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
either of old or by the persecution about Stephen or at other times after 〈…〉 be the Apostle of the Circumcision Others thinke they were Gentiles converted to the Jewish Religion and so they take strangers and Proselites to be all one and to such Peter preached Acts 2. and converted many of them and they thinke he writes to them now Others thinke that this Epistle is so written to the Jewes as it is intended also for those elect Gentiles in those parts because he saith Chap. 2.10 that these people were not in times past a people nor under mercy but now were the people of God and had obtained mercy which words doe not so fitly agree to the Jewes and so all the Elect of God are strangers in this world and so the word is evidently used Chap. 2.12 and I thinke it is to be taken in this last sense Strangers Man may be said to be a stranger in five respects 1. In respect of absence from his naturall friends and his native soile so Abraham was a stranger in Canaan 2. In respect of the want of Gods favour and grace so wicked men are strangers from the covenant of promise from the Common-wealth of Israel and from the life of God 3. In respect of the contempt of the world so Gods children when they begin to feare God the world accounts them as strangers and avoids them so David was a stranger to his brethren and kindred 4. Some make themselves strangers by a wilfull retyâ—ing and discontentment for crosses that befall them 5. In respect of absence from the heavenly Canaan and the troublesome condition in this world and so all Gods elect are strangers Gods elect then are strangers in this world this point is abundantly confirmed in these places Gen. 47.9 1 Chron. 28.15 Psal. 39.13 Heb. 11. 12 13. 13.14 15. And it may teach us many excellent things for the ordering of our cariage both in our selves and toward others There are 12 things which may bee gathered out of this metaphoâ—icall tearme to teach us with much life by the comparisons may be taken from thence Or there be 14 things wherein we should be like to strangers 1. A stranger is unacquainted and hath little to doe but with his journey so while we are in this world we should thinke chiefly on our journey and keep our selves estranged from the world dissolving our sinfull acquaintance and keeping our hearts from the cares of life 2. A stranger useth to be much affected with lesser courtesies in a strange place Ruth 2.10 so should we be thankfull to God for any kindnesse in this world it is enough it shall goe well with us in heaven we should say with David who am I and what is my people that we should c. for all things come of thee Now therefore our God we thanke thee and praise thy glorious name for we are strangers before thee and sojourners as were all our fathers our dayes on earth are as a shadow and there is no abiding 1 Chron. 29.14 15. 3. A stranger is wont to be glad of any good company that will go with him though it were but a part of the way How should wee then with all joy and dearenesse entertaine Gods servants into our inward and perpetuall society These are they will goe with us to heaven 4. A stranger will be carefull to inquire his way feares to misse it seekes best directions and that every day yea and at every turning It will not serve his turne once or twice or seldome in his iourney to take generall directions yea he is glad to aske of any body even children when he is out of his way or doth but feare it or is in danger of it And shall not this teach us to 〈…〉 should we goe to God to seeke a way of him yea going and weeping we should go and aske the way with our faces thitherward Ier. 51.4 Ezra 8.22 How should we be glad of guides and make our selves also equall to them of the lower sort that by conference and all good helpes from Ministers and godly people we might receive daily directions It is a horrible plague to have a heart that is not willing and forward to aske questions about the way to be saved and intolerable pride not to make use of any that can give us counsell O the incredible stupidity of our spirits we that cannot travaile in a road-way that perhaps we have gone before without every houres questions yet thinke our selves wise enough to finde the way to heaven with little or no directions 5. A stranger lookes not for great things for himselfe he doth not seeke honors and offices and possessions in the City he travels through his care is onely for necessaries for his iourney And are not wee strangers on earth and is it now a time for us to take up our dwellings here and to seeke great things for our selves in this world Ier. 46 5. a stranger never pleads any priviledge in the place he comes to and this was the ancienâ— minde of the godly Patriarks they quitted all claimes and confessed plainly they were but pilgriâ—â—s and embraced the promises as their portion and so set up their rest in their hopes Heb. 11.3 6. A stranger can endure wrongs Hee staies not his iourney to turne againe to every dâ—gge that baâ—kes at him nor to seeke revenge for every indignity He lets not his iourney for every showre of raine and should it not be thus with us Why doe we feare reproach what stand we still at every slander why busie we our heads for projects of revenge or our hearts with indignation at every currish caitife or dogged Doeg that will falsely accuse our good conversation in Christ When will we come to our journies end if we every day trouble our selves with the indignities we receive in this strange world let the curres barke ride thou on and minde thy way What if thy crosses fall like raine ride on it is but a showre it will be over 7. A stranger or traveller so thinkes of his travaiâ—e in the day that hee looks for rest at night and so takes his rest at night as he resolves to travaile againe in the morning so should we be minded In prosperity to provide for adversity and in adversity to hope for prosperity againe as assured that man abideth in no certaine stay here 8. A stranger never measures his owne worth by what he findes in the way but by what he shall possesse when hee comes home so should a Christian doe he should live by faith and not by sight It matters not what the world thinkes of him his greatnesse is in the kingdome of heaven 9. A stranger will be glad to send home upon any opportunity and to get any friend to provide for him against hee come should not wee then bee glad of any opportunities to send home to heaven by our prayers
sleep in the strength of that it hath sucked and further if it be a true desire it is after the word as it is milke and sincere it affecteth plainenesse and acknowledgeth no wisdome like Gods nor effectualnesse of speech more powerfull then the words of sacred scripture and lastly it is such a desire as intends growth in knowledge wisdome utterance prayer grace and holy duties Thus much of the signes The consideration of the glory and necessity of the worke of our new birth may exceedingly reprove the wretched and wilfull neglect of it in thousands of people especially of such as be continuall hearers and cannot be ignorant of the doctrine of it how many are the souls that like the blackamoores will not be made white the spots of whose sinnes are like the spots of the Leopard which will not be gotten out These have had promises to allure them and precepts to divert them and threatnings to humble them and yet are never a whit the better woe unto them they have not sought their peace in the day of peace yea are there not many who heare their own lets opened and yet goe away unreformed Oh the depth of the deceitfulnesse and wickednesse of mans heart Vnto a lively hope c. Foure things may be here noted three of them I will but touch First that there is hope unto the righteous He can be in no such estate or distresse but there is hope the poorest Christian hath his hope and if hee were inclosed with crosses yet he is a prisoner of hope and therefore wee should pray God to shew us the hope of our calling and should the more willingly suffer afflictions rejoycing in hope Secondly none have hope but converted Christians For all carnall men are without hope in the world I meane without true hope For the hope that wicked men have though they leane upon it is but as the house of a spider and therefore woe unto them for their hope when they shall most need it will be as the giving up of the ghost Thirdly there is one hope unto all Gods children they hope for the same glory as they have the same faith and therefore we should live and love so together as they that hope to raigne together in heaven But the fourth thing is the chiefe and that is that there is a lively hope and a dead hope For the one is expressed and the other is manifestly implied There is in godly men a lively hope there is in wicked men but a dâ—ll and a dead hope Now if any aske what difference there is between a lively hope and a dead hope or between the true hope and the false I answer that they differ in six things First in the use of the meanes for a lively hope will use all the meanes that are appointed of God and not that only but it seeketh and expresseth the affections requisite to the right use of the meanes and it will be painefull and patient Now the common hope of carnall men betrayes it selfe in this that they thinke to gâ—e to heaven though they never use the 〈◊〉 or 〈…〉 nor with any paines or patience Secondly in adversity a lively hope plainely shewes it selfe For it will make a man to runne to God and powre out his heart before him resting satisfied if it can get comfort and a promise from God whereas the dead hope is of no use when miseries and adversity comes It delights not in prayer and will not brooke to come in Gods sight it runs to carnall and devillish helps and if it faile in them it excites impatient murmuring or despaire Thirdly a lively hope is attended with lively joyes when God workes the hope of heaven he workes also at some time or other more or lesse the joyes of heaven which hee utterly denies to wicked men Fourthly mans hopes may be tryed by â—he object Aâ—ke a wicked man what is the thing he would have in heaven and he must answer it is the joyes and happinesse of heaven But aske a godly man what he would have in heaven and he soon answers it is the holinesse of heaven hee would be there because he would sin no more but the wicked would be there because they would suffer no more it is righteousnesse that hope waiteth for Fifthly the true hope will acknowledge the truth which is according to godlinesse but the false hope thinkes it enough to know it it will not adventure it selfe to be so forward as to professe it Lastly whosoever hath the true hope purgeth himselfe that he may be pure as Christ is pure but the dead hope cannot abide much mortification The use of all this may be to instruct both carnall men and godly men Carnall men should take notice of this difference that so they might addresse themselves to seeke this true and lively hope which that they may obtaine or attaine they must shun hypocrisie and deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and labour for true grace for the hypocrites hope shall perish and we can never attaine unto the blessed hope unlesse we resolve to live soberly and righteously and religiously in this present world and this everlasting consolation and good hope is had onely by grace and the godly should here learne to hold fast their lively hope as one of the excellentest fruits of their regeneration and their daily refuge should be to nourish and strengthen themselves in it and to that end acquaint themselves constantly with the comforts of the scripture which were penned especially to that end that they might have hope And thus much of the third thing By the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Concerning the resurrection of Christ as it may here be considered of â— propound foure things 1. In what sense it is here to be understood 2. How his resurrection hath relation to us in that our new birth is here haâ—â—ed upon it 3. I answer a question or two which here may be moved and then I make use of all For the first Some have understood by the resurrection of Christ here synecdochically the whole worke of redemption Some understand the words of his spirituall resurrection in our hearts by faith through the operation of the spirit of grace for as he dyeth in us by infidelity so he riseth in us by faith But I â—ake it here as it is commonly taken even for the resurrection of his own person even for that work by which he did shake off the power of death and quicken his dead body restoring the soule to it and receiving to himselfe in his humane nature a blessed celestiall and glorious life In the beleefe of this we differ from Pagans They can beleeve that he dyed but we must beleeve that he rose againe This was solemnly foretold by David and foreshewed by Ioâ—ah manifested by an Angell recorded by the
thou wert a Prince borne thou must not inherit the first day and it is the better for us that it is so for so it is the safer from sinne violence Satan c. For you That is for such as are begotten againe some reade in us or in you to note that men must looke into their hearts whether they shall have heaven For if Christ and his spirit dwell not there they are never like to come to this glory but I reade it as before and so it plainly notes that none but converted Christians have any interest in this inheritance Lastly this inheritance is commended by the place where it lyeth it is in heaven The Holy Ghost would have us meditate much even of the very place of our glory but for explication of this I propound two things 1. where heaven is 2. wherein it excelleth other places First by heaven I meane not the ayre as sometimes the word signifieth nor yet the heavenly moveable orbes that are visible above our head but the place of the blessed where God dwelleth and Christ in his body is ascended and where the spirits of just and perfect men now are Now where this place is cannot be knowne by sense because it is not obnoxious to any of the senses nor can we learne where it is by reason For it is true that the ninth heaven is not knowne by sense for we cannot see it or heare it move c. yet Astronomers by the effect of it though it be above the starry firmament have found it out certainely to be But now for the heaven of the blessed that extends not to us by any effect or influence and therefore cannot be known by reason Scripture onely doth reveale it and so it is manifest to be a place that is above us For Christ ascended up into heaven and we shall be where he now is It is called the high and holy place and Gods family is called Ierusalem that is above and the Psalmist saith God dwelleth on high so that it is a place farre above all those visible elements and heavens As for those that imagine heaven is every where where God is we may manifestly conceive of their error For so to goe to heaven were to goe to hell for God is there also as the Psalmist faith and our Saviour saith not Our Father which art every where but Our Father which art in heaven and besides God and the devill doe not keep house together But we know that the devills live in this ayre and every where round about us in these visible regions of the elements and therefore heaven must needs be above all these Now for the excellency of this place above all others who is able to describe it yet for help to thy meditation consider the names that be given to it It is called Paradise the Fathers house the throne of God the kingdome the heavenly Ierusalem 2. The shadowes by which the excellency thereof is signified In the 21. of the Revelation a search is made through all the bowels of the earth to finde out all the precious treasures that could be had gold pearles and precious stones of all sorts and what can these serve to onely to shadow out the glory of the walls of the new Ierusalem and the gates and to pave the streets of that City But there is not treasure enough in the whole world so much as to shadow out the mansions that are there and the inward furniture or the glorious cloathing or dyet of the Worthies that shall dwell there much lesse the divine Royalties and prerogatives eternall of that excellent heaven 3. Consider but the summe of that which Divines out of the Scriptures write of it For substance It is a place obnoxious to no corruption alteration passion nor motion it is not whirled about as these heavens are For quantity it is greater then all this world besides For qualities it is most exceeding light most pleasant and most faire a place wherein none evill needs be found and none good can be wanting having upon it the very glory of God even a most divine splendor Verse 5. Which are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation which is prepared already to be shewed in the last time HItherto of our glorification The third argument followes and that is taken from our preservation unto glory which is this Verse It is two wayes amplified First by the meanes of our preservation and secondly by the end of our preservation The meanes are twofold First in God his power and secondly in us our faith The end is salvation which is also amplified first by the things which goe before it viz. preparation and revelation It is prepared to be revealed Secondly by the time in the last time From the coherence and generall consideration of these words three things may be briefly noted First that such is our wretched condition in this world in respect of corruption adversaries temptations c. that were it not for Gods mercy and power neither present grace would hold out nor the glory of heaven ever be enjoyed Secondly that the same God that of his mercy begot us againe and provided an incorruptible inheritance doth undertake also to preserve it hee takes it upon himselfe to see it accomplished which should bee a singular comfort 〈…〉 Thirdly that Gods children may draw many arguments of consolation and get great experience of joy from the very observation of Gods providence in preserving them Kept The word in the originall signifieth properly to keep as a towne is kept from the enemies in the time of war with a garrison and so it is rendered 2 Cor. 11.32 where it is said Aretas kept the City with a garrison In the third of the Galathians the word is used metaphorically to expresse our condition under the Law he saith we were kept under the Law that is the sinner having transgressed was kept by the Law as it were under a strong garrison that he could not possibly escape unlesse he be delivered by Christ the law will hold him so fast he shall not possibly get away now here it is used to expresse the wonderfull safety of all men and women truly converted they are kept with a garrison wherein two things may bee noted First that the dearest of Gods children in this world are in continuall war they are neâ—er at such rest and peace as to discharge their garrison seldome or never but they are continually in war either outward with the world of wicked men or with crosses that daily assaile them or else inward with temptations Heaven properly is the rest of the godly or if they bee at any time free yet they are in danger and therefore still stand upon their guard which should teach us under either afflictions or temptations never to account it strange and if at any time God give us some little breathing not to grow secure
he gives but a little help Dan. 11.34 6. Sixtly when hee leaves us to our selves and withdrawes the speciall working of his spirit 2 Chron. 32.31 7. Seventhly when he suffers us to fall into the same miseries that wicked men doe yea sometimes making our condition to be as the beasts of the field Eccles. 3.17 18 19. Now the consideration of this doctrine of Gods melting and trying men may serve for foure Uses 1. First there is a great comfort in it and that foure waies 1. For first it is a comfort that God makes so much account of men as to think them worthy the melting or trying even this favour Iob wonders at Ioh 7.18 2. Secondly it is comfortable that it is Gods wont to try his servants it hath been Gods custome to doe so It is no strange thing if he try us hee doth no more than what hee hath done to them that were deare unto him Heb. 11.36 3. Thirdly it is especially comfortable if we consider out of other Scriptures the manner of Gods compassion and care for his people when they be in the furnace For First he appoints their time how long they shall tarry there and beyond that time they shall not be in the furnace Dan. 11.35 Secondly the Prophet Malachy saies he sitteth down himself by the furnace to tend it and to look to them Mal. 3.2 or if he be upon any occasion urged to be absent the Prophet Esay saies he flies and returnes Esay 31.9 and ult c. Thirdly if they have any sute to God or make any moane while they live in the furnace they are sure to be heard no time like it for the hearing of prayer Zach. 13.9 Fourthly if the fire be too hot for them he will defer his wrath and refraine from them Esay 48.9 10. Fiftly he will take notice of a little grace in the midst of a great deale of drosse if there be but a sigh a good thought a holy desire in the midst of a great deale of ignorance and perturbation he will accept it and account of it Rom. 8.27 4. Fourthly it is a comfortable doctrine to Gods children if they consider but the effect of this melting and that either the present effect or the future The present it is to try them not to consume them or to make a full end of them it is to refine them not to destroy them Dan. 11.36 Ier. 46. ult and they shall come out as Iob saith as the gold Iob 23.10 And besides for the time to come it is certaine the Lord tryes them that hee may doe them good at their latter end Deut. 8.14 15 16. and after they are tryed they shall have a crowne of life Iam. 1.12 And thus of the Use for consolation Secondly this doctrine is a terrible doctrine too terrible I say in generall to all such as will not be purged by affliction such as will not be made better by their crosses Let them consider that it is the Lord that cast them into the furnace and seeing they mend not one of these two evils will befall them Either the Lord will give them over as altogether drosse and so they shall never be purged or else since they will not mend by the beginnings of his displeasure he will cause his fury to rest upon them as the Prophet speaks Ezech. 24.13 14. and in particular woe to all wicked men that nourish themselves in sinne because they are inward or secret sinnes Little doe they know or thinke that God will search Ierusalem with lights even all them that be frozen in their dregges or setled on their lees Zâ—ph 1.12 When the Lord will search for them it is not the top of Carmell nor the bottome of the sea that shall hide them c. Amos 9.2 3. And in speciall woe is to all hypocrites they are fallen into Gods hand that compasseth about all their waies there is not a thought in their minds but God seeth woe to carelesse professors the Lord will make all the Churches to know that hee searcheth the heart and reines Rev. 2.23 Thirdly this doctrine may teach us two things 1. First to be more carefull of in â—ard uprightnesse seeing it is God that tryeth us who tries the heart as well as the life 1 Chro. 29.19 2. Secondly in all the wrongs and aspersions of wicked men to put our selves upon Gods tryall Psal. 7.9 Ier. 11.20 1 Thes. 2.4 Of your faith Two things I note here 1. First that where God gives faith he will try it where he bestowes the assurance of his favour let men looke for it For certainly hee will melt them God will try our faith for divers reasons he will thereby melt off the rust of antiquity There be certaine odde and old opinions and conceits in men at their first conversion and it is Gods manner to schoole men by afflictions and many times a Christian in a few daies of adversity learnes more true knowledge then otherwise hee would doe in many weekes Againe there are dregges of unbeliefe in the best and these need to goe into the furnace to get them off Besides by affliction God doth shew the truth of his owne grace from that which is but counterfeit in wicked men The furnace manifestly puts a difference betweene a justifying faith and the best of all other faiths to wit temporary faith this may serve to confute their folly that think themselves happy because they are not in trouble as other men But contrariwise this is an ill signe many times that they are miserable and have not any faith that would endure the tryall This should also teach us so to seeke assurance of Gods favour or so to hold the possession of it as to looke for assaults and tryals while we are in this world more or lesse 2. Secondly that of all other graces God stands most upon faith in affliction and this is so both because it brings more glory to God for to live by faith is to yeeld an immediate glory unto God as also because it is of most principall use for the good of Christians For faith doth in the midst of all stormes and the waves of adversity set a Christian on a rock it doth give him ground to be established upon so as he needs not feare drowning hence the Metaphors of grounded and stablished are given to faith Againe Faith delivers from the curse of the law so as what afflictions break in upon a Christian they are not curses but chastisements which may be a great hearts ease in all temptations or tryals Againe Faith quiets a mans heart and works peace and inward tranquility for against the force of the curse it gives a man accesse to the view of the gloâ—y of heaven yea it doth as it were give a being to things which are not it makes the glory of heaven as it were present it laies hold on eternall life Lastly faith is many times the very condition of
may hence note one excellent pledge of Gods love and goodnesse he is not bound to give us any wages till the end yet see his mercy he doth recompence us every day 4. Fourthly woe unto wicked men their end is shame and confusion even the fruit of all their evill waies or as the Apostle saith their end is damnation Phil. 3.18 The salvation of your soules The soule is a spirituall substance within us by which we resemble God it can subsist of it selfe it hath neither matter nor end it was created of God of nothing and united to the body that God might be rightly knowne and worshipped The soule is a kind of picture of God within us that can live though the body were not when I say it is void of matter I meane it is not made of any other thing as our bodies be there is no metall as I may say of which it may consist and it is such a divine creature as it cannot die as the body doth and it was of purpose put into the body that so amongst the visible creatures God might be known and worshipped For if we had not a soule within us we could never attaine to any knowledge of God more than the bruit beasts For God cannot be knowne by bodily senses Now for the union how the body and soule are knit one to another I cannot expresse it Salvation notes especially that estate of excellency and glory which the faithfull have in another world though properly the word notes but onely what we are delivered and saved from in heaven This salvation excludes all misery and includes all happinesse All misery may be referred to foure heads 1. Sinne. 2. Infirmities 3. Adversaries And 4. Death none of these shall be in heaven All happinesse likewise may be referred to foure heads 1. Perfection of nature 2. Communion with the blessed viz. God Christ Angels and just men 3. And a glorious inheritance in the heaven of the blessed And 4. Immortality all these shall be enjoyed in that other world Now though the soule be taken synecdochically for the soule and body yet the salvation of the soule is principall and more glorious The use may be threefold 1. For information 2. For instruction 3. For reproofe 1. There are three things we may be informed in from the consideration of the salvation of the soules of the faithfull 1. First that godly men are in a wonderfull happy case whatsoever their outward estate be because their soules shall be saved there are springs of joy in the very hope of this immortall happinesse this salvation is so great a mercy as we may truely say his reward is with him 2. Secondly that there is a matchlesse love in God to man not onely in that he provides such an estate but first that he doth it freely without all respects of merit Tit. 3.4 and secondly because he sends up and downe the world to offer this salvation From hence ariseth the Phrase my salvation is gone forth 3. Thirdly that faith is wonderfull precious that brings us such a salvation 2. Further for the second there are divers instructions may be deduced from this doctrine as 1. First it should teach us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 the very thought of going to heaven should extinguish the desire of sinning 2. Secondly we would make God all our trust and our expectation Psal. 62.5 We should resolve to rest upon God For none else either will or can doe so much for us as he can Hee is well said to be the hope of Israel none have so great hopes as the faithfull 3. Thirdly we should labour for the assurance of salvation and lay hold upon it striving to get evidence for it Heaven should suffer violence seeing it may be had we should never be quiet till we can get it 4. Fourthly and lastly such as have attained some assurance of their salvation should looke to foure things 1. First they should strive for large affections to expresse the sense of so great salvation It is such an incomparable benefit as wee should be alwaies praising c. 2. Secondly it should quicken them to good works the remembrance that we shall be saved should be like a fire within us to inflame us to all possible care to please God and to be fruitfull in all well-doing Salvation should be as a burning lamp within us a Christian should never be without fire in his heart in respeâ—t of his care to maintaine good works 3. Thirdly shall wee not be content with any condition in this world seeing wee are so well-provided for in a better what should trouble us if we can remember that after a short time our soules must be saved 4. Fourthly shall we be so glorious in heaven why then our conversation should be in heaven we should be alwaies thinking of heaven our mindes should run upon it 3. Now as this doctrine may informe and teach so it may reprove whole troops of carnall Christians that never labour after this glorious estate that scarce ever aske what they should doe to be saved but sleepe it out in a Lethargie and never aske after nor remember their latter end Thus of the 9. Verse and so of the confirmation by prolepsis or the answer of their objections Verse 10. Of which salvation the Prophets searched and inquired diligently which prophesied of the grace that should come unto you THe consolation propounded verses 3 4 5. is confirmed first by Prolepsis or the answering of Objections verses 6 7 8 9. secondly by testimony of worthy and holy men verses 10 11 12. So that these words make good the consolation of Christians by setting before us what witnesse holy men of old have given of our happinesse that live now under the Gospell In the words five things are particularly to be noted 1. First who testifie or who are Gods witnesses and these are described 1. first more generally and so they were Prophets 2. secondly more specially and so they were those Prophets that were appointed of God to prophesie of the gracious priviledges should come unto us Christians 2. Secondly their adjunct paines and endeavors to furnish themselves in the knowledge of those things that concerne us They searched and inquired diligently 3. Thirdly the question they studied or unto which they testifie In generall it was of salvation ver 10. In speciall it was of the manner and time of the grace foretold 4. Fourthly the occasion that fiered them to this earnest desire after this knowledge and that was the inspiration of the holy Ghost driving them to foretell of the passion of Christ and glories that should follow Now they rightly conjectured that this glory did import some excellent estate of the Church then and that they would faine have knowne 5. Fiftly the successe and that was they were answered by revelation which answer is set downe verse 12. Prophets God hath revealed his will three waies 1. First
minds These words are metaphoricall and may be three waies interpreted 1. First hereby may be signified that wee should with all care lay hold upon Gods covenant and in our mindes and affections imbrace it For the girdle upon Ieremies loynes is a type of Gods covenant with the people Ier. 13.11 2. It may note the humiliation wherewith our minds and hearts should be abased before the Lord so to gird the loynes must be taken Esay 32.11 3. But thirdly and chiefly hereby is signified the care we should have to remove all the impediments that might hinder faith and godlinesse it being a metaphor taken from the manner of the Easterne people who wore long garments which till they were girded up were a great hinderance both to labour and travaile 4. To these may be added that it is used to note the watchfull expectation of Christs comming Luke 12.35 And so in generall we may here note 1. That true godlinesse and devotion and faith have many hinderances There are many letts in the way of life never any could order their course so wisely but they did find impediments The use is for confutation of such as find no hinderances If it be the true grace of Christ there are le ts a signe they are in a slumber and know not the waies of heaven these waies are strait and narrow Secondly for comfort and incouragement to the godly that are troubled with letts it hath alwaies been so the godly were ever annoyed with the loynes and long garments 2. That the first care should be to be prepared and resolved against these letts 3. That these lets are daily they are as the very garments of our backs 4. That they may be many times about things that seeme needfull 5. That of all the impediments of godlinesse those that are within are the worst therefore he saith gird up your minds Ill company multitude of businesse carnall counsell and friends losses disgraces enemies and wife and farme and riches and pleasures are great letts so is the world and the devill but yet the worst are within the minds of men And thus in generall Now in particular divers things may be profitably considered 1. For what men must be thus prepared and made ready 2. What are the garments of the mind or inward lets 3. Why must they be girded up 4. How must they be girded or restrained 5. It is to be noted that he saith gird up not cast off 6. The Uses For the first this metaphor in the letter was used in those countries upon foure occasions 1. When they were to goe a journey 1 King 4.29 9.1 2. When they were to run a race 1 King 18.46 3. When they were to fight a battaile 1 King 2.1 4. When they went to labour Prov. 31.17 In all foure senses spiritually we must haue our minds girded and resolved against impediments we are travellers runners labourers fighters and in all these respects we must be girded and addressed to them we can never runne the race of godlinesse we can never doe the works of godlinesse we can never abide the hard strife and fight of godlinesse and faith we can never hold out in our journey to heaven unlesse we daily strive against the hinderances that will be cast in our way I say daily and inwardly For the second there are 14. internall letts of godlinesse 12. of them implyed in the comparison of long garments and 2. of them in the similitude of loynes The twelve inward lets are these 1. Ignorance a vaile Esay 25.8 it hinders Eph. 4.17 2. Carnall reason 2 Cor. 2.18 3. 〈◊〉 thoughts or contemplative wickedâ—esse Iâ—r 4.14 Gen. 6. 8. 4. Security mindlesnesse incogitancie which shewes it selfe eyther by not heeding or by not râ—membring or by not resolving or applying or practising 5. Love of the world It is not much businesse or wealth or many occasions but the love men have to the world that hinders them Cares of life 6. Troubles of mind disquietnesse of mind worldly or causelesse sorrows impatiency when mens uncâ—rcumcised minds will not beare the punishment of their sins These hinder assurance society labour of godlinesse Lâ—v. 26.41 see the phrases used Prov. 15.15 Eccl. 2.23 7. Fearfulnesse and doubts feare of this trouble and that disgrace or difficulty or ill successe c. Ier. 1.17 Rev. 21.8 8. Hypocrisie a double heart a heart and a heart allowance of distractions c c This frustrates all for the present and angers God 9. Precipitation of mind when mens haste is in them as the Hebrew phrase is Iob 20.2 Thus David said in excessumentis it is translated in his haste I am cast out of thy sight suddennesse rashnesse adventurousnesse is hereby meant Prov. 15.28 This hinders 1. soundnesse of understanding by exposing to tentation 2. by leading out of the race 10. Hardnesse of mind opposed to fearing alwaies Prov. 28.14 unteachablenesse the difficulty that is in men to be perswaded or moved 11. Discouragement Heb. 12.13 12. Consternation or amazednesse of mind Luke 24.4 2 Thes. 2.2 And when hee saith not barely gird up your minds but the loines of the minde it importeth two things For the loines in the minde signifie 1. heavinesse dulnesse so the word used 2 Chron. 10.10 2. concupiscence these must especially be girded hard yea all the rest must be girded upon these Thirdly we should gird up our minds for divers reasons 1. Because the mind not attended will else run into a secret frame of evill cogitations or stand still in emptinesse being not woond up 2. Because that which is halting may be turned out of the way Heb. 12.13 3. Because the minde in pollution as it is most secret so it is most loathsome Tit. 1.15 Eph. 2.3 4. Because else through custome wee may come to a reprobate minde Rom. 1. 5. Lastly because the keeping of our mindes is the keeping of our soules Prov. 9.8 For the fourth there are divers rules to be observed for the girding up of our minds we may gird up our minds divers waies 1. By confessing and complaining of them I meane of these secret impediments unto God one way to restraine them is to confesse them 2. By inflaming the love of God in our minds For if wee could love God with all our minds we were safe from all impediments 3. We must be sure we be renewed in our minds For the old minde will never be girded up we must be renewed in the spirit of our minds that is in our carnall reason for that like an old belldam is the mother and nurse of all the rest Eph. 4.23 4. We must speak often with our minds as the Hebrew phrase is that is we must observe check informe consider and direct our mindes 5. We must get the word of God written in our minds and obey the motions of the Spirit that law of our minds 6. We must converse much with the godly and wise that they may
Solomon Eccles. 11.9 Dan. 7. Mal. 4. and many more after the Law by Christ Mat. 24. Paul 2 Thes. 1. Peter 2 Pet. 3. Iohn Rev. 2â— 2. The types of it which are so many pledges doe certainly though fearfully foretell it such as were those dreadfull executions done upon wicked men in all ages as the drowning of the world the burning of the Cities Sodome c. the opening of the earth to swallow Corah Dathan and Abiram the destruction of Ierusalem c. yea he spared not the very Angels Iud. 6.2 Pet. 2.4 These stupendious works are monuments of a strange judgement to come 3. The exact fulfilling of the signs so many of them as belong to times past and present which were given as fore-runners of that judgement such as were 〈◊〉 Christs warres the apostacie of the Church the detection and falling of Antichrist c. 4. From the need of it for in this world the godly are oppressed and not righted and the wicked flourish and are not punished many times therefore of necessity there must be a time wherein all these things must be set in order 1. Let every man repent Act. 17.30 Here is no trifling it will certainly be and therefore repent or perish 2. Judge nothing before the time let us not judge one another but leave all judgement to God 1 Cor. 4.4 3. Let us not be impatient or fret at the prosperity of the wicked or be discouraged at the afflictions of the righteous for there shall come a time wherein the godly shall have full reward and honor and wicked men everlasting shame and paine Every man The whole world must come to judgement good and bad wee must all appeare before the Tribunall seat of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 not onely all the godly but all the wicked of all sorts which will appeare by a distribution 1. The Pagans shall come to judgement such as have sinned without the law Rom 2. 2. The Iewes that crucified Christ or still doe deny him to be come in the flesh Rom 2. 3. Papists 2 Thes. 2. 4. Atheists that mock at his comming 2 Pet. 3.3 In the true Church 1. Grosse offenders Mal. 3.7 Rev. 21. 22. 2. Civill honest men Mat. 5.19 3. Rich and mighty men of the world God will not accept the person of Princes Iob 34.19 Iam. 5.1 3. 4. Hypocrites Mat. 23. Psal. 5â— 16 5. The unmercifull Mat. 25. Iam. 2.13 6. Apostates Heb. 10.27 2 Pet. 2. 7. All that trouble the godly 2 Thes. 1. Gal. 5 1â— 8. Inordinate censurers Rom. 2.1 2.3 Iam. 3.1 9. All unruly persons that will not be ordered according to Gods ordinances Mat. 25. goates 10. All that use scant measures wicked balances and false weights Mat. â— 10 11. Yea as I said before all the godly must be judged we must all appeare It is said the godly shall not be judged Iob. 3.18 6.54 They shall not be judged with the judgement of condemnation The Use. Therefore every man should stir up his heart to a carefull examination of himselfe and make his account and provide for his answer at that day and the rather should wee attend hereunto because the most men are after an unspeakable manner forgetfull of their latter end and suffer themselves to be drowned in the cares of life as if there were no time of chaâ—ging or reckoning The fourth and last point is the cause of the judgement imported in these words according to their works According to their works It shall be tâ— every man at that day according to his works if his works be evill he shall be damned if his works be good he shall be saved 2 Cor. 5 1â— Rom. 2. For the better understanding of this doctrine divers questions and objections are to be resolved It seemes then faith shall not be inquired after It shall yea and that chiefly as appeares in the 7. verse of this Chapter and in many other Scriptures which avouch we are saved by faith yea and works are mentioned to this end because by them Christ shall evidently prove to the world the faith of his Elect hee will thâ—n shew their faith by their works yea faith is comprehended under the word works as being indeed the noblest of all works and that which most shineth in the life of a Christian it is the chiefe obedience required in the Gospell and the just live by their faith But how can works be looked upon in the Elect seeing they are not acknowledged as having merit in them Can they be saved by their works Works shall be inquired after in the godly not as meritorious causes of their salvation for the merit of heaven is onely in Christs works which onely are perfect But works shall be examined and judged 1. As the witnesses in that Assise that give in evidence concerning their calling and faith 2. As the conditions of Gods promises concerning reward in heaven not for their merit but of Gods free grace that will so crowne them Observe that the Scripture no where saith for their works but according to their works But how can the works of men be numbred they are so infinite The books shall then be opened viz. first the booke of Gods remembrance in which are fast graven the deeds of all men Rev. 20. Mal. 3.16 Secondly the consciences of all men shall be extended to an exact view of all the works of their life past By what law shall mens works be examined seeing the Pagans have not the Scriptures to guide them and the faithfull have not fulfilled the morall law in their owne persons The infidels shall be judged by the law of nature Rom. 2. the wicked in the Church by the morall law and the godly by the Goâ—pâ—ll Shall not wicked men be judged for their originall sin but onely for their evill works By works may be meant 1. both the worke of our fall in Adam as well as 〈…〉 worke 2. This phrase according to workes doth include all workes and yet not exclude the respect of other things besides workes aâ— faith in the godly and originall sinne in the wicked 3. Workes are but the â—ruits of corruption of nature and so synâ—â—dochically it is comprehended under them But shall no man be then judged for other mens workes as well as for their owne may not children be iudged for their fathers sinnes or one man iudged for the evill done by another as the Pharises for the blood of Abel and Zacharâ—as God as an absolute Monarch and iust governor may with temporall punishments chastise the posterity of wicked Parents and to warn the world 〈…〉 but hee cannot iudge them to eternall damnation further then they be guilty of their fathers sinnes either by consent assistance or 〈…〉 the Pharises be sent to hell for Abels bloud onely to farre as they were not warned by that example to avoid bloud To con 〈◊〉 no man
into the actions of three severall daies 1. Some things were to be done the first day verse 4. to 9. 2. Some things the 7. day ver 9. 3. Some things on the 8. day ver 10. to 32. These severall daies noted the different degrees in the sanctification of the sinner In the first dayes worke we may consider 1. what the Priest doth ver 8. 2. what the Leper to be clensed was to doe ver 8. In the first consider the things prepared ver 4. and the application of them or use of them ver 5 6 7. LEVITICUS 14. VERSE 4. The things prepared were two live cleane birds cedar wood byssop and scarlet 1. The two live birds did signifie the twofold estate of Christ his suffering estate and his triumphing estate as will appeare more plainlie after 2. And Christ is shadowed out in the likenesse of birds first then of lambs after and then of a bullocke at last to note the degrees of the revelation of Christ in the heart of a sinner at the first though he have true grace yet he seeth Christ but in a little forme as it were afterward God revealeth his Son in him more and more manifestly 3. The cedar wood hyssop and scarlet might signifie the graces of Christ with which he was to enrich and sanctifie the sinner viz. Faith Hope and Love Faith signified by the high growing cedar which though it have a root in earth yet it aspires towards heaven above all other trees Hope was signified by the Hyssop which though it grow low and secret as it were in the heart yet it is alwayes greene according to the severall seasons of Gods providence and Love was signified by the scarlet the double dye whereof might note our double love to God and men all sanctified and inflamed in the bloud shedding of Jesus Christ. 4. The summe of all then in the signification of the things prepared is that wee need two things for our clensing viz. Christ and the graces of Christ Faith Love and Hope 5. Now it is to be observed that these are to be taken not for the whole congregation of Christ or Israel at once but for him that is to be clensed alone to signifie that there must be a particular application of Christ and sanctification with the graces of Christ in every beleever or else it will not serve the turne that there is a Saviour provided for the Church in generall which is further shadowed out in the particular taking of the birds for this use and gathering of the cedar wood and hysop and providing of scarlet 6. It is further to be noted that the Priest is said to command the taking of these things not to prescribe them only which might shew Gods willingnesse to bestow Christ and his graces he doth not only offer him but commands us also to take him by faith he is ready to give and reproacheth no man yea this command might enforce some care and terror into the penitent sinner not to dare to neglect the time in this great businesse of purifying the soule and it might also incourage the fearefull for God is not only contented that they rest upon Christ but shewes himselfe to be discontented if they doe not seeke unto Christ when they finde need of him Thus of the things to be prepared the application or use of them followes in the three next verses VERSE 5. The application concerns either the dying bird or the living bird The dying bird in this verse the living bird in the two next 1. The one of the birds must be killed to note that without the death of Christ there can be no purging for sinne and that in the conversion of a sinner the onely thing the soule of man lookes upon is Christ slaine for sinne 2. This bird is to be killed by commandement to note that Christ was by speciall appointment from the Father set apart unto death 3. This bird was to be killed over running water This running water was a signe either of the Gospell or of the grace of sanctification The bloud falling into the water either did signifie that the Gospell of Christ crucified should be preached all over the world or else it noted that the bloud of Christ should then onely be effectuall to the sinner when the fountaine of grace was opened and both bloud and water met together that is the merit of Christ and the Spirit of Christ There ran out of the side of Christ both water and blood which it seemes was to signifie the same mystery 1 Iohn 5. 4. It is the more comfortable also that by the running water is signified the continuall flowing of the fountaine of grace dyed in the blood and merits of Christ in the heart of a sinner 5. This water was to be in an earthen vessell to note 1. That God did measure unto every Christian according to his proportion Rom. 12.6 2. That the Ministers of the Gospell should have the power of dividing this treasure unto men and that God would glorifie himselfe by the service of men otherwise contemptible in the world 2 Cor. 4.6 VERSE 6. 1. The living bird signifieth Christ alive from the dead and who cannot die but ever liveth at the right hand of God 2. The Cedar wood hyssop and scarlet signified the graces of Christ Faith Hope and Love 3. The joyning of both these together shewes that we cannot bee saved by Christ without the grace of Christ. It is to no purpose to thinke of Christ without care to receive his graces also 4. All these must be dipped in the blood of the bird that was slaine over running water to teach us three things 1. That it is the merit of the death of Christ that makes the presence of Christ in heaven acceptable for us 2. That all the graces we are to receive from Christ must be dipped in his blood also for by his blood it is that we have accesse unto grace or acceptation for any grace in us though received from him 3. That by the Gospell and the Spirit of Christ all this good is conferred unto us from Christ out of heaven VERSE 7. 1. The sprinkling upon him that is to be cleansed notes 1. Application There must bee a particular application of Christ to the beleever 2. Imputation For this sprinkling is the worke of God imputing Christ and his passion and holinesse to the beleever 3. Valuation of the worth of the least drop of Christs blood His blood though but sprinkled justifies a sinner 4. Lesser manifestation For sprinkling imports not so much a restraint in God as a defect in us that doe not so fully discerne our interest in Christ. 5. Strong consolation For if we can by faith lay hold but upon a drop of Christs blood it sufficeth if we discerne but sprinkling though we are farre from powring out it is sufficient 2. When he adds from his leprosie it is to assure us this comfort that in the justification
preaching of the Gospell he being diversly shaked to and fro in the divers manners of propounding of Christ in the Gospell 3. The moving of the lips of the sinner in his confession and prayer before God 4. It might note the trembling of the Christian when hee comes first unto God and the various conflicts in his soule with which he is shaken and yet Christ is accepted as an offering for them before the Lord for all their feare and doubtings and tossings of temptations for the Christian holds his sacrifice in his hands for all his feares 3. The pinte of oyle that was to be waved also may note 1. That there is abundance of joyes will follow care and conscience in faith and repentance for trespasses 2. That before we can get abundance of joy it must be waved before the Lord that is Christ must beg it for us in heaven and preach it often to us in earth we must heare joy and gladnesse 3. It may perhaps note that marvellous feare and sorrow of heart for sinne which a Christian feeles when he is most joyed by the holy Ghost He rejoyceth with trembling Psal. 2.11 VERSE 13. The killing of the lambe followes amplifyed by the place and the person to whom it belonged and the worth of it Foure things were here signified 1. That Christ must be killed for us and in his death is our sacrifice 2. That the place where being the holy place notes 1. That Christ was slaine onely by and for the Elect. 2. That Christ crucified is taught and knowne onely in the Church 3. In that the Priest must have all the offerings is noted 1. That Christ onely can make an atonement 2. That the honour of our sanctification belongs to the Ministers 4. In that it was most holy is noted that this way of holinesse in Christ is an absolute way as ever was devised VERSE 14. The sprinkling followeth and is twofold 1. Of the bloud ver 14. 2. Of oyle ver 15. to 19. 1. The sprinkling of bloud noted the worke of God and the Gospell applying CHRISTS bloud to the distressed sinner 2. The sprinkling of the eare hand and toe noted that our hearing of the Word the principall meanes is sanctified by the bloud of Jesus Christ so as our unworthinesse shall be no barre to our successe in the meanes Secondly that our practice likewise is sanctified in the bloud of Christ. Thirdly that our progresse also and perseverance depends upon the merit and vertue of Christs passion and these are the three things Christ undertakes for the penitent sinner VERSE 15 16 17 18. The sprinkling of oyle followes where note 1. Who doth it viz. the Priest 2. How he doth it He poureth into his left hand and dippeth his finger 3. How many wayes he doth it 4. Where he doth it 5. Whâ—t he doth with the remainder 1. The Priests sprinkling of the oyle noted that Christ and his Ministers are the chiefe fountaine of our joy 2. The warinesse of the Priest in the manner shewes that God would have his consolations warily propoundâ—d unto men 3. He was to sprinkle both before the Lord and upon the party 1. The sprinkling before the Lord noted the joyes of Gods presence and that he is privie to all the comforts befall us 2. In that it was done many times is noted 1. The perfection of the joyes God hath prepared c. 2. Our imperfection in beleeving it 3. The sprinckling upon the partie noted the particular interest of the penitent in the joyes of Christ. 4. The sprinkling of the eare thumb and toe assured comfort in hearing practice and perseverance and in that it must be put upon the bloud of the trespasse offering it signified that wee cannot have true joy but in the sacrifice of Christ and the application thereof It is all merited in his death and to be applyed by Pâ—ith 5. The remainder was to be poured out upon the head of the person which might note either 1. The fulnesse of joy which Christ our head hath in heaven the same with ours saving in the measure 2. That our consolations are given us that we might comfort others by the running downe of our c. 3. That we were abundantly consecrated unto God and annointed as Priests Kings and Prophets unto the Lord and shall have everlasting joy in our callings Esay 35. ult So that that joy upon their heads was shadowed by this type Quest. But why joy upon their heads Answ. Though the seat of joy be the heart yet the cause of joy is in the head and that is the understanding of our happy estate in Christ. Where he addes that the Priest shall make an attonement for him wee must understand it thus that the Priest hereby shall ratifie the attonement 〈◊〉 in the sacrifice of Christ c. These joyes shall abundantly settle his heart in the assurance of Gods favouâ— in Christ and so it notes that usually Gods servants have not that setled peâ—swasion of their happinesse in reconciliation with God untill they have had abundance of experience of the joyes of the holy Ghost in the knowledge of their calling in Jesus Christ. VERSE 19 20. Quest. Now that the 〈◊〉 iâ— satisfied in Gods goodnesse and favour what is more to be done Answ. There must be yet a sinne offering and a burnt offering For after he hath taken a course for outward sins by which he trespassed against God and man he returnes and finds a marvellous deale of drosse in his nature and of secret corruptions that hang upon him daily and therefore now he needs a new application of the sacrifice of Christ to comfort him against his sinnes that hang on so fast though he be freed from grosse sins or outward trespasses that men take notice of The repetition of his clensing from his uncleannesse imports that for sinnes after calling a child of God is afresh humbled with a loathing of his impurities of heart as he was at his first setting out his daily corruptions and frailties make him seeme wonderfull uncleane in his owne eyes and therefore he seeks a new atonement Now when he addes And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering it was to signifie either 1. That God in this life after long conflicts doth at length reveale Jesus Christ in a great measure so as the Christian is fully satisfied in the application of all the merits of Jesus Christ as knowing his discharge from all his sinnes in him 2. That at our death Christs sacrifice shall fully free us from all the guilt and staine of sinne The repetition that the Priest must offer all these offerings shews wee need still both Christs intercession in heaven and the ministery of Christs servants to preach him crucified while we live in the world The meat offering annexed to the burnt offering shews either that Christians grow marvellously in this life after they have full assurance of their pardon for all sins or else that Christ will
Apostle here exhorteth and withall we should bring with us faith to beleeve that Godâ— word shall turne to our nourishment Shall we trust nature for the goodnesse of milk and shall we not trust God for the efficacy of his word when he tels us it will nourish like milk And the rather should wee make our recourse with gladnesse to the word because it is so cheap a food we may buy this milke without money that is without merits only if we will heare our soules shall live Esay 55.2.4 yea let us for ever be thankfull to God for his word in this respect Was it so great a blessing that God brought the Israelites to a land that flowed with milk and hony for their bodies for the greatnesse of which blessing God doth so often put them in minde of it How great then is the marvellous goodnesse of God that hath made us to live in these times of the Gospell when the Land flowes with this spirituall milk and hony Let us labour to be thankfull and bring forth fruits worthy the bounty of God left the Lord send the men of the East to dwell in these palaces and to eat our milk and wee be cast out as it was said in the Letter Ezech. 25.4 Oh that we could see our happinesse in these daies of salvation this is that milke of the Gentiles prophecied of which wee enjoy and sucke now from the breasts of Kings living under Christian Magistrates that command the preaching of this sincere word of God Esay 60.16 Sincere The word may besaid to be sincere in two respects First in it selfe secondly in effect in it selfe it is sincere because it is without error without sinne and there is no deceit in it at all Prov. 8.7.8 Psalm 19.8.9 And because it hath no composition in it but is the very pure word of God as it came from God himselfe at first there is not a word in it but it was written by men inspired immediately by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. ult And as it is in it selfe so it is by effect It makes men sincere It makes crooked things straight It purgeth out hypocrisie and all leaven out of the minds and hearts of men it both teacheth and worketh in the godly a spirit without guile Psalm 19.8.9 The Use may be both for instruction and reproofe For instruction both to the people and to Ministers To the people and so men should here learne First to love the word and long after it for this very reason because it is so pure and sincere so void of harme or danger so did David Psalme 119.146 Secondly when we finde our natures crooked and corrupt and deceitfull and tending to hypocrisie we should bring our hearts to the word to be mended For this you see is a property of the word it will make men sincere Psal. 19. 8 9. and 119. Iohn 17. 20. and as any men have more betaken themselves to the word the more sincere they have alwayes growne Thirdly to receive the word with full assurance we may trust upon it it cannot deceive us what we finde for comfort or directions in Scripture we may build upon it Never man was disappointed of his expectation that trusted upon the word of God but in God they have ever praised his word 2. Pet. 1.20 Psal. 56.10 and 10.1 Fourthly as the Ministry of Gods servants doth more declare the sincerity of the word so we should bee more in love with it wee should like praier preaching I meane not witlesse and unlearned preaching but such preaching as maketh demonstration to the conscience out of the pure word of God in things that concerne the good of the soules of men and the glory of God the word doth ever profit men most when it is most sincere that men onely speake the words of God Fiftly to stick to the word of God without going to the right hand or the left there can be no sinne but what is condemned in the word nor can there be duty not commanded therein nor can there be matter of faith not propounded therein Oh how happy were we if we could stick to the old foundation even the sincere word of God and not adde nor diminish the hatefulnesse of departing from the word on the left hand is in most places discovered But Oh the deceitfulnesse of mens hearts and the wretched pronenesse of men to sinne by finding out many inventions Men runne out and that very fast on the right hand we have new opinions and strange fancies coyned every day Little doe the better sort of people many of them think of traditions on the right hand their faith is led into bondage when they can yeeld no better reason than it is such a mans judgement or else he thinketh so himselfe or the reasons brought are urged without any demonstration from the word of God and Scripture Happy above the most Churches under heaven were this nation if this point were understood and carefully observed if we could sticke to our first grounds in parting from the Church of Rome viz. to admit no opinions nor charge our conscience with more obligations but out of the word of God Ministers also may learne from hence what and how to preach that is the best preaching which is eminent for two things First that tends to beget sincerity clearnesse of judgement distinct evidence of assurance and strict holinesse of life in the hearers Secondly that shines in the native lustre of the word in it selfe without mixture when men know no matter no stile no wisdome comparable to that which may be had in the word This also may serve for reproofe First of such Ministers as preach not sincerely and such are they that preach for corrupt ends though they preach true doctrine Phil. 1. 17. and they that preach obscurely and carelesly and strive not to set out the glory of the truths they propound and they that are like lewd Vintners which mixe the word with the errour of their owne braines or with the traditionâ— of men or with a manifest strife to bring in mans wisedome to Gods word more desiring to shew their owne wits and learning than the glory of the scriptures 2. Cor. 4. 2. and 1. Cor. 1. 17. and 2.4.5.13 2. Of the people for that great wanâ— of appetite to Gods pure word and the plaine preaching of it Thus of the second reason the third is taken from the effect and the profit which will follow viz. they shall grow thereby That ye may grow thereby This point of the growth of a Christian is of singular use and meet to be fully and particularly opened and therefore I will observe five things concerning it more especially First that we ought to grow in grace Secondly in what things we should labour to grow and abound Thirdly what are the rules to be observed that we might grow Fourthly the signes of growth Fiftly the uses of the whole First for the first Christians
without testimony of his favour For by his word of promise and by his Spirit bearing witnesse to our spirits hath hee manifested even from heaven his acceptation and in particular when the beleever stands before the Lord with his sacrifice duly offered when the Lord doth suddenly fill his heart with the cloud of his presence or warme his soule with the joyes of the holy Ghost what is this but the signe of his acceptation Quest. VVhat if we be accepted in our service of God what great thing is that to us Answ. VVhen God accepts thine offerings thou maist be assured of three things First Thaâ— all thy sinnes be forgiven thee God hath purged away thine iniquity he hath received an atonement in Iesus Christ Psal 65.2 3. Secondly God is exceedingly delighted in them Thy sacrifice is a sweet smell unto God he rejoyceth over thee with joy Phil. 4.18 Thirdly It is a pledge unto thee that God will supply all thy necessities out of the riches of his glory in Iesus Christ our Saviour Phil. 4.19 Verse 6. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner-stone elect and precious and he that beleâ—veth therein shall not be ashamed HItherto of the proposition of the exhortation The conformation followes where the Apostle gives reasons why we should make our recourse to Christ to seek holinesse of life from him and the reasons are two The first is taken from the testimony of God verses 6 7 8. The other is taken from the consideration of the excellent priviledges of Christians unto which they are brought by Christ verses 9 10. The testimony of God is both cited verse 6. and expounded verses 7.8 In the testimony of God observe first where it is to be found viz. In Scripture secondly how it is there It is contained there thirdly what is testified Now the matter testified concernes either the giving of Christ for the good of the Church or the safety of the Christian that by faith receiveth Christ. The giving of Christ is exprest in these words Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stoâ—e elect precious the safety and happinesse of the Christian that receiveth Christ in these words And bee that beleeves in him shall not be confounded First of the place where this testimony is found viz. In the Scripture By the Scripture is usually meant all the Books of the old and new Testament written after an extraordinary manner by inspiration of the holy ghost But here he meanes it of the Books of the old Testament but yet so as the word doth agree to all the Books of both Testaments Now this very word gives us occasion to consider of the nature of these Books and of their use and of their excellency and of their harmony These Books are called Scripture because they containe in writing the whole will of God necessary to be known of us they are the Treasures of all truth The doctrine which was before delivered by tradition for 2000. yeares was afterwards written downe and explained in these Books so as nothing needfull was left out or omitted Secondly this word imports the excellency of the Bible above all other bookes because it is called Scripture as if no other writings were worthy to be mentioned in comparison of these The Scripture exceeds all others in divers respects First because these vvritings vvere inspired all of the holy ghost 2 Tim. 3.17 2 Pâ—t 1.21 so vvere no other vvritings Secondly those vvritings containe a vvisdome far above all that that can be had by the Princes and men of this vvorld the platform of the wisdome that is in God himselfe 1 Cor. 6.7 Thirdly they vvere penned by more excellent men then any other vvritings the greatest vvisest holiest men Moses David Salomon the Prophets Euangelists Apostles c. Fourthly they have such properties as no other vvritings have they are more perfect pure deep and immutable then any mans vvritings These containe all things necessary unto faith and a good life 2 Tim. 3.17 18. These vvritings onely are pure vvithout fault or error or any corruption in them and for depth â—nd majestie never any vvritings came neare them and for unchangeabâ—nes Heaven and earth must passe away but a jot of Gods word shall not passe away Matth. 5.24 1 Pet. 1.23 Fiftly if we consider the effects that must be acknowledged to the praise of the Scriptures vvhich can be true of no writings besides no writings can describe God so fully to us no writings do so bring glory to God no Scripture but this can convert a soule to God Heb. 4.12 13. Other writings may shew us some faults to be avoided but give no power to subdue them Psâ—l 19.8 These writings onely can minister solid comfort to us in adversity and these onely can make us wise to salvation and perfect to every good word and work The consideration whereof should work in us a singular love to this booke above all other books in the world yea above all the treasures in the world we should account them with David more sweet then hony and more precious then gold Psal. 19.11 Psal. 119.14 15 27. Thirdly the third thing may be noted from hence is the harmony of all these books they all agree as if they were but one writing yea but one sentence yea one word though the books were written by divers men yet they agree so perfectly that they all sound one thing for they were all inspired by the same Spirit of God which should teach us when wee meete with doubts or objections or scorning contradictions to condemne our owne ignorance and to be fully resolved that there is a sweet harmouy though we doe not see it And secondly and especially it should knit our hearts to the Scriptures wee should be affected as with the most delightfull musick of the world or in the world Fourthly The fourth thing concernes the use of Scripture and so we may note two things First That wee must receive no opinions but what can be proved by Scripture To the law and to the testimony if they speake not according to these it is because there is no truth in them Isaiah 8. Secondly we may note hence that the best men must prove what they teach by Scripture If the Apostles did it who were men priviledged from error then much more must other men we must beleeve no man above what is written 1 Cor. 4.6 and hee is accursed that teacheth other things then what is written Gal. 1.7 though he were an Angell from heaven Which should teach us to get proofes into our heads for all that we beleeve and to take heed of receiving traditions even from good men For there be traditions on the right hand as well as on the left Ioh 5.30 Acts 17.1 Thes. 5.21 Secondly Thus of the place where this testimony is The manner how it is there is in the word Contained It is contained in Scripture Contained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
out such a project for reconciliation Besides what can God denie us if hee can give us his owne Sonne and who is pleased also in his Word to signifie so much and commanded it by his servants to be told to the parties offending that he hath found out such a way of perfect peace Thirdly Wee should hence be comforted in all the straits of godlinesse when the Lord goeth about to lay the foundation of grace in our hearts and to forme Christ in us vvee should remember it is the â—ords vvorke and it shall prosper if the Lord will have it goe on vvho can hinder it The gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it vvhen God builds it upon this Rock Fourthly it should teach us in all other distresses to trust upon God and never be afraid of the oppositions of men or the impediments of our deliverance For vvhat shall restraine Gods mercy from us If the Lord can bring about such a vvorke as this to found Sion by laying Christ as the chiefe corner stone in her then vvee may trust him in lesse matters The Lord vvill accomplish all the Counsell of his vvill and he that hath promised that all shall vvork together for the best will performe it To this end he pleadeâ— this vvorke of â—ounding Christ in the vvomb of a Virgin of purpose to give them thereby a signe of deliverance then in a temporall affliction it is easie for him to save us and deliver us from all our troubles that can give us a Saviour for all our sinnes Lastly Ministers that are but under-Masons and Carpenters must learne to take all their directions at God both to see to it that they lay no other foundation then vvhat God hath laid vvhich is Iesus Christ and in all things to be faithfull in good vvorks as such as must make their accounts to God And thus of the Author Thirdly The time followes I lay or put Hee â—peakes in the present time yet meaneth it of a thing to be accomplished in the time to come For God laid Christ downe as the corner stone partly in his Incarnation vvhen hee sent him into the vvorld in the flesh to take our nature and partly hee is said to lay downe this corner stone vvhen spiritually by meanes he formes Christ in the hearts of men in the visible Church Now the Lord speaketh in the presâ—nt time I doe lay for divers reasons â—irst To signifie that the care of that businesse was then in his head he was plotting abâ—ut it and did continually minde it Secondly To signifie that howsoever the maine worke of the open restoring of the world by Christ in the calling of the Gentilâ—s was long after to be done yet God did spiritually forme Christ in the hearts of the remnant so as at all times he did more or lesse further his building Thirdly To note the certainty of the accomplishment of it hee saith Hee did then doe it to assure them it should as certainly be done as if it were then done which should teach us to beleeve God and never limit him When wee have his promise let us reckon upon it if God promise us any thing it is as sure as if we had it Thus of the time Fourthly The manner followes noted in the word Laid I lay There are many things imported under this similitude that Christ is laid as the Mason layes the chiefe corner stone in the earth For it imports First The divine nature of Christ that hee was before he was incarnate as the corner-stone was before it was laid for a foundation Christ descended from heaven Eph. 4.7 9. Secondly The unchangeablenesse of Gods ordinances concerning the giving of Christ. Hee hath laid him as a foundation that hee would not have taken up againe Thirdly the hiding of the glory of Christ and of his life He is of a singular use to the Church and the Frame of God's work appeareth in his members but Christ himselfe is hid with God Col. 3.3 He is like the stone hidden in the earth he is buried in the ground and therefore wee should be the more patient if our life be hid also with God Fourthly It may be by this tearme the mysterie of the birth and conception of Christ is intimated God digged the ground of our natures in the womb of Christ that he might lay Christ there c. Fifthly so it may likewise import the sanctification of the humane nature of Christ who was qualified as the stone is squared when it is laid downe Thus of the manner The place followes In Sion Sion for certaine was a Fort of the Iebâ—sites built on a hill close to Jerusalem which was taken by David and called the City of David 2 Sam. 5.7 the Temple being afterward built here The Church of the Jewes was called Sion because here they assembled and so afterwards it was the title given to the Church of God both of Iewes and Gentiles that agree in one faith and true Religion Zach. 10.11 And in especiall by Sion is meant the place of the assembly of the Saints the Sanctuary In the twelfth to the Hebrewes verse 22. it is thought to signifie the Saints in heaven even the Congregation of the first borne In this place it must needâ— meane the Christian Church in which God built the new world laying the foundation in Christ iâ—carâ—ate whiâ—h began in Ierusalem even at Sion in the Letter Now when the Lord calâ—s his Church by this name of Sion it is to import divers things partly to tell us what we were by nature and partly to tell us what we are by his grace and favour By nature what were our assemblies but Forts of Iebusites in which multitudes of locusts swarmed we were Caâ—aanites enemies to God and all true religion we were the halt and the blinde mentioned Mich 4.6 7 alluding to that in 2 Sam. 5.6 7. But being conquered by David our King even Christ the Sonne of David we are new fortified for his use and our estate is fitly resembled by Sion 1. The Church is like Mount Sion for visibility Christians are like a Citie on a hill they are such as all sorts of men easily take notice of not that thâ— men of the world are in love with Christians but many times out of the hatred of the truth set they eyes and thoughts upon them Matthew 5 c. Secondly The godly are like Mount Sion for unremoveablenesse they that trust in the Lord are like a mountain men may as soon remove a mountain as remove them from God and happinesse in God Psal. 126.1 Thirdly the Church is like Sion in respect of Gods habitation there God dwels there he keeps house there and in the assemblies thereof hee feeds his people The Sanctuary is Gods foddering place it is the City of God the mountaine of his holinesse the City of the great King the City of the Lord of Hostes God shines there Psal. 48.1 2 8. Psal. 50.2
Law and the Gospell and inwardly the Spirit of Christ. The instrument of receiving it in respect of the generall will of God is the understanding or in respect of the promise of grace it is faith The Law is a light Prov. 6.23 of the light of the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 2 Cor. 4.6 Knowledge is light Act. 26.18 and of the light of faith Ioh. 8.12 Eternall light is the light of heaven where the inheritance of the Saints lieth Col. 1.12 Revel 18.19 It is the spirituall light upon the soules of men the light of knowledge and faith is here specially meant which is conveyed and increased by the Gospell Doct. The point then hence is cleare That Gods servants in comparison of their former condition are brought into great light The spirituall light shineth upon every one that is to be converted Act. 26.18 God hath promised light to every penitent sinner Iob 33.28 30. Esa. 42.16 and Christ was given to be the light both of Jewes and Gentiles Esa. 42.7 and 49.6 Hence it is that Christians are said to bee the children of light Luk. 16.18 Io◠12.36 yea light it selfe Eph. 5.6 the lights of the world Phil. 2.15 And thus they are so by reason of the light of Jesus Christ shining in their hearts through the knowledge and beliefe of the Gospel All the world is like unto Egypt 〈◊〉 with darknesse and the godly are like the children of Israel in Goshen Use. The use may be first for instruction to the godly since they are called to such light by Christ they should First beleeve in the light since they see now what they doe they should establish their hearts in the first place in the assurance of Gods love since his shining favour sheweth it selfe in the Gospel Secondly they should doe the workes that belong to the light they may now see what to doe and therefore ought not to bee idle but to worke while they have the light 1 Ioh. 2.8 And to that end they should daily come to the light that it may be manifest that their workes are wrought in God Ioh. 3.21 And they should now abound in all goodnesse and justice or righteousnesse and truth Eph. 5.8 9. proving what that acceptable will of God is vers 10. Thirdly they should therefore cast away the workes of darknesse and have no fellowship with the children of the night but rather reprove them Eph. 5.7 to 14. For what fellowship betweene light and darknesse 2 Cor. 6.17 Fourthly they should in all difficulties and ignorances pray to God to shew forth his light and truth seeing they are called to light Psal. 43.3 Use 2. Secondly godly men should hence bee comforted and that in divers respects First though they may have many distresses in their estates yet light is risen to their soules though they may for a season suffer some eclipse of their comfort yet light is sowne for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart Psalm 97.11 and the more they should be glad of their portion in light when they bebold the daily ruines of ungodly men The light of the righteous rejoyceth when the lampe of the wicked is put out Prov. 13.9 In 2 Corin. 4.4 6. there are three reasons of consolations assigned First the light wee have should comfort us if wee consider how many men have their mindes blinded by the god of this world and of those many of them great wise and learned men Secondly if we consider what darknesse we have lived in God hath done as great a worke upon our hearts as hee did when he commanded the light to shine out of darknesse in the beginning of the world Thirdly if we consider what glorious things are revealed unto us for by the Gospel he hath caused to shine in our hearts the knowledge of the glory of God c. Finally it is the more comfortable in that the Apostle calls this light marvellous light which is now in the next place to be opened Marvellous light The spirituall light which shines in the hearts of the godly by the Gospel is a marvellous light either because it is such as the godly doe marvell at or because it is such as they ought to marvell and wonder at When men first enter into the truth that is when they are first converted Christians being for the most part full of affections as they that have scaped lately singular danger and as they that never before saw the Kings Court they are frequently stirred up with admiration at the glory of the Gospel they wonder at and are vehemently affected with the new discovery of the riches of Christ shewed them in the preaching of the Gospel and thus it is a marvellous light in this sense Esa. 30.26 But I rather consider of it in the other sense It is a marvellous light though wee should not have the heart to bee so affected towards it it is marvellous I say First because it is a light that needed the Mediator to procure it none but Christ can give us this light Other light is free wee pay nothing for it but this is carried in the hand of the Mediatour to us and for us Esa. 42. 4◠Secondly because it commeth after so long a night of ignorance and sinne they must needs account the light precious that have not seene it a long time as blind men when they receive fight Esa. 9.2 Matt. 4.16 Thirdly and more because it is a light commanded to shine out of darkenesse 2 Cor. 4.6 That God should call light out of such darknesse as wa◠in our hearts is marvellous Fourthly in comparison with the times of the Law and the shadows of the Old Testament Fifthly because it is a light comes not from any creature but from God the Creator God is our light Esa. 6.19 And in this respect this light is like the light that shone about Paul Act. 22.6 Sixthly because it is a light that shines at the time of the evening of this world That the Sunne should shine in the day time is no wonder but that it should shine in the night or at evening were a dreadfull wonder even so it is in this last age of the vorld Zech. 14.7 Seventhly because it is a knowledge above the reach of reason it is the light of faith Eighthly because it shines onely to the godly It is light in Goshen when there is no light in Egypt that was marvellous and so is it when we see the light shining all abroad and many men sit in darknesse even in the same place in the same congregation city or family When the godly see clearly the wicked discerne nothing light is with-held from the wicked Ninthly because it hath more force than any other light for it is the light of life it quickens the soule and enlives it Ioh. 8.12 Lastly because it is an everlasting light it is such a day as no night followeth it The consideration of all this should worke divers things in us
without it it could never compasse things desired Hitherto of the working of the soule upon the body and those strange things it doth in the body by the faculties of vegetation and sense It is true that those things are done by the soules of brute creatures but as their soules differ exceedingly from the glory and excellency of the soules of men so are the effects upon their bodies but certaine glimpses of those things which are done exactly by the soules of men I meane in respect of the inward senses of phantasie and memory there is in beasts but onely a darke shadow of them in comparison of what is in men But for the third faculty of the soule which is reason therein men excell all creatures in this visible world and it is profitable for us to know what God hath done for us in our soules generally considered above all other creatures And so man excells in respect of his reasonable soule 1 In that he can conceive of things by the light of understanding as well as by sense This light is admirable whether we conceive of it as proceeding from God who shines upon the soule as the Sunne doth upon the body or whether wee beleeve it to be a light conferred upon the understanding by which from within it discernes things 2 In that it can conceive of things that never were in the senses as things absent that never were seene yea things altogether immateriall as Angels and vertues and vices 3 In that it can conceive of the nature of God and discerne God from his workes 4 In that it can conceive of things by a discerning reflexion as it can conceive of it selfe and understand that it doth understand 5 In that it can distinguish betweene good and evill truth and falshood I say of the morall goodnesse of things whereas the phantasie can judge onely of so much of the naturall goodnesse of things as they shew to the outward senses 6 In the largenes of the extent of our understanding For the understanding can in a small moment of time go almost over the whole world and view it all as it were at once whereas the senses are forced in within a narrow compasse 7 In that it can invent things that never were in beeing and thus wee see daily what strange things for number and skill are invented for the use of the life of man by art and skill of mans understanding in every calling of men 8 In that the reasonable soule governes and appoints and crosseth and fetters and alters and rectifies the other faculties of vegetation and sense and in respect thereof can turne and tame and rule and order all sorts of other creatures 9 In that by begetting with strange variety it can make knowne what images are within whether begotten by the senses or by the minde it selfe 10 In that it is the faculty by which onely true blessednesse is apprehended and attained 11 In that mans understanding is made after a sort all things For the understanding becomes the things understood in that it doth conceive a true and evident image of the thing to be understood so that as man is the Image of God so hath hee in him the images of all things printed as it were in his understanding This is a most dreadfull dignity in the soules of men yea herein he resembles God in the creation of the world for mans reasonable soule doth as it were forme worlds of things in it selfe If any object that the sensitive soule hath the images of things in it I answer two things First that the sense can receive only the images of a few things that is onely of such things as have colour found taste smell or touchable qualities but the minde can beget the images of all things Secondly that those images in the senses are dull and darke and confused in comparison of the likenesse of things in the minde 12 In that he hath a will in chosing or refusing things good or evill that cannot bee compelled The liberty of the will is inseparable to it in what it chooseth or refuseth for it implies a contradiction that the will should bee constrained 13 In that it hath in it that divine thing which we call conscience which is given to the soule as a guardian as it were to tend it from God the effects whereof are admirable in us for it testifies to our actions it accuseth or excuseth it comforts when we have well done above all outward comforts and it terrifieth and scourgeth the soule with unexpressible afflictions many times for sinne it is a Judge witnesse and executioner many times in us Now if the soule bee thus admirable in any estate for all these things are true of the reasonable soule even in the estate of corruption then how excellent was the estate of man in respect of his soule before the Fall and how doth it excell in the godly who have their soules enlightned with the light of faith and garnished with saving graces but especially how shall it exceed in glory when it shall be presented before God in the Kingdome of heaven So that as the whole man made in Gods image is as it were the visible God in this great world so the soule is as it were a little god in the lâ—sser world which is the body of man And thus much of the faculties of the soule Now the end of all this followes The Lord made the soule and endowed it with so excellent a being and so admirable faculties that so the Lord might in this visible world have a creature that would know him and serve him rightly The creatures without sense are Gods workmanship but discerne nothing of God or themselves or other things The creatures with sense discerne other things by sense but know nothing of God Now God made man as the abridgement of all he had made and gave him his soule of purpose that hee might discerne God aright and serve and worship and praise him Use 1. The consideration of the excellencie of the soule and of the end why it was created should stirre us up to make conscience of the service and knowledge of God it is as if we had never beene if wee answer not this end Wee should be fired to the observation and praise of God and of his love to man And withall it should make us wonderfull carefull of our soules since wee see they are such excellent creatures Our soule is more worth than all this visible world besides Especially it should fire us to a care of things that concerne the blessed immortality of our soules we should be forced to all possible care of all such things as might be provision for the eternall well-being of our soules And in particular the excellencie of the soule should disswade us from fleshly lusts and all inward impuritie by which the soule is defiled or wounded Hitherto of the description of the soule The warre against the soule is now
high in our unworthy conceptions of his Justice Power Eternity Wisedome and Mercy For the second way of glorifying God What heart could stand before his holy presence if he should examine us in justice 1 For our language What man is hee that hath not cause to mourne for his want of language daily in expressing of the praises of God! When did we make his praise glorious have our mouthes been filled with his praise all the day long 2 For our extreame unthankfulnesse when wee meet with God himselfe we have beene healed with the nine Lepers but which of us have returned to give glory to God in the sound acknowledgment of his goodnesse to us It is required we should in all things give thankes and yet we have scarce used one word of praise for a thousand benefits 3 Our slight acknowledgments of sin our backwardnesse to search our waies our carelesnesse when wee know divers grievous faults by our selves either avoiding Gods presence and making confession for fashions â—ake neither out of true griefe for our sinnes and in a speciall manner doe we faile in those cases of trespasse or sinne that comâ— to the knowledge of others Do we knowledge our sinnes one to another Oh how hard it is to bring us to bee easie to give glory to God herein What man is hee that liveth and hath not failed of the glory of God about the Sabbath Do wee delight in Gods work Have we consecrated that day as glorious to the Lord Have not our mindes run upon our own waies After what an unspeakable manner have we slighted God in his Ordinances Lastly what shall we answer to the Lord for our neglects of Jesus Christ Have we glorified the Son or rather have we not shamefull wants still in our faith Which of us can say that he lives by the faith of the Sonne of God And are not our affections to the Lord Jesus extreamly dull and adverse Where is the longing desire after him and the fervent love of his appearing And for the last way of glorifying God by effect How unprofitably and unfruitfully doe the most of us live Who hath praised God in our behalfe Whom have we won to the love of God and the truth Where are our witnesses that might testifie that our good works have caused them to glorifie God But especially woe be to scandalous Christians that have either caused wicked men to blaspheme or Gods little ones to take offence and conceive ill of the good way of God if they repent not it had beene better for them they had never beene borne And as for wicked men that are openly so to give a touch of them and their estate they have reason to repent in sackcloth and ashes if their eyes were but open to see what terrour is implied in this doctrine and how God will avenge himselfe upon them both for their not glorifying of him and for changing his glory and for the opposing of his glory 1 In not glorifying God they have spent their daies without God they have either not conceived of him at all or in a most meane and vile manner they have not honoured him in his ordinances or in his Sabbaths they never loved the Lord Jesus in their hearts c. 2 In changing the glory of God they have done shamefully Some of them have turned Gods glory into the similitude of an Oxe or a Calfe that eareth hay Some of them have given his praise to Images and the workes of their hands Some of them have fixed the glory of their affections upon riches pleasures and favour of men Some of them have made their belly their god and some have given their bodies to harlots Thirdly in opposing Gods glory they have likewise offended grievously they have spoken evill of the good way of God they have abused his servants and so despised him they have set themselves against his Sabbaths c. to omit that they have opposed Gods glory in their hearts by setting up Idols there by allowing striving to maintain Atheisticall conceits against God The second use should be therefore to beget in us a care to use all means to dispose of and fit our selves that we might make God glorious and so amend and redresse our waies herein and that wee may the more effectually bee wrought upon herein I will consider of two things First I will briefly shew the reasons should stirre us to all possible care and diligence herein Secondly I would shew how wee may distinctly attaine to the glorifying of God in all the three waies before mentioned For the first Divers considerations should move us to the care of magnifying or glorifying of God by all the waies we can First it is a great honour that God doth unto us to account himselfe to receive glory any way from our endeavours Shall the creature be admitted in any sense to that glory to make his Creator to make him I say in his excellencie or glory God doth account himselfe to receive a new Beeing as it were by those inward conceptions of his glory and by those outward honours done unto him Shall the King of glory vouchsafe to dwell in our hearts and shall we not be exceedingly desirous to entertaine him Secondly not to glorifie God is to sinne grievously it is not arbitrary but most dangerous to allow our selves either in inward neglects of God or in outward unfruitfulnesse Shall wee attribute so much every day to the creatures we deale with and shall we know or acknowledge so little of the Creator It cannot be safe to slight God Thirdly it is one of the first things that breakes out in the new Converts so soone as any of the Gentiles are visited of God in the same day they glorifie him by conceiving gloriously of him and by magnifying God in himselfe and his servants and service c. And therefore without singular danger of losing our evidence of our calling we must attend to this Doctrine how hard soever it seeme Fourthly wee are bought with a price and are Gods and therefore now both in soule and body we should be wholly devoted to his glory 1 Cor. 6 ult as God hath glorified us in our creation and the many treasures he hath given us in Jesus Christ and we hope the accomplishment of maâ—chlesse glory in heaven and shall wee not bee zealous for the glory of the Lord Many glorious things bee spoken of us through his grace and shall wee thinke or speake meanely of God Fifthly the Lord our God exceeds all things in glory and therefore wee should extoll his praise above the heavens and the whole earth should shew it selfe to be full of his glory Sixthly he is our heavenly Father and can we thinke too well of him or doe too much to win him praise Matth. 5.16 Lastly thinke with our selves What make wee in Gods Vineyard or Orchard If we be trees of his planting ought we not to be filled with the
free women altogether from sin in these frailties because since the fall the naturall defects are tainted and there is in them a speciall kinde of defectivenesse or infirmity which cleaves to their sexe which is not so usually in men or not accompanying the nature of men Quest. What are the things wherein women are more usually fraile or defective or infirme than men 1. In capacity and judgement They are not capable of so large a measure of knowledge as men in equall comparison nor so able to teach the depths and mysteries of knowledge 2. In respect of their insufficiencie for the greatest imploiments of life as that sexe is not ordinarily capable of the great services of God in Church and Common-wealth the workes cannot be done by women 3. They are apter to be seduced than men as the Apostle implies in the case of all women as well as Eve 1 Tim. 2.14 4. In respect of dependancies They cannot make shift for themselves their desire is naturally subject to men in respect of depending upon them for provision and protection Gen. 3. This weaknesse is stamped upon the whole sexe 5. In respect of their aptnesse to feares and amazement and other perturbations more unconstant and not so stable in heart as man 6. In respect of the discovery of their hearts and natures whether in good or evill It is harder to find out throughly the perfect disposition of a woman in good or evill than of men Solomon could find out the temper of one man among a thousand men but not the heart of one woman among so many and that I take to be the true sense of that place Ecolâ—s 7.28 29. compared with ver 25.27 7. In respect of their pronenesse to vanity and pride in apparell which I gather from this that all the expresse directions about apparell that I remember in Scripture are given rather to women than to men especially in the New Testament as 1 Tim. 2.9 1 Pet. 3.3 The Use may be first to give us occasion to magnifie the power and mercy of God His mercy that despiseth not his weake creatures but bestoweth the grace of life upon them His power in that he keeps them in life and preserveth his owne worke of grace unto the possession of eternall life Secondly it should stirre up women so much the more to use all the Ordinances of God and all helps to make themselves strong in the power of the gifts of grace especially they should get a strong faith in God that they may trust in the power of God that giveth strength to the weake Esay 40.29 31. 1 Pet. 3.5 It will be their greater glory if they can overcome their naturall weaknesses especially if they can excell men in the things of the kingdome of God as many times it comes to passe Thirdly all Christians should have those women in great estimation that have overcome their frailties and doe excell in knowledge and piety and mercy and trust in God Fourthly all women should be therefore the more humble and apt to feare and judge themselves and more willing to be taught or admonished and more frequent in prayer to God to help them and keep them and in particular they should be the more willing to be ruled by their husbands as knowing it is a mercy of God considering their weaknesse to give them husbands to support them and provide for them And finally they should be the more faithfull and diligent to doe all the good they can in domesticall affaires seeing by nature they are not fit to manage the greater and more publike services of God The third Doctrine concernes husbands and so they are taught from hence to give the more honour to their wives because of their naturall weaknesse For as it is in the naturall body those members of the body which we think lesse honourable upon them we bestow the more aboundant honour 1 Cor. 12.23 24. so it should be in the Oeconomicall body for the wife is unto the husband bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and this honour he should give her and shew it both by taking the more care to provide for her and by cherishing and encouraging her the more and by hiding and covering her frailties as much as he may and by not exacting more from her than she is able to performe and by helping her all he can by instruction or otherwise Only we must note that he is not bound to honour her the more for sinfull infirmities but for naturall defects How he must carry himselfe towards her in respect of sinfull infirmities or personall faults hath beene shewed before in the maner of his carriage towards her as a man of knowledge And thus of the first reason As being heires together of the grace of life In these words is contained the second reason taken from the generall dignity of Christians which also extends to Christian wives And concerning the dignity of Christians five things may be noted out of these words 1. The title of their dignitie They are heires 2. What they inherit Life 3. What the cause of this dignitie is viz. Grace 4. In what maner they possesse it viz. Together 5. The persons capable of it Woman as well as men From the coherence we may note That if women will have their husbands to honour them they must be religious women and true Christians that have grace as well as worldly portion God requires religion and grace in all wives and the rather should they be carefull to get grace and become truely religious because it was long of their sexe that sin came into the world and as by one womans bearing of a child salvation was brought againe into the world so should they every one in particular strive to recover their honour by expressing the sound power of a religious life in all faith and charitie and holinesse and sobrietie 1 Tim. 2.14 15. And besides what shall it profit wives to get them jointures on earth and husbands to provide for them while they live here if their soules and bodies perish when they die and lose the inheritance in heaven and perish they will if they get not true grace And further if they be gracious women if their husbands be so profane as not to make much of them yet they shall be greatly set by of God as was shewed vers 4. But on the other side if they be ignorant and irreligious women it is just with God to deprive them of the comforts of this life and to let their husbands neglect them or abuse them For though their husbands sin in so doing yet God is just in permitting such a thing for their punishment Secondly another doctrine may be noted from the coherence and that is That inheaven there shall bee no difference betweene husbands and wives but they shall bee all one in Christ alike heires of eternall life Which is to be noted the more to perswade them to submit themselves and
With thee is the fountaine of life adds And in thy light we shall see light Psal. 36.8 And so the promise to the penitent sinner was that his life should see the light Iob 33.28 So Christ saith he that followeth him shall have the light of life Marke it the Light of life Iohn 8.12 So that the life of our minds is knowledge in generall and in particular it is the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Saviour saith expresly Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know God and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ. And the reason why this knowledge doth most inlive and quicken our hearts is because God in Christ is the most glorious subject of contemplation as being that highest good a very Ocean of goodnesse only able to fill and ravish the heart of man and besides because God as our chiefe good can alone make the ravishment of the heart perpetuall and so last for ever which nothing else can doe But because every knowledge of God hath not this effect to breed everlasting life in the heart of a man therefore I will distinctly set downe what kind of knowledge it is that hath this effect and what is required that it may be right 1. It must be such a knowledge as discernes God to be the only true God and this rule excludes the Pagans from eternall life who though by the light of nature they might discerne the invisible things of God by the workes of the creation yet they so shut up those principles of naturall truth in unrighteousnesse that they set up creatures as God and gave the glory of the true God to them Rom. 1. 2. It must be such a knowledge as ascribes unto the Nature of God such an excellencie as can be exprest by no likenesse of any creature in heaven above or earth beneath or the waters under the earth God must not be conceived of by any Images Images in the Church shut out the Papists from eternall life and Images in the heart to conceive of God by exclude the ignorant and carnall Protestants In the right conceiving of Gods nature we must adore him that is like nothing in heaven or earth 3. It must be such a knowledge or vision of God as discernes him to be the chiefe good and only happinesse to be desired and so all those persons that behold any thing in this life to be sought after as the chiefe felicity of their lives are excluded from eternall life And the things so esteemed the Scripture calls their gods so some make their bellies their gods some their riches some honour and the favour of men 4. It must be such a knowledge of God as conceives of him in Jesus Christ that is that sees the way how Gods infinite justice provoked by many sins is pacified by the attonement made by Jesus Christ as the Mediatour betweene God and man Iohn 17.3 else the knowledge of God in respect of the contemplation of Gods justice will be so far from inliving our hearts that it would kill them if they had life And this rule excludes all such from eternall life as live in despaire of Gods mercy as Cain and Iudas These knowledges are such as without which life cannot be had but yet in themselves doe not quicken the soule and inspire it with life 5. It must be such a knowledge as doth not only discerne aright the doctrine of the nature of God and of the person and offices of Christ but doth discerne that God is ours in particular in Jesus Christ and fully reconciled to us and our portion for ever To know God to be our God in Christ is the very life of our soules Now because we discerne this in God two waies viz by the light of â—aith beleeving the promises of the Word though we see him not and by the light of vision when we shall see him in his goodnesse face to face therefore is the former light called the light of faith and belongs to this life and the latter light belongs to another world Hence our justification which is by faith is called the justification of life Rom. 5.18 This is a point which should be of unspeakable comfort to the weake Christians that have attained to this knowledge for certainely this is eternall life in them as true as if they had the glory of heaven already But now that true Christians may be the more infallibly settled in the knowledge of their interest in eternall life as it lieth in the right knowledge of God â—o be ours iâ— Jesus Christ I will add certaine effects of this knowledge which shew not only that it is right but also that it is very eternall or spirituall for if it be a right knowledge 1. It raiseth in the dead heart of man spirituall senses that were never there before it makes the soule of a man able to heare Gods Word that could never doe it before it gives sight in spirituall things and sense and feeling and spirituall tastes of Gods goodnesse and a savouring of spirituall things more than earthly 2 Cor. 2.15 Rom. 8.5 Psal. 36.8 Phil. 1.9 2. It is a knowledge with admiration it sets a mans heart upon a constant wondering at the glory of the things revealed He that hath this knowledge sees in a Mirrour hee sees and wonders Nothing more ravisheth the heart than doth the word when it shewes him the glorie of Gods grace to him 2 Cor. 3.18 Wicked men see but they see not in a Mirrour 3. It is a knowledge that workes transformation it changeth a man into the likenesse of that it sees even from glory to glory by the power of the spirit of Christ. The light comes into wicked men but leaves them the same men it found them for disposition and conversation but this light humbles the heart of a man for his sins and purifieth him from his most secret sins Acts 15.9 and besides prints upon him the image of God and stirs him uâ—to all the motives of life in doing good workes 2 Cor. 3.18 Col. 3.10 1 Iohn 2.3 3.24 4. It is such a light as is indeleble and will abide the triall of manifold afflictions and gives life and joy still to the soule it doth not only comfort in Gods house but will support us when we are gone home under the miseries of this present life 1 Pet. 1.7 The Use should be to teach us all to blesse God for the Gospel that brings life to light and shewes us the love of God to us in Christ and for all the meanes by which the Gospel is preached to us in the life of it Oh how should we be beholding to them that help us to eternall life by leading us unto God this Ocean of goodnesse And withall we should be wonderfully thankfull to God and for ever comforted if we can finde that we have attained to the assurance of Gods love to us in Christ. Though our knowledge here be but small and weake