here rendred a Bishop was a tearme given to watch-men and spies and over-seers of works and sometimes to any sort of Rulers In the Apostles time it seemes the tearme was impropriated and given onely to Ministers that had charge of soules For the Apostles appointing certaine men to looke to the bodies of Christians which they tearmed Deacons they appointed other eminent men to looke to the soules of Christians whom they termed Bishops as appeares Phil. 1.1 Acts 20.28 In the time of the Apostles the terme suffered yet a more strict impropriation and was given to some especiall Ministers that had charge not onely of the people but also of the Clergy and in time in some Churches unto these choice men of the Ministery were added the titles of Barons jurisdiction and power of censures sole power of ordination and the like In this place the Apostle gives the terme of Bishop to Christ as the first and principall Overseer of our soules to whom the charge of their originall doth belong Secondly we must note that Christ is not said to be a Bishop of our soules but the Bishop of our soules which imports that he is such a Bishop as there is no other like unto him That charge that Christ hath of our soules he hath it alone There is no Bishop like to Christ our Bishop for 1. There is no good Bishop but he for he died for the soules he hath charge of and so doe not other Bishops And whereas other Bishops may bee unrebukeable in respect of men sometimes he is unrebukeable in respect of God and men too never any Bishop lived so well or did so much good or loved good men and promoted Gods cause so much as hee 2. No other Bishop can instruct the flocke as he doth For hee can make his people profit because he teacheth inwardly whereas they can teach onely outwardly and hee instructs all his flocke and makes them all to know God from the greatest to the lowest of them which no other Bishop can doe 3. He is the onely Bishop because all other Bishops mâ— give accounts to him 1. Pet. 5.3 4. Hee is the universall Bishop of all soules other Bishops â—â—ve their particular charges or Churches but he hath the charge of all the flockes under heaven all Parishes are within his charge 5. All other Bishops have their ordination from him they have no authority but what they receive from him Acts 20.28 6. Because no other Bishop can take the absolute charge of our soules they are not able to keepe us our soules have many diseases which they cannot cure and are assaulted with many adversaries which they cannot resist 7. Because hee is a heavenly Bishop they are but earthly and divers parts of his office he executes in heaven whereas other Bishops can doe nothing for us but on earth 8. Because hee is the onely Law-maker the onely Law-giver to our soules other Bishops can make no Lawes but by his authority Iam. 4.11 9. Because the other Bishops may require goodnesse in their flocks but cannot make them good he can make all his people righteous he is the Lord and their very righteousnesse Ier. 23.6 10. Other Bishops die and leave their flockes unprovided but hee lives ever and never forsakes his Church but is with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. ult Thirdly who are the charge of Christ Not all that are found in the charges of other Bishops he will not stand to our division of Parishes he counts by Election and righteousnesse all that the Father hath given him are his charge and none else The coherence shews they are onely penitent sinners Fourthly the happinesse of such as are under his charge which must needs be great O! It is a great comfort to a poore sinner to know that Christ hath a charge of his soule for he shall be sure that Christ will feed his soule and nourish it up by his Ordinances and will keep him to eternall life and use him with all tendernesse and compassion A bruised Reed he will not breake and the smoaking Flaxe he will not quench The particulars are metaphorically handled before in the consideration of the benefits we receive from Christ as a Shepheard Uses The Uses follow and so First for information and so first we may here take occasion to thinke of the preciousnesse of our soules for as they' are made of better stuffe than all this visible world being spirits and were redeemed with a greater price than would have beene laid downe to redeeme this whole world so it here appeareth because God sets his owne Son to tend our soules which should make us make more reckoning of them and not be so carelesse of them It were an ill bargaine to win the whole world and lose our owne soules Secondly in that he takes charge of our soules it imports that his Kingdome is not of this world and that he leaveth our bodies and outward estates to the charge of the Kings and Rulers of the earth he claimes himselfe chiefly the charge of our soules Thirdly in spirituall things it is imported that we are to be subjected to such as have the over-sight of us onely so far forth as they command us in the Lord and not otherwise Other Bishops have their power subordinate to Christ and must in all things see to it that they doe nothing against Christ. We are subject first and originally to Christ the charge of our soules properly belongs unto him Fourthly we may here see what need our soules have of looking to if they were not in great danger and subject to many diseases and necessities Christ had never taken such a peculiar charge of them Fiftly it imports the abject estate of all grosse offenders for if Christ be the Bishop of soules they cannot belong to his charge For wise and godly men as much as lieth in them cast out notorious offenders and protest against them and therefore will Christ much more cast off and refuse all such servants of the Divell and the World and Antichrist as will not beare his yoke Sixtly it imports that all Bishops must have ordination from him and therefore such as cannot shew their calling from Jesus Christ are plants which he will root out Use 2. Secondly for consolation to all the godly All that have committed their soules to him may rest upon it that he is able to keepe them till the day of his comming 1 Tim. 1.2 They shall never be lost none can take them out of his hand Iohn 10.29 It is the will of God that none of them should be lacking Iohn 6. And therefore they may comfort themselves with those words of the Apostle Nothing shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God Rom. 8. ult Use 3. Thirdly for instruction and so it should teach us to take chiefe care of our soules For from his office we may learne that he accounts our soules to be the chiefe
in particular concerning the sinne of speaking evill of the godly and the point is That Gods gracious visitation doth cure that disease exactly Hee will never raile any more that is truly gathered unto God in his day of visitation It is possible Christians may speake evill one of another in particular and it is lamentable when they doe so but that is upon supposall of particular faults in those of whom they speake evill But that a man should speake evill of godly men in generall because they are godly with desire hee might finde them evill doers is a vice not found in such as are truly called And therefore let such as are guilty of that sin of speaking evill of good Christians because they follow goodnesse know That their day of visitation is not yet come Verse 13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as superior FRom the thirteenth Verse of the first Chapter to the ninth Verse of the third Chapter is contained matter of exhortation and the exhortation is either generall or speciall The generall exhortation concernes all Christians and hath beene set downe from the thirteenth Verse of the first Chapter to the end of the eleventh Verse of this second Chapter Now those words and those that follow to the ninth Verse of the next Chapter containe speciall exhortations which concerne some Christians onely namely subjects servants wives and husbands Of the duty of subjects hee entreats from Verse 13. to Verse 18. Of the duty of servants from Verse 18. to the end of this Chapter of the duty of wives in the seven first Verses of the third Chapter and of the duty of husbands in the eighth Verse of that Chapter So that the Apostle having taught all Christians before how to behave themselves in their generall calling hee now undertakes to teach some sorts of Christians in particular how to order themselves in their particular callings and so hee teacheth them in some things that concerne the Politickes and in some things that concerne the Oeconomickes Unto order in a Common wealth belongs the duty of Subjects and unto houshold government belongs the duty of Servants Wives and Husbands From the coherence and the generall consideration of the whole exhortation divers things may bee noted before I breake open the particulars of the Text. 1 The Word of God must bee the warrant of all the actions of our life it not onely gives order about the businesses of Religion but it prescribes matter of obedience in all our conversation it tells us what to doe in our houses and in the Common wealth as well as what to doe at Church which shewes us the perfection of the Scripture Theologie is the Mistresse of all Sciences it perfects the sound knowledge of the Ethicks Politickes or Oeconomickes and it should teach therefore in our callings whether generall or particular to seeke warrant from the Word which warrant wee may finde either expressed particularly or else implyed in generall directions and withall wee should take heed that wee make not more sinnes in any estate of life than are made in Scripture and so not affright or disquiet our selves with vaine fears that way 2 The Apostle would have Christians in a speciall manner carefull that they offend not the lawes of the Princes of this world this appeares in that hee enjoines them the duties of subjects first and in that they doe teach them the duty of submission both in this and other Scriptures with great force and violence as it were of arguments which shewes that they were wonderfull desirous to charge and instruct the Christians so that if it were possible they might not offend that way and the reasons are divers and many why Christians should bee above all men carefull to keepe the lawes of Princes first because by breaking the lawes of men they sinne against God Secondly because evill minded men have in all ages watched godly Christians to see whether they could finde any fault by them in the matters of the kingdome Thirdly because if earthly Princes be provoked it may cause a generall trouble of the Churches the offendors many times suffer not alone but many others upon displeasure raised by them Fourthly because if earthly Princes bee good the carefull obedience of their Subjects may incourage them to be great helpes to Religion even to be Nursing-fathers and Nursing-mothers to the Churches 1 Tim. 2.2 Fiftly because perversnesse and contempt and carelesse neglect of the lawes of Princes many times proves scandalous and Wee must not offend them that are without 1 Cor. 10.2 Col. 4.5 Many that were somewhat enclined to embrace the sincerity of the Gospell have beene cast backe and professe that therefore they abhorre such people because they observe their disobedience against humane government either through indiscretion or nice scruples or perverse wilfulnesse The use may be to reprove the carelesnesse of many Christians this way and that for divers offences as first for sluggishnesse in not studying the Lawes of the Countries where they live Some Christians have a secret jealousie against the Lawes of men and doe in heart thinke meanly of them and unlesse the equity of the Law stare them in the face they doe without any further consideration securely cast aside the care of it and rush into the breach of it Secondly divers Christians doe much sin against the holy desire and direction of the Apostles in the intemperancy of their words when in ordinary discourse they speake with much scorne of the observation of the Lawes of men which they understand not A Christian that will not study to be quiet in respect of the Lawes of men is a singular plague to the Church where he lives Doct. 3. We may hence note that it is necessary for Ministers often to teach their hearers their duty to Magistrates to shew the power that Princes have to make Lawes to governe them by And this is fit to be noted because of the strange weakenesse and perversnesse of some Christians that are much offended with their Teachers if they fall upon doctrine of this nature with any application to the times they mistrust them or censure them to be temporizers and to speake out of flattery or wilfulnesse or the like corruption of conscience I speake not now of such Ministers as pleade the rights of Princes onely for their owne ends or in such a manner as they discover an apparent hatred of godlinesse it selfe for these are worthy to bee blamed but even of such Ministers as prove the rights of Christian Princes with compassion and love and meeknesse without provoking or reviling tearmes even these I say are mistrusted and censured though we heare and see in other Scriptures that they are bound to prove and defend the authority of the Magistrate in any thing wherein it is unjustly questioned Doct. 4. It is necessary wee should first bee taught our duty to God and those
that the conscience is bound to obey Magistrates by the vertue of God's Commandement that requires this obedience of men not simply in respect of the lawes of men Secondly that we are bound to obey every ordinance of man that is all sorts of lawes made by men This needs explication for it is evident by divers examples in Scripture of godly men that have refused to obey in some cases and the Apostles have left a rule Acts 5. that in some cases it is better to obey God than man And therefore I would consider of it distinctly in what things they have no authority to command and in what things they have authority For the first In some cases Magistrates have not authority and if they doe command we are not bound to obey For every Magistrate stands bound himselfe to looke to it that he transgresse not in these cases He is bound to the law of nature as hee is a man and to the law of God as hee is a Christian and to the fundamentall lawes of the Kingdome as hee is a Prince or Magistrate so that hee must make no lawes or ordinances against any of these Lawes especially he may command nothing forbidden in God's Word nor forbid any thing that is commanded in God's Word some instances will be given afterwards For the second In what things they may make lawes there is no question in these cases I now maintaine as if they make lawes in meere civill things for the good of the Common-wealth there is no doubt but wee must obey the expresse words of the Text require our submission and so iâ— they make lawes to enjoyne their subjection to doe such things as are commanded by God in Scripture or to forbid the doing of such things as are expresly condemned in God's Word There are other cases that have been by men of diseased minds doubted of but yet submâ—ssion is by the Word of God required in them as well as in other cases For instance Men ought to submit themselves in these cases following as first in civill things if mens lawes be in some sort injurious as in matter of mens goods A Prince makes lawes to lay too heavie taxations upon the subject yet the subject must submit and therefore the ten Tribes did sinfully to refuse Rehoboam and rebell against him for that reason If any object that Naboth did not yeeld to Ahab when hee desired his Vineyard I answer first that some difference must be put between the occasions of Princes I meane their desires and their lawes the inordinate desires of Princes are not alwayes necessarie to be fulfilled Secondly Naboth was tied by the Law of God to keepe his inheritance for God had tied every man to keepe his ancient inheritance and to marrie within his Tribe that so it might bee cleerely manifest of what stocke the Messias should come Lev. 25.23 Num. 36.7 9. But this was an ordinance peculiar to the Jewish government Secondly in Church-matters the Magistrate may command and the Subject must obey Now because many questions are moved about the Magistrates authority in Church-affaires and about Church-men therefore I will here proceed distinctly and shew first what they cannot doe about Religion and then what they may doe These things they cannot doe that is they have no power or authority to meddle in them as First the civill Magistrate hath no power nor authority to execute the office of the church-Church-Minister he may not preach in the Church or administer the Sacraments or execute the censures of the Church Heb. 5.5 1 Cor. 7.10 The presumption of Ieroboam and Uzziah herein was punished 1 Kings 13. 2 Chron. 26. Secondly hee hath no power to make lawes that shall binde men to beleeve his devices as matters of faith and doctrine for these things depend upon the will of God not of Princes Thirdly hee hath not power to bring in any idolatrous service into the Church as a part of Gods worship Esay 29.13 Mat. 15.19 And therefore Ieroboam was condemned for the Calves and Ahab for Baal and Ahaz for the Altar of Damascus and all the Kings for the high places Fourthly hee hath no power to set up a Ministery in the Church that for the substance of the calling was not instituted by Christ Ephes. 4.11 12. Heb. 5.5 All Ministers of the Gospell have their mission from Christ. Thus of what they cannot doe what they can and ought to doe followes For it is certaine that in many things the Magistrates authority may and ought to bee extended in spirituall things for the good of the subject and therefore in respect of Religion they are said to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers The Apostle saith Rom. 13.5 of the Magistrate He is the Minister of God for thy good Now the good of the Subject is not onely a civill good done civilly but done spiritually a spirituall good which is the greatest good of the Subject and therefore to bee most sought for by the Prince And as in respect of their civill good he must provide that justice may flourish in the Common-wealth so in respect of their spirituall good hee must provide that Religion may flourish in the Church and to this end First he may and ought by his lawes to enjoyne the profession of the true Religion and the confession of faith according to the Word of God Secondly he may and ought to provide to the uttermost of his power that the Churches may be furnished with able Ministers and that they likewise may have power to call and ordaine other Ministers and dispose or depose as may be best for the good of the Church Thirdly he may and ought to provide by his lawes and order that the Word of God may be sincerely and purely taught and the Sacraments rightly administred and the censures of the Church executed according to the Word Fourthly he may and ought by his lawes to forbid and accordingly to punish blasphemies heresies idolatrie sacriledge and the like Now that the godly Princes have had power in these and the like cases about Religion is plaine Moses by the appointment of God gave order to Aaron and the people in the businesse of Religion Iosua appoints circumcision Iosh. 5. proclaimes the law of God Iosh. 8. renewes the covenant with God Iosh. 24. David disposeth of the officers about the Tabernacle 1 Chro. 23. and brings home the Arke 2 King 6. Salomon dedicated the Temple Asa the King made such a law as this that whosoever would not seeke the God of Israel should die Ezechias brake downe the brazen Serpent 2 Kings 18. commanded the Priests to cleanse the Temple 2 Chron. 29. and to celebrate the Pasâ—over and commanded the Levites to help the Priests because the Priests were not then cleane 2 Chron. â—0 Iosias destroyed the Idols sent his Princes to see to the restoring of the House of God appointed the Priests to their Ministeries in the Temple c. 2 Chron.
or to the poore or to the Church or to the service of my country or to the conversion of soules c. have I ministred the wit or learning or wealth or power the Lord hath given me Contrariwise it cannot but be wofull to some to remember on their death beds that they have spent their meanes and gifts to promote wicked courses and to procure sinne or to maintaine the riotous or gamesters or whores or dogs or any way their own lusts oh what wil they say when they are asked whom have you clothed fed comforted counselled admonished c. But unto us But why are we honoured thus and not the Prophets The Lord sheweth mercy on whom he will shew mercy I meane it for the manner and time and measure and meanes we must not herein dispute with God yet even this tends wonderfully to the praise of Gods constant love to his Church we see he doth not grow weary of his affection he did not spend all his grace and favour upon Kings Patriarchs and Prophets but he is ready to entertaine even the prodigall sonne of the Gentiles with as hearty or rather more hearty entertainment then ever he did the Jewish children that had not departed out of their fathers houshold Secondly this also shews that extraordinary gifts are not the best for us wee want the gifts of prophesie but to have the glorious grace of Christ is better then all for we see the Prophets desired it more and great reason for one may be a Prophet and yet not be saved Math. 7. but so one cannot have the true grace of Christ but they shall be saved hee is in better case that can pray with the Spirit then he that can prophesie For God is rich to all that call upon him and whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.10 Ioel 2. Besides we may note here that God will not be bound to shew his tenderest kindnesse to his best servants no doubt the Prophets were better servants to God then we are yet you see they must not envie it to know that others shall be more made on then they Finally here is implyed that Gods promises and provisions of grace can never be in vaine If it be not for the Prophets yet it must be for us For so in the originall it is as if it were rendered but yet unto us to note that no word of God shall be in vaine Esay 55.11 They did minister This phrase imports divers things 1. Wee are here againe occasioned to think of a strange depth of respect God beares to the meanest of his children none are too good in his account to doe them service the Prophets must not think scorne to minister to them yea so doth God reckon of them that Kings and Queenes must not be too good to nurse them yea we see here the Angels are desirous to know or doe any thing that concerns them yea the holy Ghost will leave heaven to doe them good Oh the bottomlesse depth of Gods love and oh the barrennesse and shallownesse and unthankfulnesse of mans heart that cannot be more inflamed towards God to render love for love yea wee should be afraid ever to challenge God for want of love we should account it a great offence to call his affection in question the Lord takes it wonderfull ill Esay 49.15 16. 40.26 oh that God should love us so beyond all president all desert yea above all we could desire and yet we be still so slow hearted 2. From this phrase we may note that the greatest in the Church ought to account it their honour to doe service to their brethren It it charged upon all without exception to serve one another by love Gal. 5. and Christ saith of the greatest let him be your servant Mat. 20. The Use is for all of us to search our hearts to see whether we can finde such a noisome pride in our selves as that at any time we should think our selves too good to doe Gods work or to doe service to any of Gods people if we doe find it let us purge it out as vile leaven and be humbled for it before God else the Lord may perhaps finde out waies to shame us and scourge us that we dreame not of 3. This word Minister as it is in the originall excellently imports how we should serve one another For it is to serve as the Deacons did 1. out of conscience of a calling and commandement from God 2. with all diligence 3. constantly 4. cheerfully Rom. 12.5 with all humility making our selves equall with them of the lower sort All this the Deacons did 4. This word imports that spirituall things are from God onely in respect of beginning and as the primary cause For the Prophets doe but minister them They have nothing but that they have received for every good and perfect gift commeth downe from God the Father of lights which should teach us in the use of all meanes to direct our hearts to God The things which were reported unto you These words evidently shew First that the primitive Church was first taught by tradition that is by lively voice not by written Scriptures onely so was Adam so were the Patriarks for the first 2000. yeares 1 Thes. 2.15 But might some one say Doth not this wonderfully make for the Papists in their opinion about traditions No whit at all and that this point may be more fully understood I will shew out of Scripture that the word Tradition hath been taken three waies and then declare particularly that this doctrine can make nothing for the Papists 1. Sometimes by traditions are meant the inventions or precepts of men imposed with opinion of holinesse and necessity upon the consciences of men and so it is taken and taxed Mat. 15.2 3 6. Col. 2.8 2. Sometimes by traditions are meant certaine rules prescribed by the Apostles concerning things indifferent and their use Thus the Corinthians are praised because they kept the traditions as the Apostle delivered them unto them 1 Cor. 11.2 3. Sometimes by traditions are meant certaine orders appointed by the Apostles for the prevention of disorder in manners in the Churches of Christians and thus I take it to be understood 2 Thes. 3.6 when condemning such as would not work he saith they walk disorderly and not after the traditions which ye received of us It seemes the Apostle had prescribed some courses for preventing of idlenesse and such inconveniences 4 Sometimes it is taken for the very word of God delivered by lively voice so the word was delivered 2000. years before the law 5. Sometimes it is taken for the word of God as it was first delivered by the Apostles while the Scriptures was yet unfinished whether it were delivered by report or writings and so 2 Thes. 2.15 1 Cor. 11.23 15.3 According to the fourth sense or this last it is taken here Now this can make nothing for
they shew forth the vertues of Christ and resemble his holinesse of carriage 5. And hee is manifested with them in that eternall fellowship of glory in the kingdome of heaven It is the first kinde of manifestation which is here meant Now Christ was manifested for them 1. on earth 2. in heaven On earth he was manifested 1. In his incarnation when hee shewed himselfe in our nature thus was accomplished that great mysterie of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 2. In his passion for so he was that true brazen serpent Ioh. 3. 3. In his ascension shewing himself in triumph leading captivity captive and giving gifts unto men Eph. 4. In heaven he is manifested for us 1. By session 2. By intercession By session for so hee was declared wonderfully as head of the Church when being set at the right hand of God all power was given him both in heaven and earth And by intercession he daily appeareth before God for us In this manifestation Christ hath turned himselfe into all formes for us for he hath beene manifested for us as a servant to doe our work as a surety to pay our debts as a sacrifice to expiate for our sins as a treasurer to supply all our wants as a Prophet to instruct us as an Advocate to plead our cause and as a King to subdue our enemies and rule over us The points of doctrine from hence to be observed are these 1. That God may conceive a wonderfull love to his people and have a glorious plot for their good and yet not manifest it of a long time Coherence shews this The Use should be in all distresses publike or private for the Church where we live or for our owne particular to live by faith and not mistrust or murmure or limit God as if hee had forgotten the cause of his people little knowest thou the thoughts of God concerning thy good and therefore we should check our owne hearts as David did and say Why art thou so sad oh my soule c. Secondly if God once doe manifest his love to thee oh then know thy happinesse and rejoyce in thy portion how rich is that goodnesse the Lord shews thee when in prayer or the word he declareth hid and mighty things in his answers Ier. 33.3 2. When God manifests Christ he discovers his greatest treasure the utmost of all Gods benefits for Christ is unsearchable riches and â—â— is hee in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed The Use is That therefore seeing God accounts the manifesting of hiâ— Son for us to be such a matter we should hence admire and praise this goodnesse of God that sent his owne Son into the world for our sakes and nouâ— in heaven honors and heares him for our sakes and in our behalfe especially this should quicken us unto the study of that sacred knowledge of Christ and his Kingdome and we should willingly serve so mighty and divine a Saviour 3. That it is no comfort to know that Christ is manifested till wee know he is manifested for us it is ill trusting to the knowledge of Christs incarnation we must seeke by all possible prayer and supplication that he may be acknowledged as a Saviour for us 4. The knowledge of Christs manifestation for us should be a point that should move and stir affection in the heart of every beleever and therefore it is to that end in this place urged But what should I doe might some one say to shew that my heart is affected towards my Saviour in this point of his manifestation either on earth or in heaven for me We must shew our affection herein foure waies 1. By beleeving in him without any doubting seeing in respect of the obedience of the law the discharge of our debt the conquest of our enemies the advocation in our causes c. he hath so fully manifested himselfe 2. By manifesting our selves without feare or delay for his sake wee should put our selves out into the open profession of his truth with all boldnesse but yet so as wee learne by his example how to manifest our selvesâ— that is to say 1. In the fulnesse of time that is after good advise and sound deliberation too hasty profession often-times doth great hurt 2. With resolution to endure all sorts of reproaches or what else in the labour or opposition might befall us though we should be accounted as he was Esay 53. Heb. 12.3 3. With all integrity being carefull to shew forth his vertue and not to blemish our profession with any spotted conversation especially expressing our imitation of his humility and dove-like harmlesnesse and respect of Gods law and contempt of the world 4. With all constancy even unto the death that wee may receive the crowne of life 3. By manifesting our selves to be ready to do any service to his servants 4. By longing for the time of his last and full manifestation in his appearing at the last day Thus of the fift point concerning our redemption The sixt is who are redeemed viz. such as by Christ doe beleeve in God for you who by him doe beleeve in God verse 21. For you The maine doctrine is twofold 1. That beleevers onely have benefit by Christ for them was redemption intended for them Christ shed his bloud for them he was made a sacrifice for them he was manifested both by incarnation and the preaching of the Gospell and by intercession in heaven Ioh. 17.9 19. Heb. 11.6 The Use is 1. For instruction Be sure thou have faith whatsoever thou want 2 Cor. 13.5 thou perishest else for ever Ob. If I have all faith yet I may perish 1 Cor. 13.3 Sol. All faith to doe miracles not to lay hold on Christ. 2. It is all faith without love and lovest thou not Gods children 2. For consâ—â—â—ation to the godly to whom God hath given this precious faith it is to be truely rich to be rich in faith it makes the poorest begger equall with the highest Monarch Iam. 2.5 because it procures priviledges better then that of Princes it intitles them to a birth better then that of the soâ—â— of men Ioh. 1.12 13. and for honour they have favour with the Highest that can doe more for them then all the Kings of the earth Ioh. 3.16 and for alliance it makes them a kinn to all the Saints and for contentment it fills them with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.9 and for victory it makes them more then conquerors Rom. â— and for riches they have all the treasures of Christ and for possessions they have an immortall inheritance especially their glory shall appeare in the day of Christ 2 Thes 1.10 3. It should quicken the godly to a care to repaire and establish themselves in the faith and to this end to pray as 2 Thes 1.11 4. It shews the miserable estate of divers men in the very visible Church There are three sorts of Christians
Christians thrive not and who also is it whose case some one of these seaven is not Let us every one examine our selves for a thousand to one we are kept back by some one of these It were singular wisdome to note which it is and to strive to amend that we may not be such starvelings in godlinesse still The point then is cleare that most Christians are but as new borne babes Now what use should we make of it First It may serve to humble many of us that have had time enough and abundance of meaneâ— and helps to have beene like teachers and yet have even now need to be taught the principles again To us belongs justly that reproofe in the fift to the Hebrewes 13. Secondly many dâ—ties must be vrged upon us if we grant our selves to be but as new borne babes For 1. We must therefore be teachable and tractable obeying them that have the oversight of us bearing their words of admonition and loving them with a singular love 2. We must therefore be the more willing to beare the chastizements of God that father of our spirits For if we have had the fathers of our flesh which in our young yeares have corrected and that often for our profit to subdue the faults in us which that age did breed and sometimes when they corrected for their owne pleasures more than for our profit How much more should we subject our selves to the corrections of God that finde in us being but babes so much perversenesse so much negligence such head strong passions such frequent disohebience and the rather because he never corrects us for his pleasure only but for our profit that he might make us more holy and more fruitfull and more meeke as the Apostle shewes Hebrewes 12. 3. We must therefore sticke more affectionately and constantly to the word and suffer our soules to be daily fedde with this sincere milk of the word without which it is no more possible for us to grow in grace then a weake child can doe in nature without milk and food 4. Yea the consideration of our estate that we are but children should beget in us a desire to expresse those praises spiritually which that infant estate in nature doth resemble For 1. Children in nature are without malice they may fall out one with another but they carry no malice they are quickly friends againe so should we much more 1. Cor. 14.20 2. Children live without care they are never troubled for what they shall eate or what they shall put on for the time to come so should wee doe as our Saviour Christ shewes Matth. 6. 3. Children are not lifted up with pride for the great things they are borne unto nor doth the childe of a Prince scorne the fellowship of the childe of a begger but can play with him and make himselfe equall to him so should it be with us we should bee void of great thoughts of heart and not be lifted up in our selves or despise others but make our selves equall to them of the lower sort especially seeing there is no difference in our birth They are borne againe by the same immortall seed that we are which our Saviour Christ is peremptory in Matth. 18.3 Thus much of the third point 4. A fourth thing may be here noted and that concernes the priviledge of weake Christians viz. that they are esteemed of God and not deprived of his favour and care for them because they are weake 1. Parents love their little children as well as their elder children so doth God 2. Parents provide meanes to bring up their little children so doth God they shall have sincere milk to make them grow 3. Parents provide such as shall tend their children and littâ—e ones so doth God he hath committed them to the charge of Christ so as the least grace in them shall be preserved though it were but like a bruised reede or the smoaking weeke of a candle Matth. 11. 4. Parents beare with the naturall weaknesse of their children without lessning their fondnesse to them so doth God with infinite indulgence Psalme 103. 5. Parents will not endure it to let them be wronged or hurt and much more wo shall be unto them that offend one of Gods little ones Mat. 18. 6. Parents provide portions and inheritances for their little children so doth God acknowledge them for his heires yea heires with Christ his eldest sonne Rom. 8. 17. A fift point that may be noted from hence is that only converted christians can desire the sincere milke of the word with true affection wicked men can no more affectionately desire the word than a dead childe or no child can doe the breast Quest. But have wicked men no desire after the word Answ. They may have but onely it is for the most part in two cases First when they desire to hear the word onely for mens wits or eloquence or the like carnall ends and so they desire not the sincere milk of the word Secondly in the case of a temporary faith where the delight and desire after the word is not constant like the appetite of a child to the breast for they will fall away in the time of temptation and all their desires prove but as the morning dew Desire the sincere milke of the word Hitherto of the first reason taken from the consideration of their present estate and neede of the word The second reason is taken from the consideration of the nature of the word which they should desire It is sincere pure there is no deceit no mixture in it And it is milk it is wonderfull apt for nourishment There are two things then here said of the word in praise of it First that it is milk secondly that it is sincere Milk This is a metaphor Sometimes by milk is meant a man that is godly cast into affliction by which God straines all the moats of corruption from him while his heart is poured out like milk with griefe and feare Thus Iob saith of himselfe God had strained him out like milk Iob 10. veâ— 10. Sometimes by milk is meant the rudiments of religion the principles and grounds of Catechisme and so it differeth from strong meat so it is taken Heb. 5.12 1. Cor. 3.2 Sometimes it signifieth the word of God in generall which is given to the Church for nourishment of their soules to eternall life and so it is taken here as in Esay 55.1 the word is called both milk and wine and water and in other places hony It is hony for the sweetnesse of it It is wine for the power it hath to revive and refresh the spirit of man and make his heart glad It is water for cooling and quenching of his spirituall thirst and it is milk for nourishment It doth more for nursing up mans soule than the milke of the breast can for the bodies of infants The consideration whereof should work in us the desire to which the
are bound not onely to get grace but they must labour to encrease in the gifts they have received it is not enough to begin the worke of God but we must labour to abound in it and increase in well doing we must goe on and finish the measure of the worke required of us these places evidently prove that God looks for growth at our hands 2. Pet. 3.18.1 Cor. 15.58.1 Thessa. 4.1 Prov. 4.18.1 Cor. 14.12 Secondly for the second before I number particulars I might tell you of divers kindes of growth or increase in the kingdome of Christ. Christ himselfe is said to increase Ioh. 3.10 The word is said to grow Act. 6. and in other places and Christians are said to grow and so either first joyntly in the mysticall body Ephes. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. or secondly severally every one by himselfe Christ was said to increase not onely in stature and the declaration of his gifts Luke 2. 40 but also in the glory of his kingdome and the advancing of his dominion amongst men The word grew when the number of faithful labourers was increased and when the light of the truth was more glorified received by the people Christians are said to grow chiefly in two respects First in the number of beleevers when there are daily added to the church Secondly in the power and practice of their gifts and this last is here intended the word rendred Thereby might be read either in him or in it or as it is thereby In him that is in Christ In it that is in the word or thereby that is by the word this last is intended here in all probability Now then to the point there are certaine things wherein a Christian should strive to grow it is true wee should grow in every good gift and worke but if we marke the Scriptures these things in particular are especially to be laboured after as being things that doe wonderfully honour God and credit the Gospell and bring a singular increase of happines to a Christian mans life and it is wonderfull profitable to keep a Catalogue of these particulars still before us that wee may every day bee put in mind of what we should especially labour after These are the things then we should distinctly labour to grow in First we should labour to grow in wisdome Gods people should appeare to be a wise people above all the people of the earth Christ grew in wisedome Luke 2.40 Now wisedome hath two things in it First knowledge and secondly discretion In both these we should grow For knowledge the word of God should dwell plentiously in us Col. 3. 16. and we should encrease in the knowledge of God Col. 1.10 and for discretion we should abound in knowledge yea and saith the Apostle in all judgement too Phili. 1.10 Secondly we should grow in faith that which is lacking to our faith must be made up 1. Thess. 3.10 and we should still bee praying with the Apostles Lord increase our faith Luke 17.5 2. Thess. 1.11 Now there bee two things distinctly which we should grow in about faith viz First assurance and secondly the exercise of it For assurance we should heâ—eunto give all diligence that we might get the full assurance of faith and hope to the end we should never be quiet till it bee established and rooted and soundly grounded in our particular assurance of Gods favour in Jesus Christ and our owne eternall salvation Heb. 6.11 Col. 2.6 7. And for the exercise of faith we should strive to learne every day to live by faith in all the occasions of our life spending the remainder of our lives in the faith of the Sonne of God holding fast our confidence and not withdrawing our selves Heb. 10. Gal. 2.20 yea we should strive to be examples one to another in our faith in God 1. Tim. 4.12 Thirdly we should abound in love one to another and towards all men this the Apostle praies earnestly for and this we should shew by all diligence in preserving peace and unity amongst our selves so as there should bee but one heart and mind amongst us to this end bearing and forbearing and supporting one another wee should grow also in the tendernesse and heartinesse of our affections one after another longing one for another and delighting one in another yea our love should grow even in seeking to enlarge our acquaintance with such as feare God but especially in the labour of our love to doe good to such as feare God should we grow c. Fourthly we should grow in mercy and that both in the bowels of pitty and in the abundance of the fruits of mercy Col. 3.12.2 Cor. 8.2 7. and 9.11 Iames 3.18 Fiftly we should grow in patience and meeknesse and lowlinesse of mind Patience should have his perfect work and it wonderfully would become us if we could increase in the image of Jesus Christ for meeknesse and lowlinesse to be free from passions and pride oh how it would adorne us It is that one grace Christ so much urgeth upon us and was most eminent in himselfe Matth. 11.29 Iames 1.4 Sixtly We should grow in praier and the gifts that concerne our communion with God we should labour to be mighty and powerfull in praier able to wrastle with God himselfe and overcome him as Iacob did and to this end we should pray alwaies and learne to pray all manner of praiers in all things making our requests knowne to God with supplication especially we should strive to abound in thanksgiving to God in all things giving thanks this is the greatest honor we can doe to God 1. Thessa. 5.18.19 Philip. 4.7 Psal. 50.23 Col. 1.11 Ephes. 6.18.2 Cor. 4.15 Seventhly we should grow in the contempt of the world and the lesser estimation of the things of this life we should strive more and more to expresse a mortified conversation using the world as if we used it not setting out affections on the things that are above and having our conversation in heaven confessing our selves to be strangers and pilgrims and with all eagernesse embracing the praises of a better life Hebrews 11.13 Philip. 3.20 in nothing being carefull Philip. 4.6 hastning to the comming of Jesus Christ. 2. Pet. 3.11 Eighthly We should exceedingly strive to grow in the holy and reverent use of Gods ordinances striving to come with more feare and sense of the glorious presence of God This is a wonderfull hard lesson and little heeded of the most Oh that we could get it to serve the Lord with feare and to rejoice but yet with trembling Oh blessed is the man that can feare alwaies and worke out his salvation with feare and trembling Ninthly there is another gift we should grow in and it is marvelously necessary and comely and yet extreamely neglected and that is utterance of which the Apostle makes mention in his short Catalogue 2. Cor. 8.7 Utterance I say to be able to speake one to another with profit and power
any aske what is good to quicken us against the deadnes of our hearts Answ. I answer First faith and assurance makes a mans heart alive wee live by faith Secondly wee must goe still to Christ who is the life and by praier still draw the water of life out of his wells of salvation Thirdly the word of God is lively Heb. 4.12 Fourthly godly society and a profitable fellowship in the Gospell puts life into men there is a great deale of provocation to good workes in it Fiftly wee should often meditate of the gaine of godlinesse and of the privileges of the promises belonging to the godly Vse This doctrine implies a great deale of reproofe also First to Hypocrites that have a name that they live but they are dead Revel 3. â— Secondly to deelining Christians that suffer their first love to abate in them and can bee contented to lose sensibly the power of affections which formerly they had Thirdly to many drooping Christians which out of melancholy and unbeliefe affect a kind of wilfull sadnes and heartlesues hindring thereby their own assurance and causing the easie yoak of Christ to be ill thought of besides many other inconveniences Thus of the second thing Be yee built up It may be read either in the Imperative mood or in the indicative I think the imperative answers more to the scope here it being the drift to shew what we must doe when we come to Christ. The third thing then we must doe that wee might extract vertue out of Christ for holinesse of life is we must be built up which imports two things First progression in faith and secondly repentance Wee must not beging only 〈◊〉 say the foundation but we must still labour to be built up further we 〈◊〉 be â—â—ill edified in our most holy faith Iude 20. verse Now that this may be attainted unto that we may be built up the fimilitude imports divers things First preparation A man that will goe about the worke of godlinesse 〈◊〉 think he goes about the building of a town and therefore must cast up his 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 charge of it and get his stuffe prepared before hand Secondly a constant relying upon Christ if we build we must build upon the rock and not on the sands Mat. 7. and 16. Thirdly the warrant of 〈◊〉 our actions out of the word of God VVhen Moses was to build the tabernacle he made it just according to the patterne in all things about it c. Fourthly a respect of things necessary wâ—e must not be intangled with 〈…〉 and doubtfull disputations The building of a Christian must be a 〈◊〉 palace He must build gold silver precious stones be must keep his 〈…〉 choice and necessary things 〈…〉 8.9 1 Cor. 3.1 Timoth. 1.4 Fiftly Counsell and Direction Men must endure the hewing and squarâ—â—◠〈◊〉 5.17 18. To this end are Ministers given Eph. 4. 12. The world 〈◊〉 Aâ—â—â— 20. 32. and so good conference may ediâ—ie or 〈…〉 Eph. 4. 29. Sixtly 〈…〉 building must have her distractions cast out â— Cor. 7. 52. David could not build 〈◊〉 Temple because of his warres and his â—â—rest on every side Seventhly Order and distinction Men must not take together a great deale of stuffe without order confusedly This is to build Babel and not Sion Eighthly Unity with the godly The building must hold proportion with the walls as well as with the foundation Psal. 122. 3. 1 Cor. 8. â— and 13. Rom. 15.2 Eph. 4.12 16. Ninthly Sobriety in the use of lawfull things All things are lawfull but all things edifie not 1 Cor. 10.23 Tenthly Prayer for except the Lord build the house in vaine doe they labour that build it Psal. 127.1 Out of all this wee may informe our selves concerning the causes of not profiting in many The reason why many Christians are not built up or why they encrease not in godlinesse is that they are guilty of these or some of these things implied in these directions First some profit not by reason of their irresolution about the taking up of their crosse in following Christ They thrust into the profession of Religion before they have sitten downe to câ—st what this profession may cost them and so in the evill day fall away Luk. 14.28 Secondly some can never thrive because they place their godlinesse onely in the frequencie of hearing the Word and the outward observance of Gods ordinances These build in the sands they lay no sure foundation Math. 7. 26. Thirdly others faile through unbeliefe and so either by neglecting the assurance of Gods savour in Christ or by misplacing their confidence trusting upon their owne works or Saints or Angels or the pardoâ—s or penances granted or enjoyned them These are not built upon the rock Mat. 16. Fourthly others prosper not because they come not to the light of the Scriptures to set whether their works be wrought in God or no. Fifthly others are distracted either with unnecessary disputations Rom. 14.1 or with excessive cares of life Luke 21.34 Sixthly others are undone with selfe-conceitednesse they are stubborne and will not be advised or directed or reproved Seventhly disorder or confusednesse in matters of Religion is the cause in others This is a wonderfull common defect men doe not goe to worke distinctly to see their works finished one after another Eighthly others are kept back with personall discords and jangling Envie or malice or contention or misrule eaâ—â— out the very heart of godlinesse Ninthly others are letted by intemperancie in being drowned in the love of pleasures They build they sowe they eat and drink and follow pastines neglecting the care of better things Lastly neglect of prayer is an usuall let and grievous impediment A spirituall house This is the fourth thing required of Christians They must be as a spirituall house unto Christ they must be that to Christ that was signified by the Tabernacle or the Temple For every Christian is the substance of that which was signified by the Tabernacle Christ hath a five-fold Tabernacle For first in the Letter the Tabernacle or Temple at Ierusalem was the House of God and Christ. Secondly the whole world is but the Tent of Christ who hath spred out the heavens like a curtaine c. Thirdly the heaven of the Blessed is the Tabernacle of Christ the place where God and Christ dwell with the Saints Revel â—â— â— and 13.6 Fourthly the body of Christ is a Tabernacle for the Godhead Col. 2.9 And so it is that the Word is said to become flesh and dwelt amongst us viz. in his body as in a Tabernacle Iohn 1.14 And thus Christ calleth his owne body a Temple Iohn 2.21 Fifthly the heart of man is the Tabernacle of Christ and so both the whole Catholique Church is his Tabernacle Eph. 2.21 or the publick assembly of the Saints Psalm 15.1 or else the heart of every particular beleever and so the power of Christ did rest upon Paul as
was the lot of David in his time Secondly that all this was foretold in the old Testament and therefore might not seeme strange Thiâ—dly that all those oppositions should be in vaine for God would reject and confound those opposites and would prosper and advance the right of Jesus Christ without the help of those men In the particular consideration of these words three things must be noted First the persons threatned viz. the Builders that is the Scribes and Pharises and those that under pretence of religion did oppose Christ. Secondly the cause of their punishment viz the refusing of Christ the foundation stone Thirdly the judgement inflicted upon them which is twofold the one implyed the other expressed There is a judgement implyed viz. That though they were by calling and in the account of the multitude Builders yâ—t God would reject them and goe on with his work in converting both Jewes and Gentiles without them The judgement expressed is that Christ whom they so much hated and opposed should be in spight of their hearts and to their extreame vexation made King of the Church and exalted to supreme power over all things and the onely stay of the whole Church both of Jews and Gentiles And herein it is to be noted both the manner how this shall be done in the word is become or is made and also the time in that he saith It is made Builders Quest. A question may be moved here for the sense viz. how the Scribes and Pharises and such like men can be said to be builders Answ. For answer hereunto wee must understand that the Scribes and Pharises and so wicked men that possesse eminent places in the Church may be said to be builders First in the account of the multitude whatsoever they were indeed yet they were so accounted as builders and prime men in managing the affaires of the Church Secondly the Scribes and Pharises may be acknowledged in some respect as builders indeed They did God some worke For howsoever they did not soundly teach Christ yet they drew the people by their doctrine to avoid on the right hand the Stoicall strictnesse of the Essenes and on the left hand the profane irreligiousnesse of the Sadduces Thirdly they were builders by calling they have the name not so much from what they were as from what men in their places had been or ought to have been And these are the persons that oppose Christ and are thus severely judged of God Divers things may be hence noted First that men may be great in their owne opinion and in the account of the world who yet are nothing set by of God such were these Pharises Luke 16.14 15. And therefore we should labour for a spirit without guile and not be wise in our selves or rest in outward shews but seek the praise of God we are safe if God allow of us though all the world disallow us Secondly that God will acknowledge freely any good he finds in his very enemies as here the Pharises are not denied the title of Builders for that general work they did in encountring the Sadduces and Essenes And as they are called Builders so are the devils called Principalities and Powers to import what is any way of praise in them notwithstanding their horrible fall Which should teach us to learne of God to doe likewise towards all our enemies and withall it may much comfort us If God will doe thus with his enemies what will he doe with his owne children and servants how will he honour and reward them and if the notorious oppositions of the Pharises cannot hinder Gods acknowledgement of that little goodnesse was in them how much lesse shall the meere frailties of the godly that will doe nothing against the truth though they cannot doe for the truth what they would hinder the glorious recompence of reward and acceptation with God! Thirdly we may hence note that Christ and Religion and the sincerity of the Gospell may be disallowed and opposed by great learned men by such as are of great mark in the Church even by such as were Governors of the Church in name and title Quest. 1. Two questions doe easily rise in mens minds upon the hearing of this doctrine The first is Whence it should be that learned men who have more means to understand the truth than other men and by their calling more especially tyed to the study of all truth yet should be drawn to oppose or reject Christ and the truth Answ. I answer that this may come to passe diversly First sometimes it is because of their ignorance neither may this seeme strange that they should be ignorant for though they may be very learned in some parts of study yet they may be very blockish in some other Besides the naturall heart of man doth not take any great delight in the study of the Scriptures and therefore the answer of Christ was proper Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God Secondly in some it is because of their secret Atheisme Many learned men be very Atheists in heart and such were some of the Pharises for they neither knew the Father nor Christ as he chargeth them Thirdly some have a spirit of slumber they have eyes and yet cannot see as in the case of some of those Pharises they could not apply the very things themseâ—ves spoke For being asked about the King of the Jews Mat. 2. they could answer directly out of the Scriptures and give such sigâ—â—s of the Messias as did evidently agree to Jesus Christ and yet these men were so infatuated that when God shews them the man to whom their own signs agree they cannot allow of him Fourthly in some it is envy They are so fretted at the credit and fame of Christ or such as sincerely preach Christ that for very envy they strive to destroy the work of God and to disparage the progresse of the Kingdome of Christ they cannot endure to see all the world as they account it to follow Christ. Fiftly in others it is ambition and desire of preeminence and the quiet usurpation of the dignities of the Church that they alone might raign and be had in request this no doubt moved the Pharises and was the cause why Diotrephes made such a stir in the Church Sixtly in others it is covetousnesse and desire of gain These are they that account gain to be godlinesse as the Apostle speaks and such were some of the Pharises Luke 16.14 Seventhly in others it is a wilfull and a malicious hatred of the truth and such was it in those Pharises that were guilty of the sinne against the holy Ghost Quest. 2. But how shall a simple ignorant man stay his heart and be setled in the truth when the wise and learned men of the world oppose it how can he tell it is the truth which they reject who have more learning and wit than he Answ. I answer A simple and single-hearted
implied is that God will passe by these workmen and reject their service This I gather from hence that whereas these builders would not make use of Christ in the building it is here repeated that the building doth goe on and Christ is laid as the Head of the corner which imports that God had rejected them Now God rejects wicked Ministers two waies First one when he curseth or blasteth their gifts and refuseth to be glorified by them when he causeth the night to come upon their divination and puts out their right eyes Secondly the other is when he roots them out by death and makes their places spue them out The first is here chiefly intended and so it notes that it is a great curse of God upon learned men in the Ministery when God will not imploy them or make use of their gifts A learned man that either laboureth not or proposeth not in his labours Gods glory is a publike and standing Monument of Gods displeasure for men to stand and gaze at as it is a great argument of disgrace done to a Carpenter or Mason to stand by while the house is builded and they not intreated or suffered to work and yet have their tooles readie Oh it is a marvellous justice of God to see learned but not godly men passe by so as they have not the honour to doe any work in the Church for the salvation of the souls of men and contrariwise it should rejoyce the hearts of godly Ministers that God as Paul saith of himselfe will account them faithfull to put them into his service and to give their labours any successe Secondly the exprest punishment is the preferment of Christ and the promoting of his Kingdome Hee is made the Head of the corner which words must be considered either in relation to the builders or in themselves as they concerne the exaltation of Christ. First in relation to the builders it imports that it is a punishment to wicked Ministers that love not the Lord Jesus that Christ and his Kingdome should flourish As it fretted the Pharises so it doth and will fret the heart of wicked men till the day of Christ and it is a punishment because of their envie at it and because they finde that they have no part in Christ or the happinesse of his Kingdome their consciences accusing them and besides because they are openly crossed in their oppositions and so ashamed before men Which observation may serve for triall For it is a certaine note of a wicked man who loves not the Lord Jesus that he is crossed and accounts himselfe afflicted or ashamed because the Kingdome of Christ prospers The words in themselves concern the exaltation of Christ and shew how God raised him out of the heap of rubbish as it were and carried him up to heaven and made him their Head and King Head I say over all things giving him power over all things and in particular in respect of the Angels head of principalities and powers and in respect of men head of the Church Nor is it barely said he is head but head of the corner which is a Metaphor borrowed from the building where the holy Ghost intends to shew that he is the onely foundation of the Church as hath been shewed in the first verse of this Chapter And he is well said to be Head of the corner because upon Christ meet as the two sides meet in the corner stone both Angels and men and amongst men both the Saints in heaven and the godly on earth and amongst men on earth both Jewes and Gentiles even all the Elect of all nations ages and conditions in the world The uses of the exaltation of Christ briefly follow First it should teach us to strive by all means to get into his service that is so powerfull and able to doe so much for his servants Secondly It shews us the end of the oppositions of all wicked men Christ shall increase and prosper and they shall be confounded and perish Thirdly it should especially enforce the necessity of beleeving in Christ wee should lie upon him with all our waight as the building doth on the foundation Fourthly it should comfort us in all distresses considering what end God gave to the sufferings of Christ and so it is urged Heb. 12.2 The consideration of the manner and the time followes Is become or is made He doth not tell how but leaves that as granted to be effected without hands even by the speciall providence of God which gives us occasion to take speciall notice of the truth that in things of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ God is pleased to make his worke or to worke sometimes without using any of the meanes which the world takes notice of hee neglects all those meanes which fall within the expectation Psal. 118.20 21. as here for the proclaiming of the Messias there was not any one order or rank of men eminent in the world which God made use of But by a way altogether strange to the world erected the Christian Monarchie which should teach us not to limit God to the meanes which is likeliest to us but to live in all things by faith and where means seeme to faile then with Abraham above hope and under hope to give glory to God and cast our selves and all our care upon God Thus of the manner The time followes In that he said It is become Christ was Head of the corner according to the present time First if we consider the type of it Christ was become head of the corner in that David was made King of Israel as a type of Christs Kingdome over the Church Secondly Christ was head in that in the Apostles time he had received power after his Ascension over all things though as yet the Gentiles were not so fully converted Thirdly that hee is become the head may be taken prophetically For the Prophets to expresse the certainty of a thing to come utter it in the words of the present tense It is so because it shall as surely be so as if it were already done VERSE 8. And a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence even to them which stumble at the Word being disobedient unto the which thing they were even ordained HItherto of the punishments upon the builders The punishment upon the whole body of unbeleevers is contained in this verse Wherein note first the kindes of punishment Christ is a rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling Secondly the causes both in themselves and in God in the words that follow A rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling Since wicked men have refused Christ and will not beleeve in him hee that may not be a stone of foundation will prove a stone of stumbling and a rocke for them to dash on till they be dashed to pieces which words import the fearefull judgements of God spiritually afflicted upon unbeleevers which is two-fold First they shall be given up to
Men must be subject because God hath taken mens consciences bound to subjection Rom. 13. 3 Because Kings are heads of the people and therefore as members it is agreeable that they should submit and bee ruled and guided 4 In respect of the benefit men receive by Magistrates both in outward things and in matters of Religion For outward things men enjoy publike peace and quietnesse and protection by the help of the power of the Magistrate And for matters of Religion earthly Common-wealths are as it were Innes to lodge the Church in and Princes power affords protection so as Christians may more safely follow their calling and if they be godly Kings they are the very nurses of Religion And thus of the reasons For the second this Submission hath in it sixe things the first is obedience to their lawes and commandements Tit. 3.1 The second is honour Rom. 13.7 for they are principalities and powers as the Angels shine in heaven so doe Princes on earth Yea they are called gods and so in two respects first as they are Gods Deputies and Viceroyes God executes a part of his Kingdome by Kings Secondly as they beare the image of God and his authority and soveraignty Now wee must performe this honour by reverence and by feare of them and by judging the best of them and their actions without conceiving suspitions of them or receiving evill reports against them or daring to speake evill of those dignities and Rulers of the people and by all thankefulnesse for the good wee receive by them acknowledging to the full all their praises The third is loyalty by which wee resolve and endevour to the uttermost of our powers to maintaine and preserve the persons rights prerogatives crownes and dignities of Princes If wee must lay downe our lives one for another then much more for our King and Country The fourth is piety we must pray for them with all manner of prayer wee must make supplications for Gods blessing upon them and deprecations for the removing evils from them and if they should sinne and God bee wroth with them wee should stand up in the gap and make intercession for them and we should give thanks for all the mercies the Lord shewes unto them 2 Tim. 2.1 The fift is maintenance tribute must bee paid Rom. 13.7 Christ himselfe submitted herein The last is subjection to their punishments Rom. 13.4 yea to their injuries as David Christ and the Apostles did submit themselves to the injurious dealing of Saul Pilate and the Tyrants when perhaps they could have made resistance Use 1. The use may be first for terror to the seditious great hath beene the vengeance of God upon Traytors the earth swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram for their rebellion Absolon was hanged up by the haire between heaven and earth as unworthy both of heaven and earth The words of our Saviour Christ are in an high degree true in this case Hee that taketh â—up the sword shall perish by the sword And S. Paul saith They shall be damned that resist the power Secondly it should much humble the better sort of men for divers 〈◊〉 that are too common such as are the receiving of evill reports and speaking evill with too frequent intemperancy grudging at the payment of tribute and taxations evill surmises of the actions of Princes and the aptnesse â—o fâ—vour themselves in the liberty of doubting concerning obedience to them in things indifferent Thirdly all good Christians should be perswaded to make conscience of this submission and to that end they should bee at the paines to study this Doctrine and withall pray to God to direct them and keepe them in his feare and obedience herein and besides they should be sure that they meddle not with the changers or with the seditious Pro. 24.22 Your selves These words may note either the manner of our submission or the matter the manner thus Submit your selves that is yeeld obedience uncompelled doe it of your selves stay not till you be forced to doe it and so the Apostle should thereby import that our submission even to men should bee performed willingly and so wee should willingly and cheerefully obey their lawes honour and defend their persons pray for them to God yeeld them tribute yea wee should without murmuring submit our selves to their punishments yea cheerefully beare their injuries and so it removes grudging and force from our submission But I rather understand the words to note the matter to bee submitted and that is our selves not our goods onely for tribute or custome but our persons also must bee at the Princes service our very bodies must be submitted both to doe the labour thaâ— belongs to the beating of any office for the publike good and to the enduring of any punishment by the lawes to be inflicted upon the body and to the imploying of the body and life in defence of the true Religion and of the Kingâ— person law and desire in warre or otherwise This is manifest by the frequent wars in the Old Testament both required and performed nor may any say that Christians in the New Testament are not charged in the businesse of warre for First It was Christ's maine intendment to forme a spirituall Kingdome to God he left the state of earthly Kingdomes to the condition they were in before Secondly when the Apostles doe in the generall require the submission of Christians to their Magistrates without exception of their obedience in warre or otherwise it is manifest that they leave them to the lawes of nature and the lawes of God before Thirdly even in the New Testament this is implyed by Baptist's answer to the souldiers Luk. 3.14 and the praises of those worthy warriours Heb. 11.33 34 In which place also is a manifest proofe for subjection even in our bodies to the sentences of Magistrates whether just or unjust And the Magistrate's sword Rom. 13.4 is not onely a sword of justice upon malefactors in his owne land but of revenge on the enemies of God or the Church or Common-wealth abroad And for that saying of our Saviour to Peter He that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword Mat. 26.52 it is spoken of him to whom of the Lord it is not delivered that is of him that hath not authority from God as Magistrates have to command others to take the sword and it was spoken to Peter a Pastour of soules Put up again thy sword into his place That materiall sword was not for him to use Thirdly note that it is indefinitely propounded Your selves that is all of all sorts no man can bee exempted from subjection to Princes Christians must obey as well as Pagans strangers as well as home-borne while they are within their gates All the doubt is whether Church-men are to bee subject to secular Princes The Papists deny it but wee affirme it and have reason so to doe First because the precept is generall without exception Secondly because the Apostle saith Rom. 13.1
that Every soule must bee subject and therefore if Church-men have soules they must bee subject to the higher Powers Thirdly because Princes have executed their authority over Câ—urch-men whereof wee have manifest examples in the Word as David appointed the orders and offices of the Levites Salomon put downe Abiathar from the Priest-hood Iosiah burned the very bones of the Priests upon their Altars and also purged the Temple and restored the Passeover Christ himselfe was subject to the authority of Princes hee gave tribute and appeared at their Tribunall Paul was subject and appeared before the Magistrates and used their power when hee appeal'd to Caesar 3. Thes. 2. Fourthly there is manifest reason for it for if Church-men bee citizens or members of the Common-wealth then they must bee subject to the Rulers and Lawes of the Common-wealth Fiftly the doctrine of the purest times since the Apostles is agreeable hereunto for Chrysostome upon the thirteenth to the Romans avouches it that Priests and Monkes yea Apostles Evangelists and Prophets must be subject to secular Powers And Bernard reasons out of that place thâ—s If every soule must bee subject then yours also that are Church-men who hath exâ—epted you from this All If any man goe about to except you hee goes about to deceive you And Pope Gregory acknowledgeth the Emperour Maurice as Lord of him and the Clergy They object that the ecclesiasticall government is greater than the secular jure divino and therefore Church-men ought not to be subject because the Superiour ought not to be subject to the Inferiour Ans. The ecclesiasticall government is superiour to the secular government and it is inferiour to it it is superiour in respect of the rule over themselves in the things of the kingdome of heaven by means appointed of Christ viz. the Word and Sacraments c. but it is inferiour in respect of civill subjection in the obedience or submission that concernes body and goods The Prince must bee subject to the Church in matters of faith and godlinesse and the Church subject to the Prince in matters of this life and civill subjection How farre Princes have power in cases ecclesiasticall will bee shewed afterwards They object that divers Councels doe except the Clergie from the Barre and Tribunall of Princes and divers Popes have discharged the Clergy of such subjection Answ. Councels and Popes cannot decree against the Word of God besides they judge and determine in their own case for what were the Popes or Councels but Clergy-men Moreover the Popes assumed a power to themselves which was never given them for they were so farre off from having power to free their Clergy that they had no power to free themselves 2. Thes. 2.7 They object againe and say that it is absurd the sheep should rule and judge the shepheard Princes are but sheepe and Priests are the shepheards Answ. Magistrates are not sheep in all things but in spirituall things in matters of faith and so Ministers are shepheards to feed their soules but in civill things the Magistrate is the shepheard and the Clergy-men sheepe because citizens or subjects But they say that Clergy-men are freed by priviledge from the Emperors and by the Lawes of the Empire Ans. If that be so then their priviledge is Iure humano not divixo Secondly they plead a false priviledge for in things in question they were never priviledged that is in matter of obedience to the Law or in matter of punishment in things criminall Thirdly if it were so then they are subject to Princes for hee that grants a priviledge is greater than hee to whom it is granted But the last and best answer is that Princes can grant no such priviledge Can a father free his sonne that hee shall not honour him or a husband free his wife that shee shall not bee subject to him No more can a Prince free his subjects from obedience or subjection because the subject is tyed by the Law of nature and by Gods Law which Princes cannot undoe Thus of the third point Fourthly when hee saith Submit your selves he doth not require them to submit those things to the pleasure of the Magistrate which are not theirs Every godly Christian hath some things which are not his owne but Gods and those he must not subject to the will of Princes as his Religion his Faith the Word of God the Sacraments his prayers for those are none of Caesars and therefore must not be given to Caesar. Thus of who or what must be submitted To every ordinance of man There are two senses given of these words some understand them of Magistrates themselves some of the Lawes of Magistrates It is not easie to tell how to restraine the text to either of these for both are true and the former included in the latter and the latter implyed in the former and therefore I purpose to handle the words according to the sense in both respects First then wee must be subject to every ordinance of man that is to all sorts of Magistrates And the Apostle seemeth to expound it when hee saith Whether it bee to the King or to the governours as importing that they were the ordinances he spake of before Now concerning Magistrates as they are here intreated of these things are to be noted First that Magistrates are an ordinance of men and so they are in divers respects because magistracy is a thing proper to men Secondly in respect of the end because it is ordained for the good of men Thirdly because the choise of the kinde of Magistrates hath beene for the most part left unto men for God hath not tyed all nations to a kinde of government but left them for the most part free and therefore some governed by Kings some by Emperors some by Consuls some by Dukes some by Princes or Earles or the like Fourthly because in the New Testament Christ did not at all imploy himselfe in settling any order for the corporall government of his Church in this world it being specially his intent for the raising of his spirituall kingdome and the ordering of the government that concerned the soules of men and their full subjection Onely we must take heed of one sinne here and that is that we conceive not the Magistrates are mans ordinance as if man appointed or ordained or invented them for that is contrary to expresse Scripture that calls all those earthly powers Gods ordinance they are by divine institution Rom. 13.1 2 3. Pro. 8.15 2 Chron. 19.6 Dan. 4.14 22. Ob. Hos. 8.4 it is said They made them a King but not by mee Sol. God disclaimes not the ordinance for hee himselfe had appointed Ieroboam to be King of whom the Prophet speaketh but he disclaimes the manner or the choise of him as it was done by the Prophet which chose him in a mutiny and without respect to Gods will Ob. Nimrod was the first that brought in Magistracy and he is taxed for it in Gen. 10.9 Ans.
is reckoned as a great ornament and glory in great Princes as 2 Reg. 18.5 Psal. 21.8 and the chiefe praise of the Fathers and Patriarkes of the Church Ps. 22.5 And the reasons are divers 1. Because it is a supernaturall power in any man or woman because it is grounded upon things not seene Rom. 8.24 2. Because the Lord taketh speciall pleasure in this grace and taketh notice of such as can exercise it above all others it is a thing God specially observes in his people Psal. 147.11 33.18 cob his eye is upon them he cannot look off them so also Nah. 1.7 And contrariwise he is as much vexed with unbeliefe and not trusting upon him as with any other sin We read that fire kindled against Iacob for not beleeving in God and not trusting in his salvation Psal. 78.22 3. Because the trust in other things will prove the shame and confusion of a man Esay 30.2 and therefore better to trust in the Lord than in Princes c. Psal. 118.8 9. 4. Because it is a grace that produceth admirable effects for 1. It establisheth a mans heart and makes it fixed and immoveable Psal. 112.7 8. 31.24 so as he can endure things that are almost beyond beliefe if it be rightly exercised Esay 14.32 coh Psal. 27â— 3 2. It procureth from God all things a mans heart can desire or his condition any way need 2 Sam. 22.2 3. Psal. 5.11 12. It gets a man marvellous loving kindnesse from God Psal. 17.7 so great experience of Gods goodnesse as cannot be uttered Ps. 31.19 Mercy shall compasse them about when many sorrowes shall be to the wicked Psal. 32.10 His mercie will be upon us according as we have hope in him Ps. 33.22 55.12 91.1 c. It is the best way either to preserve us from trouble or to deliver us out of trouble of what kind soever Psal. 130.7 Esay 25.4 26.3 4. 2 Chron. 13.18 3. It openeth for us a most comfortable entertainment in Gods house our hearts that can trust in Gods mercie drinke out of the rivers of his pleasures when we come into his house and are satisfied with his goodnesse Ps. 36.7 8. The use of this point may be divers 1. Such as find want of this grace should use all meanes to attaine it And that we may be able to put all our trust upon God wee must looke to these rules following 1. We must hate them that regard lying vanities Psal. 31.6 40.4 2. We must know Gods name Psal. 9.10 we must get knowledge of Gods goodnesse and so the warrant of our trust in the word of God We must thence learne both what to doe and upon what grounds to trust upon God To this end did God give his word to his people Psal. 78.5 7. Rom. 15.4 Pro. 30.5 Psal. 56.3 4. 3. We must labour to get assurance of Gods love to us in Jesus Christ to know that God is our God and we are the children of God Psal. 31.14 36.7 for the confidence of an unfaithfull man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint Pro. 25.19 and the ground of our trust must be in the merits of Jesus Christ Eph. 1.12 4. When we know God to be our God we must strive to get our hearts to it to make God our portion and to rest satisfied with Gods goodnesse and love to us whatsoever else we want Lam. 3.24 5. We must be sure that we be upright in heart and that we have warrant for our actions and doe not live in any sin that might provoke God against us Psal. 64.10 And to this end we should pray God to cause us to know the way we should walke in and to let us heare of his loving kindnesse in the morning to encourage us in all good courses Psal. 143.8 6. We must be sure we doe not draw upon our selves needlesse troubles Pro. 28.25 and when we are in a good way we should not give way to our owne vaine feares Pro. 29.25 7. When we find troubles to arise and feare and care to surprise us we must make our refuge to get our selves under the shadow of Gods wings till the calamitie be overpast Psal. 57.1 91.1 Now Gods wings are his Ordinances especially Prayer and his Word Thus of the first Use. Secondly seeing to trust in God is such an excellent grace such as doe endevour to practise this trust in God must looke to divers rules in the exercise of it which are necessarie to a right trusting in God as 1. They must trust him with their hearts their soules must trust in God Psal. 57.1 28.8 2. They must put all their trust in God God will have no partners All my trust is in thee saith David 3. They must trust in God at all times continually and with praise for what they have felt of Gods goodnesse Psal. 62.8 7â— 14 Esay 26.4 4. If God doe deferre to answer our hope wee must waite for the Lord their soules must wait Psal. 130.5 6. 5. They must make the most High their habitation they must dwell with God by setting the Lord alwaies before them and attending upon all means of communion with God They must not be strangers from God to goe daies or weekes without directing their hearts after him Psal. 91.9 6. They must handle their matters wisely and not upon pretence of trust in God carry themselves indiscreetly or neglect the use of any lawfull means Pro. 16.20 7. Their trust in God must be joined with an awefull feare of God and sense of their owne unworthinesse they must not be conceited persons or despise the care of their waies Psal. 147.11 8. They must declare all Gods works that is they must labour to glorifie God by telling others of the experiences they have had of Gods goodnesse Psal. 73. ult 9. When they have committed their waies to God they must be quieted as a weaned child and contented with whatsoever the Lord shall lay upon them Psal 131.2 3. Laâ— 3.26 10. They must beleeve above hope and under hope they must rest upon Gods promise how unlikely soever the performance seeme to be Rom. 4.18 Thus of the second Use. Thirdly we may from the reasons of this doctrine gather evidently That all Gods servants that trust in God are in a wondrous safe condition as David shewes of himselfe Psal. 18.2 3. Neither may they say that they cannot looke that God should be to them as he was to David for God hath given his word for it that he will be good to all that put their trust in him 2 Sam. 22.31 Psal. 34.22 and therefore all true Christians that finde themselves prone to feare or discontent should speake to their soules and chide their own hearts as David did Psal. 43.5 See Esay 30.2 Fourthly wicked men have little cause then to deride and scoffe at the people of God for trusting in God and refusing
prayers be not hindred HItherto of the duties of Wives the Husbands dutie followes in the words of this Verse Where three things are to be observed 1. The proposition of their dutie Husbands dwell with them 2. The exposition shewing how they must doe it viz. as men of knowledge and such as honour them 3. The Reasons which are three 1. Because they are the weaker vessell and therefore need to be carefully and continually well used 2. Because they are both alike heires of Gods grace 3. Because else their prayers and Gods service will be much interrupted and hindred In the Proposition may be observed First the word of connexion Likewise Secondly the terme of application Yee Thirdly the persons charged Husbands Fourthly the dutie imposed viz. Dwell with them Likewise This terme bindes these words to the former and shewes that God doth charge husbands to looke to their duties as well as wives Now if God charge the husband it imports that evill husbands must give account to God of all the evill they doe though no law of man punish them yet God will that gave them this law And withall it may comfort such husbands as are censured without cause God that hath given them their charge knowes their integritie whatsoever foolish wives object or a vaine world imputes to them And in generall God will accept and reward the carefull behaviour of good husbands But before I proceed two questions may be asked Quest. 1. Why are husbands charged in the last place Answ. There may be two reasons given of it first to shew the respect that God gives to husbands He first by his precept informes his wife before his face and shews him a patterne how he shall walke towards him and therefore now may the more willingly attend to his owne dutie Secondly because things last spoken have usually the greatest and longest impression upon the heart and this is a matter of greater consequence that the husband be soundly carefull of the discharge of his dutie The well-being of the family and the well-doing of both man and wife depends much upon the husbands right behaviour If the head bee out of order how can the body bee well and the wife being the image of the husband what shall she learne of him if he give an ill patterne If the eye be darke how can the bodie be light If the Pilot of the Ship be ignorant and carelesse what safety can the Ship be in Besides what a world of hurt will the ill example of the husband doe in the family either in children or servants Quest. 2. But why are husbands charged with so few words Ans. Because it is to be supposed that they have a larger knowledge of Gods will And besides in that tender age of the Christian world the Apostles in discretion said lesse to superiours to avoide provocation of irreligious husbands and the better to allure them to the Christian faith when they should see their wives so largely instructed in their behaviour towards them And further ever the shorter their lesson is the more shame for them not to learne it and shew themselves exact both in the understanding and in the practise it Yee Husbands God speakes to them in the second person to import that they should heare these words as if God were present to speak to them in his owne person and withall to teach them that the right hearing of this doctrine is for everie man to heare it as spoken directly to himselfe God doth single them out to heare their charge and speakes to them as if he named them in particular Husbands The persons charged are husbands and the word is a terme that imports that speciall relation in which God binds one man to one woman investing the man in prerogatives of a superiour in that union Before I come to the dutie charged upon husbands it will not be unprofitable by way of preface to use some motives to such husbands as will make conscience of their waies to perswade them to be verie carefull of their charge The reasons used in the Text afterwards I will not now meddle withall but only put them in mind of some few things which ought to be effectuall to perswade them The motives may be drawn from foure fountaines 1. From commandement and there let them consider who commandeth them and how Who commandeth them and so let them marke first that God himselfe hath given them their law of walking They are not tyed by mans laws but by Gods owne law Secondly God speakes to them by the Ministerie of great Apostles it was one part of the Commission of those high Ambassadours sent into the Christian world to give husbands their charge Thirdly it should somewhat the more move them that S. Peter was himselfe a married man and therefore did practise what he taught them and did know by experience that a husband mightwith comfort undertake this taske And then it should much move them to observe how God hath given his commandement to them he first chargeth their wives before he charâ—â—tâ— them And besides he hath given a long charge to the wives but a short charge to them 2. From their relation to their wives They are their wives heads and therefore should be carefull how they order themselves They are the life of their lives as it were God hath made the wife to depend upon them for comfort and direction and preservation 3. From their prerogatives God hath given them great power more than the wives They are heads to their wives and besides they are images of Jesus Christ they shew in the family what Christ is in the Church they doe as it were act Christs part and resemble him in his relation to the Church and therefore they had need to thinke of it how they carrie themselves They are types of Jesus Christ and will they shame him by acting folly passion pride and dissolutenesse Did Christ doe so to the Church Besides it should much move him that God hath in the most things left the husband free from the lawes of men He hath no man to controule him in his office and hath not God made him both King and Priest in his family His houshold is a little Kingdome or a little Church where he is of soveraigne power and hath great supremacie and if the world acknowledge not the glory of his place yet it is acknowledged in heaven 4. From the maner of his comming into this relation he was not borne a husband but made so and made so by the gift of God for God gave him his wife as he did Eve to Adam yea let him consider that God gave him the wife that was of his owne choosing and whom with so much desire he longed after and it may be prayed for But especially let him consider that God hath bound him to his wife by covenant yea that he hath bound himselfe to God by covenant for this thing yea that the oath of