If we take care unfainedly to keep his Commandments in one thing as in another 2. If we love the brethren which are members of Christ so as we dare not harm them yea love them not onely because they have his image restored in them but are a part of Christ as it were and of our selves 3. If we be content to suffer for his sake and will not be pluckt from him but are vexed to see him dishonored by any 4. If we long for his coming that so we may be with him and married to him to whom we are already betrothed It s the Churches voyce and should be ours in particular Come Lord Jesus If the husband be gone a long journey his wife doth not much love him if she never desire his coming home 5. If in the mean time we desire to hear often of him and from him as the wife that loves her husband will send or be often at the Carriers to hear of her husband and receive Letters from him So must we frequent the Word upon every occasion where we may hear of him and of his great honor and glory and of his providing us a place there and of the glory there and how he would have us in the mean time to carry our selves taking heed of any other lover in his absence which also doth inform us That his coming draweth nigh and is at hand Thus to hear of him and from him as much and as often as we can we should be desirous By this Touchstone we may thus try both our faith and love In whom though now ye see him not yet believing Here 's the object of our faith the Lord Jesus Christ. The common people say They believe in God and trust in God which is in truth but meer self-deceiving for though when we believe in Christ we believe in Father Son and holy Ghost yet our faith must directly fasten it self upon Christ Jesus who hath wrought our Redemption and on our behalf suffered all things and so he must come in as a Mediator between the Father and us else how should we poor worms come to put our trust in that glorious God and being vile sinners dare to look for any favor at his hands but in and by him who without him is a severe Judge How dare any poor wretch put his trust in God for all good that knoweth not that he is his God nor how to bring it to pass Here also the Divinity of our Savior Christ may be noted for we may believe in none but in God If even he be cursed that putteth his trust in any other for outward things how much more for Salvation He created all things Tryeth the hearts Forgiveth sins Stilled the Sea with his word Raised the dead by his own power all which point out his Deity yea it appeared even in his greatest abasement He took upon him the seed of Abraham but in this seed were all the Nations of the earth blessed He was compassed in the Virgins womb yet even then at his presence John the Baptist sprang in his mothers belly He was laid in a Cratch but even therein was he worshipped by the Wise-men of the East He was hungry but he fed five thousand with five loaves and a few small fishes He slept but at his awaking he caused the winds and waves to cease He paid Tribute but out of the fishes mouth He wept for Lazarus but he raised him from the dead He was taken by wicked hands but then he healed him with a touch whose ear was cut off He was crucified and dyed but at the same time he darkened the Sun and shook the earth the vail of the Temple rent which made the Centurion say He was the Son of God He was buried but he raised up his body the third day He was manifested in the flesh but justified in the Spirit And it was necessary that he should be both else had he been no Savior for us which sheweth our gret misery and Gods great mercy Who should not embrace him that abased himself so low for our sins as if a King should rise from his throne and row in a galley-slaves room what then should not we be willing to do for him yea to abase our selves to any service he requires of us on the behalf of our brethren but how few embrace him how few entertain him with an humble and contrite heart Ye rejoyce The other fruit of Faith is joy being assured of so great things done for them by Christ and so great things prepared for them by him they could not but rejoyce for as the feeling of Gods wrath for our sins is fearful and cannot be endured a wounded spirit who can bear as may appear by the heavy cryes and complaints of some of Gods servants in agony of conscience O I am cast out of his sight I shall perish O what shall I do but especially by the desperate horror of the wicked who feel it so intollerable as that they cannot bear it as Judas who went and hanged himself for no man seeing and feeling himself under the wrath of God and no way to be freed therefrom but must needs wish he had never been or now were not or were a Toad or the vilest creature so contrarily they that feel themselves freed from this and called to the hope of so great glory must needs rejoyce as Joseph doubtless was a glad man when being delivered out of prison he was advanced to honor The way hereunto is true Faith Worldlings indeed think Christianity a dumpish estate but it s the onely estate wherein we may be merry and whoso is merry not being assured of Gods favor is a desperate person as if one were merry that hanged over a deep pit by a twined threed In the midst of their mirth the wicked have secret gripes as thieves condemned though they drink and play at cards yet to think that on the morrow they must be executed chokes them and their mirth The wicked also can be merry in nothing but some wickedness or other as if one should be merry when he eats and drinks poyson when he slashes and cuts himself for hereby provoking God they increase their own damnation This joy then coming from Faith comes not from our works or any thing that we can do These cannot bring sound peace to the minde or quiet to the conscience or joy to the heart for 1. We have many sins and therefore can merit nothing of God 2. We know by our selves that even many of them are unto us unknown who knows the errors of his life no man can say he hath found out all his sins or the corruptions of his heart so that he can say now here be no more 3. Our best duties be mingled with much weakness and imperfection so that though they may appear before men
we had been yet in our sins yet under the curse as if he had suffered and had not conquered and entred into glory we had been never the better It was needful that Christ should suffer for us for we by Adams fall were plunged into sin and so in danger of the curse of God and lyable unto all wrath here and hereafter This Gods justice could not suffer him to remit but the death threatned must be paid To this end our Savior became man and suffering all that was due to us thereby discharged us He was arraigned before an earthly Judge that we might never be brought to our answer before the heavenly accused that we might be cleared condemned that we might be acquitted before God counted among vile sinners that we might be reckoned among the Angels spitted on that we which had deserved that God should for ever have spitted on our face shame and confusion might be received into favor did undergo the curse that we might be blessed dyed that we might live c. then this there was no other way whereby we could have been discharged See Isa. 53. 1 Pet. 1. 19. 2. 24. 1 Iohn 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. Hence perceive 1. The depth of our misery 2. The unspeakable love of God and Christ Jesus 3. Comfort to all that have their part in Christ all their sins and punishments are discharged crosses and death are now become blessings no punishments of sin whoso do not by Faith take hold on him must suffer for their own sins and that for ever 4. That as we are to hate sin with a deadly hatred so must we testifie our love to him that hath redeemed us at so high a price Numbers will talk of Christ that he dyed for their sins which yet are so far from being humbled to repentance hereby and to turn from sin to God as that they seem rather emboldened and heartened to run on in sin and sin more freely such vile wretches crucifie Christ again neither shall have any benefit by his death And the glory that should follow It was necessary that he should have overcome else had his death been in vain Hereof there were three degrees 1. His resurrection 2. His ascension 3. That he shall one day come into judgement bring all his servants into his glory whereunto may be annexed the consequents of each But how shall we come to glory even by the same way that our Head our Lord and Master hath gone before us namely by sufferings for through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God and God will have the Members made conformable to the Head It followeth hereupon 1. That afflictions or persecutions are no ill sign but rather of the way to Heaven and glory it should encourage us to suffer seeing glory follows and a great reward ensues thereupon 2. That those which will suffer no affliction nor persecution for Christ and the Gospel but shifting themselves therefrom aym at the glory of the World are not in the way to glory but shame hereafter will be their portion Verse 12. Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which things the Angels desire to look into YE have heard what the Prophets searched into and by what guide now see what was revealed unto them how far forth they were satisfied namely that the things which they sought into even the time of Christs coming should not be in their days but in ours They took the pains we have the gains They laid the cloath and we come to partake and feed on the dainties The fruit of their ministery was to our benefit So that we have the advantage of all our Forefathers of the Old Testament Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves c. Lo say the Anabaptists the Jews foretold many things of Christ but had no part in him themselves those concerning us They had Canaan and temporal benefits and looked no further But how absurd this is we have already shewed having sufficiently proved the contrary And these words are not to be understood of Christ or of the substance of salvation but of the time of his coming and of the maner and measure of revealing him to them more darkly to us more clearly to them more sparingly to us more fully They believed in Christ that was to come we hear of Christ already come and that he hath finished all things and how and thus are we to understand Heb. 11. 13 33 39. where there seems an opposition They received the promises that is the fruit of them and salvation by Christ and they received not the promises that is saw not the exhibiting of Christ who was promised to the World For more plainness there was never but one Covenant between God and his people from the beginning till now nor shall be which is the Covenant of Grace except we mean the Covenant of Works which was between God and all mankinde in Adam the foundation and matter whereof was our own strength and righteousness but this was soon at an end Adam had soon broken this and overthrown himself and with him all us The Covenant of Grace then the Lord entred in his great mercy with Adam in Paradise which was founded in Christ Jesus requiring of us to believe in him and repent of our sins and he would forgive us our sins and give us salvation and life eternal This for the substance thereof was never altered one jot onely the Lord hath revealed his Son more fully to us more sparingly to them more plainly to us more darkly to them Herein may be considered both the Author Matter Form and End The Author the same God to them and us The Matter Christ Jesus the same to them and us The Form was generally also the same for as God required Faith and Repentance of them as well as of us so he gave them the same means for the working thereof the Word and Sacraments The End the same viz. the Salvation of his Elect and Eternal life The difference is in the measure of his giving them as also in the persons to whom then was it to the Jews onely who were the peculiar people of God now the partition wall is broken down and the Covenant is to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews So also for the measure he spake to them by visions and dreams to us by his word and when to them by his word it was both more sparingly and more darkly Also our Sacraments compared with theirs are as fewer so more easie and more significant and for the Spirit they had him more sparingly except some extraordinary persons whereas it was promised that
resemble God their Father who being holy requires that his children should so be even holy as he is holy whence may be noted That for the building up of Gods Church Doctrine and Exhortation must be joyned together Thus our Savior preached thus also the Apostles as the one must inform the judgement so the other pull on the affections which are as much or more corrupted then the understanding part wherby Knowledge Conscience and Practice may go together Knowledge without Zeal is blockishness as Zeal without knowledge rashness but better less Knowledge and more Zeal then more Knowledge and less Zeal or care of obedience Doctrine without Exhortation is to set a dull Horse in the way and not spur him on Exhortation without Doctrine is to spur a Horse forwards before he be put into the way the one is the Foundation the other the Building both which must go together Ministers that would go to work indeed must go with their tools use both Doctrine and Exhortation as he that would cleave a knotty Log must both use Beetle and Wedges the one without the other would be to no purpose We must be like careful Messengers not delivering barely our Masters message but earnestly entreating on his behalf We must not bear the ayr as it were multiplying words yea good words without a ground Neither must we deliver sound Doctrine strongly proved so leaving it but urge and apply it Practice being the life of all and people being unapt to make particular Application yea it is the principal part of our Ministery to draw on the will and to perswade and work upon the affections for want of which many finde but small fruit in their Ministery for people are grown to that pass that it is not the excellency and weight of the matter that will move which for the most part proves but a sound with the most if it be not whetted by some enforcement of Exhortation People also must not onely be willing but glad of this kinde of teaching suffering as the Apostle speaks the word of Exhortation but too too many had rather have general Doctrine then be called upon to Practice and examination In this Verse our Apostle Exhorts to stedfastness in Faith and to relie and trust on the Salvation to the hope whereof they had been called by the revelation of Jesus Christ even the Gospel of Christ and therefore to remove from them all such impediments as might hinder the same Those were of two sorts 1. Such as were in the understanding part implied in the first part of the Verse And 2. Such as were in their affections implied in the latter Gird up the loyns of your minde A borrowed speech from those that wore long garments which when they went any journey or were to stir about any thing they were wont to gird up lest they might be troubled or hindred thereby The meaning is this As men do thus gird and truss up their clothes lest they should be hindred in their work or journey so shake off all that may hinder you in going your Spiritual journey to Heaven and doing the work of the Lord. By the loyns of the minde we are to understand all lets in the understanding part namely all corrupt opinions about Salvation contrary to the Word Those must be reformed else can we not trust perfectly or hope to the end The Jews wanted not theirs nor we ours for the Jews 1. They looked for earthly promotion by Christ as a Potentate of the world This could not but much hinder them from trusting in him for Salvation This they must gather up if they would profit by him knowing that he is made of God unto them not ease riches c. but Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 2. They did still stick much to Moses his Law and Circumcision This also hindred them from resting wholly and onely upon Christ for Salvation This also they must tuck up acknowledging Salvation to be by him alone 3. They prized not Salvation at so high a rate as they should and this also was no small let unto Salvation For our selves How many corrupt conceits be in peoples heads that hinder them from Faith As some think that they be no great offenders and hope to be saved by good prayers good meaning civil life c. Others that it s no such hard matter to be saved but if that men call to God for mercy they shall do as well at the last as they that make all the stir These conceits be as it were the strong Castle of carnal People whereinto being once got all that we can say proves unable to beat them out Others hope to be saved by Christ who yet live in their sins Others think that if they should Repent and go to Sermons they should never be merry again Now these and such like must be reformed finding these lets we must gird up our loyns and remove them Nay even Gods good servants that are truly humbled in conscience for sin and â—it to believe hungring after Christ more then all the world as desirous to turn to him yet are held off by some false conceits O they be unworthy that God should forgive them Therefore he will not their sins be too many and too great and O if they could sorrow as deeply as some and serve God as well then they would hope c. and O they have so many corruptions and such a rebellious heart as they know God will not forgive any such whereas it is not that will hinder so as our hearts be unfeignedly bent to strive against our corruptions and serve the Lord in truth Neither do the very best prize so highly this Salvation as they ought we weigh not what God hath done for us in Christ This is the reason why we walk not more thankfully joyfully and zealously let us gird up these loyns rid our selves of these impediments up and be sound of these points and whatsoever thought would hinder us from resting on Christ Jesus for Salvation let us cast it from us as the blinde man did his cloke when he went to Christ. Be sober Sobriety is a vertue that keeps us not only from things unlawful but moderates us in the use of things lawful that we exceed not our bounds therein These may be referred to two heads Profits and Pleasures which we are most subject to abuse and are therefore dehorted from them For the former which is Pleasure thereto may be referred meat drink apparel recreation c. All which we must use soberly to the glory of the giver our own good and the good also of others 1. For our meat and drink we must neither be excessive nor over curious as Dives that fared deliciously every day making his belly his God we must eat to live and thereby be more fit for duty 2. For our apparel we must not
comes not after humiliation nor proceeds from apprehension of Gods love but from a false imagination having no true reformation of life accompanying it Now that the consciences of such may be awakened here whilest there is help though usually most shun the same they must 1. Labor to be acquainted with Gods Law wherein they shall as well see the smallest as the greatest sins Therein they shall perceive their own error as who thought that they did love God above all and their neighbors as themselves that they did ever serve God and put their whole trust in him that it was lawful for them to swear so it were true that it was lawful to go to wizards that on the Lords day they might walk about their fields and do their other businesses and yet serve God as well as they that went to Church that they might do with their own what they list c. 2. Labor to know and believe that the least sin is damnation yet do most bless themselves in their evil courses and are not a whit moved by all the threatnings of Gods Word that thereupon they may be humbled and terrified and flie out of themselves to God for mercy which is the onely way to come to good To this end let them make use of the most stirring sermons meditate of Gods judgements go to such as are afflicted or lie on their death beds consider that there be thousands in Hell which have not committed the tithe of their sins and that if they themselves should dye suddenly this night their condition were miserable If any shall say My conscience hath been quiet all this while I do not mean to call my estate into question let such know that many go snorting to Hell and that a troubled conscience is better then a drowsie secure conscience for that may come to good the other is out of all possibility of mercy Indeed to stay in terror of conscience is fearful yet not worse then to have a benumb'd conscience there 's hope of them that be troubled of the others but a little Physitians prescribe their Patients sometimes to go to sea to be sea sick and that to purge away some ill humors for the health of the body no less needful is it to be soul sick for the welfare of our souls yet is it a common speech of most at the visitation of the sick Oh I pray do not trouble him he is in a very good minde c. but the Prodigals condition though he had ragged cloaths and a rent heart was better then his elder brothers and the Publican justified not the Pharisee Thus of the quiet ill conscience The stirring ill conscience is either when it stirs by excusing or by accusing Excusing upon the doing of some evil whereof John 16. 2. or the omission of some duty as the hearing of the Word Prayer and the liâ—e Thus was it with Saul when he was questioned by Samuel for not obeying Gods Commandment thus hath it been with some Papists when they have practiced Treason against their Prince and Countrey A good conscience doth excuse indeed but rightly not amiss in all things not in some onely for the maner as well as the thing it self Accusing and that 1. When it should not as an Idolator is troubled in conscience for leaving undone some piece of idolatrous service 2. For trifles and not for matters of weight as the Pharisees made great conscience of going to meat with unwashen hands but not of murthering Christ as Papists make great conscience of eating flesh on a fasting day who yet make no conscience of Whoredom Swearing so Civil persons would be much troubled if they should be but accused for wronging their neighbors who yet are no whit moved for prophaning the Lords day not coming to the Sacrament neglect of Prayer and the like 3. When it is forcible and violent causing horror and fear gastliness terror in the dark or at the sight of any of Gods Judgements trembling at the ratling of a leaf yea and desperation it self This though it be not good of it self yet turns to the good of the godly God brings them this way onely he leaves them not here but by the voyce of the Gospel doth relieve their mindes and perswades them to seek mercy upholding them with the hope thereof Some have checks of conscience but so as they can bear them out some again so as they cannot endure them Who so finde their consciences accusing them for their sins and know no pardon but their consciences still tell them of their sins and that their course is bad let such know that they have evil consciences which being let alone will accuse them worse If their consciences accuse them God is greater and knows more Therefore let them seek to pacifie God and their consciences too To this end consider That God hath provided in his infinite mercy an all-sufficient remedy in the death and bloodshed of Jesus Christ then which there is no other way to satisfie Gods displeasure nor to stanch the terrors of conscience let such bewail and lament their state to Almighty God confessing their sins and judging themselves as the Prodigal for the same thereupon craving of him with strong cryes and humble prayers the pardon and forgiveness thereof To such as thus come in the truth of their hearts God hath made many gracious promises Thus suing to him he will in his own good time send down a comfortable answer This is the onely course to come to good to still conscience with forgetting our sins and mirth is but to deceive our selves to wear it out by head and shoulders it s but as the putting away of the tooth-ake with cold water which will still it for a little but after it reboundeth more violently this is the way to get peace After this will our consciences begin to be quiet and thereupon excuse and comfort Then will Faith purifie the heart and work an hatred of all sin with a continual care to please God in all things Then shall we be quite altered and changed from that we were I cannot but wonder at a number of men whose consciences witness against them who yet seek not to pacifie them by assurance of pardon but adde more daily unto their sins whose consciences bear witness That they have no care to please God but their way and works be naught assuredly their consciences will one day cry louder O lay up no new matter of accusation all the profit and pleasure that comes of it will be dear bought It s as to drink pleasing poyson it goes down pleasantly but afterward wounds the bowels If a man had never so much wealth yet if he have an ill conscience what shall it profit him It were as if a man had a costly banket rich apparel and attendance c. and one with a sword drawn were standing ready by
always keep a good Conscience Wood is not more necessary and apt to nourish fire then good works and well doing to nourish Faith Also observe the dealings of God and grow by your own experience Many that have believed and were very earnest in their beginning till they got it after growing secure and worldly and withal neglecting the means have with David fallen into some one sin or other thereby losing the peace and comfort they formerly enjoyed A great loss indeed more then if a man were stript of all to his shirt O le ts take heed of this loss as we are to be wise as Serpents so let us shew our Serpentine wisdom in this one thing especially The Serpent will be sure so much as in her lies to save her head so must we our Faith for on this hangs all and if by any means we have fallen therefrom recover we our selves by all means possible 3. That which they are to hope for or trust on is Grace that is Salvation Every benefit is grace but to be delivered out of our lost and undone state and brought again into the favor of God and saved is a most special grace Our Election is of grace so our Redemption so our effectual Calling 1. This condemns the Papists that teach partly Grace partly Works No these cannot be mingled either all or none they be as contrary as light and darkness honey and gall else were grace no more grace To joyn any thing with Christ is to pervert the Gospel They now begin to be ashamed and mince this Opinion saying We be saved most by Grace yet partly by Works and that these Works be died in the Blood of Christ and that it is most safe to rest on his merits alone Well God make them so ashamed as altogether to renounce it and so let us in the mean time 2. Let us serve the Lord with a chearful and constant love and service for his free favor to us all the days of our life 3. Shew we grace and favor to others not to such as have deserved well of us but even to such as have not nay ill as we had of God Grace That is Salvation See he calls their mindes from looking for earthly preferment by Christ whereunto they had a lingring minde and calls them to look for Spiritual riches even Salvation by him What are we then to expect by Christ and by professing the Gospel zealously not Wealth Honor Peace Credit in the world but pardon of our sins freedom from Hell and Gods wrath peace of Conscience joy in the holy Ghost that our persons and works shall please God Angels to be our guard our Prayers to be heard our Souls at death to be carried into heaven both our Bodies Souls to be glorified at the great day Will this satisfie us Hereof we may be assured if we believe in Christ and zealously embrace the Gospel As for other things his Kingdom is not of this world he promiseth not plenty peace ease c. He had them not himself but contrarily troubles as all shall have that live godly in him This teacheth us to lay our hand upon our heart when we go about to profess we know what we shall finde but it may be sorrow withal if we can be content so then may we go forward else not Many having gone on in profession not so advisedly and after having found the wind and tide against profession and reproach trouble and danger for the same have shrunk away and with Demas have forsaken Paul and embraced the present world Others seeing how hardly such be dealt with though in their conscience they think best of such yet keep in their heads thinking that its best sleeping in a whole skin But alas they make but a weak choyce were they not better have these heavenly comforts and priviledges here and be acknowledged of Christ and saved at the great day though with some sorrows here then to make the world their friend and God their enemy and to have him ashamed of them at that day as he will for we cannot have it go on our side now and then too That is to be brought unto you God tarried not till they sought Salvation but he of his goodness brought it them which he useth here as an Argument to perswade them to trust stedfastly to this Salvation and look accordingly for it because God would bring them to the Faith of it when they thought not thereof Note here That Salvation is not of our own procuring or seeking Alas what could Adam and we in him do we could fall but what then towards our Salvation we could run and hide our selves and excuse our sin and encrease our danger but God was fain to bring him the seed of the woman he could not make himself an help a wife for God made and brought her to him much less a Savior So what 's the reason he hath given us the Gospel in this Land and not to our Forefathers not to many other Lands we sought it not but when Idolaters in darkness God brought it So have we not been brought by marriage or by Service into Towns where we have had the Word when we purposed no such thing So to our hearts what were any of us when God called us Did we seek him Alas no we ran from him rather long ere we yielded but he followed us and overcame us See it in Saul did he seek Salvation he was going to Damascus to persecute God brought it him so to Zacheus the Goaler c. so we This teacheth us 1. To be humble 2. To be exceeding thankful all the days of our life 3. To rest confidently on him for the time to come in the experience of that we have had as thus That he that brought us Salvation the Word to us or us to it and gave us to see our misery long after Christ have some taste of his love and some desire to please him that were far from these he will continue this and will never leave us Thus the Apostle reasons But God commendeth his love towards us c. So Jacob in danger of Esau He came over Jordan with his staff and God had given him two bands therefore he was perswaded to relie on God for present deliverance for why might he say I am perswaded thou hast not done all this for me to be lost in an instant as an ox should lick up a flower or a candle be put out at once We use not Gods mercies well when we grow not stronger by them for time to come 4. Comfort to a fearful heart that fears he shall not hold out or that God will cast him away O its impossible did he bring thee Salvation that regarded it not and now hath given thee an heart to prize it above the world and to walk
in the way to it will he now disappoint thee No assuredly If he would not have saved thee he would have let thee alone as thy companions and many others and never have done this for thee O but the Devil is so strong and subtile and I so weak and simple He that hath pluckt thee out of his hands will never suffer him to get thee captive again It were else a disgrace to Christ Except therefore he be stronger then God and Christ thou needest not fear At the revelation of Jesus Christ. He plucks these Jews from Moses Law and the Ceremonies which were out of date but they could hardly be so perswaded and brings them to the Gospel which discovers Christ He was in that Law covered with Vails of Sacrifices and Ceremonies c. All these be done away in the Gospel where Christ is laid open without any covering Note We have the excellency of the Gospel that doth uncover and lay open Christ Jesus unto us brings us tidings of him who is the Way the Truth and the Life and the onely Savior of the world So that the Gospel is the glory of the World The Sun is not so necessary in the Firmament as the Gospel is to the world This teacheth us Christ which is life eternal and St. Paul desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified and counted all dung for the excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord O how welcome should this be It is well called glad tidings so it is indeed The Gospel is our pardon If we should finde evidences of great Lands and Inheritances to come to us or a Will wherein were bequeathed great Legacies to us how glad would we be of the same How often would we revise and read them over The Gospel brings us tidings and tells us the way to come to an everlasting inheritance and therein are bequeathed such blessed Legacies Item I give thee forgiveness of thy sins by my Sons death Item Eternal life by his obedience Item I give thee assurance that thou shalt be raised here from sin and that thy body shall be raised at the last day by my Sons Resurrection Item I give thee assurance of a place in Heaven by my Sons Ascension 1. Is it not a marvel then that the Gospel is so hardly entertained and that the World cares so little for it It s welcome to most people not as if it brought them news of a blessing but as if it would spoil them of all they have 2. How should they that want it be set on work to labor to get it as without which there 's no Salvation Its light food armor without which darkness famine spoil If the Sun should be wanting to a Town and could be procured how would all joyn to get it Or rain for a dry and barren ground who would not wonder at any that should be against it yet who joyns who labors for the Gospel 3. If the Gospel be the revelation of Jesus Christ then are the Ministers revealers of this blessed Secret therefore worthy to be acknowledged for their works sake for the greatness of their work and the excellency thereof Pharaoh reverenced and advanced Joseph for smaller matters O how beautiful are the feet of such Most people either rate them or at least set light by them not reverencing their calling but esteeming them more base then the meanest Tradesman But that grieves us not so much as that unkindeness that we meet with from them from whom we look for most comfort and encouragement Verse 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance TO Faith he addeth Repentance and Sanctification by the one to testifie the other as in the second Epistle he wills them to adde unto their Faith vertue as if he should say You that sometimes were the Children of wrath and are now by grace made Gods Children walk obediently as becomes such a mercy This Sanctification hath two parts and stands 1. In renouncing evil or the lusts which before grace we were wont to be led by 2. In putting on and embracing holiness of life that we may resemble the disposition of our Father who is holy and looks for holiness in his yea holiness in all maner of conversation For the order first goes Faith then Obedience and Sanctification for as the light and Sun-beams comes from the Sun a river from the Spring head fruit from the tree so doth obedience from Faith Till a man be pardoned and believe he cannot repent nor obey the will of God no more then a dead stick can bring forth fruit When by Faith we are ingrafted into Christ then we receive power not before one that hath never been humbled aright for sin cannot hate and flie from sin as he should He that seeth not the love of God to him cannot love God nor set upon a good life to deny his lusts being as dear as his life and to yield obedience is irksom to nature for this cause the Devil is such an enemy to our Faith and labors to shake it for then he knows he damps our care of a good life 1. This condemns Papists that boast of holiness of life and yet overthrow the foundation of it viz. A true justifying faith They may stir up good moods and a blinde devotion by scaring men with the pains of hell and telling them of the joys of heaven but no sound Obedience godly Life renouncing Lusts c. without the work of Faith from that will be Obedience even to suffering 2. It confutes them that think Repentance is before Faith they are indeed wrought at once and Repentance sheweth it self first but in order of nature Faith is as the root Many humble souls hold off and dare not believe O say they if I could repent so heartily as I see some and could serve God as I would then I could believe 3. It teacheth men that if ever they will set upon a good life indeed and in time they must begin at the right end and lay a foundation of true justifying faith for want of this many deceive themselves that have some purpose to do well being afflicted or somewhat stirred at the Word and fall out of a bad course to leave this and that evil or take up good duties and many that never had experience of the work of Faith that think they live well or some that upon some occasion thus promise You shall never hear me swear more I le never play more Never come in an Alehouse yet this lasts not but they fal to their old byase by and by because they took not the right course Many also purpose to repent and do great matters but this is a greater matter then the world thinks off a man must first be the childe of God ere he can obey and Faith must be wrought first ere he can
businesses and le ts be over nay thou mayest be dead or meet with more ere they be gone 6. Voluntarily not be haled onely by pain and misery as Pharaoh God loves a chearful servant 7. Constantly not for a while as Joash but as Caleb and Joshua followed the Lord to the end yea when most revolted See the contrary punished in the Prophet that came from Bethel We must not be weary in well doing Reasons hereof may be these 1. Gods Soveraignty over us we Clay he our Maker 2. His Will a rule of Righteousness 3. His great mercies every way even to the worst but to his children wonderful ones 1. This condemns them that are so far from obeying and that in all things and after this maner that they will obey in nothing but as if they were set to cross the Lord what he forbids they love what he enjoyns they cannot away withal They live like masterless men as if they ought nothing to any were beholding to none What art thou not a piece of Clay the Lord thy Maker even he that threw Angels out of Heaven Adam out of Paradice opened the Earth rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom c. If his Soveraignty move thee not consider I beseech thee his Goodness Who hath nourished thee up given thee a comely body a reasonable Soul and so long kept thee that thou art not now in Hell What 's all this for that thou shouldst flie in his face that gives thee bread He lets thee hear his Word calls thee to Repentance c. Is it that thou shouldst tread these things under thy feet Oh thou art of thy father the Devil whose works thou dost and except thou fall down at the Lords footstool and humble thy self before him he will confound thee O consider this all ye that now forget God 2. It condemns such also as obey God to halves and in what they list in the mean time lying still in some beloved lust So Pharaoh obeyed so Herod and Saul But as Moses would not part with one hoof so will not God have us cast off any one Commandment God will have no parting Stakes The Devil like the Harlot would be contented with the one half but God like the true Mother will have all or none If God were so revenged of half-obedience under the Law what then now This halving is an Argument of no true Faith for that purifieth the heart also of no Repentance for he that repents truly of one sin repents truly of all Whosoever therefore thou art that dost thus thou art in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity thou art in the state of damnation If thou livest in the practice and love of one known sin profitable or pleasing this one shall be enough to sink thee down to destruction as one leak in a Ship may endanger the whole and one gate in a City open let in the Enemy 3. This rebukes the servants of God that yet walk not in that obedience that were meet but leave undone this and that duty slighting over others and letting loose their affections and lusts O this is not the chearful and constant obedience that we ought to perform in all things If neither his Authority nor his outward Benefits will move us consider we his love towards us in Jesus Christ that of children of wrath he hath made us his children that by giving his Son he hath freed us from Damnation and means to save us Oh the Name of Children calls for much obedience as the Name of Brethren should still all Controversie And this is the Argument which the Apostle here useth to perswade to obedience Oh we be Gods Children Children ought to obey their Parents there 's nothing more uncomely then the contrary much more we the Father of our Spirits Christ the natural Son was obedient to the death How obedient then must we be being but adopted ones Again That he hath called us to the hope of such an Inheritance what obedience doth this challenge For this is the force of the coherence of Verse 13. with those that go before Wherefore gird up the loyns of your minde c. That is Seeing God hath done such and such things for us let us trust perfectly on that grace that is brought unto us and walk obediently Yea the more we profit in obedience the more comfort we may have that we be the Lords and have true Faith the more will our comfort be also in our death So many of us therefore as can prove our selves the Lords do we labor to walk worthy hereof in all due obedience and for others that know not they are the Lords let them try it by obedience Many Covetous Usurers Oppressors Swearers c. will say they believe no be tryed by this rule If your heart stand to obey all Gods commandments it is so but while you live in any thing you know is sin you are voyd of Faith Other poor humble Christians that hate sin deadly and unfeignedly desire to please God in all things yet say they cannot believe Why who hath wrought these things in you Not flesh and blood they are the gifts of Gods sanctifying Spirit therefore they come from Faith as if we see a Sun-beam we say the Sun is risen if an Apple that is good we say there is a good Tree Except therefore you will say that men can gather Figs of Thistles or Grapes of Thorns you cannot deny but that you have Faith wheresoever Sanctification is there Faith went before O but I finde it but weak yet as long as it is in truth with desire of increase it presupposes Faith as if we see a Sun-beam though but dimly yet we say the Sun is up after it will shine out more clearly So we say it s a good Tree though the fruit be small at first so long as it is good If any shall say I feel in me no such thing now therefore I have no Faith what shall become of me Was it ever so with thee Look to the time past and thou must not deny the mercy of God shewed thee Thou canst not deny but it hath been so then thou hast had Faith then hast thou Faith still though it seem raked up in the ashes when thou with the bellows of Prayer and the Word and God with his Spirit shall blow away these ashes it will uncover it self and burn out again Not fashioning your selves c. There are two parts of Obedience or Repentance a dying unto sin and a living unto righteousness a renouncing of lusts and imbracing holiness a ceasing to do evil and a learning to do well an abhorring of that which is evil and cleaving to that which is good a putting off of the old man and putting on of the new he that hath the one hath also the other they
desiring without dissembling or feigning to walk so as we may please God in all things Wonderful is the weakness of most part of Christians who howsoever in many things they do well yet many of their actions and speeches are not answerable Well let us notwithstanding endeavor it and that every day more more and le ts not be discouraged though we cannot attain to all we would but if we can gain ground this way though it be but a little at once yet our labor shall not be in vain we must every day exceed our selves a little and so not bearing with our selves in our corruptions but unfeignedly striving against them we may receive no small comfort let us therefore not bear with our selves in the least evil but strive to reform our selves in every thing in the mean time with the Apostle mourning because of the corruption But as he that hath called you is holy That is God This is the Simile whereby the Exhortation to holiness is set forth which hath in it also the force of a double reason to perswade thereunto 1. From the person calling 2. From the calling it self The person calling God he is holy therefore must we be so Concerning Gods holiness we need say little It s his very essence and uncreated in him he hath been so for ever and is so infinitely The Angels cannot cease praising the same Holy holy holy c. He is the Fountain of holiness and conveyeth the streams thereof into his Creatures Men and Angels He is holy by nature whatsoever holiness is in Angels or Men is not by nature but by grace He sanctifieth the place where he manifesteth himself as the ground whereon Moses stood by the bush where God appeared much more Heaven where he most clearly sheweth himself to the Saints This should teach us as to acknowledge him so in his Word and in all his Works and that we should not dare admit a thought to the contrary though we cannot see the reason of all things so the use hereof is That we should study after holiness that so there may be some agreement between him and us as we are bidden be merciful and perfect as he is and our Savior faith Learn of me not that he requires an equality which can never be here and hereafter Here we cannot be perfectly holy as he is in Heaven we shall be perfectly holy but not infinitely as he is because we are finite but so that we labor to imitate him that we may have his blessed Image renewed in us daily and grow more and more like unto him going from strength to strength till we appear before the God of gods in Sion Can the most holy God abide unholy persons He hath pure eyes and hateth sin abhorreth iniquity what agreement between light and darkness God and Belial Therefore the Lord so often called upon the Israelites to keep themselves from all kindes of Pollution and instructed them unto holiness in innumerable things whereof some were very small Therefore as we take Gods holy Name upon us hear his holy Word partake his holy Sacrament and take his holy Name in our mouthes let us also study after holiness else never look to see Gods face He can no more endure prophane persons then we to take a Toad in our mouthes This holiness stands not in coming to Church mumbling over a few Prayers without understanding coming to the Communion at Easter c. The Pharisees fasted oft prayed long gave Alms had broad Phylacteries yet were rejected by our Savior Christ It stands in the purity of the heart and the whole conversation But how little doth this example of the Lord prevail to bring men to holiness most follow after their own hearts lusts and the corrupt example of men we do as we see others do and why say we should we be wiser then our Forefathers then all our neighbors and thus being willing to follow such examples we draw one another to all evil But follow we not those in evil but the blessed example of God himself as in holiness so in sanctifying his day Thus of the person calling The calling it self A great benefit indeed why Is it so great a benefit to be called Yea as is here meant There is a twofold calling 1. Outward When God calls men by every days new benefits by every new correction by his Word whereby yet they are never aw hit the better nor converted for many are called but few chosen and this is common to Reprobates 2. Inward and Effectual when besides and with the outward means God speaks inwardly by his Spirit to the Conscience The parts hereof are 1. The enlightning of the minde to understand the Principles of Religion which though alone it be not sufficient nor more then may be in a Reprobate yet it s the foundation of the rest without which no effectual calling 2. The opening of the heart to believe as Lydia's was when one believes every thing particularly to belong to them and so the promise of Salvation among the rest till then her heart as all ours was fast lockt up not able to believe 3. The change of the whole man This is essentially necessary to Salvation for by nature we are slaves of sin as long as we continue as we were born we are far from Salvation The fruits hereof are 1. When a man goes about the works of the same and labors to walk worthy of it in an holy life 2. When a man highly esteemeth his calling and the hope of glory he is called to as Paul accounted all dung in respect of the excellency of Christ crucified and the things he esteemed highly before his calling afterward he made no reckoning of 3. When he will suffer any thing for the same rather then be drawn from the hope thereof Some are called sooner some later as in the Parable of the Laborers hired into the Vineyard Examine we our calling for much hangs upon this Our Election past and Glorification to come Calling is the fruit and proper effect of Election if the one then certainly the other Notes hereof are both Negative and Affirmative Negative 1. Not to hear the Word and that diligently so doth the Devil he will not miss a Sermon nay marks every point in a Sermon to keep thee from the obedience thereof or turn it one way or other to hurt 2. Nor to hear joyfully 3. Nor to reform many things as Herod 4. Nor to do some choyce duties as Ananias and Sapphira Affirmative But 1. To seek above all to be at peace with God and to have his Spirit to assure us of our everlasting Salvation not to serve the time nor any such thing but above all to be assured of Gods favor 2. That we hate unfeignedly all evil but especially the special evils of the
which went before both knew and saw Christ as Abraham though afar off So that here the Fathers are not excluded but he was manifest for us that we might have a fuller sight of him then the fathers their light was but dim in comparison of ours How much then are we bound to God and ought we not to have more knowledge and faith and shew more tokens of thankfulness then they But alas though we have the Gospel and Sacraments so clearly never did iniquity more abound Thus do we reward the Lord for his kindeness Who by him do believe in God He saith They believed how came he to know that he hoped so and in charity so judged of them as who willingly gave themselves to the profession of Christian Religion and for the same did undergo persecution Therefore I say he hoped the more confidently of them even as we may do of such Assemblies as these on the week days a man may hope better of them then of those which come by commandment as others of Custom not Conscience especially considering the discouragements they meet withal and their constancy notwithstanding A man cannot but think they should come for Conscience and expect better things at their hands then others which I desire you would be careful to declare well at home in your places and several dealings not onely to Gods glory your own comfort and winning on of others but stopping up the mouthes of the worst that are ready to pry into and speak all evil of the forwarder sort of professors By him We cannot believe in God but by the Son For 1. The Father dwelleth in the light that none can attain unto How then shall we come to him of our selves we being so poor and weak and he of so infinite Majesty As in the Summer we cannot directly look upon the Sun shining in his full strength but may view it in a pail of Water so must we see the Father in the Son who is the image of the Father and the ingraven form of his person 2. God is infinitely just and we extreamly wicked he a consuming fire and we stubble How then can we come to him believe in him or take comfort but onely in and by the Lord Jesus our Mediator who by his death hath made satisfaction to his Father and covered us with his righteousness He is the Way the Truth and the Life none cometh to the Father but by him By him we have boldness and access with confidence Its life eternal to know the onely true God but how shall that be done onely by Jesus Christ He therefore that would believe in God and have comfort thereupon must first know and believe in Christ Jesus even know him to be for natures and offices as he is God and man and believe in him as the onely Savior who reconcileth us to the Father 1. Therefore Jews and Turks believe not in God because they believe not in Christ and know him not 2. All are Hereticks that deny any of Christs natures or offices for we must believe him to be such as the Word declares him to be 3. The Papists which in effect deny his Humane Nature by standing for Transubstantiation and his offices Priestly by their Masses Satisfactions Joynt-intercessions his Prophetical by their own Traditions his Kingly by making the Pope head of the Church making Laws to binde the Conscience to forgive sins save damn c. Therefore they cannot truly believe in God and therefore it stands them in hand to know Christ aright and then to believe in him 4. This condemneth a number of ignorant creatures among us which will come to God but how by their good meanings good prayers good serving of God civil life and the like as others which seem better taught by their repenting and crying God mercy Oh this goes for current and in the mean time take no thought how his justice should be satisfied These may cry their hearts out to God and finde no mercy they must bring Christ their Surety in their hand and plead mercy for his sake and his satisfaction Such as were stung by the Fiery-Serpents could not be otherwise healed but by looking up upon the Brazen-Serpent neither we otherwise accepted of God then through Christ Humble thou therefore thy self confess thy sins judge thy self know Christ and plead his satisfaction That raised him up from the dead and gave him glory The Father is here said to have raised up Christ and yet the Son saith of himself That he laid down his life and took it to him again A. Whatsoever the Father did herein the same did the Son and the Holy Ghost The work is common to all Here I might speak 1. Of our Saviors Resurrection and shew how carefully all the Evangelists have recorded it with the witnesses thereof and how all the Apostles in their Sermons stood upon it and how the Devil and the Jews endeavored to hinder it and what great benefits ensue unto us hereby 2. Of his Ascension after forty days being on earth and how he changed his place and vanished not and how though absent in his Humanity he is ever present by his Spirit and how he is most highly advanced and how his Godhead was not thus advanced it was impossible nor his manhood by it self had such a name and such glory due to it but that the person of Christ God and man was advanced and how now he makes intercession and hath prepared a place for us but of these I have spoken at large on the Creed That your faith and hope might be in God Every one that believeth in Christ that these things belong to him may boldly believe and hope in God for all good for this life and that which is to come look for a full discharge of all sins for power to rise to a new life for a glorious resurrection look also on God with boldness by the intercession of Christ and be assured of expect and wait for an entrance into the same glory our Head is entred into Verse 22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfained love of the brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently A Good life is an inseparable companion of Faith and Hope God having bestowed upon them the former the Apostle would not have them to be wanting in the latter Generally he exhorts to Sanctification vers 14. then particularly first to renounce their lusts ibid. then to embrace the contrary Holiness vers 15 16. This he divides into two parts 1. The fear of God which contains all parts of Piety towards God vers 17 18 19 20 21. 2. Love to our brethren which comprehendeth all the Duties we owe to them These two are knit in a comely order not to be sundred In this verse we have an Exhortation to true and
he confirms out of Isa. 28. 16. which accordingly he applies as well for the comfort of the godly as the terror of unbelievers For this foundation consider what he is and how esteemed What he is A stone so compared for his firmness stability and continuance his nature a living stone whereby he differs from all other foundations How esteemed of men namely wicked ones disallowed but of God elect and chosen to be Mediator and to the godly precious To whom coming The first priviledge he gives us leave to come to him which is to believe in him and is indeed a very great priviledge He might scare us from him as Adam was kept out of Paradise by the blade of a sword but doth not and this is the beginning of all good from Christ till which we are never the better for him Hence observe That if ever we would receive good by Christ we must come to him But how can we come to him he is in Heaven and we on Earth Not with our bodily feet but with the feet of our minde and heart when we seeing our misery and finding our selves wholly lost come to him to seek for Salvation and relie on him and are ruled by him This is to come to him Such as go on Pilgrimage from this place to that and seek him bodily in the Sacrament do but deceive themselves being thus void of Faith when they think themselves nearest him they are as far off as ever To come to Christ and to believe in him are all one and then we come to him when we go out of our selves as being utterly undone and go to him as an All-sufficient Savior and relie on him and are willing to take up his yoke and forsake all other Saviors and Lords and this we must do because 1. Of our own utter misery in our selves by sin punishment and inability to help our selves out whereof if people were perswaded it were as easie to perswade them to come to Christ as to perswade a sick man to the Physician one overloaden to be eased of his burthen an hungry man to take meat 2. In Christ there is sufficient to make us as truly happy as we be utterly miserable in our selves Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption The sinner cannot complain of any thing but there is help for it in Christ do but ask the thing and it s to be had Oh I have deserved the wrath of God and Damnation but I saith Christ have dyed for thee and paid thy debt But how shall I come into the favor of God and be saved Oh saith Christ I have obeyed for thee and purchased it But I have no power to do any good but I have enough saith Christ to make thee a Sanctified man 3. Christ is willing to have us come to him and therefore also doth earnestly call us If one know himself poor and that such a rich man is both able and willing to help him and is also invited of him to accept hereof will he not thereupon go to him so is Christ to us and accordingly we must come to him 1. For those that are come to Christ and do believe in him with their hearts and are guided by him they may be of good comfort having done what God requires of them they shall finde fruit and benefit thereby more then they can express This serves to provoke on those that are coming and coming and yet draw back set one foot forward and pull the other back again fain would believe and yet cannot but fear Oh it s not for me and cannot be perswaded that they be of the number of such whom Christ will save Why what would you have Christ say to you He bids all without exception that are weary and heavy laden with their sins to come to him that is believe in him it s also the end of his coming into the world You stand in great need of mercy do ye not O yes above all the world and cannot indure to think but that I should have part therein and Christ hath need of some to shew his mercy on and therefore calls thee Therefore as in a Market one having need of a Commodity another that hath it of money me thinks these two should quickly agree the Buyer and the Seller who both come for that end so is it between Christ and the poor sinner wherefore else doth Christ set forth his stall of so rich mercies and call people to them to send them away empty no verily Christ hath said the contrary and so can assoon deny himself as not save thee therefore believe which is the great Commandment of the Gospel Oh but I am so unworthy If it be so thou art the more fit for Christ he came for such he accepts such Oh if I could weep as much as some or had been so long or so much humbled or could repent and serve God as I would What God doth he doth freely and when thou canst do nothing but feel thy misery then believe Christ will save thee What was the Jaylor when he did believe believing will break thy heart and bring Repentence O that we should so much so often and so earnestly be perswaded to believe and yet do not If a King shall call a poor Subject and reach him a handful of gold will he draw back and say I am unworthy that he should call me or I should come to him What am I I never deserved any such thing c. If it be great great gifts become a great God and seeing he will do it hinder not thy self thou shalt be the more bound to love and praise him here and for ever yet is it no easie matter to believe If a man had this Church lying upon his back it were not so easie a mater to rise and stand upright so when any have the wrath of the infinite God lying upon their Souls what can they do howsoever do your endeavor strive against unbelief discern between temptations that come from the Devil and the promises of God those how many soever reject as lyes but these apply diligently stand even upon one word of Gods mouth and let that comfort thee more then ten thousand temptations to dismay thee 3. This Rebuketh the most part of men that will not come at Christ though he call them and offer them wonderful fair He bids them come confess their sins seek to him for Salvation and be ruled by him and he will take all their burthen on him and save them But how few give ear to this gracious voyce and offer how many go on and are not at all moved though Christ be preached daily though they need him he be sufficient for them and willing to do them good and why few can be perswaded of their danger Civil persons Ignorant ones and a number of Worldlings are
joyned to us so are we to Christ by believing in him and this is a real and true Union but a Spiritual one not that we are thereby united to Christs soul but to his body also and by his humanity to his Deity and by both to God the Father and the holy Ghost which is an admirable prerogative If any say How can this be Christ being in Heaven and we on Earth It is so by the Spirit on Gods part and Faith on ours Those joyn things far distant in place most nearly together If any say I cannot see nor comprehend how this should be If we cannot no marvel for its a great mystery which we are to believe and adore in our hearts The benefits hereof are unspeakable as the honor most glorious for by vertue hereof we that were as dead as blocks and stones draw spiritual life and Grace to become new Creatures to dye to sin and to lead a righteous life as the members receive sence and motion from the head and the Vine-branches sap from the root Hereby also we have title to Christ and all his good things He also bears our troubles with us and hereby our souls shall be as filled with Grace here so taken up to glory with him at death and the body remains united to Christ even in the grave by vertue whereof it shall be raised up a spiritual and glorious body to be glorified for ever And this is yet so much the more absolute and blessed a Union because its indissolveable No violence of Satan nor any other Enemy can break off the same He hath not therefore fastened us as stones into this building to be ever pulled out any more If they had been of us saith the Appostle they should have continued with us What God hath joyned together who can separate 1. This is for instruction to all that are believers and so members of this body stones of this building that they walk in their conversation answerable to such high Dignity to such an Union The Members must be like the Head the stones answerable to the Foundation as the Fruit to the true Vine Take heed they disgrace not themselves and their stock by bringing forth sowre fruit even of the wilde Olive of their own sinful and corrupt nature but mortifie the same more and more But how cometh it to pass that they which are graft into Christ should bear any sowre Fruit Even because there are some suckers of our own crabbish and sinful nature shut out and have through heedlesness and want of care grown apace and which we must pluck off by any means 2. Comfort to all believers O admirable priviledge to be joyned into one with Christ and with God! What grace or good thing can he stand in need of that is joyned to such a plentiful and living head He cannot but mortifie the strongest Corruptions overcome the greatest Temptations perform the most difficult Duties Such thou mayest draw from thy head but make no obstructions by sin Keep open the passages and by the Word Sacraments Prayer and other like means fetch Grace from Christ Jesus He also will strengthen thee and even in the fiery Fornace be present with thee and after take thee up to glory neither shall all the power of Hell ever seperate thee from him for though Hypocrites that hang on onely by the untemperated morter of outward Profession shall fall off thou that art saudered into Christ by the Spirit of God shalt never be pluckt off 3. To discard all those that profess themselves believers and stones of this building and yet have no life in them let such know they have no part in Christ nor fellowship with him 4. This should perswade all men to labor to have part in this blessed Union Till this be they are quite dead and have no more Spiritual Life then a stone hath If thou beest not united to Christ thou canst never have Life of grace here nor glory hereafter And if not a Member of Christ thou art a Limb of the Devil If not a Branch of this Vine thou art a dry withered stick for the fire of Hell If not a stone of this Building thou art refuse and rubbish to be thrown into Hell Q. But how should we become stones of this building A. By suffering the ax of the Word of God to cut off our knobs to hew and square us that thereby we may be humbled and mortifie all our sins and lusts for if there be but one sin in us unrepented of we are not fit to lie in this building And though all stones be not alike some bigger some less some more costly some less yet happy we if we be any true stone of this building let us now suffer our selves to be fashioned for it it must be now in this Life or never As there was no hammer heard about the Temple but all was hewen in Libanus so must we be hewen in this Life that we may rest in the Spiritual Temple for ever Having a house to build will we lay in a stone rough as it comes from the Quarry or a piece of Timber as it comes from the Wood much less will the Lord suffer any to be joyned into his Spiritual building till they be squared and hewen by his Word Therefore le ts be tenderly affected one towards another and build up one another and do all the good we can one to another not living to our selves or having hand in Contentions Rents Divisions which do so abound among Christians and that for toyes Are built up a spiritual house So foretold by Haggai Not a materiel one as was the Temple of Jerusalem but a far more excellent as much as the body is better then the shadow which the Apostle speaks to take off the mindes of these Jews from the material Temple on which they too much doted and on the promises made thereto not considering that it was appointed but for a time and that it was but a type of this Spiritual house infinitely more excellent and to labor to become stones of this Spiritual house which did so far excel the other All the Church of God and Believers make together a Spiritual house as a house though it hath but one foundation yet hath many stones to make up the building This sheweth the communion that the Saints have one with another members of the same Body stones of the same Building with this Union that we have with Christ we have also communion one with another as Fellow-members Stones Branches Besides As all the Saints together are here said to be built up a Spiritual house so els where the like is affirmed of every particular Believer that whereas before he was but a Cage of uncleanness and a Den for the Devil and an Habitation for foul Spirits now he is made the House of God of a poor mortal man an
must settle 3. It teacheth us to search the Scripture laboring by all means that the Word of Christ may dwell in us plentifully that so we may be grounded If we hear God speaking in his Word we must sit down by it all mouthes must be stopt if not we must not be carried without it Again He alleageth the Old Testament as Christ and the other Apostles did for the Old was the same in substance with the New and of the same Authority Further In that he nameth not the place nor the Prophet it sheweth their skill and rebuketh our ignorance that have not the book of God clasped against us as in Popery but open if we can take our time for the place it self it s alleaged with some alteration of the words though not of the sence 1. He leaves out a word or two and takes that which fitteth his purpose 2. He turneth these words of the Prophet He that believeth shall not make haste into these He that believeth on him shall not be confounded The Prophet sets down the effect the Apostle the cause for unbelievers being ashamed it makes them run up and down in their misery for some other help seeing themselves disappointed and deceived The occasion of that promise there was to comfort the good in respect of the great threatnings against the bad and contemners namely that they should not be destroyed and cast off among the rest and that the wicked might not scorn them and think all Gods promises made to them fallen to the ground Behold This being a word to stir up attention implieth that What the Lord saith he doth He is true of his word the Almighty and who cannot be hindred He saith not Such a stone shall be laid but Behold I lay it whereby he confirms the good and puts them out of doubt who by reason of the threatnings were grown weak fearful and in doubt Here see our infidelity in Spiritual things especially if we see any things against us such was Zacharias So was not Abraham he looked not to carnal lets but rested on Gods Word had enough that God spake it so should we If we have any promise of Gods mouth we should be of good comfort and believe and not be dismaid at our sins and unworthiness Come unto me saith our Savior all ye that are weary and laden and I will refresh you c. What promise more comfortable and yet many seeing their sins and danger cannot be comforted and perswaded But we must give God the glory to believe him on his word and know that nothing can make him break promise or change his minde either any hinder him from performing what he hath promised I lay It s God that layes the Foundation of his Churches Salvation All the Men and Angels in the world cannot lay one stone in this building unto this Foundation Though God use the Ministery of his servants Men to this purpose yet its God that by his Spirit makes them fit and couples them hereto therefore much less could they lay this corner stone Paul saith he laid this Foundation By Preaching the same to the people not otherwise That Foundation which God had laid before the world and appointed to be Preached that he taught to the people and that was all he did If God gave Christ generally for his Church then for every humble soul that seeth his need of Christ and cometh with an heavy heart to him and desires him above all the world assuredly he will give him to such In Sion That hill in Jerusalem is put for the Church whereof it was a type and because the Gospel was first preached there Christ there revealed and from thence conveyed into all nations far and wide so that now by Gods mercy we have him no less preached unto us then the Jews had and have also our part in him as largely O unspeakable mercy A chief corner stone A chief stone a foundation stone This is the principal point in this first part of the Verse but of this on the fourth Verse where was shewed That he is not a stone as others be in the building but the foundation on which they are all built which sustains and holds them together there being no other foundation but he This the Papists overturn and that both in respect of his Kingly Prophetical and Priestly Office For his Kingly Office which is to rule over the consciences of his subjects by his Spirit and to have power to make Laws to binde their consciences they take it from him for with them the Pope may also make Laws of his to binde the conscience as much as any of Christs and doth and may repeal some of his at his pleasure For his Prophetical Office which is to be the onely Teacher of his Church and to reveal all his Fathers minde in the Books of the Prophets and Apostles this they take away by adding as if the Word were altogether imperfect unwritten Verities and mens Traditions which say they are of absolute necessity to be obeyed to Salvation For his Priestly they abolish both parts of it 1. His Sacrifice All sufficient and once offered on the Cross for all by their blasphemous Mass wherein they offer Christ daily as they say as a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead 2. His Intercession wherein they joyn many Saints with him What Salvation can there be for such le ts pray for and keep our selves far from them Elect Christ is chosen of God to the work of our Redemption and furnished for it therefore make we choyce of him for our portion wo to them that refuse him He that believeth on him shall not be confounded Hereby is meant a true particular justifying Faith Such as have this shall not be ashamed or seek at any time as confounded or deceived of sufficient help and Salvation therefore he shall never be put to make haste to seek any other The true Believer shall never be confounded but finde enough in Christ to satisfie him to the full to deliver him from all evil and make him partaker of all Happiness Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and enough to make his minde peaceable and quiet and to stablish him against all that his own conscience or any yea the Devil himself can lay to his charge but he findes enough to answer all at large As Thou art a sinner and hast deserved Damnation and God is just R. I grant all but I have a surety able enough who hath born all Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It s God that justifieth c. His heart is fixed he believeth in the Lord In his life he hath that wherein he may quiet himself and never be to seek but may draw new life and grace from Christ to enable him to
of this we shall have occasion to speak in the end of the Verse We allow a man to kill a Worm or Flie at his pleasure Why may not the Lord do so by man who is much less to him then a Worm to a man God ordained to pass by some men but condemns none but for his willing sin 6. Again that we are the children of wrath wholly sold under sin slaves of Satan having no good thing but altogether filled with all evil have no right to a bit of bread that the childe in the cradle is the enemy of God and hath deserved Hell this mans proud nature cannot brook but it s too true the whose Scripture tells it and we shall finde it And we are worthy to be in this case that were so happy in our Creation and could not hold it and now we may willingly acknowledge we be thus vile which will be the better for us seeing all that is wanting in us is to be had in Christ We must swallow this pill that we may have such a piece of Sugar follow it 7. Again that we must renounce all our sins and be crucified to the World and take so strait a course this carnal people count bondage which is indeed true liberty and that which they are in as sweet as it is is most slavish bondage to Satan They think they may not so much as laugh and that this course tyes them so short that they may do nothing but it tyes us from nothing but evil and gives us liberty enough in that use of Gods benefits so it be without sin 8. Again that they that will be Religious and Christs Disciples must suffer persecution this they cannot away with even because they are wholly carnal and savor of the flesh and are so given to their ease profit pleasures and honors of the world If they knew what the end of suffering for well doing were they would not be so addicted to the world for our Savior himself affirmeth that such shall have a great reward in Heaven hereat Moses aymed when he entred into this course This must we undergo by troubles we must go to Heaven for they humble us make us pray more exercise our Faith and Patience weary us hence and make us shine brighter drive us to God and that end will be happy 9. Some again take occasion from the Scriptures to be licentious as from the falls of Gods servants and that promise in Ezekiel When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness c. and the example of the Thief upon the Cross thereupon delaying their repentance and living in sin boldly through ignorance partly and prophaneness especially they abuse the Scriptures not a letter therein countenancing sin and wresting them to their own condemnation These Examples and Reasons among others are onely set down to comfort and uphold them that being oppressed with their sins are ready to sink under the burthen thereof If thou beest not in this case wo unto thee if thou thus medlest with the Scriptures Here I will adde also some of the scandals of the Papists against the Word for though they will lay it upon our interpreting and preaching the same yet seeing we know we preach it according to the true meaning thereof therefore they indeed blame the Scripture it self They cry out of our Doctrine that its a Doctrine of Liberty and that under the colour of Christian Liberty we establish carnal Liberty and let every man do what he list This is as if the most infamous Strumpet should charge a modest grave Matron with unchastity for to be sure theirs is a Doctrine of all ease and liberty to the flesh yea those very things wherein they seem most harsh feed the flesh and give liberty to sin It enjoyns outward duties which an Hypocrite may perform as well as the best It appoints bodily punishments and penances as satisfaction for sin and that by such and such works which an Hypocrite may do they merit Heaven and for their Service what can be said of it but that it pleaseth well the eye and the ear yet we cannot be rid of their fooleries But why and wherein is our Doctrine to be charged 1. Because we teach free Justification by Faith onely without works of our own But is this a foolish slander we establish works as well as they teach the necessity of them as inseperable companions and necessary fruits of Faith and that there is no Salvation without them onely their blasphemous assertion That we are justified by them we dare not affirm do not believe 2. That we take away Auricular Confession that notable mean to kill sin and to keep the people in awe and Fasting days and give liberty to all sorts to marry To answer them severally For Auricular Confession We know no such thing out of Scripture it s but a carnal device and it s so far from killing sin that it gives life to it for having once discharged themselves of all their sins into the Priests care and he enjoyned them what pennance he lists thereupon having received Absolution for them they are ready to sin afresh and so do As a drunken man goes out and vomits not that he may be sober but that he may go to drinking again even so do they in their confessing For fasting days and difference of meat for Conscience sake We know no such thing in the New Testament The Apostle calls them a Doctrine of Devils They fast indeed from the Butchers Shambles not the Apothecaries Shop For Marriage It s the Ordinance of God that he hath appointed for all that they may keep themselves undefiled members of Christs body and since God hath appointed to give the gift of continency but to few therefore he hath appointed the remedy to be enjoyed of all And for the Papists which do herein fight against God and against Nature yet they do most filthily defile all their places with most abominable Whoredoms Therefore they are wicked slanderers Our Religion is too strict for such Libertines as they be All theirs is meerly in shew and bodily exercises which the veriest Hypocrite may do not in mortifying the lusts of the heart They meddle not so far True it is we have too many licentious persons of our Religion but so doth not our Religion teach them which theirs doth And that Original sin is done away in Baptism that some sins be Venial that man hath some good in himself and that he can take away by penance the temporal punishment of sins and can merit c. It s impossible therefore for their Religion to humble a man aright and make him fit to receive Christ. At preaching the Word There be that either cast it off or at least hear negligently and for fashion without any serious care to be guided thereby 1. Some say they did well enough before there was such preaching and if there be such
we are dead in trespasses and sins 2. This should make the world weary of their part O that a man had but wisdom enough to perswade all ignorant persons that they be in darkness and going to Hell nay all persons of what parts soever that being void of Faith and not sanctified they are in this case It s not because they are not so but because they are so deep in darkness as all that can be said to them from God about the same cannot so perswade them but that they love darkness more then light cannot away to be called out of it think their case as good as others Awake thou that sleepest and stand up Christ shall give thee light Who would abide in a dark Dungeon that might be abroad in the light in Egypt when he might be in Goshen with Gods children Men think because they have the light of the Sun and their eyes to see they think that they be not in darkness but their Souls be in most woful darkness Never think to work the works of darkness and yet come to the light of Heaven Into his marvellous light This is opposed to darkness therefore hereby is meant saving knowledge of Christ which is life Eternal and true Light Holiness and Sanctification the hope of Heaven and the inheritance of the Saints in light This is not onely light but marvellous light either in respect of the contrary darkness or in respect of it self This is the estate of every Believer of every sanctified person 1. This shews the infinite oddes between the true Christian and those that be not so and that not onely between Pagans that have no means who be deep and every way in darkness but even between Christians and them that have both means and it may be knowledge yet are still unconverted and unsanctified persons The one is in light the other in darkness the one have fellowship with God the other with the Devil O that men saw the oddes they would not onely not judge their own case so good and despise the servants of God as they do but would reverence them and take hold of their skirt and say We will go with you 2. It teacheth Christians brought into this marvellous light how to walk as children of the light and to have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness but to reprove them nor with the workers of iniquity But how few thus walk O let our conversation be honest and our light so shine that we may lighten others Being herein like God we may be assured we are going to everlasting light Verse 10. Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy HE addes to the heap another mercy to stir them up to the thankfulness he speaks of and to the end the mercy and benefit may be seen to be the greater he sets it out by the contrary comparing the time present with the time past when it was far otherwise with them and as he compared them with others before so he compareth them now with themselves Which in time past c. Here the Apostle alludeth to Hos. 1. 10. where the Lord setteth out both the sins and punishment of the ten Tribes under a Typical marriage of the Prophet with a notorious Strumpet which was not a thing verily done but to set the more lively before their eyes their Sins and Idolatries as under the name of those supposed children were set out the punishments that God meant to send upon them for the same as That they should be scattered abroad That God would have no mercy on them and lastly which was worst of all That they should not be his people all which were accordingly fulfilled For first they were carried Captive of the Assyrians and there retained some remnants of the Worship of God in a corrupt maner and kept together but after when the Medes and Persians prevailed over the Assyrians they were then scattered over the Nations so far and wide as they had no part of Gods Worship remaining among them but were so mingled among the Heathen as they became no people of God at all but altogether wrapt in all the maners of the Heathen Nations with whom they lived This is that here meant when he saith They were not the people of God c. And lest the good among them should be altogether dismaid as though God had broken his Covenant he promiseth That the time should come that he would receive them into his favor again which was now accomplished as the Apostle saith When by the Gospel they were gathered to the Faith of the Lord Jesus In that he sets before them the time past and what they were Note That for a people or particular persons to look to their beginnings is of good and singular use As for us who since Christs coming are admitted to the same priviledges with the Jews have the Gospel Preached Christ Jesus offered Grace given to receive him the Word and Sacraments to assure us of him Heaven opened to us as well as they for us I say being thus and having the truth and onely way of Salvation Preached to us by Jesus Christ To consider what we were will be of great use as that we were aliens from the common-wealth of Israel Strangers drown'd in Idolatry and all Sin without knowledge of the true God but woshiping the Devil in stead of the true God that in the days and under the Tyranny of Antichrist we were held in blindeness made to worship Images taught to believe that we must be saved by Masses Mans Merits Popes Pardons scared with Purgatory thinking that then we did God high service when we most dishonored him So to consider with our selves what we were before our Calling Ignorant in Unbelief Prophane the servants of Sin slaves of Satan in Darkness loving Sin as our lives hating the Word and all goodness c. and what we are now through Gods mercy will be of great use For This serves 1. To make us humble and take down our pride Therefore when the Israelites would so brag of Abraham and Jacob or Israel that they were their Seed and Posterity the Lord by his Prophets would tell them and what was Abraham but a poor Idolater in the Land of Ur of the Caldees and a lone man a dry stick and Sarah barren and what was Israel was he not a fugitive as it were fain to flie for his life into Mesopotamia and so poor as he went onely with his staff in his hand there served for wages following the sheep at his return ready to be devoured by Esau what great cause then have you to brag of your Progeny 2. To stir us up to thankfulness when we see we were most wretched and miserable poor and blinde and naked having no dram of any good in our selves this is a
we know no Reason we should be subject to them He answereth you are free indeed I confess Christ hath purchased and that dearly a happy and blessed freedom for you but this as every other good thing may be abused and stretched beyond the reach thereof as you do this for it s not such a freedom as sets you at liberty to do what you list or to shake off Government and live at your pleasure and which is not to be used as a cloak of naughtiness and carnal liberty but you must use it as those that be freed from sin and the Devil but not from God and your obedience to him but to be his servants and so to obey him as in all things so in this amongst the rest even in obeying Magistracy which is one of his Commandments Here three things are considerable 1. The liberty of Christians As free 2. The abuse of Christian liberty not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness 3. The right use of it but as the servants of God all needful to be known that in a right maner we may use our Christian liberty to the glory of God our own good and the benefit of our brethren As free Freedom presupposeth bondage By nature we are all bound till we be freed through Christ. 1. We are all guilty of Adams sin born in Original sin infinitely defiled with actual rebellions whereby we stand under the wrath and curse of God and all evils in this world and that which is to come for ever There is no curse in all the Scripture threatned or executed or any other that God hath in his infinite store-house whereunto we are not lyable and daily subject God is just and no whit of this can be called back a fearful condition 2. We are all the very vassals of Satan and slaves of sin taken prisoners of him in the fall and we have no power of Soul nor part of body but are all fast bound to his will our understanding darkness it self our will altogether averse and rebellious to that that is good carried forcibly to all evil as are also our affections and other parts The Devil holds us as a Captain doth his Castle naturally he rules in our hearts at his pleasure till through Christ we be delivered out of this power of darkness He is the strong man that keeps the house till a stronger then he comes which is Christ alone We have no power to think a good thought to stir a finger in any good though about the matter of our Salvation Our wisdom is enmity against God All our thoughts are onely evil continually It s as impossible for a natural man to do any good as for a bramble to bear grapes or figs nay which is worse and makes up our bondage we cannot see we be in this case believe when we be told it desire to come out of it as being weary thereof nay we delight in it think it the onely liberty spend body goods name soul and all in the service of it the basest master and most cruel the basest work and most woful wages and this yet is worst that we like of it and liberty being offered we loath it No vassal among the Turks that hath been there never so long but yet retains a free minde he would be gone if he might or could tell how but such are not we we have no desire from Satan or sin our bondage being thus made known unto us we are a little the fitter to listen to the freedom here spoken of we being in this most woful bondage God of his infinite mercy found out a way a strange way to free us and that was by Jesus Christ who hath procured our liberty and makes us free This is called Christian liberty because it s purchased by Christ for Christians namely Believers and no others Its a Spiritual and holy freedom not Civil such as the Jews looked for even great advancement in an earthly Kingdom or the Anabaptists dream of which shake off Magistracy nor Carnal such as that of the Libertines which live as they list in all silthiness and procured it is by Christ alone no other could do it It stands in these four things 1. Through Christ we are freed from the wrath and curse of God and all the punishment of our sins here and hereafter and this he hath done by his precious blood having redeemed us and became also a curse for us He was arraigned before a worldly Judge that we might not be arraigned before the Judge of the whole world He was condemned that we might be absolved He dyed that we might live He hath become our surety and so freed us from the wrath and justice of God and his payment was most royal because he was God and by his Resurrection he declared that it was full and perfect So that now to all that believe in him there is no condemnation It hath nothing to do with them for though God be just and will have it once paid yet not unjust to require it twice 2. We are freed from the service of Sin and the Devil which he hath done by the vertue of his Word and holy Spirit working faith in our hearts So Regenerating and Sanctifying us washing us in his blood enlightening our understandings renewing our wills reforming our affections and whole man working a quite change from that was before an hatred of the sin that before was onely loved a love to the good that before was not regarded yea of all sin and of all good with some power to resist and overcome the one and perform the other so that though Satan tempt us yet shall he not have us at command as before though our heart and flesh lust after evil yet the Spirit resisteth it and provoketh to good and sin reigneth in us no longer Thus were Zacheus the Jaylor and Mary Magdalene quite altered from that they were before So among our selves through Gods goodness they that understood nothing to purpose are now enlightened and ashamed of themselves in respect of their former conversation hate their sins and old companions and are turned to love God and to delight in his Word Saints Prayer good Duties have tongues that cannot now speak for their liyes as before but are ready to speak gracious words which before they could not and where before they were lame to any good now they are active and can finde their legs now to carry them to goodness but we are only thus freed in part we cannot do what we would as we would and oftentimes also we do also what we would not yet shall we draw vertue from God by his Spirit in the daily use of the Word Sacraments and Prayer to be more and more freed therefrom till at last we shall attain the same even perfect freedom in glory for ever 3. We are freed from the rigor
any thing better becoming us then to please God with all our might Hath he not made us and chosen us to life before the world given his Son to dye for us and save us given us his Gospel and Spirit hath prepared a Kingdom for us and will we not please him yea if a thing stand with our profit though we know it will displease him can we be content to do it O that we should offend so good a God and so merciful a Father as he hath been unto us O do we endeavor to please him whosoever be thereat displeased whatsoever we lose or whatsoever trouble we bring upon us But O the monstrous course of this world that of all things cannot abide what pleaseth God! that so live as if God had nothing to do with them as if they were neither in his debt nor danger as if they were not afraid of them or he could do them no hurt Are you not woful creatures that thus abuse God Are you not in his debt Who gave you these Bodies and Souls who fashioned them whence was it that you were not Toads Monsters mad persons and fools who hath maintained your lives who hath kept you that you have not been ere this consumed or are not now in hell Art thou not in his debt who hath let thee live under the Gospel the means of saving thee denyed to most of the world Should you not then please him Art thou not in his danger Cannot he make the earth to swallow thee the worms to eat thee up Can he not smite thee with an incurable disease in thy bowels Can he not strike thee with madness cast thee upon thy bed and there forsake thee and give thee up to a desperate minde Is he not able to send thee to Hell ere night Can he not make every joynt of thy body every tooth of thy head so to torment thee that thou shalt be weary of thy life Canst thou promise thy meat shall nourish thee or that when thou lyest down thou shalt have one wink of sleep for pain of body or vexation of minde or shalt ever rise again When there is the greatest hope of fruit cannot he in one night by a Frost destroy it all Do we not stand at his courtesie for every shower of Rain for the Bread we eat and every thing else and should we not then please him If he smile on us whose frown need we regard If he frown whose smiles can do us good Who can stand before him when he is angry He rendeth the rocks and maketh the mountains to tremble O that any through fear or to procure the favor of any or for any other by-respects should displease him For this is thank-worthy or acceptable Whence note that The actions of Gods Children done as they ought and may be done are pleasing to God howsoever they are not as the Papists from this and the like places affirm Meritorious They are pleasing to God as being done by such as are justified by Faith in Christ the weaknesses of their actions being covered in his Death and Obedience 1. This is a great comfort unto all such as can prove themselves Gods Children and strive to do their duty in the best maner they can though the same be done weakly yet being done in truth is pleasing to God then which what greater joy comfort and encouragement unto any duty can be wished 2. This may be a terror to all that cannot prove themselves justified persons they never did that thing throughout their whole lives that pleased God A carnal man can no more make a good action then a Painter or Carver can make a living man The actions of unregenerate men want a soul. Till a mans person please God which is not till he be justified through Christ his actions cannot but displease him Even the sacrifice and prayer of the wicked is abomination before him What joy can a man have when being old and full of years he cannot truly approve that ever he spake thought or did that which was good Did men believe this they would endeavor with all speed to come out of their unregenerate condition If a man for conscience towards God endure grief c. Here he shews the maner how servants must do their duty to such unconscionable Masters even for conscience towards God because God so requires the same for if servants should bear quietly with such a Master and do their duty because they know no remedy know not how to help themselves or know that though he be wondrous hasty and boisterous yet to them that can bear with him and let him alone he will be good and bountiful whoso do their duties I say for such respects please not God neither shall have any reward with him what we do for conscience towards God is pleasing to him not otherwise whoso looketh asquint at profit pleasure honor credit favor of this or that man or the like is far from pleasing God whoso doth for conscience sake may with comfort look up to God in life and in death This rebuketh the common sort which do many duties and abstain from many sins but not in a right maner for carnal and sinister respects and not for conscience towards God Such hypocrites shall have their portion with the hypocrites Q. How may we know whether we do our duties for conscience sake or not A. By these Notes 1. If we make most conscience of the greatest things first and then of less in their place and so of the greatest sins for God hates greatest sins most as in Dâ—â—id of whom it s said He walked in uprightness all his days saving in the matter of Uriah He had other faults rashness towards Nabal pride in numbring the people rashness to believe Zibah yet that against Uriah was the worst of all Greatest sins rob God most of his glory do most disgrace the Gospel make greatest wounds in our souls procure most numbness and hardness of heart and greatest outward punishment we must make conscience of all but especially of the greatest Such as seem very earnest against some small things and make no account of greater are Hypocrites like the Scribes and Pharisees which strained at a gâ—at but swallowed a Camel Such were the high Priests they made conscience of putting the thirty pieces of silver into the treasury which Judas returned to them but made no conscience of putting Christ to death They made Conscience of going to the Common-Hall least they should be defiled and made unfit for the Passover who yet made no conscience of shedding innocent blood So the Papists stands altogether upon meats days and such trifles of their own devising making no conscience of Gods great Commandments of the 2 3 4 c. So many among our selves will speak very hardly of some small blemishes in a Professor and Oh! is this agreeable to Gods Word c. who
him to kill him This is a Bailiff to arrest a Jailer to keep safe a witness to accuse a Judge to condemn an Executioner to torment c. It s of all foes the worst they accuse to men this to God one may go from them sometimes but not from this It s an evil help in adversity which like Jobs friends troubles us more then all the rest It will be a woful companion at the hour of death and day of Judgement It s like a woful contentious wife when a man hath had trouble enough abroad coming home he findes more there O their life is no life that live with a worm gnawing within Thus what joy will there be of health wealth or whatsoever else yea as we are to take heed of this so also are we of a benumbd conscience the end of both being bad the one no less dangerous then the other Thus of a bad conscience A good conscience is an excusing and comforting conscience that speaks on ones side and that for well doing Thus have the Angels in Heaven a perfect excusing conscience So had Adam in his innocency and we shall one day have in heaven Now our conscience is but so in part as all our other faculties Some corruption remains therein even in the best and therefore doth sometimes accuse or excuse when it should not but for the most part it excuseth and witnesseth comfortably on our sides this is either a good quiet or a good troubled and trembling conscience A good quiet conscience hath these two parts an heart witnessing to us 1. The pardon of our sins past in the blood of Jesus Christ for as Jonah's casting into the Sea stilled the same So believing in Christ stills the most troubled conscience if we be justified through him who shall condemn and 2. Our unfained uprightness and care to please God in all things detesting all evil and bearing true love to his Word and Saints of the former read these Scriptures Job 19. 25. Romans 8. 16. Psalm 4. 6. and 32. 1. Gal. 2. 20. Cant. 2. 16. Of the latter these Psalm 26. 2. and Isaiah 38. 3. Acts 23. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Heb. 13. 18. They that believe most assuredly the pardon of their sins and walk most stedfastly with God they have the good quiet conscience at least so far as is here to be attained This is a wonderful Jewel a continual feast This causeth joy This causeth boldness to come to the Word boldness before God boldness also towards men let men say what they will we care not if our consciences witness truly on our sides yea boldness against the Devil who will lay much to our charge sifting us to the full O thou art a damned Creature will he say No Satan yes an horrible sinner and who hast deserved Hell fire I grant Satan but Christ Jesus hath paid my debt and delivered me If thou shalt scape Hell yet thou shalt never get to Heaven will he say for none come there but such as keep the Law O Christ hath kept it for me But he hath dyed but for a few whereof thou art none yes I am He dyed for none but such as truly believed in him so dost not thou Yes I do believe and do lay hold on his gracious promises But Christ dyes for none to whom he gives not power to become new Creatures so art not thou Hereunto will a good conscience answer boldly and so put Satan to flight This differs from a bad quiet conscience that comes from ignorance of their danger as a blinde man standing before a Canon this out of knowledge of Gods Word This is quiet upon examination that because never examined This is quiet upon good grounds that upon nothing but upon bear conceits This hath joy adjoyned therewith which that hath not That leaves one in deadness this quickens the heart to every good duty This holds at all times that driven away by the terror of the Ministery of the Word or by afflictions especially it fails at death and Judgement day A good troubled and trembling conscience is when one is perswaded of Gods love and the pardon of sin through Christ but cannot hold it firm and fast and this not in the beginning of their conversion onely but after they hold it with a wavering hand so doubtful and full of fears because of their unworthiness and the greatness of the mercy so that ever anon they are to seek and ready to faint And for the other their heart witnesseth the true hatred of all sin and care to please God in all things but herein they think they do nothing as they should and that they can do no good and even when they have done duties very carefully yet are they still troubled as if they did all for fear of pain and Hell and not for the love of God or out of self-love in hope of Heaven and to save their souls And because they finde some corruptions and rebellions they think that these spoil all their duties and that they themselves are vile wretches yea though they hate them deadly yet this doth not satisfie them they hate them not so much as they should Again they are so timerous and fearful whether they may eat this or that or thus much wear such good apparel do this or that go this way or that all which notwithstanding are lawful for them but they are so afraid to offend God that they often accuse themselves c. This is a good conscience though not so setled as were to be desired and as the other is This may appear by these Notes Such would not part with the comfort they have for the world nor be utterly out of hope and are glad when they can believe best They resolve to trust in God and serve him though he would kill them They are humble and both much and servent in Prayer They hang upon the Ministery of the Word hunger after the Sacrament long for the Sabbath delight in the Saints There 's no Physitian more welcome to a sick body then a godly Minister to them in time of trouble They walk usually more strictly then they that have more comfort and are more zealous and more afraid to sin and more grieve at sin in others So that this is a good conscience no less then the former Both go to Heaven the one in sharpness the other in sweetness run the way of Gods Commandments They be like to two Travellers through a Wilderness or in a dark night one of good courage afraid of nothing the other of a fearful nature afraid of every thing both which get well through So do these the one hath experience of Gods goodness in not being troubled and tempted the other of his power in being upheld that he is not swallowed up and overcome of fear and grief O that there were many such consciences And yet it cannot be denyed but
8. 1. Gal. 3. 13. as from the first so far forth as its a punishment and piece of the curse and the nature of it is changed to believers for whom Christ hath dyed it s become a Serpent without a sting yea a blessing as being hereby freed from sin and not before Hereby the soul is let out of the prison of this body into the liberty of Gods Servants and put into the possession of life Hereby also the body is freed from all toils labors infirmities and pains waiting in the Grave for an happy and glorious resurrection In which respect death is termed a sleep an advantage to the Saints and is better in the day wherein they were born So from all forerunners hereof which are curses plagues and punishments in body minde goods and name all which Christ hath born what crosses we meet withal they are to further our Sanctification and Salvation but not punishments for sin or parts of Gods judgement as they be to the wicked 2. We are hereby made partakers of all good God is reconciled to us which is more then to have our sins and punishments quite removed yea and sheweth us the light of his countenance not as David who though he staid his wrath from Absolom at his return home to Jerusalem yet was not fully reconciled to him of two years The Creatures also are at peace with us The Angels become Servants and ministring Spirits for our good in life to direct us protect us comfort us c. and at death to carry our souls to Heaven so all other Creatures the very Devils and wicked men shall do us no hurt we have also right and title to this life we lost it in Adam but have it restored in Christ. 3. Hereby he conveyeth power into the hearts of all that believe in him to enable them to dye unto sin and to mortifie their lusts more and more This is a singular comfort to all that believe in Christ who onely partake of the benefits of his death we need not fear Hell condemnation nor any enemy of our Salvation nor any curse or punishment in this life all shall be for our good we need not fear the first death but rather have cause to desire it O the happiness of such God is at peace with them all Creatures in Heaven and Earth are their friends they have right to whatsoever they have little or much therefore may they rejoyce O happy that ever we were born what pains soever we have taken to come to the knowledge of Christ Jesus by whom we obtain such unspeakable things whatsoever the world esteemeth of believers they are the onely happy persons in the world yea we shall have power to mortifie our strongest corruptions and lusts fear it not beg it and use the means if all these be put together O how happy is a Christian who can value his riches On the contrary they that have not their part in Christs death are most miserable their sins are not removed they lye under them so under the curse of God in this world and the world to come so in danger of the first death which will rend the soul and body asunder that the soul may be cast out into Hell so also of the second O that such would labor for their part in Christ Christ came into the world Christ is now Preached and offered unto us men be in a woful case and are told of it and yet how few regard to embrace Christ how few customers hath Christ one would think that all that hear of Christ should be heartily glad of him and embrace and flye unto him but alas most men for profits pleasures or love of their vile lusts are content to let go Christ and he lies as a dead commodity and they that bring him to the world be unwelcom and so indeed few have part in Christ. The consideration hereof might make us mourn for our sins the cause of Christs death might be a corrasive to eat our sin and make it odious to us might make us serve God zealously and faithfully all our days yea to suffer for his sake and rather to dye with the Martyrs then any way to dishonor him and besides to labor to finde the vertue of Christs death working mightily in us the death of sin and sinful lusts Thus of his death But quickned by the Spirit Now of his Resurrection His body and soul that had been sundred were by the power of his Godhead reunited and he made alive so continuing with his Disciples until his ascension into Heaven Touching it consider that it was so the Reasons thereof the place maner and time with the benefits flowing from thence and the duties thereupon to be performed That Christ rose again is so plain that none needs doubt thereof The Angels that rolled away the stone the Soldiers that watched the Sepulchre Mary Magdalene and the other Mary that came to see the Sepulchre the two Disciples going to Emmaus the eleven Disciples being together c. all were witnesses hereof So his appearances were many as to Mary Magdalene then to her and that other Mary then to two Disciples going to Emmaus then to them all save Thomas then both to Thomas and the others another time to Cephas another time to seven of them at the Sea of Tiberias as at another to Five hundred Brethren at once so when he was to ascend he was taken up in the sight of all those there present all which are so many evidences of his Resurrection Reasons 1. That it might appear he had fully discharged our debt 2. Because being the Son of God and Author and Lord of life it had been unmeet nay it was impossible he should be held under of Death 3. By reason of the second part of his Priesthood which was yet to fulfil One part was to offer himself a Sacrifice Propitiatory to God for the sins of his people this he did by his death now the other is to make intercession for his Church and to apply the vertue of his death to those for whom he dyed This he could not have done if he had not risen again The maner When they had rolled a great stone to the door of the Sepulchre sealed it set Soldiers to watch yet he rose They could as well have hindered the rising of the Sun in the Firmament as his rising An Angel was sent that caused a great earthquake and rolled away the stone c. No counsel or strength can hinder the work of the Lord. Place The same where he was laid which was by Gods providence to avoid cavils in a new Sepulchre hewen out of a rock wherein never man had been laid Time It was the third day early in the morning on the first day of the week the third day as was foretold by Christ himself for he was buried the evening before the Sabbath and rose
what he calls the power of God our Apostle calls the Spirit both which are in effect one 2. Hereby cannot be meant the Fathers and godly for he speaks onely of the disobedient and Reprobate ones 3. He speaks onely of those that lived in Noah's time and no other age of the world 4. This Prison was an unhappy and miserable place and not Abrahams bosom nor the place of the Fathers 5. Even after our Saviors Resurrection when our Apostle wrote this they were then still in Prison therefore Christ had not delivered them nor fetcht them out but they that had been there were there still And where they say he went to Preach to the Reprobates this will not stand neither for he speaks here onely of the Reprobates of Noah's time and why should Christ in his soul go unto them rather then unto any other Besides to Preach to them and do them no good nor intend any is against the nature end of preaching But that there are any such places as Limbus patrum Limbus puerorum or Purgatory the Scripture gives not any inkling 1. That the Fathers went to no such place is certain but that their souls loosed by death went to Heaven Jesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for ever They had the same benefit by Christ as we after their death 2. They also believed in Christ as well as we Abraham saw my day and rejoyced They ate the same Spiritual meat and drank the same Spiritual drink and so were partakers of the same benefits of Christ. 3. Their Spirits went to God that gave them they enter into peace and so not into the Prison 4. Abrahams bosom into which Lazarus was carried by the Angels was above not beneath an happy not a miserable place Christ therefore went not to fetch them out thence there being no such place For Purgatory they say there 's such a place in the brim of Hell where the pains be almost as bad as Hell pains and the fire as hot into which are sent the souls of the godly that dye in faith and repentance but yet have not suffered the punishment of their sins in this world therefore must make up their sufferings in Purgatory for they teach that for our sins and punishments both committed before Baptism Christ suffered but for those after Baptism though Christ takes away the sins yet the punishment must be suffered by our selves and that partly in this life by penances c. and the rest by suffering in Purgatory that for every sin is due seven years of payment in Purgatory and therefore the Pope gives Pardons sometimes for fifty sometimes for an hundred years c. and therefore they say Masses for the souls of them that have been dead many 100 years and when they have suffered for all their sins paid the utmost farthing then come the souls out after they have been a while refreshed in a fair green field ful of pleasant flowers which is hard by Purgatory then they go up to Heaven notwithstanding oftentimes through the mercy of the Popes those pains are mitigated We say 1. That as they themselves do not agree about the place c. So neither is it otherwise grounded but on unwritten verities The Scriptures mention but two places whereinto the souls go immediately after death Heaven which is for the godly and Hell which is for the ungodly for the godly that they do immediately go into an happy place all the Scriptures sound with Simeon they depart in peace go not to Purgatory scorching pains Christ is to them as in life so in death advantage Having finished their course henceforth there 's laid up for them a crown of righteousness They have after the dissolution of their earthly Tabernacle a building of God an house not made with hand eternal in the Heavens Christ hath prayed for them that they may be where he is even in Heaven The thief on the right hand had as much need to have gone to Purgatory as any other yet on that day wherein he dyed he was with Christ in Paradice Blessed are they which dye in the Lord saith the Spirit for they rest from their labors After death presently comes the judgement that every man shall stick to Among all those things which God spake to Moses there 's not a word of this among all the Sacrifices that God ordained there were none appointed for souls in Purgatory and amongst all the cleansings and purifyings of all kinde of impurities of Leprosie and Issues c. there 's not a word of this What was God so unmindeful of his Church and people then Neither is there in all the new Testament any word for it 2. What a wretched thing is it to hold that our sufferings should satisfie the wrath of God and punishment of our sins when the least sin deserves eternal destruction both of soul and body And for their distinction that Christs death gives power to the pains of Purgatory to satisfie is an idle and ridiculous conceit 3. To say that Christ should satisfie for our sins and take them away but not our punishment is it not a wicked abuse of Gods justice where he forgives the sin doth he not also forgive the punishment True he chastens his servants but they are no part of satisfaction of his justice onely a means to prevent sin to come and humble for that which is past as if I had a quarrel against a man I might forgive him and yet if I see him in an Appoplexy or Swoon I may hit him a blow to fetch him again The truth is Purgatory was devised partly of a blinde and curious devotion of some Monks that thought that they that had some beginnings as they thought of goodness and so dyed it were no reason they should be damned c. who were therefore to be purged in Purgatory and so come to Heaven and that seeing most men have much sin in them even when they dye it were unreasonable they should go straight to Heaven for no unclean person shall come there and therefore they must suffer and be cleansed in Purgatory Who doth not see the absurdity of these conceits when the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth in him shal not be condemned that whosoever dyeth in the Faith all their sins and corruptions are done away and they received into Heaven But principally the Pope and his Clergy out of covetousness were chief founders hereof for hereby they did infinitely enrich themselves and every where enjoyed the very fat in the Land It was devised for the pampering of the living not the punishing or purging of the dead Through their covetousness meeting with the peoples ignorance Purgatory was hatched But what a cruelty is this of the Pope who hath power as he saith to deliver as many as he lists out of Purgatory yet will suffer so many so long to
lie there frying But he knows well what he doth if he should make it too common or let out too many then would the people care the less and say Though I go to Purgatory yet the Pope of his clemency will deliver me and so I mean to give my goods and lands to my children and not beggar my posterity by giving them for Pardons or Masses c. Thus indeed their trade would go down 1. This may stir us up to give thanks to God for his mercy in delivering us from those cousenages and revealing unto us his truth We ought to be so much the forwarder in every duty towards the worship of God the Ministers maintenance the poor c. you save it an hundred times over through the preaching of the Gospel truly It s a foul fault in people that they cannot be content thus to enjoy their goods lands and leave them to their children which they could not do but pull and rake from the Minister care not how little they allow him yea and are so miserable as they will scarce allow their part to keep the house of God upright or in decent sort neither give the poor without grudging or upon necessity It may comfort the godly There is no delaying place by the way to keep them from the joys of Heaven 3. It may teach men in any wise to look to themselves how they live for as soon as the breath is out of them they go presently to the place where they shall abide for ever as the Tree falls so it shall lie Neither went he down to Hell to preach to the Reprobates for as its absurd for one soul to preach to another so preaching is to do some good and thereby onely to do hurt is against the end thereof But say they he onely went and preached experimentally by his presence and shewed himself to them to convict them but they were already sufficiently convicted condemned and put in their place of torment if Christ should have gone thither to convict them again they were not sufficiently convicted before But if they say he went to triumph over the Reprobate there c. it may be answered That he triumphed on the Cross and shall triumph over the Reprobates mightily on the day of Judgement I proceed unto the Doctrines of the Text. By which also he went and Preached Here note 1. That when Gods faithful Ministers Preach it s the Spirit of God that preacheth in them Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost He that heareth you saith our Savior heareth me 1. Therefore Ministers must endeavor so to preach that it may appear unto all that its the Spirit of God which Preacheth in them their matter must be sound and wholly agreeable to the will of God and for the maner it must not be with enticing words of man wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power we must not seek our selves but Gods glory in the Salvation of our people Such as for their matter Preach contrary to the Word it s not the Spirit of God which Preacheth in them but the Spirit of Error and for the maner such as use a dark kinde of Preaching or curious and quaint terms or in such sort as the people cannot understand or profit do they woo for Christ or rather do they not speak for themselves Such kinde of Preaching is blasted and cursed of God and the Preachers thereof shall have their reward accordingly 2. Let people know that when they come to the Word they come not to hear such a man whosoever he be but to hear what the Spirit of God saith to them a great priviledge we must therefore prepare our selves rich accordingly with all reverence and fear as having to do with God himself laying the same to heart and endeavoring to be profited thereby in yielding obedience thereto O how many come hand over head sit sleeping at Church and are no whit moved with whatsoever is said Did we but believe that it were Gods Spirit that did Preach to us we would give better heed If we speak according to the Word in rebuking you for your sins you are not to fret and say O some body hath told him hereof or he doth this of ill will but acknowledge that its Gods Spirit which rebukes you and that God is there indeed 3. Gods people may be comforted by the promises delivered in the Word as the wicked may be terrified by the threatnings thereof They shall come to pass for that the Spirit of truth hath uttered them 2. That God will finde a time to right things when they be disordered Though the wicked may prevail for a time and iniquity abound and overflow yet will the Lord in his due time come to visit and reform all Thus did the Lord deal with this people Let the godly have patience and wait Gods leisure and for the wicked let them be never the lustier for that the Lord is patient and defers for a time for he will come to give every one his due and will come too soon for their turn In prison That is Hell the place appointed for the souls of the wicked a fearful place of Gods own preparing and whereof the Devil is the Jaylor For the wicked 1. They shall be separate and cast from God in whose presence stands happiness that as they regarded not his presence here so hereafter they shall not enjoy it 2. They shall be cast into the society of Devils and Reprobates whom they have served and whose society they have loved Yet 3. Not in their company to be with them in jollity and merriment c. as here but in torments howling and wailing c. those are both intollerable and eternal their souls are presently after death cast hereinto as both their bodies and souls which have been companions together in sin shall be on the day of Judgement And for that though many be called few be chosen and in the parable of the four kindes of seeds onely one of them was good as most of the old world perished so shall and have most of every age of the world Though Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet but a remnant shall be saved O how might this cool the wicked the proudest that live in jollity and set all others at nought Now they are lusty and swear and curse and do what they list poor woful creatures There is a prison prepared for them that will pull down the proudest of them sour sauce to their sweet meat but most live as if there were no such matter O what fools be they that for a few short profits ill gotten or onely sought after or some transitory pleasure or honor sell themselves to this woful place These count themselves wise and Gods servants fools but the contrary will be seen one day and that they themselves
God to come and yet they feared nothing Note that wicked men fear not Gods judgements Thus was it with the Sodomites with Lots sons in law with the Israelites This is indeed a token of a wicked man as being an argument of unbelief Atheism and hardness of heart and that they are mad on their sins These are sure to fall into destruction This condemns the common unbelief and impenitency of most men for though they hear Gods judgements denounced against sinners and that they hang over the pit of Hell and that he will judge Whoremongers and Adulterers c. and that no such shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and that they are thieves for every bit of bread they eat that if they come to the Sacrament without their wedding Garment they shall be bound hand and foot c. yet they fear no colours but go on like blinde Bayard People were of old afraid of Purgatory but these are not whatsoever can be said of Hell or the day of Gods dreadful judgement But they that now fear them least shall one day feel them most whereas Gods Servants which tremble and humble themselves with David Habakkuk and Josiah hiding themselves with God shall escape and they that fear them least before they come and are boldest in sin they are most stricken with horror and most cowardly when they come as Ahaz Saul Belshazzar c. Wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water Here 's the proper use and end of the Ark The preservation of Noah and his Family from drowning By souls we are to understand men and women and by being saved their temporal deliverance 1. In that the Ark preserved them and was not overturned with the raging of the waters and that Noah with his were not choaked being so long there with beasts Note That What God will have a thing to do though it seem never so weak or unlikely yet it shall be sufficient to effect it as Sampsons jaw-bone the compassing of Jericho Daniels pulse which he eat the Whales belly for Jonah Jordan to cleanse Naaman so by the foolishness of Preaching by the Ministery of a few mean men to speak of in comparison to convert the Gentiles c. If God shut up Noah in the Ark he shall be safe enough yea and how many poor live and prosper with a short and bare allowance and many of them in sickness get up with poor help and means O the happy condition of Gods Servants what means soever they have if God bless the same they shall suffice to do them good Hereof how often in time of danger when means have failed or weak means onely were to be had have we had experience 2. In that Noah with six other righteous persons besides himself were preserved Note Both the reward of righteousness though not for merit but Gods mercy and what a dignity and priviledge it is to be righteous one such is more worth then ten thousand others As they are the glory the wicked are the dross so do they finde that godliness hath the promises both of this life and that which is to come O what a provocation and encouragement ought this to be unto us to labor to approve our selves to God to be righteous in Gods sight and to walk with him Such shall be preserved from all evil of body and soul for those that be otherwise they lie open to all judgements here and to eternal destruction hereafter O that men could believe the odds between the one and the other Cham being with his Father in the Ark was preserved from the Flood but after was cursed and condemned for his sin and is in Hell Note both that Its good to be near the godly The place and they that be with them fare the better for their sake as Laban for Jacobs and Potiphar for Josephs wicked Jehoram for Jehoshaphats all in the Ship for Pauls and here Cham for Noahs and none can be saved by any other bodies goodness The soul that sinneth shall dye and every one shall be saved by his own Faith C ham perished though he had Noah to his Father who was such a good man Note further That Though the wicked both may and do often escape bodily dangers as Cham did yea live wax old and grow in wealth c. yet they shall not escape the everlasting judgement of God for their sins While they continue their sins whatsoever their prosperity be their judgement sleepeth not neither doth their damnation slumber 4. In that of those which were saved from drowning being but few yet one was not saved eternally Note That It ever hath been is and will be that a very few have been or shall be saved thus you see it was in the old world So was it under the Law when all the Nations lived without God in the world onely God was known in Jury yea though Israel was as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of those were saved How few in the wilderness but were disobedient how few under the Prophets but were idolatrous and stiff-necked In the days of Christ where was faith to be found and now not to speak of the Jews Turks and Pagans even among Christians doth not the love of most wax cold Narrow is the way to Heaven and there be few that finde it Many are called but few are chosen Gods people are a little Flock Faith and Repentance without which none can be saved be so difficult things as few attain them An Hypocrite and civil man may go far but come far short If indeed to speak two or three good words at ones death were a sign of repentance as numbers hold or Heaven were so easily come by in vain did Gods Servants humble themselves and labor to cleanse themselves in innocency I would never care for coming into Heaven if it were so easily obtained as the Arrian at Norwich about to be Executed said to one standing by Do you think Christ would forgive me if I did confess and believe in him and acknowledge him O saith the party without all doubt he would To whom the Arrian If your Christ be so easily to be entreated I 'le never believe in him But not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Faith and Repentance with the change of a man is the greatest work in the world Though we cannot judge the precise number of those which shall be saved neither yet who they are yet generally this is true That in the visible Church but a few shall be saved We must not therefore content our selves to do as most do or the rest of our Neighbors do but rather as the fewest do else we can never enter into Heaven or be saved we must crowd and strive hard and labor to be of the number of those few which shall be saved we must give all
see no filthiness therein so are there others which are so far from seeking to be purged that they wallow still in the mire of their lusts By this Sacrament also there 's an inward and Spiritual thing sealed and grace conveyed though an unbeliever seeth it not contrary to the opinion of the Katabaptists which teacheth it to be a badge onely of a Christian profession and no further yet are not the sign and the thing signified always and necessarily tyed together and so Baptism doth not save by the work wrought as the Papists would Even Reprobates may have the outward Baptism which yet doth them no good but rather is a witness against them For not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God doth save us To believers indeed both sign and thing signified go together and they may receive much comfort from their Baptism as by it make a confident demand of Salvation from God for they believing and desiring to obey God there was sealed up in their Baptism the pardon of their sins and sanctification both which they may confidently challenge at Gods hand and therewith eternal life This Sacrament also is our badge and livery of God and of our holy profession whereby we differ from Pagans Turks Jews c. This is also an instruction to us to lead a holy life as we did profess and promise when we were Baptized This is an help to keep us from sin for the time to come being provoked thereto we may answer that we cannot in respect of our Baptism yea this also is useful to raise us up to repentance after we be fallen and as no doubt it did Noah good every time he saw the Ark so seeing Baptism saveth us that is is a sign to us of our Salvation we should often meditate thereof and be glad to be put in minde of the same For those which are to Baptize they must be lawfully called hereunto and for those which are to be baptized they are not all men but they that be within the pale of the Church neither are beasts or dead things to be Baptized The Popish Baptizing of Bells is an horrible prophanation of this Sacrament Baptism is a sign of Regeneration neither doth it profit without Faith therefore none may have it but they which be capable of Regeneration and Faith but of these particulars as also of the Baptism of Infants the time of Baptism who are to be present thereat who to present the childe to Baptism the witnesses the name the form and maner whether Baptism be of absolute necessity to Salvation whether Johns Baptism and Christs were all one or diverse with divers the like I have largely spoken by way of Catechizing By the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here he sheweth that we are not to rest in one Baptism to finde Salvation in it but to look to the death and resurrection of Christ whereby our Salvation is purchased and procured though it be sealed up by Baptism He puts one for both his Resurrection being the accomplishment of our Salvation and Testification thereof containing his death under it Verse 22. Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him HEre follows another Reason to comfort Christians in suffering for Christs sake namely that he for whom they suffer and who is their head is advanced into most high dignity being ascended into Heaven and there at the right hand of God c. that is hath all power in Heaven and Earth committed to him in his Church all Angels Principalities and Powers both good and bad being made subject to him who therefore can make the good to serve our turn and can repress the bad much more can he repress the violence and rage of men that persecute his people Touching the Ascension of Christ I have shewed you what it was namely that our Savior having sufficiently manifested the truth of his resurrection and confirmed his Disciples by the power of his Godhead and partly by the supernatural property of a glorified body he left the Earth and was taken up into the highest Heaven and there is and so shall continue till his coming to judgement 1. That he did ascend the Scriptures declare unto us He himself foretold it first more darkly afterward more clearly then most clearly when it was at hand Neither was it without cause partly because as his Manhood had suffered the lowest abasement so it might be advanced into the highest glory and partly that he might also perform such things as were to be performed for the good of his Church namely the Application of his death and merits to those for whom he suffered and the sending of the holy Ghost c. 2. The persons before whom be did ascend were not the Scribes Pharisees and Jews but his Disciples those had seen enough already but not profiting thereby they were left to themselves these were to Preach his ascension to all God having ordained men rather by hearing then seeing should be saved 3. The time not till he had sufficiently proved his resurrection Gods goodness appearing herein that would have all main points so clear that they that will not stop their own eyes and ears might believe Neither did he ascend till he had comforted his Disciples against all the troubles they were to meet with and instructed them in the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God hereby teaching that all which have charge of others must be careful to do all the good they possibly can to them that be under their charge while they be with them and after to provide to leave them in as good state as possibly they can Thus should Magistrates with Moses who trained up Joshua to succeed him Thus should Ministers with the Apostles Paul and Peter Thus also should Housholders Parents Masters do that when they themselves shall dye others may succeed them which may do as much if not more service in the Church of God then they did But who do thus employ their talents for the good of souls O what a fearful answer have most to make 4. The place from whence he did ascend Bethany or the Mount of Olives both which were close together that which was often the place of his mourning and most sorrow was now the place of his greatest comfort Even there where Steven had such mighty adversaries he had a most clear sight of Heaven open and of Christ standing at the right hand of God Even on the bed of sickness in Prison in strange countreys c. where Gods people have powred forth most supplications and groans God hath revealed himself to them more plentifully and clearly then at any time 5. The benefits are 1. To lead captivity captive 2. To give gifts to men 3. To prepare a place for us 4.
we be aware as David Judah 2. Seeing this is a part of Gods Counsel and he that bids we should not steal should keep the Sabbath c. bids us watch let us know it s not safe for us to neglect it when God hath made known the same to us Is it not pity that such a blessed mean to further us so sweetly to heaven through this world should be so little known and so few have help by it O if we would once enter upon it it would save us from many dangers it would make our life fruitful it would bring us so much unwonted peace as we would be so far from being weary of it that we would be grieved that we have been strangers from it so long and came to the acquaintance and use of it no sooner O let us grieve and crave pardon for neglecting such a necessary and profitable duty so long and for the time to come be careful to redeem the season Unto prayer We must adde prayer to watchfulness else what if we spy temptations coming and setting upon us of our selves we have no power to resist the least of them We must therefore upon every occasion have recourse unto God by prayer as Watchmen if there come enemies in the time of War that be too strong for them they raise the City for help and in our ordinary watches if naughty wretches come and set upon the watch and be like to beat them down they cry out for help and so subdue them so must we Temptations at some times come so strong as that we cannot deal with them and therefore must cry to God for help O that we could be much exercised in this duty of prayer It keeps us in sobriety helps our watchfulness turns away evils furthers us in good is the onely mean to supply our wants whether for soul or body O what a priviledge is this O the force and fruit of prayer They that be much in Prayer obtain much grace and peace here and shall finde a large entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter Vers. 8. And above all things have fervent charity among your selves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins THe Apostle proceedeth to other duties for Christianity is a Tree that hath many branches and a true godly man must have respect to all As a Tradesman must have a care of every part of his Trade and every point thereof though haply he may be more expert in some particulars then in others Above all things Not above the duties of the first Table for that is the first and great Commandment but above all duties of the second Table have a care of love which is a main and most necessary duty without which there 's no society or living have a care of it as of a mother-duty from whence others will arise as upon the wanting thereof they also will be wanting or thus Above all things that is Of all the loves that we owe have a care of the main namely Love to the Saints for though we must love Strangers Wicked men our Enemies c. yet must we must love the Saints above all Here we have 1. An Exhortation to love 2. The maner of it 3. A Reason to enforce the same The Exhortation affords us this note that Love is a most excellent and necessary duty Hereof I have spoken at large on the 22 Verse of the first Chapter where was shewed both what love is the high commendation thereof by its several properties with the means whereby to attain the same c. Fervent The maner or kinde of love required a large continued stretched-out constant love As a cloth folded up is in a little room but when it comes to be cut is stretched out into many mens uses so our love must be stretched out to many persons to many duties as in giving and doing good to body soul goods good-name and that not sparingly but liberally so in forgiving both much and often neither must this be onely when we can well do it or when we have nothing else to do but when it s against our profit pleasure ease c. so as we neglect not our selves too much and thereby more pleasure may be done our neighbors then hinderance come to us Reasons hereof may be these 1. Gods love towards us is fervent and reacheth out into innumerable favors for our bodies souls goods good-name c. and that continually forgiving also our daily offences and bestowing his own Son on us 2. A little love will be easily quenched and hindred by the Devil and his instruments whereunto our brittle nature most readily yieldeth This is not such a love as that whereby the fornicator loves his harlot one enemy to goodness loves another This is not grounded upon any transitory thing or common gifts but is for grace We love thus not for any by-respects but because God requireth of us so to love this is agreeable to the Word of God and therein we must principally aym at the good of our neighbors souls to perswade ones friend to that for preferment which he cannot do with a good conscience or being sick to perswade him to send for a Cunning-man or woman or to disswade him from suffering for a good conscience c. is rather hatred then love Had our Savior followed Peters advice and not gone up to Jerusalem for to suffer we had all perished eternally But of this before For charity shall cover the multitude of sins The Reason There will be through our corruption and frailty of nature many offences one against another therefore must we labor for love to cover them The Papists interpret the words thus That our love to our neighbors will merit at Gods hand forgiveness of our sins but we are justified before God by Faith in Christ Jesus before we can do any good work neither can we love God or our neighbor for his sake till we be assured of his love to us in pardoning our sins True the more we love our brethren the more we may be assured of Gods mercy to us and that we be pardoned and that he will still shew us mercy but not by desert That opposition Prov. 10. 12. Hatred stirreth up strifes but love covereth all sins sheweth plainly that this is not the meaning Faults that love covers be of two sorts namely sins against God and wrongs against our selves Against God whether they be natural infirmities or others so they be not notorious acts or continued wicked courses of bad men as love will not be suspitious but hope the best till it know an evil committed and interpret things charitably so those that be faults yet love will not blaze them abroad but keeps them in and admonisheth the party it utters them not where they be not known to his disgrace and so uncovers his shame and rejoyceth therein as Cham. Against our selves for
will but either will live in all their sins or onely yid in what they list and so trample the precious blood of Christ undeâ—â—eir feet and despise the gracious offer of mercy One would think thâ—very man hearing such a gracious voice and offer of a Savior shâ—ld flie to it and that it should suffer violence every one saying O â—me embrace it let me as they did at the Pool of Bethesdai O â—t at the stirring of the water some might step in There might bâ—ne at once but here if an hundred would they should all be closed 2. O then me your benefit of the Gospel by yielding obedience thereto Belie and repent and then happy are ye that ever ye heard else you shall câ—t the time that ever you heard the Gospel O ungrateful world unhappy company It will vex them and encrease their torment â—ee that mercy was offered so often and yet they like woful caytiffs despise the same to obey the Gospel is the note of a good christian let appear by thy hearty obedience thereto that thou art such a one Verse 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear HE proceeds still in the foregoing reason taken from the comparison between the good and the wicked whereof the former though they have many troubles and afflictions yet they shall in the end be eternally blessed and saved in Heaven though with some difficulty the latter though they flourish and prosper for a while and many of them persecute the former yet they shall end their life with misery that cannot be expressed and have a fearful appearance before God on the last day If the righteous Servants of God get hardly to Heaven the wicked how glorious soever in this world shall never be able to appear in Judgement before God but in a most fearful maner which is not set down by a bare affirmation but by way of interogation for the greater force where there is comfort for Gods Children notwithstanding their troubles and the wickeds prosperity they shall be saved and terror for the wicked notwithstanding all their present jollity their end shall be fearful Speak we first of the position The righteous are scarcely saved then of the comparison if it be so where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear If the righteous Hereby we are to understand not such as be perfectly righteous in themselves and without sin for if there be any such as there is none they should not scarcely and with difficulty be saved but according to that do this and live easily and without stop Even the most perfect have not been without their own failings there was impatience in Job infidelity in Zachary c. not meant the righteous in their own conceits for these shall never be saved as for whom Christ came not nor such as having attained some common gifts as of knowledge to profess to reform some things c. seem to themselves and others righteous but yet are not so truly but as the seed sown on the stony ground and the house built on the sand but such as be truly righteous though not perfectly yet in some respect perfectly to namely 1. By the righteousness of Christ Jesus imputed unto them by Faith They that have their sins pardoned in his death and his righteousness imputed to them are truly righteous yea and perfectly too as ever they shall be in heaven 2. By inherent righteousness wrought in the hearts of Gods Children and Believers by the Spirit of Sanctification whereby they be sanctified throughout though not perfectly yet those God vouchsafeth to call righteous though they be but so in part and have remnants of corruption abiding in them yet they are so called from the better part as an heap of corn that lies on the floor though there be chaff in it and that much 3. For that they endeavor and daily labor after more righteousness as one is called a Schollar or by the name of the trade he is entred into though happily he can do but a little onely endeavors for skill and knowledge therein Of which elswhere 1. This setteth out the exceeding goodness and mercy of God that vouchsafeth thus to come and call such poor and sinful creatures as we be pestred with such a deal of blindeness and so manifest corruptions yet seeing he seeth an heart in us to hate them and suppress them he will not reckon of us after them and though we have but a little grace yet because it is true and of his own working that we have and that we would fain have more he accounts of us according to that we would be and not that we are 2. This is an exceeding comfort to Gods true Servants can we believe Christs righteousness imputed to us and feel we an universal and true change in us then may we rejoyce God calls us by glorious names Saints Holy ones Righteous let us not then be dismaid at our imperfections or corruptions which we labor to mortifie le ts not say with some because of them we are none of the Lords we have such sinful hearts c. Neither let us suffer the Devil to pluck our Crown from us or rob us of our comfort making us believe that we be none of the Lords as some few be thus in danger especially at first though many Christians make too light of their sins as long as God speaks so graciously let us not believe what Satan our adversary saith onely let us care to grow more and more in grace 3. This rebuketh those wretched mockers that reproach the Servants of God that labor to please God and dare not do as they O you be of the righteous you be so righteous c. Is not this right like Ishmaels mocking of Isaac O you be the Son of the promise you are the dainty one c. Such shall be shut out with Ishmael unless by repentance they prevent it Why say you thus because you think it to good a name for them Is thine eye evil because Gods is good what hast thou to do seeing God calls them so or is it because thou wouldst not have them so Yes but if thou beest not also so thou shalt never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Scarcely be saved Hereby is not meant rarely or that but a few righteous ones shall be saved For whosoever believeth shall be saved and to every one that doth good shall be glory and honor and immortality and There is no condemnation to them or any of them that are in Christ Jesus Nor is it meant that there will be difficulty at the day of Judgement whether they should pass or no have or miss Salvation no for God knoweth who be his and their names be all written in the Book of Life and if they were righteous here and had the Spirit the seal of their Redemption and earnest of their Inheritance as they
pass to it at death so shall they have no stop at the day of judgement Among earthly Judges when a cause hath gone current on a mans side a great while yet at last either by corruption of Jury or Judge or by some evidence come to light not seen before all may be dasht and turn'd the other way It shall not be so at Gods judgement seat there will be question made of the damnation of some but no question made of the salvation of any of the godly But the difficulty is in this life it s an hard thing for a man to get to heaven called therefore a Straight gate and Narrow way a hard thing to come to be a Christian a converted person and an hard thing to continue therein and grow forward God hath much ado to bring us to grace and then much ado to hold us therein as he had a great deal ado to get his people out of Egypt and into Canaan sometimes themselves by murmuring lingering c. and sometimes others as Pharaoh the Red-sea c. proving hinderances thereto so hath he to get one of us out of the bondage of the Devil out of the Egypt of sin The Devil holds the world hinders yea our own wretched nature is not willing to come out What a stir hath he how many Sermons Threatnings Promises secret gripes of Conscience Warnings of the Spirit purposes to come out and yet keep in still ere we will yield yea how is God fain almost to pull us out by some crosses or sharp afflictions as the Angels pulled Lot out of Sodom how hardly are we throughly humbled for our sins when cast down how hardly comforted when we have got it how hardly do we keep it what a stir with our hearts to leave our old courses and take new and when we have begun yet what ado to hold out what revolting and backsliding hearts have we ready to wax cold and to linger after our old lusts so hard it is to do any good duty well The Devil like Pharaoh pursueth us and labors by all means possible to hinder us from all good altogether or from the right performance of it so also to draw us to all evil Then the world like Pharaohs Soldiers labors to hinder us by their ill example by ill counsel by vails of profits and pleasures and if these not by reproaches and troubles that it will raise up Our own Nature is worst of all as having a lingering after our old sins as the Israelites after the fleshy pots of Egypt sometimes we think like them we shall never hold out there be such lets in the way high walls and Anakims c. so that we get forward hardly as a man that were to go up a steep hill and had three great weights hung at his back so that we have such continual need of the Word Sacraments Prayer Meditation Conference Watchfulness that unless hereby we wax cold and grow out of order nay notwithstanding all these yet what ado to keep our hearts and lives in order and our selves within compass but we slip and stumble and grieve and up again and down again yea if the Lord to all these means should not adde some one or other affliction it would be yet more hard The Lord is fain to pull us with that strong cord also and this is chiefly meant here they are scarcely saved even because they are forced to be brought through many troubles so that as a man that is to climb such a steep hill as he cannot fasten his feet but is fain to get Daggers in his hands and sticking them into the ground c. may be said hardly to get up and as when two Armies fight for a Town one while one part prevails another while the other at last the better side prevails but notwithout much pains many wounds shrewd blows and continual labor we may say They got the Town hardly the like may be said in this particular Who knoweth not the truth hereof in his own experience how hardly canst thou be humbled how hardly drawn to renounce thy lusts how art thou fain to wrestle before thou canst do any good what continual need hast thou of prayer good company c. yea who knowing any thing seeth not he hath need of his crosses and that it was good for him that he was afflicted 1. This crosseth the most gross and yet most common conceit of the world that its an easie matter to be saved that there 's no need of such preciseness but that if men mean well God will be content and though one have lived badly yet at what time soever they repent for which a quarter of an hour is enough it shall be well with them and hence it is that the Word and our Preaching is of such small account and that so few take any pains to be saved but take pains for the belly and back and to grow rich c. Ignorant persons look not out but content themselves with a blinde good meaning without any part of a good life so prophane persons so worldlings so civil ones Though the Scripture requires us to labor strive give all diligence study seek yet will not they take any pains nay not onely so but they laugh and gibe at them that labor herein as fools or idle persons What art thou woful wretch that darest cross the Lord so directly He saith It s a strait way and few finde it and to this end bids Strive Thou sayest it s no such matter If it were as thou dotest Christ might not onely have spared those speeches but indeed the whole Scriptures for what use of any but to bid people live as they list and at last cry God mercy and all is well No God must make new Scriptures and chalk a new way to Heaven ere ever thou shalt finde that thou lookest for But what art thou that neither wiltst take pains to save thine own soul nor canst be content that others should Dost thou think that they be idle persons that take pains to hear the word O they could follow the world and that too hard but that they know one thing is needful Could they not sit at home in their chairs or keep their beds as well as rise and toil c. but that they know that they cannot so get Heaven but that they have need to use all means and that little enough though thou seest no such thing Indeed to lead a careless life to do good if it come in the way and if ill come in the way to be as fit for that c. a few Sermons and little hearing may serve for such a life but this is not the way to get Heaven If ever thou wouldst be saved thou must change thy minde and practice and believe the Scriptures that its a strait way and accordingly bend thy self to begin to take pains to see and confess thy sins to labor for faith to turn
altered by that we are This is the end of all See Jonah 3. 5 6 c. Acts 2. 37. 1 Cor. 14. 25. Therefore they should as pray earnestly before that the Word may be made of force and efficacy so afterwards must their mindes run on the things delivered and their Prayers in their Families by themselves relish of the same But what neglect is there this way How few pray before and how many after they have heard suffer worldly business or pleasures to put out the same Oh! there is no such care that this precious seed should take root and fructifie we complain of our bad crops but not of this yet here there 's not onely a loss if it do not take root but it turns hurt by to every Sermon a step â—igher Heaven or Hell What Crop can we shew to God of all the Sermons we have heard we crave Gods blessing upon our bodily food how much more ought we on this Spiritual The God of all grace He is so called of the effect because he is the Author and Giver of all grace he is the Author of all that may be called good which may be divided into gifts and graces in this world gifts of all kindes as of body minde c. In him we live he makes the Sun shine on us c. also gifts of health strength beauty so of the minde as natural vertues also gifts to rule Kingdoms as to Saul so of Trades Arts Sciences nay of gifts yet higher then those knowledge understanding of the Scripture Prophesie Prayer yea extraordinary too as of miracles So is he also of graces which are such as accompany Salvation and he bestoweth onely on his Elect as saving knowledge faith peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost repentance love meekness patience c. Hence it is that sometimes he is termed the God of hope sometimes the God of peace sometimes the God of all comfort so here the God of all grace He gives every good gift and grace and not that onely but every measure of every grace the beginning continuing and finishing grace Whatsoever grace is in Saint or Angel is the gift of God either by Creation as to the Angels and Adam or sin by restitution What grace is in any man alive of what kinde or measure soever is onely of God for we are so far from having any of our selves that we have nothing but the quite contrary even Opposition and Rebellion none else ever did or can give grace The best Parents cannot convey grace into their Children by generation nor can the best Minister into any by preaching or counsel God alone is the giver hereof 1. Every one that hath grace in what measure soever must be humble and thankful acknowledging the same to be onely from God and giving him the praise thereof O be exceeding thankful for it that he hath given it to thee denying it to most and to thee as unfit to receive grace as the worst in the world and who didst no better deserve it then they that shall never have it and especially be thankful for it for the worth thereof one dram of grace is of more worth then the whole world it s the quintescence of Gods favor and like Pearls of great value in a little room A true humble heart in the sight of thy misery a little true faith in Christ and Sanctification with an hatred of all sin and care to please God in all things is worth a Kings Ransom and an honest upright heart careful to be be ruled by that it knows is better then all knowledge without this 2. Every one that is without it must endeavor for it Whether goeth a woman with her pot or pail for water but to the Fountain so must thou have recourse unto God there is grace enough in him and he hath it to bestow and it s his honor so to do But how shall we come by it the Well is deep God hath opened the Fountain of his grace in Christ Jesus and conveys grace by the Conduits of the Word Sacraments Prayer c. so that it s not lockt up in Heaven wouldest thou therefore have thine heart humbled and broken God can do the same come to him wait on him in his word for it would'st thou believe thy sins are pardoned through Christ would'st thou be changed and have thy heart altered to hate every sin to love whatsoever is good would'st thou have grace against thy strongest corruptions that thou could'st never master and do duties to thy thinking impossible as to love thine Enemies abide persecution for the Truth c come to him in the same word and by prayer he can do these things for thee Why then is the world so graceless seeing there is abundance in God It s because men see not their emptiness of grace and know not the worth thereof They desire Health Wealth Honor Pleasure true grace they regard not prize not O that men did see themselves woful naked Creatures without grace They would not then content themselves with any shadow of grace hearing profession a little restraint some few gifts c. but labor indeed for grace 3. The Servants of God that have obtained some measure of grace already should be provoked still to wait upon God for increase for he gives all grace the last as well as the first and the middle According therefore to our proceeding let us beg fitting grace of God Why are there all kindes and measures of grace in God and we have so little we beg not earnestly we open not our mouth wide that God might fill it we have not hunger-bitten hearts we prize not grace Who hath called us Another Reason to perswade himself and them that they should obtain this request of being confirmed to the end even because God had already begun with them and called them that is had pulled them out of the state of ignorance unbelief impenitency into the state of grace knowledge repentance c. Whom God means to save he calls them out of their sinful state to grace There 's an outward calling and there 's an inward calling This last through the operation of the Spirit going along with the outward means is made effectual as to Lydia This stands in three things enlightning the understanding to conceive opening the heart to believe and changing the whole man from that it was before not onely he calls them but awakens them not onely invites them to come but gives them an heart to come of this you may read Rom. 8. 30. 1 Pet. 1. 15. This is proper to Gods children and is the work of God none else can do it without this there 's no Salvation as those that have this shall be certainly saved this being a mark of their Election past 2 Pet 1. 10. and of their glory to come Rom. 8. 30. Let every man examine himself whether he be
Apostles and Teachers the Devils disciples which pen Books stuffed with Errors either under the Names of the Apostles that so they may the sooner beguile and get credit to their Lyes or else without Names lest being found out by their Names they should suffer and be brought to punishment for their Errors or their infamous Names being seen in the forefront of their Book should cause any judicious and honest Reader with indignation to cast it away The Apostle I say contrariwise having the sound and holy Oracles of God from Heaven to deliver unto them puts to his Name There are many worthy Works I confess which have no Names put to them those especially which were written in the times of Persecution whereof the Authors howsoever desirous to spread the Truth of God hated and persecuted hereby notwithstanding shunned the hands of cruel tyrants This is not for any fault in the matter but only avoiding danger in speaking of the truth This is no disgrace to them but to their times and their enemies for men need not cast themselves into peril till God call them This condemns the vile practice of the wicked which hide themselves in the dark and in corners lewdness not abiding the light We must do nothing but that we dare put our hands to it and our Names We must do as the Angel did that rolled away the stone and sate upon it when he had done as if he should have said Let me see who will control that which I have done We must do so as we may bid our Adversary write a Book against us for any gross or unlawful thing we have done and stand in Alas what a folly is this you flee mens eyes but can you flee the eyes of the Almighty And if you cannot abide mens censure how shall you be able to stand before the Judgement seat of Almighty God who is a consuming fire An Apostle of Jesus Christ The word is general and signifieth one sent but here as elswhere often it is taken specially for one and the principal sort of Ministers differing from all others in these particulars 1. They were immediately called by Christ own mouth and sent abroad Many were called by him for Disciples and out of those he chose his Twelve Apostles 2. They had a larger measure of the Spirit then others so that they could not erre in their writings 3. They had also a larger Commission Go ye saith our Savior and Teach all Nations They were to preach to all the world but this Calling is ceased This notwithstanding it hath communion with all other sorts of Ministers that they were called and sent No man saith the Apostle takes this honor to him but he that is called of God as was Aaron and so were also the Prophets There are two things required in a Minister 1. That he be lawfully called and 2. That being in he discharge his duty faithfully Touching a Ministers Calling it must be both inward and outward 1. He must have an inward Calling from God which appears 1. By an aptness and competency of Gifts to teach and edifie the Church of God 2. By a willing minde to employ the same seeking not his own advantage and ease but the glory of God This makes the Minister As when God calls a King he gives him the heart of a King So if he appoint a man to be a father of Souls he fits him for it 2. He must have an outward Calling from the Church and those that are in place to alow and disalow Ministers whose approbation they must have which is not to make them but to approve of them for their further comfort that they may more boldly go forward The Brownists call us Bishops-Ministers because they call us to this Office but they do but alow and approve whom God hath made Both must necessarily concur the one go along with the other He that wants the inward though he have the outward is not a true Minister of God yet his actions are not to be esteemed nullities and void and he that in ordinary times having the inward wants the outward goes not to work humbly as he ought Well did Peter declare himself an Apostle one sent from God a Messenger who was to deal faithfully in his Message For he publisheth not here his own Inventions Poets Fables Heathen Stories Philosophers Conceits or mens Devices and Opinions but the holy Oracles of God from Heaven So must every Minister of God speak as the words of God What is the Chaff to the Wheat either ones Opinion to establish anothers Conscience But why doth he call himself by this great Name of his Office and put this high stile before his Epistle Not for vain ostentation or for his own sake but for the peoples good even to procure with them the more authority to that which he was to write for who should dare to refuse that which comes from the Lord Jesus the eternal Son of God the Light of the world the Savior and Judge thereof Nay who should not with all high reverence submit himself thereunto So did the Prophets begin The word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord whereby they set their peoples faith on work to look to God and not to men Hence let the Ministers of God learn to procure what credit and authority to their Ministery they can signifying often that it is Gods will thereby drawing their peoples mindes upward from the instrument They must deliver such soundness of Doctrine as may be food it self not froth which accordingly they must deliver in a grave and religious maner adding thereunto as Prayer so also a godly life and all little enough considering the prophaneness of our hearts that so little regard what we hear yea hear without preparation or reverence being of us no sooner gone then forgotten But how dares he call himself an Apostle that had deserved by his most shameful threefold denial of his Master to be utterly discarded of his Office and utterly cast away for ever By the grace of God he doth this by Faith apprehending the mercy of God towards him and he doth it to publish his grace and favor who had upon his true Humiliation and Repentance not only forgiven his sin and received him to mercy but restored him to his Office again Go your way said the Angel unto the Women tell his Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee And afterward our Savior by a threefold Commission restored him to his Office from which by his threefold Denial he had shut himself Hence note That Repentance will wipe away our sins and make them as if they had never been Joel 2. 12 13 14. Mic. 7. 18 19. 1 Joh. 1. 9. which 1. Shews Gods unspeakable mercy towards penitent Sinners 2. Is a matter of endless comfort to us which through our corruption fail and sin daily
As verily as we be unfeignedly humbled with desire of forgiveness and not to sin so verily may we believe our selves pardoned for which accordingly we are enjoyned daily to pray yea if we have been overtaken more foully for want of watchfulness yet let us not despair as Cain or run from God as Judas which is worst of all but address our selves to come with a heavy and bleeding heart to God with whom there is mercy David having confessed his sin Nathan said unto him The Lord also hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye Unto every penitent soul his Son will be a propitiation for their sins As the prodigal was embraced of his father so will our heavenly father receive us if we return unto him 3. May be a most effectual means to humble such as have run on in their sins without humiliation that at the length they may take this course Return ye backsliding Children saith the Lord and I will heal your backslidings See to this purpose Hos. 14. 1 2. Oh but I have been thus and thus bad will some say No matter what thou hast been so now thou with thy whole heart turnest to God and neither art now nor hereafter intendest to be as heretofore Time past shall not be remembred Oh but I have committed many great sins It 's not that shall stand between God and thee if thou be truly humbled Gods mercy and the merit of Christ is as well able to take away and heal great as small offences Though our Iniquities be encreased over our heads and our Trespass grown up unto the Heavens yet if with Ezra we be truly humbled there 's assured hope of pardon To the Strangers c. Though haply there might be some Gentiles amongst these yet it is more probable that they were most Jews which were principally his charge as the Gentiles the Apostle Pauls They are called Strangers not as all Christians be while they be here on Earth absent from their heavenly Countrey and Inheritance for so are we Strangers in our own Countrey Towns and Houses but Strangers as being in a strange Countery forced by persecution to leave their own and fly into another which might be either through the Wars and Troubles which were raised in their own Countrey or by the persecution raised in Jerusalem about the death of Steven Here see 1. That sundry of the Jews received our Saviour Christ and believed in him and were soundly converted though the body of them did not for he came unto his own and his own received him not those made a good progress in the course of Christianity who were contented even with the loss of their liberties to undergo such dangers as might befall them in a strange Land onely that they might keep faith and a good conscience 2. The estate of the Church of God here on Earth namely to be under persecution In the world saith our Saviour ye shall have tribulation Always there hath been enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent Thus was it when the Church was but in one Family in one Countrey one Nation The world having Power Authority Wealth is full of malice against the poor Church so that were it not that God Almighty defends it it could not endure It 's as a Sheep amongst wolves or a Ship among the waves Though God will exercise it to keep it from errors and corruptions which it is subject unto through much prosperity and peace though it have need of some peace to gather it self yet if 't be long in peace it gathers mud as standing waters rust as the ploughshare in the hedge yea settles it self on the lees therefore God pours it out from Vessel to Vessel Ever mark after long prosperity grew pride and thereupon errors and corruptions which like a canker brought destruction Contrarily the Church never shines so gloriously as either in or presently after persecution Then life zeal sincerity heavenly-mindedness and such like graces appear in their true lustre It followeth 1. That as we are not to conclude for a company because they have so much peace that therefore they are beloved of God so must not we against any because they be few in number and outwardly despised and slighted Four hundred false Prophets were maintained by Jezabel whereas Micaiah the onely true Prophet of the Lord was put in Prison Jeremiah and Baruch were the true servants of the Lord whom whole multitudes of proud men and false Prophets resisted 2. That we are to prepare our selves for persecution especially having had so long a time of peace To this end we must resolve to part with all for Christs sake and for his Cause and Religion Thus did these Jews thus the holy Martyrs and great reason For what would it advantage us if we should gain the whole world in the mean time losing our souls by denying Christ. On the contrary If we forsake any thing for Christ here we shall have a Crown of everlasting glory Great is our reward in Heaven But how far are most of us from any such matter many are destitute of knowledge and how can they suffer Many have no love to the truth but are carnal and prophane persons which never could yet be wrought upon by the word to embrace it or be ruled by it that will not leave their vile lusts for it and how shall these leave their goods and liberties Nay that which is most to be lamented how few professors be like to stand to it many are more likely a great deal to flinch Alas what poor faith is in most especially how are most given over to the world being too eager and earnest for these things neglecting good duties and slubbering them over for the worlds sake How wil these forsake it altogether and leave Houses and Lands when they will not lay aside their businesses for an hour or two to hear the word or a quarter of an hour for prayer in their Families O let 's therefore labor as for good store of Faith so to come to a contempt of this world In the mean time use we it moderately and in his place denying our selves by little and little else we shall never come to it all at once but for our livings sake shall be subject to fall from God and renounce our Religion a fearful state 3. The lawfulness of flying in time of persecution The Jews here did it to save themselves from danger It 's lawful for a Minister or any other tyed by calling either when persecution is onely or chiefly intended against him or having consent for a time to go aside seeing it to be best for the rest It 's lawful for any either when God makes a way for them that seems to call them thereto whereunto if they should not yield we are to think they