the Messias to come 2. By the whole ceremoniall law and service For all those were shadowes of Christ to come But the Gospell is said to be hid and concealed from ages and generations c. Rom. 16.26 Eph. 3.5 Col. 1.26 The text is as it is now It did appeare but not so clearly But how doth this doctrine of the Gospell differ from other Scripture especially from the law 1. In the manner of revelation The law is written in some sort in the heart of man Rom. 2.15 but the Gospell now may not be knowne to nature but revealed by Christ Mat. 16.17 2. In the subject of doctrine The Law tels us what we should be but not how we can be so Now the Gospell shews us a full and sufficient righteousnesse in Christ that will be availeable The Law saith pay what thou owest doe this and thou shalt live But the Gospell saith beleeve the promise and thou shalt be saved 3. In the continuance of the force of it The gospell is an everlasting gospell God will never alter his mind whereas he hath changed his mind for the covenant of works But is it the Ministers duty onely to publish the gospell in that the Apostle saith by them which preached It is chiefly For to produce the effects before mentioned it is his calling who hath commission from God to be his embassador yet private persons may comfort one another with these things But is the gospell onely effectuall when it is preached It is most effectuall then and that is the ordinary meanes God hath appointed 1 Pet. 1. ult The Uses are First for Ministers and so 1. For consolation For the excellency of the subject exalts the dignity of their calling they are trusted with a very glorious embassage Rom. 15.16 17. 16.26 therefore never be ashamed of it Rom. 1.16 and this was taught by Christ himselfe Mat. 4.13 and those Eph. 3.4 2. For Instruction Therefore to serve God in their spirits even with their whole hearts Rom. 1.9 and suffer all things rather then hinder the Gospell 1 Cor. 9.12 Paul saies It is better for mee to dye then to make my glorying void Secondly for the people 1. For instruction 1. To pray for their teachers that God would open their mouthes and make their hearts fat with his goodnesse herein Eph. 6.19 and to esteeme them as Rom. 1â— 15 2. To receive it with all gladnesse and power yea and affliction too 1 Thes. 1.4 5. 2. For terror to wicked men that contemne or neglect so great salvation this is preached for a witnesse against worlds of them Mat. 24.14 The anger of â—od will be revealed from heaven against them Rom. 1.18 God will search mens hearts both for desires and care and for contempt too 1 Thes. 2.4 Act. 15.7 8. and at the day of judgement the terrible vengeance of God shall fall upon them 2 Thes. 1.8 1 Tim. 1.9 10 11. This makes their judgement greater Thus of the lesse principall The most principall cause is the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven By the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven The meaning is to affirme that the things propounded in the Gospell are the more eminent because they were effected by the very holy Ghost This that is here â—â—id that the holy Ghost was sent from heaven was first and principally fulfilled in the dayes of the Apostles and chiefly then also in the day of Pentecost as is shewed in the second of the Acts. But secondarily it is true of all faithfull Ministers that the holy Ghost works wonderfully from heaven in the power of the Gospell Ghost It is an old English word and signifieth a spirit and the Spirit of God is called an holy Ghost or spirit 1. for distinction sake and 2. by effect For Gods Spirit is holy that is it hath all holinesse and it hath it in it selfe not by illumination from any other higher cause and so are not the spirits of men and Angels holy mens spirits have sinne in them on earth and the Angels and blessed soules in heaven have no holinesse but what they received 2. Gods Spirit is holy by effect For it his proper work to sanctifie the elect and so to work holinesse upon the spirits of men by spirituall regeneration But why is Gods Spirit called a holy Spirit rather â—hen wise or mercifull c First when we call him holy we comprehend all that in it for wisdome and mercy are but parts of holinesse Secondly in respect of us and his working in us it is a most proper word for it notes his working in the Elect above all reprobates Fâ—r a man may be a wise man and yet perâ—sh Mat. 11 2â— 1 Cor. 1.19 and a man may give all his goods to the poore and yet it is nothing 1 Cor. 13.3 but now if a man be made a holy man hee is sure to be saved Well then the first doctrine is that Gods Spirit is a holy Spirit which may serve for divers uses 1. To exalt in us a further sense of Gods goodnesse that is pleased to put his Spirit within us seeing our hearts are so uncleane and his Spirit so holy 2. It may humble uâ— and feare us from sinne if we belong to Christ we carry about with us the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 Now think of it then thou canst not sin but thou hast a witnesse and a Judge within thee Besides the very respect of the holy Ghost should move thee to feare sinne for sinne grieves the holy Ghost and hinders his work of sealing thee up to the day of redemption Eph. 4.30 3. It should encourage uâ— in the works of mortification for Gods Spirit hath his name of holinesse and though it be never so hard yet by the Spirit wee shall be made able in some measure to mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.10 and to walk in Gods statutes Ezech. 36.27 Secondly if we consider why the holy Ghost is hâ—re named wee may learn that the holy Spirit of God is the first and chiefe cause of all that grace which either Ministers or people enjoy in the gospell Which may first comforts us against all the impediments of the gospell Oh might some men have thought a 100. yeares agoe how is it possible to bring downe the power of Antichrist why by the Spirit of Christs mouth he will consume him 2 Thes. 2. In the mouth of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell there is a Spirit even the Spirit of God which will doe more then 10000. armed men to pull him downe Oh might some one think I shall never understand or never remember so many holy comforts and instructions why the Spirit of God will teach us to profit and leade us into all truth and help our infirmities when wee deale with God and his ordinances and pull downe those strong holds which Sathan hath to hinder the obedience
of Christ. Oh might some Minister think I shall never rule such a people or perswade with them yet you see God will put his Spirit in their mouth and men shall not be able to withstand the Spirit by which they speak he will give a doore of utterance and secretly bow mens hearts unto the obedience of the truth Secondly the consideration of this second doctrine may instruct us how to order our selves towards the meanes of salvation and so it may teach us 1. not to rest in the act done we mâ—y heare the best Sermons and receive the Sacraments c. yet if wee beg not the assistance of the Spirit all may be in vaine if we heard Christ himselfe yet it may not profit us 2. To beleeve in God when wee carefully use the meanes how unlikely soever the successe seeme to be God can work by the meanes as pleaseth him notwithstanding infiâ—mitâ—eâ— either of the teacher or hearer 3. To render all the praise to God and his hâ—ly Spirit in the mediation of his Son seeing thence flowes all blessing and good successe as being the onely originall fountaine of all holinesse and knowledge Thirdly in that the holy Ghost in the primitive times did so visibly fall upon the Apostles and the Disciples it may serve for divers uses 1. To confirme uâ— in the truth of the Gospell since the prophesies were therein so accomplished and the doctrine of Christ crucified so miraculously sealed 2. It may â—uâ—ble us that wee cannot see the glory of the Scriptures seeing they proceed from such a fountaine 3. It may make us in love with the Scriptuâ—es since they were penned by men so miraculously qualified by the holy Spirit of God 4. It may assure us of incredible successe if wee could stir up the holy Ghost in us we might get wonderfull knowledge and grace if we did strive in these times of the Gospell For though that manner of presence be ceaâ—ed yet God is no respecter of persons but the Spirit of God now by lesser means is able to produce the same effects in the hearts of men in what is necessary to salvation For of these times it is that was spoken Ier. 31.33 to spare iâ—stances in other things 5. Lastly it may confirme us against the scornes and disgraces of the world by which men every where dishonor the knowledge and practice of the holy things brought to us with the Gospell These things that so many deride came to us from the holy Ghost who came downe from heaven to propound and conferre them upâ—n the Church Sent downe It is to be noted further that he saith that the holy Ghost was sent For from thence 1. I observe an evident proofe that the holy Ghost is a person distinâ—t from the Father and the Son 2. Hence ariseth the consideration of the nature of this mission Mission is aâ— attâ—â—bute given here to the holy Ghost Now divine attâ—â—bute are either essentiall or personall Essentiall are such proprieties as equally belong to all the persons in respect of the essence as to be wise just mercifull holy c. Personall attributes are such proprieties as are given onely to the persons apart the one from the other do note a difference of the persons as to beget to be begotten to send forth to be sent forth to proceed to conceive c. Now these personall attributes may be distinguished also thus Some are proper to each person alone so in one as not in any other as to beget in the Father to be begotten in the Sonne to proceed in the holy Ghost some of these attributes are common to two of the persons but not to the third as proceeding in the holy Ghost is both from the Father and the Sonne so to send forth is the attribute both of the Father and Son so likewise to receive is common to the Son and to the holy Ghost so that we see whither mission must be referred Yet to make it more cleere we must understand that there is a double sending forth the one internall the other externall Internall when the Father and the Son cause the holy Ghost to proceed Externall when the Father and Son send forth the holy Ghost for outward operations amongst the Creatures especially in the Church and thus the holy Ghost is sent forth by the Father Ioh. 14.16 and by the Son Ioh. 15.16 of this mission is that speech Gal 4.7 3. Here may be a doubt might some one say Doth not this mission of the holy Ghost expresse an inequality with the Father and the Son It doth not For 1. it is not alwaies true that he that is sent forth is inferiour to him that sent him For Ionathan may send David and David send Ionathan and yet be both equall Commission may import inferiority not mission or if it did hold amongst men yet it is not true in the Trinity 2. This word is used for want of words metaphorically to shadow out something above our reach For it doth not note either a servile subjection or a locall motion but it is used to expresse either some effect of his working or some signe of his presence so that the meaning is the holy Ghost was sent that is he wrought some notable effect on earth or shewed that he was present by some signe Now for some use of this sending of the holy Ghost we may in this doctrine observe 1. That to be sent of God is no disparagement unto us hee sent his owne Spirit 2. We may here note some things wherein wee may resemble and expresse the image of the holinesse of the Trinity in us Would we live together as the three persons in the Trinity doe Then 1. we must live without envie one at another 2. Wee must not think much to be imployed one by another or to be advised and appointed in well doing 3. The salvation of the elect should be dearer to us then any respect of our selves or our owne estate we must not seek our owne things The holy Ghost repines not at his mission and the Father thinks not his Son and Spirit too good to be sent unto us As we grow in these things so we more expresse a likenesse to the Trinity Downe from heaven Something may be noted in that the holy Apostle addeth that hee was sent from heaven 1. It imports what this world is it is but a place of misery and to come into it is to come downe 2. It expresseth what heaven is it is the place of Gods residence the place where God dwels the Palace of the great King as Princes have their Palaces so hath God and as a Princes palace differs from a cottage so doth heaven from earth The Use should be to inflame our affections towards this holy place oh how should wee loâ—g to see where God dwels what natures have wee to long to see the courts of Princes and yet cannot long after the courts of our
reformation of ignorance we cannot be truely turned to God without knowledge the mind is not good therefore to teare the vaile is one part of Gods work in our conversion Prov. 19.3 Esay 25.8 4. That ignorance is wanton and full of lust Eph. 4.18 5. That the way to be rid of lusts is to be rid of ignorance For saving knowledge keeps us from sin Iam. 3.17 A godly man sinneth not because his seed abideth in him knowledge is the sword of the Spirit and here we may see the principall use wee should put our knowledge to viz. to clense our hearts of base thoughts and desires 6. That we may live in places of great meanes for knowledge and yet be grossely ignorant For he writeth here to the Jewes who had the law and the Prophets and the Oracles of God and the Priests c. 7. That all knowledge or learning without the knowledge of Gods favour in Christ and the way how to reforme our owne lives is but grosse darknesse and foolish ignorance as was before explained 8. That habituall lusts are a sure signe of ignorance whatsoever knowledg men pretend Lastly it may be profitably here asked Seeing there is ignorance even in the children of God after calling what are the signes of unregenerate ignorance Unregenerate ignorance may be discerned by divers signes 1. It hardens the heart and works a continued evill disposition to sinne with greedinesse Eph. 4.11 18. Now the ignorance in the godly may be where the heart is softned and the overflowings of corruption stopped 2. It hood winketh the soule in the maine things needfull to salvation as the knowledge of a mans owne iniquities God in Christ the forgivenesse of a mans owne sins and generally all the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 For either wicked men perceive them not or not spiritually out of desire and care for them without corrupt ends A wicked man may discern spirituall things carnally but not spiritually 3. It hath never beene in the furnace I meane of mortification it hath never been truly repented of whereas the ignorance of the godly hath often been in the fire it hath been often confessed rended mourned for c. 4. It will suffer no saving grace to neighbour by it where ignorance hath not beene repented of there no feare of God no holy contemplation no uprightnesse love of God or his word or his people will dwell Now the ignorance that is in Gods children is well neighboured with many holy graces that can dwell by it And as these ignorances differ in nature and working so they differ in imputation For unto the godly there is a sacrifice for ignorance God dâ—th not impute ignorance unto the godly it shall be to them according to what they know and not according to what they know not And thus of ignorance and so of the 14. verse Verse 15. But as he which called you is holy so be you holy in all manner of conversation HItherto of the first branch of the description of Gods image in us as his children viz. our conformity to God in holinesse and so the image of God in us is our endevour to be like God in all things in holinesse There are three great considerations in this verse 1. whom we must imitate viz. him that hath called us 2. In what we must imitate him viz. in holinesse 3. how viz in all manner of conversation Ingenerall and from the coherence we must note 1. That it is not enough that we approve our selves to be Gods children that we avoid sin but we must also be employed in doing good Hence we are compared to trees in which barrennesse is as grâ—at a fault as ill fruit 2. That the patterne of all holinesse is God himselfe or Christ or rather God in Christ. For whither else should we goe for example If to the dumbe creatures they have not natures capable of holinesse If to Angels they are invisible and so we cannot behold them and in Scripture little is recorded of them and besides we know many of them fell away If to man they are all fallen in Adam and there is none that doth good and good men have their both errors and sins Therefore we may say whom have wee in heaven but God and there is none in earth with him Vse Therefore wee should labour 1. To know God 2. To observe the specialty of his praisâ—s that are imitable both in his word and works 3. Wee must carry our selves with that humility and piety that we may walke with God else we cannot set him aâ— a patterne before us 3. That there are two picturâ—s as it were presented to the soule and for both there is greâ—t pleading for entertainment and liking The one is the picture of sinne even of sinnes repented of which are nâ—w varnished and with many plausible motives commended by bâ—th the world and the devill not without the good liking of the flesh The other is the picture as it were of the most holy God pourtraied out in the Gospell especially in the glory oâ— hiâ— holinesse Now here we are taught what to avoid and what to follow aâ—d the rather because here we are put in minde of the experience we have of Gods goodnâ—sse for it is he that haâ—â— called us Now of the former lusts tâ—ere can be assigned no good that we â—ave gotten by them The devill may lyingly tell us of some good to come but wee know that for the time past we got noâ—hing but shame and sorrow by them Thus of the generall As he that hath called you The first thing iâ— whom we must imitate aâ—d that is here exprest by 〈◊〉 to be he that hath called us viz. God and the Lord doth of purpâ—â—◠〈…〉 oâ— descriptions of himselfe for divers reaâ—ons 1. 〈…〉 our disability to câ—â—ceive of God as he is fully and thereâ—â—re he 〈◊〉 his knowledg into us by drops or sparâ—les as it were so far is our nature swarved from the knowledge of God that the doctrine oâ— God in the whole iâ— a doctrinâ— too transcendent for us 2. This God dâ—th to excite affection in us toward him as taking no delight in a dull câ—â—templation of him and therefore by such pâ—riphrases he doth with some 〈◊〉 consideration either gore us if it be a phrase of terror or suddâ—nly 〈◊〉 with some divine spaâ—â—les that like lightning force our attâ—â—dâ—â—â—â— 3. The â—ord doth use such descriptions out of choice of 〈…〉 which is most pertinent to the question in hand The Lord thrâ—ughâ—ut the whole Scripture is every where respective of the names he giveth 〈◊〉 therein shewing us what care we should have in taking up the name or title of God 4. It is a most forcible kind of speaking for compendiously it importeth abundance of matter usually more then the bare title it selfe would import as here thiâ— phrase He that called you doth not onely shew that it is God that is to be imitated
is urged from the example of Christ Heb. 12.3 4. 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Rom. 8.17 That your faith and hope might be in God In these words the eighth point is contained viz. the end of our redemption viz. that our faith and hope might be in God that is that knowing our debts to be paid in Christ and God to be well pleased in him we might for ever relie upon God for present favour and future salvation Faith and hope are not all one Faith lookes upon Christ exhibited and made present in his ordinances Hope lookes upon Christ hereafter more fully to be revealed Faith beleeveth the promises to be true Hope expecteth performance Faith beleeveth eternall life is given us and Hope waiteth when it will be revealed Faith is the mother of Hope and Hope is the nurse of Faith Faith takes notice of present prerogatives and Hope chiefly looks to things to come The doctrines that may be observed from hence are divers Though we doe truely beleeve yet we doe need to be often stirred up to faith and hope still For 1. We beleeve but in part 2. We need faith all our life long 3. We are hard of beleefe in our selves 4. There is nothing the devill more opposeth 5. There is nothing God or Christ more desireth as the coherence shews 6. Nothing more glorifieth our profession and daunteth our adversaries then an unmoveablenesse of hope 7. Nothing more provides for us A Christian could live by his faith if he had nothing else The Vses also are divers for therefore 1. We should stir up one another and be examples one to another in beleeving and receive the exhortation one from another 2. Especially every one of us should be carefull to increase in faith and provide to beleeve in God at all times Quest. But what must we doe that we may doe so Answ. 1. Desire the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2.2 2. Be frequent in the use of the Sacraments 3. Pray to God to increase thy faith Luke 17.5 4. Practice holinesse and be diligent about those graces mentioned 2 Pet. 1.10 in the coherence Quest. But how can we beleeve still For 1. We have not alwaies meanes to accomplish the good we desire Answ. Doe as Abraham did Rom. 4.10 beleeve the promise above hope Quest. 2. God himselfe sometimes fights against us Answ. Say with Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Iob 1.3 Quest. 3. But our crosses are desperate Answ. Yet say as David did Psal. 23.4 Though I walke in the shadow of death yet c. Quest. 4. But we have sinned Answ. Christ hath prayed that thy faith might not faile Luke 22.32 Quest. 5. But our faith is so weake we feare we cannot beleeve still Answ. There are comforts for that in these places Esay 42.3 2 Cor. 12.9 and God hath received the weake in faith Rom. 14.1 3. Quest. 6. But I have so many hinderances and have so many things to passe through Sol. Yet be perswaded as Rom. 8.38 and say with Paul Through Christ I can doe all things Phil. 4.13 3. All this adoe about faith and hope should make us carefull to informe our selves of the things by which faith is assaulted that when such things befall us we may be armed against them Now besides such things by which faith is assaulted intimated before there are many things without us to omit our owne doubts and Sathans tentations within us that have assaulted and tryed faith 1. False doctrines 2. Contentions in the Teachers of the Church 3. Treacherie of brethren 4. Prosperity of the wicked and impuâ—ity of wickednesse 5. The small number of beleevers 6. The deformity and oppression of the Church 7. The falling away of many from the faith 8. The delay of Gods promises 9. The tokens of Gods wrath 10. The scoffes of mockers 4. Lastly hence wee may gather a reproofe to our selves for our marvellous neglect in faith and hope how might the Lord justly have left us for ever as a people without Christ and without hope in the world There is one faith and hope in all Gods servants Your faith Eph. 4.5 The use is therefore to love one another seeing we have all one faith one I say in respect of the Author meanes object and end 2. It should comfort poore Christians whatsoever difference God hath put otherwise yet they have the same faith that Abraham David the Martyrs or any had Here is implyed that all faith and hope in other things besides God is vaine Hope in the wedge of gold is vaine The Hypocrites hope in credit is vaine Trust in the arme of flesh is vaine c. And the truth is a Christian is never perfectly well till he can place his faith and hope onely in God It is good for him sometimes to be stripped of all other things that he may put his confidence in God Verse 22 Seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the Spirit to the unfained love of the brethren so that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently THE fourth reason to inforce the exhortation in the 13. verse is contained in these words and is taken from that relation and respect wee beare unto the godly it is in effect this By repentance and holinesse we are all made brethren and in repentance and reformation of our lives one main thing we aime at is the advancement of our happinesse and holinesse in the love of the brethren whom we prefer before all people in the world and resolve to rest in the contentment of their communion and therefore wee ought so to resist the impediments within us or without us and to order our lives with such holy sobriety and so to stir up our hearts in the hope of the happinesse to come that we may in all purity of nature and life and earnestnesse of affections cleae unto them in this world as the onely people we shall live withall in the world to come There are two things in this verse 1. A proposition of doctrine 2. and an exhortation by way of Use. The proposition is this Ye have purified your soules in obeying the truth by the spirit unto unsained love of the brethren or brotherly love The Use is therefore see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently The proposition properly and in it selfe concerns sanctification which is here described in five things 1. The nature of it imported in that metaphoricall tearme purified 2. The subject of it their soules 3. The forme of it in obeying the truth 4. The cause of it which is twofold 1. The principall the Spirit of God 2 The cause in some respect is themselves ye have purified 5. The end is brotherly love amplified by the speciall property of it viz. unfained Before I enter upon the particulars in generall and for the coherence divers things may be noted The Coherence is double 1. both with
purpose to exalt the praise of the gifts of God in our calling and partly to shew that we enter upon the possession of the former prerogatives the most of them when wee are called by the grace of Jesus Christ and partly thereby guiding us to the knowledge of that worke of God which may assure us of our interest in the former prerogative All which shewes that wee have great reason seriously to study the doctrine of our calling by Jesus Christ. Calling is either personall or naturall or spirituall or supernaturall The personall calling is to some office the naturall to the exercise of some morall vertue the spirituall or supernaturall is to Christ calling us to seeke happinesse and blessednesse in him This is here meant And so the calling of a Christian is to be reckoned among the gifts or endowments God bestowes upon his people which that we may distinctly understand according to the order of them there are seven gifts of God First vocation by which he calls men out of the world into the Church Secondly justification by which he forgives the Called their sinnes and clothes them with the rich Robe of Christs righteousnesse Thirdly sanctification by which he qualifies their nature with all heavenly gifts necessary for their salvation Fourthly adoption by which he acknowledgeth and receiveth them for his sonnes and heires Fifthly Christian liberty by which hee frees them from all things that might hold them in bondage or in a servile condition as from the rigour and curse of the Law from the dominion of sinne from the burden of Moses ceremonies and humane traditions and from those servile feares in Gods service bred by the spirit of bondage Sixthly consolation by which hee keepes them in this happy condition which he performeth three wayes First by defending them against all adversaries Secondly by delivering them out of their many troubles in their militant estate Thirdly by bestowing upon them the gifts of perseverance to the end and for ever Seventhly temporall blessings by which hee furnisheth them for this present life The sixe first of these are gifts principall the last is but accessary The three first are the chiefe gifts and the three next are such as arise out of the first Now this worke of calling men into the Church is either externall or internall By the externall men are called into the visible Church by the internall men are called into the invisible Church And that we may conceive of this distinctly in respect of calling all men may bee cast into foure companies First some are not called at all any way by the Gospell as many of the Pagans c. Secondly some are called onely externally as those in Matth. 20. Many called but few chosen Thirdly some are called internally onely as the thiefe on the Crosse. Fourthly some are called both internally and externally so the Elect of God for the most part and ordinarily It is the last sort of men that are understood here Now that this worke of God calling us may in the order of working bee more cleerly understood we may conceive it thus The first cause is Gods love of men his kindnesse and love to men as the Apostle calls it Tit. 3.4 First First that God conceives in himselfe a compassionate love of man lying in his extreame naturall distresse Secondly Christ then as Mediator layes the ground of this calling and so be doth two wayes First by removing what might hinder the worke as the displeasure of God and the curse of the Law which he did by being made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.22 Secondly by purchasing and bringing to light immortality and also the people that should possesse it which purchase hee made with his owne blood Act. 20.28 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Thirdly then God sends the Word of reconciliation furnishing men with gifts to preach the Gospel and souseth their ministery of reconciliation as the onely ordinary meanes of calling men 2 Cor. 5.18,19 Rom. 10.14.17 Fourthly the Spirit of Christ doth inwardly perswade the hearts of men to receive the Word and so to be reconciled to God Use. The use of this doctrine of our Christian calling may serve both for instruction and for terror for instruction and so it may teach First unregenerate men in the Church as ever they would be saved to awake to the care of their calling Eph. 5.14 to be entreated while they have the ministry of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.20 and to open when Christ knockes Rev. 3.21 taking heed they be not as the horse or mule Psal. 32.9 And that they may prosper in this worke of their calling they must looke to two things First that they be not hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3.13 Secondly that they despise not prophesying but account the feet of them that bring the glad tidings to be beautifull Esa. 52.9 There are foure reasons assigned by the Apostle Hâ—b 3. c. why men should be ruled when Christ grants them the meanes First because it is to day they know not how long they shall have the meanes Heb. 3.7 c. Secondly because of all deceits it is most miserable to bee deceived of the things offered us in the Gospell vers 13. Thirdly because God is extreamly grieved and provoked by our neglects herein vers 16. Fourthly because else we shall faile of the promise of entring into his rest Heb. 4.1 2. Secondly godly men should hence learne divers things First to be diligent above all things to make their calling sure Now there be divers signes of a true effectuall calling such as these As First the opening of the heart to receive the Word of God and to attend the things which are spoken Act. 16.14 whereby they are enabled to heare as the learned Esa. 51.6 Secondly the wearinesse of heart under the burthen of sinne Mat. 11.29 and 9.13 Thirdly the answer of the heart to the voice of Christ consenting to obey and to enter into covenant with God Esa. 1.18 19. Fourthly the taking away of the detestable things and their abominations from them Ezek. 11.17 21. Col. 2.11 Fifthly the knitting of the heart to the godly Ezek. 11. â—8 Sixthly the removing of the stony heart and the planting of the heart of flesh Ezâ—k 11.19 Seventhly the vertues of Christ as in the coherence in this text Eightly in generall the truth of our calling appeares by the demonstration of the spirit and power The holy Ghost quickning the heart to new obedience called the manifestation of the spirit 2. Cor. 2.4 5. Eph. 2.5 Secondly it should teach them to strive to walke worthy their calling for the manifestation of the spirit was given to profit withall and we are therefore called that we might be to the praise of his rich grace Now that we may walke in some measure as becomes this great gift of God First we should be humble and not wise in our owne conceit though hardnesse lye yet upon the heart
adorning of the minde 2. The heart is adorned with 8. graces 1. Holy desires such as the heart felt not before such as these after remission of sins and righteousnesse by Christ Mat. 5. after the meanes of Gods kingdome and the power of it Psal. 42. 1 Pet. 2.2 after the presence of God even that of glory and the comming of Christ 2 Tim. 4.8.2 Cor. 5.8 after communion of Saints the heart longing after them and in a word after all sorts of heavenly things 2. Divine love and that of God Psal. 18.1 of Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 of the word Psal. 119.103 of Gods house Psal. 26.8 84.5 of the godly Psal. 16.3 1 Iohn 3.14 3. Ioy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 in such things as these 1. In the satisfaction of Christ for sinne Galat. 6.14 Rom. 5.11 15.13 2. In his Election Luke 10.20 3. In the breasts of the Churches consolation Esay 66.10 4. In the word both read and heard Psal. 119.77 Ier. 11.16 Iohn 3.29 and so in the sacraments 5. In the sabbath Esay 58.13 6. In well-doing Prov. 21.15 7. In suffering for righteousnesse Mat. 5.10 8. In the presence of God knowing the soule in adversity especially Ps. 31.7 Rom. 5.4 9. In the people of God Ps. 137.6 10. In all the good things the Lord hath given as the pledges of his love Deut. 26.11 11. In the things that pertaine to God Rom. 15.17 In these a Christian hath his seasons and though he may sow in teares yet he reapes in joy 4. A holy feare of God and that of his mercies Ps. 147.11 Hos. 3.5 of his word Esay 66.2 of his presence especially in time of his service Heb. 12.28 and of his name and glorious titles Deut. 28.58 and in all things a feare of his offence and displeasure in respect of which a man is jealous of his own infirmities Pro. 28.18 1 Pet. 1.17 5. Confidence in which the godly are as mount Sion that cannot be moved Psal. 125.5 by which he committeth his way to God Psal. 37.5 and runneth to God for refuge that he may be under his armes for ever Deut. 33.27 Gods name is to him a strong tower Prov. 18. in respect of which his place is on high even in the defence of the munitions of the rocks Esa. 33.16 c. yea such is the power of this confidence sometimes that though God trouble him with his owne hands yet he will hope Iob 15.19 By this signe God knowes his in the day of trouble and will owne them Neh. 1.7 and the eye of God is never off them because they trust in his mercies Psal. 33.18 6. A holy hatred by which he cannot abide sin Ps. 97.10 the garment spotted with the flesh Iude 23. any false way Ps. 119.128 wicked company Ps. 26.5 the worke of such as fall away Psal. 101.3 them that hate God and goodnesse Psalme 139 21. 7. Peace whereby a man is made to rest from passions and perturbations and enjoyeth tranquillity in the contemplation of Gods favour Rom. 14.17 8. Bowels of mercy Col. 3.12 I omit hope patience meeknesse and the rest either because they some way belong to some of these or because these are the most eminent and easie to be discerned and all these are put on by faith And thus much of the adorning of the heart 3. The conscience is also adorned with 9. gifts 1. Life it being quickned from the dead sleep it was in 2. Light from ignorance 3. Peace from terrors differing from security 4. Purity and care in all things to doe uprightly Acts 23.1 Heb. 13.1 2 Tim. 2.3 5. Ioy and refreshing it is now a continuall feast Prov. 15.15 6. Constancy Iob 27.6 so as no power can compell it 7. Plainenesse and harmelessnesse 2 Cor. 1.12 8. A divine sentence so as in determining it judgeth for God and as God 9. Tendernesse so as it will now smitâ— for lesser evills All this doctrine concerning the sanctification of the spirit may serve First for humiliation We may all say if God looke upon our spirits innumerable evills have compassed us Psal. 40. and therefore we had need to pray to God to cleanse us from secret sins even those sinnes of our spirits 2. For admonition to all men to take heed that they neglect not this great worke of inward sanctification especially if God have touched the heart with any inward feeling of thy estate and remorse of sinne Looke to thy selfe thy heart is deceitfull and sinne is a witch watch against security or relapse into security â—e perswaded it is a dangerous thing to sin against the purposes of amendment The axe is now laid to the roote of the tree and therefore trifle not let not thy righteousnesse be as the morning dew thou art come neare to the kingdome of God quench not the sparkles of light and remorse And much more this may warne such as will not be touched with the care of sanctification take heed of a swinish and dogged heart the Lord will not cast pearles before such swine still And thirdly it may warne such as rest in giving faire words If they praise the Sermons and speake faire to Gods servants they thinke all is well The Divell could speake Christ faire to be rid of him Mar. 1.24 and so did Herod Mar. 6.20 3. For instruction to all sorts of men that yet finde not comfort in this worke oh labour about it that thou maist be cleansed from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit even sanctified throughout following after holinesse without which no man shall see God 2 Cor. 7.3 1 Thess. 5.23 Heb. 12.14 and if there were in men a heart to returne there are many incouragements Christ is given to us of God to be our sanctification and in his intercession he remembred to pray for this that God would sanctifie us 1 Cor. 1.30 Iohn 17.14 17 19. and the word of Christ is able to sanctifie us Acts 20.32 and Christ hereby proves his resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 and God hath promised his spirit to help us Ezech. 33.37 4. For confirmation since this is so let him that is holy be holy still 5. For much thankfulnesse in such as have attained in any measure to the gifts of Gods grace herein 2 Thess. 2.13 Thus much of the sanctification of the spirit Vnto obediencâ— The first end of our sanctification is that our lives may be brought into obedience This obedience must be considered either in the 1. whole or in the 2. parts 1. In the whole it is profitable to observe three things 1. the originall of true obedience 2. The rules or properties of true obedience in the maner of it 3. The motives that might stirre us up to the care of obedience 1. The cause of this obedience is 1. either without us or 2. within us without us it is both God and the word of God God the Father causeth it by electing c. the Sonne by
the verses immediately before 2. and with the 13. verse upon which it depends as the reason of it 1. From coherence with the verses next before we may note that God expects love to the brethren at our hands as well as faith in Christ As we are joyned to God by faith so he stands upon it to have us joyned one to another by love nay it is certaine true faith will worke this love He cannot beleeve in God that loves not the godly 2. From coherence with the 13. verse we may note that an affectionate love to the godly is a strong inducement to holinesse of life and therefore used here as a reason to inforce it 3. Contrariwise unlesse we looke to those three things in the 13. verse we cannot love the brethren as we ought to doe For 1. Unlesse we gird up the loines of our mindes such as our selfe-love concupiscence anger c. we shall be unfit for society with the godly 2. Againe unlesse we be sober in the use of the delights and profits of the world our affections will be stolne away from the godly 3. And thirdly unlesse our hope carry us stedfastly to the contemplation of the glory to be revealed upon the godly in the day of Christ they wil in their present condition seeme to us many times of all men most miserable 4. A Christian should looke to his heart and waies if not for his owne sake yet for his respect to the godly to whom he hath joyned himselfe that he neither shame them nor grieve them Now hee may shame them and dishonour the profession three waies 1. By sluggishnesse in his profession 2. By inordinate living 3. By doubting and despaire These three stand opposed to the three things in the 13. verse 5. That God is not onely carefull we should love one another but hee stands upon the manner and measure of it as the whole verse shewes and therefore we should looke to two things that our affections grow neither 1. cold 2. nor corrupt There are foure things doe usually abate affection to the godly 1. Selfe-love and pride when men grow into great thoughts onely of themselves 2. Discord and vaine janglings 3. Worldlinesse 4. Too much viewing of the infirmities reproches or miseries of the godly and thus affection growes cold It is corrupt three waies 1. When we love the godly for carnall ends 2. When it is fruitlesse it is fellowship but not in the Gospell 3. When we respect persons Purified The tearme is a metaphor borrowed either from the Goldsmith or the Physitian or else from the ceremoniall law The Goldsmith purifieth his metall so doth God his chosen ones The Physician purgeth his distressed patients so doth God distressed sinners seldome is there any found conversion but there is some purgation taken even some sound practice of mortification which paines the spirit and throwes out forcibly the filthy matter lies in the soule But I think the tearme is chiefly borrowed from the Ceremoniall law and so shews us that in the effecting of sanctification is wrought that which was signified in those Legall purifyings either of women after child-birth or especially of the Leper after the healing of his leprosie It is true that seldome or never is there a birth of saving grace but there followes it a fluxe of mortification a vehement casting out of naturall impurities and there must be also a purifying of the soule But I take the tearme to be most fitly borrowed from the clensing of the Leper for that most neerly expresseth the state of our soules both in nature and grace And so divers things may be here noted some implyed some expressed in those ancient shadowes The things implyed are 1. That by nature we are all of us polluted in our selves and so polluted as we have reason to doe as the Leper Levit. 13.44 and cry uncleane uncleane 2. That the infection of sin is such that it will infect the very house wee dwell in and the garments we weare even all the creatures we use so as all things are to us impure Lev. 13. Tit. 1.13 3. That in our native condition we are out of the campe even strangers from the common-wealth of Israel even when we professe our selves members of it Num. 5.2 3. Eph. 2.11 The things expressed in the state of our soules in respect of sanctification are lively shadowed out in the ceremonies of purifying mentioned Lev. 34. 4. to 33. which howsoever they containe more then the precise respect of this Text calls for yet for the more full explication of the ceremonies of clensing I handle them as they are set downe in order Now before we enter upon the particular explication of the Text wee must understand 1. That the ceremoniall law did make two distinct things in sanctification 1. Healing 2. Clensing for first the Leper was healed then clensed Now this word here used doth expresse onely the likenesse of the clensing of the Leper there is such a difference to be put in our sanctification For first our hearts are turned to God and then we fall upon divers exercises of faith and repentance by which we settle our owne hearts in the assurance of our conversion The ceremonie shadowed out the first of these degrees the Leper was cleane when after his confession of uncleannesse his leprosie stayed and spred no further and did not fret inward So are we truely turned to God in that moment when under the sense of our owne vilenesse we so judge our selves that our hearts begin to cease from evill and sinne loseth his dominion and that it doth not prevaile over our hearts but groweth lesse and lesse but yet though this be done in a moment many times yet there is a great deale more to be done before we can have comfort in our conversion or be soundly clensed and setled in our consciences before God 2. We must know that sanctification shadowed out by that clensing is taken in the largest sense even for all that righteousnesse that is conferred upon us either in justification or sanctification as it is strictly taken 3. That in the businesse of sanctification none of the Lords people healed of their leprosie should trust onely upon their owne judgements but seeke all direction and helpe they can from their faithfull and able Teachers There was nothing done in the law but the Priests said and did all as it were whether it were in discerning the disease or the healing of it or in judging of the state of the Leper they tooke the testimony of the Priest in all things yea when one would have thought they might have done all by the same rules of discerning The clensing or purifying of the leprosie was either more slight or more exact In some leprosies it was but to wash and so be cleane Lev. 13.53 54 55. to note that repentance in some and from some sinnes is far more easie then in others The more exact clensing is distinguished
it should teach us divers things 1. If we desire the kingdome of God should come pray that the word of the Lord may run and have a free passage for it will worâ— mightily in gathering soules to the kingdome of God 2 Thes. 3.1 2. Would wee have life put into us Let us come to the word it liveth by effect If any thing in this world will either direct or comfort us it is the word 3. Looke to thy heart for uprightnesse make conscience of thy wayes harbour no secret sins For the word is lively in operation and is a discernes of the very thoughts and intents of the hearâ— Heb. 4.13 If thou wouldst have the fruit of the lips to be peace walk uprightly 4. Such as professe love to the word should hold forth this word of life and make it appeare in their conversation that it is a living word Quest. But how should wee shew the life of the word in our conversation Answ. Many waies 1. By practising it It seemes but a dead letter till thou put it in practice For there is the life of hearing 2. By living without rebuke Then thou shewest effectually that the word hath a lively power ever thee if it can make thee unrebukeable Phil. 1.15 16. 3. By the unmoveablenesse of thy conversation in all estates There is life in godlinesse when a man hath learned to be content with that he hath 4. By thy affectionatenesse and cheerefulnesse in the manner of doing holy duties 5. By the depending upon it as upon the life of thy life Psal. 119. 6. Lastly by thy confidence in beleeving all that is written in the word And thus for instruction Secondly this may serve for humiliation 1. To such as heare not the word at all they sit in darkenesse they want the very life of their lives that that should be the very joy of their hearts 2. To such as heare it but feele no life in it If the word of God have no life in it woe unto thee if the booke be sealed to thee when it is open to others feare lest the god of this world hath blinded thee that thou mightest perish search thy soule there is abundance of soule stuffe in thee if the word cannot quicken thee 3. To such as finde some kinde of life in the word and put it out by the cares of life such as by covetousnesse or voluptuous living extinguish that remorse was bred in them and so make the word an instrument of death inasmuch as such remorses or quicknings serve but to leave them without excuse 4. To all hypocrites For here they must know that which they have often found if they heare much that they cannot be hid though they may deceive men yet God and his Word will find them out the shame of their secrets of corruption shall be discovered this word of God will ransack them and give them a very glimpse of the judgement to come Heb. 4.13 5. This may in speciall smite dreaming and carelesse Preachers that doe the worke of the Lord negligently such must know their work shall never prosper for it is the word of God in the life of it that gathers soules to God a dead dull kinde of preaching the word will never do it Besides they dishonour the word as if it had no life in it whereas the fault is in their dull and dreaming kinde of handling of it Thirdly this may informe us 1. That the word is not a dead letter as many thinke of it and have blasphemously reported 2. That it is the Gospell that is that part of the word that settles the conscience in the assurance of Gods love in Christ that is the principallest treasure in the scripture For the Law is a killing letter and the ministry of it the ministration of death 3. That it is never likely that powerfull preaching and sincere practise shall have any long peace in the world For this life of the word makes such a stirre where it comes that wicked men will not be quiet but ever hate the godly for this very reason as experience shewes Ioh. 17.14 c. 4. That the wits of men and the wisdomes of mens words and conceits are not necessary unto the unfolding of the word for the word is a lively word in it selfe it needs not the conceits of mens braines to quicken it 1 Cor. 2.1 4 13. Fourthly this may be a great comfort to all the godly that love the word they may have sure recourse to it it is as full of life now as it was many hundred yeares agoe it shall abide for ever it is as mighty now to cast downe strong holds of sin or Satan as ever It is as able to refresh them in all afflictions as ever It will quicken them in all their dumps and distresses It lives and will live for ever And abideth for ever Of these words in the end of the 24. verse where they are repeated againe and thus much of the fift reason c. VERSE 24 25. 24. For all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower falleth away 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which is preached among you THese words containe the sixt and last reason for the inforcing of the exhortation in the 13. verse and it is taken cheefly from the mortality of the body where his drift is to set before us the marvelous vanity and brevity and transitorinesse of the naturall life and condition of all men amplified by the eternity of those spirituall effects which are wrought by the word of God preached that so wee might be induced with the more sincerity and earnestnes to deny the world and to provide an infallible assurance of hope in the grace to be brought in the day of Christ and so it impliedly shewes that the reason why the most men are so intangled with all sorts of impediments and why men so greedily and excessively seeke the profits and pleasures of this world and why men are so slenderly furnished with arguments of sound hope of a better life I say the reason of all this is the forgetfulnesse of our mortality and our transitory estate in this world The words in themselves containe a lively description of our transitory and mortall condition in this world amplified by the commendation of the word of God by which we are borne againe and fitted for a better world The vanity of man is set downe verse 24. the eternity of the word verse 25. The vanity of man is both propounded and repeated propounded in these words All flesh is grasse and all the glory of man as the flower of grasse repeated in these words the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away The proposition concernes either the persons of men or the condition of men For their persons all flesh is grasse For their condition the glory
son of God had no priviledge from death he was put to death in respect of the flesh 1 Pet. 3.21 Therefore this may serve first for singular reproofe of that unspeakable beastlinesse that is in wicked men that will not be moved with the contemplation of the ruine of the whole world oh the unutterable Lethargy of these mens hearts that will not consider their latter end when so unchangeable a decree is prest upon all men that at their appointed time they must once die This very doctrine may shew the horrible effect of sinne in the hearts of men that can extinguish a consideration so universally obvious to every mans sense oh yee brutish amongst the people when will yee understand Secondly this may informe us that multitude is no prerogative multitude cannot protect men against the stroke of God and death Though hand joyne in hand yet sinne cannot be unpunished It is as easie for God to smite all flesh as any flesh It is as easie for him to destroy the whole world as to destroy one man All flesh is grasse If the sithe can with few strokes move downe thousands of formes of grasse how much more easie is it for God with the sithe of his judgements to cut downe multitudes of men And besides that may informe us that the doctrine of death must be sounded in the eares of all men there is no man but this doctrine belongs to him and therefore woe unto him if he make no good use of it yea so necessary is this doctrine that the Ministers of the Gospell are commanded not to write it onely but to speake it nor that onely but to cry it out with all possible both affection and power of inforcement Cry all flesh is grassâ— Esay 40.6 Thirdly this may teach 1. Rich men in speciall to lay this to heart For God hath given them this doctrine to humble them and to teach them not to glory in their wealth but if they have gotten grace let them rejoyce that God hath provided better things than the things of this life for them They are more happy that God hath made them low by giving them a sight of their sins and so to be humbled for them then that he made them great in the world for their flesh is but grasse and all that glory must vanish as will be shewed afterwards The Use is urged Iam. 1.10 11. Ps. 49. 2. Strong men to whom God hath given helps of nature or arte Use thy strength but rejoyce not in it Use thy Physicke but trust not upon it For for all that thou must dye there is no arte nor remedy against death 3. All men and so we should all learne two things especially 1. To put our trust in God which liveth for ever since all men must perish and wee cannot continue here it is the best relying upon God and his favour and helpe who liveth ever to performe his promise and to provide for his servants thus David useth this consideration Ps. 102.12 13. 2. To be patient when we feele the walls of our earthly house begin to moulder down when we feele death beginning like a moth to feed upon us we should be patient seeing it is not onely unavoidable but that it is the case of all men as well as ours Thus of the extent of the affirmation The time followes Is grasse This mortality may be said to be so presently It is so in divers respects 1. It is so â—n the cause which is sin the cause of death is in us already it hath infected our very bones 2. It is so in the sentence the doome is already gone out upon all flesh It is appointed that all men shall once die The very sentence uttered in Paradise of dying the death stands still unrevoked in respect of our flesh 3. It is so in experience all flesh is dead never any scaped 4. It is so in respect of dâ—sposition to death we are all but dying men death hath taken hold of us and doth every day feed upon us insensibly To live is but to lie a dying The disposition to death is inflicted upon all men for all tend to death 5. Lastly it may be said all flesh is grasse for certainty that is we shall as certainely vanish hereafter as if it were now presently done The use should be the more to inforce upon us the care of providing for a change since death is so many waies made fast unto us and withall it may serve to confute the vaine hope of long life here seeing we are all but as so many dead men here to day and to morrow cast into the grave and wee should also learne hence to be continually thinking of death must we not do the worke that is present to us why death is before thine eyes why then dost thou not the thing of the day in the day It is thy every dayes worke to die to learne to die seeing we die daily Hitherto of that branch of the proposition that concerns the body of manâ—noâ— followeth the vanity of mans condition in this world The glory of man is as the flower of grasse Here first the sâ—â—se of the words is to be considered By the glory of man he meaneth whatsoever it is in outward things which man glorieth in any thing that man rejoyceth in admireth praiseth seeketh as an ornament or happinesse to himselfe such as are riches strength honour high places and command over others beauty praise of men excellency of naturall gifts noble birth calling multitude of attendants and such like By man he meaneth here the naturall man or the outward man for of the spirituall man it is not true because he glorieth in that shall never fade nor be taken away from him Now this glory is compared to the flower of grasse for transitorinesse because it will fade and fall away as the repetition sheweth and that speedily too as the uses of this similitude in divers scriptures shew as will afterwards more appeare The doctrine then is that all the outward glory of man in this world is exceeding vaine and so it may appeare for six causes or considerations for I omit many other reasons First for the most part these things so much desired cannot be had or not as they are desired and therefore their glory is vaine because they are sought in vaine 2. If they be obtained yet the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with bearing of them they cannot fill the heart of man 3. Many times it fals alike in these things to the foole and to the wise both in having them and in losing them and this is a miserable vanity and vexation of spirit 4. The glory that is placed in these things is liable to be interrupted with a thousand crosses either they expire the vanity or are taken away by violence 5. If they could make us happy yet death will not let us enjoy them many men spend
things that they have not their owne bodies in estimation nor allow themselves the fit use of the things they possesse Eccl. 6.2 2. That the bodies of men doe not utterly perish as doth the glory of men For the flower falleth off whereas the grasse onely withereth the roote is alive within the earth when a man dieth he shall never see his riches or pleasures of this life any more but yet his body hath a roote and when the spring of the last resurrection comes it will revive againe which should in force upon us a more through contempt of all these earthly things and the rather if we consider further what may be added concerning the glory of men For besides that once it must faile and that speedily First it is all stained and durtied already with mans sins and also the Lord usually sets himselfe so to staine the pride of all glory that it is scorned and despised even in the prime of it but especially when it begins a little to decay Besides who knowes how sudenly all may be gone the glory of many men we see is but as the hasty fruit before summer which while he that looketh upon it seeth it whilst it is yet in his hand he eateth it up Esay 28.4 Further we may observe the manner how the Lord doth bring downe the glorious beauty of many great men as it were with a tempâ—â—â— of â—aile their afflictions comming in as thick as haile and a destroying â—â—orms as a flood of mighty unresistable waters overflowing so doth the Lord cast them downe to the earth and tread their glory in the dust yea and many times turne their great glory into surpassing shame Esay 28.2 Ps. 7.5 Hos. 4.7 Verse 25. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which is preached among you HItherto of the vanity of man in his flesh and outward condition The eternity of the word followeth in this verse The hearts of all men naturally tend to the admiration and care for the body onely and the things thereof yea in the Church of God the faith of Christians is wonderfully deformed and disgraced by such cares while men professe they beleeve in Christ for a better condition their practise continually proclaimes the flesh still for the idoll of their hearts therefore it is needfull that this wretched pertinacy should be disgraced by a discovery of their vanity therein which is done in the former verse Now if men be put out of their way in the projects of the flesh it is expedient they should bee informed what better things to settle their hearts upon else it will never perswade with them to leave the love of the flesh and this present life if no better happinesse bee set before them This therefore is intended in this verse briefely to tell men upon what they might spend their time better than in the cares of the flesh The question then is since nothing in mans flesh or outward estate is worth the care and labour of attendance what then is the chiefe thing in this life to be sought after If we marke the direct Antithesis to the former verse it should have beene thus Mans flesh is grasse c. but mans spirit endureth for ever and so the soule of man should have bin the maine thing his heart should have beene set upon But thus there had beene great danger of mistaking still for God would have the body saved as well as the soule and the holinesse of the body as well as the soule thought of and besides the soule naturally is as corrupt as the flesh and it is no more safe to follow the lusts of the soule then the appetites of the body For the spirit of man is as much polluted as the flesh and the body is but the instrument of the soule therefore the scripture leadeth man cleane out of himselfe considered as he is in his present state of nature that he may be fully humbled for his misery Quest. If yet any say what then is the maine object of our cares and service in this life Ans. I answer that it is diversly resolved in divers scriptures In Ps. 102. 11 12. it is thus Man fadeth and withereth like grasse but the Lord endureth for ever and so that place shewes us it is God we should know admire love care for provide for and set our hearts upon In the 103. Ps v. 15.17 it is thus The dayes of man are as grasse and as the flower of the field flourisheth but the love and kindnesse of the Lord endureth for ever to them that feare him where we are guided to know in particular what in God wee should most seeke and that is the assurance of Gods mercy which will stand us in stead for eternity Here it is the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this comprehendeth all the former It is the word of the Lord that revealeth God and directeth our hearts to the love of God and the assurance of his mercy It is the word of God that clenseth and sanctifieth the soules of men So that then the chiefe doctrine of this verse is that in this life we should especially set our hearts upon the word of God that should be our maine care It is the word we should be most busied about and our hearts should specially be set upon we should meditate in it day and night Ps. 1.2 It should be our portion and heritage It is that we should provide for whatsoever we want Ps. 119. For the word of God perfects our natures and sanctifies us Ioh. 17. By the word wee have communion and fellowship with God and Christ on earth Ioh. 14.21 Rev. 3.10 It is the word that comforts us in all tribulation Ps. 119. It is the word that directs us in all our waies It is the light to our feete and laâ—thorne to our paths Ps. 119. yea it is the word that maintaines our lives for man liveth not by bread but by the word and prayer It is the word that fits us for immortality and brings salvation to us and in the meane while nourisheth us up to eternity 1 Pet. 1.23 2.2 Act. 26.18 4.16 This may serve First for information concerning the estate of two sorts of men 1. Of such as want the word or the love of it what shall it profit them to winne all the glory of the world for the flesh when for want of the word their spirits and flesh must perish for ever 2. Of such as follow the word and search the scriptures and have nothing more in request this justifies them they have chosen the better part with Mary and it shall never be taken from them Secondly for instruction we should all learne to glorifie the word Act. 13. 48. to receive it with all meekenesse Iam. 1.21 to hunger and thirst after it as our appointed foode to embrace it presse to it and never be ashamed of it Ps.
might give over our trades c. For answer hereunto let all such know that though it be true that some men are waxt great rich by such courses yea though they be fat and shine yet the Lord will visit them his soule will be avenged upon them Jer. 5.28 29. For wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished Prov. 13.11 and the tabernacles of bribery and deceit shall be desolate Mic. 6. 10. to the 16. All such as conceive with guile by that time they have reckoned their moneths aright though they grow never so big shall bring forth nothing but winde and vanity Job 15. ult What shall be given thee or what shall be done unto thee O thou lying and deceitfull tongue thou shalt be smitten with some strange and strong hand of God as with the arrows of the mighty so as thy stroke shall be incurable and deadly and thy destruction shall be as with the coales of Iâ—niper that is both fierce in respect of thy selfe and pleasing in respect of others For men are wonderfully well pleased when they observe that ill gotten goods doe not prosper This hand of God smells like the burning of Juniper Some others might say we are servants and we must lie and defraud others to satisfie our masters The Prophet Zephany reports that the Lord will punish all those very servants that fill their masters houses with violence and deceit the servants I say as well as their masters But might some others say my courses are so secret that my deceit shall never be found out Let such mâ—n learne that the Lord found out this sinne in Ephraim Hos. 11. and will punish it though Ephraim said he was growne rich and in all his labours they should finde none iniquity in him that were sinne Hee thought himselfe sure enough for being discovered and therefore he would contest vehemently and cry out upon such dishonesty in men as to use false words and waights besides it is worthy to be observed that God many times doth not onely discover these secret fraudulent courses but discovers them openly so as their wickednesse is shewed before the whole congregation Prov. 26.26 But others may say in others things am I just and besides I am forward in religion and therefore this offence is not so great Shall I account thee pure saith the Lord with wicked ballances Mic. 6.12 as if he would say all the shewes of religion in the world will not serve the turne if sinnes of deceit raigne in a mans dealing And therefore the consideration of all this should in the second place instruct us and that three wayes First to look to our owne cariage and as we desire to live long and to see good dayes to refrain our tongues from evill and our lips that they speak no guil in all our dealing to detest lying and deceit Psal. 34.13 and so to live as we may be alwayes ready to put our selves upon Iobs triall Iob 31.4 5. Secondly to lay to heart the consideration of the horrible inundations of deceit that hath over-flowed all states and callings of men and so it should work in us both lamentation and supplication before the Lord. For lamentation we may take up all the old complaints of the Prophets Our times have reacht to the measure of iniquity then reproved or rather men now overpasse the deeds of those wicked men wickednesse is in the midst of us deceit and guile depart not from our streets Psal. 55.11 Treasures of wickednesse are in the house of the wicked wicked ballances the bagge of deceitfull waâ—ghts and scant measures which are an abomination to the Lord and for which he threatneth vengeance every where to be found Mic. 6.10 11. Men lay waâ—t as they that set snares they let traps to catch not beasts or fowle but men As a cage is full of birds so are mens houses full of deceit and deceivers It is now the usuall course for men to waxe great and rich withall Ier. 5.26 27. yea this sinne so spreadeth that we may truly say From the least of them to the greatest of them they are given to deceit and will deale falsly Jer. â— 13. Every brother will supplant and every neighbour will walke with lies and slanders They will deceive one another and not speake the truth A man can dwell no where but his habitation is in the midst of deceit and therefore certainly God hath a resolution to stretch out his hand still by publike judgements How can it be but God must visit and be avenged for these great abominations What should be else doe but melt his people in the common furnace of great judgements for such common sins Ier. 9.3 to 10. And as it should teach us lamentation so it should teach us supplication too even to goe to God and that in two respects First to implore his help and mercy for the Church that he would be pleased to spare his people and keepe them from the infection of these vile sins and if it may stand with his good pleasure to worke a repentance in mens hearts that are guilty of these crimes and withall to beseech him for our selves to keepe us that wee fall not into the hands of deceivers for as it is a sinne to deceive so is it a misery to be deceived Psal. 12.1 2 c. and to give us wisdome to beware of men Jer. 9.4 Mat. 10.17 and to deliver us from the men of deceit Psal. 43.1 Thirdly it should teach us seeing the world is so full of guil that it is so hatefull a sin therefore to honour and esteeme such as wee finde to bee true hearted Plaine men with Iacob without tricks and subtlety and true Israelites with Nathaniel in whose hearts and mouthes is no guile Wee should I say love them delight in them and stick to them never to forsake them but to account them the very ornaments of the world and great lights in this great and generall darknesse and to account our selves wonderfull rich and happy in their fellowship and friendship Thirdly this prohibition of Guile may informe us and by intimation shew us the hatefulnesse of the doctrine of the Papists and practise in the point of aquivocation contrary to the expresse Scripture that forbids all lying and deceiving of others and commands us to speake truth and that every one Priest and people and that so his neighbour how much more to the Magistrate Ephes. 4.25 And Iob sheweth that we ought not to talke deceitfully no not for God to speake for him what is not right Iob 13.7 Lastly this may be implicitly a singular and secret consolation to honest and upright hearted men that hate this hatefull sinne of Guile that speake the truth in their hearts and make conscience of their words I meane those true Nathaniels of whom Christ speakes And for the better imprinting of this use I will shew
courses and avoid him But the close hypocrite thou canst not discerne or not certainly and if thou follow thine owne conjectures thou maist sometimes condemne a deare child of God and approve a detestable hypocrite But how may the open hypocrite be discerned By divers signes First by an ordinary and usuall affectation of the praise of men in doing good duties When a man constantly sets himselfe out to the shew it is an apparant marke of a false heart Marke that I say an usuall affectation Secondly if a man make a shew of the meanes of godlinesse or liking the means of godlinesse or of the persons that are godly and yet it be manifest that he hates to be reformed lives in knowne grosse faults and being rebuked by the word or servants of God will not reforme but carieth a grudge at the parties that laboured his reformation This is an evident marke of an hypocrite Now to judge these is no offence Thirdly it is a signe of an hypocrite when a man will be godly and restrained and zealous in some companies and in other company take liberty for grosse prophanenesse Lastly he that will be rid of hypocrisie must looke to himselfe to keepe himselfe free from the causes of it and take heed that he be not bewitched in those things that have bred hypocrisie in other men What is it can make a man an hypocrite First sometimes feare will doe it as in time of trouble or persecution men to avoide dangers will play the hypocrites Luke 12.1 2 3 4 5. Secondly sometimes desire to get credit and to be well thought on especially when it is mixt with envy at the respects of others drives some men headlong into hypocriticall courses Mat. 6. Thirdly sometimes men are emboldned unto hypocrisie by a secret perswasion that Christ will defer his comming and they shall not of a long time be brought to account Mat. 24.48 50. Fourthly men fall into hypocrisie for gaine to hide their wicked and deceitfull courses So the Pharises Mat. 23.14 so 1 Tim. 4.2 7. Fiftly forgetfulnesse of God is a great cause of hypocrisie and the raigne of it in many hearts Iob 8.13 Sixtly Lust and some vile wickednesse drives many men and women into hypocrisie 2 Tim. 3. These things we must take heed of and preserve our selves from them if ever we would not be wretched hypocrites before God Thirdly here is also consolation to all the godly whom God hath kept upright and free from this damned vice I meane from the raigne of it for there is no man but hath some dregs of hypocrisie in him But how may a man know that he is not a hypocrite By many signes Secondly when a man makes God his secret place strives and desires secresie to worship God Mat. 6. Thirdly when a man loves no sin but would faine be rid of every sinne and so hath respect to all Gods commandements Fourthly when a man confesseth his hypocrisie and mournes for it and strives against it Fiftly when a man accuseth himselfe for it to others whose respects hee most desires Sixtly when a man keepes his heart close to the substance of godlinesse and labours to be built up without distraction in the maine things needfull for his salvation and is not caried to spend his time most about unnecessary or impertinent cares or studies 1 Tim. 4.2 7 8. Seventhly when a man is as carefull to serve God in prosperity as well as adversity Iob 27.9 Eightly when a man delights in the Almighty and loves all the meanes by which he findeth any communion with God Iob 29.9 Ninthly when a man from the hatred of hypocrisie is stirred up against hypocrites cannot abide them nor will converse with them Iob 17. ver 8. Lastly Iob comforts himselfe that hee was no hypocrite by three arguments 1. He would trust in God though he did slay him 2. He would reprove his wayes in Gods sight 3. He sought Gods presence and set himselfe alwayes before him none of which an hypocrite could doe Iob 13.15 16. Thus much of Hypocrisie Envy The fourth sin to be avoided is Envy Envy is nothing else but a vexation or inward displeasure conceived at the good of another viz. either anothers credit gifâ—s preserment profit successe or the like This sinne though in the world it be litile thought of yet in it selfe iâ— a most fearefull vice and should be so accounted of by Christians for many reasons First if we consider the subject persons in whom it usually is It is found most in naturall men Tit. 3.3 yea in silly men Job 5.2 This was the sinne of Cain Gen. 4. yea of the devill himselfe The maine sinne of the devill was the envy of mans happinesse It raigned in the devillish Gentiles Rom. 1.29 Secondly if we consider the cause of it it is for the most part the daughter of pride Gal. 5.26 sometimes of covetousnesse Prov. 28.22 and often of some egregious vile transgression such as in Rom. 1.29 but ever it is the filthy fruit of the flesh Gal. 5.25 Thirdly if we consider the vile effects of it which are many for 1. It hath done many mischifes for which it is infamous It sold Ioseph into Aegypt Gen. â—7 and which should ever make it abhorred of us it kild the Son of God Mat. 27.8 2. It deformes our natures it makes a man suspitious malicious contentious it makes us to provoke back-bite and practise evill against our neighbours It is ill for our sight for the envious man hath alwayes an evill eye and a cast downe countenance with Cain also many times 3. It begins even death and hell while a man is alive It kills the silly one Job 5.2 It destroyeth the contentment of his life and burnes him with a kinde of fire unquenchable It feeds upon the envious man like the moth or worme by degrees and it hasteneth mischiefe in the envious man because it makes the person envyed more glorious and besides it is a vice that driveth a man from among men in respect of comfortable society for it was long since advised Eat not the bread of him that hath an evill eye Prov. 23.6 and no man by his good will if he can be free will converse with such as he percâ—ives to be envious Fâ—urthly this place manifestly imports that it is a notable hinderance to the profiâ— of the word and so no doubt it is to prayer and all piety as evidently it is a let of charity unlesse it be that men in hypocrisie to disgrace others will for envy doe some good as they preacht Christ for envy in the Apostles time Phil. 1.15 Vses The use should be threefold First for instruction to teach us to follow the advice here given in putting away Envy and cleansing our hearts of it and to this end think much of the reasons against it and withall remember by confession and godly sorrow to cleanse thy heart carefully
fully cleere the secret of that place about the sin against the holy Ghost and therefore wish that these things be observed First that it doth not follow necessarily that whosoever hath that taste there mentioned shall not be saved for men may have that taste and finding it ineffectuall goe on till they find a true taste That taste is dangerous if men fall away else there may be good use of those tastes For it brings men neare the kingdome of God and makes preparation for true Grace Secondly that the sinne against the holy Ghost cannot be committed but by such as have beene enlightned and have set themselves to attend upon the Word either by solemne profession outwardly before men or by inward attendance upon it Two sorts of men in our times are in danger of this sin that is Hypocriticall professors and those they call the wits of the World who afterwards fell to all Epicurisme Thirdly that the failing away there mentioned is not to bee understood of any particular falling into some one or a few sinnes but of an universall falling away from the care of all godlinesse and into such a condition as to dislike no sinne as it is sinne and to believe from the heart no part of the Gospell nor be afraid to wallow in the sinnes which formerly hee in a sort repented Fourthly there is in them a personall hatred of the Sonne of God they doe with the Iewes as much as in them lieth crucifie him againe loathing him and inwardly swelling or fretting against the doctrine of Christ and striving as farre as they dare in his Ordinances and people to put him to shame by scornings and reproaches or what way else they can Heb. 6.6 and Chap. 10.29 Fiftly they abhorre from their hearts the graces of the Spirit and loath them in the godly despighting the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 so as they persecute to their power the truth being carried with incurable malice against it And thus of the third Doctrine The fourth Doctrine that may be gathered out of these words is that it is but a taste of the sweetnesse of God we can attaine to in this life we cannot reach unto the thousand part of the joyes of Gods presence and favour in this world These are part of his waies but how little a portion is heard of him Iob. 26. ult Eye hath not seene nor Eare heard nor heart of man perceived the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 The comforts we feele in this life may well be likened to the taste both because wee have them but in small quantity and because they are quickly growne out of sense they are but of short continuance There may be three uses made of this point First it may quiet them that complaine out of Scruple of Conscience that their joyes they have be not right because they are so quickly lost whereas they must bee informed that the comforts the best men can get in this World are but a little 〈◊〉 given out of the Rivers of Gods plea 〈◊〉 Secondly it should make us the more out of love with this life and kindle in us the love of the appearing of Jesus Christ. Why desire wee to live so king oâ— Earth where we must drinke downe continually the bitter 〈…〉 and â—oâ—row and can get but now and then the taste of the comforts of a better life Why long we not to enjoy those pleasureâ— for evermore Psal. 17. ult Yea we may know how good it is to be in Heaven by the taste we have sometimes on Earth If it doe us such unspeakable ease and joy to 〈◊〉 of the sâ—eetnesse oâ— God for a little moment Oh how great then is that goodnesse God hath 〈◊〉 up from them that feare him Psal. 31.19 The smalnesse of the quantity and shortnesse of the continuance of our tast of the graciousnesse of God on earth should make us to use the meanes of communion with God with so much the more servency and frequency and humility Doct. 5. A fifth doctrine is that many in the Churches of Christians never so much as tasted of the sweetnesse of Gods grace and word and that may bee a cause why the Apostle speakes with an If as knowing it was a great question whether many of them had had experience of the sweetnesse of the Word Question Now if any aske what should be the cause that many Christians have so little sense of the sweetnesse of the word and Gods graciousnesse and goodnesse in the Word Answer I answer that it is First with many so because they want the ordinances of God in their power and life of them They want powerfull preaching some congregations have no preaching at all and many that have preaching have it not in the life and power The spices of the word are not beaten to the smell as they should be 2 Cor. 2.15 16. Secondly In others because the tast of the pleasures and profits and lusts of the world are in their hearts when they come to the word and so by the cares of life all sense of sweetnesse is beaten out Mat. 13. Luke 14.24 Thirdly It is in the most because they consider not their misery in themselves nor remember their latter end A man never knowes the sweetnesse of Christ crucified till he be pricked in his heart and afflicted for his sinnes and forlorne estate in himselfe by nature and till men know how to number their dayes they will never apply their hearts to wisdome Psal. 90.12 Fourthly some men are infected with superstition and the love of a strange god They prepare a table for the troope and therefore are hungry when Gods servants eat and vexed when they sing for joy of heart They cannot feele the sweetnesse of the Gospell their hearts are so poisoned with secret popery Esay 65.11 13. Fiftly Some men tast not of wisdomes banquet because they leave not the way of the foolish All sense is extinguished by the evill company they keep Prov. 9.6 Sixtly Too many Christians are poisoned with some of the sins mentioned in the first verse of this Chapter and that destroyes both tast and appetite in them Seventhly Some are fearefully delivered to a spirituall slumber the Justice of God scourging their impenitency and disobedience that made no use of his judgements and the remorses they felt before and so are in the case of the Jewes Rom. 11. Eighthly Because God doth for the most part reserve these tastes as the onely portion of his owne people and therefore never wonder though the common multitude attaine not to it Psal. 36.8 9. Lastly the best Christians are often much restrained in their tast of the sweetnesse of Gods favour and presence because they are not carefull enough to attend upon God in his ordinances they doe not seeke God and strive to finde Gods favour and presence in the meanes they heare and pray loosely with too much slacknesse and remisnesse
thereby to a flint stone which being smitten the sparkles as if it had fire in it give fire and light to other things It is true that Christ hath life in himselfe and doth give the sparkles upon the flames of life and light to other men But I thinke the stone here doth not import so much by any likenesse in it because it is a corner stone in the building which usually neither is nor can be of flint But he is said to be a living stone to distinguish him from materiall stones and by that word living to shew what the metaphor stone cannot resemble For though a stone might shadow out the continuance and eternity of Christ by the lastingnesse of it yet life is given here to Christ not onely because he lives himselfe and can doe no more Rom. 6.9 But because he is by effects life that is he makes life in the godly whereby they become living stones also The maine doctrine here intented is that Christ is the onely foundation of the Church Ob. David is said to be a stone and a hard stone of the corner Psal. 118. Sol. David was so onely by way of type his life being somewhat like the state of Christ in respect in the oppositions of men and preferment from God and that that place doth specially belong to Christ appeares by the application of Christ himselfe Matth. 21.32 Ob. But the Apostles are said to be the foundation of the church Eph. 2.20 Sol. The place is to be understood of the doctrine of the Apostles which treats in one maine point of Christ. Ob. But the Church is founded upon Peter Sol. The Church is not builded upon Peter but upon the rock which was the confession of Peter and so the doctrine of Christ for the text doth not say super banc Petrum but super banc Petram Vse The use may be first for confutation of the Papists about their blasphemous doctrine in ascribing this glory of being the foundation of the Church unto Peter and so to the Pope which they doe most absurdly for that place Matth. 16.18 is not understood of Peters person but of his confession And besides if it had beene true of Peter by what word of Scripture shall it be proved that it is true of the Pope who is not once named in Scripture except hee bee described as Antichrist Besides if the Church be built upon Peter or the Pope then it will follow we must believe in Peter and the Pope else wee cannot bee founded on them which is extremely blasphemous but that it may bee put out of all doubt let us heare the testimonie of Peter himselfe who best knew his owne right and you see in this text Peter saies Christ is the living stone and not hee This likewise imports the misery of all such as runne after other gods their sorrowes shall be multiplied Psalm 16.4 They build in the sand quite besides the foundation and so doe the Papists that put their trust in Saints and Angels But especially this should teach us as wee are here exhorted to build all our faith and hope in Christ and to cleave to him in all uprightnesse of heart and life and the rather because this stone hath seven 〈◊〉 and most perfectly viewes all and every part of this building that every stone bee set right c. Zachar. 3.9 Especially we should rest upon this stone when wee have any great sute to God and have occasion to continue to hold up your hands in praier and so we shall prosper as it was with Moses Exod. 17.12 Lastly it should bee the singular joy of our hearts when wee see the corner stone cast downe and God begin to build in any place the work of godlinesse and religion Wee have more cause to rejoice for that spirituall worke then the Iewes had to shout when the corner stone of the Temple was brought out to bee laid for a foundation of the building Zachar. 4.7 10. Thirdly the third thing said of Christ is that he was disallowed of men Disallowed of men This is added of purpose to prevent scandall which might arise from the consideration of the meane entertainment the Christian Religion found in the world The point is plaine that Christ was disallowed of men and this is evident in the stone The greatest part of the world regarded him not The Gentiles knew him not and the Iewes received him not Though three things in Christ were admirable his doctrine his life his miracles yet the Iewes beleeved not in him Hee came unto his owne and his owne received him not Nay they reviled him called him Samaritane and said he had a Divell They preferred a murtherer before him and their wise men even the Princes of this world crucified the Lord of life and glory This as it was storied by the Euangelists so it was foretold by the Prophets Esay 53. and 49.8 and so we see he is still of almost the whole world The Pagans yet know him not The Iewes yet renounce him The Turk receiveth him but as a Prophet The Papists receive him but in part and wicked men denie him by their lives Vses The first impression this should make in our hearts is admiration and astonishment This should be marvellous in our eies that men refuse the Sonne of God miserable men their Saviour captives their Redeemer and poore men such unspeakable riches as is offred in Christ that almost all mankind should be guilty of this sinne so as in comparison he should be Elect onely of God Secondly since this was foreseene and foretold we should be confirmed against scandall and like never a whit the worse of Christ or Religion for the scornes and neglects of the world Thirdly since the world disallowes Christ we may hence gather what account wee should make of the world and the men of the world we have reason to separate from them that are separated from Christ and not to love them that love not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 16.23 Fourthly we may hence see how little reason we have to take the counsels and judgements of carnall men though our friends and never so wise in naturall or civill wisdome their counsels were against Christ they disallow Christ and all Christian courses Fiftly why are we troubled for the reproaches of men and why doe we feare their revilings Shall we heare that Christ was disallowed and shall we be so vexed because we are despised Nay rather let us resolve to despise the shame of the world and to follow the author of our faith even in this crosse also Sixtly wee may be hence informed that indiscretion or sinne is not alwaies the cause of contempt For Christ is disallowed and yet without all spot of indiscretion or guile Seventhly and chiefly we should looke every one to our selves that we be not of the number of those that disallow Christ. For Christ is still disallowed of men and if any aske Question Who are they
Christ and to carrie him into the presence of God and laying hands upon his head to plead their interest in his death who was offered up as a whole burnt sacrifice for their sinnes Wee are Christs and Christ is given unto us as our ransome we must every day then lay hold upon him and see him bleed to death for our sinnes and be consumed in the fire of Gods wrath for our sinnes Secondly A broken and contrite heart is a sacrifice God will not despise yea such hearts are the sacrifices God especially calls for from men He ever loved them better then all the outward sacrifices in the Law Psal. 51.17 It is the heart God calls for and yet not every heart but a heart wounded with the knife of mortification that is cut and bleedeth in it selfe with godly sorrow for sinne and is broken and contrite with the daily confession of sin This is required of all Christians and this very thing makes a great deale of difference betweene Christian and Christian. Thirdly Prayer and thanksgiving to God are Christian and holy Sacrifices as many Scriptures shew Psal. 141.2 Heb. 13.15 Hos. 14.4 Psal. 51.21 Fourthly We must offer our selves our soules and bodies as a living sacrifice to God Rom. 12.2 2 Cor. 8.5 and that First in respect of obedience devoting our selves unto God living to him and wholly resolved to be at his appointment Psal. 40.6 Loe I come to doe thy will this is instead of all burnt offerings Secondly in respect of willingnes to suffer affliction of what kind soever as resolving that through many afflictions as through so many flames wee must ascend up to heaven as the smoake of the incense or sacrifice on the Altar Acts 14.21 Hence are tryals called fiery tryals 1 Pet. 4.12 Thus of the kinds of sacrifices which remain unto Christians The lawes about those sacrifices follow For there bee many things to bee observed by Christians in their sacrifices if they would euer have them acceptable to God which the shadowes in the old law did evidently signifie as First the sacrifice must be without blemish Malach. 1.7 which the same Prophet expounds Malaâ—h 3.11 Our offrings must bee pure offrings wee must tender them in the sincerity of our hearts Our sacrifices are without fault when we judge our selves for the faultinesse of them and desire they might have no fault Secondly it must be presented before the Lord and consecrated to hâ—m which signified that we must walk in Gods presence and do all in the sight of God devoting all to his glory Gen. 17.1 Mic. 6.8 Thirdly our sacrifices must be daily some kindes of them There were Sacrifices every day in the Temple and it was an extreme desolâ—tion when the sacrifices ceased so it must be our every daies work to imploy ourselves in some of those spirituall sacrifices Heb. 13.15 Fourthly There must bee an Altar to consecrate the gifts Matth. 23.19 This Altar is Christ who is the onely Altar of Christians Heb. 13 1â— Rev. 8.3 No service can be acceptable to God but as the Apostle here faith by Jesus Christ We must doe all in the name of Christ Col. 3.17 Fiftly there must be fire to burne the sacrifice This fire is holy zeale and the power and fervencie of the spirit in doing good duties The fire on the Altar first came downe from heaven to signifie that true zeale is kindled in heaven and comes downe from above It is no ordinarie humor nor a rash fury It is no wilde fire And it was required about this fire that they should preserve it and never let it goe out but put fuell still to it and so it was kept for many yeares so must wee doe with our zeale wee must labour by all meanes to preserve the fervencie of our hearts that wee never want fire to burne our sacrifices Our zeale should be as the love mentioned Câ—â—t 7.10 that much water could not quench it Every sacrifice must have fire Mark 9. Sixtly the sacrifices must be salted with salt so must our Christian sacrifices as our Saviour Christ shewes Mark 9.49 50. And thus we must have the salt of mortification and the salt of discretion and we must looke to it that our salt lose no his faltnes but that it have a draining power in it to extract corruption out of our sacrifices our words to God and men must bee powdred with salt Col. 4.6 and so must all our actions Seventhly the Sacrifices must bee without leaven Levit. 2 1â— Leaven in wickednes or malice or sowrenes or deadnes of heart or worldly griefe even whatsoever leaveneth that is infecteth or maketh the meat offring to be heavie or sowâ—e 1 Cor. 5.8 Eighthly in the same place of Leviticus 2.12 Hony likewise is forbidden to be mingled with their sacrifices and by bony may be meant our beloved sinnes or particular corruptions wee should especially watch against them in the time of 〈◊〉 of holy duties that they miâ—gle not themselves with our sacrifices by infecting our â—â—gitations Ninthly the offring must be waved and shaken to and fro before the Lord Levit. 7.3 And this signified the waving of our lips in praier to God for his acceptation our sacrifices should be soundly tossed to and fro in praier before the Lord Iob praied before he sacrificed Iob 42. Tenthly on the Sabbath the sacrifices were to be doubled to signify that in a special manner wee should consecrate our selves to piety and mercy on the Sabbath day Eleventhly our sacrifices must be offred upwith all gladnes of heart and spirituall delight Thus Gods people were said to bee a free-hearted and willing people Psal. 47.9 110.3 And this was shadowed out partly by the oilâ— that was poured into the meat offrings which is expounded to be the oile of gladnes and partly by the feast they made at the end of their solemne sacrifices unto which they invited their friends to joine with them in rejoicing before the Lord and it is likely David alludes to this feast when hee faith hee would take the cup of salvation and praise the name of the Lord For as yet the Lords Supper was not instituted nor do we read of any use of a cup in the sacrifices or Sacraments themselves Ex. 18.12 1 Chron. 16.1 2 3 4. Psal. 116.13 Twelfthly if we be called to it we must not deny unto God thâ—fat of the kidneis and the inwards By the fat was meant the things which are dearest to us most beloved and that most delight us and if the service of God and the Church and the poore require it we must deny our selves and sacrifice what is most deare to us Thirteenthly the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 13.13 addes that wee must not leave off well-doing for reproach sake but be contented to be like Christ who suffered without the gate as scorned of men and like the sacrifice was burnt without the campe Though all men hate us and speak evill of us and
an infallible assurance that there is a God or that there shall be a hell of wofull torments or the like but it should especially make us thinke of God with all reverence and be afraid to displease him for dominion and feare are ever with him Iob 25.2 This doctrine should make us resolute to goe our wayes and sinne no more the counsell of the wicked should be farre from us seeing he can thus put out their candle and make them drinke of the wrath of the Almighty Iob 21.17 20. Thirdly it should worke in all of us a care to use all meanes that we may be kept from despaire Quest. What then should we do that we fall not into despaire Answ. Some things are to be avoided some things are to be done If we would not fall into despaire First we must take heed of wilfull unbeliefe such as was in the Jewes when men not onely neglect the assurance of salvation brought by Christ but contemne it and strive to put all such cares out of their heads Secondly we must take heed of stumbling If men feele their hearts to bee insnared in respect of Christ and that they are tossed with vile objections c. let them looke to themselves and amend in time for if Christ be a stone of stumbling he may be a rocke of offence Thirdly we must take heed of security and contempt of the knowledge of God's waies Despaire will worke terribly when it lights upon 2 minde that hath contemned knowledge and lived in all ease and security Iob 21.1 to 20. Fourthly we must take heed of apostasie from the profession of the love of the truth for despaire is many times a wofull scourge to such kinde of creatures as the stories record and experience shewes Fifthly we must in generall take heed of all grosse and presumptuous sins especially the sinnes against the third sixt and seventh Commandements for usually these sinnes goe before in the desperation such as are swearing and cursing and perjury and murther and incest and whoredome c. The wicked flee when no man pursues them but the righteous are bold as a Lion Prov. 28.1 and 14.14 Now secondly there are other things which we must doe that wee may avoid despaire First we must not smother our doubts in matters of Religion especially in the cases of our conscience but take the paines to aske and seeke resolution else that which is but doubting at the first may prove to be despaire in the end Those lesser sores in mens hearts may fester and rankle within us till they prove to this great disease Secondly we must store our heads with the promises of the Gospell and those comfortable places of Scripture as may breed in us a full perswasion of Gods singular compassion and mercy towards all penitent sinners and withall do shew us that plentifull redemption in Jesus Christ and the marvellous efficacie of his blood to cleanse us from all our sinnes Thirdly we should above all things put on the shield of faith I meane we should use all diligence to get the assurance of Gods favour in Christ for assurance will preserve us safe from despaire For as unbeliefe brings it so faith preserves us from it Fourthly we should be carefull upon all occasions to keepe our assises and if wee bee endangered by any sinne wee should make haste to judge our selves that we be not condemned of the Lord. For the attendance upon this point maketh all safe whereas the long neglect of our daily sinnes without any humiliation for them may turne in the end to the pangs of some miserable despaire Use 4. Fourthly hence the godly may comfort themselves because Christ is to them a rocke to build on Mat. 16.2 rocke for refuge and safety Psal. 18.2 a rocke for shadow Esa. 32.2 And therefore let the Inhabitants of the earth sing Esa. 42.11 and withall if they consider how God sheweth them they should account their other afflictions but light in comparison of what falls upon wicked men Object But we reade that godly men have beene in despaire as David Iob and others Sol. It is true but yet there was ever great difference betweene the despaire of the godly and the wicked which I will briefly note First they differed in the causes The honours of the wicked proceeded from the curse of God whereas the sorrowes of the godly proceeded from his mercy Secondly they differed sometimes in the object for godly men despaire of themselves wicked men despaire of God It is a grace usuall in repentance to despaire of all happinesse from our selves but now wicked men are out of all hope of Gods mercy and helpe Thirdly they differ in the effects For Cain blasphemes God in his despaire and saith his punishment is greater than he can beare or his sinnes greater than can be forgiven but the godly give glory to God and account him alwaies just and good Againe wicked men rage and repent not but godly men bewaile their sinnes and cry mightily to God Rev. 16.9 10. Ier. 18.12 Wicked men bee in travell but they bring forth nothing but wind they are never the better when they come out of their affliction no though they poured out a prayer to God in the time of distresse Esa. 26.16 17 18. Thirdly the confidence of the wicked man is swept downe as the house of a spider they have no hope at all Iob 8.13 and 11. ult whereas godly men at the worst are supported with some kind of hope or perswasion of mercy and therefore usually they rather aske whether Gods mercy be cleane gone than say it is so Psalm 77. and they rather complaine that God hides himselfe from them than that God hateth them Psal. 88.15 Fourthly they differ in the measure too For God alwayes hath respect to the strength of his children to lay no more upon them than they are able to beare whereas hee respects the sinne of wicked men and regards it not though they cry out with Cain they cannot beare it Fifthly God gives issue out of the triall and returnes from his displeasure in a moment when he deales with the godly Esay 54. whereas wicked men can have no such hope Lastly seeing despaire is such a curse and is so farre from leading men to Christ that it makes them suffer shipwracke upon Christ Ministers and all others should take heed of driving the people upon any pretence into this kind of desperation let men be taught to despaire of themselves but never to despaire of God Hitherto of the kindes of punishments The causes follow first in themselves secondly in God In themselves it is their stumbling at the word and their disobedience To them which stumble at the Word There is a divers reading The old reading was thus To them that offend in the Word noting either in generall that Gods word or Christ doth not profit these men that were guilty of evill speaking and the grosse abuses of the tongue
or in particular it should note the sinnes of the stubborne Jewes who offended in word when they blasphemed Christ and denyed him But I rather take it as here it is translated and so it notes the causes why many men fall into scandall and from thence into despaire viz. because they bring ill hearts to the Word of God they have mindes that are rebellious and will not be subject to the Gospell but intertaine it with diseased and cavilling mindes Those persons are likely not to receive any good by Christ that quarrell at the word of Christ. Now that this may not be mistaken or neglected I will shew first what it is not to stumble at the Word leâ—t some weake ones should be dismayed then secondly how many waies wicked men stumble at the Word For the first To be grieved in heart for the reproofes of the Word is not an offence but a grace so wee are troubled not with dislike of the Word but of our owne sinnes Secondly to inquire of the truth and that which is delivered and to trie the doctrine by turning to the Scriptures as the Bereans did this is not condemned here nor is it a stumbling at the Word to put a difference betweene the teaching of Christ and the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees Secondly but men are said to be offended at the Word when their hearts rise against it or they ensnare themselves through their owne corruption by occasion of the Word To speake distinctly wicked men are offended at the Word with a threefold offence First with the offence of anger when they rage and fret at the Word or the teachers thereof because their sinnes are reproved or their miseries foretold And this offence they shew either when they envie the successe of the Word Acts. 4.2 or raile and revile Gods Saints as Ahab did Michaiah for telling him the truth or when they mocke at the Word as the Pharisees did Luk. 16.14 Secondly with the offence of scandall when they take occasion from the doctrine they heare to fall off from hearing or from the true religion or from the company of the godly Thus they stumbled at those hard sayings of Christ that departed from him for that cause or reason Ioh. 6. Thirdly with the offence diabolicall when men pervert the good word of God to inflame themselves the more greedily to sinne making it a doctrine of liberty or taking occasion to commit sin from the Law that rebukes sinne Uses The use may be first for information and so two wayes For first we may hence see the reason why many hearers profit not by the Word It is not because the Word wants power but because they stumble at it They nourish cavils and objections against it they oppose reason to faith Secondly we may hence take notice of the difference of a regenerate and unregenerate heart To the one the Word is a savour of life to the other it is a deadly savour and full of offence to them And withall this may humble wicked men For this is a sure truth that so long as they are offended at the Word so long they have no part in Christ and withall it may comfort all those that love the Word and receive it with joy constantly For that is a meanes and signe of their interest in Christ. Being disobedient These words containe another cause why Christ was no better rellished by them and why they found such an ill taste in the word of Christ it was the wickednesse that was in them Sinne had marred their tastes Sweete meates have but an ill rellish with those who have corrupt and diseased stomackes and the cause is apparent the ill humors in their stomackes and nothing in the meates they eate But of their disobedience before and therefore this shall suffice in this place And thus of the cause in themselves The cause in God followes Whereunto they were appointed There is much difference of the reading of the originall words in the translations Some read thus They stumble at the Word and beleeve not in him in whom they are placed or set and expound it thus In whom they live move and have their being some read in stead of disobedient They beleeved not but for these words read them as here But then their meaning is that the Jewes beleeved not though they were thereunto appointed that is though they had the promise of salvation and were a people separate thereunto and so it is an aggravation of their unbeliefe This sense and reading is not to be despised But I take it as I find it in the translation and so the sense is That these men whether Jews or Gentiles that are here spoken of were appointed to this misery by the decree of God and so they are words that expresse the substance of this part of Gods decree which Divines call Reprobation And so it is to bee observed from hence That wicked men are appointed from everlasting to the enduring of the miseries which are inflicted upon them in this life or in hell This is a doctrine which is extreamly distasted by flesh and blood and proves many times more offensive to the common people and is alwayes to be reckoned as strong meat and therefore that I may fairely get off this point I offer two things to your considerations First the proofes that plainly avouch so much as is here observed Secondly I will set downe certaine infallible observations which tend to quiet mens minds and perswade them against the seeming difficulty or absurdity of this truth For the first the Apostle Iude saith that the wicked men he treateth of were of old ordained to this condemnation Iude 4. and the Apostle Peter saith that the ungodly were reserved unto the day of judgement to bee punished 2 Pet. 2.9 and vers 12. he saith that they are naturall brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed and it is manifestly implied 1 Thess. 5.8 that God hath ordained wicked men to wrath so Rom. 9.22 For the second though this doctrine seeme wonderfull hard yet to assure us there is no hard dealing at all in God there be many things may confirme us and ease our mindes though for the present we cannot understand how this should be and perhaps are much troubled about this point and therefore seriously consider First for thy selfe that if thou have truly repented and doe beleeve in Jesus Christ and hast in thee the signes of a child of God for thy part thou art free from this danger and out of all question art in safe estate and therefore oughtest not to grieve but rejoyce with singular praise to God Secondly seeing God hath comforted us with many doctrines and trusted us with many cleere points of knowledge can we not be contented that God should speake darkely to us in one point especially when wee are told beforehand that there is an Abyssus a depth yea many depths in this doctrine Shall we bee wayward because
can resolve to suffer the extreamest things rather than forsake our innocency This makes men acknowledge the vertue of Christ in us Thirdly by the power of practice in our conversation and so to shew them forth is First to practise them to the life to make a cleere impression of them in our workes The word here rendred to shew forth signifieth to preach and so it may note that wee should practise those vertues so cleerly that our lives might be as so many Sermons upon the life of Christ. Secondly to practise them so as others may observe them and so it imports that upon all occasions in our conversations which are before other men we should be sure not to be wanting in those vertues when we are provoked to the contrary vices Quest. But may wee do things for the shew Is not that Hypocrisie and vaine glory forbidden unto Christians Answ. There are some vertues we can never offend that waies by shewing them as we can never shew too much wisedome we may be vain-glorious in too much shew of our knowledge we may offend in bringing our zeale too much to the shew but we can never shew too much true patience or meeknesse or moderation of mind Phil. 4.5 we may offend in making shew of divers duties of piety in the first table as almes prayer fasting Matt. 6. but those vertues here mentioned may on all occasions bee lawfully held out to the best shew But that I may expresse my selfe more distinctly outward shewes are then condemned as sinfull viz. First when sinfull things are shewed as carnall passions and railing in stead of true zeale Secondly when secret duties are done openly and for shew as when private prayer and fasting is so performed as that others may manifestly observe them Matt. 6. Thirdly when outward shewes are purposely affected affectation and hunting after applause is condemned Fourthly when care in lesser things is shewed and the care of greater things is manifestly neglected this hath grievous irritation in it and is Pharisaicall Matth. 23. Fifthly when the things shewed are done deceitfully such was the practise of Ananias and Sapphira Act. 5. Sixthly when men multiply the use of the meanes of holinesse but neglect the practice of it Esa. 1. Mich. 6. Seventhly when wee shew our gifts of purpose to the contempt and disgrace of others Rom. 12.16 Iam. 3.10 1 Cor. 8.3 The use briefly may be First for humiliation and so first unto ungodly men in the Church that professe the service of Christ and claime the priviledges of Christians and yet in stead of shewing forth the vertue of Christ shew forth the wickednesse of the divell by their lewd conversation causing the name of God to bee blasphemed by Papists and Atheists and all sorts of Heretickes and Sectaries by their whoredomes swearing malice drunkennesse and the lusts of their father the divell and those of all sorts These are they that carry Christ about in scorne to be derided of the enemies of the truth for when with their words they professe Christ by their workes they deny him themselves and cause him to be denied by others Were there not a remnant that beare the Image of Christ in sincerity who would ever imbrace a religion that were professed by men of sâ—ch wicked conversation Secondly it should exceedingly humble scandalous proâ—essers that would have the world thinke better of them than of the former sort anâ— yet become grievous to men by their vile offences Thirdly unfruitfull Christians which lie in a continuall barrennesse whose ground is alwayes fallow have but little consolation from hence for though they are better than the former in that they are not openly wicked yet they fall short of their duty here because they do not more effectually shew forth the graces of Christ. And that there may bee a healing of this error they must amend first their ignorance and pray to God to teach them to profit secondly their slothfulnesse rowzing up themselves to more zeale of good workes and care to answer the opportunities of well doing Use 2. Secondly for instruction All that love the Lord Jesus should hence be perswaded to increase in all care of well-doing and study how to shew forth the light of their workes before men and the rather because First they have received such singular mercy from the Lord. Secondly they shallhereby glorifie their heavenly father and make religion to be well spoken of Phil. 2.15,16 2 Thess. 3.21 and put to silence the ignorance of the foolish we should be as tender of the honour of our profession as of our owne honour Thirdly they shall hereby wonderfully establish their owne hearts in the assurance of their calling and election 1 Ioh. 1.5,6 2 Pet. 1.5 to 10. and much increase their owne contentment and joy in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 Fourthly they shall have a full and plentifull reward in the day of the Lord Rom. 2.7,8,9,10,11 Fifthly the hearts of their teachers shall be hereby filled with joy when they see they have not laboured in vaine Phil. 2.16.2 Cor. 3.1,2,3 Of him that c. In the third place it may be here considered of why those vertues shewed forth by Christians are yet called the vertues of Christ. For answer whereunto we may be enformed that they are the vertues of Christ in divers respects First because they are such vertues as are had onely by such as bee in Christ by effectuall calling for all the wicked are strangers from the life of God Secondly because they are received from the Spirit of Christ of his fulnesse we have all received these graces Ioh. 1.14 Eph. 1.21 Thirdly because they are shewed forth for his glory All our gifts and services are devoted to the glory of Christ as they are in him so they are for him Lastly I thinke they may bee called the vertues of Christ because they resemble his vertues as the picture of a man is called by the name of the man himselfe And the consideration hereof should the more incite us to the care of these vertues seeing wee are here to follow no worse a patterne than the example of the Lord Jesus himselfe and withall we should be the more humble when we have had and done all we can seeing we have nothing but what wee have received And since all should bee for his glory we have reason to say at the best Wee are unprofitable servants And withall it should comfort us against the sense of our infirmities to consider how weake soever wee have beene yet our gifts are acknowledged for the vertues of Christ himselfe and by the benefit of Christs intercession are accepted of God as if they had been found in the person of Christ himselfe Thus of the third point He that hath called you The fourth thing to be noted is this Periphrasis here given of Christ. Instead of saying the vertues of Christ hee saith the vertues of him that called you which he doth of
of some Rom. 11.25 30 31. For the wind blowes where it 〈◊〉 and the spirit of Christ workes where and when it pleaseth him Iob. 3. and we have nothing but what we have received Secondly we should be exceeding thankfull to God for his rich grace in our calling and the rather First because this is no common favour but in speciall grace communicated to us For no man commeth but whom the Father draweth Secondly because it was done without respect of our owne workes without all desert on our part 2 Tim. 1.9 For God called us that were worldly carnall naturall and sinfull men strangers from the life of God dead in sins serving lusts and diverse pleasures yea such as never sought God wee were miserable sinners Ephes. 2.1 12. Mat. 13. Thirdly because of the meanes and manner of our calling God the Father worketh his part and I worke saith our Saviour An excellent worke when such workmen are needfull to it and in this worke the ministration of the Spirit exceeds in glory 2 Cor. 3.7 8. and it is a holy calling wherewith he hath called us 2 Tim. 1.9 Fourthly because they are so great happinesses to which he hath called us As to the fellowship of his Sonne to be sons and heires with him 1 Cor. 1.7 and to a Kingdome and so great glory 1 Thess. 2.12 2 Thess. 2.14 Fifthly because Gods gifts and calling are without repentance Hee will never repent that hee hath so called us Rom. 11.29 Esa. 54.7 8 9 10. Iam. 1.17 And thus of the second way by which we should shew our selves desirous to walke worthy of our calling Thirdly we should shew this by well doing wee must be carefull to maintaine good workes Tit. 3.8 For we were called that we might serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life Luk. 1.74 75. Fourthly we should therefore live contentedly when wee are assured of the worke of Christ in calling us with such a calling Iacob should not now be ashamed nor his face waxe pale Esa. 29.23 24. Fifthly we should in our particular be carefull to rest where we are in the doctrine we have learned and beene taught and not bee carried about with every wind of doctrine Eph. 4.11 12 14. Thus as the uses are common to the godly in generall Thirdly Ministers in particular from the consideration of this doctrine of our calling by Jesus Christ should learne to preach Christ and him crucified and to deny the excellencie of wisedome or words that mens faith may bee in the power of Christ It is Christ must give them increase they should learn of Paul 1 Cor. 2.2 4 5. One thing by the way I might note concerning the time of our calling we should not bee curious about that to know the day or houre when it was but we must rest satisfied to know that we are the called of Jesus Christ. And thus of the uses for instruction Use 3. Hence also may be concluded much terrour to wicked men that are not called in that this worke of calling is the doore of all grace communicated to us Now wicked men not called are of two sorts first some outwardly refuse their calling secondly some seeme to obey it but it is not effectually both are in miserable case but not both alike For the later are neere the Kingdome of God many times The first sort resist the Holy Ghost put the Word of Christ from them refuse to answer or obey reject the counsell of God harden their hearts and are therefore extreamly miserable for First they judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life Act. 13.46 Secondly they are in danger to be left and forsaken of God and have the meanes taken from them Ioh. 12.39 Thirdly God will provoke them many times to jealousie by calling a people to himselfe whom they account foolish Rom. 10.19 especially when they have rebelled against the meanes Ezek. 3.6 7. Fourthly God will laugh at the calamity of such men Prov. 1.26 Fifthly and they may be taken away with sudden destruction Prov. 1.17 Sixthly if they call to God it may be hee will not answer hereafter Pro. 1.28 29 30. Seventhly if they live in prosperity that shall destroy them Prov. 1.31 Eightly the dust of the feet of Gods servants shall witnesse against them in the day of Christ and then they shall be fearfully punished Mat. 10. Now there are another sort of wicked men that are called externally and in some respect internally too and yet are not right such as have temporary grace doe obey their calling after a sort and for a time for they assent unto a part of the Word of God which they receive with joy and this is called a taste of the good word of God they may also bee perswaded to leave divers sinnes as Herod was and may bee indued with divers graces of the Spirit which they had not before Heb. 6.4 5. Now this calling yet is not that effectuall inward calling which is in Gods Elect. For they receive not the promise of grace in Christ to them in particular to relie upon it not are they perswaded to forsake all sinne noâ— have they any one saving grace which is in the godly Now these men are miserable because they are not truly called and the more first because they were neere the Kingdome of God and yet want it secondly because they will be the hardlier drawne to see their miseries Harlots and Publicanes may enter into the Kingdome of heaven before them Hitherto of our calling and so of the positive description of the happinesse of a Christian the comparative followes in the last words of this verse and the whole 10. vers where the Apostle intends to shew them their happinesse now in Christ in comparison of that miserable estate they lived in before so that hee compares the estate of a Christian in grace with the estate of a Christian in nature and this hee doth first in metaphoricall termes in the end of this verse and then in plaine words vers 10. In this verse he compares their misery to darknesse and their happinesse to marvellous light Out of darknesse From the generall consideration of all the words two things may be observed First that it is 〈◊〉 even for godly men to bee put in mind of the miseâ—ie 〈…〉 For the consideration hereof may First keepe them humble to remember how vile they have beene Secondly quicken them to the reformation of the sinne that yet hangs upon them Col. 3.5 6 7 8. Thirdly worke compassion in them towards others that lie yet in their sins and teach them to deale meekly with them Tit. 3.2 3. Fourthly make them more watchfull to looke on a nature which hath beene so vile Fifthly quicken them to redeeme the time they have spent in the service of sinne 1 Pet. 4.3 Sixthly it should 〈◊〉 the greater price upon our happinesse in Christ and so is the consideration used here Secondly that a mind that
hearts Ier. 7.23 24. 13.10 especially such as refuse to heare his voyce and are withall gainsayers and such as are talkers whose lips carry about them the infamy of Gods true people and the blasphemie of Gods name Rom. 10.21 Ier. 10.13 Ezek. 36.3 c. Thirdly it may be discerned by their manner of serving of God for such as God rejects from being of his people may draw neere to him with their lips but their hearts are farre from him and they do him no service but as mens lawes feare them to it A constant habituall alienation of the heart from the care of Gods presence in Gods ordinances is a sure signe of persons God regards not Ob. But there are faults in the best men in the world and therefore why should such as live in the Church and professe the true Religion bee cast off only for living in sinne seeing all are sinners Sol. I answer with the words of the holy Ghost Deut. 32.5 6. Their spot is not the spot of Gods people that spot that is in the wicked is a spot of leprosie and therfore they ought to be put without the campe till they be cleansed The sinnes of the godly are sinnes of infirmitie and the sinnes of the wicked are sinnes of presumption The wicked never obey from the heart which all the godly doe sinne doth not raigne in them as it doth in the wicked Thus of their estate by Nature as they were not a people their estate by grace is described in these words Are now the people of God Are now the people of God The difference of reading here from that of the Prophet is to be noted for whereas in the Prophet it is thus In the place where it was said ye are not my people it shall be said unto them Ye are the sonnes of the living God which words are somewhat doubtfull for some might gather that therefore all which were not a people should in time be the people of God The Apostle therefore applies it so as that it may appeare that the comfort only belongs to godly Christians and in stead of the words Yee shall be called the sons of the living God he saith Yee are now the people of God which in sense differs not and the Apostle leapeth to the direct Antithesis and takes it for granted That all Gods people are Gods sonnes also unlesse wee conceive that hee borrowed these words out of Hos. 2. ult which I rather incline unto though Interpreters most take to the words and the first Chapter Ye are now the people of God For the sense of the words we must understand that men are in Scripture said to be Gods people three wayes First in respect of eternall Predestination see Rom. 11.2 He will not cast off the people he knew before Secondly in respect of the covenant in the the Law and so the sonnes of Abraham were Gods people and none other as many Scriptures shew Thirdly in respect of the covenant in the Gospel and so it is to be taken here and all unregenerate men were not a people and all that beleeve are Gods people by the benefit of the covenant of grace in the Gospel Now for the coherence I might note That they that are not the people of God may be the people of God and so acknowledged of God himselfe which should teach us with meeknesse and patience to waite when God will turne those that lie in their sinnes and despaire of no man and restraine fierce and perverse censures concerning the finall estate of other men but the maine point is that Gods people are the onely people in the world None worthy to be called a people in comparison of them no subject in any government so happy as Gods people under his government in Christ and therefore to be made the people of God here is reckoned as a condition beyond all comparison Now that Gods people excell all other subjects in the world may appeare many wayes First in respect of the love of God that hee beares to his people which hath foure matchlesse praises that no King on earth can affoord to his subjects For first it is an everlasting love when all the favour of the Princes on earth is both mutable and mortall Secondly it is a particular love to each subject All the people are loved and by name Deut. 33.3 the Lord counteth when he reckons his people hee was become their God Psalm 87.5 6. Thirdly it is a free love there was no desert in us whereas Princes looke at somewhat that may pleasure themselves even where desert is lesse Fourthly it is a tender Love and therefore Gods people are said to be married to their King and God Hosh. 2.19 and therefore God is said to account his people to be his Portion Deut. 32.9 Secondly they are an elect people which hath a twofold consideration in it For first they are elect from all eternity and so every one of the people hath a particular act of Parliament to assure his right Rom. 11.2 and secondly they are elect in time that is they are separated and culled out of all the people of the world Exod. 33.6 Thirdly all Gods people have a generall pardon given them for all offences Ierem. 31.34 He saves his people from their sinnes And this pardon is grounded upon a sufficient atonement made by a most faithfull high Priest for them Heb. 2.17 who also sanctified all this people with his owne blood Heb. 13.12 Christ is given for covenant he is their surety for them and their witnesse Esa. 42.6 55.5 who also redeemed them with his blood All a people of purchase Fourthly all Gods people are qualified with new gifts above all the people in the world their natures be amended they are all washed and cleansed from their filthinesse there is not one vile person amongst them Ezek. 36.25 and 37.23 c. Hee hath formed them for himselfe and his owne service Esa. 43.22 Fifthly all Gods subjects are adopted to bee Gods sonnes and so can no Prince on earth say of his They are as it were the fruit of his wombe Psal. 110.3 Sixthly the Lawes by which they are governed are the perfectest in the whole world For the Law of God is perfect Psal. 119.8 Seventhly all Gods people live in his presence and see his glory Exod. 33.16 Levit. 26.11 12. Zac. 1.10 11. Psal. 95.7 Other Kings have many subjects they never saw and few that have the preferment to live in the Kings presence or neere about him Eighthly God feasts all his subjects and that often and in his owne presence and with the best provision of the world Esa. 25.8 and 65.13 14. Ier. 31.14 Kings would soone consume their treasure if they should do it often or almost once c. Ninthly no people so graced of their King in hearing requests and receiving petitions For all Gods people may cry and be heard and at all times and in all suits which
this is the divels speciall sinne to bee an accuser of the brethren and from thence hath his name in other languages And wilt thou make a devill of thy selfe or discover such a divellish property in this nature Fourthly if they consider the effect of this sin of reproaching slandering the godly either to the godly or to themselves First to the godly what mischiefe do they Evill words are compared to swords and razors It is a kind of murther it is as hatefull as if they did cut or pierce their bodies and besides to what grievous contempts and indignities many times doest thou bring them by thy lies and slanders Secondly to thy seâ—f consider what thou bringst by speaking evil of the godly 1. Though thou doe it never so secretly behind their backes yet it is over-heard and will come out how wouldest thou be ashamed if hee of whom thou speakest stood behind thee when thou didst slander him O man consider though the godly man never heare thee yet God doth heare it and all thou sayest thou must beare thy shame for it 2. Observe what interpretation God makes of it he cals this sin blasphemy for so the word is in the originall Col. 3.8 to note thereby that hee is vexed at this sinne of vilifying his people as if it were the reproaching of himselfe 3. Consider what a shame it will be to thee when God shall cleare the innocency of his servants how wilt thou be confounded when they are justified 4. Consider what hurt it doth thy self and others it is a great means to set you further off from the Kingdome of God and to harden your hearts against the cares of your owne reformation and salvation Evill words corrupt good manners Thou losest so much even of naturall honesty as thou admittest of evill in thy tongue 5. Consider the punishment from the Lord. This is a sinne that God hath grievously threatned as these places shew Psal. 50.20 and 109.29 Esay 51. 18. Psal. 31.18 Esay 41.11 12.1 Pet. 4.4 5. And as it is evill to speak evill of those that are godly as it appears by these reasons so it is monstrous to be guilty of speaking evill in any of the cases following as 1. To speak evill of the absent that cannot defend themselves 2. To speak evill of such as God hath humbled and afflicted and doe judge themselves for their sinnes 3. To speak evill of such as have been friendly to us and shewed their loving respect of us and done us good 4. To speak evill of our superiours as godly Magistrates good Ministers 5. To speak evill of such as are neerly linked unto us as of our parents and so it is monstrous uncomely when wives speak evill of their husbands and contrariwise 6. To speak evill of any simply for godliness sake 7. To speak evill of others and yet be guilty of the same offences themselves 8. And so it is monstrous when men speak evill of such behinde their backs to whom they speak fair before their faces this hooding of hatred and cursing with lying lips is abominable So then this doctrine against evill-speaking doth in a speciall manner light upon such persons as are guilty of any of those waies of evil-speaking And thus of the uses that concerne wicked men Secondly godly men bee also instructed from hence For since this doctrine tells them that it hath been the lot of godly men in all ages to bee evill spoken of in all places where they live they should thereby bee made carefull to order themselves aright in bearing reproaches in a right manner as resolved to prepare for the triall of this affliction if they be not scourged with it for as the divell when he gave over to tempt Christ is said to cease but for a season so if wicked men hold their tongues we must not think they will be quiet alwaies for till God turn their hearts they are apt to speak evill Now that a godly man may be rightly ordered in respect of reproaches hee must look to three things First he must be sure he be free from this evill himselfe that hee help not the wicked against the righteous and by his owne intemperance raise evill fames by reason of which Religion is evill-spoken of for railing cursing slandering censuring and the like will make the very godly look like wicked ones yea like the divell himselfe Shall it be accounted a Paganish offence and shall a godly Christian bee guilty of it Especially such Christians should be extremely abased for their evill natures that raise evill reports of other Christians in cases where wicked men themselves are silent Secondly that he carry himselfe in a holy manner when he is reproached and so he must remember two things 1. That hee render not reviling for reviling but if he find himselfe stirred with David to go to God and betake himself to praier Psal. 109.4.1 Pet. 3.9 2. That he strive to confute them by reall apologies and so he doth if hee endeavour to put them to silence by his good works and a carefull course of conversation Thirdly because the godliest men may have their passions and may bee stirred up with such indignations as appeares Ier. 8.18 21 he must labour to sense his owne heart with store of arguments that may make him patient comfortable under this crosse and thus it should comfort him to consider 1. That no reproaches can make him vile in God's sight how vile soever he seem to bee unto men yet in God's eyes he is honourable Esay 43.4 2. That thou art but as an evill doer not an evill doer It is not miserable To be as an evill doer but it is miserable To be an evill doer 2. Cor. 6.8 9. 3. This is not to resist unto bloud Heb. 12.3 This is a farre lesse crosse than hath been laid upon many of the best servants of God they have lost their lives in the defence of pure Religion 4. That howsoever it go with thee in this life yet in the Day of Jesus Christ thy innocencie shall bee cleared and thy faith and sincerity shall bee found unto praise and honour and glorie thou shalt have aboundant praise in that Day 1. Pet. 1.7 Thus of the use that concernes either wicked men or godly men There is yet a use that concerns all men and that is To take heed oâ— receiving evill reports against the godly for seeing it is so usuall for ill-minded men to devise and divulge evill reports of them all men should be wary and take heed of receiving the evill speeches that are bruited or spoken of any in the businesse of godlinesse The receiving of false reports is forbidden in Scripture as well as the devising or divulging of them Exod. 23.1 And it is made a signe of a wicked disposition To give heed to false lips and that man is himselfe a lyar that harkneth to a naughty tongue Pro. 17.4 And therefore God will plague in hell
men especially about doubtfull or indifferent actions of men 1 Cor. 5.10 Iam. â— 17 2. To shew all meeknesse and gentlenesse to all men striving to bee soft and amiable in all their occasions of conversing Tit. 3.1 2. Iam. 3.17 studying to be quiet and to meddle with their owne businesse 1 Thess. 4.12 following peace towards all men Heb. 12.14 Rom. 12.19 Onely in this generall respective behaviour towards all sorts of men Christians must looke to two rules First the one is that they never justifie the wicked nor condemne the righteous Prov. 17.15 Secondly the other is that by needlesse society they make not themselves companions with open evill doers Psal. 1.1 Love the Brother-hood The second thing requisite to the framing of a complete citizen or subject is the soundnesse of his affection or carriage towards such as bee religious in the Common-weale where he lives The brother-hood is the society or company of so many as are true Christians in the place of a mans aboad or acquaintance that which is required is that howsoever wee should shew a generall respect of all sorts of men to carry our selves fairely towards them yet we should in a speciall manner set our love upon such as bee religious persons and should shew upon all occasions that wee doe honour and affect them as heartily and as tenderly as if they were our very brethren in the flesh or rather more stricter in that they are allied unto us in a far greater and better bond than that naturall consanguinity This is that which is also earnestly required and urged in other Scriptures as Rom. 10.12 Heb. 13.1 1 Pet. 1.22 Ioh. 13.34 Ephes. 2.5 Now this love to the godly of our acquaintance wee should shew divers wayes First by making choice of them as the onely companions of our lives Phil. 1.5 All our delight should bee in them Psal. 16.3 And so wee should receive them and intreat them as Christ received us to glory that is freely and with all heartinesse of affection thinking nothing too deare for them Rom. 15.7 1 Pet. 4.9 This is the noblest kinde of hospitality no fellowship like the brotherly society of true Christians so it bee without dissimulation and constant Rom. 12.10 1 Pet. 4.5 Secondly by imploying our gifts the best that we can for their good 1 Pet. 4.10 Now our gifts are either spirituall or outward gifts First spirituall gifts are knowledge utterance prayer or the like Now these are given to profit withall not our selves onely but others 1 Cor. 12. Thus Christians should help others with what they have learned when they meet together Prov. 15.7 1 Cor. 14.26 Col. 3.16 And thus they must help one another by prayer whether they be absent or present 2 Cor. 1.11 Secondly outward gifts are riches friends authority and the like and these should be imployed especially for the good of the brethren Psal. 16.3 Gal. 6.10 Phil. 2.4 And all this we should doe with all faithfulnesse 3 Ioh. 3.5 and with all compassion putting under our shoulders to beare their burthens Gal. 2.6 Now their burthens are either inward temptations or outward afflictions in both these we should help to beare their burthens If they bee burthened with infirmities or temptations wee should beare their burthens by laying their griefes to our hearts and by striving to comfort them and if their sorrows be for wrongs done us we should let them see how easily we can forgive them If it bee outward afflictions that burthen them we beare their burthens when wee sorrow with them that sorrow and are ready to the uttermost of our power to advise them or releeve and help them Thirdly wee should shew our speciall love to them by striving together with them in the cause and quarrell of Religion striving by all meanes to bee of one opinion and affection with them in matters of Religion and to the uttermost of our power to defend them by word and deed according to our callings and occasions Phil. 1.27 1 Cor. 1.10 Phil. 2.3 Uses The use may be first for the discovery of the notable wickednesse of multitudes of Christians that are so farre from loving godly men in the places where they live that of all other men they most dislike them and shew it by reproaching them by traducing them by avoyding their society by divers hatreds of them and by many injurious causes against them And this is the condition of multitudes of Christians that imbrace any fellowship with other sorts of men though never so vile and stand in direct opposition to the godly yea so blinde are the most that they almost thinke they doe God good service if they could rid the countrey of them Esay 65.5 The misery of such men is manifestly described in divers Scriptures and by this signe they are discovered to be no Christians indeed 1 Ioh. 2.9 but rather of the race of Cain or Ismael 1 Ioh. 3.20 Gal. 4.29 and therefore most hatefull to God 1 Ioh. 3.15 Secondly we may hence gather a signe of such as are in the state of salvation actually For if we love the brother-hood we shall be saved as the Apostle is peremptory 1 Ioh. 3.14 and the more apparent will be the signe if we love all the godly and for godlinesse sake both which the word brotherhood imports Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly I might hence observe also that all the godly are brethren and so they are in divers respects First in respect of profession they have all one faith and weare one and the same livery of Baptisme and serve all one Lord Ephes. 4.4 Secondly they have all one Father Mat. 2.10 one God begate them Thirdly they have all one mother the Church Fourthly they must needs be brethren they are so like one another they are all fashioned in the image of God and are all like the Father Use. 1. The use should be first for instruction and so to teach Christians to take heed of judging and censuring one another Rom. 14.10 of offending and grieving one another Rom. 14.13 21. of contentions and schisme one from another 1 Cor. 1.10 of going to law one with another 1 Cor. 6.1 2 c. to verse 8. of coozening and defrauding one another 1 Thess. 4.6 of accepting of persons to preferre a rich man before a poore beleever Iam. 2.1 2. of detracting one from another or grudging or complaining one of another Iam. 4.11 so also Matth. 23.8 of all dissimulation and guilefull courses Rom. 12.9 All these things ought to bee avoided in our carriage toward godly men because they are our brethren Have wee not all one Father why then doe we transgresse even more against our brethren Thus Mal. 2.10 And secondly it should teach us divers things to be done or sought after as for instance 1. It should teach us unity to live together with all concord because we are brethren For how comely a thing is it for brethren to live together in
husbandman that his land beare no thornes not briers not weeds if it beare him not good graine It is not enough for a servant that he do his Master no hurt but he must â—ee to it that he do his Masters worke For first obedience and good fruits are required at our hands in the Law of God besides the prohibition of sinne Secondly Christ dyed to this end that we might live righteously as well as die to sinne Thirdly because all the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on us in our regeneration are given to profit withall not to lay them up in a napkin 1 Cor. 12. Fourthly because we shall be judged at the last day according to our works Rom. 2.6 Use. And therefore this shewes the dangerous folly of such carnall people as think if they come to Church and live civilly and doe nobody no wrong they are out of all question in a right course And besides it should awake carelesse and sluggish Christians to look to their gifts and remember what accounts they will give to God for their unprofitablenesse and unfruitfulnesse 2 Pet. 1.8 Doct. 3. It is from hence evident that the only living is to live righteously He is worthy to be sayd to live that lives to righteousnesse a religious life is the best life And these are the reasons First because it is the most honorable life For to live to righteousnesse makes a man highly in the favour of God Psa. 11.7 Prov. 15.9 and it shewes that a man is borne of God 1 Ioh. 2.29 and besides it helps a man to the best and most blessed memoriall Prov. 10.7 and the fruits of righteousnesse are the best means of glorifying God Phil. 1.11 And therefore Salomon sayd well that the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Pro. 12.26 And David saith They are the only excellent Ones Ps. 16. whereas every wicked man is lothsome and a sinfull life is a shamefull life Prov. 1â— 5 c. 14.34 Secondly because it is the most profitable life and the most gainfull for blessings are upon the head of the righteous Pro. 10.6 The wicked worketh a deceitâ—ull work but to him that â—oweth righteousnes shall be a sure reward Pro. 11.18 And righteousnesse is both the best riches and the most durable Pro. 8.18 19 20. And it hath the promise of this life as well as the life to come 1 Tim. 6. Iob 8 6. And the profit of righteousnesse will help a man when he is to die when the treasures of the wicked will profit nothing Pro. 10.2 Yea a good man lacketh not an inheritance for his childrens children and the wealth of the sinner is many times layd up for the juit Thi rely because it is the safest and quietest life Hee that walketh uprightly walketh surely Prov. 10.19 and the fruit of righteousnesse is peace Iam. 3.18 For Gods promise is that no evill shall happen to the just whereas the wicked shall be filled with mischiefe Pro. 12.21 And Gods blessing makes them rich and he mingles no sorrow with it Pro. 10.21 and 15.6 And righteousnesse is reckoned as an impenetrable aâ—mour 2 Cor. â— 7 And God doth marke every one that doth righteousnesse and solaceth his heart Esay 64.5 And the very doing of good is sweetnesse to the â—ouâ—e Pro. 13.19 And whereas there is no peace to the wicked the righteous is at peace with God with Angels with the creatures and with all godly men Fourthly because it is the most durable life for the feare of the Lord prolongeth the dayes but the yeeres of the wicked shall be shortned Pro. 10. 27.30 The way of righteousnesse is life and in the path-way thereof is no death Pro. 12.28 As a whirl-winde so is the wicked seene no more but the righteous is an everlasting foundation Prov. 10.25 Fiftly because it is a life that ends the best of all mens lives for the wicked is driven away in his wickednesse but the righteous hath hope in his death and great hope too having the promises of a better life and so much glory as the eye of mortall man never saw nor eare of man heard nor came into the heart of a naturall man Pro. 14.32 1 Tim. 6. 1 Cor. 2.9 Sixtly because righteousnesse is more proper to the soule What is riches or honour or any outward thing to the soule of man or what shall it profit a man to provide the whole world to be his estate if hee provide not grace for his soule Riches profit but the outward estates of a man whereas righteousnesse profits the man himselfe And therefore Adams losse was greater in losing his innocency than in losing of Paradise What can it profit a man to have all other things good about him if he be not good himselfe Use. The Use should be first for triall Men should throughly search themselves whether they be indeed righteous men and the more carefully should they search because the most righteous on earth have their many ignorances and frailties There is no man but sinneth daily and in many things And besides a man may attaine to some kinde of righteousnesse and yet not enter into the Kingdome of heaven as there is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet are not cleansed from their sins And the Pharisees had a righteousnesse that had many praises they gave almes and fasted and prayed long prayers and did that which was warrantable in respect of the Law outwardly and yet if our righteousnesse exceed not the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees we cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven Quest. But how may a man know all his infirmities notwithstanding he be truely righteous and have such a righteousnesse as doth exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees Ans. For answer hereunto I will cast the signes of a righteous man into two rankes First such as describe him in himselfe secondly such as describe him in the difference from Pharisaicall righteousnesse The signes that describe him in himselfe either appeare upon him in his infancy or in his ripe age In the very infancy of the just man even when God first changeth his heart and cleanseth him and raiseth him up to live righteously there be divers things by which he may discerne the truth of his sanctification as First by the dissolving of the stoninesse of his heart When God comes effectually to cleanse a man he takes away the stony heart out of the body and gives him a heart of flesh he may feele his heart melt within him especially when he stands before the Lord when the Lord is fashioning of him for himselfe by his Ordinances Ezek. 36.25 26. He hath a new heart that hath not a stony heart Secondly by the rising of the day-starre in his heart The Father of lights when he renueth the heart of a man causeth a sudden and heavenly light as it were a starre to shine in the understanding by vertue of which men see more into
our faces toward Zion Ier. 51.4 5. Hosh. 14.2 3. 2 Chron. 6.24 37. Ierem. 3.13 Ioel 2.12 Thirdly we must order our wayes to a generall reformation The Prophet complaines that they would not frame their doings to turne to the Lord importing there can be no returning to God unlesse men cast their courses into a frame of reformation Hos. 5.4 Men must amend their doings and their workes Ier. 35.15 Fourthly we must returne in sincerity and that hath divers things considerable for 1. We must returne with our whole hearts nor fainedly Ier. 3.7 2 Chron. 6.38 our very faces must be turned from so much as looking after our abominations Ezek. 14.6 2. We must returne from our owne evill wayes every man from his way note it from his way that is from those courses in which he hath specially offended Iames 3.8 Esay 55.7 the wicked must forsake his way 3. WE must forsake not only outward sins but inward sins also we must reforme the wandring of our hearts as well as our lives the unrighteous must forsake his very thoughts Esay 55.7 and put downe the very Idols of his heart Ezek. 14.7 4. We must turne from all our transgressions It is not enough to forsake sin as some outward or inward sins but we must forsake all sorts of sins Ezek. 18.30 5. We must returne with resolution never to start backe we must not be like a deceitfull bow Hos. 7.16 Fiftly we must so returne as we must consecrate our selves to God to wait upon him continually Hos. 12.6 and to â—erve the true and living God 1 Thes. 1.9 and to doe workes meet for repentance Acts 26.20 The ninth point is the signes of returning or how we may trie whether we be effectually returned and that may be partly gathered by some of the points before and partly by some other things may be added He that is truely turned may know it First by the cause of his returning It was somewhat above his own power or disposition It was God that turned him by his Word neither did hee turne out of despaire as Iudas did but faith in God and perswation of Gods goodnesse in Christ made him returne He feares God and his goodnesse Secondly by the manner of his returning For if he returne in the manner before mentioned he needs not doubt the truth of his repentance especially if he be sure to have no hypocriticall or carnall ends of his reformation and that he doe desire to returne from all his transgressions making conscience of the least Commandement of God as well as the greatest and of secret sins as well as open and of the evill that leaves to his best workes Esay 1.16 Thirdly by the fruits of repentance of returning and so he may comfort himselfe 1. If he esteeme Christs pasture above all worldly things finding the sweetest savour in the Word of all things in this life Psalm 19. and 119. 2 Cor. 2. 2. If he have a mind to know God that he find that out of habituall disposition he have an earnest desire to know God and to be knowne of him Ier. 24.7 he will follow on to know the Lord Hos. 6.3 3. If he doe distinguish betweene the precious and the vile Ier. 15.19 and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Mal. 3.18 esteeming godly men to be the onely wise men Luke 1.17 4. If he be carefull to put iniquity far from his Tabernacle if he be carefull to reforme his house and cannot abide to dwell where sin dwels unreformed Iob 22.23 5. If he become as a little childe for humility and trust upon God for all things necessary as the little child trusts upon his father for diet clothes inheritance preferment c. without any doubting or carking care 6. If he be earnest with God to heale his nature and to perfect his worke Esay 19.22 Ier. 31.18 19. He prayes and that earnestly for the mending of his disposition to wander 7. If he be profitable according to his bignesse and pasture if he be full of mercy and good fruit if he be zealous of good workes These be things meet for repentance that is things that be of equall weight with it in the scales they each of them weigh just as much as repentance The last point is what should be the reason that men have so little minde to returne they will not be driven home againe though they know that they live sinfully and heare of Gods wrath and discerne vanity in all their pleasures and that sin hath usually proved it selfe to be a lie and that they are in danger of strange punishments and of eternall torment What I say should be the lets of returning or rather the causes that they minde not to returne Answ. The causes are First the Divell is the cause he hath blinded their eyes and workes effecâ—ually in them and leads them wandring and captive at his will 2 Cor. 4.3 Ephes. 2.2 2 Tim. 2.26 Secondly impotency of consideration is the cause they neither can nor doe thinke of the arguments should make them to returne or move them they cannot spend an houre in the consultations upon it whether they doe well not to returne Thirdly ignorance of the glory of Religion and the Kingdome of Jesus Christ Col. 1.26 there is a vaile upon their hearts 2 Cor. 3. Fourthly opinion that it is dishonour and shame to return this makes divers continue in erroneous and humorous conceits or in fantasticall conformity to the wicked yea the very excuses of sinning because they feare they shall be vilified laughed at and censured for it Fiftly expectation to have their particular courses to be proved to be sins Thus doe almost all men in their times persist in their sins under the coverture of this question Who can prove them to be sinners Thus scapes usury excesse and vanity of apparell excesse likewise in drinking of healths till the wine inflame them swearing prophanation of the Sabbath c. being willingly ignorant of this that God hath condemned sin in the generall in Scripture and layes it to men to looke unto it that they fall not into his hands for transgressing and if they doubt they must be ruled by their teachers Sixtly forgetfulnesse of their latter end Therefore is their iniquity in their skirts still because they remember not their last end for both the terrour of that day and the shortnesse of their life and the judements they would meet with of those things if they were to die would fright them out of those courses But they will not apply their hearts to wisedome because they cannot remember their dayes Lam. 1.9 Psal. 90.12 Seventhly evill teachers are a great hinderance for they strengthen the hands of the wicked and by preaching peace perswade them they are in no danger Ier. 23.14 Ezek. 13.22 Eighthly in some there is a very spirit of fornication in the midst of them they
thing he would have kept safe Secondly seeing he is the Bishop of our soules we should learne not to give to any man above what is written seeing they are but stewards of his graces and servants under him Thirdly we should especially strive to be such as Christ may take the charge of us and may prove that we belong to his charge If we be of Christs charge then first we must heare his voice all our dayes with great attention and affection His sheepe heare his voice and the voice of a stranger they will not heare Iohn 16. Secondly we must be sure we have returned and repented us of our former wandrings else he is not the Bishop of our soules Thirdly we must resolve all our dayes to obey him that is thus declared to have the over-sight of us and be ruled by such messengers as he sends unto us in his name Bishops also and Ministers should here learne to know what a good worke it is to have the charge of soules under Christ and accordingly carry themselves with all faithfulnesse and diligence and justice and humility not Lording it over Gods heritage but as such as give account unto the chiefe Bishop at his comming 1 Pet. 5.2 3. 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. and 3.1 They are but Christs Curates Lastly woe to such as are complained of to this Bishop there will be no escaping he will not be corrupted they may escape the punishment of earthly Bishops but they shall never escape the punishment of this heavenly Bishop Matth. 3.5 FINIS SERMONS UPON PART OF THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE FIRST Epistle of St. PETER Being the last that were preached by the late faithfull and painefull Minister of Gods Word Nicolas Byfield VVherein Method Sense Doctrine and Use is with great variety of matter profitably handled and sundry heads of Divinitie largely discussed Published since the Authors death by WILLIAM GOUGE LONDON Printed by ROBERT YOUNG 1637. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR HORATIO VEERE KNIGHT LORD Veere of Tilbery and Generall of the English Forces in the service of the high and mighty Lords the States Generall of the united Provinces of the Netherlands And to his pious and vertuous Consort the Lady Mary Veere such increase of grace as may bring them to fulnesse of Glory Right Honourable THe Almighties gracious acceptation of such oblations as are brought to him encourageth sons of men to offer their Sacrifices on the Altar of his Grace Like ground of encouragement have I to lay this Oblation on the Altar of your Honours patronage Of your gracious acceptation thereof these reasons assure me 1. This Impe now presented to your Honâ—urs is a twin to that Posthumus which was heretofore presented to and accepted of your Honours 2. This together with his other brothers was by their owne Father while he lived devoted to your Honours to divert them otherwaies would be plaine plagium 3. Your Honours did many waies manifest a very good respect to the forementioned Father of this Orphane 4. This Impe it selfe is a goodly Impe and giveth assured hope of doing much good to Gods Church 5. Your Honours high esteeme of all good and faithfull Ministers of their function of their labours and workâ—s is well knowne 6. Your Honours mutuall entire affection and sincere and sweet conversation and carriage one towards another is a lively representation and evident demonstration of the truth of that doctrine concerning Husband and Wife which is principally handled in this Treatise 7. Your Honour my good Lord hath all your dayes beene a valiant and faithfull Champion for the Church maintaining her safety and liberty with the perill of your owne life wherein though Communis Mars bellique casus sit incertus yet successe hath oft crowned your valour instance among other famous victories the incomparable conquest by your Honours more than ordinary courage obtained in New-port-field Can now doubt be made of your Honours favour in countenancing this child of the Church 8. Your Honour my good Lady was a diligent frequenter of his Ministery who preached these Sermons and hearing the distinct points when they were first out of the Pulpet uttered so approved them as oft you desired the publishing of them for they were Cygnean songs the last and sweetest of all 9. As the sacred Scriptures so good Commentaries thereon such as this is are a solace to your Honours in reading whereof you have manifested much delight Finally many and great are the favours and kindnesses which from time to time your Honours have done to the Publisher of this worke which as in duty hee is bound be willingly taketh this occasion in all humility with all thankfulnesse to acknowledge The premisses considered the said Publisher confidently resteth upon yâ—ur Hâ—nours patronage and boweth his knees before the Throne of Grace for a mercifull Remembrance and bountiâ—ull Remuneration of that Goodnesse which your Honours have done to the Church of God to the poore members and faithfull Ministers thereof and in speciall to the Author of this Commentary yea and to the Publisher thereof Black-Friers London 25. Ian. 1625. Your Honours much obliged WILLIAM GOUGE AN EXPOSITION OF Part of the third Chapter of the first Epistle generall of Saint PETER 1 Pet. 3. 1 2 3. 1. Likewise let the Wives be subject to their Husbands that even they which obey not the Word may without the Word be won by the conversation of the Wives 2. While they behold your pure conversation which is with feare 3. Whose apparelling let it not be outward as with broided haire and gold put about or in putting on of apparell 4. But let the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt with a meek and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by FRom the thirteenth verse of the former Chapter to the eighth verse of this chapter the Apostle exhorts to such duties as concerne particular Christians and so either in the Common-wealth where he exhorts subjects from verse 13. to 18. or in the Family where he exhorts either servants verse 18. to the end of the former Chapter or wives and husbands in the first seven verses of this Chapter So that in these first seven verses the Apostle intreats of the duties betweene man and wife and first sets downe the wives duty from ver 1. to 7. and then the mens dutie in the seventh verse In laying downe the wives duty he proceeds in this order First he briefly propounds the service of her duty in the first words Wives be subject Secondly he expounds upon it by shewing divers particular things she must expresse in her conversation as Amiablenesse ver 1. Chastitie and Feare ver 2. Meeknesse ver 3 4. Then thirdly he confirmes all by two reasons both taken from example first of godly women in generall ver 5. secondly of Sarah in particular ver 6. Before I set upon the particular parts of the Text divers things would be noted in generall First in that this
other side The use may be for complaint of the generall and grievous neglect of these things in the most men and women Where may a man observe in any family almost that amiable carriage betweene man and wife that ought to be Quest. What are the causes of this generall disorder and unquietnesse betweene men and their wives Ans. 1. It may be God revengeth some sin in the manner of the marriage or going about it of which the parties have not soundly repented as precontracts or marriage for carnall ends without respect of Religion or Gods glory as for wealth or the like or some secret wickednesse betweene the parties before marriage 2. In the most it is the want of the true feare of God they are carnall and so their natures being not regenerate are full of all evill fruits Two carnall persons can no more agree together than two wilde beasts and what will not men and women allow themselves in when they doe not from their hearts feare Gods displeasure 3. In many it is ignorance of their mutuall duties men and women doe not studie with care and conscience the particular duties which in this estate God requires of them 4. In such as know their duties it is either unskilfulnesse to beare with infirmities or neglect of daily prayer to God to fashion their hearts to obey his will in those things as well as in other points of his service and worship 5. In some it is strange and strong lusts and inordinate desires which being not resisted and subdued the inward cause of all that absurd and perverse carriage shewes it selfe openly Quest. 2. But what should men and women doe that they might attaine to this orderly and amiable conversation Answ. 1. They should heartily in secret bewaile their former disorders and seeke pardon of God and then reconcile themselves one to another by confessing their faults and follies These things will never be mended till they be repented of 2. They should seriously attend to the doctrine of their duties and heare it with all conscience and desire to obey and take notice of Gods preceptorie commandement in requiring these things and by all meanes take heed of prejudice in hearing but make conscience to heare this part of the word of God as the word of God as well as any other Thinke not this doctrine too base or meane to be heard or studied nor imagine that it is but the severitie of the Teacher to tell of so many things to be done by men and women especially take heed of that profane jesting to put off the sound practice of this doctrine with jesting one at another Remember one thing by the way that it is a great testimonie of true uprightnesse of heart when men and women make conscience of it to be good at home as well as abroad Thus of the first generall doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly we may hence in generall note That the Word of God and the instructions of the ministry of the Word belong to women as well as men and therefore the Apostles call to the women to heare the Word of the Lord. This point is to be noted the rather because many give out that the knowledge of religion and hearing of Sermons and studying the Scriptures is not fit for women God doth not require it of them Now that this dotage may be the more evidently confuted consider that which is here intimated There are a multitude of arguments may be brought as First the image of God by creation was stamped upon the female as well as the male Gen. 1.27 2. The profession of godlinesse good workes faith charity and holinesse is required of women as well as men 1 Tim. 2.10 15. and therefore all means of grace is necessary for them as well as men 3. It is required of them to be teachers of good things though they are not allowed to teach publikely 1 Cor. 14. yet they must teach their children and the elder women must teach the younger women Tit. 2.3 4. They are commanded expresâ—ly to learne the doctrine is publikely taught 1 Tim. 2.11 5. The Scripture is full of instances Of the good woman in the Proverbs it is said that she was not only a good house-wife but the law of grace was in her lips Pro. 31.26 King Lemuel was taught prophecies by his mother Pro. 31.1 and women followed our Saviour to heare his Sermons some followed him I say from place to place Luke 8.3 and Mary was commended by our Saviour for choosing the best part when she set her heart about religious duties â—itting at the feet of Christ to hear his word Luk. 11. Our Saviour instructs a woman of Samaria in the great mysteries of conversion and salvation Iob. 4. At Philippi Pauls hearers at the first were onely women Acts 16.13 and an honourable narration is made of many Christian women converted Acts 17.4.12 ult and we reade of Priscilla that she was a meanes to instruct Apollos an eloqent and learned man and to make him more perfectly to understand the way of God Acts 18.26 and so we reade of women that laboured with Paul in the Gospel Phil. 4.3 6. If women must suffer for their Religion it is reason they have all the knowledge and helps in Religion but women are in danger to suffer for Religion as well as men Acts 8.3 9.2 22.4 7. Finally the way to be saved is the same for women as well as men and therefore all meanes of salvation belong to them and are to be used by them as well as men Which as it may incourage all women that are religious to study the things that belong to the kingdome of God so it should teach them to make conscience of what they heare and learne of the Virgin Mary to lay up the good word of God in their hearts and keepe it and to looke to their waies in all things that they may please God for as God is no respecter of persons but loves godlinesse in women as well as in men so he doth require sound obedience and reformation and holinesse of life of women as well as men â—or with God there is neither Jew nor Greeke bond nor free male nor female but all are one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.27 28. Thirdly before I yet come to open the particular parts of the text it may be asked why the Apostle is so large in speaking to wives as spending so many verses upon them I answer it is not simply because wives are more faulty than husbands though many times it proves to bee so in many wives but 1. Because it is more against nature to obey than to rule 2. Because women have many hinderances or lets both in receiving the doctrine and in practising it sometimes they rest in the generall that they must obey and so never study particulars and therefore had need to have it beaten out in particulars for them Besides they are in danger to be
iniquity is found worthy to be hated Ps. 36.1 Ier. 44.10 Mal. 3.5 4. Such as goe on in vicious courses in the abuse of their liberty in things indifferent notwithstanding the frequent admonitions of godly and grave Divines and seeme rather willing to forsake their owne mercies than leave their foolish vanities Exod. 14.31 Iob 28.28 Pro. 13.13 14. 16. 1 29 30. 5. Such as take no notice of Gods great judgements which are in the world and will not declare his workes Psal. 64.9 6. Such as are carelesse of prayer and see not need to seeke unto God but restraine prayer Iob 15.4 And so it is of the constant and wilfull omission of all the service of God 7. By not pitying the aâ—flicted Iob 6.14 I omit to reckon up more particulars because by the contrary conversation to that which is required in the former rules men may see that they are farre out of the way Yet it is the more lamentable that this conversation with feare is not so usually found even amongst the godly themselves neither in their awefull reverence of behaviour and continuance in Gods service nor by their humble and carefull and mortified behaviour towards men Againe by the serious consideration of the former explication we may gather that there are divers feares ought not to be found in our conversations as the feare of crosses in our callings or of the reproaches and oppositions of men for well-doing or a superstitious feare of transgressing where there is no Law but meerely the wills of men and such as that feare which through unbeliefe is conceived in the hearts of many weake Christians and doth much oppresse them and that is the feare of Gods acceptation of their best workes so judging themselves as they withall judge of God unrighteously while they remember not his promises made to his servants concerning his acceptation of their desires and endeavours Lastly such as have attained to this conversation with feare should much rejoice and labour to preserve it with all care because it is a thing which is not only lovely in the sight of God but is very amiable and of a winning quality amongst men as this Text imports And thus of this conversation with feare as it concernes those women as they were Christians Now there is another kinde of feare which is required of them as they are wives for so it is expressely charged upon all wives that they should feare their husbands Eph. 5. ult And this feare they must shew 1. By giving reverent terms and titles as Sarah did to Abraham 2. By avoiding all things by wisedome she can ghesse or by experience she can find to be crosse to the nature or desire of her husband even striving to avoid what might provoke his very infirmities giving soft answers when he is angry and forbearing passion and unquietnesse even with others if he be present 3. By a care to shew all faithfulnesse diligence care and tender respect of him and his good in all things in their power and charge And so it appeareth in the negative what wives doe not feare their husbands viz. such as care not to be daily guilty of such faults as crosse or grieve or vexe their husbands such as give them unseemely titles out of the rudenesse of their familiarity or the distemper of their passions such whose feet will not keep their owne house to attend their callings such as blaze abroad their husbands infirmities whereas they should have beene the glory of the man such as are apt to make the worst constructions of the doubtfull actions of their husbands and such as are inquisitive and still desirous to have accounts given them of all their husbands doe Verse 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparell Verse 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price THese words containe the third thing charged upon wives by the Apostle in his exposition and that is their comely dressing of themselves which he sets downe negatively shewing how they must not be dressed ver 3. and affirmatively shewing what doth most adorne them ver 4. In the negative observe what is expressely prohibited and then what is impliedly allowed That which he expressely forbids he referres to three heads The first concernes the naturall abuse of the ornaments that by nature are upon the body and instanceth in the haire which God hath given to women for a covering And the abuse lieth in the plaiting of the haire by which he meanes not the tying up of the haire after a decent maner but the artificiall laying of it out in plaits or curles or lockes or the like Their devices about their haire are so many as we cannot reckon them by the names they give them The second concernes the excesse of cost about their dressing synecdochically exprest by the putting about of gold and pearles and such like rich jewels The third concernes the vanity of fashions in attire in the last words of putting on of apparell Now for the meaning of the Apostle in this negative prohibition I finde three opinions The one is of such as thinke the Apostle did absolutely forbid the things named but yet that it was a temporary prohibition intended to binde them of that time not to binde us that live now The other is of such as thinke that hee doth not simply forbid these things but onely comparatively meaning that in comparison of the inward dâ—essing wee should not have so much care of these outward ornaments or about dressing our care should not bee so much for the outward dressing as for the inward The third is of such as conceive that the Apostle doth simply and for ever forbid these things named and all of like sort and that for ever The opinion of the first sort of men is rejecâ—â—â— by all sorts of Divines as very foolish and erroneous The second opinion hath Cajetan a Papist for the author of it but is rejected by Divines of his owne sect for this reason because if that were the Apostles meaning his prohibition would teach the most sober and modest women in their apparell as well as the most licentious for ever the most modest are tied to respect the inward dressing above the outward which cannot bee the Apostles meaning The third opinion is the opinion almost of all the Ancient and modern Writers But because I will not take power to binde your consciences onely by the opinions of men therefore afterwards I will shew you by expresse Scripture when apparell or dressing becomes vicious but first I would consider of the doctrine in generall Doct. It seemes to be a cleare truth that Christian women should in the dressing of themselves take heed of ostentation costlinesse and vaine fashions and that
that God accepts holinesse in them as well as in men 2. That all holy women did make conscience of subjection to their husbands and therefore the Apostle speakes indefinitely of all holy women And this is the more evident because amongst all the infirmities noted in any godly woman in the Scriptures yet there is no example of a godly woman that did customarily live in the sinne of frowardnesse or rebellion against her husband the instance of Zipporah is but of one onely fact and the errour seemes to be as much in her judgement as in her affections And this doctrine should light verie heavie upon many wives that professe Religion in these times and compell them to reforme their hearts and behaviours in their carriage towards their husbands for this Text doth import that they want holinesse that are not subject to their husbands and live in customarie frowardnesse and unquietnesse 3. That Christian women ought to studie the example of holy women in old times and therefore they should do well to get a catalogue of the praises of godly women in Scripture to lay before them for their imitation and so they should learne of Sarah reverence to their husbands and of Rahab and the Midwives of Egypt to shew mercy to Gods servants in distresse and of Ruth obedience to their parents and constant love to religion and of the Shunamitish woman 2 Reg. 4.8 c. and of Lydia Acts 16.14 and of Phâ—be Rom. 16.2 to be entertainers of Gods servants and to succour them and of Hanna to be humble and patient and devout in prayer and of the good woman in the Proverbs chap. 31. and of Priscilla and Salâ—mons mother Pâ—â— 30.1 2. and Timothies mother and grand-mother 2 Tim. 1.4 to get the law of grace into their lips to instruct others and of that woman in the Proverbs to bee painfull in labour and to be wise in oversight of the labours of their servants and children and of Hester to keepe religious Fasâ—â— to God with their maides and children Hess 4.16 and of the Virgin Mary to lay up the words of Christ in their hearts and with Mary Magdalen to love Christ with all tendernesse and to bewaile their sinswith sorrow and to sit as Christs feet to heare his words and of Elizabeth to live without offence Lâ—â—e 1. and of Dorcas to be merciful to the poore and of the holy women mentioned Heb. 11.3 to be constant professors of the truth in the times of persecution That trusted in God The fourth thing is the cause of their subjection and that is their trust in God about which foure things are to be observed 1. That trust in God is such a grace as is found in all the godly even womâ—n that were holy had attained to trust in God All holy women trusted in God therefore if women that are the weaker sexe cannot get holinesse but withall they trust in God it is impliedly cleere That all the godly doe trust in God The house of Israel and the house of Aaron Priests and people even all that feare the Lord must trust in the Lord Psal. 115.9 10 11. and all the Gentiles must trust in the Lord. Rom. 15.12 It is the Periphrasis of God to be the confidence of all the ends of the earth Psal. 65.5 And the reasons why the godly must and doe all of them trust in God are first Gods Commandement that requires it of all which the former places shew secondly Gods promise that he will be the hope of his people even of all his people Ioel 3.16 and they have a sure word of the Prophets to warrant their trust 2 Pet. 1.19 thirdly without faith and trust it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. fourthly because they have nothing else to trust in Of all people the godly are most miserable if their trust were to be placed in other things than God for as all earthly things are vain and transitorie so can they make least shift for themselves and are most opposed in these things And therefore the Use should be to teach us to trie our hearts soundly whether we be such as trust in God seeing in this thing lyeth one great part of our evidence about true grace If all the godly trust in God then we are not godly nor holy men and women if we doe not trust in God The question then is By what signes doe godly men prove that they doe trust in God and the answer is 1. By making God their refuge in all their distresses and by pouring out their hearts before him in prayer and supplication 2 Sam. 22.3 4. Psal. 62.8 2. By their feare in any thing to displease God and their care to keepe his Commandements and to cleave to God 2 Reg. 18.4 5 6. doing his worke whatsoever come of it 3. By relying upon God in times of distresse without using any ill means or courses that they know or feare to be unlawfull Esay 28.16 with 1 Chron. 10.13 14. but still wait upon God till he help them Psal. 33.20 4. By accounting God to be their portion and sufficient heritage Psal. 16.1 5 6. 5. By setting the Lord alwaies before them Psal. 16.1 18. for if we put all our trust in God then our hearts doe continually thinke of God and are lifted up to God 6. By committing all their wayes to God and leaving the successe of things to his disposing Psal. 37.5 7. By their patience in the case of wrongs and indignities having their hearts free from desires of revenge and their tongues from words or reproach or reproofe they are as deafe or dumb men Ps. 38.13 14 15 1 Tim. 4.10 8. By contemning the glory of the world and not regarding or seeking dependancies upon proud and sinfull persons Psal. 40.4 9. By the joy and contentment they take in the house of God their hearts flourishing like a greene Olive tree when they heare of the doctrine of Gods goodnesse and feele the refreshing of his name Psal. 52.8 9. 10. By their thankfulnesse and great desires to praise God when they find the experiences of Gods providence in grace and bounty towards them Psal. 13.5 6. 52.8 9. Yet by the way we mâ—â—t know that godly persons that do truly trust in God may be burdened with cares but yet they cast their burthens upon God when they feele them Psal. 55.22 They may be affraid and yet trust in God Psal. 56.3 They may cry and make great moane and that a long time Psal. 69.3 They may seeme to want strength and yet renew their strength Esay 40 ult 2. From â—â—nce we â—â—y gather That it is a great praise and an excellent gift in any to trust in God to have and exercise this trust in God and therefore of all parts of holines fâ—nctification in this place trust in God iâ— mentioned And therefore in divers Scriptures they are pronounced to be very blessed that can doe it Psal. 84.12 34.8 and it
is reckoned as a great ornament and glory in great Princes as 2 Reg. 18.5 Psal. 21.8 and the chiefe praise of the Fathers and Patriarkes of the Church Ps. 22.5 And the reasons are divers 1. Because it is a supernaturall power in any man or woman because it is grounded upon things not seene Rom. 8.24 2. Because the Lord taketh speciall pleasure in this grace and taketh notice of such as can exercise it above all others it is a thing God specially observes in his people Psal. 147.11 33.18 cob his eye is upon them he cannot look off them so also Nah. 1.7 And contrariwise he is as much vexed with unbeliefe and not trusting upon him as with any other sin We read that fire kindled against Iacob for not beleeving in God and not trusting in his salvation Psal. 78.22 3. Because the trust in other things will prove the shame and confusion of a man Esay 30.2 and therefore better to trust in the Lord than in Princes c. Psal. 118.8 9. 4. Because it is a grace that produceth admirable effects for 1. It establisheth a mans heart and makes it fixed and immoveable Psal. 112.7 8. 31.24 so as he can endure things that are almost beyond beliefe if it be rightly exercised Esay 14.32 coh Psal. 27â— 3 2. It procureth from God all things a mans heart can desire or his condition any way need 2 Sam. 22.2 3. Psal. 5.11 12. It gets a man marvellous loving kindnesse from God Psal. 17.7 so great experience of Gods goodnesse as cannot be uttered Ps. 31.19 Mercy shall compasse them about when many sorrowes shall be to the wicked Psal. 32.10 His mercie will be upon us according as we have hope in him Ps. 33.22 55.12 91.1 c. It is the best way either to preserve us from trouble or to deliver us out of trouble of what kind soever Psal. 130.7 Esay 25.4 26.3 4. 2 Chron. 13.18 3. It openeth for us a most comfortable entertainment in Gods house our hearts that can trust in Gods mercie drinke out of the rivers of his pleasures when we come into his house and are satisfied with his goodnesse Ps. 36.7 8. The use of this point may be divers 1. Such as find want of this grace should use all meanes to attaine it And that we may be able to put all our trust upon God wee must looke to these rules following 1. We must hate them that regard lying vanities Psal. 31.6 40.4 2. We must know Gods name Psal. 9.10 we must get knowledge of Gods goodnesse and so the warrant of our trust in the word of God We must thence learne both what to doe and upon what grounds to trust upon God To this end did God give his word to his people Psal. 78.5 7. Rom. 15.4 Pro. 30.5 Psal. 56.3 4. 3. We must labour to get assurance of Gods love to us in Jesus Christ to know that God is our God and we are the children of God Psal. 31.14 36.7 for the confidence of an unfaithfull man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint Pro. 25.19 and the ground of our trust must be in the merits of Jesus Christ Eph. 1.12 4. When we know God to be our God we must strive to get our hearts to it to make God our portion and to rest satisfied with Gods goodnesse and love to us whatsoever else we want Lam. 3.24 5. We must be sure that we be upright in heart and that we have warrant for our actions and doe not live in any sin that might provoke God against us Psal. 64.10 And to this end we should pray God to cause us to know the way we should walke in and to let us heare of his loving kindnesse in the morning to encourage us in all good courses Psal. 143.8 6. We must be sure we doe not draw upon our selves needlesse troubles Pro. 28.25 and when we are in a good way we should not give way to our owne vaine feares Pro. 29.25 7. When we find troubles to arise and feare and care to surprise us we must make our refuge to get our selves under the shadow of Gods wings till the calamitie be overpast Psal. 57.1 91.1 Now Gods wings are his Ordinances especially Prayer and his Word Thus of the first Use. Secondly seeing to trust in God is such an excellent grace such as doe endevour to practise this trust in God must looke to divers rules in the exercise of it which are necessarie to a right trusting in God as 1. They must trust him with their hearts their soules must trust in God Psal. 57.1 28.8 2. They must put all their trust in God God will have no partners All my trust is in thee saith David 3. They must trust in God at all times continually and with praise for what they have felt of Gods goodnesse Psal. 62.8 7â— 14 Esay 26.4 4. If God doe deferre to answer our hope wee must waite for the Lord their soules must wait Psal. 130.5 6. 5. They must make the most High their habitation they must dwell with God by setting the Lord alwaies before them and attending upon all means of communion with God They must not be strangers from God to goe daies or weekes without directing their hearts after him Psal. 91.9 6. They must handle their matters wisely and not upon pretence of trust in God carry themselves indiscreetly or neglect the use of any lawfull means Pro. 16.20 7. Their trust in God must be joined with an awefull feare of God and sense of their owne unworthinesse they must not be conceited persons or despise the care of their waies Psal. 147.11 8. They must declare all Gods works that is they must labour to glorifie God by telling others of the experiences they have had of Gods goodnesse Psal. 73. ult 9. When they have committed their waies to God they must be quieted as a weaned child and contented with whatsoever the Lord shall lay upon them Psal 131.2 3. Laâ— 3.26 10. They must beleeve above hope and under hope they must rest upon Gods promise how unlikely soever the performance seeme to be Rom. 4.18 Thus of the second Use. Thirdly we may from the reasons of this doctrine gather evidently That all Gods servants that trust in God are in a wondrous safe condition as David shewes of himselfe Psal. 18.2 3. Neither may they say that they cannot looke that God should be to them as he was to David for God hath given his word for it that he will be good to all that put their trust in him 2 Sam. 22.31 Psal. 34.22 and therefore all true Christians that finde themselves prone to feare or discontent should speake to their soules and chide their own hearts as David did Psal. 43.5 See Esay 30.2 Fourthly wicked men have little cause then to deride and scoffe at the people of God for trusting in God and refusing
this duty of prayer Hence it is that where we reade of any commandement to pray in Scripture usually it is as large as any of the ten Commandements even such as bindeth all persons to the performance of it which should serve greatly to shew the profanenesse of most families that have no prayer A familie without prayer and the exercises of religion in it is a very den of wild beasts and a cage of impure birds and the wrath of God hangs over those families that have not prayer used in them as these places shew Psal. 79.6 Zeph. 3.1 2. Dan. 9.13 Ezek. 22.30 Doct. 4. Yea in that he takes for granted that Christian husbands and wives did pray onely admonishing that they looke to it that their prayer be not interrupted it shewes That every godly Christian can pray and doth make conscience of it to doe it Psal. 32.6 for every Christian that is a true Christian hath the spirit of adoption by which he cries Abba Father Rom 8. 16. And it is made a signe of a wicked man not to call upon the name of the Lord Psal. 14.4 Doct. 5. In that prayer may not be interrupted or hindred it shews plainly That this is an exercise for every day constantly while we live in this world which these places confirme 1 Thes. 5.17 Col. 4.2 Rom. 12.12 Psal. 105.4 praying by fits will not serve turne Doct. 6. Wives and husbands though they had never so many praises other wayes or for their carriage one towards another yet if they be not religious persons and in particular such as serve God by daily and devout prayer they are not true Christians nor accepted of God The Apostle takes it for granted that all Christian men and women doe make conscience of daily prayer to God Which serves notably to conâ—ure the vaine trust in civill honesty and the fairenesse of domesticall conversation which bewitcheth many persons in the world Doct. 7. When the heart is not right towards man it is not right towards God as here domesticall disorders hinder the exercises of religion towards God That husband that loves not his wife hath no great mind to pray Wives that make no conscience to live quietly and obediently with their husbands suffer a like alienation from God both in their ability to serve him and in his acceptance of it Doct. 8. In that he saith your prayers it shewes That every Christian must make prayers of his owne As the just man lives by his owne faith so must the true Christian thinke of getting his living under God by his owne prayers 'T is not enough that he partake of other mens prayers in publike or that he can get others to pray for him in private God lookes for prayers from himselfe Doct. 9. In that he saith prayers it imports That there be divers kindes of prayer and that private Christians must make not onely a prayer but prayers to God Eph. 6.18 Phil. 4.6 Col. 4.2 The sorts of prayer and differences arise 1. From the instrument by which it is formed for there is the prayer of the heart onely such was Hannah her prayer 1 Sam. 1. There is a prayer of the mouth only such is the prayer of hypocrites Esay 29.13 There is the prayer both of heart and mouth and such is the prayer ordinarily of all the godly 2. From the place of prayer some prayers are publike some private and a Christian must use both Some are alone some with others 3. From the forme and so we have the prayer of Christ as the patterne and rule for all prayers and the prayers of Christians agreeable to that patterne We must not râ—st upon saying over the words of the Lords prayer and neglect all other prayers Againe some prayer is conceived some is in a set 〈◊〉 used A set forme is 〈◊〉 for the publike and for such weake Christians as are not yet able to expresse their owne desire to God in their owne words No◠〈◊〉 conceived formes unfit or unlawfull for such as are able and desirous to performe prayer according to the rules of prayer as is apparent by the examples of all sorts of prayers in both Testaments 4. From the object of prayer and so some prayers are made daily at set times and thence it was that the Chuch of the Jewes had their houres of prayer Acts 3.1 and some are uttered suddenly according to some speciall occasion And of this sort are ejaculations short petitions put up to God expressing the present motion in the heart Doct. 10. It is a great losse or inconvenience to have our prayers interrupted This is plaine from the Text. And there may be many reasons assigned of it I will instance but one or two first because for that time a man is thrust out of the presence of the King of heaven To pray is to stand before his face Secondly because while prayer stands still our spirituall trade stands still while we pray not we thrive not Thirdly if it were nothing else but the respect of others it must needs be a great inconvenience to omit prayer because thereby we withdraw our aides from the Church and that is as bad as in evill times of war to withdraw our succours from the house of Israel Quest. But how many waies can prayer be interrupted Answ. Prayer may be interrupted either in heaven or in earth either in the hearing of it or in the making of it Prayer is interrupted in the hearing of it or God will not heare prayer 1. If the person making it lie in any sin without repentance Pro. 15.8 Esay 59.2 Lam. 3.44 Psal. 66.18 2 Tim. 2.19 1 Iohn 3.22 2. If it be not made in faith that is if we beleeve not that we shall have what we aske Mat. 11.24 Iames 1.6 3. If not made in the name of Christ Iohn 16.23 4. If it be made carelesly and coldly if a mans head be full of distractions so as he regards not what he prayes he is not likely to be heard for how shall God heare him when he heares not himselfe and how shall God heed what he saies when he heeds not what he saies himselfe 5. If a man aske amisse that is aske for carnall and corrupt ends Iames 4.3 6. If a man be not in charitie with his neighbour and will not forgive him his trespasse Mat. 6.14 7. If a man be unmercifull and will not heare the cries of the poore Esay 58.7 Pro. 21.13 Thus prayer is interrupted in the hearing of it Prayer is interrupted in the making of it when men are indisposed to prayer and so omit the performance and thus prayer is interrupted Sometimes by the violence of wordly cares and businesse the heart of man being overcharged with these cares of life Sometimes by domesticall discords and private passions which it seemes the Apostle especially meanes in this place Sometimes by the love and lust after some particular siâ— for while mens hearts run after sin they
say that is he may be insallibly assured of it And this is true in two respects first he may know that he is truely called and converted and elected of God secondly he may know his calling in respect of the warrant of all his particular actions as here he may know what is required of him in his carriage towards his enemies Now that every true Christian may be sure of his calling and election and may know his conversion is most apparent by these Scriptures 2 Cor. 13.5.1 Cor. 3.16 2 Tim. 1.12 Heb. 8.11 1 Iohn 2.3 3.14 4.16 5.13 19. And that every Christian is bound to seeke this assurance and knowledge is apparent by many reasons As first from Gods Commandement he requires it of us that we should with all diligence seeke to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Secondly many reasons may be gathered from the effects and benefits such knowledge and assurance will bring to us Assurance is profitable for many things In generall it is our best riches on earth Col. 2.2 and in particular 1. It estates us in all the promises of God when we know we are truely called then we know our right to all the promises of Gods Word 2. It purifieth the heart and life of man Acts 15.9 for when we know we are the children of God we are thereby stirred up to the greater care to please God and walke in his waies 3. It greatly staies and supports the heart of man in the evill day when temptation or afflictions befall us yet the comfort of our assurance sustaines us and refresheth us greatly For helpe in the evill day the Apostle saith we should above all things put on the shield of faith which if it remove not the crosse yet it quâ—ncheth the fiery temptations of Sathan with which we may be assaulted Eph. 6.16 and it greatly helps us against the feare and terrour of death Heb. 10.19 20 22. In a word it overcomes the world 1 Iohn 5.4 5. 4. The faith of a Christian is all his living he lives by faith in all the occasions of life as his faith helps him when all other meanes faile him and makes all other meanes more successfull when he useth them The just man lives by faith The people in captivity that were Gods children raised a living for themselves in a strange land by their faith Hab. 2.5 5. It puts life into all the duties of religion or righteousnesse it worketh by love it â—ets all our affections on worke towards God and his people and creatures Gal. 5.6 6. It opens a spring of grace in the heart of a Christian every good gift from above is excited and made to flow from within him by the benefit of his certaine knowledge and assurance of faith Iohn 7.38 Now if any aske how a Christian comes to know his calling I answer 1. By his sensible feeling of his sins to be a heavie burthen to him of which he is truely wearie so as he desireth more to be rid of them than of any burthensome crosse whatsoever Mat. 11.29 9.13 2. By his manner of receiving the voice of Christ and the preaching of the Gospel not in word but in power The voice of Christ hath a marvellous power over him above all things in the world which appeares by the effects of it for he seeles in hearing the word first such an estimation of it as he acknowledgeth nothing like it for power and wisedome 1 Cor. 1.23 24 Secondly he finds at some times especially such an assurance of the truth of his religion and the doctrine he heareth that he is fully established and freed from his naturall uncertainties about the true religion Thirdly the Word worketh in him spirituall senses and very life from the dead which he feeles in all parts of his conversation making conscience of his waies in all things bewailing his frailties and striving to be such as God would have him to be Fourthly it makes him to separate himselfe from the world avoiding all needlesse societie with the wicked and exciting in him constant desires to use the world as if he used it not Fiftly much spirituall joy before the Lord even then when in respect of outward things he is in much affliction The most of these effects are noted 1 Thes. 1.4 5. 3. By the image of the vertues of Christ in his heart by new gifts in some measure for when God calls a man he reveales his Son in him Gal. 1.15 16. There is begotten in him a likenesse of Christ his very disposition is changed into the similitude of the vertues of Christ God gives him a new heart with the image of Christ stamped upon it and he is like Christ in respect of lowlinesse of minde and meekenesse and contempt of the world and love of God and the godly mercy wisedome patience love of his very enemies and desire to live without offence and praying to God as to his Father Quest. But if Christians may know their calling what should be the reason that so many Christians are so unsettled and are not assured of their calling Answ. Distinguish of Christians some are Christians in name and outward profession but not in deed being not at all converted though they have the meanes of conversion and this is the estate of the most men and women in all places Now some are indeed converted but are weake Christians as it were infants that lie but in the cradle of religion Now for the first sort the answer is easie They know not their calling because they are not called yea they are so far from knowing it that they generally are offended at it that we should teach that any body can know his owne calling certainely Carnall Christians then know it not because they have it not and in particular the causes why these Christians attaine not assurance is because they rest upon common hope of mercy in God which house is but like the house of a Spider and will give up the ghost when the evill day commeth upon them And besides they live in knowne sins which they love and preferre before all things can be offered to them by the Gospel Now it is impossible to have true assurance and to lie at the same time in knowne grosse sins without repentance And further many Christians by their wilfull unteachablenesse and incurablenesse in sinning doe so provoke God that all meanes notwithstanding yet those things that concerne their peace are hidden from their eyes Luke 19.42 Now for the weake Christian the causes of his want of assurance are such as these sometimes ill opinions about assurance either that it may not be had contrary to the charge given 2 Pet. 1.10 or if it be had it will not be profitable contrary to the reasons given before Sometimes it is their ignorance they are so unexpert in the Scriptures that not discerning the frame of godlinesse in generall they can never tell when
wicked men must be considered more generally or more specially generally all the daies of the wicked are evill both because he is a transgressour every day and because the curse of God is upon him all his daies even then when he lives longest and enjoyes most prosperous times Esay 65.20 Every day the wrath of God hangeth over his head and every day God judgeth him Psal. 7. either in soule or body or name or estate either by with-holding his blessings or by mingling the curse with the good things he enjoyeth Psal. 7â— 33 as the Israelites under censure of death from God More specially the daies of the wicked man are evill either in this life or after this life In this life his daies are evill in two speciall senses either in respect of the shortning of them or in respect of the afflicting of them It is a speciall evill to some wicked men that their daies on earth are shortned Some men live not out halfe their daies and die in the middest of their daies Psal. 55.24 Ier. 17.11 and so it is a curse that his daies are few Psal. 109.8 Eccles. 8.13 Againe the daies of wicked men are said to be evill in respect of some speciall judgements of God to be poured out upon them for their sins These daies are called the daies of Gods wrath and anger and daies of Gods visitation Esay 10.3 the day of vengeance Esay 61.2 which God proclaims against all wicked men and by an excellency The evill day Amos 6.3 And these daies are in speciall called the dayes of wicked men and they are theirs because properly no day is theirs till it be evill Ier. 50.31 After this life comes that most speciall evill day even that day of eternall misery in hell of which Solomon said God made the wicked for the day of evill Pro. 16.4 This doctrine of their evill dayes should much astright wicked men not only with the consideration of what they suffer now but of what they are liable to in the daies to come Little doe they dreame of the misery may befall them such daies may come as will burst their hearts with exquisite griefe their hearts shall not be able to endure Ezek. 22.14 therefore they should take heed of putting far from them the evill day Amos 6.3 and in time repent and reconcile themselves to God in Jesus Christ that they may prevent the evill dayes may yet fall upon them and know that their uncircumcised heart is the cause of all the evill brought or to be brought upon them Ier. 9. ult Thus of evill daies in the life of the wicked The godly mans daies are evill divers waies 1. The daies of spirituall famine are evill daies when a man cannot enjoy the meanes of salvation in the life and power of them In this case David said his teares were his meat day and night Psal. 42.2 2. The daies in which God is displeased with them or hideth himselfe so as he will not heare their prayers or not let them discerne it These are bitter dayes to the godly Psal. 102.2 3. 90.9 3. Daies of temptation in which they are to wrestle with principalities and powers are evill daies Eph 6. 4. All daies of trouble are in some respect evill daies Psal. 49.5 50.14 41.1 2. especially those daies are evill when the Lord turnes wicked men loose upon the godly and leaves them as it were in their hands to be reproached and oppressed all the day especially when himselfe will not appeare to help them Psal. 102.8 10 11. Esay 37.3 and most of all when the just man seemeth to perish in his righteousnesse Eccles. 7.15 But yet here is a great deale of difference between the evill daies of godly men and the evill dayes of wicked men because God sanctifies the evill of his daies to the godly man so as he is blessed when God chasteneth him for he thereby teacheth him his law Psal. 94.12 Heb. 12. Secondly God will deliver him out of evill if he call upon him Psal. 50.15 yea though his troubles seeme desperate Ier. 30.7 Thirdly though God may seeme to delay for a time yet he will make haste to performe his deliverance After two daies he will returne and the third day he will revive them Hos. 6.3 Fourthly God will make them glad according to the daies he hath afflicted them he will make them amends for all their evill daies Psal. 90.15 To conclude this point There be daies that are called evill which are common both to good and bad and such are the daies of old age Eccles. 12.1 when the Sun Moone and Starres are darkned that is all sense of prosperity is removed and the infirmities of old age come thicke one upon another like clouds after raine ver 2. when the armes which are the keepers of the house shake and the thighes and legs which were like strong men now bow and bend under them and their teeth which were the grinders or chewers of their meat now cease working because they are few and the eies which are the windowes of the body grow darke ver 3. when the doores shall be shut in the streets that is when upon the losse of his appetite he shall have no delight in any thing at home nor minde to goe abroad but his owne house shall be his prison and when he shall be so unable to rest in his bed that he shall rise with the first voice of the bird and be waked with the least noise that is and that he hath no delight in musicke of any kind as Barzillai said When they shall be affraid of every straw in their way they shall goe so weakly and their Almond tree shall flourish that is their heads shall be white as the blossomes of the Almond and they shall be so sore that a very Grashopper shall be a burthen to them to touch them shal be grievous and all the things they were wont to love they cannot now find any comfort in and thus they are passing to their long-home which is the grave and they are so neare as if their very mourners were ready in the streets to carry them to their graves yea they will not continue long but the silver cord will bee loosened that is the marrow of their backes be consumed and their golden Ewer which is the braine-pan be broke and so will the Pitcher at the Well that is the veines at the liver and so will the Wheele at the Cisterne be broken that is the head which drawes the powers of life from the heart and the dust returns unto the earth as it was and the spirit to God that gave it Thus of the daies that be evill daies Now it remaines that we enquire which be good daies and so we shall finde that there be daies that be good in the judgement of the inward man and sometimes daies that be good in the judgement of the outward man Only thus much we
downe in him he is lowly and meeke which hee hath learned of Christ Mat. 11.29 Secondly affectionatenesse He loves the name of the Lord and to be the Lords servant Esa. 56.6 He doth good duties with good affections Thirdly contempt of the world He can deny his profit pleasure ease credit or the like He is no more worldly or eaten up with the cares of this life He doth not esteeme of earthly things as he was wont to do and shewes it in his carriage Fourthly sincerity For now he hath respect to all the Commandements of God he desires to be sanctified throughout he is not mended in many things as Herod was but is in some degree mended in all things and besides he is carefull of his waies in all places and companies he will obey absent as well as present Psal. 2.12 and there is no occasion of offence in him 1 Ioh. 2.8 He is wonderfull wary and carfull to provide that he may not be an offence to any body and withall he is not found to strive more for credit than for goodnesse or more ready to judge others than to condemne himselfe Iam. 3.17 If this description be throughly weighed it will be found to containe the most lively and essentiall things that distinguish true converts from all other men Nor may the force of any of these be weakned because many that seeme true Christians do shew the contrary to some of these for many that seeme just to men are an obomination to God and besides these things may be in the weake Christian in some weake measure though not so exactly Thus of the third doctrine Doct. 4. Wee may hence note That there is a peculiar time for the keeping of this visitation of grace All the times of mens lives are not times of visitation there is a speciall day of visitation called in Scripture The day of salvation the accepted time the due time the season of Gods grace 2 Cor. 6.2 That this point may be opened first we may consider of the acceptation of this word Day It usually notes a naturall day that is the space of foure and twenty houres Sometimes it notes the artificiall day of twelve houres from the morning to the evening so Ioh. 11.9 Sometimes it notes time generally as in such Scriptures as say In those dayes the meaning is In those times Sometimes it notes some peculiar season for the doing or suffering of some notable thing as the speciall time when God plagues wicked men is called their day Psal. 37.13 Ioâ— 18.20 So the time when Christ declared himselfe openly to be the Messias is called his day Ioh. 8.46 So it is here taken for that speciall part of our time of life wherein God is pleased to offer and bestow his grace upon us to salvation Now this cannot be the whole space of a mans life for it is evident that many men for a long time of their life have not at all beene visited of God in this visitation of grace they have fate in darknesse and in the shadow of death and this time is called night Rom. 13.13 Againe others are threatned with the utter losse of Gods favour if they observe not a season as Heb. 3.6 c. Luk. 19.41 42. Yea lome men have lived beyond this season and for not observing it were cast away Prov. 1.24 28. The very terme here used shewes it for when he saith The day of visitation he manifestly by the Metaphor of visiting proves a limitation of the time for all the yeare is not the time of visitation among men but some certaine season onely Quest. But how may we know when this season of grace is Answ. It is then when God sends the Gospel to us in the powerfull preaching of it when the light comes then comes this day when the doctrine of salvation is come then the day of salvation is come and God offers his grace then to all within the compasse of that light God keepes his visitation at all times and in all places when the Word of the Kingdome is powerfully preached the time of the continuance of the meanes is the day here meant in a generall consideration But if we looke upon particular persons in places where the means is then it is very hard precisely to measure the time when God doth visit or how long he will offer his grace to them only this is certaine that when God strikes the hearts of particular men with remorse or some speciall discerning or affections in matters of Religion and so bringeth them neere the Kingdome of God if they trifle out this time and receive this generall grace in vaine they may be cast into a reprobate mind and into incurable hardnesse of heart and so God shuts the kingdome of God against them while it is yet open to others Mat. 3.12 Esa. 6.10 compared with Mat. 13.14 15. Use. The use is for the confutation especially of the madnesse of many men that so securely procrastinate and put off the time of their repentance as if they might repent at any time never considering that the meanes of repentance may be taken utterly from them or that they may be cast into a reprobate sense or that death may suddenly prevent them or that the times are onely in Gods hand it is he that appoints and begins and ends this day of visitation at his owne pleasure yea hee doth not allow to all men in every place the like space of time for the continuance of the meanes This day lasteth in some places to some men many yeares whereas in other places the Kingdome of God is taken away from them in a short time as when the Apostles in the Acts were driven from some Cities after they had beene in some places but a yeere or two in others but a month or two in others but a day or two If men object that the theese on the Crosse did delay and yet found the visitation of grace at his last end I answer foure things First that the theese was by an unexpected death prevented of a great part of that time hee might have lived by the course of nature and therefore his example cannot patronize their resolution that thinke they may safely put over all till their last end and yet suppose they may live the full age of the life of man Secondly what can the example of one onely man helpe them seeing thousands have perished at their latter end going away without any repentance or grace Why rather do they not feare seeing so many millions of men are not visited in their later end yea at the very time the other theese repented not so that that example can shew no more than that it is possible that a man should find grace at the end it doth not shew that it is probable or usuall Thirdly they should shew the promise of grace not such men as wilfully neglect the present means and put all off to
their latter end What can be concluded from an example when Gods promise cannot bee shewed If any object that they have a promise for the Scripture saith that At what time soever a sinner repents himselfe from the bottome of his heart God will forgive him I answer that this sentence doth containe no such promise for it onely promiseth forgivenesse to them that repent at any time but it doth not promise that men may repent at any time when they will Besides the words in the Prophet Ezekiel are onely In the day that he turneth which import nothing to prove that a man may repent in any part of his life when he will Fourthly the conversion of the theese was without meanes miraculously by the divinity of Christ and is recorded among the workes of wonder such as were The raising of the dead the trembling of the earth the darkning of the Sunne and the like and if men dare not be so foolish as to expect that at their pleasures these other wonders should be done then neither may they in that of so late conversion without meanes If others say that men were hired into the vineyard at the eleventh houre and were allowed and rewarded as well as they that went in at the third houre I answer that the drift of the parable is onely to shew that men that had the meanes later than other men may yet be saved it cannot be stretched to so large a sense Besides being a Parable it may illustate but cannot prove without some other Scripture to which it serves as an illustration But my speciall answer is this that those men were never hired before the eleventh houre they went in so soone as any came to hire them And so it is true that if men have lived till extreame old age and never had the meanes till then they may have as much hope as they that had the meanes in their youth but that will not warrant the presumption of such as being called the third houre will not goe in till the eleventh houre Use 2. And therefore the second use should be for instruction to perswade all that minde their owne good to walke and worke while they have the light while it is yet to day before the shadowes of the evening be stretched out as our Saviour exhorts in the Gospel We should bestirre our selves to make all the profit we can of the present meanes God affordeth us for the night may many waies come upon us ere we be aware For first who knowes how soone the night of death may come upon any of us and then if we have no oyle in our lampes it will be too late to goe to seeke Secondly the night of restraint may come upon us the meanes may be taken away wee are not sure how long the Candlesticke may continue before it be removed God may take away good shepheards and suffer idle shepheards to succeed in the room of them Besides a mighty storme of cruell persecution may surprise us Thirdly the night of temptation may come and so for the time frustrate the life of the meanes for either God may hide himselfe from us and then the Sunne will be set to us even at noone day or God may hide the power of the Word from us even when it is of power to others as David imports Psal. 119. when he saith Lord hide not thy Commandements from mee or the Lord may restraine the spirits of his servants that speake unto us for the hearts of the Apostles themselves were not alwaies enlarged in the like manner towards the people as is imported 2 Cor. 6.11 Thus of the fourth doctrine Doct. 5. We may further hence note concerning the time of this visitation that not onely there is a season but withall that it is but a short time in comparison therefore here called The day of visitation Now a day is one of the least measures of time and this ariseth not onely from the brevity of mans life and the infinite mutations that befall the outward conditions of men and the extreame malice the divell and the world beare to the Gospel but also from the will of God who will offer his grace in so speciall a manner but for a short season Neither is the Lord bound to give account to us of his so doing since wee have more reason to admire his mercy that will offer us his grace at all than to murmure because it is not offred alwaies yet this shortnesse of the season doth the more magnifie Gods power that can so quickly conquer and set up the Kingdome of Christ and gather his elect And some cause may be taken from the rebellion of wicked men who when they despise holy things and use them vile the Lord to shew the account hee makes of those treasures removes them from them Thus the Jewes lost their glory Act. 13. When a people growe obstinate and will not be wrought upon that God that commands us not to give holy things to dogges doth himselfe also many times remove his Word for the unprofitablenesse and unworthinesse of the people Use. The use should be so much the more strongly to inforce the care of speedie profiting by the meanes while it is yet called Today as the Apostle urgeth it at large in the third and fourth chapters to the Hebrewes And withall it should teach us to bewaile the stupidity and carelesnesse of the multitude that in these times of peace and spirituall plenty have no care to make any provision for their soules over whom we may lament as Christ did over Jerusalem Luk. 19.42 c. And the shortnesse of the time should teach Ministers to labour more diligently they that are the stewards of the manifold graces of God should be instant in season and out of season and with all authority beseech rebuke and correct knowing that their time is short and uncertaine Doct. 6. We may here note that the day when God visits a man with his grace is a glorious day The Apostle speakes of it as of the most happie time of the life of man and so was it ever accounted by the godly Esa. 24.22 23. And it must needs appear to be a day of singular happinesse if we consider what that day brings forth instantly unto the man or woman visited of God For First in that day God reveales in some measure his love to the visited which is the more admirable a benefit because Gods love is a free love and it is everlasting and is also immense Secondly in that day he gives that particular person unto Christ and gives Christ unto him with all his merits Ioh. 10. and 17. Thirdly in that he justifies him both forgiving him all his sinnes and clothing him with the righteousnesse of Christ. Fourthly in that day he adopts him to bee his owne child that was before the child of wrath Rom. 8.16 Fifthly in that day hee gives him a new nature and creates and