desiring without dissembling or feigning to walk so as we may please God in all things Wonderful is the weakness of most part of Christians who howsoever in many things they do well yet many of their actions and speeches are not answerable Well let us notwithstanding endeavor it and that every day more more and le ts not be discouraged though we cannot attain to all we would but if we can gain ground this way though it be but a little at once yet our labor shall not be in vain we must every day exceed our selves a little and so not bearing with our selves in our corruptions but unfeignedly striving against them we may receive no small comfort let us therefore not bear with our selves in the least evil but strive to reform our selves in every thing in the mean time with the Apostle mourning because of the corruption But as he that hath called you is holy That is God This is the Simile whereby the Exhortation to holiness is set forth which hath in it also the force of a double reason to perswade thereunto 1. From the person calling 2. From the calling it self The person calling God he is holy therefore must we be so Concerning Gods holiness we need say little It s his very essence and uncreated in him he hath been so for ever and is so infinitely The Angels cannot cease praising the same Holy holy holy c. He is the Fountain of holiness and conveyeth the streams thereof into his Creatures Men and Angels He is holy by nature whatsoever holiness is in Angels or Men is not by nature but by grace He sanctifieth the place where he manifesteth himself as the ground whereon Moses stood by the bush where God appeared much more Heaven where he most clearly sheweth himself to the Saints This should teach us as to acknowledge him so in his Word and in all his Works and that we should not dare admit a thought to the contrary though we cannot see the reason of all things so the use hereof is That we should study after holiness that so there may be some agreement between him and us as we are bidden be merciful and perfect as he is and our Savior faith Learn of me not that he requires an equality which can never be here and hereafter Here we cannot be perfectly holy as he is in Heaven we shall be perfectly holy but not infinitely as he is because we are finite but so that we labor to imitate him that we may have his blessed Image renewed in us daily and grow more and more like unto him going from strength to strength till we appear before the God of gods in Sion Can the most holy God abide unholy persons He hath pure eyes and hateth sin abhorreth iniquity what agreement between light and darkness God and Belial Therefore the Lord so often called upon the Israelites to keep themselves from all kindes of Pollution and instructed them unto holiness in innumerable things whereof some were very small Therefore as we take Gods holy Name upon us hear his holy Word partake his holy Sacrament and take his holy Name in our mouthes let us also study after holiness else never look to see Gods face He can no more endure prophane persons then we to take a Toad in our mouthes This holiness stands not in coming to Church mumbling over a few Prayers without understanding coming to the Communion at Easter c. The Pharisees fasted oft prayed long gave Alms had broad Phylacteries yet were rejected by our Savior Christ It stands in the purity of the heart and the whole conversation But how little doth this example of the Lord prevail to bring men to holiness most follow after their own hearts lusts and the corrupt example of men we do as we see others do and why say we should we be wiser then our Forefathers then all our neighbors and thus being willing to follow such examples we draw one another to all evil But follow we not those in evil but the blessed example of God himself as in holiness so in sanctifying his day Thus of the person calling The calling it self A great benefit indeed why Is it so great a benefit to be called Yea as is here meant There is a twofold calling 1. Outward When God calls men by every days new benefits by every new correction by his Word whereby yet they are never aw hit the better nor converted for many are called but few chosen and this is common to Reprobates 2. Inward and Effectual when besides and with the outward means God speaks inwardly by his Spirit to the Conscience The parts hereof are 1. The enlightning of the minde to understand the Principles of Religion which though alone it be not sufficient nor more then may be in a Reprobate yet it s the foundation of the rest without which no effectual calling 2. The opening of the heart to believe as Lydia's was when one believes every thing particularly to belong to them and so the promise of Salvation among the rest till then her heart as all ours was fast lockt up not able to believe 3. The change of the whole man This is essentially necessary to Salvation for by nature we are slaves of sin as long as we continue as we were born we are far from Salvation The fruits hereof are 1. When a man goes about the works of the same and labors to walk worthy of it in an holy life 2. When a man highly esteemeth his calling and the hope of glory he is called to as Paul accounted all dung in respect of the excellency of Christ crucified and the things he esteemed highly before his calling afterward he made no reckoning of 3. When he will suffer any thing for the same rather then be drawn from the hope thereof Some are called sooner some later as in the Parable of the Laborers hired into the Vineyard Examine we our calling for much hangs upon this Our Election past and Glorification to come Calling is the fruit and proper effect of Election if the one then certainly the other Notes hereof are both Negative and Affirmative Negative 1. Not to hear the Word and that diligently so doth the Devil he will not miss a Sermon nay marks every point in a Sermon to keep thee from the obedience thereof or turn it one way or other to hurt 2. Nor to hear joyfully 3. Nor to reform many things as Herod 4. Nor to do some choyce duties as Ananias and Sapphira Affirmative But 1. To seek above all to be at peace with God and to have his Spirit to assure us of our everlasting Salvation not to serve the time nor any such thing but above all to be assured of Gods favor 2. That we hate unfeignedly all evil but especially the special evils of the
good work 117 Verse 18 19. 1. THe third reason of the foregoing Exhortation 118 2. A man may know himselfe redeemed 119 3. Redemption presupposeth bondage and slavery ibid. 4. There 's a way whereby to come out of our bondage 120 5. The whole life of an unregenerate man is vain 121 6. Children readily follow the evil example of their Parents ibid. 7. Whom we are here to understand by fathers ibid. 8. Popish Religion stands in patches 122 9. Parents must give their children good example ibid. 10. To follow the example of our Ancestors is no sure rule 123 11. The things of this world are insufficient to redeem any out of his spiritual bondage ibid. 12. The things of this world are corruptible vain and uncertain 125 13. Christs blood the true price of mans redemption 126 14. In what respects Christ is compared to a Lamb 129 15. We are not to listen to either believe all we hear 131 Verse 20 21. 1. THe prevention of an Objection 132 2. Christ was ordained before the world 133 3. The world shall not always continue 135 4. Christ how manifested ibid. 5. God is constant and unchangeable ibid. 6. Gods promises are unchangeable 136 7. Christ was then exhibited when God decreed he should so be ibid. 8. What God hath decreed shall be in dwe time accomplished 136 9. Three differences of times and why this called the last 137 10. God will no otherwise reveal his will then he hath already done ibid. 11. We now live in the latter end of the last times ibid. 12. Why Christ came towards the latter end of the world 138 13. What we are to do that others may think well of us ibid. 14. We cannot believe in God but by the Son ibid. 15. In Christs Resurrection the whole Trinity had a hand 139 16. The benefits which they reap that believe in Christ ibid. Verse 22. 1. VVHere there 's no love nor fear of God there can be no true brotherly love 140 2. Where there 's the true fear or love of God there 's also brotherly love ibid. 3. There 's uncleanness in us both in soul and body 142 4. Where there is sanctification of the soul there is also sanctification of the body 143 5. The Word of God is the outward instrument of our cleansing ibid. 6. Why the Word is called Truth ibid. 7. The Spirit is the inward worker of Sanctification 144 8. Till we be cleansed by the Spirit we are unfit for any duty ibid. 9. The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works ibid. 10. What love is ibid. 11. The properties of love 146 12. Two caveats to be observed of them that for redressing of wrongs make use of the Magigrate 147 13. There 's little love in the world 148 14. The causes of the want of love 150 15. The effects of the want of love 151 16. Reasons inciting to the duty of love 152 19. The fruits of love must accompany the profession thereof 153 20. Brotherly offices must proceed from brotherly affections ibid. 21. Love must reach to all ibid. 22. How we ought to love the wicked 155 23. Love must be without faining ibid. 24. Love must be mutual 156 25. The properties of pure love 157 26. A Christians love must be earnest 158 27. Love must be constant ibid. Verse 23. 1. NO unregenerate person can truly love 159 2. Such as are born again must needs love ibid. 3. What Regeneration is ibid. 4. The Lord the Author thereof 160 5. The Lords will the cause thereof 161 6. Without Regeneration all things else we have are nothing ibid. 7. Regeneration of absolute necessity 162 8. The effects of Regeneration 163 9. A regenerate man is not the same he was before ibid. 10. A regenerate man groweth by degrees 164 11. Why men grow no faster in goodness ibid. 12. A caveat for such as complain they do not grow 165 13. There 's no perfection here in this life ibid. 14. Regeneration cometh not by nature 167 15. Gods Spirit by the Word changeth mans heart ibid. 16. Gods Word is the instrumental cause of our conversion 168 17. God doth not always tye himself thereunto ibid. 18. The Ministers of the Word are appointed of God the instruments to convert souls 169 19. Whence it cometh to pass that the Word worketh Regeneration 170 Verse 24 25. 1. VVHerein mans life may be compared to grass 171 2. How to be prepared for death 172 3. The glory of a carnal man but a vain thing 174 4. Nothing in an unregenerate man can abide the Lords examination 175 5. Gods Word the means whereby to live for ever ibid. 6. The Word by preaching made the instrument of Regeneration 176 7. The Word ought to be preached in every Congregation 177 8. The Word must be so preached as that it may be avouched to be indeed the Word of God ibid. CHAP. II. THe Coherence of this Chapter with the former with the sum thereof and of the first three Verses 179 Verse 1 2 3. 1. REgeneration and the love of sin cannot stand together 180 2. There 's no perfection to be attained unto here ibid. 3. To be is a Christian a work of great difficulty 181 4. Under those here named all other corruptions are included ibid. 5. Most of the corruptions here named are inward 182 6. That 's nought which is forbidden in Gods Word ibid. 7. What malice is with the difference between it and anger 183 8. What we are to understand by guile ibid. 9. Guile is to be avoided as well in smal as great matters 184 10. What Hypocrisie is 185 11. What Envy ibid. 12. What evil speaking ibid. 13. The Word of God cannot thrive in an unsanctified heart 186 14. Our desire toward the Word must be earnest ibid. 15. Our desire toward the Word must be constant 187 16. Our desire toward the Word must be impartial 188 17. Ministers must have store of milk for their spiritual children and store of love and much patience ibid. 18. The Word why compared to milk 189 19. Nothing sweeter to Gods children then the Word 189 20. The Word is the common food of all Christians ibid. 21. The Word why called sincere ibid. 22. Why Christians are to desire after the Word 191 23. Christians must daily grow in grace ibid. 24. Such as finde the Word powerful for their Salvation do the more desire it and affect it 192 25. Christ is sweet to a Christian and sweetens all that he hath 193 26. Christ is every way bountiful to his ibid. Verse 4 5. 1. VVHerein Christs bounty doth appear 194 2. A comparison between the Temple of Jerusalem and that which Christ maketh of all that believe in him ibid. 3. Christ why compared to a stone ibid. 4. To believe in Christ which is to come to him is a great priviledge ibid. 5. Christians must come to Christ 195 6. Christ the foundation that bears up his Church 198
so shall our reward be great above others if we be unfaithful we must look for greater damnation as being treacherous in so weighty a work 2. For people how ought they to regard Gods faithful Ministers that watch over their Souls Alas how little are they regarded how poorly maintained every thing too much every little enough for them whereas Lawyers Physicians c. live wealthily are much sought to It s a plain sign men love their Bodies better then their Souls and the Earthly Inheritance better then the Heavenly Which liveth and abideth for ever These words spoken of God are to shew how it comes to pass that the Word is able to Regenerate and beget us to a new and immortal life namely because it is the Word of him who liveth and giveth life to all and endureth for ever If it were not the Word of such a one it could not for as for the word of man it can do no such matter All the wisdom of all the men of the world put together and used to perswade a sinner are not able to change his heart The word of a man can but stir up that in a man which is in him already but to put any thing into him that was not in him it cannot 1. This teacheth us to preach the pure Word of God purely and not our own Devices for what is the chaff to the wheat not any word of man this or that how wise or ancient soever can put life into a man So nor to mingle mans word with Gods it hath no need of help from mans testimony let it alone it shall be able to perform that which its appointed for The Word of God is sharp enough to divide between the joynts and the marrow though it be not whetted on this or that mans Grindstone As Pearls need no painting so that which is of incomparable power and is pronounced to be mighty hath no need of the help of weak man 2. Let him that is born anew by the preaching of the Word be well assured he shall live and endure for ever as God so liveth and endureth as every one that is not begotten thereby shall through Gods judgement live after a sort and abide for ever but it shall be in everlasting wo and misery Verse 24. For all flesh is as grass and all the glory of man as the flower of grass the grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away Verse 25. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you THe Apostle now laboreth to make men labor for their part in this Regeneration whereof he had spoken and that is by shewing the miserable state of a carnal and unregenerate man and that a man without this hath nothing that good is nothing that can please God that can stand him in stead and bring him to Salvation for whatsoever is in man besides this is flesh is corrupt and sinful and so consequently vain and vanishing as grass yea the best thing that is or can be in an unregenerate man is but as a flower that fadeth soon away and cannot abide the heat of the Sun no more can any thing in an unregenerate man abide the censure and judgement of Almighty God and this he doth to drive as well carnal men out of themselves and make them labor for this grace of Regeneration as to stir up them that were Regenerate to be thankful to God for this marvellous work and labor to walk worthy of it in all fruits of holiness and obedience Now having laid out the misery of a carnal men yet he leaves him not so but tells him that there is a means to help this and to bring him to an happy state and to live for ever namely The Word of God which endureth for ever whereby the Soul is converted Faith wrought we united to Christ and fetch from him as pardon of sin by his death and favor by his obedience so ability to live the life of grace here and the life of glory hereafter But lest any should say But where is this Word that is able to do thus wonderfully for us and how must it be dealt with to make it thus effectual for our Regeneration He tells them that its among them and being sincerely preached and humbly heard believed and obeyed would become effectual to their Salvation In the words we have both the Law and the Gospel 1. The miserable state of all unregenerate men 2. The mean to make us live for ever Both these are set down in two Propositions The first concerning the base estate of a carnal man hath two branches one a degree above another The first that all flesh that is whosoever is carnal and unregenerate is grass that is frail brittle fickle perishing which is not onely in respect of his bodily estate but any thing else in him The second that the glory of man that is the best things that be or can be in him are as the flower of grass vain and vanishing The second concerns the Word of the Lord that it endureth for ever and that to make us live for ever by uniting us to Christ the Fountain of life The words are taken out of Isa. 40. 6 7 8. where note by the way that no text is ever cited out of the Apocrypha the Apostle being guided by the same Spirit that the Prophet was looking upon the same sense not standing precisely upon the very words All flesh is as grass Though it be not chiefly meant of the frailty and brittleness of our bodily condition yet it is also included of which a little This our life is often compared to grass and that fitly for as grass is subject to come to an end many ways so we It may be blasted with the East-wind as soon as ever it peers out of the ground if not that yet in the spring the beasts will crop and bite it off if it miss both these yet the mower will cut it down with his sithe if it escape all these yet there is one thing coming that it cannot escape namely the cold frosty winter whereby it must needs wither away So we may be blasted as soon as we be born how many have dyed the same day they have been born or shortly after if we scape then yet some disease may bite us in our youth or if we miss both these death with his sithe may cut us down in our middle age but if yet we scape the winter notwithstanding of old age will wither us away and we cannot shift it Alas we are as a bubble a vapor of no continuance so vain a thing is man lighter then vanity A little too much heat or cold * a little blow with a Horse foot a bad savour or the like can quickly make an end of us Alas we carry the matter of many diseases daily about us in
that serve to leave us without excuse as That there is a God That he must be served but what and who he is and how to be served alas here we dote Hence have risen so many thousand Inventions Images Idols so many kindes of Services in all Nations Turning the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man calf creeping thing c. In the second Table God for the preservation of civil society hath left a little more light to discern between right and wrong just and unjust good and evil as appears by the Laws of the Heathens against vices and for vertues yet herein how blinde is carnal man In the general he holds adultery murther c. to be evil but in particular lust and anger practised by himself not so or but a little but for concupiscence original sin the root of them alas this is quite hidden So for our will it s altogether corrupt and rebellious it ought to be guided by Reason yet often when Reason speaks and would guide right it will not onely not be ruled but will over-rule Reason as the horses draw Coach and Coachman over hills and dales whither they list yea all that is in us is onely evil Our Righteousness is like a filthy clout we are not able to think a good thought In me that is in my flesh saith the Apostle dwelleth no good thing The wisdom of the flesh is not onely an enemy but enmity against God and our own conversion and Salvation and we are dead in sins and trespasses and so cannot stand before God our sins must be taken away in Christ and Christs righteousness imputed to us and put upon us we must also be purged and renewed Either must our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees who yet were very strict and civil or we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven What if a man could rule Towns Countreys and Commonwealths as long as he hath no true rule over his own heart according to Gods Word What though a man could compound all the controversies between man and man in a Countrey and were reputed the wisest man therein yet if he know not the great controversie that sin hath made between God and himself and seek and know that compounded in Christ what would it avail him What if a man were never such a skilful Lawyer and could help every man to his inheritance if he knew not that hell were his inheritance by nature and labored for a better and for the same shew good evidence What if a man were so skilful in Physick as he knew the cases and cures of all diseases if he know not the Spiritual diseases of his soul and how they must be cured in the blood of Jesus Christ. This may stir up all men to examine themselves in what state they stand If thou hast not felt an Almighty work of God in thee to renew and alter thee throughout then art thou yet but a carnal and unregenerate man then thou art in a woful case thou hast nothing that can please God what shall become of thee rest not in this state O that people could be perswaded of their woful and wretched miserable state then were it easie to perswade them to seek to have it bettered The Lord ferret you out of your holes and muses that you have to lurk in Alas they will not all hide you fâ—om the All-seeing eye and justice of God O pitty thy soul This is the first step to Heaven to know thy naked case Take out this first Lesson Thou canst never learn any other till this be learned Thou that hast not learned this as most have not thou hast learned nothing to do thee good by all the Sermons which thou hast at any time heard The grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away Even so whatsoever is or can be in a meer unregenerate man when it comes to the Lords examination it will not abide but vanisheth away as snow on the Sun-fide of the house and Butter before the fire But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever Having told them of their misery without Regeneration he leaves them not there but tells them of a remedy To what purpose were it to tell one of his nakedness unless he were also told how to come by clothing that he is sick unless he be told how he may be cured to rake in the wound and sore unless a Playster be applyed This were but to encrease a mans grief so to Preach mans misery and there leave were to drive a man to dispair were either to make men blockishly careless what they did or desperately to rage and run into the Gulf of all impiety seeing there is no remedy The Apostle therefore doth both teaching Ministers wisely to joyn Law and Gospel together we must not onely tell people of a remedy in general so leaving them to seâ—k it themselves but prescribe them the way by dutiful attendance to the Word of God else they are like to do as sick folks that having no counsel from the Physician take things of their own head which rather increase the disease then otherwise even by some blinde courses of their devising seek a remedy which will do them no good The Word of the Lord is the means appointed of him to make us live that be dead to convert the Soul to work Faith whereby we are united to Christ the fountain of life It s the Conduit pipe whereby God conveyeth the life that is in him into us without the Word we are staâ—k dead where that fails the people perish without the Word I say we are but dead men and we must dye and perish eternally if it help us not But if it be carefully heard believed and obeyed it will bring us to everlasting life to an enduring state in Grace and Glory 1. O then wherewith shall this Word be prized If even a Soul be more worthy then all the world what is it worth that saves Souls O no marvel though David said it was better then gold and silver and sweeter then honey O how thankful should we be to God for this rich treasure hidden from most part of the world he hath given his Statutes to Jacob he hath not dealt so with other Nations what if we had this whole worlds wealth amongst us if we had not the Word of God O what are we that we should be preferr'd before so many great Countreys and innumerable people O how great is the unthankfulness of this Land that set so little by it why are the people so shie and so hardly drawn to the preaching of the Word Is it not some great hurt it would do them It s even this It would make them of sinners converted persons bringing Salvation to their house of dead make them alive and to live for ever without it we are sure
Habitation for God as a King maketh a Cottage a Court so doth the Lord make a Bethel an House of God of him that was before Beth-aven an house of Iniquity which is an admirable advancement 1. This teacheth every one that is such to take heed he pollute not himself with any sin thereby grieving and wearying so happy a guest The Prophets were profitable to those with whom they sojourned The Widow of Sarepta had her oyl and meal increased and her life saved The wife of one of the Children of the Prophets had her two Children kept out of the Creditors hands The Shunamite obtained a son but much more profitable is Christ he brings Peace Joy and Life A pitiful thing that sundry Christians are so hasty so furious so full of pride worldly negligent in religious duties and the like How can Christ tarry in such an house can he abide in an heart full of these 2. To deck and trim up the house of our Souls with all graces of the Spirit of God therefore take pains and think no cost too much in Hearing Reading Praying to trim up this House for the Lord that he may take the more pleasure therein Solomon bestowed great cost on the Temple and was seven years in building thereof and shall we take no pains on this Spiritual Temple The Lord complained of his people that would dwell in fieled houses and let the House of God lie waste much more may he of us who minde many earthly things and minde nothing so much the dressing up of our hearts by Prayer Meditation Watchfulness and the like as a Bride prepared for the Lord Jesus When we dress up our houses to entertain strangers it were good to have such meditations saying to our selves Lift up your heads ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting door and the King of glory shall come in and thus entertain him most respectively here till he shall vouchsafe to entertain us at our death into that habitation that is not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens and when thou art at the best think that thy heart is too strait nothing good enough to entertain such a blessed guest An holy Priesthood Another branch of the benefit that believers have being received of Christ and united to him namely That whereas they were unholy now he makes them holy whereas they might not come near God neither their persons nor works now they are advanced to this dignity to be a Priesthood and every of them an holy Priest to draw near unto God and offer him Sacrifices whereas before they did nor could do nothing but was abominable in Gods sight now they are enabled to offer such Sacrifices and Services as God accepts and takes pleasure in and are not these great priviledges and all this comes by the means of Jesus Christ whom while they were without they missed all these priviledges but having him enjoy them all Holy They that are united to Christ are made holy that were nothing less before and draw sap of Grace and Sanctification from him through whom also they become new Creatures which is a wonderful priviledge that such filthy and unclean ones as we are by nature should be made holy for holiness is the greatest gift that can be a little of it is better then all the world God is holy his Angels holy therefore he gives us his Word his Sacraments Afflictions and the like means to bring us to holiness 1. They that have any measure of holiness must acknowledge that they have received it from Christ. 2. Let every one try whether he be united to Christ or not by this mark he is an holy head and all that are joyned to him partake of holiness Priesthood Believers together make a Priesthood and every Believer is a Priest to offer Sacrifice to God What are not Priests and Sacrifices at an end yet I thought they had been onely in the Old Testament and now abolished True some Sacrifices are at an end There were under the Law Priests ordained to offer Sacrifices daily to God for their own and the peoples sins all which pointed at Christ the true Priest and that blessed Sacrifice of his Body All these Sacrifices did but tend and direct to that All sufficient Sacrifice of his Death Now when he had offered himself on the Cross and dyed for our sins he put an end to all Sacrifices propitiatory as who finished all himself saying It is finished so then there is now no more need of Sacrifices for sin Christ once offered being All-sufficient Which 1. Condemns the Sacrifices of the Jews and all bloody Sacrifices which are to the Devils and not to God 2. Condemns the Blasphemous Sacrifice of the Mass where as the Papists say Christ is by the Priest offered daily on the Altar a propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead This is to overthrow Christs Cross. But though there be an end of all legal Sacrifices and Propitiatory yet there are Evangelical and Gratulatory and though those Priests that offered blood and beasts be at an end yet are there Priests still remaining in the Church of God which the Apostle mentioneth lest the Jews should think the former times better then these thereupon objecting Have we no Sacrifices now to offer to God he answereth We have though not of the same kinde We have no Propitiatory Sacrifices the date of them being out and which yet were not taken away by men but by him who ordained them but till this time who yet is not inconstant in changing them as having done away sin through the Sacrifice of his Son of whom the others were onely the types and shadows but Sacrifices of thanksgiving we have and that for the mercy of God in Christ and all other blessings flowing from thence This is no small honor and priviledge It was an honor under the Law to be Priests few were admitted to the Office they represented Christ they went near and offered Sacrifice the people standing afar off so is it now to be a Spiritual Priest to have the honor to come near to God with comfort and boldness 1. They therefore speak they know not what that use this as a name of disgrace and call Ministers in derision Priests and what is he but a Priest but it s an honor and a great one though Mass-Priests by their filthy lives have brought the same in disgrace yet is not this proper to Ministers onely which we speak not as though we were ashamed of it but that every one may have their due it s also common to all Believers and they that will none of this shake off the name of a Christian but they that are wise will take their part in it This is signified by the name Christian of Christ which signifieth anointed of that anointing by
c. on the contrary consider the woful estate of the wicked For what be they be they Kings Priests or Prophets no such matter Believers be so They be Kings Priests and Prophets but the wicked are the slaves of sin and Satan slaves to the flesh to their own lusts to the world What though they be rich yea though they be Emperors and not Believers they are the vassels of Satan and have nothing but their drudgery in sin and Hell for their own place as their desert Neither are they Priests but prophane ones let them stand off for the holy God cannot abide unholy persons they and their Sacrifice are abomination to the Lord They offer no Sacrifices at all of Prayer Praise or Alms or if they do its abominable because they offer not themselves soul and body to God first but they offer themselves to the Devil and him they serve with body and soul might and main Neither are they Prophets but dumb beasts not savoring of the mysteries of Gods Kingdom or if uttering any thing thereof yet their ill lives disgrace it again O that such considering their own base and the others happy estate would have an holy emulation to be as they and indeed nothing in this world is worthy to be envied but a Christian Humble therefore thy self for thy sin past turn to God for thy pardon in Christ and labor to have thy part in him and by him and by Faith in him thou shalt attain to be a Christian and so consequently a King Priest and Prophet and be enabled to the duties of the same An holy nation Here 's a third priviledge not meant of all the Jews but of the elect among them and of all believing Gentiles as Acts 2. 38 39. so called 1. Because they had the Oracles of God the Word and Sacraments which no other had This belonged to all the Jews True but it might be said that they onely had them which had the power of them to the conversion of their souls and Salvation and others had them not which had no fruit and benefit by them 2. Because they were sanctified and set aside by special grace to be holy ones to the Lords use Note then That All that be the Lords are holy persons that is Not onely having Christs holiness imputed to them but in whom God worketh inherent Righteousness and Holiness by his Spirit conveying vertue from Christs death to kill sin and from his Resurrection to raise them to newness of life to alter and change them throughout in soul spirit and body This though not perfect in any yet is sound and upright in them all therefore he gives them his holy Word and holy Spirit to work this and holy Sacraments to encrease it and its requisite that as God is holy so also all his should so be and these be they shall see his face with comfort no other and for these onely is Heaven prepared O let every man examine himself whether he be a sanctified person or not if yea Then 1. To thy comfort know hereby thou art one of the Lords number a greater priviledge then to be written among the Potentates of the earth There 's Consolation to thee thou wert elected and shalt be glorified 2. Seeing thou art set aside for the Lords use and sanctified in body and soul never defile thy self again or put any part of thy body and soul to any common or unholy use of sin or Satan In the Law it was ever most fearful to take any Consecrated thing as the Holy Oyl Shew-bread or Vessels and put them to any common use so is it that we should put Hand Foot or Tongue to any use of sin or corruption for any part of our souls or lives Oh many contrarily can let loose their tongue to impatient proud and most unseemly speeches yea and their bodies and mindes some to excessive following the world as they were wont and as worldlings do and some after their pleasures and vanities O that we would grow and abound in Sanctification that here having our fruit in holiness we may have the end everlasting life If not but contrarily you either live in prophaneness the open breach of some of the Commandments or be only superstitiously holy in some odde devotions and loose in other things as Papists and a number of old Folks or such as have a counterfeit holiness in the first Table and make no conscience of the duties of the second or contrarily civil persons that seem very just in the second Table but savor nothing of the duties of the first Table Know you are yet unsanctified persons and therefore out of Gods number you may be members of the visible Church where good and bad chaff and corn are but not of the invisible who onely are sanctified ones Let such be what they will be having Wit Learning Wealth Wisdom Civility all skill of Languages yea if they could measure the Heavens number the Stars c. and be not sanctified they are of the Devils rabble and shall perish everlastingly O that you would awake out of your courses What fruit have ye had or look ye to have therein The end of these things is death Come to the Word crave the Holy Spirit desire Pardon and Sanctification till this be you are not out of the state of Damnation and all things are impure to you Word Sacraments yea your Meat Drink Apparel c. A peculiar people That is a people proper to the Lord which he himself hath purchased and which he now takes as his own and sets great store by called therefore his secret ones whom he keeps under his protection to whom also he reveals his secrets his Beloved ones his Spouse his Love his undefiled as the Apple of his eye the Signet on his right hand whom he cannot forget In the flood he saved his Church when all others were drowned he saved Lot when Sodom was destroyed he makes more account of one Christian then of thousands of others If one of them pray it s so forcible that he says Let me alone and if thousands of wicked it s but as the howling of Dogs an abomination They are his glory all the world are dross to them vile persons and base The wicked though never so many are but servants to the Church as the seven Nations were to make the Land of Canaan fit for the people of God yea even then when they seem to dominier most over them they are but their drudges They as a wisp scour the Church to make it bright in the eyes of God but the wisp is to be cast into the fire they are Gods rod to bring it to obedience when that 's effected the rod is to be flung into the fire And No marvel though the Lord set such store by his Church seeing he hath been at such cost therewith as
with our sins as the Jews dealt with Christ kill them bury them lay a great stone upon them set a watch over them Should live unto righteousness It s not enough to be dead to sin but we must be alive to God and to his Commandments in doing all good By righteousness is meant the whole duty of man in all godliness throughout his whole conversation to God and Men When it s joyned with holiness then it stands for the duties of the second Table but alone it stands for all as in that of the Apostle Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness and to this end hath Christ dyed for us even that we should not live after the lusts of the flesh but after the will of God serving him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life And what should we else do how else express our thankfulness we ought to be exceeding thankful even for earthly benefits how much more for this Christ dying for us O happy change We that were sometimes the slaves of sin and drudges of Satan doing base work for woful wages are now become the Servants of God employed in holy works whereof here the fruits are peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost and the end everlasting life We ought therefore to give our selves to an holy life in all things shewing hereby whose we are and to whom we belong as it s said of the Merindolians That they were known by their godly behavior wheresoever they became It was a custom among the Romans that every one should carry some note of his Trade or Profession as he went in the streets a Carpenter his Rule a Taylor his Yard or Measure c. So ought we to carry a badge of our Profession every where about us whether we go to Church be at home in our Families go to Market to our Shops or Workfolks c. even holiness throughout our whole conversation In prosperity we must shew forth sobriety in adversity patience at all times the fruits of love faithfulness uprightness c. Are we in company our speeches must be gracious and godly if alone holy and heavenly minded And this we ought not to do a little by fits in a good mood and when we list but we must walk in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life we must be continually ready to every good work we must be a peculiar people zealous of good works If these things be in us and abound great profit will redound unto us and hereunto must we employ all our endeavors By whose stripes ye were healed Now he returns again to Servants applying the benefit of Christ to them By stripes or wales of the stripes he means not onely the stripes he had of men but all his sufferings he useth the word stripes in respect of Servants because they suffered stripes of their Masters and that for their especial comfort as who did not suffer alone and whose stripes were healed through the stripes which Christ suffered All that Christ suffered for us was wholesome and saving his shame our glory his condemnation our absolution his curse our blessing his strokes our peace his death our life The most grievous stripes that he suffered have healed the most ugly and deadly sores of our sins which otherwise had been incurable We ought therefore to be content to suffer some stripes for him and for his sake and for the profession of his Name he was mockt and reviled for us may not we then be content to suffer the like for him What are we to him He became poor to make us rich if we be cut short for his sake shall we not endure it Dost thou suffer any thing for Christ bear the same patiently and great reason Christ suffered much for thee Note further that Christ dyed even for poor Servants and that therefore the meanest are to labor after their part in Christ and yet who are more negligent then the poor are for the most part and those poor that have their part in him are to be highly thankful and bear their outward wants patiently and think that God hath dealt wonderfully for them having passed by so many great wise and learned ones In the words also these particulars are implied 1. That sin is a wound or disease as a disease weakens the body so doth sin every faculty of the soul As the former also brings deformity on the body causeth pain and thereupon followeth death so doth the latter on the soul. 2. That our bodies are subject to many sicknesses and the diseases thereof are oftentimes very grievous and if those be such what are the diseases and pains of the soul the one may put us in minde of the other 3. That Christ is our Physician both for body and soul He hath both skill will compassion healeth us freely and is ever near us he hath by his Passion purchased all good for us he wrought many cures and miracles in the days of his flesh now he worketh by means and his blessing thereon 4. That sin is hateful to God as for which Christ suffered stripes Seek we therefore help in Christ we are sick of many diseases we cannot help our selves by any Medicine we can devise Christ onely can cure us This Faith apprehends for that the wounding of one should heal another is above Nature Oh! how will men being sick in body bestir themselves that they may be cured but being inwardly diseased through sin how slack are they how do they defer it to the last when it s too late There be but certain seasons to be cured in as the man at the Pool of Bethesda observed miss we not our opportunity lest we perish altogether And that we may speed at the hands of this our Physician 1. We must feel our disease and be humbled confess also and bewail the same to him 2. Earnestly beg of him to heal us 3. Hurt our selves no more as near as we can 4. Believe he will heal us 5. Suffer the words of Exhortation the preaching of the Word being the means to cure our sinful Nature 6. Take heed of dawbers that cry Peace peace 7. Take heed of all false cures as by our selves Masses Pilgrimages Indulgencies c. 8. Abide the Lords leisure in the use of the means though we should be cured by threatnings of the Word or by afflictions yea being once cured do we acknowledge the same to his glory and be we thankful for it s he alone that hath satisfied for our sins he alone through whom our sinful Nature is cured Verse 25. For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the great Shepherd and Bishop of your souls THese words are a confirmation of those immediately going before that they were healed by Christ by comparing their former state wherein they were with their
to believe the truth and be bolder to defend it Again if we look to the state of the Church and faithful Servants of God in former ages we need not think it strange for its the way that they have all gone Abel Isaac Jacob the Prophets Christ his Apostles the Primitive Church thousands under the Roman Emperors not a few even in this our Land in the Reign of Queen Mary c. Indeed the Devil is ready to make us believe that our case is worse then any bodies and that there were never any as we which is that he may make us murmure and drive us to desparation or to flinch whereas its a very lye for we are in no such case but the Saints of God have been in as bad in the same in worse This duly considered will be a means that afflictions shall be better born Which is to try you Here 's the Reason of the Exhortation The end of persecution is not to destroy the good but to make them better as the gold is tryed by the fire afflictions persecution chiefly are sent to try what we be and in what state not but that God knows it already but he would have us also and others to know to our comfort or humbling They are of great use As 1. To try whether we have any truth of grace in us whether we be any thing or nothing sound or hollow true friends or hypocrites such as are built on the rock or sand Many that now think well of themselves will never be able to stand and many mean in their own and others eyes would hold out A man is never tryed till adversity comes as a Soldier is in the Battel a Marriner in a Storm a Friend in time of need Who would have thought the seed in the stony ground would have flincht few so good as they in most Parishes If these would not abide what shall we think of most amongst us persecution as the fan of one heap makes two and as the fire separateth the gold from the dross Labor then for a true faith of the right stamp who knows but that God will send a tryal let 's labor to be so provided as we may be good wheat to abide by it and not chaff that will flie away that we may be gold fit to be Vessels for the Lords use not dross to be burnt up with unquenchable fire Onely true believers will hold out all others will flinch le ts now look to our selves lest we making a fair house not onely in the sand it fall and our fall be great and we having begun a piece of work leave it in the mid way to our perpetual shame But they that are proved to be sound and to have true Faith it s a great Comfort and Crown to them Who would not have his Sword or Gun tryed ere he went to the field A little tryed Faith is better then much tryed Gold then much Faith in mens tongues and conceits 2. To try what measure of grace we have whether as much or more or less then we thought for some over-prize themselves and some do on the contrary Who would have thought Peter had been so weak after such bold protestation Who would have thought Abrahams Faith so great as it was or Jobs both Faith and Patience Though the Lord would kill him yet would he wait on him What do thine afflictions bewray If more grace then thou thoughtst be thankful if less be humbled and apply thy self to the means more carefully 3. To purge purifie and refine that measure of true grace that 's in us In the days of Peace and Prosperity the best men are subject to gather soil as standing waters putrifie bodies without exercise prove full of gross humors In prosperity we gather pride security teachiness self-love too much love of the world these God purgeth away that our Faith and Grace may shew themselves in their bright colours as the Vine having the superfluous branches cut off proves the more fruitful Never do Christians shine so bright as in affliction or presently after it But rejoyce Here 's the second Exhortation We must be so far from thinking it strange when we are persecuted as that we are then to rejoyce But how can this be will some say To rejoyce in mockings imprisonments cold irons tortures c. seems impossible and the rather for that no affliction for the present is joyous but tedious To the flesh these things be tedious yet there is cause to make us rejoyce in them Though a natural man cannot do this as being impossible to flesh and blood yet grace and a good measure of faith and an heart mortified to the world and taken up with the desire of a better life will do the same A man may both grieve and yet rejoyce in the same thing in diverse respects as them that saw the Temple re-edified some wept namely the ancient men some again rejoyced namely the yong men the one because it was no better the other because it was as it was both which might have been in either of them As a man may be glad that he hath a childe departed in a godly maner and yet grieve at the loss of his childe so if at the fall of a Scaffold where many lost their lives we have had a childe that broke his Arm we are sorry at that but glad that he scaped with his life Thus the Apostles rejoyced thus Paul and Silas thus the Thessalonians thus the Christian Hebrews thus the Martyrs throughout all ages Such a thing is Faith it s not a Conceit but that that makes things absent so present as that we can be content to endure present pain for joy to come and to lose things present for happiness hereafter Thus have many of Gods Servants done so that God requires nothing of us but that he hath enabled many to do yea ordinary Christians like our selves nay not a few even of the weaker Sex 1. This rebuketh the woful unbelief and hypocrisie of most of the world which though they profess the Word in prosperity yet in adversity they shift for themselvs make friendship with the world and will suffer nothing for Christs sake or his Religion they are ashamed of Christ here of them will he be ashamed hereafter now saving their lives with an ill Conscience they shall lose life eternal 2. It rebuketh even the Servants of God who are so loath to suffer or abide any hardness We can hardly abide a frown of our Superior or an hard word or a railing speech but we are cast down and disquieted about it yea many pull in their heads and step back and think it s not good to be forward and so come to Jesus by night How will we suffer imprisonment and loss of all we have how endure the fire and especially with joy This is too much tenderness it
1 Cor. 13. 5. Use. 1 Sam. 30. 23. Hest. 4. 16. Obs. Love must be constant Heb. 13. 1. Eph. 4. 3. Psal. 34. Use. Iames 4. 5. Tit. 3. 3. Observ. No unregenerate person can truly love Observ. Such as are born again must needs love 1 Ioh. 3. 10. What Regeneration is 2 Cor. 5. 17. The Lord the author thereof See Deut. 29. 4. Psal. 51. 10. Ezek. 36. 26. Iohn 1. 13. 3. 5. Acts 11. 21. 1 Iohn 3. 9. Simile Acts 3. 10. Iohn 9. 8. 1 Tim. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 4. 1 Cor. 7. 16. Use. The Lords will the cause hereof Iam. 1. 18. Iohn 3. 16. Without regeneration all things else that we have are nothing Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. Use 5. Regeneration of absolute necessity Iohn 3. 3 5. Revel 21. 27. Mat. 5. 8. Col. 3. 9 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rom. 8. 1. The effects of Regeneration See also the notes laid down 2 Cor. 7. 11. 1 Iohn 2. 29. 1 Pet. 2. 2. A Regenerate man is not the same he was before Gal. 2. 20. Use 1. Gal. 6. 8. Use 2. A Regenerate man groweth by degrees Use 1. Use 2. Why men grow no faster in goodness A Caveat for such as complain they do not thus grow See Wilson of Sanctification pag. 11. 12. There 's no perfection here in this life 1 Cor. 13. 9. Eph. 5. 27. Reasons hereof Rom. 7. Gal. 5. 17. Simil. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Observ. Regeneration cometh not by nature See Iohn 3. 6. Psal. 51. 5. Iob 14. 4. Mat. 16. 17. 1 Ioh. 5. 18. Observ. Gods Spirit by the word doth alter and change mans heart 1 Iohn 3. 9. 5. 1. Iohn 3. 5. Use 1. Iam. 1. 18. Use 2. Use 3. Eph. 4. 30. Obser. Gods word is the instrumental cause of our conversion Rom. 6. 17. Ioh. 15. 3. Isa 11. 6 7. Ioh. 5. 25. God doth not always tye himself hereunto Luk. 16. 29 31 1 Cor. 2. 4 13. 2 Cor. 10. 4. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Prov. 29. 18. Use 4. Use 5. The Ministers of the Word are appointed of God the instruments to convert souls 2 Cor. 5. 20. Use 1. Dan. 12. 3. 1 Pet. 5. 4. Use 2. Whence it cometh to pass that the Word worketh Regeneration Use 1. Heb. 4. 12. 2 Cor. 10. 4. Use 2. Psal. 103. 15. Wherein mans life may be compared to grass Mr. Midman at that time so kild Heb. 9. 27. Eccles. 1. 4. Use 1. Dan. 5. 22 23. Use 2. Use 3. How to be prepared for death Luke 21. 34. Use 4. Iam. 4. 13. Use 5. Eccles. 9. 10. Gal. 6. 10. Use 6. 2 King 2. 3 5. Exod. 4. 19. Matt. 2. 10. Use 7. Doct. The glory of a carnal man is but a vain thing Eph. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Rom. 1. 23. See Gen. 6. 5. Isa. 64. 6. Rom. 7. 18. 8. 7. Eph 2. 1. Mat. 5. 20. Use. Observ. Nothing in an unregenerate man can abide the Lords examination Doctr. Gods Word is the means whereby we may live for ever Iohn 5. 25. Prov. 29. 18. Use 1. Psal. 19. 10. 119 72 127. Psa. 147. 19 â—0 Use 2. Ioh 6 68. 1 Cor. 9. 2. Doct. The word by preaching is made the instrument of Regeneration Rom. 10. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Acts 8 3â— See Neh. 8. 8. Use. Doct. The Word ought to be preached in every Congregation Use. Obser. The Word must be so preached as that the Ministers thereof may avouch it to be indeed the Word of God Use. 1 Pet. 4. 11. Isa. 55. 10. 11. The coherence of this Chapter with the former The sum of this Chapter The sum of the first three Verses Doctr. Regeneration and the love of sin cannot stand together Rom. 8. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 5. 24. Rom. 13. 1. 2 Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Doctr. There 's no perfection to be attained here 1 Iohn 3. 9. 1. 11. Use 1. Luke 17. 10. Use 2. Rom. 7. 24 25. Simil. Doctr. To be a Christian is a work of great difficulty Luke 9. 23. Use 1. Use 2. Obs. Vnder those here named all other corruptions are included Col. 3. 5. Heb. 12. 1. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Use. Observ. Most of the corruptions here named are inward Iam. 1. 26. 1 Thess. 5. 23. Use 1. Use 2. The Author was absent at this time three weeks Obser. That 's naught which is forbidden in Gods Word Iohn 3. 4. Use. What malice is The difference between it and anger Eph. 4. 31. Col. 3. 8. Use 1. Eccles. 7. 9. Use 2. Mat. 5. â—3 2 Sam. 16. 11. Iob 1. 21. What we are to understand by guile Prov. 20. 14. Prov. 11. 1. 1 Thess. 4. 6. Object Sol. Object Sol. Object Sol. Prov. 12. 3. Matt. 6. 33. Obs. Guil is to be avoided as wel in small as great matters What 's here to be chiefly understood by hypocrisie What Envy is Gal. 5. 21. What we are to understand by evil speakings Iames 1. 26. See Iam. 3. 5. Psal. 120. 4. Doct. The Word of God cannot thrive in an unsanctified heart Use. Observ. Our desire towards the word must be earnest Iob 23. 12. Psal. 42. 1. 119. 20 103 111 227. Psal. 119. 98 99. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. Iam. 1. 21. Use 1. Use 2. Prov. 2. 3. and 8. 17. Constant. Psal. 27. 4. Psal. 119. 20. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Vnpartial Use. Obser. Ministers must have store of milk for their spiritual Children Mal. 2. 7. Obser. Ministers must have good store of love Acts 20. 31. 2 Tim. 4. 2. Obser. Ministers must have much patience 2 Tim. 2. 25. The Word why compared to milk Isa 55. 1. 1 Cor. 3. 2. Heb. 5. 12. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Psalm 19. 10. Obs. Nothing sweeter to Gods children then the Word Obs. The Word is the common food of all Christians The Word why called sincere Use 1. Isa. 8. 20. 1 Pet. 4. 11. Psal. 119. 129 130. Use 2. Acts 11. 17. Why Christians are to desire after the Word Eph. 4. 11. 15. Use 1. Use 2. Acts 20. 32. Rom. 15. 14. 2 Peter 1. Doctr. Christians must daily grow in grace 1 Thess. 4. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 18. Rev. 2. 19. 2. 4. Use 1. What we are to understand by tasting Doctr. Such as finde the Word powerful for their salvation are the more desirous thereof and affectioned thereto Use 1. Use 2. Iohn 8. 47. 11. 27. Use 3. Obs. Christ is sweet to a Christian and sweetens all that he hath Use. Obser. Christ is every way bountiful to his Use. Wherein Christs bounty doth appear A comparison between the Temple of Ierusalem and that which Christ maketh of all that believe in him Christ why compared to a stone Obser. To believe in Christ which is to come to him is a great priviledge Object Sol. Ioh. 6. 35. Doctr. Christians must come to Christ. Reason 1. Reason 2. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Reason 3. Isa 55. 1. Use 1. Use 2. Iohn 6. 29. Obj. Sol. Luke