begin in order with the first viz. the Persons mentioned those that sigh and cry c. from whence we may observe thus much That such persons there are that do so and it is their duty so to do even to sigh and cry for the abominations all of them that are done in the midst of the City We read of divers in Scripture which have been noted for this disposition in them Thus it is said of just Lot that he was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked For that righteous man dwelling amongst them in seeing and hearing vext his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds as it is in 2 Pet. 2.7 8. David he beheld the transgressors and was grieved because they kept not Gods word Psal 119.158 and rivers of water ran down his eyes because they kept not his law in verse 136. of the same Psalm Jeremy his soul wept in secret places for their pride c. Jer. 13.17 And Paul his spirit was stirred in him at Athens when he saw the City to be wholly given to idolatry Acts 17.16 Thus have the Servants of God been still affected with the abominations of the places and people whom they have lived withall and amongst whom they have at any time converst And this it hath proceeded thus in them upon divers and sundry considerations First out of their inward hatred and antipathy even to sin it self The children of God being born again and become new creatures and having grace in their hearts they cannot but abhor any thing which is opposite and contrary hereunto from that new nature and spirit which is in them Look as on the other side wicked men they are troubled at the slourishing of Religion where they see any to improve in goodness and to be any thing more forward in piety their hearts and spirits rise as it were against them and boil in them from the devilish disposition which is in them and hatred even of goodness it self So here those that fear the Lord they are as much troubled at the improvements of sin from that work of Regeneration which is in their hearts Secondly Out of love to God and a tenderness of his honour and glory Where abominations are at any time committed there God is exceedingly dishonour'd his Laws are slighted his Attributes are question'd his Name is blasphem'd Now those that are good themselves they have a great regard hereunto Those that are Gods children they are very jealous of Gods honour as any other children besides are of the honour of their earthly Parents and so accordingly they cannot but grieve when there is any trespass at any time upon it Those that areotherwise they shew but little love and affection which they bear unto him Thirdly Out of respect to themselves and their own advantage The more sin there is abroad the more are all men concerned in it not evil men but good who are from hence in so much the greater danger and that in a twofold respect both as to matter of defilement and of punishment They are more in danger from hence to be polluted and they are more in danger from hence to be afflicted and this makes them to be so much troubled at it First In order to Defilement they are more in danger from hence to be polluted Great and reigning sins and abominations are usually great temptations which do hazard the souls of many persons that converse amongst them and therefore there is cause to be grieved for them What is it that which makes men now so troubled to hear of the spreading of certain sicknesses and diseases Why it is because they think that themselves may haply come to feel them and to be infected with them that which befalls others they think at last it may light upon them And so is it likewise with gracious persons as to spiritual distempers when they hear of such corruptions and wickedness which are abroad in the world they are therefore much afflicted with them because they fear lest they themselves should be any thing defiled from them they are jealous of their own hearts in case of the prevailing of such sins and so do grieve and mourn for and under them And this they do it in order to defilement as being in danger to be polluted Secondly In order also to Punishment as being in danger to be afflicted Common and publick abominations they beget common and publick plagues and judgments which follow thereupon This those that are wise and prudent Christians know and discern well enough Evil men understand not judgment but they that seek the Lord understand all things says Solomon Prov. 28.5 Fools make a mock of sin and those that are wicked and ungodly they are commonly hardned and secure in the midst of the greatest wickednesses that are commited Because they do not suffer for them presently therefore they think they shall not suffer at all Yea but the children of God they are otherwise perswaded they know that sin will sooner or later come to a reckoning and when they see it to increase in the world they foresee the judgments that attend it and therefore tremble at the sight of it as knowing that God is so much the more provoked by it and so will at length proceed to the punishment of it There are two things in the increase of sin and the spreading of more nauseous abominations which to this purpose do very much affect the children and servants of God the one is they are conscious of Gods anger and displeasure in the cause of them And the other is as they are prognosticks of Gods wrath and judgment in the effects First I say as they ar consequents of his anger and displeasure for so they are There is nothing which is more redious to Gods children than the anger and displeasure of God Now reigning abominations they are a symptom and discovery of that they are a sign that God is very much offended with those places and persons where he suffers them and permits them to be in them and gives them up to them We many times make light of it but believe it for any people to be given up to more notorious wickedness is the greatest argument of Gods anger that can be and in that regard a special ground for mercy to those that are good As it is a sign of God's anger against a person to be given up to strong and strange lusts An whore is a deep ditch and he that is abhorred of God shall fall into it so it is a sign of Gods anger against a Nation when he gives them up to more eminent sins and abominations in any kind whatsoever And so there is very great cause to grieve at it But secondly As those raging abominations they are the consequents of Gods anger in the causes of them so they are the Prognosticks of Gods wrath in the effects they do as good as foretell some judgment ere long to be brought upon
Translations besides The Hebrew word is Barak which signifies properly to bless and so we find it to be used even here in this present Chapter the 10th verse of it Thou hast blessed the work of his hands Berakta That which I shall speak of this word and passage here before us I shall reduce to two heads either by taking it in it's next and usual and proper and ordinary signification and so read it They have blest God or else by taking it in it's remote and contrary and improper and unusual signification and so read it They have cursed God c. First Take it in it's next proper and usual signification It may be that my sons have sinned and have blessed God in their hearts This at the first hearing seems to be somewhat incongruous Forasmuch as to bless God has no matter of sinfullness in it which yet here is suspected by Job at this time concerning his children in the conjunction of these two words both together But yet for all that if we shall well weigh the words there will be no incongruity notwithstanding and that as I conceive according to a threefold exposition which may be fastned upon them And that thus 1. It may be my sons have sinned and blest God in their hearts That is that they have sinned together with their blessing of God not that they have sinned by blessing but that they have with Blessing or in blessing And this word in their hearts Bilvavam to be referr'd not so much to blessing as to sinning They have sinned in their hearts it is to be feared whiles they have blessed God with their mouthes This meeting of Jobs Children it was a meeting of Joy and Rejoycing and probably also of praise and Thanksgiving wherein they did outwardly bless God and testifie their thankfulness to him for some special mercy received from Him This their Father Job was privy to and acquainted withal now although he did well approve of this performance for the thing it self that God should be blest by them who did deserve all acknowledgement from them yet because he was an holy man very tender of the glory of God and likewise a Godly Parent very fearful of his childrens miscarriages therefore he was somewhat suspicious lest they might offend as to the frame of their hearts and spirits in this service in which respect they might sin inwardly at the very time of their external benedictions and celebrations of Gods goodness to them Thus it will carry a very good sense and meaning with it and afford a very good instruction and observation from it And that is this That Inward failings and Distempers of spirit they do oftentimes accompany outward services and performances of Duty Men may bless God with their lips and yet in the mean time sin against Him in their Hearts This is that which is here implyed and supposed concerning Jobs children according to this Interpretation and is incident to many others besides together with them Thus Isa 29.13 14. This people draw near to me with their mouth and with their lips they do honour me c. but their heart is far from me c. And so Hos 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their heart c. This is usual and ordinary and it does proceed from that Hypocrisy which by Nature rests in mens Hearts men are careful to have a good outside now and then and to conform to some outward Duties of Religion because they carry some speciousness with them but the Inward frame and Disposition of Spirit is little heeded or regarded by them Therefore we should from hence search and Examine our selves in this particular and be Suspicious and Jealous of our selves likewise as Job was of his sons see whether or no when we have Blest God we have not sinned against him in our Hearts Secondly It may be my Sons have sinned and blessed God in their Hearts It may admit of such an Interpretation as this Though my Sons have blest God in their Hearts and do habitually stand right to Him yet perhaps they may have fallen into some occasional and actual Miscarriage This is that which Job did suspect as that which was incident to his Children And so it is also to any else besides of the servants of God and there are daily instances of it There are Sins of three sorts accordingly as Divines distinguish them First Sins as we call them quotidianae incursionis of daily and frequent Incursion which whilst we remain here in the Flesh are inseparable from us and we shall never be freed from here below There are defects and faylings and infirmities which do more or less adhere and cleave unto us wheresoever we are and whatsoever we are about yea even in our Duties and Holy things themselves now it is not probable that Job by his Childrens sinning meant such a kind of sinning as this is for this had been without a may-be or perhaps he might be sure that they had sinned in this sense and no less could be expected from them Secondly Sins which do in a more special manner wound the Consciences and have a more notorious guilt with them which we call Devoratoria salutis according to the expression of Tertullian or which do drown men in Eternal Perdition according to the expression of St. Paul neither can I think that Job did mean or intend such a sinning as this when he says It may be they have Sinned For this though they were subject unto yet perhaps they were not so likely to fall into neither had he probably any occasion to suspect it Thirdly Sins of a middle Nature betwixt both which yet were neither Sins of Infirmity nor yet Sins of Presumption but rather of non-attendency and Neglect which yet it was very sad and unpleasing to be guilty of Job did fear that his Children might perhaps a little turn aside and slip into somewhat which was uncomely and unlawful for them upon this occasion though he did withall hope that for the main their Hearts were stedfast to God There are some Interpreters which retaining the word Blessing as the word of the Text do mention it either by a single Negation or by a Diminution of it in them By a simple Negation thus They have Sinned and not blessed God in their Hearts including the Negative in the word perhaps By a Diminution thus It may be my Sons have Sinned and little blessed God in their Hearts Each of these do charge Iobs Children as to this Business of their blessing of God either in it self or in the Circumstances of it First Take it Negatively They have sinned and have not blessed God i. e. They have sinned in not blessing of God and so he seems to censure them for their Neglect either of Craving a Blessing upon the Creatures or of giving thanks to God for them And that they did it neither Actually nor yet Habitually neither with their Mouthes nor yet in their Hearts The
viz. The Duty supposed If ye continue in my word This is that which Christ requires of these Jews which now believed on him that they would go on and persevere in the Faith And it is that which he requires of all others besides In Christianis quaeuntur non initia sed finis It is not so much the beginning as the end which is looked after in Christians Therefore it is the counsel of Paul to Timothy that he should continue in the things which he had learned 2 Tim. 3.14 And to continue in the Doctrine 1 Tim. 4.16 Acts 14.22 The Apostles confirm'd the souls of the Disciples and exhorted them to continue in the Faith This perseverance and continuance is such a duty as the Scripture does generally in every part of it commend unto us As for the further prosecuting of this Point unto you I shall reserve that for the latter clause of the Verse in handling of the Connexion where it will come in with greater advantage All that I shall do in the mean time before I pass to that shall be to take notice of the phrase and manner of expression in this passage and that is that Chirst says not If ye continue in the Faith although that was the main thing which he meant but if ye continue in my Word Why does he so There are divers reasons which may be given of this expression First That he might hereby carry them to the Spring and Original of that Faith which was wrought in them And that was the word of Christ This was the means of drawing them to believe and Christ would have them to remember it and to take special notice of it for their greater reverence of his own Ordinance For when all comes to all this is that which must work it in an ordinary way It is true Christ is able immediately to infuse the habits of Grace into us by his own Spirit without the Preaching of the word but it is that which he will not commonly do If he does as in infants and young children yet the Word has still the honour of exerting it and drawing it forth from whence at last it is all resolved into that as the Principle of Conversion Of his own will begat he us by the word of Truth Jam. 1.18 And now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken to you God has put a dignity upon his word to this purpose And that not only in the mouth of Christ himself as it was here in the Text but also in the mouths of his faithful Ministers and Servants whose word is the word of Christ when 't is delivered in his Name and by his Authority as truly though not so fully as that which came directly and personally out of his own mouth it self Therefore he tells his Disciples that He that despiseth them despiseth him And St. Paul to the Thessalonians He that despiseth us despiseth not man but God who hath also given us his holy Spirit To abide in the Doctrines of the Prophets and Apostles and other Ministers is to continue in the word of Christ And to continue in the word of Christ is to continue in the Faith Secondly As to shew the rise of Faith so to shew the rule of Faith to shew what it is which out Faith must be regulated by and that is by the word of Christ We must henceforth believe nothing of Christ but what is exhibited to us in his word and which is taught us in that Search the Scriptures for they bear witness of me says Christ himself Joh. 5.39 All Doctrines which are beside this word they fall to the ground Thirdly To shew the improvement of Faith whence it is that our Faith is to be nourished and strengthened in us Ex eisdem nutrimur un de renascimur we are nourish'd by the same means as we are first born The word of God it is both seed and food to its seed as to the begetting of Grace and it 's food as to the encrease of it And so the Scripture stiles it The immortal seed and the meat that endureth for ever The word it hath both properties in it and so both are attributed to it The first in the former verse which we have handled As he spake c. And the second in this other which we are now upon If ye continue in my words So much for the reason of this expression and for the first Branch as it is here considerable of us viz. The duty required The Second is The Priviledg inserr'd Then are ye my Disciples indeed Where there are two things again distinctly considerable of us First the Priviledg it self and that is to be a Disciple of Christ Secondly the ground whereupon this Priviledg is founded or the condition of it Then If ye c. For the First The Priviledg it self simply consider'd it is to be a Disciple of Christ which is further set forth by the word of Amplification indeed A Disciple indeed This is that which every good Christian is and which every one should labour to be Not to be a titular Disciple only but a real Which is an expression that the Scripture does very much stand upon in sundry places of it Thus our Saviour speaking of Nathanael Joh. 1.48 says he was a true Israelite or an Israelite indeed And St. John speaking of our Saviour says he was that true light 1 Joh. 2.8 Our Saviour speaking of John Baptist Mark 11.32 says he was a Prophet indeed So here our Saviour again speaking of good Christians and sound Believers says My Disciples indeed Now to open this expression a little to you A Disciple indeed it does contain three properties especially in it First Sincerity Secondly Vniversality And Thirdly Perpetuity He that 's a Disciple indeed he is one unfeignedly And he is one indefinitely And he is one uncessantly First Unfeignedly A Disciple indeed does imply sincerity in it in opposition to hypocrisie and dissimulation There are many who are Disciples in pretence but that 's not that which will serve the turn nor which we should be contented withal but to be so in reality and good earnest that is to have the heart and spirit and substance of true Religion in us For look as in naturals painted fire is no fire where it wants the operations of fire in it and a dead man is no man but a carkass because he wants the Soul which is the form and life in him Even so it is also in Spirtuals one that is but a meer Professor he is no true Christian because he wants the life of Grace which should act Christianity in him This is that which Christ especially regards and requires in us 1 Joh. 3.18 My little children let us not love in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth And what he says of the Grace of love may be applied also to any other besides God esteems of us in Religion so far forth as we are hearty
advantage of them so that where they will be troubled they shall be And where he at any time discerns any proneness or inclination in them to it he is ready as much as may be to promote it and set it on further that they may be troubled more He loves to fish in troubled waters and to add sorrow to sorrow for the greater perplexity of Gods People Hence he raises a great many fears and jealousies and suspitions in them whereby the more to afflict them Thirdly From the weakness of Grace Therefore it is that Gods Children are apt and subject now and then to be inordinately troubled in themselves because Grace is but weak in them We see how it is in the Body that those who are but of weak constitutions as Children and such as they a little matter troubles them and proves offensive unto them And so it is likewise in the Soul and Spirit and inward man Where Christians are but weak they will be disquieted and easily upon every turn put out of frame Thus it was now at this present with the Disciples of Christ They were as yet but weak Christians in regard whereof he tells them elsewhere that he forbore to speak of some things unto them This is the case also with many others They are but Children and Babes in Christ and therefore apt to be troubled Nay even those who have Grace in the greatest measure if we take it comparatively yet their Grace is but weak and slender in them here in this life as a ground of this perplexity in them Their Faith and their Love and their Heavenly-mindedness and their Zeal and their Patience all in a manner but weak and therefore are their Hearts full of fears and perplexities and disquietings in themselves as a consequent of it The use which we are to make of it is accordingly to take notice of it both in our selves and others that so we may be both humbled for it and prepared against it For it is that which the best that are they are prone to if they do not the better look to themselves It is that which we have dayly and continual experience of every moment How soon we are dejected and cast down and out of heart in our selves upon any occasion such a tenderness and moleities and softness and delicateness there is upon us as that the least thing that is it troubles us and fils us with disquietness And that 's the first thing here observable from these words viz. A Christians Disposition He is apt and subject to be troubled as appears from this Caution or Prohibition of Christ to his Disciples The Second is his Duty and that is not to be troubled or afraid Christians they should by all means shun and take heed of this trouble in themselves Let not your Heart be troubled neither let it be afraid Not troubled for the evil which is present and already upon you not afraid for the evil which is expected or looked for for time to come Here 's a Caveat both against Grief and against Fear Each of which are such Passions as in the miscarriage and exorbitancy of them have much evil and sinfulness in them We 'l joyn them both together in the handling of them as coming both to one and the same effect Where that we may rightly understand the Point we may not conceive as if our Saviour did here plead for a Stoical apathy or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a senselessness and stupidity of Disposition from whence men are altogether mindless and regardless of the condition in which they are This is so far from the mind of Christ as that he does rather exceedingly abhor it and abominate it in those it is in We see how even He himself sometimes was troubled as he consesses and acknowledges it of Himself And he did so far forth express his participation of our Humane Nature in Him Therefore it is not Trouble simply which he here prohibits but the inordinacy of it which therefore we should avoid For the better opening and prosecuting of this Point which we have now before us there are two things which we shall do with Gods assistance First shew how far we may or ought to be troubled Secondly shew how far we may not or ought not to be troubled for there is somewhat considerable as to both First then how far we may and ought There are two things which are the proper objects of Trouble which it is exercised and conversant about Sin and Misery And accordingly it is not unlawful but very requisite and warrantable for a Christian in a due manner and measure to be troubled for either of these as he hath occasion for it First A Christian may be very well troubled in point of sin yea and ought so to be That which troubles all the World as to the ground and matter of trouble as sins does it ought not to be slighted by a Christian but he is much to be affected with it Whether in himself or in other men as he does discern and observe it to be in them For himself first That which He is guilty of for his own particular it ought to go very near unto him It is that which the Servants of God in Scripture have been very much troubled for when they have considered it and reflected upon it as we may see in divers instances and examples David Psal 38.3 4 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine Anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin for mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me Peter Math. 27.75 When he had deny'd his Master and remembred the words of Jesus unto him He went out and wept bitterly Paul Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Thus have the Servants of God been much troubled when they have thought of their sin First As a dishonour in reference to God and a grief unto him whose Glory is or should be very dear unto them Through breaking of the Law thou dishonourest God Rom. 2.23 And by this deed thou hast made the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.14 This it should go very near to a Christian Heart If I be a father where is mine honour Can we call our selves the Children of God and have no sense of the honour of God surely this is very unsuitable No it becomes us to be much troubled for sin so far forth as it is a dishonour to God as his Name is occasionally reproach'd and blasphemed by it And then not only as a dishonour to him but likewise as a grieving of him for so it is Isa 63.10 They rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and fought against them Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed c. Eph. 4.30 Shall sin grieve God and shall it not grieve us
fiat per Analogiam as St. Chrysostom speaks And so much may be spoken of this passage here before us as it does denote an essential perfection Till Christ be formed in you that is till you be true members of Christ supposing them as yet unconverted and in the state of nature The second is as it does denote a Gradual perfection Till Christ be formed in you that is till ye be exact and compleat Christians supposing them in the way to conversion though not fully reacht unto it And here there are two things especially considerable of us the one is the different sort and rank of Christians the other is the manner of proceeding in conversion and the work of Grace in them First For the sort and rank of Christians we see here that it is doubled the one is formed such as have the work of Grace perfected in them and are absolutely regenerate the other unformed which have Grace begun and sown as it were in them but not yet come up to its maturity and perfection of the former sort were the believing Romans to whom the Apostle gives this testimony that they were full of all goodness filled with all knowledg able also to admonish one another Rom. 15.14 Of the latter sort were these present Galatians to whom the Apostle here at present writes and some others with them which we meet withal in Scripture as Cornelius before the Apostle Peter preached unto him and Lydia before the preaching of Paul and Apollos till Aquila and Priscilla took him to them and instructed him in the way of God more perfectly Act. 18.26 and the Scribe which was not far from the Kingdom of God Mark 12.34 All these they were Christians and had the Truth of Religion in them though they had not Christ so fully formed in them This Observation is requisite and useful to us to a twofold purpose First To order our censures and secondly to order our endeavours To order our censures First That we do not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax nor nip the early buddings and beginnings of goodness in any which some are over-forward to do no but all we can to cherish and encourage goodness in any though it may be they have not yet attained to such a pitch and degree of it for they may be towardly and coming on to Religion they may be Christians in the mould and upon the wheels though not wholly finisht and wrought off And it is our duty in that regard to be very tender of them to own them and that good which is in them as it is said of the new wine in the cluster Destroy it not for there is a blessing in it Isa 65.8 We may be accurate but not captious discerning but not discouraging Secondly As it serves to order our Censures so likewise our Endavours where we see any as yet not formed do our best that in us lyes to form them and make them better as Aquila and Priscilla loco praedicto Thus Paul here with these Galatians We should help forward such births as these are and compleat them to them It is an honourable and a noble work for any so to do and has a great reward attending upon it That 's the first Point here considerable viz. the double sort and rank of Christians formed and unformed The second is the manner and carriage of conversion and the bringing men home to God which is as it were by certain steps and degrees As the Infant in the womb it is first an Embrio before a perfect child even so it is here there are preparatory work before consummating and there are the working and actings of some Graces in us before others As in nature we first live the life of Vegetation then of Sense and afterwards of Reason so here first ther 's sight of misery and then there 's desire of Christ and after this a closing with him and imbracing of him Therefore we should no expect or look for perfection all at once but stay and wait Gods leisure in the use of all those good means which he has appointed for us hereunto Till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledg of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ as it is Ephes 4.13 And so now I have done with these words considered absolutely Vntill Christ be formed in you Now further secondly We may look upon them Relatively and in their connexion with those which went before Of whom I travel in birth till Christ c. And here there are divers Points which if we had time we might insist upon I 'le now in these straits but only name one or two of them to you First Here 's the scope and efficacy of the Ministry and that is Conversion and Regeneration to beget men to Christ and to form him in them This is the End for which God hath bestowed these gifts and endowments upon his servants as is exprest in Eph. 4.12 For the perfecting of the Saints to polish them and lick them over again The Ministry is not only for the founding of a Christian but for the forming of it This is that which puts a dignity upon it after all disparagements what greater honour can there be than to be instrumental in the gaining of souls and adding to the body of Christ This was that which the Apostle Paul boasted of and gloried in above any thing else We should like loving children help forward our parents travel not like Ephraim Hos 13.13 stay long in the place c. Secondly We see here the main drift and end of a faithful Minister and Pastor which he does propound to himself and that is the doing of good to the soulsof those with whom he has to deal He does not think he has done his work till Christ be formed in them He does not preach meerly to preach but to do good by his preaching and convert his hearers It is not only to make them civil but to make them godly as neer as he can and nothing less Indeed perhaps he does not always obtain it he may lose his labour as to the event it self take a great deal of pains even the pains as of a woman in travel spiritually and see little fruit issuing from it but yet he desires it and endeavours after it and it is that which in his own thoughts he does chiefly aim at and propound to himself This shews how far it concens people themselves to comply with such desires in this as to help forward their own birth Hos 13.10 And further we see here what not only Ministers and those which are spiritual Parents but mothers and those which are natural should look after in those they travel withal namely that Christ himself may be formed in their children as that holy woman we spake of before St. Austin's Mother when they have travelled with them once to this purpose