrarily they that believe not in Christ are never in quiet as the Papists that hope to be saved partly by Christ and partly by Works are often even the wisest of them distracted and cannot tell when they have done enough to rest in and so are ever suspitious and doubtful tost to and fro as one upon a ship mast So the wicked among our selves that believe not in Christ though some securely flatter themselves are for the most part doubtful having ever and anon thoughts that all is not well and so not knowing what shall become of them and though they love their lusts so well that they will not part from them for Christ yet often do their thoughts accuse them of their Whoredoms Deceits wicked Courses their hearts misgive them and so indeed their lives be as if one should lie in a bed too strait and the clothes too short and so they cannot sleep whereas he that is assured of his happiness and his heart witnesses his upright care to obey Gods will his bed and clothes be large enough he sleeps quietly and rests on a soft pillow his good conscience In the hour of death they are fearful disquieted and in death they are confounded when they see the Devil ready to carry their souls to hell At the day of Judgement how will the Jews and Turks that altogether reject Christ be ashamed and confounded when they shall finde that their imagined Christ and Mahomet hath deceived them and led them into a false hope O what a case will they be in when they shall see the true Christ whom they have rejected come to judge them O what wailing will there be how will they run up and down and what would they not do if they knew any way to help themselves then shall they finde it too late to sue to him Then will they sue to the hills to fall upon them and the mountains to cover them a poor request which yet shall not be granted them So all wicked men among us that have not kissed the Son but broke his bands and cast his cords from them that have had him offered to them but have not embraced him nor believed in him chusing rather to continue in their lusts then to have their part in him their condition is fearful O that all would embrace Christ whilst they may who else shall have sorrow and shame for their portion This phrase also implyeth That Believers can never fall away wholly nor finally as the Papists teach for then they might come to be ashamed They may be shaken for the tryal and strengthening of their Faith but overcomed they cannot be by all the gates of Hell Verse 7. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious but unto them which be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner Verse 8. And a stone of stumbling and rock of offence even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed NOw that which the Apostle had cited out of the Prophet and was indefinitely spoken of all and every one he comes to apply particularly to the Jews that he wrote unto both believers and unbelievers shewing the happy state of the one and the miserable condition of the other one and the same Christ being to them diverse To Believers precious and fruitful to Salvation and all good but to the unbelievers and disobedient a stone to stumble at c. though not of his own Nature yet through their infidelity so that they should not onely have no benefit by him but destruction stumbling at the word that foretold of him and now testified of him But least any should wonder at this madness in men the cause is set down that as God ordained some to life and so to embrace Christ unto Salvation so some others to stumble against him to their ruine Besides this he also removes a common and great scandal and log out of the weak and common peoples way and that was that whereas he had spoken so much of Christ they could not see him to be such a one and their learned Doctors and Rabbies Scribes and Pharisees High Priests and Elders they could no way think well of him they judged him a deceiver and pursued him also which they would never have done if he had been the Savior and corner stone as you speak c. But for this faith the Apostle If it were a new thing that you never had had warning of it were somewhat but this is no other then was foretold in Davids time so long ago therefore it needs not seem strange to you yet their strugling was in vain for in despite of them he was made the head stone of the corner This had been indeed a great temptation if they had been to consult onely with reason For what should they have thought but as they were taught and learned of their gave Teachers of whom that People had a very great and high opinion But considering Gods decree and that he had foretold it should be thus and that God would save his Church by such a way that worldly wise men thought not of and would effect his purpose not onely without the help but even against the will of the great men of the world it could not much trouble them And in that the Apostle doth apply that which was indifinitely said of all to particular persons we may learn how to use the promises of God laid down in Scripture even to endeavor to apply them to our selves particularly This is the nature of true Faith It s but a cold and dead thing to believe those things in general to be true which Hypocrites yea Devils do but this to make them ours as David My Lord My Castle My Refuge and Job My Redeemer and Thomas My Lord and my God and Paul Who loved me and gave himself for me is that we must labor for This particular Faith is that which is to Salvation signified by eating and drinking and Faith is compared to an hand and in our Creed every one of us is particularly bound from our hearts to say I believe How may we come to this particular perswasion A person humbled and seeking earnestly God sends his Spirit to witness to his of the same wherewith that it may appear that it s no presumption nor deceiveable
perswasion he gives also the Spirit of Sanctification namely an unfeigned hatred of all sin and true purpose to please God and whose findes these may boldy build hereon And though there will arise through remnants of unbelief sometimes doubtings and fears yet this grace of Faith rooted in the heart will never quite fail as My God my God why hast thou for saken me The last words savor of distrust or dispair but yet so as Faith still held her hold So is it with every Believer in their temptations though they speak some words of doubting yet some do come out by and by that do argue a measure of true Faith O lets never leave till we have a particular perswasion and that upon good ground that the promises of salvation especially and other particulars belong to us some think they do and are very bold that yet can render no reason thereof but their perswasion is vain some being put to particulars can say nothing thereto and so can never have comfort or joy while they live Unto you which believe he is precious He saith not onely that Christ is most blessed and good in himself but that that which is in him is to be communicated to others or else what were it to us nay he sheweth also by what means others may be partakers hereof namely by Faith For what were it though there were never so much in Christ and that for others too if we knew not the way to come by it therefore he tells us it s made ours by Faith As what were it if there were never so much water in a Well and no bucket to draw it out or a very good Medicine and no knowledge how to use it But Christ is precious to those that believe in him They shall be partakers of all that is in Christ whatsoever Pardon Grace Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification Redemption Life and Glory is in him or to be had by him is ours by Faith and no other way If there be never so much in Christ yet to the unbeliever it avails nothing he shall not have a dram of benefit by him Therefore Faith is compared to an hand to lay hold on Christ to a mouth to feed on Christ c. As a mans hand chopt off can take nothing his mouth closed up can eat nothing so without Faith no benefit by Christ for Faith is the onely instrument that God hath ordained to convey all grace from Christ into us 1. Here 's comfort to all such as can prove themselves believers 2. Labor we for this grace of true Faith which intitles us to Christ and makes him ours without which he will be a rock of offence to our condemnation This Faith is not every idle perswasion of the brain of a carnal professor without ground and never humbled or any whit reformed but it must be a work of the Spirit of God which hath so much depending upon it which few truly enjoy And the rather are we to labor for this grace because as it makes Christ ours so all things else to work to our good without which all turn to our destruction As the Word by Faith is the power of God to Salvation and the savor of life unto life so is it to unbelievers the contrary even to their Condemnation as the sun-shine to good eyes is comfortable but to weak and blear eyes offensive and hurtful Thus are all other holy things Thus the Sacrament Thus also our meat and drink c. To believers that are not onely perswaded by the Word that they are Gods creatures appointed to nourish us but that we be such as having lost our interest in Adam have it restored in Christ we using them also with prayer may with good consciences make use of them whereof those that have not this Faith are usurpers Yea that which is a part of the curse in its own nature yet by Faith is made a blessing as our sicknesses crosses and troubles which came in with sin as punishments yet to believers them that love God all things even these work together for the best but to unbelievers they are the beginning of their sorrows And As Christ in our sense is precious to the Believers namely that they make most precious and high account of him and so of the means that have brought them to him the Word and the means that yet still bring them tidings of him the Word and Sacraments so also in this that he is fruitful and blessed to them Therefore never leave till we be in the number of these believers But unto them which be disobedient c. now to the other sort The true and direct opposition had been to have said But to the unbelievers Why then not so but to the disobedient namely to shew who they be that be unbelievers by the effect disobedience For as Faith is the mother of obedience so Infidelity the mother of disobedience and rebellion Unbelief hath the seat in the heart who then can know it the Lord who seeth it sheweth that they which be disobedient to the Word be unbelievers Hereby may every man try himself whether he be in the state of unbelief or not Thou art if thou beest in the state of disobedience Thus are they that live in the open breach of Gods Law and are tainted with foul sins they are in unbelief to this hour whom if they should thus dye this Scripture would send headlong to destruction Thus are they who though they reform some yea many things yet maintain themselves in the love and practice of some one sin either by doing some forbidden evil or neglecting some known required duty which they will not reform nor desire to do Let these know whatsoever they are that they are in unbelief until this hour and so stand in the state of wrath and condemnation O that this might awaken all our carnal Professors that bear themselves in hand that they have Faith when they have nothing towards it no it must cost you more then ever yet it did ere you enjoy it and must be shewed forth by better fruits Now before he comes to shew directly what Christ is to the unbelievers he doth by the way remove a stumbling block The stone which the builders disallowed is made the head of the corner This Text alleaged out of the Psalms is meant 1. Of David who by Sauls Courtiers was rejected whom they would not have had King yet God had so appointed and would have it so 2. Of our Savior Christ whom the great learned men of his time did reject and would not embrace as the Savior of the world Where Christs Kingdom is compared to an house and Christ to the foundation thereof or corner stone and the learned men of Christs time to builders who should have built the Church of God by their place but they rejected the best part and foundation of this building Therefore were like
you say They that go to Sermons be so heavy whiles they are seeking and have not yet found pardon them if they be heavy having obtained they have warrant to rejoyce in the Lord and so both may and do though they dare not giggle and be merry in folly and lewdness which is accounted the onely mirth with the world So that preaching is the means indeed to make men first heavy but after truly merry for ever From themselves also arise lets why they do not profess Religion zealously as 1. Some from a supposed sufficiency in themselves say They know as much already as the Preacher can tell them namely That they must love God above all and their Neighbor as themselves and so they do and they can tell them no more A. O poor blinde creatures that can be so deluded If they were not willing withal it could not be For is it enough to know these general things and no particular belonging thereto But alas in their wilful blindeness they think they know and do all when indeed they know and do just nothing Would not he be accounted a wilful fellow that being perswaded to learn the Trade of Cloathing should say Why I know that well enough already it s but to buy Wooll and make Cloth and sell it But are there not so many particulars and turn-agains belonging hereto as they that be Apprentices thereto seven or eight years if they give not the more heed they are yet at the end but bunglers So of a Carpenter It s nothing to build a house it s but to lay the groundsels raise up the sides and set on the roof c. There 's more then so required as skill in contriving skill in chusing materials and the like so to the love of God and our Neighbors belong innumerable things When we have attained the knowledge of our duties to each we have not then done we must also know our misery and to help us thereto know the Law and then know Christ and what he hath done and then know Faith and have it wrought in us These must we have ere ever we can truly love either God or our Neighbor therefore they that content themselves without these abide in ignorance and will perish in Hell as those that are wilfully guilty of their own destruction Thus in these days do not many say They know they be sinners and hope to saved by Christ and saith not the Scripture Whoso believeth in Christ shall be saved c. If this would serve the turn God then might have spared all the rest of his pains in leaving us the Word onely those two Precepts would have been enough and his labor in fitting Ministers to it which he calls such a worthy work No man alive can say that he loves God above all and his Neighbor as himself onely that he endeavoreth thereto which endeavors also hath and will cost much pains 2. Some say They mean as well as any of those that go to Sermons and though they do not shew it by that or any such things yet they have as good a heart to God-ward as the best of them all though they cannot talk so well A. These bewray themselves to be naught at the first dash for whereas they say they have good hearts even the best complain of the badness of their hearts Thus Hypocrites desire to hide themselves out of mens sight and having nothing to say for themselves they flie to the heart which they think men know not but alas herein they play the fools for if men do not approve of them do they think God will and that they can stand before him They think also men cannot judge of the heart but the Lord hath taught us ways to judge of it by the outward behavior as the Tree by the Fruit. Besides grant their heart were good Is that enough doth not God require a good outside Let such as wanting this boast of a good heart while they will it s a rotten and stinking heart they have for without knowledge the heart is not good Hypocrites boast of a fair outside when as the heart is naught as others having no good parts of obedience say that all 's within they have a good heart but the ones outside and the others inside both being indeed stark naught will carry them to Hell not to Heaven Learn we to submit our selves to the Ordinances of God and by the Word Preached to get Faith that thereby our hearts may be purged and made clean 3. Some say The world is hard and they pay a dear Rent and they cannot live and pay their Landlords and every body with Praying and running to Sermons and to put them both together being near of kin some be very poor and say they have a charge of children and it s enough for them to labor for their living and all little enough they think and finde they cannot spare time to read a chapter and pray Morning and Evening much less let their work to go to Church on the week-day Nay I promise you they can scant spare the time on the Sundays They must be at home without it be now and then to bake wash and mend their things or go on this or that errand or see their Friends lest they should let their work on the week-day and therefore they must be held excused A. These things ought you to have done and not to leave the other undone It s needful for you to follow your callings but there is a time for all things and do you think that Religion and serving God is such an Enemy to thriving What a fearful crossing of God is this when as unto them that first seek his Kingdom all these things shall be added Is it not the blessing of the Lord that makes men rich and whether will he bless them that serve him or that cast off his service Do we not see a number who trust all to their toil whom the Lord so crosseth as all will not do and others that serve him carefully are blessed who yet toil not so much And if they that cast off Gods service do prosper yet what profiteth it them That one thing is needful which they have neglected and our Savior saith What shall it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his own soul They have spun a fair thred But what if the outward state be somewhat hindred yet if the soul be a gainer it s a good bargain though you have less riches then some others yet if you have more grace is not your state better And would you offer a Sacrifice that costs you nothing or cannot God who knows what your serving him stands you in sufficiently requite it And for the poor let them know their great charge will not excuse them Have they not souls That 's the greatest charge and to seek the Salvation of these and one would think their
great cause of thankfulness whereas if we think we have ever been as now or that we had some goodness in us before as the Papists teach we cannot be truly and heartily thankful to God as we should Therefore the Doctrine of Rome That man is not so miserable but that he hath some good in himself c. will never humble a man as he ought to be nor make him so thankful as he should be David was put in minde that he was taken from following the Ewes with yong that thereby he might be the more thankful 3. To strengthen our faith to believe in God for afterwards and for all blessings needful to Salvation He that hath already done thus much for me will not now fail me 1. Therefore we should do well oftentimes especially when we feel our hearts lifted up with pride to enter into a deep consideration of our former estate and what we were before God shewed mercy to our souls in enlightening converting and effectually calling us for we are ready to be puffed up as though we had not received it and lift up our selves and contemn others now alas we should consider such were we and once as far from Salvation as they and so pity them 2. When we finde our selves dead or dull to duties do but consider what he hath done for us and from what a base condition he hath pulled us and into what dignity he hath advanced us and this will make us shake off all laziness 3. When our faith is weak and we begin to fear the time to come consider He that freely before the world chose us passing by most others gave his Son to dye for us his Word to tell us thereof his Spirit to assure us thereof and so Sanctifie us he will not now leave his work imperfect O but our sins be so many and we be so unworthy If thy sins could have turned away Gods favor he would have kept his mercy away at the first but seeing they could not keep God from shewing thee mercy at the first they shall never take away the favor of God from thee now that he hath vouchsafed the same they shall never take it away wholly and for ever Here the Apostle alludes as ye heard to Hosea 1. 10. God there threatned to cut them off from being his people which after fell out Whence learn that No priviledges can exempt men from Gods wrath but if they contemn his Word he will take it from them and cast them off Thus he did with the posterity of Abraham a very lamentable spectacle to see the ten Tribes carried into Assyria Captives thence by the Medes chased into many Nations and dispersed that had sometimes been the people of God and now nothing less but became no people were as the Heathens thus hath it fallen out to many Nations since our Savior Christ as to the Churches that the Apostles Paul and John wrote to and divers others This may terrifie us and hereby we may learn to stand in awe If God did not spare them will he spare us we stand upon our good behavior the sins of our Land be many not onely Bribery Oppression Whoredom Drunkenness Pride Covetousness but horrible prophanations of Sabbaths and Sacraments fearful contempt of the Word and abuse of Gods Servants and with most Religion grown to a mock and a reproach to those that be any thing forwarder therein then others If any shall say We have enjoyed the mercy of God and the Gospel a long time Not so long as the Israelites did But what then should God do for a people As when God cast off the Jews he took us Gentiles in which they thought could never have been even so can he finde him out a people among the ignorant and wilde people which are no worse then this Nation sometimes was though he should utterly cast us off In making them a people again see both the mercy power and truth of God 1. His mercy in receiving them in again Where learn That Though God should forsake some of the seed of a godly man yet he will extend mercies on others for their fathers sakes and remember the next or third Generation for the good old father or Grandfather Let Parents be godly that all their children may be so or if the Lord should frown on any of them that yet he may remember his Covenant to their Posterity Again though God be angry with men for their sins yet if they unfeignedly turn to him and humble themselves he is gracious and merciful As this should provoke Gods Servants when they have offended not to fly from him and dispair but come humbly to him remembring that though they have shaken off the nature and part of Children yet he retains still the nature of a father so this may provoke lewd Wretches to come unto God hearing he is so merciful But contrarily they abuse the same and go on in their sins 2. His power Though they were thus scattered and so unlikely ever to be gathered again yet did the Lord effect it If men say a thing or have a minde to a thing they may hap to do it but if God minde a thing he will do it neither shall any or any thing let him This may comfort us in all Gods promises of protection of his Church against the proud adversaries of the same And let such take heed how they oppose God in his Church or stand in his way lest they receive that which they shall never claw off again Though the Jews at this time be so scattered as that they be in all Nations yet God will finde a means to gather them under the knowledge and scepter of Jesus Christ. 3. His truth That was verified and came upon them which God had threatned in the time and by the ministery of Hosea and whereas there it was foretold that yet afterward they should be called home again and be made the people of God See the truth of his promises as of his threatnings for his promise to Abraham he took them in again Were not a people He saith not they were not the people of God but they were not a people What then heads of Swine not worthy the name of a people or of men but of Beasts for such are they which live without the knowledge of God and Christ nay evil Beasts as Horse and Mule without understanding Oxen and Asses may teach them wit The Sork Crane and Swallow know their times which they do not nay worse then Beasts Hence the Scripture compares them to Dogs Lyons Foxes Tygres Cockatrices c. as wicked rich men to fed beasts If a Horse have drunk his fill let him come through the clearest water that is and he stays not but numbers having already drunk too much must needs
we know no Reason we should be subject to them He answereth you are free indeed I confess Christ hath purchased and that dearly a happy and blessed freedom for you but this as every other good thing may be abused and stretched beyond the reach thereof as you do this for it s not such a freedom as sets you at liberty to do what you list or to shake off Government and live at your pleasure and which is not to be used as a cloak of naughtiness and carnal liberty but you must use it as those that be freed from sin and the Devil but not from God and your obedience to him but to be his servants and so to obey him as in all things so in this amongst the rest even in obeying Magistracy which is one of his Commandments Here three things are considerable 1. The liberty of Christians As free 2. The abuse of Christian liberty not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness 3. The right use of it but as the servants of God all needful to be known that in a right maner we may use our Christian liberty to the glory of God our own good and the benefit of our brethren As free Freedom presupposeth bondage By nature we are all bound till we be freed through Christ. 1. We are all guilty of Adams sin born in Original sin infinitely defiled with actual rebellions whereby we stand under the wrath and curse of God and all evils in this world and that which is to come for ever There is no curse in all the Scripture threatned or executed or any other that God hath in his infinite store-house whereunto we are not lyable and daily subject God is just and no whit of this can be called back a fearful condition 2. We are all the very vassals of Satan and slaves of sin taken prisoners of him in the fall and we have no power of Soul nor part of body but are all fast bound to his will our understanding darkness it self our will altogether averse and rebellious to that that is good carried forcibly to all evil as are also our affections and other parts The Devil holds us as a Captain doth his Castle naturally he rules in our hearts at his pleasure till through Christ we be delivered out of this power of darkness He is the strong man that keeps the house till a stronger then he comes which is Christ alone We have no power to think a good thought to stir a finger in any good though about the matter of our Salvation Our wisdom is enmity against God All our thoughts are onely evil continually It s as impossible for a natural man to do any good as for a bramble to bear grapes or figs nay which is worse and makes up our bondage we cannot see we be in this case believe when we be told it desire to come out of it as being weary thereof nay we delight in it think it the onely liberty spend body goods name soul and all in the service of it the basest master and most cruel the basest work and most woful wages and this yet is worst that we like of it and liberty being offered we loath it No vassal among the Turks that hath been there never so long but yet retains a free minde he would be gone if he might or could tell how but such are not we we have no desire from Satan or sin our bondage being thus made known unto us we are a little the fitter to listen to the freedom here spoken of we being in this most woful bondage God of his infinite mercy found out a way a strange way to free us and that was by Jesus Christ who hath procured our liberty and makes us free This is called Christian liberty because it s purchased by Christ for Christians namely Believers and no others Its a Spiritual and holy freedom not Civil such as the Jews looked for even great advancement in an earthly Kingdom or the Anabaptists dream of which shake off Magistracy nor Carnal such as that of the Libertines which live as they list in all silthiness and procured it is by Christ alone no other could do it It stands in these four things 1. Through Christ we are freed from the wrath and curse of God and all the punishment of our sins here and hereafter and this he hath done by his precious blood having redeemed us and became also a curse for us He was arraigned before a worldly Judge that we might not be arraigned before the Judge of the whole world He was condemned that we might be absolved He dyed that we might live He hath become our surety and so freed us from the wrath and justice of God and his payment was most royal because he was God and by his Resurrection he declared that it was full and perfect So that now to all that believe in him there is no condemnation It hath nothing to do with them for though God be just and will have it once paid yet not unjust to require it twice 2. We are freed from the service of Sin and the Devil which he hath done by the vertue of his Word and holy Spirit working faith in our hearts So Regenerating and Sanctifying us washing us in his blood enlightening our understandings renewing our wills reforming our affections and whole man working a quite change from that was before an hatred of the sin that before was onely loved a love to the good that before was not regarded yea of all sin and of all good with some power to resist and overcome the one and perform the other so that though Satan tempt us yet shall he not have us at command as before though our heart and flesh lust after evil yet the Spirit resisteth it and provoketh to good and sin reigneth in us no longer Thus were Zacheus the Jaylor and Mary Magdalene quite altered from that they were before So among our selves through Gods goodness they that understood nothing to purpose are now enlightened and ashamed of themselves in respect of their former conversation hate their sins and old companions and are turned to love God and to delight in his Word Saints Prayer good Duties have tongues that cannot now speak for their liyes as before but are ready to speak gracious words which before they could not and where before they were lame to any good now they are active and can finde their legs now to carry them to goodness but we are only thus freed in part we cannot do what we would as we would and oftentimes also we do also what we would not yet shall we draw vertue from God by his Spirit in the daily use of the Word Sacraments and Prayer to be more and more freed therefrom till at last we shall attain the same even perfect freedom in glory for ever 3. We are freed from the rigor
wretches that can say They hope to be saved by Christ and that he dyed for them and yet can follow every vain pleasure and wicked lust to redeem them from which it cost even the blood of Christ more worth then a thousand worlds what is this but to set light by Christs death which none can do who hath his part therein yea what is it but to crucifie him again and to make a mock of his death what beastly unthankfulness is it for any to say Christ dyed for me and yet to live in sin nay whosoever have faith to believe their pardon in Christ it purifieth their hearts and the assurance of such a love to us must needs work love again in us and that love will constrain us yet who useth not this shift who flyeth not hereunto as Joab unto the horns of the Altar but as there he found no shelter from the Sword of Benaiah so they that flie to Christ as their refuge having nothing to do with him they shall be cut off and cast down into Hell for ever O that the death of Christ which ought to be the greatest corrasive to eat out sin out of our hearts as which cost such a wonderful price should be made a boâ—ster for sin As beggers go with their licences boldly from place to place so do worldlings sin boldly because they can say O they believe in Jesus Christ and he hath dyed for them c. but as most of their licences being found counterfeit and made under a Bush are taken from them and they themselves cast into Prison So when God shall come to examine those this shall not free them or serve their turn but they shall be cast into utter darkness If you live in your lusts or have the love of any one â—in in you as yet ye have no part in Christs death 4. This may be a great comfort to those that can finde and feel sin dying in them and themselves dead to all sin and the love of any one and that they are renewed to live the life of God and yield obedience to all his Commandments Though this be not as they would yet if their hearts can bear witness with them that this in truth let them be assured they have their part in Christs death Having their part in the latter benefit thereof it s an argument of the former For how come they to be now so changed into an hatred of all the sins which before they loved and such a true and earnest care to please God Flesh and blood hath not so taught them but Gods Spirit and that 's an argument we are his even his Spirit that he hath given us But many that would not willingly offend God for any thing and having failed in the least thing are more troubled then most be at great matters yea and study and strive for nothing so much as to please God yet cannot be perswaded that Christ dyed for them Oh! I fear that Christ dyed not for me will such a one say because I feel such a corrupt and rebellious nature within me and I am often overcome of sin and Satan It s not the mark of such as Christ dyed for that they are freed from sin altogether but that they hate all sin that they resist it and often prevail against the same whereof if at any time they be overcome yet they rise again by unfained repentance and stand up upon their watch for in the best of Gods Servants there will some of the Canaanilist brood remain as pricks in our sides but so long as we keep them Tributaries we must not be discouraged though our corruptions salley out upon us sometimes yet if we make war upon them and chase them home and so weaken them they shall not prevail over us The Church is not in this world without spot except it be by imputation of Christs righteousness for in respect of Sanctification it s but begun to be cleansed and shall be perfected in the world to come Thus in general In particular the two clauses here mentioned contain the two parts of Repentance or Sanctification namely Mortification and Vivification or dying unto sin and living unto righteousness Dead unto sin It s the duty of every Christian in token of his thankfulness to God that hath delivered him from this most woful state to set himself to mortifie his lusts and all maner of evil and that every day more and more Though we cannot be dead to sin at once it being a work of our whole life yet must we be dead to the love of all sin open or secret outward or inward and so dye daily as Christ dyed so should we labor and be more and more dead to our lusts as he was crucified so should we crucifie them c. And can we live in sin that cost the price of the blood of Christ Who would not abhor and cast from him the knife that killed his dearest friend Thus did sin to our Savior Christ it was that which brought him to his death 1. The thing then that best beseems a Christian is to mortifie his vile lusts to finde them out to hate and pursue them to the death to apply all means to the weakning and killing thereof ever hacking at the roots thereof by continual Prayer and Meditation applying the Word Mercies Corrections all to the throat of our Corruptions for as nothing is more unbeseeming a Christian then to be carried away of any lust so this should be our continual exercise to be continually weakning our Corruptions This is true Religion it stands not in hearing Sermons but in mortifying our lusts and bringing our rebellious hearts in subjection to the will of God And as we are to labor for the subduing of all so are we especially of our strongest corruptions that have most foiled us most broke our peace most dishonored God and have been of worst example 2. This rebuketh a wonderful fault in most Christians that howsoever they have general purposes to resist sin and to do well yet think that they are not continually to labor for the mortifying thereof wherein failing they do sometimes yield and give way to their lusts to break out into open evils vain speeches slight oathes worldly talking on the Lords day gaming and the like So for their inward lusts of pride covetousness frowardness security dulness to duties unbelief coldness and customariness in the service of God Alas these they look not after but almost lay the reign on the neck of them so that if they reign not in them yet they break out at every turn and are very rank in them and shew forth themselves grosly to Gods dishonor their own discomfort and the continual breach of their peace with much evil example to others As we would prove our selves Christs let us labor to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof let us deal
the King of Heaven That your prayers be not hindred The third Reason Using them ill will breed Contention and so make them unable to pray at all or pray amiss Here note 1. That the husband should pray with his wife God takes it here for granted and that also constantly the course of their prayers must by no means be broken off This is their daily homage to God they have daily need of pardon grace protection direction in all their affairs all which must be prayed for This hath promise of blessing and herein all Religion is contained This condemneth most husbands that never pray with their wives they have no skill nor will hereto an argument of a prophane man void of all Religion dead in sin for where there is the least spark of grace there will be crying to God How do these live as much Religion in their Hogs-coats as in their houses they live like Swine most Families in stead of being little Churches be Heards of Swine which live as if there were no God How do these look for a blessing God hath promised none but to them that ask it what common blessings they enjoy they enjoy not as fruits of their Prayers If we desire to be accounted religious and would have any blessing of God let 's learn to pray 2. That whatsoever would interrupt our Prayers is carefully to be avoided Thus as we are to avoid worldliness an ill conscience and the like so also contention and wrangling both with our neighbors and wives That party is unfit to Pray whose heart is poysoned with wrath and malice the Prayers of such are loathsom being thus our Sacrifices will not be accepted at Gods altar O what a grievous thing is it to lose our prayers What else have we to help our selves with What judgements doth not prayer remove What blessing doth it not obtain greatly doth he lose that loseth the benefit of his prayers Therefore let us beware of contention and strife especially with our wives Let us always keep our hearts calm and fit to pray Who knows what need he may have of prayer and that more then ordinary As men keep their Horses for service in plight and breath so keep we our prayers in good tune keep we them as a Pinnace ready to send out speedily and come home laden else we may miss many a good purchase Verse 8. Finally be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitiful be courteous Verse 9. Not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing NOw he comes to certain general Exhortations that concern all sorts and states whatsoever and they tend to love and a peaceable and comfortable living together one with another Be ye all of one minde Not that he would have these Jews to be of one minde with the Idolatrous and prophane Gentiles amongst whom they lived but that being converted and believing Jews they would all consent and agree together in the matters of Faith and Religion of Christ that they would all embrace the Lord Jesus the onely Foundation and that some onely should not look for Salvation by him some by the Law and some by both but that all should seek unto him alone And as they were thus to agree in matters of Faith so also in their Civil affairs avoiding contention and strife The vertue then which is here exhorted unto is Unanimity a joyning together in one minde and one heart in one judgement and one affection For Unity in Religion though Errors be many yet there 's but one Truth which every one must know believe and walk in to Salvation Other foundation besides Christ there 's none all that believe in him shall be saved as they that miss of him building beside the foundation fall to the ground shall be ashamed and confounded We were all created in the Truth but since the fall become prone to error Christ is the Truth the Way and the Life and this are we to buy this is contained in the Scriptures for which we are to search Some foolishly imagine that every one shall be saved by his own devotion but its life eternal to know God and Christ Jesus whom he hath sent To be thus in one judgement in Religion is a great mean of peace as the contrary a great cause of dissention even disagreement in small matters makes alienations of affections much more in Religion This Jeroboam knew well he would not suffer the ten Tribes to come up to Jerusalem to worship as God commanded lest agreeing together they should fall from him but chose to set up a new kinde of worship at Dan and Bethel thereby to set them at oddes It s lamentable that so many are distracted into divers and innumeral Heresies and but a very handful have the Truth and be of one minde Some disagree from the Truth in the very foundation as 1. Heathens and Pagans living in strange kindes of idolatry being altogether ignorant of God and Christ. 2. The Jews that look for another Savior acknowledging the Father but not the Son but he hath that not the Son hath not the Father 3. The Turks that acknowledge the Old not the New Testament the Father not the Son 4. The Papists that hold some not all points tending this way as in the matter of our salvation parting the same between Christ and our selves 5. The Arrians and that base Atheistical Sect of the Family of Love c. Some though they differ not in foundation yet erre from the truth Such were the Donatists Novatians and such like of old as in our times the Lutherans beyond the Seas and amongst our selves the Separatists Those are led with a Spirit of pride and preposterous Zeal They were bred up in the Church and as soon as they were able to shift for themselves they spit in their Mothers face and call her Strumpet These be ungracious children they were never thus taught of Christ or his Apostles As we are to pity and pray for the former and that the Lord would deliver his poor people from the tyranny of the Turk and Antichrist giving the Gospel a free passage among them that with one minde and mouth they may glorifie God in Christ Jesus so for these Seeing there is little to prevail with them as having a proud conceit of themselves and their opinions le ts take heed we be not led away with them for herein they hazard their souls greatly that they forsake the means the Ministery of the Word and so may revolt or at least stand at a stay Whiles they be so quarrelling about matters of Controversie they neglect matters of Sanctification and Government of their lives Besides even among our selves that tarry in the Church there is odds and difference and thereby carnal worldlings
counsel of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar even that they would break off their sins by repentance O turn ye why will ye dye acknowledge I beseech you all your rebellions and treacheries against God and that you have deserved hereby to be cut off entreating yet for pardon and mercy through Jesus Christ Turn to God with your whole hearts and learn to know that sin is odious bringing dishonor to God and destruction upon your selves O shun all evil little and great shun it at all times in all places how gainful or pleasing so ever and whosoever commands it or whomsoever you see practice it together with all the appurtenances and occasions of the same Means to evil may be these 1. Labor to understand the ten Commandments and so what is good and what is evil 2. Labor for faith which purifieth the heart from evil even the assurance of Gods love to us which may work in us love to his Majesty and so an hatred of all evil 3. A sanctified heart the inseperable companion of true faith 4. Attend on Gods ordinances publikely the Word and Sacraments and in private use meditation conference prayer c. 5. Watch and pray that we enter not neither be led into temptation 6. Make we a Covenant against evil as Job and David 7. Call to minde the fearful wrath of God and the wages of sin and the examples thereof on many both in Scripture and our own experience as also the hour of death when it will trouble us and lie heavy on our conscience and the day of Judgement when and where we would be loath to meet with it 2. This also rebukes them that eschew some evil but not all nor at all times or in all places Being commanded what will they not do What not for profit pleasure preferment The sins of their complexion and trade they will in no wise leave they run upon things because lawful though they cannot use them lawfully If they can sin secretly they make no conscience thereof 3. This may serve for instruction with rebuke to most Christians and to us that be most ancient professors that though we have a general purpose against evil yet we neither hate it so deeply nor shun it so carefully as we ought nor are so much humbled when we have been overtaken and have fallen thereinto as we ought we complain of our crosses but grieve not so much that we have fallen into sin If one should threaten to run at us with a naked sword or shoot at us whensoever he could finde an opportunity we would be wary and watchful upon our going abroad having an eye in every corner c. O do we thus against sin which watcheth but an opportunity to do us mischief If we would thus do we should not be so often overtaken as we are we should see better days scape numbers of crosses have more peace to our consciences more joy in our death and a freer passage to Heaven But alas we judge even that which is a great evil to be but a little one it pleaseth us if we have any colour for the same as that we have but once committed it that others do so and so c. Thus do we prophane the Lords-day despise his Ministers and run upon all sorts of evils 4. This affords consolation to all such as do indeed eschew evil and that out of an unfained hatred thereof rejoycing in nothing more then when they prevail against it grieving at nothing more then when they are overcome thereby such do indeed love God such fear him in truth and so are beloved of God and shall be everlastingly blessed these shall live happily here in joy and bliss hereafter O go on in this Christian course though the world hate you because ye do not as they do though they call you precise fools because ye dare not swallow such goblets as they do yea though hereupon ye pull danger upon your selves yet must ye eschew evil and so let us It s no matter though we have the worlds frown as long as we have Gods favor and what if we shall miss many a sweet morsel of profit pleasure and promotion if we be free from the gripes and vexations of conscience and the wrath of Almighty God they that now have their sweet meat would one day vomit up their morsels if they could as Judas did who though he rid himself of the money yet could not be rid of his wound of Conscience nor of the Judgement of God upon him were they ever the worse or had they any cause to grieve that they had not a share with him in the thirty pieces And do good This necessarily followeth on the other No man can have his heart truly nor aright set to do good whose heart is not first purged of the love of all evil for they cannot stand in one heart and at once and that man that lives and bears himself in the practice one sin never did good aright in his life neither ever pleased he God Who can serve God in one thing that serves the Devil in another This may serve to rouse up some that fain would do well and many good things they do but some one old accustomed sin which they know is a sin they cannot leave Well there 's no hating sin it will not do well the end will not be good it s but to be almost Christians Some will say Such a Preacher hath prevailed much with me and done me much good but as long as one known sin is lived in all is nothing worth to Salvation It s true a childe of God through strong temptations may be overcome of the same evil which he hates but he both covenants against it is careful that he may not fall into it having fallen he is much grieved He that is not grieved but doth again upon the next occasion fall to it is indeed in a grievous condition Thus from the order To do good is sometimes taken in a strict sence for the performance of the works of mercy whether for body or soul or both Here more largely for that good we are to do to our neighbor enemies that do us hurt or yet more largely for whatsoever God hath commanded in his Word Whose will is a perfect rule of Righteousness and makes that good which he requireth Whosoever would see good days here and hereafter must set himself in body and soul to the obedience of Gods will in doing good No other shall be saved good is the way leading to this end To come to this end we must walk in this way Reasons 1. It s good and amiable of it self as the Lord is 2. God commands it who is our Soveraign Lord and King Thou shalt do thus and thus saith he often throughout the Scriptures for I am the Lord thy God 3. All promises in Scripture of good things here or
hereafter are made to well-doing as in Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. may appear 4. This brings us peace of conscience in this world How did David rejoyce when they offered willingly to the Temple Hezekiah when such care was used in keeping the Passover and the Eunuch when he was baptized 5. This brings us to eternal happiness in the world to come 6. It s the glory of a man when he is dead The godly Kings are yet commended That they did that which was good in the sight of the Lord this was their Crown and that which is to be desired of a man is his goodness For the extent of this we must do all good that we can and our places require having respect unto all Gods Commandments Thus did Josiah He did according to all the Law of Moses He that commanded one commanded another Whoso doth willingly pass by any one duty declares himself an hypocrite And who so lives in any one sin is guilty of the breach of the whole Law We must do good at all times Aguish fits of goodness as before the Communion or in afflictions c. God cares not for he will have us to be ever doing some good and ever fitting our selves to do more We must do good in all places not in the Church onely but at home in our Houses and Shops yea when we are furthest from home So in all companies we must do good or take good if we cannot do what we would we must do what we can it s some good to keep away evil We must do good to all persons all duties towards God publikely privately on his Sabbaths on other days so towards our Families Neighbors Friends Superiors Inferiors Equals We must do good as occasion offers it self yea towards our enemies that do us hurt as to our selves also and that in respect of body soul goods good name We must do good in our general callings as Christians by our holy conversation agreeable to our profession and by our Counsels Exhortatiâ—ns Admonitions Reproofs Prayers We must do good also in our particular callings as Magistrates Ministers Husbands Wives Parents Masters c. This is so necessary as that he which doth not good in his special calling is no good man We must do good also though it be hard and difficult so to do naturally we are prone unto evil and it comes off hand easily but to do good is harsh Gods Commandments are as a yoke to the flesh though easie to the Spirit a burthen to the flesh but light and comfortable to the Spirit To pray read instruct our families is painful so to study preach hunt out disorder set up goodness see the poor set on work and the like but as we would partake of the reward which is indeed great here and hereafter we must not shrink at this labor If one way will not serve the turn whereby to bring to pass our Religious purposes we must set upon another as they that carryed the man of the Palsie not being able for the preass to enter in at the door uncovered the roof of the house and through it let him down We must do good though we have no thank for our labor as Moses and Aaron on the peoples behalf whom they conducted out of Egypt though they were unthankfully dealt with yea though we have ill will and hard measure as they that seek to punish sin shall have of evil doers nay though the greatest be against it as Daniel prayed to God though the King forbade it and danger was to follow upon it Thus the Prophets spake the truth though with danger of their lives Elijah Micaiah John the Baptist c. Thus the Martyrs confessed the faith boldly though with loss of their lives We must do good also though we have few encouragements and small company such was Joshua's resolution nay though we be as it were alone as Noah in that generation Lot in Sodom Elias c. we must preach still though we see but little fruit of our labor We must do good while we may while life and means last yea and constantly and to that end many take up Prayers in their Family but quickly leave them off neither must we onely do good but we must do it well for even the best things in the world may be marred in the doing as Alms and Prayer by hypocrisie and opinion of merit and therefore we must be regenerate persons and by Faith be reconciled to God in Christ We must also do the same in a particular Faith and in uprightness of heart declaring the same by the reformation of our lives and this must be in obedience to God ayming at his glory and not seeking our selves either in our profit pleasure or credit c. all which must be done willingly 1. This sheweth the wretchedness of our corrupt nature that good being in it self so lovely and there being so many great Reasons to perswade us thereto yet our nature is most averse therefrom 2. This condemneth those which are so far from this that they be enemies to goodness The more Spiritual and holy any duty is the less they can away therewith as Prayer Meditation Conference with the godly c. nay they hate goodness in others whether Magistrates Ministers or private Christians yea are so wholly opposite to good as they are wholly given over to evil 3. This condemneth those who though they be restrained and break not out into evil yet have no heart nor love to that which is good They be no swearers nor disordered persons in their Families yet they do not pray instruct and do good in their Families they neither prophane the Sabbath nor yet keep it holy they keep not bad company yet love not the company of the Saints they spend not on wicked purposes and yet do no good with that they have they be no enemies to Religion but they be not zealous friends they be no maintainers of disorders in Towns yet do not zealously set themselves against such This is not sufficient to make a good man nor to see good days for Every tree that bears not good fruit shall be hewn down and the barren Figtree was cursed and the Servant that did no good with his Talent in the mean time he had done no hurt therewith was cast out It will not go for payment nor bear out any that they have done no hurt but what good have they done even we our selves will scarce keep a Cat or Dog meerly for this that they do no hurt except they do some good neither will we think well of those Servants who being negligent in our absence shall say We have done you no hurt have not robbed you of your goods railed at you wronged your children c. for that which they should also have been diligent
them occasions of sinning cease therefore to be wicked else shalt thou never cease to be miserable Be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled To comfort them in their sufferings for Christ he removes the enemy of constant and patient suffering namely Fear Be not saith he afraid of their terror neither be troubled that is Either be not afraid with the fear of ungodly men and such as have no hope in God who in the very least danger are altogether dismaid as the words in Isa. 8. 12. whence these seem to be taken do imply or Fear not the things wherewith they seek to afright you the Apostle using the words but to his own sense Fear not their faces big looks threats prisons censures and tortures neither be dismaid at them fear is an enemy to constant suffering as a coward can be no true Soldier and therefore are we often diswaded therefrom This hindred Nicodemus from coming unto Christ by day and multitudes from confessing him even for fear of the Scribes and Pharisees made Peter deny his Master and because of this in all alterations of Religion most turn with the time And would not many be more forward in goodness then they are if it were not for fear of displeasing O strive against this fear and be couragious so were Daniel the three Children the Apostles Moses the holy Martyrs c. Their Faith overcame their fear we need not fear men or what they can do to us for God will stand by us we must fear him fear to sin against him for unbelievers and fearful they shall have a fearful portion such as fear man more then God flye from the stroke of a childe and fall into the hand of a Gyant from a straw to a sword Verse 15. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear HEre 's the true means of constant and patient suffering even faith resting it self confidently on God But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts We sanctifie God or his name as it s in the first petition of the Lords prayer not when we adde any holiness thereto which is holy beyond comparison but when we acknowledge and give that holiness which belongs to it Particularly herein we sanctifie the Lord in our hearts when we believing his faithfulness in his promises do thereupon rest on him in time of our troubles and this is to glorifie him Faith is the mother of constancy in suffering I know thy faith and thy patience Be thou faithful unto the death c. By faith those worthies mentioned in Heb. 11. did undergo all their sufferings This is the victory that overcomes the world The want of faith makes the world flye from God and his cause weakness of faith causeth fear to overflow us as in Peter and Cranmer as soon as we see some trouble to arise then are we ready to say with Peter O Master we perish If we do believe our selves to be the Lords and that our cause is just and good and that he hath all power in his hand and that none can stir further then he pleaseth and that he will strengthen his servants to endure and after this transitory life translate us unto life everlasting O this will encourage us indeed Labor we therefore for a good stock of Faith now in this time of peace and let us in our daily tryals reproaches and afflictions exercise the same and make good use of it If in these we can give glory to God by depending on him we may trust our Faith will not fail us when greater tryals shall befal us to believe God of his Word is to give glory to God as on the contrary to faint tends to his dishonor and as to believe on him is great ease to our selves so not to believe but faint very troublesom And be ready always to give an answer c. He proceeds to another duty as a fruit of the former trust in God exhorting us in token of our Faith in God that we be ready with courage to acknowledge and make confession of our Faith to those that shall demand a reason thereof This we must be ready at all times to do and so often as we shall be called thereto and to all men that have authority to call us and to any that shall demand it with a desire to learn or whensoever and wheresoever we shall see it meet and requisite so to do as the Spirit of God will direct his servants where when and to whom yet so as we do it with courage meekness and godly reverence Our duty then is not onely to believe the truth of God in our hearts but we must be ready outwardly to make profession thereof and confess the same with our tongues when God shall call us thereunto Abraham Isaac and Jacob walk'd as Pilgrims here on earth professing themselves Gods servants and Joshua professed That he and his would serve the true God Accordingly must we both by our speeches and actions declare whose servants we are so walking as that men may see we are not ashamed of God or his Word and way whatsoever others do most do yea rich and wise men do the great ones of the world do yet do we thus walk daring do no otherwise and not caring who know our carriage and behavior and though they scoff at it as scruplous too strict and precise and call us fools for our labor and ask us Why we do not thus and thus as we see most men do yet need not we be dismaid as being warranted by the Word of God So in all Companies we must make known what we are If we hear any rail at goodness speak ill of good duties oppose any part of Gods truth reproach the professors of Religion whether unknown or known unto us we must take the cause in hand standing for the defence of Gods truth and servants If by our timely answer any good may come to the Gospel we must not through our silence betray the same but if we be among scorners and dogs we must shew our dislike by departing from them Thus must we do being in company with prophane ones so if we be among Papists or other adversaries to the Truth we must have the zeal of God in us so if it be in the times of persecution that we be called forth by Magistrates or their authority we ought not to flinch nor be ashamed or afraid but shew what our Religion is what our Faith and Hope giving a Reason thereof out of Gods Word or if they demand us about any point of Religion we must in the defence of Gods cause speak our consciences freely Thus if the Jews or Turks should call us to know through whom we did hope look to be saved we must
acknowledge Christ Jesus and our Faith and Hope of Salvation in him as of whom the Prophets foretold and who did every way for time place maner c. fulfil their prophecies of him This we must believe with our hearts and confess with our mouthes in this Faith we must both live and dye The like might be instanced about Justification if by Papists we should be called to an account Thus Moses came often before Pharaoh to justifie his demand thus Elias did acknowledge and maintain the true God and his pure worship against Ahab and his false Prophets so Daniel and the three Children so the Apostles so the Apostle Paul so the Church of Pergamos so the holy Martyrs they could not be drawn from the truth either by promises threats or torments so in this Land in the days of Queen Mary Gods servants shewed good skill in the Word and made known their Christian courage Reasons hereof may be these 1. That it may appear God hath some that know and love and will defend his Truth as the Devil also the contrary 2. That we may declare we be not ashamed nor afraid of men to confess the cause of God 3. That we may confirm our own consciences and may also if possible win others to the truth as Paul had almost done Agrippa No doubt many standers by were won by Pauls defences and the Martyrs and not a few weak ones confirmed the rest being left without excuse 1. This condemneth that horrible wicked practice of the Church of Rome in keeping the people in miserable blindeness and holding it a deadly fin for them to read any part of Scripture in a tongue they understand or any book touching the true Faith and Religion nay read both Scriptures and Prayers to them in an unknown tongue and lock up all knowledge from them and means thereof like the Scribes and Pharisees that took away the Key of Knowledge How shall they then be ready to give an account of their Faith They must believe as the Church believes and that is all they can get onely they preach to them in their own language which yet is but lyes and errors for truth This is most gross robbery of the people Christ bid Search the Scriptures they charge the contrary and curse them that do It s cruel tyranny and murther of their souls they take away their weapons that they may make a prey of their souls as the Philistines did from the Israelites to keep them under Those are not of Moses his minde that wished That all Gods people might prophesie nor of St. Pauls That the Word of Christ might dwell in them richly in all wisdom c. None have need to be discouraged from seeking knowledge for most be too careless and lazy 2. This rebuketh the gross ignorance of most part of people that notwithstanding this light that we have and so many helps of preaching liberty of reading and so many Books of all kindes and of the grounds of our Religion yet know not what they hold nor what be the points of their Religion but as Market news they hear they must serve God and come to Church and must be saved by Jesus Christ but to prove that he is the true Christ or that they must be saved by him and by no other in whole nor in part or that the Scripture is the Word of God they are altogether ignorant and so might be carried away to any Religion This is an horrible sin especially considering the helps and liberty which we enjoy What notorious carelesness is this must we not buy the truth prize the truth know it hold it fast not part therewith Most have such skill in worldly businesses that they are altogether unskilful in the Word regard not the means of their Salvation This is condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness more then the light O how many perish for want of knowledge yet are there some which having knowledge but not the love of the truth nor Faith in God will flinch from it if ever they be tryed for there is no hold of him that loves not the truth though he have never so much knowledge as we may read of Dr. Pendleton and others in Queen Mary's time Such if they be in company of Papists of Cavillers or Railers they can stand or sit still and say nothing How would these confess the truth with peril of their lives when they be affriad of a great man c Let such know that Christ esteems them as his enemies For he that is not with him is against him they being ashamed of him in this world he will be no less ashamed of them on the last and great day 3. O then let all of us labor for knowledge and to be grounded in our Religion and to know the points of Catechism and be able to prove them by some place of Scripture so as we may be bold to believe them and stand to the defence of them To this end we must give ear to Catechizing read the grounds of Religion and study the Scriptures in humility and with Prayer having a care to know the will of God and to be guided by it and to stand in the defence of it to Gods glory against such as oppose it This is the glory of a man of a Christian to make confession of his Faith in Christ and stand to the defence of it this God may justly expect of us it hath been performed by them which had not the hundredth part of the means which we have O let us both love and live in the Truth sticking close thereto whatsoever it cost us And if at any time we shall hear it spoken against we must have the zeal of God in us to stand in the defence thereof Thus confessing Christ here among men he will confess us before his Father in Heaven and his holy Angels Of the hope that is in you Faith and hope must be rooted in our hearts ere we utter the same with our tongues In vain do we talk of things whereof we have not the inward feeling With meekness and fear Here 's the maner for good things must be done in a right maner we must temper our courage and zeal in setting out the truth with meekness and fear we must avoid pride and insolency by forgetting our places or those we have to speak to or breaking out into violent speeches mockings gibings or such like for so we may do much hurt and this is unbeseeming the Spirit of Gods Servants Besides the things we speak of being the matters of God our speech and behavior must be sutable thereunto This rebuketh the preposterous zeal of some which defending the truth and a good cause forget duty and respect to their Superiors and break out into violent and unseemly speeches and be at defiance by and by and straight condemn
comes not after humiliation nor proceeds from apprehension of Gods love but from a false imagination having no true reformation of life accompanying it Now that the consciences of such may be awakened here whilest there is help though usually most shun the same they must 1. Labor to be acquainted with Gods Law wherein they shall as well see the smallest as the greatest sins Therein they shall perceive their own error as who thought that they did love God above all and their neighbors as themselves that they did ever serve God and put their whole trust in him that it was lawful for them to swear so it were true that it was lawful to go to wizards that on the Lords day they might walk about their fields and do their other businesses and yet serve God as well as they that went to Church that they might do with their own what they list c. 2. Labor to know and believe that the least sin is damnation yet do most bless themselves in their evil courses and are not a whit moved by all the threatnings of Gods Word that thereupon they may be humbled and terrified and flie out of themselves to God for mercy which is the onely way to come to good To this end let them make use of the most stirring sermons meditate of Gods judgements go to such as are afflicted or lie on their death beds consider that there be thousands in Hell which have not committed the tithe of their sins and that if they themselves should dye suddenly this night their condition were miserable If any shall say My conscience hath been quiet all this while I do not mean to call my estate into question let such know that many go snorting to Hell and that a troubled conscience is better then a drowsie secure conscience for that may come to good the other is out of all possibility of mercy Indeed to stay in terror of conscience is fearful yet not worse then to have a benumb'd conscience there 's hope of them that be troubled of the others but a little Physitians prescribe their Patients sometimes to go to sea to be sea sick and that to purge away some ill humors for the health of the body no less needful is it to be soul sick for the welfare of our souls yet is it a common speech of most at the visitation of the sick Oh I pray do not trouble him he is in a very good minde c. but the Prodigals condition though he had ragged cloaths and a rent heart was better then his elder brothers and the Publican justified not the Pharisee Thus of the quiet ill conscience The stirring ill conscience is either when it stirs by excusing or by accusing Excusing upon the doing of some evil whereof John 16. 2. or the omission of some duty as the hearing of the Word Prayer and the liâ—e Thus was it with Saul when he was questioned by Samuel for not obeying Gods Commandment thus hath it been with some Papists when they have practiced Treason against their Prince and Countrey A good conscience doth excuse indeed but rightly not amiss in all things not in some onely for the maner as well as the thing it self Accusing and that 1. When it should not as an Idolator is troubled in conscience for leaving undone some piece of idolatrous service 2. For trifles and not for matters of weight as the Pharisees made great conscience of going to meat with unwashen hands but not of murthering Christ as Papists make great conscience of eating flesh on a fasting day who yet make no conscience of Whoredom Swearing so Civil persons would be much troubled if they should be but accused for wronging their neighbors who yet are no whit moved for prophaning the Lords day not coming to the Sacrament neglect of Prayer and the like 3. When it is forcible and violent causing horror and fear gastliness terror in the dark or at the sight of any of Gods Judgements trembling at the ratling of a leaf yea and desperation it self This though it be not good of it self yet turns to the good of the godly God brings them this way onely he leaves them not here but by the voyce of the Gospel doth relieve their mindes and perswades them to seek mercy upholding them with the hope thereof Some have checks of conscience but so as they can bear them out some again so as they cannot endure them Who so finde their consciences accusing them for their sins and know no pardon but their consciences still tell them of their sins and that their course is bad let such know that they have evil consciences which being let alone will accuse them worse If their consciences accuse them God is greater and knows more Therefore let them seek to pacifie God and their consciences too To this end consider That God hath provided in his infinite mercy an all-sufficient remedy in the death and bloodshed of Jesus Christ then which there is no other way to satisfie Gods displeasure nor to stanch the terrors of conscience let such bewail and lament their state to Almighty God confessing their sins and judging themselves as the Prodigal for the same thereupon craving of him with strong cryes and humble prayers the pardon and forgiveness thereof To such as thus come in the truth of their hearts God hath made many gracious promises Thus suing to him he will in his own good time send down a comfortable answer This is the onely course to come to good to still conscience with forgetting our sins and mirth is but to deceive our selves to wear it out by head and shoulders it s but as the putting away of the tooth-ake with cold water which will still it for a little but after it reboundeth more violently this is the way to get peace After this will our consciences begin to be quiet and thereupon excuse and comfort Then will Faith purifie the heart and work an hatred of all sin with a continual care to please God in all things Then shall we be quite altered and changed from that we were I cannot but wonder at a number of men whose consciences witness against them who yet seek not to pacifie them by assurance of pardon but adde more daily unto their sins whose consciences bear witness That they have no care to please God but their way and works be naught assuredly their consciences will one day cry louder O lay up no new matter of accusation all the profit and pleasure that comes of it will be dear bought It s as to drink pleasing poyson it goes down pleasantly but afterward wounds the bowels If a man had never so much wealth yet if he have an ill conscience what shall it profit him It were as if a man had a costly banket rich apparel and attendance c. and one with a sword drawn were standing ready by
that the other is better as having more comfort in themselves and being more fit to do good unto others and yet they may scape some checks the others may meet with as Peter yea God seems more to tender these then those as a Father having two Children both beloved of him the one sick the other in health is most careful of him that is sick that he may recover To have a tender conscience checking us for the least sin idle words vain thoughts and the like as Davids for curting off the lap of Sauls Garment is a singular blessing and therefore to obtain it we must both see the odiousness of sin judging aright thereof and must bring our hearts to mourn even for the smallest sins 1. Let every man examine himself whether he hath a good conscience or not whether art thou assured of the pardon of thy sins whether doth thine heart bear witness that thou hatest all sin and art truly desirous to please God in all things as well great as small secretly as openly at least in the deep sence of thy misery art thou wearied under it as an intollerable weight hearing of the onely remedy dost thou long after it above all the world art thou as willing to turn from sin as to have sin forgiven to take up his yoke as to be refreshed by him If not thy case is fearful What have we if we have not this It s our duty then to labor for it and not rest till we obtain it What may not incite us hereto It procures Joy Peace Comfort Boldness before God and men such are bold to pray unto God bold to crave others to pray for them It s comfortable in prosperity a sweet companion at home and abroad night and day it s a sweet companion in adversity like a good wife by her kindeness chearing her husband when he comes home who hath been much turmoild abroad another Simon to bear a piece of our cross yea in the greatest crosses this assureth us that yet God is our Father he visits us in love he will assist us and at last deliver us It s a Castle of comfort an armor of proof a continual feast an Heaven upon earth It makes a man embrace the flames kiss the stake and being in the fire accounts as if he were on a bed of Roses In death its comfortable when all things else forsake us then when our eyes are shut up yet through this we shall with Steven see Christ Jesus ready to receive us and shall say Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace In the day of judgement it will make us lift up our heads with joy when we shall see our Savior Christ come to receive us into his heavenly kingdom O they that have a good conscience should make much of it as of their jewel and labor to keep it It may be easily lost and is hardly recovered as may be seen in David and Peter The first part of it namely The assurance of our Salvation is kept by daily renewing our Confessions Supplications and Thanksgivings To this end we must labor to know the will of God and daily to grow in knowledge by our diligent perusal of the Scriptures The 2 part of it namely our care to please God is kept maintained by a daily and constant resolution not to offend God and so we must both strive and watch against our frowardness worldly-mindedness c. and covenant and vow to do the will of God to the uttermost of our power Hereupon we must walk carefully as in the presence of God avoiding all occasions of sinning using all good means to keep us in a good course publiquely and privately being diligent and careful in our particular calling to the glory of God and good of our brethren 2. This reproveth those that having a good conscience fail as much in laboring to keep it as the World doth in not laboring to obtain it How do Christians go on carelesly without renewing their exercises of Faith and Repentance and so their assurance is to seek or else hold it at a venture and coldly our worst day in the week might be better then our Sabbath had we but the grace to use our time aright O how many are careless watch not give way to their lusts therefore fall into many evils and so wound their consciences very often which is dangerous A place often wounded or hurt will not at last be healed We dishonor God much disquiet our consciences give evil example to others by our frowardness impatience worldliness hard dealings c. Hence it cometh that the Word pincheth us evil tidings amaze us we are loath to dye and the day of Judgement is fearful to us 3. This may encourage and comfort those that have good consciences though they be timerous What God shews mercy even to men unworthy and though thy sins be many and great yeâ— hast thou to deal with him that 's able to pardon them Lose not that thou hast when we lose good consciences all Gods graces diminish and vanish away neither can we thrive any whit as is seen by daily experience But nothing can do us hurt as long as our consciences hold good then are we fit to live and fit to dye fit for the Word and Sacrament fit for death and judgement Thus of the kindes of conscience and so of conscience in general Having a good conscience c. Now of the Words in particular whereof I have laid down their coherence with the former and from whence may be noted That a godly conversation in all things is to be joyned to a bold and zealous profession of our Faith to our knowledge and profession gifts utterance and the like we must adde a good life these two be two Twins St. Paul often joyns them together neither must they be parted saying and doing the tongue and hand must accompany one another Reasons hereof may be these 1. God expecteth of us that where he reveals the knowledge of his will that we adde obedience or else we shall be beaten with more stripes Where God findes this he delights in it as in Abraham who is called The friend of God in David whom he calls A man according to his own heart so in Joh in Zachary and Elizabeth c. we finde the same commended The contrary God loaths as in his own people whom he did again and again advertise hereof 2. This will prove our profession sound and not hypocritical for hypocrites go a great way but its onely Faith that purifieth the heart and that our knowledge is not swimming in our brain but sound and saving knowledge purging both heart and life when we dare compact with any other and say Shew me thy Faith by thy works as I can 3. This not onely Gods children look for when we have got knowledge and come
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
to believe the truth and be bolder to defend it Again if we look to the state of the Church and faithful Servants of God in former ages we need not think it strange for its the way that they have all gone Abel Isaac Jacob the Prophets Christ his Apostles the Primitive Church thousands under the Roman Emperors not a few even in this our Land in the Reign of Queen Mary c. Indeed the Devil is ready to make us believe that our case is worse then any bodies and that there were never any as we which is that he may make us murmure and drive us to desparation or to flinch whereas its a very lye for we are in no such case but the Saints of God have been in as bad in the same in worse This duly considered will be a means that afflictions shall be better born Which is to try you Here 's the Reason of the Exhortation The end of persecution is not to destroy the good but to make them better as the gold is tryed by the fire afflictions persecution chiefly are sent to try what we be and in what state not but that God knows it already but he would have us also and others to know to our comfort or humbling They are of great use As 1. To try whether we have any truth of grace in us whether we be any thing or nothing sound or hollow true friends or hypocrites such as are built on the rock or sand Many that now think well of themselves will never be able to stand and many mean in their own and others eyes would hold out A man is never tryed till adversity comes as a Soldier is in the Battel a Marriner in a Storm a Friend in time of need Who would have thought the seed in the stony ground would have flincht few so good as they in most Parishes If these would not abide what shall we think of most amongst us persecution as the fan of one heap makes two and as the fire separateth the gold from the dross Labor then for a true faith of the right stamp who knows but that God will send a tryal let 's labor to be so provided as we may be good wheat to abide by it and not chaff that will flie away that we may be gold fit to be Vessels for the Lords use not dross to be burnt up with unquenchable fire Onely true believers will hold out all others will flinch le ts now look to our selves lest we making a fair house not onely in the sand it fall and our fall be great and we having begun a piece of work leave it in the mid way to our perpetual shame But they that are proved to be sound and to have true Faith it s a great Comfort and Crown to them Who would not have his Sword or Gun tryed ere he went to the field A little tryed Faith is better then much tryed Gold then much Faith in mens tongues and conceits 2. To try what measure of grace we have whether as much or more or less then we thought for some over-prize themselves and some do on the contrary Who would have thought Peter had been so weak after such bold protestation Who would have thought Abrahams Faith so great as it was or Jobs both Faith and Patience Though the Lord would kill him yet would he wait on him What do thine afflictions bewray If more grace then thou thoughtst be thankful if less be humbled and apply thy self to the means more carefully 3. To purge purifie and refine that measure of true grace that 's in us In the days of Peace and Prosperity the best men are subject to gather soil as standing waters putrifie bodies without exercise prove full of gross humors In prosperity we gather pride security teachiness self-love too much love of the world these God purgeth away that our Faith and Grace may shew themselves in their bright colours as the Vine having the superfluous branches cut off proves the more fruitful Never do Christians shine so bright as in affliction or presently after it But rejoyce Here 's the second Exhortation We must be so far from thinking it strange when we are persecuted as that we are then to rejoyce But how can this be will some say To rejoyce in mockings imprisonments cold irons tortures c. seems impossible and the rather for that no affliction for the present is joyous but tedious To the flesh these things be tedious yet there is cause to make us rejoyce in them Though a natural man cannot do this as being impossible to flesh and blood yet grace and a good measure of faith and an heart mortified to the world and taken up with the desire of a better life will do the same A man may both grieve and yet rejoyce in the same thing in diverse respects as them that saw the Temple re-edified some wept namely the ancient men some again rejoyced namely the yong men the one because it was no better the other because it was as it was both which might have been in either of them As a man may be glad that he hath a childe departed in a godly maner and yet grieve at the loss of his childe so if at the fall of a Scaffold where many lost their lives we have had a childe that broke his Arm we are sorry at that but glad that he scaped with his life Thus the Apostles rejoyced thus Paul and Silas thus the Thessalonians thus the Christian Hebrews thus the Martyrs throughout all ages Such a thing is Faith it s not a Conceit but that that makes things absent so present as that we can be content to endure present pain for joy to come and to lose things present for happiness hereafter Thus have many of Gods Servants done so that God requires nothing of us but that he hath enabled many to do yea ordinary Christians like our selves nay not a few even of the weaker Sex 1. This rebuketh the woful unbelief and hypocrisie of most of the world which though they profess the Word in prosperity yet in adversity they shift for themselvs make friendship with the world and will suffer nothing for Christs sake or his Religion they are ashamed of Christ here of them will he be ashamed hereafter now saving their lives with an ill Conscience they shall lose life eternal 2. It rebuketh even the Servants of God who are so loath to suffer or abide any hardness We can hardly abide a frown of our Superior or an hard word or a railing speech but we are cast down and disquieted about it yea many pull in their heads and step back and think it s not good to be forward and so come to Jesus by night How will we suffer imprisonment and loss of all we have how endure the fire and especially with joy This is too much tenderness it
2. Take heed therefore you be not ashamed of God here lest he be ashamed of you another day Do as Abraham Isaac and Jacob they built here and there Altars and were not ashamed to call on the Lord neither was he ashamed of them to be called their God Art thou called Puritan Answer I am not so pure as I should be I pray God make me pure you must be pure else you shall never see God we must also take heed that we esteem not basely nor be ashamed of them that suffer for Christs sake shunning and avoiding their company lest forsooth it should be known weare friends to Puritans to those the world so calls and counts and that for their goodness wo be to us if we be not friends and favorers of them this being indeed a main mark of our Regeneration But let him glorifie God on this behalf As sufferings for God are a benefit for which we are to praise God so they be a great honor which the Lord vouchsafeth his Hereby we are tryed made Partners with Christ the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs that be now in Heaven are like our head in suffering and so shall be in glory and shall rejoyce at his coming and for ever This is an argument we are none of the world but chosen out of it yea that we are blessed and have the Spirit of God in us hereby also we glorifie God And might not God have left us to our selves and brought shameful sufferings upon us for foul sins as upon many others yea might have cast us to Hell to have most just and woful torments for ever and ever Now seeing he vouchsafeth to change our shameful sufferings here and hereafter for our sins into a few glorious sufferings for his names sake it is a priviledge Therefore though there be some tartness in the afflictions themselves yet consider how they might have been and now the cause why they be what Partners we have what good they will do us here and what an happy end we shall have hereafter we have great and unspeakable cause to praise and glorifie God which I pray in Gods name let 's labor by faith to bring our hearts unto Verse 17. For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God HEre are more Reasons to the same purpose 1. From the time God will now since Christs coming exercise his Church with greater tryals and trobules then the ages before his coming in the flesh 2. The necessity of it Judgement must come 3. By making comparison between the state of Gods children persecuted and their persecuters yea and all the wicked for though these be chastened a while yet the end of the ungodly will be most fearful which he sets not down affirmatively but with much more vehemency and earnestness by interrogation What shall the end be c For the time is come c. The Church is appointed to more crosses and tryals since Christ under the Gospel then before True it hath been persecuted even from the beginning and every true believer hath had crosses and tryals and the people of God have been persecuted both of the prophane among themselves and of others yet never so sorely nor commonly as since Christ witness the ten bloody Persecutions with those which the Church hath since suffered by Heathen Turks Papists Reasons 1. Because this time hath clearer promises and a more fuller revelation of Gods will and Heaven as it were set open and Christ and all his benefits so set before our eyes as we have much more means of comfort and believing and so of love to God and courage and therefore may well undertake greater tasks the time of the Law was the time of the infancy of the Church the time of the Gospel the time of the maturity thereof Therefore well may God require and look for more obedience and not in doing onely but suffering for God will not have the graces of his Spirit in his Servants to rust 2. The Lord hath promised great things of the people in time of the Gospel He will pour out his Spirit upon them knowledge shall abound yong men shall see visions c Now seeing its foretold we should be holy in these times the Lord therefore must use the best means to effect the same whereof afflictions are one 1. This confuteth that opinion of the Papists that teach That the Church in the New Testament should always so prosper and flourish in wealth and be conspicuous and glorious and have victory over the enemies thereof which is rather the mark of the synagogue of Satan which is ever greater in number and more pompous for though God give his Church breathings to be gathered and to edifie themselves yet is it scarce at any time free from troubles 2. It rebuketh those among our selves that the Gospel should bring all peace and ease and therefore when they see any troubles come for it they are offended It s true God gives peace and plenty as handmaids to wait upon the Gospel yet either for chastisement for the contempt of the Gospel or tryal of his Servants profiting the Gospel hath troubles and men must be content and take the Gospel with whatsoever troubles and thank God too and think they be gainers But many would have the rose not the prickle follow Christ for loaves and in hope for preferment but hearing that he hath no where to rest his head they will be gone These be but Hypocrites and such as never tasted indeed of the Gospel for if they had they would part with all for it 3. It should teach us all in these days not to conceit of ease credit c. for the Gospel brings a Sword and therefore we must prepare for hardship yea the Gospel brings enough with it to make us willing to suffer for it The not thinking hereof causeth unpreparedness and both either a flying from God or else to bear them impatiently That judgement must begin By judgement is not meant plagues or punishments for sin as pieces of Gods wrath and forerunners of condemnation for such are those laid on the wicked but merciful chastisements and loving corrections whereby we are moved to judge our selves that we be not judged of the Lord and condemned with the world 1. These afflictions must begin with Gods-Servants Jacobs house first afterwards the Egyptians felt the Famine first the Israelites were oppressed but afterwards the Egyptians themselves plagued the Jews were first carried into captivity but afterwards the Assyrians were destroyed by the Medes and Persians 1. In respect of their sins they are full of terror and anguish of Spirit ere they can get any comfort and when they have obtained it it s often eclipsed and they go mourning 2. They are subject to many
will but either will live in all their sins or onely yid in what they list and so trample the precious blood of Christ undeâ—â—eir feet and despise the gracious offer of mercy One would think thâ—very man hearing such a gracious voice and offer of a Savior shâ—ld flie to it and that it should suffer violence every one saying O â—me embrace it let me as they did at the Pool of Bethesdai O â—t at the stirring of the water some might step in There might bâ—ne at once but here if an hundred would they should all be closed 2. O then me your benefit of the Gospel by yielding obedience thereto Belie and repent and then happy are ye that ever ye heard else you shall câ—t the time that ever you heard the Gospel O ungrateful world unhappy company It will vex them and encrease their torment â—ee that mercy was offered so often and yet they like woful caytiffs despise the same to obey the Gospel is the note of a good christian let appear by thy hearty obedience thereto that thou art such a one Verse 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear HE proceeds still in the foregoing reason taken from the comparison between the good and the wicked whereof the former though they have many troubles and afflictions yet they shall in the end be eternally blessed and saved in Heaven though with some difficulty the latter though they flourish and prosper for a while and many of them persecute the former yet they shall end their life with misery that cannot be expressed and have a fearful appearance before God on the last day If the righteous Servants of God get hardly to Heaven the wicked how glorious soever in this world shall never be able to appear in Judgement before God but in a most fearful maner which is not set down by a bare affirmation but by way of interogation for the greater force where there is comfort for Gods Children notwithstanding their troubles and the wickeds prosperity they shall be saved and terror for the wicked notwithstanding all their present jollity their end shall be fearful Speak we first of the position The righteous are scarcely saved then of the comparison if it be so where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear If the righteous Hereby we are to understand not such as be perfectly righteous in themselves and without sin for if there be any such as there is none they should not scarcely and with difficulty be saved but according to that do this and live easily and without stop Even the most perfect have not been without their own failings there was impatience in Job infidelity in Zachary c. not meant the righteous in their own conceits for these shall never be saved as for whom Christ came not nor such as having attained some common gifts as of knowledge to profess to reform some things c. seem to themselves and others righteous but yet are not so truly but as the seed sown on the stony ground and the house built on the sand but such as be truly righteous though not perfectly yet in some respect perfectly to namely 1. By the righteousness of Christ Jesus imputed unto them by Faith They that have their sins pardoned in his death and his righteousness imputed to them are truly righteous yea and perfectly too as ever they shall be in heaven 2. By inherent righteousness wrought in the hearts of Gods Children and Believers by the Spirit of Sanctification whereby they be sanctified throughout though not perfectly yet those God vouchsafeth to call righteous though they be but so in part and have remnants of corruption abiding in them yet they are so called from the better part as an heap of corn that lies on the floor though there be chaff in it and that much 3. For that they endeavor and daily labor after more righteousness as one is called a Schollar or by the name of the trade he is entred into though happily he can do but a little onely endeavors for skill and knowledge therein Of which elswhere 1. This setteth out the exceeding goodness and mercy of God that vouchsafeth thus to come and call such poor and sinful creatures as we be pestred with such a deal of blindeness and so manifest corruptions yet seeing he seeth an heart in us to hate them and suppress them he will not reckon of us after them and though we have but a little grace yet because it is true and of his own working that we have and that we would fain have more he accounts of us according to that we would be and not that we are 2. This is an exceeding comfort to Gods true Servants can we believe Christs righteousness imputed to us and feel we an universal and true change in us then may we rejoyce God calls us by glorious names Saints Holy ones Righteous let us not then be dismaid at our imperfections or corruptions which we labor to mortifie le ts not say with some because of them we are none of the Lords we have such sinful hearts c. Neither let us suffer the Devil to pluck our Crown from us or rob us of our comfort making us believe that we be none of the Lords as some few be thus in danger especially at first though many Christians make too light of their sins as long as God speaks so graciously let us not believe what Satan our adversary saith onely let us care to grow more and more in grace 3. This rebuketh those wretched mockers that reproach the Servants of God that labor to please God and dare not do as they O you be of the righteous you be so righteous c. Is not this right like Ishmaels mocking of Isaac O you be the Son of the promise you are the dainty one c. Such shall be shut out with Ishmael unless by repentance they prevent it Why say you thus because you think it to good a name for them Is thine eye evil because Gods is good what hast thou to do seeing God calls them so or is it because thou wouldst not have them so Yes but if thou beest not also so thou shalt never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Scarcely be saved Hereby is not meant rarely or that but a few righteous ones shall be saved For whosoever believeth shall be saved and to every one that doth good shall be glory and honor and immortality and There is no condemnation to them or any of them that are in Christ Jesus Nor is it meant that there will be difficulty at the day of Judgement whether they should pass or no have or miss Salvation no for God knoweth who be his and their names be all written in the Book of Life and if they were righteous here and had the Spirit the seal of their Redemption and earnest of their Inheritance as they
they should have To flee therefrom they cannot whether should they all being on fire To resist they cannot they have nothing wherewith they are naked of their pomp and retinue Hide themselves they cannot from his all-seeing eye to abide the presence of this Judge is impossible O they will then call to the hills to cover them we think that the Jews Judas Pilate and the Soldiers shall have a fearful appearance but many among our selves shall have a worse then some of them Do not we prefer our lusts before Christ as the Jews did Barrabas Do not many among us pierce him with their sins Crucifie him again persecute him in his Members This will not be the state onely of poor snekes or of the common multitude but of the greatest and mightiest potentates Nimrods Gyants O these shall wail before him beating their knees one against another They that have sit as Judges of Gods Servants in their Velvet coats and Gold Chains shall now stand naked before this Judge Here they dare appear any where yea where Gods Servants oftentimes care not for appearing but we shall one day appear with joy where they shall not shew their faces O that this might strike terror into wicked mens hearts to think of this day and might be a choak to all their ungodly profits and pleasures O this day will pay for all O that they could be perswaded now to kiss the Son now to humble themselves before him now to stoop to him and imbrace him as their Savior yet how many wicked wretches be there that will hope to be saved as well as the best even notorious ones O fearful impudency you saved then who shall be damned The Turks and Heathens that know not God True but not with such a destruction as shall befal you your stripes shall be worse and more then theirs your day is coming you have had the start of Gods Children you have been first in prosperity as they in trouble but ere long their mourning shall be turned into mirth your joy into everlasting misery Verse 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator THe conclusion containing an Exhortation to commend and commit our selves and our state in all our troubles to God holding on our good course and keeping a good conscience without turning awry one way or other who both can being our Almighty Creator and will being faithful in all his promises whereof he hath many of protecting and defending his Servants who will either deliver them out of their troubles or give them strength to bear them and when their life shall end will take up their souls to Heaven keeping their bodies to a joyful resurrection This also hath the force of another Reason to perswade to the point in hand namely patience and joyfulness in troubles and may be gathered thus If we may in all our troubles as long as we keep a good conscience in them confidently commend our selves to God in assurance to be cared for as shall be best for us then ought we to be joyful in our troubles but the former is true therefore the latter Here 's an Exhortation to commend our selves to God in our troubles those are described by the efficient cause of them they come by the will of God whereunto Reasons are annexed to move us to commend our selves to God in them 1. Because of his omnipotency 2. Because of his faithfulness To all which is added a caution how far forth we may commend our selves to God in our troubles namely in well-doing even so long as we be careful to continue in our uprightness without swerving Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God Here note That Whatsoever troubles befal us in this life either afflictions from the hand of God for chastisement or persecution from the world for our tryal c. that they come not to us by chance or the will of the Devil or man without God but by the determinate purpose and counsel of God But of this before Commit the keeping of their souls to him c. Here note That God hath a care and special regard of his Servants in the time of all their trouble and adversity of what kinde soever He cannot forget them they be as the apple of his eye There are infinite promises of God to this purpose in the Psalms and Prophets He will either deliver them out of their dangers as Let Noah Daniel c. or comfort and provide for them as for Joseph in Prison whom at last he advanced as he did also David and Jeremiah else he will strengthen them to bear their pains give them faith and patience to bear all the malice and torments of their Enemies as he did Steven and the holy Martyrs that had such invincible courage and constancy as they wearied their tormentors even in the middle of their torments singing Psalms And their souls and bodies being parted he takes their souls to himself into Heaven in the mean time reserving their bodies safely to a joyful resurrection Neither is it any wonder For He hath created them redeemed them with his Sons blood sanctified them preserved them and prepared Heaven for them ere the world was This teacheth Gods Children in all their troubles of what kinde or degree soever to commend themselves into his hand with confidence and assured trust that he will take care of them and dispose of them to the best c. Let 's never be dismaid but cast our care and roll our selves upon the Lord be we assured that he will be with us and not fail us He is Almighty and can do it He is also most loving and hath made many promises in his Word so to do Be we faithful unto the death and he will give us a Crown of life Faithful is he that hath promised He loves that we should rely on him If it be poverty sickness pain persecution c. say not I shal never be able to get through it but cast thy self on God who never failed any that put thier trust in him Do not we rely on our selves for this were the way to fail like Peter and Origen who fell shamefully but trust in God Pray use all good means and set thy faith on work to depend on God to be well carried through thy trouble to the end and from death to Heaven Thus did our Savior and after him St. Steven commend their Spirits into the hands of God O our unbelieving hearts that fail as soon as any great tryal comes as the Israelites upon Pharaoh's pursuing them yea are ready to sink to be dismaid to put our hand to some unlawful means If we had faith enough what Victories might we get what Conquerors might we be we shrink and are dismaid as if we had none to trust in or as if
in my minde But I will not spend any time to approve or disapprove the one more then the other but speak something of both as in some such cases is not unusual nor amiss when both may very well stand and it be difficult to say which is the true meaning of the place this or that For the first The duties of people towards their Ministers laid down in the fifth commandment stand in these four things 1. They must reverence them for the dignity highness and excellency of their Calling in which respect they are termed Angels Stars the light of the world Gods Ambassadors 2. They must yield obedience to them in their Ministery 3. They must willingly allow them a sufficient maintenance that they may wholly without distraction attend on their souls 4. They must pray for them both that their Ministery may be fruitful and that they may long continue amongst them of those the second is the principal Namely that People must submit themselves to the Ministery of the Word in the mouths of their Ministers as we stand bound to preach so do you to hear and obey For Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it that are doers as well as hearers God hath not appointed us to Preach in vain but for the conversion of people The Ministery is ordained to work faith to convert souls it was the peoples request with promise to hear and do God hath yielded and sanctified it to be the onely ordinary means not reading not preaching by an Angel even the foolishness of Preaching by the hand of men to save them that believe If Ministers must be called to an account for Preaching shall not the people how they have profited and if a wo to us if we preach not is there not to them if they repent not For this cause our Savior upbraided those Cities wherein his mighty works were done not because they would not entertain him nor hear him as the Gadarens but because they repented not we have done you no good nor have you heard well till you have repented and be converted till you have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine delivered you The Law humbleth the Gospel woâ—â—th Faith both bring to a reformed new and godly life we hear aright when we go away pricked in our hearts Till then there 's no good wrought on us as appears by the Prophets complaints Isaiah 49. 4. and 53. 1. Jer. 6. 10. else no mark of Election faith being a demonstration hereof we make sure our Election by our effectual calling The Apostle also termeth the Thessalonians Elect of God because the preaching was not to them in word onely but in power and they received the word in much affliction and became followers of us c. and that they received his preaching not as the word of man but as it is indeed the Word of God not to hear and obey is rather a mark of reprobation as in Eli's Sons If we be Christs sheep we hear his voyce in the Ministery and follow him O what an excellent harmony would this make if Ministers preach faithfully and the people become converted and then built up in all obedience thereby 1. Then this rebuketh the woful contempt of the world at most hands for how few yield obedience thereto look in all Towns how many ignorant persons that have no knowledge neither will have any give their mindes to none but pul in their heads that they might not see the light that would glister in their faces who so blinde as he that will not see These are far from conversion This is condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather more then light So how many prophane persons that live in some known sin though some more outragiously then others as in Drunkenness Whoredom Malice c. That hear not though the Charmer charm never so wisely and do even stop their ears God knocks at the door of their hearts but they will not open his Ministers cry out against their sins yet they rush on every one after his own hearts lust and hateth to be reformed having a pardon brought and offered them if they would come in they stand out What will become of these having refused to hear a gracious voyce offering mercy they shall hear a fearful voyce denouncing judgement not hearing a voyce calling them to him they shal hear a voyce commanding them from him and as he called and they refused so shall they call but not be heard or regarded What shall these have to say for themselves Their iniquity shall stop up their mouth How many civil persons are there also that be not converted if they so continue they shall perish unless they be born again truly humbled planted into Christ obey in all things not in the duties of the second Table onely giving men their due but of the first also giving God his they cannot be saved What should I speak of worldlings that are so glued to the world as they savor not at all of Heaven or heavenly things no such thing can enter into their hearts either they hear not the Word at all or the thorny cares of the world quickly choak that seed What of Hypocrites some professing outwardly and yet living in some known sin others not so bad that yet fall far short having gone some steps and hoping that all is well These were never as yet truly humbled and so not converted so had not that that accompanieth Salvation these hear but not aright Every man therefore must examine himself how he hath heard and whether the Word hath been a means of his true conversion and whether he make conscience to submit himself to the precepts thereof They that can prove themselves thereby converted how comfortably may they go on walking in obedience thereto Contrarily the care of others is dangerous for think not that our preaching will go away unregarded or that it s no matter how you have heard Oh! Preachings and Sacraments be dangerous things life or death can do a great deal of good or as much hurt to them that obey its Salvation but to the disobedient it s the savor of death unto death This is a fearful sin in this Land and the cause of all our plagues by reason whereof we may fear worse Remember the wo pronounced against Chorazin and Bethsaida 2. This may be for exhortation to all that as they come and hear so to submit themselves and pray God to make his word effectual by his Spirit So shall God be glorified if of Lyons we become Lambs If won from Satan to God The Ministers shall rejoyce as having the greater Crown The Angels in Heaven will rejoyce having new fellow Servants yea God himself will rejoyce the Father as having a new Son Christ as having another member the Holy Ghost another
are like the yong man in the Gospel like the Church of Laodicea Thus the Papists think they have some natural strength in them to deserve the first grace and with the help of that to merit the next and eternal life Thus many boast of their Civil Righteousness Thus ignorant persons hope to be saved by their good meaning and good prayers and that they have a good heart in them and that they love God above all and their neighbors as themselves This is most detestable pride for a base and woful creature a lump of misery and sin to think himself good enough for heaven and to come into Gods presence whereas the childe of God sees he is not worthy to think thereof and wonders that he should be advanced thereto yet numbers of civil poor people think themselves not proud because they be not proud of apparel 2. It makes a man think himself worthy of the benefits he hath whereat he wonders not but rather that he hath not more and gives not daily thanks What pride for a poor woful creature that deserves every day to be plagued with one judgement or other yea to be cast to Hell that yet receiveth continual favors and goes his way with the nine Lepers and never returneth to give thanks 3. It makes a man account of the gifts or graces he hath that he hath them of himself or if from God yet for some worthiness in himself and therefore he useth them as he will to his own glory and seeks himself in his wit preaching speeches doings c. and so stands as it were in Gods light The proud man thinks he hath that he hath not as many a one thinks he knows much that knows nothing and that he hath faith repentance a good heart when it s nothing so or that he hath more of a thing then he hath by much more wisdom strength c. or what he hath he attributes it to himself as if he had it of himself or got it by his own wit and industry when it s onely given him and he but received it and so is but proud of borrowed cloathes 4. It makes a man think himself strong in himself to avoid this sin or resist this temptation or to do this or that duty and therefore prays not goes out in the morning upon all the temptations in the day goes to the Word and prays not so into ill company c. 5. Pride makes a man that he stoops not to God in his Word This is horrible pride when a poor mortal creature shall shake off the commandments of the most glorious God yet many living in sins even contrary to their knowledge think they be not proud 6. Pride makes men that they are not grieved when they have done wickedly they cannot stoop and be humbled they cannot see their sins at least nothing as it is and then pride hardens their hearts as if they could finde many ways to escape the hand of God 7. Pride makes men impatient under Gods hand for either they murmure blaspheme use unlawful means will not wait on God for an end as hath been already said or are full of revenge against those whom God hath raised up to punish them 8. Pride makes men curious to pry into things forbidden as the Israelites that would go out and seek Manna on the Sabbath day though they were told before they should finde none The men of Beth-shemesh would pry into the Ark Some there are that delight in curious questions some meddle with matters beyond their reach some with things out of the compass of their calling some also will not rest satisfied when they see what Gods Word saith in a thing but cavil and make objections against the same Thus in respect of God In respect of men 1. It makes men prefer themselves before others thinking more highly of themselves then of others looking on their own vertues and on other folks faults It makes men look for great Titles high Places and to be preferred and set up and strive and be discontent if they have not the same as Haman was vexed that Mordecai did not stoop to him The Scribes and Pharisees did love greetings in the Market-places and to be saluted Rabbi Saul would have Samuel honor him before the people the Disciples strove who should be greatest 2. It makes men unsociable and strange either scorning to be beholding to any or else too burthensom loth to help c. 3. It makes men loth to submit themselves to their equals or inferiors To their Superiors oftentimes they be most base and cunning which yet be lordly and cruel to their Inferiors and stiff and stern to their Equals they will not yield an inch If they take an Argument or an Opinion they will carry it away or else fall flat out If they be fallen out with any they will not yield a jot but look they should be sought to They are very contentious ready to offer occasion of offence thinking so highly of themselves and meanly of others that they are ready to embrace the least occasion stand upon it contend and will not be pacified 4. It makes men very ready to censure finde fault make light of others gifts extenuate and deprave their good actions aggravate their faults not considering either their own faults that they daily commit or their weakness and readiness to fall 5. It makes a man that he will neither ask nor take counsel being wise in his own eyes but would have every body do as he doth or follow his counsel else he is ready with Achitophel to hang himself in discontent nor will he abide rebuke or admonition 6. It shews it self in proud looks haughty eyes scornful speeches imperious commands stately carriage jetting and mincing as they go 7. Excessive apparel for the matter not fit for ones caling nor according to ones place and ability but quite beyond their degree Ladies like Queens Gentlewomen like Ladies Waiting Maids like their Mistresses poor Milk-maids as if they were the wealthiest mens daughters in the Countrey too garish and gawdy for the colour too full of slashes and cuts too soft and delicate especially mens so for the fashion new strange garish Fashion-devisers or followers cannot free themselves of pride Examples hereof The evil Angels Adam and Eve that would be as gods The Builders of Babel Pharaoh Haman Absolom Achitophel Nebuchadnezzar Herod c. This is a most wicked and dangerous sin hateful to God that which lieth open to his judgements as the highest Trees and Pinacles are burnt down with lightning stricken with thunder or overturned with winds This is odious to men humble men see and mislike it even proud men cannot abide it in others Yonder say they goes one will not give his head for the washing that thinks better of himself then all the Parish besides He hath a good wit but he knows it She is very fair but ye need
altered by that we are This is the end of all See Jonah 3. 5 6 c. Acts 2. 37. 1 Cor. 14. 25. Therefore they should as pray earnestly before that the Word may be made of force and efficacy so afterwards must their mindes run on the things delivered and their Prayers in their Families by themselves relish of the same But what neglect is there this way How few pray before and how many after they have heard suffer worldly business or pleasures to put out the same Oh! there is no such care that this precious seed should take root and fructifie we complain of our bad crops but not of this yet here there 's not onely a loss if it do not take root but it turns hurt by to every Sermon a step â—igher Heaven or Hell What Crop can we shew to God of all the Sermons we have heard we crave Gods blessing upon our bodily food how much more ought we on this Spiritual The God of all grace He is so called of the effect because he is the Author and Giver of all grace he is the Author of all that may be called good which may be divided into gifts and graces in this world gifts of all kindes as of body minde c. In him we live he makes the Sun shine on us c. also gifts of health strength beauty so of the minde as natural vertues also gifts to rule Kingdoms as to Saul so of Trades Arts Sciences nay of gifts yet higher then those knowledge understanding of the Scripture Prophesie Prayer yea extraordinary too as of miracles So is he also of graces which are such as accompany Salvation and he bestoweth onely on his Elect as saving knowledge faith peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost repentance love meekness patience c. Hence it is that sometimes he is termed the God of hope sometimes the God of peace sometimes the God of all comfort so here the God of all grace He gives every good gift and grace and not that onely but every measure of every grace the beginning continuing and finishing grace Whatsoever grace is in Saint or Angel is the gift of God either by Creation as to the Angels and Adam or sin by restitution What grace is in any man alive of what kinde or measure soever is onely of God for we are so far from having any of our selves that we have nothing but the quite contrary even Opposition and Rebellion none else ever did or can give grace The best Parents cannot convey grace into their Children by generation nor can the best Minister into any by preaching or counsel God alone is the giver hereof 1. Every one that hath grace in what measure soever must be humble and thankful acknowledging the same to be onely from God and giving him the praise thereof O be exceeding thankful for it that he hath given it to thee denying it to most and to thee as unfit to receive grace as the worst in the world and who didst no better deserve it then they that shall never have it and especially be thankful for it for the worth thereof one dram of grace is of more worth then the whole world it s the quintescence of Gods favor and like Pearls of great value in a little room A true humble heart in the sight of thy misery a little true faith in Christ and Sanctification with an hatred of all sin and care to please God in all things is worth a Kings Ransom and an honest upright heart careful to be be ruled by that it knows is better then all knowledge without this 2. Every one that is without it must endeavor for it Whether goeth a woman with her pot or pail for water but to the Fountain so must thou have recourse unto God there is grace enough in him and he hath it to bestow and it s his honor so to do But how shall we come by it the Well is deep God hath opened the Fountain of his grace in Christ Jesus and conveys grace by the Conduits of the Word Sacraments Prayer c. so that it s not lockt up in Heaven wouldest thou therefore have thine heart humbled and broken God can do the same come to him wait on him in his word for it would'st thou believe thy sins are pardoned through Christ would'st thou be changed and have thy heart altered to hate every sin to love whatsoever is good would'st thou have grace against thy strongest corruptions that thou could'st never master and do duties to thy thinking impossible as to love thine Enemies abide persecution for the Truth c come to him in the same word and by prayer he can do these things for thee Why then is the world so graceless seeing there is abundance in God It s because men see not their emptiness of grace and know not the worth thereof They desire Health Wealth Honor Pleasure true grace they regard not prize not O that men did see themselves woful naked Creatures without grace They would not then content themselves with any shadow of grace hearing profession a little restraint some few gifts c. but labor indeed for grace 3. The Servants of God that have obtained some measure of grace already should be provoked still to wait upon God for increase for he gives all grace the last as well as the first and the middle According therefore to our proceeding let us beg fitting grace of God Why are there all kindes and measures of grace in God and we have so little we beg not earnestly we open not our mouth wide that God might fill it we have not hunger-bitten hearts we prize not grace Who hath called us Another Reason to perswade himself and them that they should obtain this request of being confirmed to the end even because God had already begun with them and called them that is had pulled them out of the state of ignorance unbelief impenitency into the state of grace knowledge repentance c. Whom God means to save he calls them out of their sinful state to grace There 's an outward calling and there 's an inward calling This last through the operation of the Spirit going along with the outward means is made effectual as to Lydia This stands in three things enlightning the understanding to conceive opening the heart to believe and changing the whole man from that it was before not onely he calls them but awakens them not onely invites them to come but gives them an heart to come of this you may read Rom. 8. 30. 1 Pet. 1. 15. This is proper to Gods children and is the work of God none else can do it without this there 's no Salvation as those that have this shall be certainly saved this being a mark of their Election past 2 Pet 1. 10. and of their glory to come Rom. 8. 30. Let every man examine himself whether he be