glorious before God and man that be endued therewith it makes them shine more gloriously then the Sun And this the Apostle opposeth to the ignominies and reproaches wherewith the world doth besmear them It s as if he should say Though the world reproach you as vile yet know that you are glorious in Gods account because of his Spirit that dwells in you 1. Therefore be not dismaid though the world stain us and accounts us vile yet are we glorious to God 2. We must esteem of the Servants of God in whom we see the Spirit of God as of glorious persons yea though the world disgrace them and count them as off-scourings and not worthy to live we must count them as Gods worthies and Warriers as his principal Servants we must count them such as the world is not worthy of They that esteem basely of them do not consider that Gods Spirit is in them and resteth on them Contrarily they that have not the Spirit of God in them are base and vile let the world make what reckoning of them it will 4. That there 's no small difference between the common gifts of the Spirit that the Reprobates have and the Spirit of Sanctification which is bestowed on Gods Elect those may be lost this cannot it resteth on them yea abideth and continueth with them On their part he is ill spoken of Here note that They that rail upon and revile the Servants of God for their well-doing they speak ill of the Spirit of God they think they have but to do with the men and them they will be bold with to speak their pleasure of but they deceive themselves in speaking ill of Gods Servants they speak ill of the Spirit of God as the Israelites when they murmured against Moses and Aaron murmured against God He that despiseth you saith our Savior despiseth me Therefore when TURKS and JEWS mock and reproach us for believing in CHRIST they reproach both the Word that so teacheth us and the Spirit that thus guideth us and assureth our hearts herein as he that reproacheth a Servant for doing that his Master commands or a Schollar for speaking as he is taught reproacheth the Master and Teacher So when the Papists call the Doctrine which we preach and profess Heresie and us Heretiques do they not reproach the Word that so teacheth and the Spirit that so assureth us So they among our selves that rail on men for their zeal and forwardness in hearing the Word keeping the Sabbath shunning some sins and corruptions that the world swallow up c. What do these but reproach Gods Spirit We do not these things of our selves but by the warrant of the Spirit Take heed therefore that that be evil which thou speakest against else whilest thou reproachest goodness in thy Servant Childe Neighbor Tenant c. thou art a caviller against God The common sort that cannot abide the true obedience of Gods Commandments nor that any should be more precise then they list to be despise the Word and Spirit they be like Ahab to Micaiah Wouldst thou have God to make new Scriptures more loose to serve thy turn or to be like thy self No know these Scriptures shall stand firm as to the comfort and salvation of all that are willing to be guided thereby so to the confusion of all that kick against the same or hate to be reformed If therefore you list not to be ruled by the Word and Spirit yet speak not against the same for so you shall encrease your sin and make your judgement greater which howsoever will be great enough If you will not walk in obedience to Gods Laws yet suffer others that would On your part he is glorified Another Reason to move us to joyfulness in persecution Thereby we glorifie God we honor the Spirit when undaunted we stand constantly against all our enemies Hereby we shew that the Spirit of God is of puissance and force to make the weak strong We glorifie him also when we so love him as we will suffer for his sake so we give glory to him when we trust him of his word who hath promised eternal life to them that hold out so when we obey him and do that willingly he calls us to so many praise God for our constancy whereby they be strengthened and God is honored that they cannot prevail against us but though they take away our lives yet they cannot make us yield to them We should therefore willingly and joyfully suffer that so we may glorifie God we may think our selves happy if by any means whether in life or death we may effect this Verse 15. But let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busie body in other mens matters Verse 16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalf LEst any should think that he commended suffering in respect of it self so that all suffering should be blessed and were to be rejoyced in he tells us That there 's another kinde of suffering then that he hath been speaking of which is not to be rejoyced in namely when men suffer reproach and punishment or whatsoever else for evil doing for their just deserts Those sufferings are base and shameful whereof Christians must beware but for the sufferings which are for Christ for Righteousness sake for a good Conscience there 's no shame belonging to them but rather glory and rejoycing Here then are two kindes of sufferings laid down the one forbidden whereto shame belongs namely to suffer for ill-doing which is to be avoided the other enjoyned and wherein we are to rejoyce namely in suffering for well doing But let none of you suffer as a murtherer c. Not that if any be a murtherer or thief c. he should not suffer the punishment due thereto but flie from it for that herein he resists the Magistrates Sentence on his deserts sets himself against God but he would not have men do any such evil as to procure or deserve any such sufferings Obj. But none can walk so circumspectly but that he may and shall do evil and so deserve punishment at the hand of the Lord. A. True but he speaks of foul vices and punishable by men which Christians should be far from and for the frailties of Gods Servants he will not impute them to them The words afford this Doctrine that Sufferings for ill-doing are not glorious but shameful Sufferings are good onely in respect of the cause if that be good then they be good if that be evil then they be shameful The same sufferings for kinde and measure may be to one person glorious to another infamous the one may have cause of joy the other to hang down their heads Both Abel and Jezabel were killed but he for his goodness she for her badness both Joseph
good work 117 Verse 18 19. 1. THe third reason of the foregoing Exhortation 118 2. A man may know himselfe redeemed 119 3. Redemption presupposeth bondage and slavery ibid. 4. There 's a way whereby to come out of our bondage 120 5. The whole life of an unregenerate man is vain 121 6. Children readily follow the evil example of their Parents ibid. 7. Whom we are here to understand by fathers ibid. 8. Popish Religion stands in patches 122 9. Parents must give their children good example ibid. 10. To follow the example of our Ancestors is no sure rule 123 11. The things of this world are insufficient to redeem any out of his spiritual bondage ibid. 12. The things of this world are corruptible vain and uncertain 125 13. Christs blood the true price of mans redemption 126 14. In what respects Christ is compared to a Lamb 129 15. We are not to listen to either believe all we hear 131 Verse 20 21. 1. THe prevention of an Objection 132 2. Christ was ordained before the world 133 3. The world shall not always continue 135 4. Christ how manifested ibid. 5. God is constant and unchangeable ibid. 6. Gods promises are unchangeable 136 7. Christ was then exhibited when God decreed he should so be ibid. 8. What God hath decreed shall be in dwe time accomplished 136 9. Three differences of times and why this called the last 137 10. God will no otherwise reveal his will then he hath already done ibid. 11. We now live in the latter end of the last times ibid. 12. Why Christ came towards the latter end of the world 138 13. What we are to do that others may think well of us ibid. 14. We cannot believe in God but by the Son ibid. 15. In Christs Resurrection the whole Trinity had a hand 139 16. The benefits which they reap that believe in Christ ibid. Verse 22. 1. VVHere there 's no love nor fear of God there can be no true brotherly love 140 2. Where there 's the true fear or love of God there 's also brotherly love ibid. 3. There 's uncleanness in us both in soul and body 142 4. Where there is sanctification of the soul there is also sanctification of the body 143 5. The Word of God is the outward instrument of our cleansing ibid. 6. Why the Word is called Truth ibid. 7. The Spirit is the inward worker of Sanctification 144 8. Till we be cleansed by the Spirit we are unfit for any duty ibid. 9. The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works ibid. 10. What love is ibid. 11. The properties of love 146 12. Two caveats to be observed of them that for redressing of wrongs make use of the Magigrate 147 13. There 's little love in the world 148 14. The causes of the want of love 150 15. The effects of the want of love 151 16. Reasons inciting to the duty of love 152 19. The fruits of love must accompany the profession thereof 153 20. Brotherly offices must proceed from brotherly affections ibid. 21. Love must reach to all ibid. 22. How we ought to love the wicked 155 23. Love must be without faining ibid. 24. Love must be mutual 156 25. The properties of pure love 157 26. A Christians love must be earnest 158 27. Love must be constant ibid. Verse 23. 1. NO unregenerate person can truly love 159 2. Such as are born again must needs love ibid. 3. What Regeneration is ibid. 4. The Lord the Author thereof 160 5. The Lords will the cause thereof 161 6. Without Regeneration all things else we have are nothing ibid. 7. Regeneration of absolute necessity 162 8. The effects of Regeneration 163 9. A regenerate man is not the same he was before ibid. 10. A regenerate man groweth by degrees 164 11. Why men grow no faster in goodness ibid. 12. A caveat for such as complain they do not grow 165 13. There 's no perfection here in this life ibid. 14. Regeneration cometh not by nature 167 15. Gods Spirit by the Word changeth mans heart ibid. 16. Gods Word is the instrumental cause of our conversion 168 17. God doth not always tye himself thereunto ibid. 18. The Ministers of the Word are appointed of God the instruments to convert souls 169 19. Whence it cometh to pass that the Word worketh Regeneration 170 Verse 24 25. 1. VVHerein mans life may be compared to grass 171 2. How to be prepared for death 172 3. The glory of a carnal man but a vain thing 174 4. Nothing in an unregenerate man can abide the Lords examination 175 5. Gods Word the means whereby to live for ever ibid. 6. The Word by preaching made the instrument of Regeneration 176 7. The Word ought to be preached in every Congregation 177 8. The Word must be so preached as that it may be avouched to be indeed the Word of God ibid. CHAP. II. THe Coherence of this Chapter with the former with the sum thereof and of the first three Verses 179 Verse 1 2 3. 1. REgeneration and the love of sin cannot stand together 180 2. There 's no perfection to be attained unto here ibid. 3. To be is a Christian a work of great difficulty 181 4. Under those here named all other corruptions are included ibid. 5. Most of the corruptions here named are inward 182 6. That 's nought which is forbidden in Gods Word ibid. 7. What malice is with the difference between it and anger 183 8. What we are to understand by guile ibid. 9. Guile is to be avoided as well in smal as great matters 184 10. What Hypocrisie is 185 11. What Envy ibid. 12. What evil speaking ibid. 13. The Word of God cannot thrive in an unsanctified heart 186 14. Our desire toward the Word must be earnest ibid. 15. Our desire toward the Word must be constant 187 16. Our desire toward the Word must be impartial 188 17. Ministers must have store of milk for their spiritual children and store of love and much patience ibid. 18. The Word why compared to milk 189 19. Nothing sweeter to Gods children then the Word 189 20. The Word is the common food of all Christians ibid. 21. The Word why called sincere ibid. 22. Why Christians are to desire after the Word 191 23. Christians must daily grow in grace ibid. 24. Such as finde the Word powerful for their Salvation do the more desire it and affect it 192 25. Christ is sweet to a Christian and sweetens all that he hath 193 26. Christ is every way bountiful to his ibid. Verse 4 5. 1. VVHerein Christs bounty doth appear 194 2. A comparison between the Temple of Jerusalem and that which Christ maketh of all that believe in him ibid. 3. Christ why compared to a stone ibid. 4. To believe in Christ which is to come to him is a great priviledge ibid. 5. Christians must come to Christ 195 6. Christ the foundation that bears up his Church 198
Gods love is no want of any thing needful worldlings indeed do greatly seek after wealth for their children and rejoyce to see them wealthy and healthy though in the mean time they see in them no true tokens of Gods favor but alas what are these It should more glad us to see an humble godly heart turned from sin and embracing righteousness though sickly and poor then to flow in all the wealth of the world and be ungracious and to come home in a Gold chain or to hear that our childe were like Joseph the second man in the Kingdom without grace But men do for their children as for themselves labor more for goods then grace But what shall we say to those Ministers that check their people for forwardness and seek to discourage them what also to those Parents that are so far from desiring grace for their children as they check and discourage them for their forwardness thereunto such would like them rather if they saw them jolly as the world Oh a hard part of Parents Be multiplied He desires not that they be once taken into Gods favor and his other graces begun in them but that they be continued and daily encreased more and more He was covetous to have his spritual children thrive apace and grow very rich in grace Such covetousness even a desire to joyn grace to grace is both for our selves and others commendable So should a Minister desire that his people may not be a little better then the worst but to exceed others by far that they may answer the time and means and to this end as to pray so to call upon them continually and they not to think amiss of this but to rejoyce in it as a special fruit of his Love so must Parents to their Children God gives us leave to be covetous in these things and to joyn grace unto grace as men do house unto house so shall we honor him much for a little grace will go but a little way Thus shall we benefit our Neighbors much when our branches spread far and our lips feed many Thus shall we have a large Testimony to our selves of our Salvation while we live and make a wide entrance for our selves into the glorious Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead NOw followeth the substance of the Epistle consisting of Doctrine and Exhortation Doctrine to the thirteenth Verse Exhortations in the Verses following The Exhortations are to continue constant in the profession of the Gospel of Christ and to stick close to that Salvation purchased by Christ and revealed therein and that they would lead an holy and and godly life answerable to this profession and Gospel both in their general and particular callings yea now in their present troubles and notwithstanding any other they might meer with hereafter Now this being a very weighty building therefore he had need lay a foundation fitting for the same and so he doth which is this namely The singular benefits that we receive by Jesus Christ his Death and Resurrection viz. Assurance of Salvation Hope Joy Peace c. and at last everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven all which are revealed and wrought in us by the Gospel which is no new Doctrine but that which of old was revealed to all the Prophets though now more clearly and fully manifested Therefore seeing God hath done so great things for us by Christ Jesus and these things are revealed in the Gospel which is very ancient good reason they should cleave to Christ and be carried after no other way of Salvation accordingly walking worthy of the benefits they have both already reaped hereby and may further hereafter The Doctrine setteth forth the great benefit that we reap by Jesus Christ namely That we are begot to a lively hope of Salvation and of being partakers of such an inheritance as is without comparison which is every way set forth according to its excellency where we have 1. The benefit That we are begotten to a lively hope 2. The moving cause The abundant mercy of God 3. The means whereby namely The Resurrection of Jesus Christ 5. The end That we may partake of Salvation which he calls an Inheritance and describes it by several properties Blessed be God For the maner of speech we read of three kindes of blessing in Scripture 1. God blesseth man when he bestoweth upon him his favors and good things earthly and heavenly 2. Man blesseth man and that either ordinarily when he prayeth to God to bless him Thus Moses is appointed to bid Aaron bless the people and the form of prayer is set down Thus Parents bless their children and we are to bless them that curse us or extraordinarily when by the Spirit of Prophecie the Prophets of God have not onely prayed to God for a blessing on their posterity but have pronounced a blessing upon them foretelling what their state should be in time to come As Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau Iacob also his Sons and Moses the twelve Tribes at his death 3. Man blesseth God when he ascribeth that honor praise and thanksgiving which is due to him for his Mercy Wisdom Justice Truth not when we give him any thing he hath not that cannot be but when we ascribe and give that to him which is most justly due to him already Thus understand we the phrase here as elswhere often For the matter Being to repeat the great benefits that come to us by Jesus Christ he doth it not barely but begins with praise and thanksgiving for the same Blessed be God c. saith he as if he should have said For these unspeakable and great benefits bestowed on us unworthy ones Oh my soul Spirit and all that is in me come forth to render thanks to God Teaching us That When we speak or have any occasion to think as we ought often to speak and think of Gods mercies especially his special mercies that concern our Salvation we should do it with admiration and setting forth his praise Thus both David and Paul Even his outward benefits ought to stir us up unto thankfulness how much more ought we to be stirred up for spiritual favors and deliverances from the bondage and thraldom of Sin Satan and Hell how can we do any less All creatures Sun Moon Fouls praise God in their kinde and yet they have onely been created what we then that have been redeemed when we were lost They that have felt their bondage and finde themselves delivered cannot but break out into his praise Indeed the common sort that have those things but in their brain onely and never had the feeling of the one or of the other they can speak
it s not seen with the bodily eye Men labor and strive to get up aloft here to fet their nest on high from which yet they may come down quickly as many do and must do at their death but how few labor to get up to this height of glory in Heaven In Heaven Hereby our Apostle meets with and seeks to cure a gross imagination of the Jews which dreamed of an earthly Potentate and thought Christ should come and deliver them from the Romans See it in the two sons of Zebedeus yea after three years teaching of Christ after his death and resurrection they were not free of this conceit our Savior used to call their mind from this to heaven Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of saith he and I came to serve and not to be served So Peter draws them to look for their glory in Heaven we must not therefore look for an happy estate here below but in Heaven Here the Cross there the Crown here the Battel there the Victory The Crown of Thorns here the Crown of Glory hereafter many would follow Christ and the Gospel if there came any preferment by him that now do not so would the yong rich man But Gods children will serve him though they undergo troubles here for the glorious inheritance hereafter Reserved for us in Heaven This meets with an Objection that these Christians might make Alas come to this inheritance it were happy indeed if we could but what hope of it Alas we are tossed up and down stript of all our goods and persecuted we are so far from hope to obtain this eternal inheritance that we cannot keep these earthly ones which we have He answered this is safely reserved for us and is out of danger to be lost and though they lost their earthly inheritances they were but uncertain and transitory things whereof God never promised that they should be other but this is eternal whereof they shall be most sure For hath the Father prepared this inheritance ere the world was and chosen us unto it hath the Son purchased it for us when we had lost it Hath the Holy Ghost assured us of it and sealed it to us and given us the earnest of it and shall we miss it God forbid the Spirit of truth cannot deceive us shall Christ lose his death Oh no it s reserved for us in Heaven where no Devil can come nor wicked men to take it from us Let this be a comfor to all the faithful servants of God that are justified and sanctified to sweeten all their afflictions here below that they may be as sure of Heaven in the end without fail as if they had it already Many children lose their temporal inheritances for want of good Gardians and Keepers they are often wasted and gone ere they come to years or are suffered to be recovered from them by some others but the Lord is a faithful keeper we are yet under age when we shall come to age and dye the Father that kept it for us will bestow it on us Christ Jesus our head and elder brother he hath taken possession of it for us and tells us that where he is there shall we be But if we say we have many ill willers there can none come into Heaven but our Friends The Devil our deadliest adversary he comes not there though he did into the earthly Paradise And for the wicked though they hare Gods children so as they could wish that as they take away their earthly Inheritances so they should never be happy if they could help it its past their power to deprive them hereof they shall go to Heaven do what they can yea oftentimes they help them sooner thither then otherwise they should be though no thank to them and at the day of Judgement to the increase of their torment the godly shall be taken up in their sight to Heaven when themselves shall be thrust into that place of utter darkness to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels for ever and ever Hereof we have need to be throughly perswaded else when great afflictions come they will be ready to overwhelm us as it did almost befal both Job and Jeremiah Oh the afflictions of this present time are not worthy the glory that shall be revealed let the assurance of Heaven keep us from wishing we had never been whatsoever troubles we do here meet withal pray we still Lord increase our Faith but more of this hereafter For us Namely himself by the judgement of certainty and them by the judgement of charity Here note that Its a Christians special comfort that he knows and believes that this Inheritance is for him in particular I know saith Job that my Redeemer liveth My Lord and my God saith Thomas This nature of Faith is signified in the particular distribution of the Sacrament To believe it in general affords no sound comfort it may indeed allure one for a while to the profession of the Gospel to hear that there be such excellent things but it will not continue but will fail and fade away They that have no more but tasted of the powers of the world to come will assuredly fall quite away but a particular assurance is the mother of all comfort and the onely foundation of a true good life and continuance therein unto the end The onely prop and pillar to uphold us in Troubles Dangers Distresses Persecutions and what not Therefore labor for it But this were presumption say the Papists and to this purpose they abuse that of the Preacher The Righteous and the Wise and their works are in the hand of God no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them but hereby is meant onely that by these outward things no man can conclude whether he be loved or hated of God but that therefore we may not know at all it s most gross Indeed if we should say this of our own heads it were presumption but when we speak it from the Word and the witness of the Spirit of truth then it is not As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God saith the Apostle And Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be reprobate And the Apostle Saint John tells us how we may know that he dwels in us even Because he hath given us of his Spirit If therefore we finde the fruits of the Spirit an hatred of all sin an unfeigned care to please God in all things love to Gods Word and his people grieve that we can serve God no better strive after more power and that in the use of the means ordained to that end we should be injurious to the Spirit of God if we did not believe this inheritance to belong to our selves in particular Therefore if we finde our selves regenerate and sanctified we
through the blood of his Son the Chapters also of Genealogies in Numbers and Chronicles are of good use for the understanding of the rest of the Scriptures though but a few understand the same Of the Grace He calls Salvation Grace and that most worthily as being freely both Elected Redeemed and Effectually called 1. This condemns 1. That Luciferian conceit of Merit or Worthiness in us poor miserable sinners 2. Them that challenge part in Christ and all that he did and yet shew no part of thankfulness and duty again but live as they list and will not onely not part with their lives but not with their lusts for his sake they are lyars and deceive their own souls 2. It should teach us to acknowledge the whole work of our Salvation to be of Grace and thereupon to walk the more thankfully and zealously yea often meditate of this Free-grace and Salvation whetting up our selves thereby That should come unto you Why were they not partakers of Salvation themselves Yes as we have heard but they never saw the time of Christs exhibiting in the flesh nor so clearly They received not the promises onely saw them afar off aâ—d were perswaded of them Verse 11. Searching what or what maner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow SEarching what or what maner of time They took great pains to know Christ would gladly have learnd that he should have come in their days so they should have had a clearer Revelation yea seen him whom they so much longed for and loved Simeon waited for the Consolation of Israel as many Prophets and Kings desired to see and hear thereof and this was lawful unless God had enjoyned the contrary If then we know a thing to be good and profitable to be known we must refuse no pains in searching it out but Study Meditate Pray Confer Read c. We must call for Wisdom and cry for Understanding we must seek and search for her as for silver The Word is like a Noble man that one must make some suit and use some means to come unto with which being once acquainted wherein can it not pleasure us when we have sued to it by pains it will be beneficial unto us indeed whereas prophane Books easily enough attained unto usually work much mischief many of us read much of the Scriptures but take no notice whether we understand the same or not or take no pains to come to knowledge to be inquisitive of the meaning of this or that place of Scripture were profitable when Christians meet together whether Ministers or others or both As they desired to see Christs first so should we long for his second coming The Spirit of Christ which was in them See how they sought into this matter not of their own heads but by the guidance and direction of the Spirit and that 1. Because it was a matter so high and above their reach as in which they could know nothing without the help of the Spirit 2. To avoid curiosity searching no further then God should see good to reveal unto them This teacheth us that when we search into any point of Doctrine or to know any thing we must not go to work by our own head or wit for that were Pride and the way to Error but by the help of the Spirit and therefore no further then the Spirit shall guide us this we do if we keep our selves to the written Word of God for Gods Spirit teacheth us according to the Word and no otherwise This condemneth the frenzy conceits of the Anabaptists which boast of Revelations of the Spirit counting whatsoever comes in their head and they conceive though contrary to the Scriptures to be a Revelation which is wicked for the Word and Spirit cannot be divorced either the one contrary to the other We must hold us to the written word searching thereinto according to sobriety proceeding no further then it and there staying where it stayeth This is also contrary to the Papists that will have their humane Traditions and unwritten Verities whereby upon the point they overthrow the Scriptures Again in that the Spirit of Christ was in the Prophets when they prophesied see the authority of the Old Testament the Spirit of God is the Author of it therefore is it to be highly esteemed as the New and all questions are to stand and fall by the sentence thereof Read believe and obey it and be out of all doubt of it without ifs and ands As the Papists most wickedly would have the authority of the Scriptures to depend upon the testimony of the Church and because they say its Scripture therefore they believe it and otherwise would not they would give no more credit to Pauls Epistles then to Esops Fables if the Church did not give testimony thereof which is a blasphemous Opinion The Scripture is above the Church and that whereon it s grounded and hath no greater testimony then from it self we testifie that God is the true God from all Idols and Christ from all false Christs do they therefore depend upon our testimony and are we above them Though the Church discerneth the Word or Scriptures from false writings and therefore rejecteth a great many of Epistles and Gospels of Bartholomew Thomas Thaddeus as adulterous yet this proves not that they depend on the Churches testimony A Kings Letters come to a City the Officers thereof by the stile sign or some other thing whereunto they are accustomed accept of them yield to them and testifie that they are not false or counterfeit are they therefore above the King or his Letters Further here is a testimony of the Divinity of the third Person for the whole Scripture is given by inspiration from God and here it s said it was by the Spirit and who could foretel things so long before but God confer Acts 1. 16. with 4. 25. When it testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ Namely That he was to suffer for us and so to enter into his glory This we finde in the Old Testament both plainly expressed and under types and figures as of Isaacs offering the Brazen Serpent the Paschal Lamb Jonas c. This serves to answer all prophane Infidels that scoff at Christians because they believe in a crucified God for so do they contemptuously speak of Christ. A. He suffered what was necessary for the Savior of the world to suffer and what the Scripture foretold he should suffer and though he suffered and was abased yet he overcame it and entred into glory Had not these things been foretold they might have been offended at his dejected estate for so were the Disciples notwithstanding but being foretold they are not yea if he had not suffered for us
men contend for trifles Oppress use false weights and sleights as also hinders from inviting and meeting together 4. Envy at the thriving and wealth of others about them or equal to them as Labans sons did at Jacob Cain that Abels Sacrifice was better regarded then his Esau that Jacob was blessed and Ismael that Isaac was the son of the Promise 5. Frowardness and shortness of spirit breaks love very often for angry words stir up strife 6. These very days of peace make men grow hollow and strange and to set little one by another As when Sheep see a Dog they run all together so trouble makes men to make much one of another whereas its otherwise in peace These be woful causes 4. The effects of this want of love are lamentable every where both in Church and Commonwealth O what woful breaches and contentions what wrongs and enmities So in Families so among particular persons how break they out to the dishonor of God yea sometimes Professors one with another to the shame of their Profession the interrupting of their Prayers or either the hindring of themselves from the Sacrament as many a time it is or slubbering it over and coming with festred hearts and so depriving themselves of the benefit thereof nay provoking the Lord by their unworthy receiving Seeing these things be so O let every one of us finding our selves faulty humble our selves crave mercy and labor to be reformed herein To this end learn we to pluck out of our hearts those noysom weeds that this precious plant of love may grow We must strive against infidelity and labor for more faith In humbleness of minde we must labor to esteem every one better then our selves we must labor for a moderate affection to outward things setting more by peace then them we must also avoid envy We have more then we could have look'd for Is our eye evil because our Masters is good we must also cease from frowardness and be gentle and meek and labor we that this love to our brethren may shew forth it self in all good fruits as in judging the best departing from our right not provoking or being easily provoked but forbearing and forgiving Alas we have need that others should forgive us for who lives and is not subject to offend God forgives us many and great debts and shall we catch our neighbor by the throat God bids us ask forgiveness on no other condition but to forgive our offenders and there 's no better sign that a man is forgiven of God then to shew mercy to men none can be assured of that but they will forgive Let us therefore from the sea of compassion that God sheddeth out upon us let fall some drop thereof on our neighbors and not seek revenge which every bad man yea beast can do but pass by offences which is the glory of a man Besides revenge is the Lords Office and to revenge is indeed to resist the Lord without whose Providence nothing is done this kept David from revenging himself on Shimei Not to revenge is always the best way for us and the worst for him that wrongs us There 's no dealing with a man that commits his cause to God more safe to anger a Witch then an Innocent meek spirited man that hath his recourse to God thou hadst better deal with one that will take revenge on thee to the uttermost To this end keep we out anger if we can if not yet let it not rest in us as it were sowring in our hearts Let not the Sun go down upon it This indeed the world accounts a base thing but its honorable it makes us like God Neither must we labor for this a little or some few times but for a long skirted love that will cover even a multitude of offences And let our love shew it self in giving Spiritual and Temporal things for God gives to good and bad and makes us but Stewards of that he gives us that we may dispense the same yea the more we give the more we have as which encreaseth by giving and for Temporal things the high-way to thrive therein is to be merciful as to beggary to be pinching 5. The general reasons inciting to this duty of love 1. God requireth it of us who is love and if we perform it we do not so much serve our Neighbor as please God who takes it as done to himself If we neglect it we neglect not our Neigbor onely but God who takes himself wronged in this point 2. We are all one flesh and all have some part of the Image of God upon us But for the people of God 1. We be members of the same body The members of the Natural body not onely hurt not but help each other else quickly would the body be brought to confusion 2. Brethren not Natural ones but a better Brotherhood a nearer Bond Now between Brethren there must be no contention and it were a shame for such to contend 3. Both the Word requires it and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper calls for and puts us in minde of it 4. No better Argument that we are in the light love God are Christs Disciples and translated from death to life then this 5. The beauty of a Christian is love he 's the best Christian who loves most whose lips feed most whose branches spread widest 6. As it brings us much peace to our conscience and will comfort us not a little on our death-bed that we have not lived to our selves but to be useful to many especially to Souls so it procureth us love in the places we live in and in the Church of God where we have a good name No man is well beloved though he have good things in him if he be not loving Oh say they he is a good honest man but a harsh Censurer Contentious and so hasty that no man can tell how to speak to him he is a strait man no man is the better for him by counsel encouragement admonition so for other things But if a man be full of love Oh it shall procure him love again he shall be commended while he lives and mourned for when he dyes as they wept for Dorcas but a proud churlish close man he shall live without being desired and dye without being mourned for Many would have Love and Good-will and Credit but will not seek this way to procure it they live closely to themselves neither being useful or any way liberal to their Neighbors let them never look for it Many care not so they may scrape all to themselves for their good name let it go whether it will but these are bafounded and its a curse so to live Thus in general In particular Touching the love to the Children of God which is here chearfully called for consider we both the duty and the maner how it s to be performed For the duty it self it
hath these two things in it 1. That we have brotherly and tender affections one towards another 2. That we shew it forth by brotherly actions and fruits answerable both which must necessarily go together 1. Then In vain do any challenge tender and loving affections except they shew the fruit thereof to their Brethrens Bodies and Souls especially 2. It s not enough to do brotherly offices unless they proceed from brotherly affections Many a man will give frankly and do other duties required of him but defiles his liberality with insulting over the parties relieved upbraiding them therewith and thinking thereby to make them subject unto them whereas a gift should be given chearfully and seeing one that stands in need of our help we ought compassionately to tender his estate as our own remembring Gods commandment for relieving such a one and thanking God we may and though the party ought to be thankful yet should not we stain our liberality with any sinister maner of giving It must be frank that 's the nature of a gift and it must also come from compassion and feeling So for reproving admonishing c. an excellent duty I would it were more usual it must proceed from a brotherly affection not proudly imperiously or harshly So we must invite from a brotherly affection else our brotherly action loseth his grace with God yea with men also if they perceive it And though we are chiefly to love Gods servants Christians professors with us of the same Religion and our fellow Brethren yet we are not to neglect any we must love all all that either be or may be the people of God though they be yet Pagans Heathens c. for they are our own flesh and have in them as ye heard some part of the Image of God as in their Soul which is a Spirit and Immortal and the Majesty of their face above all Creatures A King though an Heathen hath a part of the Image of God in his Soveraignty Then we must love the Devil as having some part of Gods Image We are not because he is pronounced of God as his final and desperate Enemy appointed to destruction So if we knew any such men as the Prophets did we ought not to love them but hate them not pray for them but against them as David did For others though Infidels we must love them and if God cast them into our lot we must do good to them to their Souls and Bodies They be strangers to me So was the Jew that fell among Thieves to the Samaritan and in that Christ taught who is our Neighbor Gods Image ought not to seem strange to us but loved wheresoever we see it They never did ought for me But God hath who bids thee love They have wronged me and are mine enemies This is no sufficient ground for thee not to love them for the rule is not to love for that thou art loved but because the Lord commands it God is not our enemy he deserves well of us and to him we owe all that may be and he hath turned us over to pay some of the debt we owe him to our enemy and he will take it as paid to him O that we could learn this Lesson And if we must love that small part of the Image of God where we see it then where its more we must love more Therefore where we see the very face of his Image renewed in Wisdom Holiness Righteousness and the Sanctifying Grace of Gods Spirit vouchsafing to make a man a new Creature and Holy as he is Holy Oh this we ought to embrace love reverence in a high degree we cannot shew a better tokenof our love to God then to love his Image and the more we see it to love it the more such are dear to God as the Apple of his eye 1. Those that make all alike make one as welcome as another make no difference of good and bad in their countenance help assistance they be not endued with the Spirit of God for where it is it will take knowledge of his own work and make a man love it yea though a carnal man should have some natural parts of civility skill c. more then a Christian man yet we must affect grace most These men be neither fish nor flesh 2. But much worse are those that of all persons like the Children of God worst and that for their zeal and forwardness If 't were not for them they could like them and therefore chuse swearers jesters and prophane persons for their companions and cannot away with the society of Christians who in their liberality will rather give to bad persons fitting in the others light and making them fare the worse for their zeal and godliness Of all men they cannot away with these Puritans and had rather their Friends should be any thing then of that number their Sons Daughters and Tenants c. They would love them if they were not so precise A bad sign such are not translated from death to life are not of God are in darkness to this hour they are not led by Davids Spirit who could not abide the workers of iniquity The more of Gods Image a man seeth in another to like him the worse is a fearful sign of no love to God If you will needs hate hate not them which God loves but whom he hates hate them not because he loves them and because of their goodness for God saith to them as to Jacob I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee even Balaam himself refused to curse Israel If they shall stand at the last day and be damned that gave them no meat then what shall become of their haters imprisoners and that for their goodness Then would they be glad to be with the least of them but it shall be far from them how little soever they regard them in this world and then shall their time of glory be as is their enemies in this world We must therefore labor to be religious else we can never love them that be so because of their goodness Here also observe a difference between the love we ought to bear to the Wicked Pagans Infidels c. we must love them as our flesh not as our brethren for they have not God for their Father the Church for their Mother have not suckt the same breasts with us the Word and Sacraments Therefore look how natural Brethren be affected each to other so ought Christians Fellow-heirs of the same Inheritance as having a better Brotherhood as much as the Spirit is better then the Flesh and Grace above Nature Our Savior prefer'd the hearers and doers of the Word before his natural Kindred This is a more lasting Brotherhood which abides longer then this life even for ever when it shall be with
hath given us many means to subdue them therefore will be angry if we keep them not under and grow especially against our strongest corruptions they offend God hurt us glad Satan defile the Temple of the holy Ghost were the cause of Christs death are of long continuance and therefore must be put away And as we must labor daily to mortifie our lusts and old man so to grow in all graces 8. The perfection of a Christian There 's none here in this life we know but in part there be still remnants of sin in us we are indeed perfectly Justified not but in part Sanctified Sin and Grace is mingled in every part not sin in one part and grace in another as heat and cold in lukewarm water light and darkness in the twilight God will have it so to be 1. That we might be saved of mercy and by Christs merit and not by any merit of our own for if we were perfectly Sanctified here then should Christ seem onely to make us fit to merit our own Salvation 2. That his power might be made known in our weakness whereby we are enabled to overcome such mighty enemies of our Salvation 3. That continually we might be kept humble ever thankful to God for daily pardon 4. That there might be continual use of the Word Sacraments Prayer and one of another 5. That there might be something to weary us hence and make us long for Heaven where we shall attain that which here we can never But though these Corruptions remain yet they reign not they are indeed troublesom and hurtful as the Canaanites to the Israelites or Rebels that make Insurrection in a Kingdom but have not the Scepter in their hand but are subdued in time and they dwell in us as unwelcom guests There is always a Civil war in a Childe of God two men in one man the old and the new two laws the law of our members and the law of our minde the Flesh and Spirit fight each against other now the one prevailing then the other yet so as the old man grows weaker and the grace of God stronger It had a deadly blow at first and still languisheth and is in a Consumption as a Serpent that is deadly wounded in his head yet wrigles with the tail or a Soldier deadly wounded in his brain yet thrusts with his weapon The Scripture speaks of the old man in Regeneration as if it were crucified and wholly destroyed because it s so wounded that it can never recover his former strength 1. This condemns all Anabaptists and others that dream of a purity in this life 2. It teacheth us to bear with one another The husband though godly must not look the wife should be without fault nor the wife the husband so the Master the Servant or the Servant the Master there are none without Imperfections we never read of any but noted with some weakness Christ alone excepted therefore think it not strange neither neglect the graces that be in any for one or more infirmities so as they grow to no height 3. Here 's comfort to those that doubt of their Conversion because they meet with temptation and feel sin rebelling in them and their corrupt nature lusting after evil It s not so much a sign you are not converted because you have sin for that 's common to all as that you are because you feel it strive against it and grieve for it This is indeed a sign you have the Spirit in you The godly and wicked sin both but there 's great odds in the maner the wicked sin willingly and advisedly yea delight in it are loath to be hindred from it when they have done are not humbled but go on therein whereas the Regenerate sin not with full consent but haled thereto by force of temptation and strength of corruption being thereafter humbled ashamed grieved If it be thus with thee be of good comfort be still constant in resisting use means to subdue the old man and cherish the new so shall you every day get the victory more and more and when you be overtaken thus it shall not be laid to your charge but pardoned in the Death and Obedience of Jesus Christ Neither shall your corruption recover it self again to rule over you as before but shall still languish and this is the cause why the Scripture speaks as if our Regeneration were perfect our old man destroyed And at last by death we shall get a final and perfect victory and never feel sin more for with laying down our bodies we lay down our sin and not before Not of corruptible seed c. Here is set down 1. The efficient cause of our Regeneration both Negatively where 's shewed what it is not and Affirmatively what is not 2. The instrument thereof the Word of God 3. A description of God that he liveth and abideth for ever Not of corruptible seed Of mortal seed we are born not born again by it we are made Creatures not new Creatures we are not born holy but by being born again we are made holy The godliest Saints of God cannot convey grace into their Children but sin and nature whence it is that even Abraham had an Ishmael Isaac an Esau As we are born of our Parents we are altogether corrupt our understanding seeth little in heavenly things and our Reason is an enemy thereto as that there is one God in three Persons Christ God and Man born of a Virgin the world made of nothing Man saved by the imputed righteousness of another the near Union between Christ and a Believer the Resurrection and last Judgement c. Reason sees them not yields not to them nay being much urged laughs thereat and that which it doth understand it conceives not as it ought the will desires nothing that good is or at least as it ought for it is defiled and so the whole man Again mortal seed begets that that is mortal onely and not immortal but when we be once Regenerate we never dye more but live the life of grace here and shall that of glory hereafter a final fall or the second death can never befal the new Creature Let none therefore trust in this that they were born of godly Parents but desire God as their Father to beget them anew But of incorruptible Namely by the Spirit of God which is the true efficient cause who doth alter and change our hearts and conveys power to kill sin in us and to quicken us to a good life Usually these words and the next are put together and understood of one thing namely that the Word is the immortal seed of Regeneration and after a sort it may be so called but properly the Spirit of God is the seed the Word is the instrument and we know the Word of it self can do no such thing no more then a Tool can
work without the hand of the workman Joh. 1. 13. is a notable Exposition of this place where by Blood and the will of Man and of Flesh the same is meant that here he calleth mortal seed and that which is here immortal or incorruptible seed is there but of God All Men and Angels cannot do this whomsoever God useth as the instrument he himself is the worker therefore is the Spirit compared to water as washing and making fruitful and to fire as through whom our corruptions are purified 1. This should stir up those that are born again to labor with all their might to shew themselves thankful to God that hath done that for them that their own Father their Preacher nay all the men of the world could not have done for them and to labor to glorifie his name in all holy obedience all their days for therefore hath he done it that they should be as the first fruits of his creatures even set apart for his service as the first fruits were 2. For those that are yet natural let them not trust to Ministers nor means but desire Almighty God to open their heart and to work in them that work that may be to their Salvation 3. Here 's an exceeding comfort to all new born persons namely That though they have a corrupt Nature the Devil subtile the World naught and themselves subject to many temptations and dangers yet they shall never fall finally from God it s not possible they should perish for then the immortal seed the Spirit given them and which is in them should perish which is more impossible then that that should perish whereby they are sealed unto the day of Redemption By the Word of God It s the mean to make of the servants of sin the servants of God of unclean clean of vile persons like Lyons Tygers and Bears to make meek humble Lambs to raise up the dead in sin and to bring to the Kingdom of Heaven which is therefore called The Gospel of the Kingdom See to this purpose Psal. 19. 7. Isa. 53. 1. Rom. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Jam. 1. 18. Acts 26. 18. and for examples hereof Acts 2. 37. 11. 21. 16. 30. The Law preparatively makes a way for Conversion and Faith by humbling and affrighting the heart with the sight of misery the Gospel effectively This works Faith and Repentance tells us of the remedy the sufficiency of it and how freely it is offered then works an earnest desire after it and an heart to leave any thing that might let us from it not that God is tyed to this but thus it hath pleased him to appoint ordinarily to work In times of persecution he can bless and doth reading of the Word to convert yea the report of private men So also for Infants he hath another way no less easie to him then hidden and admirable to us how to work in them as he sanctified John Baptist in his mothers womb He hath not ordained Angels to come and tell us news from heaven nor any to come from the dead with tidings but Moses and the Prophets Ministers to open and apply the Scriptures and this he makes effectual It s true God prepares men sometimes by crosses as the fire doth the iron but most are moved presently at the Word some by sickness or terror outward or inward sent of God have something brought to their conscience that they have heard and so are converted as others thereby prepared to the Word and thereupon converted by it as by experience hath been often found This is the reason that the Devil hath ever been a spiteful enemy hereto an enemy to true sound plain and diligent preaching raising so many Enemies against it laying so many logs in the way to hinder the course of it raising up such in the Ministery as either preach not at all or seldom or in the fleshly words of mans wisdom crying down preaching under this or that colour c. for he knows well that its the mighty Engine to batter his Kingdom it s that which pulls down the walls of Jericho how base soever in the worlds eyes It s the strong voyce of God that casts Satan out of his hold and possession his mighty arm that plucks us out of his power and Kingdom and translates us into the Kingdom of his dear Son 1. This teacheth us highly to esteem of it above all other means not preferring or equalling thereto either Reading or Prayer publique or private For what were this but to thwart the Lord hath he blest these alike to win souls If thou sittest at home and readest when thou shouldest be hearing God will curse thy pride that thinkest to be wiser then he or teachest any so to do 2. It teacheth us to praise God for his unspeakable mercy towards us that whereas most of the world sitteth in darkness he hath given us the means of the new birth If thou art hereby Regenerate thou art happy if not thy case is hard then will it profit us when it hath wrought this in us therefore pray unto God to continue his Word and give it power to change thee and that he would whet this two-edged sword to pierce through thee and make it an hammer to break thy stony heart 3. They that have it not should mourn for it and pray for it as being subject to perish For where prophesie faileth the people perish we must pity them who do not pity themselves 4. Labor to profit daily by it for it s also for our further building up and whereby we go on to perfection praying that it may be so long continued till we shall have no more need of it or our poor children whom we leave behinde us 5. Pray to God to give it free passage every day to the winning of many souls to the accomplishment of the number of Gods Elect and let every man further it what he can to the utmost of his power herein shewing himself Christs true friend And let all men take heed of hindring the same hinderers are enemies to mens souls and to the Kingdom of Christ and friends to the Devils Kingdom Here I may speak how God hath appointed Ministers to be the bringers of this glad tidings that converts the soul and that the Lord useth them as instruments to win the soul who are therefore called in Scripture by many Honorable names as Men of God Angels Ambassadors from God Spiritual Fathers c. so Builders Laborers Watchmen Shepherds c. in respect of their pains They are appointed over the Lords flock they have the trust of Souls the greatest trust that can be other callings are about mens bodies or goods but this their Souls 1. Therefore for Preachers we must be faithful in token of our thankfulness to God that hath so highly honored us and deeply entrusted us
so shall our reward be great above others if we be unfaithful we must look for greater damnation as being treacherous in so weighty a work 2. For people how ought they to regard Gods faithful Ministers that watch over their Souls Alas how little are they regarded how poorly maintained every thing too much every little enough for them whereas Lawyers Physicians c. live wealthily are much sought to It s a plain sign men love their Bodies better then their Souls and the Earthly Inheritance better then the Heavenly Which liveth and abideth for ever These words spoken of God are to shew how it comes to pass that the Word is able to Regenerate and beget us to a new and immortal life namely because it is the Word of him who liveth and giveth life to all and endureth for ever If it were not the Word of such a one it could not for as for the word of man it can do no such matter All the wisdom of all the men of the world put together and used to perswade a sinner are not able to change his heart The word of a man can but stir up that in a man which is in him already but to put any thing into him that was not in him it cannot 1. This teacheth us to preach the pure Word of God purely and not our own Devices for what is the chaff to the wheat not any word of man this or that how wise or ancient soever can put life into a man So nor to mingle mans word with Gods it hath no need of help from mans testimony let it alone it shall be able to perform that which its appointed for The Word of God is sharp enough to divide between the joynts and the marrow though it be not whetted on this or that mans Grindstone As Pearls need no painting so that which is of incomparable power and is pronounced to be mighty hath no need of the help of weak man 2. Let him that is born anew by the preaching of the Word be well assured he shall live and endure for ever as God so liveth and endureth as every one that is not begotten thereby shall through Gods judgement live after a sort and abide for ever but it shall be in everlasting wo and misery Verse 24. For all flesh is as grass and all the glory of man as the flower of grass the grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away Verse 25. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you THe Apostle now laboreth to make men labor for their part in this Regeneration whereof he had spoken and that is by shewing the miserable state of a carnal and unregenerate man and that a man without this hath nothing that good is nothing that can please God that can stand him in stead and bring him to Salvation for whatsoever is in man besides this is flesh is corrupt and sinful and so consequently vain and vanishing as grass yea the best thing that is or can be in an unregenerate man is but as a flower that fadeth soon away and cannot abide the heat of the Sun no more can any thing in an unregenerate man abide the censure and judgement of Almighty God and this he doth to drive as well carnal men out of themselves and make them labor for this grace of Regeneration as to stir up them that were Regenerate to be thankful to God for this marvellous work and labor to walk worthy of it in all fruits of holiness and obedience Now having laid out the misery of a carnal men yet he leaves him not so but tells him that there is a means to help this and to bring him to an happy state and to live for ever namely The Word of God which endureth for ever whereby the Soul is converted Faith wrought we united to Christ and fetch from him as pardon of sin by his death and favor by his obedience so ability to live the life of grace here and the life of glory hereafter But lest any should say But where is this Word that is able to do thus wonderfully for us and how must it be dealt with to make it thus effectual for our Regeneration He tells them that its among them and being sincerely preached and humbly heard believed and obeyed would become effectual to their Salvation In the words we have both the Law and the Gospel 1. The miserable state of all unregenerate men 2. The mean to make us live for ever Both these are set down in two Propositions The first concerning the base estate of a carnal man hath two branches one a degree above another The first that all flesh that is whosoever is carnal and unregenerate is grass that is frail brittle fickle perishing which is not onely in respect of his bodily estate but any thing else in him The second that the glory of man that is the best things that be or can be in him are as the flower of grass vain and vanishing The second concerns the Word of the Lord that it endureth for ever and that to make us live for ever by uniting us to Christ the Fountain of life The words are taken out of Isa. 40. 6 7 8. where note by the way that no text is ever cited out of the Apocrypha the Apostle being guided by the same Spirit that the Prophet was looking upon the same sense not standing precisely upon the very words All flesh is as grass Though it be not chiefly meant of the frailty and brittleness of our bodily condition yet it is also included of which a little This our life is often compared to grass and that fitly for as grass is subject to come to an end many ways so we It may be blasted with the East-wind as soon as ever it peers out of the ground if not that yet in the spring the beasts will crop and bite it off if it miss both these yet the mower will cut it down with his sithe if it escape all these yet there is one thing coming that it cannot escape namely the cold frosty winter whereby it must needs wither away So we may be blasted as soon as we be born how many have dyed the same day they have been born or shortly after if we scape then yet some disease may bite us in our youth or if we miss both these death with his sithe may cut us down in our middle age but if yet we scape the winter notwithstanding of old age will wither us away and we cannot shift it Alas we are as a bubble a vapor of no continuance so vain a thing is man lighter then vanity A little too much heat or cold * a little blow with a Horse foot a bad savour or the like can quickly make an end of us Alas we carry the matter of many diseases daily about us in
should not be accepted or if he did doubt whether he should or not this would take off all edge but when we are sure that 's a great encouragement For who would not be glad to do any thing wherewith God would be pleased Art thou afraid that he doth not accept thy Sacrifice as who hast prayed oft and long and art not heard Judge not according to that Thy Prayer sent up in truth was accepted at first though not granted by and by as not being then time The Lord stays till a fitter time Acceptable Not that God hath any need of them but it pleaseth him for our encouragement so to tell us for if we serve him never so diligently he is never the better but our selves are the better and our Neighbors by our good example So contrarily if we do never so ill he is not the worse as being most perfectly holy and good at first and so is and will be To God Here may seem a secret Antithesis between these words To God and these To Men For indeed Spiritual Sacrifices are nothing to Carnal men but such only as stand in outward Pomp Shew and Ceremony But it s the Spiritual service that pleaseth God He cares more for a broken heart and for the Sacrifice of praise Spiritually performed then for Thousands of Bulls or all the outside that so much pleaseth the eye He cares not for the Papists going on Pilgrimage numbers of Prayers Fasting days Pompous service and curious musick which doth more delight the ear then tend any way to edification And because we reject these they cry out upon us as having no Religion And are there not some among us with whom its a foul matter to neglect any outward Ceremony who yet do altogether neglect Spiritual services By Jesus Christ. Our Sacrifices are acceptable to God nor for own-worthiness or the worth of the service but for the sake and by the means of Christ Jesus He onely makes them acceptable to God 1. In taking away our sins by his Death 2. Covering us with his Obedience 3. Inabling us by his Spirit who can do no good of our selves to perform these services 4. Covering the wants thereof in his perfect Obedience and making Intercession for us and in this worthiness must we offer up our selves Prayers Thanks and Alms. 1. This condemneth them that do these Duties and yet are in their sins unpardoned not having Christs Righteousness made theirs and which do them not by the Spirit of God but by their own might Their services are abominable 2. Those that come in the worthiness of any Saint as the Papists which pray for this or that Saints sake do grievously sin Oh but say they he is indeed the Mediator of Redemption others may with him be Mediators of Intercession He is belike beholden to them that will leave him somewhat but there is no other Intercessor but the Redeemer he that 's the one is the other also Oh but they conclude all their Prayers per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum A good mends when they have robb'd him by joyning others with him to conclude with his Name So those that come in their own worthiness not asking for Christs But we ought not to think of God but in Jesus Christ coming between Note further that Our works even the best can never attain to that perfection to be worthy of themselves as being still full of imperfection but by Jesus Christ to all that perform them in Faith and to their uttermost they are accepted as perfect 1. This serves as to humble us while we live under the daily sence of the imperfections of our services So to warn us to shrowd them and our selves under Christs perfection 2. To comfort them that in Faith strive and yet cannot perform them to their mindes They must not be dismaid but believe that for Christs sake they shall be accepted This is necessary to be known and believed because many a good soul when they have pray'd or done any service in the best maner they can are yet discouraged Why nothing pleaseth God but that which is perfect and I know will such a one say how imperfect my poor service is I cannot in any sort pray as I would I cannot continue a short Prayer without wandrings c. Well what thou dost do in truth and with all thy might and Christs perfect obedience shall make it up Though thy service be short yet it is large enough to cover all wer 't not for this we might be dismaid at our best duties But this is not for the wicked and unbelievers they think they will do as well as they can and there 's an end Christ shall do the rest But what right hast thou to Christ and what canst thou do as good as nothing Verse 6. Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone elect precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded THe Apostle having already shewed both that Christ is the Foundation on which his Church is builded and that Believers are built up on him a Spiritual House c. he now confirmeth both out of the Scriptures and needful it was fully to prove them that so they might be strengthened to embrace Christ the Foundation of their happiness and against that common offence of the multitude which did not embrace but reject him Now that he had said he sheweth to be no new thing but such as was of old spoken of by God to his Prophets as the Scripture of the Old Testament beareth witness namely that of the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 28. 16. wherein is shewed of Christ that He is a chief corner stone and of Believers that they shall not be ashamed and therefore are accepted of God In that he alleageth the Scripture for his purpose Note we that That which must confirm and settle us in any Point of Doctrine is the Testimony of the Word of God If God speak to his in his Word we build that its true accordingly doing or leaving undone nothing else can satisfie not the minde of this or that man or many men or the practice of such and such no not of the best but we must build our Faith on Gods Word that cannot deceive us else shall we ever waver never be at a certainty Through men we may be driven hither and thither but if grounded on the Word of God nothing can remove us 1. This condemneth the Enthusiasts that boast of Revelations and so neglect the Word No Gods Spirit and his Word are joyned together and they that have at any time been most endued with the Spirit have at no time neglected the Scriptures but given themselves to the searching of the same Gods Spirit speaks no otherwise then according to the Word 2. Papists that thrust in Traditions and Humane Inventions as whereon people
perswasion he gives also the Spirit of Sanctification namely an unfeigned hatred of all sin and true purpose to please God and whose findes these may boldy build hereon And though there will arise through remnants of unbelief sometimes doubtings and fears yet this grace of Faith rooted in the heart will never quite fail as My God my God why hast thou for saken me The last words savor of distrust or dispair but yet so as Faith still held her hold So is it with every Believer in their temptations though they speak some words of doubting yet some do come out by and by that do argue a measure of true Faith O lets never leave till we have a particular perswasion and that upon good ground that the promises of salvation especially and other particulars belong to us some think they do and are very bold that yet can render no reason thereof but their perswasion is vain some being put to particulars can say nothing thereto and so can never have comfort or joy while they live Unto you which believe he is precious He saith not onely that Christ is most blessed and good in himself but that that which is in him is to be communicated to others or else what were it to us nay he sheweth also by what means others may be partakers hereof namely by Faith For what were it though there were never so much in Christ and that for others too if we knew not the way to come by it therefore he tells us it s made ours by Faith As what were it if there were never so much water in a Well and no bucket to draw it out or a very good Medicine and no knowledge how to use it But Christ is precious to those that believe in him They shall be partakers of all that is in Christ whatsoever Pardon Grace Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification Redemption Life and Glory is in him or to be had by him is ours by Faith and no other way If there be never so much in Christ yet to the unbeliever it avails nothing he shall not have a dram of benefit by him Therefore Faith is compared to an hand to lay hold on Christ to a mouth to feed on Christ c. As a mans hand chopt off can take nothing his mouth closed up can eat nothing so without Faith no benefit by Christ for Faith is the onely instrument that God hath ordained to convey all grace from Christ into us 1. Here 's comfort to all such as can prove themselves believers 2. Labor we for this grace of true Faith which intitles us to Christ and makes him ours without which he will be a rock of offence to our condemnation This Faith is not every idle perswasion of the brain of a carnal professor without ground and never humbled or any whit reformed but it must be a work of the Spirit of God which hath so much depending upon it which few truly enjoy And the rather are we to labor for this grace because as it makes Christ ours so all things else to work to our good without which all turn to our destruction As the Word by Faith is the power of God to Salvation and the savor of life unto life so is it to unbelievers the contrary even to their Condemnation as the sun-shine to good eyes is comfortable but to weak and blear eyes offensive and hurtful Thus are all other holy things Thus the Sacrament Thus also our meat and drink c. To believers that are not onely perswaded by the Word that they are Gods creatures appointed to nourish us but that we be such as having lost our interest in Adam have it restored in Christ we using them also with prayer may with good consciences make use of them whereof those that have not this Faith are usurpers Yea that which is a part of the curse in its own nature yet by Faith is made a blessing as our sicknesses crosses and troubles which came in with sin as punishments yet to believers them that love God all things even these work together for the best but to unbelievers they are the beginning of their sorrows And As Christ in our sense is precious to the Believers namely that they make most precious and high account of him and so of the means that have brought them to him the Word and the means that yet still bring them tidings of him the Word and Sacraments so also in this that he is fruitful and blessed to them Therefore never leave till we be in the number of these believers But unto them which be disobedient c. now to the other sort The true and direct opposition had been to have said But to the unbelievers Why then not so but to the disobedient namely to shew who they be that be unbelievers by the effect disobedience For as Faith is the mother of obedience so Infidelity the mother of disobedience and rebellion Unbelief hath the seat in the heart who then can know it the Lord who seeth it sheweth that they which be disobedient to the Word be unbelievers Hereby may every man try himself whether he be in the state of unbelief or not Thou art if thou beest in the state of disobedience Thus are they that live in the open breach of Gods Law and are tainted with foul sins they are in unbelief to this hour whom if they should thus dye this Scripture would send headlong to destruction Thus are they who though they reform some yea many things yet maintain themselves in the love and practice of some one sin either by doing some forbidden evil or neglecting some known required duty which they will not reform nor desire to do Let these know whatsoever they are that they are in unbelief until this hour and so stand in the state of wrath and condemnation O that this might awaken all our carnal Professors that bear themselves in hand that they have Faith when they have nothing towards it no it must cost you more then ever yet it did ere you enjoy it and must be shewed forth by better fruits Now before he comes to shew directly what Christ is to the unbelievers he doth by the way remove a stumbling block The stone which the builders disallowed is made the head of the corner This Text alleaged out of the Psalms is meant 1. Of David who by Sauls Courtiers was rejected whom they would not have had King yet God had so appointed and would have it so 2. Of our Savior Christ whom the great learned men of his time did reject and would not embrace as the Savior of the world Where Christs Kingdom is compared to an house and Christ to the foundation thereof or corner stone and the learned men of Christs time to builders who should have built the Church of God by their place but they rejected the best part and foundation of this building Therefore were like
c. on the contrary consider the woful estate of the wicked For what be they be they Kings Priests or Prophets no such matter Believers be so They be Kings Priests and Prophets but the wicked are the slaves of sin and Satan slaves to the flesh to their own lusts to the world What though they be rich yea though they be Emperors and not Believers they are the vassels of Satan and have nothing but their drudgery in sin and Hell for their own place as their desert Neither are they Priests but prophane ones let them stand off for the holy God cannot abide unholy persons they and their Sacrifice are abomination to the Lord They offer no Sacrifices at all of Prayer Praise or Alms or if they do its abominable because they offer not themselves soul and body to God first but they offer themselves to the Devil and him they serve with body and soul might and main Neither are they Prophets but dumb beasts not savoring of the mysteries of Gods Kingdom or if uttering any thing thereof yet their ill lives disgrace it again O that such considering their own base and the others happy estate would have an holy emulation to be as they and indeed nothing in this world is worthy to be envied but a Christian Humble therefore thy self for thy sin past turn to God for thy pardon in Christ and labor to have thy part in him and by him and by Faith in him thou shalt attain to be a Christian and so consequently a King Priest and Prophet and be enabled to the duties of the same An holy nation Here 's a third priviledge not meant of all the Jews but of the elect among them and of all believing Gentiles as Acts 2. 38 39. so called 1. Because they had the Oracles of God the Word and Sacraments which no other had This belonged to all the Jews True but it might be said that they onely had them which had the power of them to the conversion of their souls and Salvation and others had them not which had no fruit and benefit by them 2. Because they were sanctified and set aside by special grace to be holy ones to the Lords use Note then That All that be the Lords are holy persons that is Not onely having Christs holiness imputed to them but in whom God worketh inherent Righteousness and Holiness by his Spirit conveying vertue from Christs death to kill sin and from his Resurrection to raise them to newness of life to alter and change them throughout in soul spirit and body This though not perfect in any yet is sound and upright in them all therefore he gives them his holy Word and holy Spirit to work this and holy Sacraments to encrease it and its requisite that as God is holy so also all his should so be and these be they shall see his face with comfort no other and for these onely is Heaven prepared O let every man examine himself whether he be a sanctified person or not if yea Then 1. To thy comfort know hereby thou art one of the Lords number a greater priviledge then to be written among the Potentates of the earth There 's Consolation to thee thou wert elected and shalt be glorified 2. Seeing thou art set aside for the Lords use and sanctified in body and soul never defile thy self again or put any part of thy body and soul to any common or unholy use of sin or Satan In the Law it was ever most fearful to take any Consecrated thing as the Holy Oyl Shew-bread or Vessels and put them to any common use so is it that we should put Hand Foot or Tongue to any use of sin or corruption for any part of our souls or lives Oh many contrarily can let loose their tongue to impatient proud and most unseemly speeches yea and their bodies and mindes some to excessive following the world as they were wont and as worldlings do and some after their pleasures and vanities O that we would grow and abound in Sanctification that here having our fruit in holiness we may have the end everlasting life If not but contrarily you either live in prophaneness the open breach of some of the Commandments or be only superstitiously holy in some odde devotions and loose in other things as Papists and a number of old Folks or such as have a counterfeit holiness in the first Table and make no conscience of the duties of the second or contrarily civil persons that seem very just in the second Table but savor nothing of the duties of the first Table Know you are yet unsanctified persons and therefore out of Gods number you may be members of the visible Church where good and bad chaff and corn are but not of the invisible who onely are sanctified ones Let such be what they will be having Wit Learning Wealth Wisdom Civility all skill of Languages yea if they could measure the Heavens number the Stars c. and be not sanctified they are of the Devils rabble and shall perish everlastingly O that you would awake out of your courses What fruit have ye had or look ye to have therein The end of these things is death Come to the Word crave the Holy Spirit desire Pardon and Sanctification till this be you are not out of the state of Damnation and all things are impure to you Word Sacraments yea your Meat Drink Apparel c. A peculiar people That is a people proper to the Lord which he himself hath purchased and which he now takes as his own and sets great store by called therefore his secret ones whom he keeps under his protection to whom also he reveals his secrets his Beloved ones his Spouse his Love his undefiled as the Apple of his eye the Signet on his right hand whom he cannot forget In the flood he saved his Church when all others were drowned he saved Lot when Sodom was destroyed he makes more account of one Christian then of thousands of others If one of them pray it s so forcible that he says Let me alone and if thousands of wicked it s but as the howling of Dogs an abomination They are his glory all the world are dross to them vile persons and base The wicked though never so many are but servants to the Church as the seven Nations were to make the Land of Canaan fit for the people of God yea even then when they seem to dominier most over them they are but their drudges They as a wisp scour the Church to make it bright in the eyes of God but the wisp is to be cast into the fire they are Gods rod to bring it to obedience when that 's effected the rod is to be flung into the fire And No marvel though the Lord set such store by his Church seeing he hath been at such cost therewith as
to Redeem it with the blood of his Son and to give his Spirit thereto to graft and unite it to Christ and to sanctifie and make it like himself How dear are our children to us God hath made us sons nay heirs the Lands we purchase be dear to us we are Gods purchase our members be dear to us God hath made us members of his Son 1. Oh if we be so peculiar and choyce to the Lord how choycely should we walk how should we set as great store by the Lord and his Commandments as he hath done by us He hath chosen us for his inheritance we should chuse him for our portion and make him so and his Word our Heritage as David did O how warily should we walk Every Christians ought to be one of a thousand the least as David and the greatest of the Angel as God we should shine so among others as Moses his face shone when he came down from the Lord that we may straight be discerned by our conversation who and what we are O how doth this tax the coldness and carelesness of many Christians in whom who can view any singular thing but we ought to be singular persons They omit duties in their Families or slubber them over as many Hypocrites who can upon any occasion be as froward impatient worldly as any other Is it not requisite that such as the Lord hath been at such cost with as to Elect them Redeem them call them by his Word and Spirit Sanctifie them c. should be extraordinary persons we should be much in those duties that the World and Hypocrites do not meddle with as private Prayer Examination Watchfulness yea against secret corruption and in those we do we must perform them after another fashion then heretofore 2. This is a comfort that God makes such special reckoning of his therefore though we have many and mighty Enemies yet we need not fear God is on our side he is about us as the Mountains about Jerusalem they must dig down God ere they can come at his overcome God ere they can conquer his 3. Terror to the wicked How dare they meddle to hurt or persecute any of these little ones lest their Angel be let loose to destroy them If Meroz were cursed for not helping them what shall they be that harm them They that rail on them mock and misuse them would do further if opportunity served 4. The wicked are of no reckoning with God for they be like the Devil and do nothing but sin against God and are his Enemies The wicked are as chaff and darnel the godly as wheat the good as the fish in the net the wicked as weeds and frogs the good as the vine the bad as the nettles and brambles the good as the tree planted by the rivers of waters c. the wicked as barren nay hurtful trees the godly be like good ground the wicked like that which bears thorns and bryars This should make them see their base condition and set less by themselves seeing God sets nothing by them and joyn themselves to the Lords people and labor to be such That ye should shew forth the praises of him c. The end of all these priviledges and this cost is that we might shew forth by word and deed all the vertues of God his Mercy Patience Wisdom Goodness c. shewed in our Election Redemption Vocation Sanctification c. Where note 1. That God hath not bestowed this cost on us in vain but that we might both sound out his praises with our mouthes and throughout out whole life shew forth the same O how infinitely stand we indebted to him But where is our zeal any thing answerable to the least of these unspeakable mercies vouchsafed unto us 2. That he did not Elect us because he foresaw we would shew forth his vertues but that we might so do If he had foreseen any works in us we might then have shewed forth our own Merits as his Vertues but that 's contrary to this Text and the whole course of Scripture Therefore we may say herein Not unto us but unto thy name give the glory 3. That he Elected us not to be idle but to shew forth his Vertues and this confuteth the Opinion of those that hold the Doctrine of Election and the unchangeableness thereof to be a Doctrine of Liberty and a gap to all licentiousness But he chose us that we should be holy and that not in shew to please men but before him even so as he requireth and accepteth 4. That the furthest end of our Election is Gods glory not our Salvation True he propounded that too but not as the furthest end So he ordained some to Damnation not that simply he takes pleasure in their destruction but to set forth his glory even the glory of his power and justice in their just condemnation so would he be glorified in his mercy in the Salvation of the Elect. Hence learn we To make the glory of God the end of all our actions and nothing else not profit not pleasure not preferment no not the Salvation of our own souls we must not Hear Meditate Pray keep the Sabbath flie from Sin do good to save our Souls for then we seek our selves but that God may be glorified the other must be minded in the second place Who hath called you He describeth God by a special benefit bestowed upon them namely their effectual calling from sin to grace and this he doth to confirm them in their Election whereof he had spoken before by which they might prove the same Note then that effectual calling is a certain argument of our Election I say effectual calling because there is 1. An outward calling common to the Reprobate as many are called but few are chosen and 2. An inward and effectual calling when the Spirit goes with the outward means and boars through the ear of the heart and opens the eyes and breaks through all lets and enlightens and changes a man admirably who before was not at all moved when he heard the very same things when God deals with the Reprobate he calls them outwardly but when with his Elect he goeth to work with his Spirit which passeth the power of Man or Angels the work is the Lords The outward instrument of effectual calling is principally the Ministery of the Word other things may prepare as the fire heats the iron but the hammer fashioneth it as affections the good conversation of others and the like Thus the Jailor was by an Earthquake some are gastered and first smitten yet rarely by some fear in the night or at some other time fearful thoughts lay hold on them But this is not conversion it s no other then may be in a Reprobate after they are brought by counsel to the Word
path and dangerous for wilde beasts not onely be asking the way but because they know themselves apt to go astray though they fare the harder have and hire a guide continually to go along with them in the way to be sure that they may not lose any time or grieve themselves by going out of the way at all if it may be So will every wise Christian besides asking get a continual guide which is the Word of God to go along with him to direct him in every particular through the day yea his whole life This David desired and therefore did so often study and meditate in the statutes of God That they might be a light to his pathes and a lanthorn to his feet and his Counsellors This therefore we must read hear study that it may dwell plentifully in our hearts in all wisdom that we step not awry for want of knowledge or knowing the way go contrary to our guides direction we cannot in every particular action and our dealings go and ask counsel therefore we must have the guide and counsellor within us to teach us to Buy Sell Let Hire to deal with our Neighbors in Peace Equity Mercy Truth Therefore David prays Lead me in thy way O Lord and let thy good Spirit lead me into the Land of righteousness as one that would not go a step but as he was led by Gods Word and Spirit The common sort therefore that dare do any thing and never look for guide hereby shew whether they are going Gods Servants also herein are wonderfully to blame that sometimes for want of knowledge sometimes for want of care go grosly out of their way one step in the way another out in some things like Christians in some things like worldlings some actions good some nothing less When will such come to their journeys end What travelling is this backward and forward and then backward again 6. A Pilgrim if he be told he is out of the way is glad being grieved at his mistaking and loss of time and returns with speed and thanks him that told him so also must Christians in their journey to Heaven They that cannot at all endure to be admonished nor haste to amend are not in their way 7. Pilgrims make much of their Fellow-travellers and Countreymen if any be out of the way they call them in again if any faint they stick to him and rub him and with the Aqua vitae bottle that they carry along with them for such purposes they comfort him and go not from him and leave him behinde them they also chear up and encourage one another What chear my masters go we merrily c. So do true Christian Pilgrims they love all that set their faces to Heaven-ward with them they call in any wandring out of the way If any be afflicted in Conscience for sin or in Body or otherwise with any cross or hath met with hard measure from the world and begins to be discouraged when Landlord or some great men frown or is fallen into some troubles they encourage and hearten him with words of gracious consolation out of the Word the Aqua vitae of Gods promises But the world cannot abide them that go that way It s a great fault in Christians that they walk no more Pilgrim-like love not one another are not able or careful to admonish others but let one another alone till the wicked cry out on them and the Gospel and for Consolation few are able few careful to look thereto The rich encourage not the poor one heartens not on another but every man goes by himself and so are the weaker as when the Brands are pluckt one from another the heat departs O we should cleave together as Burs for we have both Devil and World against us 8. A Pilgrim bears his troubles quietly looking for no other whilest he is thus from home though he be stopt here stockt there mockt at as he goes yet he comforts himself with this that he shall ere long be in his own Countrey where he is known and loved and shall meet with no more such but all good usage that his heart can desire So true Christians bear their troubles patiently if from the hand of God or for his sake sickness losses crosses they look for no other in this vale and Pilgrimage This comforts them that they shal one day come to Heaven their resting place where they shall live with God in all blessedness for ever and if other troubles come one after another they think them no other then they made account of its Gods wisdom that it should be thus that Heaven might be the sweeter we might long the more for it and be weaned from hence If an Englishman should be highly advanced in a strange Countrey he would the sooner forget his own but in trouble longs for his own and is so glad of it as many Souldiers having met with much hardness in other Countreys have fallen flat when they arrived and set first foot in England again and kissed the very ground with O welcome sweet England If Christians meet with hard measure from the world they bear out in hope of Heaven If they were of the world the world would love them They will not deny but confess Christ here suffer for him that hereafter they may reign with him Thus did the Prophets Thus did the Apostles suffer Therefore for those that being put to and in danger of displeasure or trouble flinch joyn with the world and give over they be no Pilgrims they mean not Heaven in good earnest for if they did they would not lose it for a few troubles It s therefore a sign they doubt whether they have any resting place or countrey provided for them or not for else they would not lose it and men cannot have Heaven both here and hereafter But the true Pilgrim is confident he undergoes troubles constantly and boldly as knowing that he hath a countrey which will pay for all 9. A Pilgrim longs to be at home So doth and must every true Christian we are taught to pray Thy Kingdom come and the Church prayeth Come Lord Jesus St. Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ and old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace Then they shall be free from sin from sorrow shall be with God in perfect happiness for ever O if we were in Heaven but one minute we would not be here again to have every one a Kingdom nay if we knew what Heaven were and that it were for us we would be sick till we came at it The best and precisest are not of this minde for ought I see but if they be sick they send for the Physitian We may nay dare do no other though we were never so willing to dye we may not break the Lords prison by doing any ill to our selves or neglecting any good
well and truly said to be Supreme Governor over all persons and in all Causes yea and Supreme head in a borrowed speech as the Husband is the Wives head not to make new Laws not agreeable to Gods Law but to be keepers of the two Tables of Gods Law and to rule according to them 1. This condemneth the monstrous pride and arrogancy of the Pope that challengeth and taketh upon him to be Supreme head over the Church and that he may set up and depose Princes he may Curse and Excommunicate and command to go to War at his pleasure and that he may exempt Subjects from their allegiance c. He is a Lyar Usurper and a Thief What hath he do in England who gave him his Authority He is a Minister if he be Saint Peters Successor and hath the Spiritual Sword to fight withal but he challengeth both Swords Temporal and Spiritual too too much in conscience for one man for one hand to hold and handle two Swords whereas each will take up the whole man But how came he by them especially by this Temporal Sword and civil Authority as to kill imprison and do what a King may do Oh Christ gave him the Spiritual Sword which is the greater therefore did give him the Civil which is the lesser A sound argument The King gives a Nobleman a great Office therefore hath given him one that is lesser Doth this follow Yea to maintain this his usurped Power they do so wofully abuse the Scriptures that it would grieve any heart as where Peter was bid Arise kill and eat Peter might kill Beasts therefore the Pope may kill men a goodly argument This would rather authorize the Pope to play the Cook then the King So Peters dealing with Ananias and Sapphira and Pauls with Elimas the Sorcerer are alledged but was their's with the Temporal Sword was it with force or violence was it not with the Word of God This makes nothing for his Civil Power Christ refused it when they would have made him a King and when he was desired to divide an Inheritance So these speeches of our Savior He that hath no Sword let him sell his Garment and buy one and when they said Lord here are two Swords he said unto them It is enough But hereby our Savior doth onely put them in minde of the danger of the ensuing times and that they should prepare themselves for troubles not that they should otherwise resist then with the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God for afterward when Peter used his material Sword against the Officers our Savior willed him to put up the same Whatsoever therefore the Pope or any for him can alledge we may safely take the Oath of Supremacy They that will not are not to be trusted for good Subjects 2. This condemneth the Clergy of Rome that exempt themselves from all Princes Authority whereas God hath said Let every soul be subject to the higher powers If they have souls they must be subject But how do they exempt themselves 1. As they say Jure Divino from that of Saint Paul He that is Spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man An horrible abuse of the place which ayms at no Civil Judgement but onely at judging by the Spirit of God of things Divine which a natural man cannot attain unto meaning that as a Natural man cannot judge of Spiritual things so none can judge of a Spiritual man but he that is indued with the same Spirit 2. By the Donation of Constantine but it s not in the power of Princes so to do They may exempt them from Tribute if they will as Pharoah took not the Priests Lands to gage for Corn but to exempt them from subjection they cannot This were to make themselves wiser then God who hath put them under their Authority yea the too much indulgence and favor of Emperors hath been the bane of the Church and helpt up the Pope into his stirrop Therefore its wisdom in them to hold their Authority which God hath given them Or unto Governors A King is but a man and cannot rule a Kingdom by himself and therefore must have others under him for the same purpose in War Generals Captains Lieutenants c. and in Peace Judges Justices Majors Baliffs Sheriffs Constables c. accordingly was Jethro's Counsel questionless by Gods direction accordingly was Gods own prescription and by him do they also rule Such did Jehoshophat set throughout all the Cities of his Land City by City These be the Princes eyes to see and hands to execute Judgement who therefore must be obeyed even the meanest of them This condemneth them that are afraid to commit Treason against the King but for other Magistrates they care not for them set light by them sometimes outface them An Officers gown hath been heretofore more feared then his person now so proud and insolent are youth grown in these lewd times that with the Judge in the Gospel they neither fear God nor man In Jobs time the wicked would flie from him when they saw him but now tell a company of drunkards in an Ale-house that the Constable comes what care they yea they will not onely sit still there but with vile speeches outface him This comes to pass partly through the coldness and remisness of Magistrates whereby they lose their authority which is Gods judgement on them and partly through the boldness of youth over in times past Let them look to it they resist not onely the King in the meanest Officer but even God and his Ordinance and shall receive to themselves judgement whom God will pursue though men connive at them Such contemners of Magistrates for the most part come to the gallows or such fearful ends As unto them that are sent by him This is in effect the same with the foregoing Reason There is a nature in us contrary to this subjection but we must submit our selves to them for they be sent of God both the highest and the lower ones The powers that be are ordained of God 1. This teacheth all sorts of Officers and Magistrates to be careful in the performance of their duties remembring that they are sent of God that they bear his Name and that he will call them to an account They that are faithful in this trust reposed on them shall receive a good reward as contrarily they that do his work negligently and are unfaithful shall hear this doleful sound O evil and unfaithful Servant c. take and binde him c. 2. It teacheth them to do their duties couragiously They have a sure back he that sets them on work is able to defend and maintain them 3. People must submit themselves to them they are sent of God if they do not thus they shall answer the same at their uttermost perils For the
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
of the Moral Law and the uttermost extremity of it which of the unbeliever is exacted but on the behalf of Believers is taken away by Christ so that though in them there be many wants yet God in Christ Jesus will accept the will for the deed he will accept of their hearts and of the truth of their actions pardoning their infirmities Hence it is that now they flee not from the Law as a cruel Tyrant but come thereto as to a Schoolmaster to instruct them in Gods will 4. We are freed from the Ceremonial Law whereof the Sacraments Sacrifices Rites Purifyings c. were meer shadows till the body came So from bondage in all things indifferent as meats drinks days and the like which were rudiments serving for the minority of the Church There is now no indifferent thing we are bound in for Religions sake or from which we are to abstain for conscience sake much more are we freed from all mens Traditions which serve not to binde the conscience wherewith notwithstanding the Church of Rome endeavoreth to hold people in base and deadly bondage as the Scribes and Pharisees of old and that for Conscience and Religions sake The Kingdom of God is not meat nor drink neither if we eat are we the more acceptable or if we eat not the less 1. This is a wonderful consolation to every Christian whoso can prove themselves Believers they are the onely happy persons in the world they onely are free Art thou such a one be of good comfort there 's no condemnation to thee though thou hast been stung with sin yet seeing thou hast had grace to look up to Christ Jesus thou art cured Christ hath dyed for thee thou shalt not perish but have life everlasting Who shall lay any thing to thy charge Christ hath paid thy debt to the uttermost farthing when therefore the conscience of thy sin troubles thee with the danger thereof and the Devil pursueth thee with temptations O then look up to thy Surety stick to him he hath perfectly discharged thee Though there be a Hell wide and large and the burning thereof as it were fire and much wood which the breath of the Lord as a River of Brimstone doth kindle and wherein thou hast deserved to have thy portion yet there thou shalt not come Christ hath given a discharge for every one that believeth in him Thou art humbled the Spirit of God beareth witness to thine that thou art Gods and thou findest in thy self the fruits of faith be of good comfort God can as soon deny himself as that thou shalt perish O what cause have we to thank God for Christ Jesus and all the means whereby we came to faith and to be Christians we can have no curse in this world crosses for good are no curses death shall do us no hurt yea turn to our especial good Art thou a Believer then art thou no longer the Servant of sin to be at the command and follow it in the lusts thereof though thou canst not do as thou wouldest yet having thine understanding enlightened thy will and affections reformed and thine heart changed c. thou hast a blessed freedom a pledge indeed of that perfect freedom thou shalt have in Heaven yet labor every day to be more freed from the bondage of thy corruption and set at liberty to serve God And is it not a wonderful comfort that we may offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ and that we are enabled in some measure to do the will of God and that with delight and that our works though imperfect and done in weakness yet being done in Truth are accepted of God who hath compassion on us as a father on his son He that is indeed a true Believer is the onely free person in the world so free as nothing can make him otherwise let him be bound with sickness with poverty with imprisonment let him be tyed hand and foot let him be chained about the neck to a prison wall c. yet is he free free from sin and damnation free from the bondage of the Devil is a conqueror over temptations hath a free minde to serve God and even then with Paul and Silas and the three children can sing and laud his name O praise God for this walk thankfully and joyfully love the word and search it where these blessed prerogatives and priviledges be enrolled It s a great fault we rejoyce no more herein especially considering the price that our freedom cost 2. For them that cannot prove themselves Believers O let them labor to have a part in this freedom Rome had great priviledges therefore many sought and that with great sums to be free of it When the Jews were freed from Hamans conspiracy and had the Kings favor many become Jews O so me thinks many should desire to become Christians that they may partake of this freedom which is more to be desired then the whole world Till you be freed by Christ you are in woful bondage When the Son shall make you free then shall you be free indeed till which time you are bound indeed and that in a fearful maner the curse of God follows you whithersoever you go or ride you go not over a stile but you may break your neck get up on your horses but you may receive some deadly blows to send you to Hell take tools in your hands but you may mischief your selves thereby you may be swallowed up as Korah drowned as Pharaoh burnt with fire from Heaven as Nadab and Abihu eat up with worms as Herod Being unbelievers you have no warrant to the contrary every minute you hang over the pit of Hell for whom it gapeth You are also slaves of the Devil at his command and do base work for a woful master whose wages will be accordingly But this the world will not believe they dream not of Spiritual bondage neither consider that their hearts are fast locked in unbelief were they sensible hereof they would seek by all means to be rid of the same they would be afraid even to sleep this night lest Hell should catch them ere they awoke lest their souls should be fetched from them being in this condition O never be quiet till you know your selves freed by Christ to this end humble your selves confess your deadly bondage bewail it to God cry for pardon rest not till you receive a gracious answer never leave waiting on God in his Word and craving his Spirit till he change your hearts and make you free whence will spring peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost What are Riches Wit Civility yea the gifts of Knowledge Utterance and hearing of the Word with joy and the like without this This is to be known by Faith especially But how do most content themselves to hold the hope of Heaven by sleight conceits of their own rather then seek by sound
fit and weighty Arguments Whence note 1. That Marriage in Gods account is an high and honorable state all things prove it Author Time Place Persons c. God hath said it and who can tell the worth of things so well as the Author and Maker of them Such are blame-worthy that disgrace it as they are that live basely and dishonorably in it 2. That both husbands and wives must learn to know their duty How else shall they teach their children and servants God puts children and servants to us as Apprentices to be trained up in the trade of Christianity whom we teach very much by our good Example If husbands and wives should not learn their duties they may live like a pair of Creatures not like a pair of Christians Touching the wives duties he exhorteth them 1. To subjection ver 1. 2. To chastity and reverence ver 2. Then having disswaded them from curiosity and over much setting out themselves in apparel faults whereunto naturally women are too much addicted ver 3. he perswadeth them on the contrary to deck themselves rather with grace especially meekness and quietness as not onely being in the sight of God of great price but that which will hold out whereas the outward adorning is corruptible and vain ver 4. Those he further presseth by the examples of ancient godly women ver 5. and particularly of Sarah whose daughters they were if they did perform their duties to their husbands as she did to hers in a right maner namely for love and conscience sake and not moved thereto out of any slavish fear ver 6. Herein our Apostle insisteth the more largely for that upon his and the other Apostles preaching That Believers were not to marry with Infidels and that some wives which were converted to christianity brake off society with their husbands because of their beastly and strange lusts a slander arose that the Apostles taught That wives were not to be subject to their husbands especially if they were Infidels against this our Apostle here cleareth himself and his Doctrine Thus hath it been with Gods Ministers from time to time even Christ himself was slandered and therefore when the like befals us we must not be discouraged But let people take heed how they slander a Minister for if it be a wicked part to bear false witness against any man how much more against a Minister being a publique person and whereby much hurt may redound Such slanderers work Journey-work for the Devil in an high degree take heed that you slander them not out of ignorance but especially out of malice Neither censure before you know the matter fully for He that answereth a matter before he heareth it that is advisedly considereth thereof it is folly and shame unto him Likewise c. There 's subjection required of Inferiors towards their Superiors so of Servants towards their Masters and here of Wives towards their Husbands but this must be considered according to their places This I note because some base minded husbands do insult over and abuse their wives in most tyrannous maner looking for as much subjection of them as of any servant or drudge which is not the minde of the holy Ghost Ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands Here 's required of wives subjection towards their husbands though God made them in many things equal yet in wisdom he thought meet to make some little inequality and appointed the husband to be the Superior and Head and so to rule and the wife to be subject to him yet not so but that he hath his Rules to bound his rule that it exceed not It was Gods will even in the state of innocency that the wife should have been subject though it should have been more willing free and pleasant then it is now for now it s not done without difficulty but after the Fall God laid it on her as a punishment for being deceived she was first in the transgression This is often required and hence it is that the husband is called the wives Head and for this cause was the vail betokening her subjection Neither is this without Reason for if all were equals in the Commonwealth there would be confusion and if all Bells were of a bigness and all the strings of an instrument of one size there would be a harsh sound and no melody So were there not some small inequality between husbands and wives there could not but be contention It s Gods order that wives be subject as it s his order the Sun should shine the Earth bear fruit the Heavens cover us If these things should not do thus it were monstrous so unless wives will be Monsters they must be subject Accordingly God hath provided to make man the stronger the woman the weaker vessel that he might be the fitter to rule she feeling her own weakness the more willing to be ruled This she ought to account an especial mercy as having a Head to guide her who else having had the rule in her own hand had been unable to manage it aright yea as this is no servile or base subjection but joyned with equality in many things which is signified in her making not of mans head lest she should be superior nor of his Foot lest she should be much inferior but of his Ribs to shew equality So hereby they are freed from all other subjections as of Parents Masters c. yea in many things are not subject as it were to Law as for whom their husbands must answer This subjection must guide the whole Conversation besprinkle the speech and cause a right Affection and quiet Spirit This stands in reverencing their husbands in their hearts and shewing it in words and behavior as it s in the following Verse She must also submit her self to the advice counsel and direction of her husband for her dyet apparel c. not doing things of her own minde but with his counsel As the Moon hath all her light from the Sun so must she have her direction from her husband and as the great Wheel of the Clock must guide about all the rest so must he be to her and she must not have a proper motion by her self If he do any thing she must take liking and not thwart or control the same nay if she should know a thing to be better then that he is about as concerning removing to this place ot that buying this or selling that c. yet being not in a thing simply unlawful she must not cross him gently perswade him she may much less stand upon her own wit and will contrary to his minde And if she should see him impatient yet is it not her part to requite like for like neither to carry her self unreverently nay though she see he doth that which is unlawful she must not check him at her
and prophane persons excuse themselves from embracing Religion but this shall not serve their turn There is odds indeed and no marvel For we know in part and believe in part But wherein is the difference not in the grounds of our Religion but in matters of Ceremony and Circumstance So far as the Ministers of the Church of England agree let them embrace believe and obey and it shall be sufficient to bring them to Heaven as for the things about which they differ they little concern them we are to desire God that these controversies were at an end and that we may be all of one minde about these things till which time we are to desire that there might not be such Separation of affections for these things but as both may be saved and be good Christians that be of either of both mindes so there might be a consent and agreement and not one rent asunder in affection from another for as it were extream uncharitableness for any to judge any for these things whom they see to live godly and Preach diligently so to censure those over sharply that are not altogether of the same judgement This doth much hurt for as it was said The war of Hereticks is the peace of the Church so it is now too true That the contention of the Church is the peace and increase of Papists among us Hereby also many fall to Brownism and sundry no doubt hereupon shake off all care of Religion and are little better then Atheists Some there are even also amongst private Christians that having somewhat better gifts of wit and memory and some more knowledge then others fall to curious questions and maintain strange and singular opinions as That they can discern Spirits and in an hours talk with a man know certainly whether he be a childe of God or not c. whereby they draw parties to themselves fall into wrangling and strife with such as oppose their fancies becomes strange unto them discharge them behinde their backs whence the godly are grieved and prophane ones take occasion to exclaim against the profession of Religion yea their Ministers become ill thought of as teachers of such Novelties Such are of a proud Spirit as who take up Opinions not grounded in the Word and maintain them also to the breach of unity and love If any scruple arise in our mindes we are in humility to resort to those whose lips are appointed to preserve knowledge For unity in civil affairs or outward conversation We ought to be of one minde in every good thing in our families and places where we live husbands and wives neighbors with neighbors must be like-minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus any other is a conspiracy no true agreement In Towns men ought to joyn together to suppress evil persons and places and set up goodness so much as in them lies where two or three thus consent there is God in the midst of them But in most places men set themselves to cross one another and Baal hath them which plead for him and against God and goodness as if one Horse were set at the one end of the Cart and another at the other end and each put to draw they would trample the ground tire themselves and do no good to the owner so is it in many Towns where dissention beareth sway nothing is done to the glory of God or good thereof And for particular persons and neighbors they must be of one heart and live lovingly together not offering occasion of offence nor readily embracing any but forgetting forgiving and passing by injuries not giving place unto wrath nor suffering the Sun to go down thereon We are brethren members also of one body we must live like Lambs one with another O how good and comely a thing is it thus to live but alas how do men wrangle and contend for every trifle Welfare Abraham he would rather yield to Lot then contend we are his children if we follow his steps What a shame is it that they which are baptized with the same Baptism profess the same Faith and say that they are guided by the same Spirit should yet be at strife and variance O fie upon it How do these stain their Prayers hinder themselves from the Sacrament How canst thou look God in the face who thus break his Commandments Hereof pride and covetousness are the main causes Take we heed to these duties that living in peace the God of love and peace may be with us Having compassion one of another Another vertue required is to be of like affection each to other in their prosperity rejoycing with them and desiring the continuance thereof as in their heaviness to be grieved yea we are to rejoyce in their prosperity though we our selves were in affliction to rejoyce I say whether in respect of the Church in general or of the particular Members thereof Such shal not prosper that have ill will to Sion that envy the prosperity of the Church nor such as are envious at the good estate of particular Christians or Ministers their welfare credit peace liberty nor such as have an ill eye at their Neighbors thriving in wealth credit gifts or any other blessing Through the Devil justly stiled the envious man as being the author of envy they become thus envious What shall we have an ill eye because God is good what is this but to finde fault with God How was envy punished in Cain in Esau in the Edomites c. It s a work of the flesh which God cannot away withal nay we are not to envy at the prosperity of the wicked for they shall pay full dearly for it Naturally we are addicted hereunto but we ought to hate it and strive against it And for them whom God blesseth above others they must walk very warily in all humbleness and care to do good and kindely use their Inferiors else they put them upon a temptation of envy whereas on the other part people will say His wealth and place is well bestowed on him he is loving affable doth good c. And as we are to rejoyce with them that do rejoyce so must we mourn with them that mourn we must help to bear their burthen we must pity them in our hearts pray for them visit them and otherwise relieve them if need be we must not be altogether for our selves as those who were not born for our selves alone In the natural body if one member suffer the rest suffer with it much more should it be so in the spiritual If the foot get a thorn in it the back bows down to it the eye looks upon it the hand searcheth it the heart grieveth the tongue complaineth should not we be thus affected at the hurt of our fellow-members Our head is a living feeling head and accordingly we should be feeling
in their work It will be demanded of us whether Magistrates Ministers Housholders or others what good we have done 4. This condemneth all those that fail in the doing of good or in the maner thereof and so lose their labor and have no comfort of themselves as they that will do some good duties not others as Read not Pray come to the Word not to the Sacraments come to both but omit Family duties They that do not good duties at all times but take liberty to shake them off and banish them so did not David nor in any places haply devout at Church careless elswhere nor in all companies doing good onely as Saul among the Prophets nor to all persons some will seem to give God his due in the mean time dealing unjustly with men as some with civil persons are careful in this careless in that Others also will do well to strangers but not to their Families as others to their friends but cannot away with their enemies and others though submiss to their Superiors yet are harsh to their Inferiors so they that will then onely do good when they finde it easie to be done who yet in the mean time take great pains to do wickedly so they that will not do any good except when they may be commended for it and have good will for their pains so they that still say they will and they will do good but defer the same so long that death takes hold on them so they that think to do good in their end who should do it in their life the present time is indeed the time wherein to do good so they that do good for a while but after break off so they that do good things but in a corrupt maner without Faith and seeking themselves therein or meerly in hypocrisie All these mark me well that make their practice of doing good in this fashion it s as good never awhit as never the better I deny not but a good man may herein at some times fail through weakness or by reason of some temptation but whosoever usually thus doth doth bewray himself to be but an hypocrite and as he thus worketh so accordingly shall he have his reward with hypocrites 5. This serves for consolation to all those whose hearts are unfainedly affected to good and which are ready to every good God requires of them in their general or special callings at all times in all places towards all even in things most difficult and dangerous desiring unfainedly to do them in a right maner they do what 's good in the sight of the Lord hereupon they shall have comfort for the present and hereafter life everlasting Such are indeed of God 6. This is also for instruction to us all that we give our selves with greater diligence to that that is good and to do much good in our general and special callings taking pains thus to do both publikely and privately such as joyn not with us herein shall want their part in our comfort This shall be our Crown and will accompany us to life eternal the more good we do the more joy shall we have in our lives the more comfort in death and the greater glory in the world to come Let him seek peace and ensue it Another duty to be done of all those that would live long and see good days They must seek peace and ensue it Men that seek not peace shall not finde it and without peace what comfort can any have of their life Neither can any enjoy eternal life that seek not after peace for God is that God of peace and all that are his must love peace and therefore hath God given us his Gospel of peace as to reconcile us to himself in Jesus Christ so also to teach us to live in peace one with another We must therefore not onely keep it when we have it and accept it being offered but wanting it seek after the same seek after it as covetous men do after Money the hungry after meat Hunters after their prey if it run or fly from us we must run and fly after it This is again and again both commanded and commended is a fruit of the Spirit and of the wisdom that comes from above Now we must seek after peace 1. By living innocently and harmlesly with our Neighbors such as harm them either in word or deed are enemies to peace 2. By living helpfully and doing good in our places as Magistrates Ministers c. 3. By passing by such small wrongs as are done unto us not so much as taking notice thereof and for others of more moment to compound them of our selves or refer them to indifferent neighbors which notwithstanding if they must needs be determined by Law must not break off peace or occasion the omission of any neighborly duty 4. By parting with some of our right to have peace Herein we must not stand upon terms though haply it were fit our adversary should come to us as being Yonger Inferior in place or who first gave the cause of offence yet rather then contention should continue we must pass by all those and go to him even Abraham yielded to Lot And this we must do nor with some persons onely but even with all not with the rich onely but the poor also as being our fellow servants members of Christ as we are and such of whom we may stand in need both in prosperity and adversity neither with the meaner sort onely and not with the rich and wealthy as if it were of a brave minde to stand out with them and not to regard them but with the one as well as the other yea nor with the good onely though with them chiefly but with the bad also even Abraham maintained peace with Abimelech yet so as that we may keep our peace with God not consenting with them in their evil nor doing evil or neglecting our duty for their good will A just War is better then an unjust Peace A Nation may have with Infidels a League of Peace though not of Amity so we must have peace but not with ill conditions to yield to unlawful things Wo be to that peace that makes partition with God and breaks the peace of our own Conscience our Savior Christ came not to bring such peace but the Sword It will be better by being faithful to have favor with God and peace in our selves though we reap the ill will of our Neighbors then that God should curse us for our unfaithfulness and the wicked also in Hell for following their ways Thus must Husbands and Wives Ministers and People c. keep peace one with another otherwise we must be contented rather to be counted troublesom and breakers of peace This we must seek after 1. Because it s so pleasing to God he is the God of Peace and by the Spirit often
the day after so long between to approve the truth of his death and no longer that he might see no corruption Early in the morning to shew that he was the light of the world the Son of Righteousness a light to be revealed unto the Gentiles one that was to lighten every one that came into the world namely that is lightned even us that are by nature darkness it self from hence must every man fetch light On the first day of the week for so God disposed of it This first day was answerable to the first day of the world it was the morrow after the Jews Sabbath As he began to make the world the first day of it when before it was not so now that it was decayed and corrupted by sin he now came to make it up again which he did by his Death and Resurrection Hence the Reason of the alteration of the Sabbath from the Jews Sabbath to the day following which is ours to keep a memorial as of the Creation of the world so especially of the renewing of the world by the work of Redemption and as the first Sabbath continued from the Creation to Christs Resurrection so no question ought this to abide to the worlds end The benefits ensuing hereupon are 1. To assure us that Christ hath fully paid all our debts If Christ be not risen saith the Apostle we are yet in our sins and our preaching is in vain 2. To give us power to rise to a new life 3. To assure us of our Resurrection O then who shall lay any thing to the charge of Believers It s Christ that is dead nay rather which is risen again for whom therefore there 's no evil remaining They shall have power given them to walk in holiness of life as the Syon graft into a stock receiveth juice and life therefrom yea they shall enjoy a comfortable and joyful Resurrection Contrarily miserable is the case of the wicked their debt is all on the File against them they shall rise but to their cost and smart to a dreadful judgement when they shall stand trembling and wishing that the hills might fall on them on them the second death shall have power Now they lie snorting neither will be awakened by our preaching notwithstanding their present and approaching misery The duties which are hereupon to be performed are 1. In imitation of Christs Resurrection in a spiritual maner to rise out of the graves of our lusts and sins to a new and holy life O awake thou that sleepest the Word is appointed for this end 2. To endure any thing rather then to be deprived hereof The faithful in Heb. 11. endured racking and would not be delivered therefrom with an ill conscience that they might have a better and joyful Resurrection 3. Set our affections on those things which are above Thus of his Resurrection Verse 19. By which also he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison Verse 20. Which sometime were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water THe Apostle proceeds to comfort the faithful that suffer for Righteousness sake He had said before That as Christ rose again after his sufferings and had a good end of them so shall all that suffer for his sake Now lest this should be doubted of he sheweth how it cometh to pass namely by the help assistance and power of the Spirit of God who as he shewed himself mightily in Christs person so hath and will in his members and for instance he looks back a great while ago when long before Christs coming the Spirit shewed himself to the confusion of the wicked and disobedient and to the comfort and deliverance of Gods servants as Noah whom as this Spirit enabled to preach the to wicked world so they disobeying and mocking him the same Spirit preserved and saved in the common destruction And therefore if the Spirit of God shewed himself so in the people of God for their good so long ago then we need not fear but that he will much more shew himself in and with us inasmuch as now the Spirit is bestowed in a larger and fuller maner then before our Saviors coming into the world Now he reckons this rather then any other example because it was a famous one both of convicting the wicked world and preserving the servants of God in such a bad time and because it was so long ago I come to the meaning of the words By which his Spirit namely his Godhead and Divine Nature which raised him from the dead He went and preached namely by the mouth and ministery of Noah To the Spirits in prison even them that be now and were in Peters time Spirits and Souls in Hell but when Noah preached were disobedient men and women when God seeing the notorious corruption of the times threatned to destroy the world with a flood if they did not repent To them Noah preaching both by word and by deed also in preparing the Ark they not being moved hereat nor at the long suffering of God were at the length drowned Noah onely and his wife with his three sons and their three wives being preserved in the Ark. This Scripture hath suffered as Mr. Luther saith of the Lords Prayer much Martyrdom by false interpretations and erroneous constructions whereof that of the Papists is most gross They understand it thus that Christ being dead in his soul went down to the lower parts of the world where be four several places together one above another Limbus patrum Limbus puerorum Purgatory and Hell which is the lowest and hottest of all that Christ went into Limbus patrum to fetch out all the godly Fathers that dyed from the beginning til his coming and all such as in Noah's time seeing the flood come indeed repented and went to Purgatory and had there suffered all and so were gone into Limbus patrum also to deliver the souls then in Purgatory and into the lowest part namely Hell to Preach to the convicting of the Reprobates there c. But though in truth Christ had done thus which yet he never did this proves no such matter will afford no such sence for 1. By Spirit whereunto the word which hath relation is not meant Christs soul but his Godhead not his soul for then it was that Christ was quickned in his soul or by his soul but neither can be true not in his soul for his soul never dyed nor was mortal not by the soul for it was not the soul that raised him again but the power of God that joyned them both together as the Scripture testifieth and that his Godhead is hereby meant will appear by the like places as Rom. 1. 3 4. 2 Cor. 13. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. where that which our Apostle calls flesh Saint Paul calls infirmity and
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
perswade to rejoyce in persecution because its a blessed thing and who would not rejoyce in that that will make him happy and though he instanceth in one kinde and that which may seem no great persecution yet he is to be understood of all others whatsoever That such shall be blessed he proveth because thus to suffer is an argument that the Spirit of God even the glorious Spirit resteth on them who howsoever on the adversaries part he is blasphemed and ill spoken of yet is glorified by them that suffer patiently and joyfully for Christs sake Here then besides that suffering for Christ we are happy we may be induced thus to suffer for him for that his Spirit resteth on us so doing and hereby also he is glorified In the words we have a proposition and the confirmation thereof If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye There 's the proposition This may seem to be but a slender thing to be reckoned among persecutions and that which may be easily born No it s that which many have found harder to bear then loss of goods blows yea death it self Some which have suffered torments couragiously and indured the loss of all with joyfulness yet have almost sunk under slanders and ill tongues David much complains of his adversaries that they made Songs of him that they spake words like the prickings of a Sword and like sharp Arrows Sampson could not endure to be mockt of the Philistines had rather pull down the House on himself and them Job also complains of such Ishmaels mocking of Isaac is termed a persecution The most ingenuous mindes can hardliest bear reproaches Here note 1. That a good name is a tender thing which is and ought to be dear to us As we are forbid thus to wrong others so the Lord appointed those to be severely punished which should so do 1. This rebuketh those that make no account of a good name though it be better then good oyntment but live so badly as they pull an ill name on themselves some indeed would yet have a good name though they deserve the contrary but they must first win it and then wear it Such as are desperate and care not what men say of them it s a sign they are so bad as no man can speak worse of them then they deserve These cannot be discredited 2. It condemneth those that care not how they raise lyes spread tales of their Neighbors and seek their discredit or rail on them and revile them they do worse then if they stole away their goods or wounded their bodies for the name is more tender and dear and hardlier cured and recovered if it be wounded or lost they that give themselves over hereto are fools neither are they Citizens of Sion Such are as a Maul and a Sword and a sharp Arrow and such was Ziba See 2 Sam. 16. 3. 2. That railers mockers and slanderers of Gods Servants are persecuters David in the person of Christ complaineth of such Such also are they that revile them by the name of hypocrites precise fools humerous singular fantastical Puritans c. I mean those that revile the true Servants of God who for their zeal are often thus dealt with whom those slanderers would no less smite with the hand then they do with the tongue if times did but bear them out They would be no less forward to hale before Magistrates cast into Prison c. 1. Let them that have been and be such repent hereof as of persecution else with Ishmael they shall be cast our and as they be worse then Balaam so shall they speed worse 2. Let all others avoid this as a fearful sin for it s to be like the Devil the accuser of the Brethren who shall answer for this at the last day 3. For those that be railed on are slandered or have lyes devised against them let them know they are Martyrs before God and suffer persecution which is an honor let them bear this patiently and go on constantly and not be discouraged and there 's good hope they shall bear greater persecutions if they come which else in likelyhood they cannot 3. That it hath been an usual custom in the world to reproach revile and slander Gods Servants for their godliness Sore eyes cannot abide the light and there 's an enmity between the seed of the Woman and the Serpent and when other weapons have failed them they have used this of their tongue whereby indeed they prevail much to the disgrace of Religion 1. Being so now we must not think it strange for the Devil is now as malicious as ever and hath instruments as fit for his turn as ever If now endeavoring carefully to serve God we be counted proud fellows factious Enemies to the State c. we must not be too much disquieted were not the Prophets the Apostles Christ himself thus reputed we are not too good to go hand in hand with them it s a piece of our livery to be thus dealt with 2. When we hear any reports against Gods Servants know them well ere we believe them we should else condemn the innocent even Christ was slandered for a Conjurer and Traytor and the Apostle Paul for a pestilent fellow yet who were more freer who more wronged 4. That such as are reproached for the name of Christ are happy I say for the name of Christ or for being true Christians believing in Christ and serving him for not the punishment but the Cause makes a Martyr How can this be will some say and what blessedness can there be in being railed upon and slandered why thus saith our Apostle and he knew what he said having learned the same of his Lord and Master whom he heard so speak It s a blessed thing to be a Christian washt in the blood of Christ reconciled to God whom the Angels protect who is the heir of Gods promises and blessings here and of eternal salvation hereafter Even an Emperor without this is but as a man in great jolity to night that must to execution to morrow But to be railed on for being a Christian is a greater blessedness a special honor Its honor to be a Princes Servant but to be about him and to have the guard of his own person and to stand in his defence against an Enemy or to be called forth to justifie his lawful Title is far greater Again It s a blessed thing to be willing and able to suffer for Christ flesh and blood cannot we might have been of the persecuters or of them that regard no Religion at all or to suffer any thing for it or making profession of Religion should yet shrink from it rather then suffer for its Cause Therefore to suffer for it is a blessed thing which is to us a token of Salvation 1. Therefore we must not onely
not be dismaid but bear these things patiently yea joyfully for should we not rejoyce in that that makes us blessed If therefore we shrink at the least of these things and pull in our heads where 's our faith labor that if we should be mockt and railed on it may not be for nothing but for true grace faith wrought in us by the Word c. If we have these things no matter though we have some mocks withal 2. See that wicked persecuters make Gods Servants happy yea more happy then they should be so that in seeking their hurt they do them good many ways They purge and try them make them the more dear to God and set the greater Crown upon their heads what a priviledge have the Servants of God that all things even their persecuters should work together for their good It s not so with others yet are not we to thank the wicked for this who intend no such thing The Caldeans and Sabeans were an occasion that Job had twice as much goods given him as he had before but no thank to them for they took from him what they could It s God who blesseth the more those whom the wicked curse 5. That the judgement of the world is contrary to Gods They think not any blessedness to be in being railed on for Christs sake but that blessedness stands in Health Wealth Honor favor of Princes c. Alas poor vanishing vanities to be lost every day but blessedness is in being a Christian and suffering for the same Gods thoughts are not as mans The blinde world cannot judge of colours and Carnal men savor not of things Spiritual 1. Therefore look that we never esteem nor be carried with the judgement of the world no not of the wise men of the world which is a crooked rule to go by They say it s not good to be too forward is matters of Religion but go so far as they may come back when they will and save themselves from danger and have two strings to their bow but let us know this to be cursed policy this amity with the world to be enmity with God 2. If we think troubles for a good conscience base vile and accursed and so shun them though with an ill conscience we are then of the world and either wholly carnal or in great part Shall we account that cursed which the Lord calls blessed True we must not bring troubles on our selves nor desire persecution yet if God call us to them we must not count them base but glorious not cursed but blessed So if we think basely of them that suffer or are in persecution and shun them then are we carnal and of the world nay we ought to esteem highly of them and think them glorious persons because they be honored of God and greatly graced of him For the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you He proves what he affirmed If ye suffer for Christs sake it s an argument ye have the Spirit of God in you which is a glorious Spirit and makes you glorious notwithstanding the ignominy and reproach the world casts upon you as though you were of all others the vilest whereupon you must needs be blessed which Spirit is on their part ill spoken of but on yours that suffer is glorified So that as the Spirit makes you glorious you glorifie it by your constant and joyful suffering Hence Note 1. That to suffer for Christs sake is a sign that we have the Spirit of God in us for 1. The world would not hate us except they saw some work of Gods Spirit in us for if we lived after the maner of the world they would let us alone 2. Such have the Spirit of Adoption assuring them of Gods love of pardon and Salvation which makes them willing to suffer 3. It s the Spirit that comforts and heartens to such weighty things flesh and blood will endure nothing for Religion neither can it but through the Spirit we are enabled Steven a comfortable Martyr Why It s said He was full of the Holy Ghost It was by the Spirit of God onely that the Martyrs endured so constantly not a few of them being weak sick tender feeble of nature and fearful It was of the Spirit that Mr. Glover spake when he came to the Stake to be burnt He is come Austin he is come having been very heavy and comfortless the night before In ill I confess some may be as stiff as the best can be in the truth but they cannot suffer so joyfully as the Servants of God for it s through the Spirit of God that they suffer 1. Therefore if we have had or finde any power to endure persecution we may know that we have Gods Spirit and thereupon ought to be both thankful and joyful 2. As we would suffer with comfort and joy let us labor for the Spirit and for a greater measure thereof daily 3. As for those that neither can nor will endure any thing it s a sign they are carnal and without the Spirit And indeed none can suffer much or joyfully but such as have the Spirit and therefore so few having the Spirit there would be but a few to stand for the truth if there should come a time of tryal 2. That such as are endued with Gods Spirit be blessed for such as have and are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and they yea they onely which be sanctified here shall be glorified hereafter The Spirit is given to the Elect not to the world it s the earnest of our salvation and seals us up to the day of Redemption Again such are freed from the bondage of sin to serve God such also have God abiding in them yea and hereby the Word the Sacraments Prayer Afflictions all things are profitable to us Hereby we are enabled to every duty and armed against temptations 1. This may comfort those that can prove they have the Spirit of God in them they are comforted sanctified and guided thereby This is the earnest and pledge of eternal life they are blessed though but mean they may come into Gods presence boldly they shall want nothing that is good 2. It may be a terror to those that live after the flesh They have no mark whereby to free them from being reprobates for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Christ never dyed for such they are yet under the bondage of sin 3. This should teach us having the Spirit to beware of doing any thing whereby to grieve or weary such a guest sin is a filthy thing and that wherewithal the Spirit cannot away yea to use all means to cherish it daily suffering our selves to be guided thereby as that which will not be there where it may not rule 3. That the Spirit is glorious in it self and makes them
their soul and so have these either they get no knowledge or if any onely a little swiming in the brain but not sinking down into the soul to the changing thereof 2. It teacheth all Ministers so to preach the Word as by all means possible they may win some what should our desire be but so to do whether we consider the love we owe to God or to our people that their salvation will be our crown To this end we must preach those points most diligently and carefully that be most effentially necessary to work conversion we must beat upon mens misery labor to bring them to Faith and Sanctification c. without these all other points will be unprofitable Unpreaching Ministers have no possibility of winning souls 3. People should so hear the Word as they labor and pray it may be powerful by the Spirit to their conversion and new birth they must have a Spiritual Father as well as a Natural Father must be born again ere they dye else happy had they been if they had never had their first birth le ts try our selves herein It s not hearing the Word yea with joy and reforming some things that is Regeneration it s not to be restrained from the gross evils of the world or to be somewhat changed in some things alas Regeneration is another matter then that wherein many deceive themselves and perish knowing no more what is Regeneration then Nicodemus when he first came unto Christ nor laboring after it to finde it with the fruits and signs thereof My Son He calls him so also of tender love as Paul One simus his own bowels Here note That The Ministers of God ought exceedingly to love all Gods people but chiefly such as have been won to God by their means They must cherish and further such all they can as the Hen when she hath hatched her Chickens broods and tends them and as the Mother after she hath brought forth her childe is careful to keep it from harm and to provide all necessaries for it they must watch over them preach to them pray for them not depart from them but in the case of absolute necessity as the Apostles having won any to God would come again to them exhorting them to continue in the grace of God confirming their hearts c. so must we they be our comfort and joy here and crown hereafter our Epistles of commendation the seals of our Ministery they that make us rejoyce and give thanks therefore we are much beholding to them and must love them most dearly and desire the work begun may be happily perfected knowing it s no less wisdom and thrift to hold that we have gotten then to get more Accordingly must the Spiritual Children love their Spiritual Fathers dearly They ought to love all Instructers but as Children their Parents so they them best by whom they have been begotten to God They ought to give them double honor to reverence them and not to suffer them want necessary comforts In doubtful cases of Conscience they must resort to them for counsel as Children to their Father They must obey all their godly precepts endure their severity be guided by all their godly directions receive no accusation against them under two or three witnesses c. A childe will not hear much less believe any evil reports of his Father For those people that set light by their Ministers can suffer them to want fall out with them if he be gone we shall have one as good as he c. its questionable whether ever they were converted by their Ministery for we see by experience that such as are converted their hearts be so knit to their Spiritual Father that they think best of his counsel praise God for him as the instrument of their conversion love him dearly c. we love the fathers of our bodies and ought so to do and yet they help us to a being in sin and into a sinful world and state and should we not love our Spiritual Fathers through whom we are changed therefrom The Separatists therefore are either unconverted persons as I doubt not but sundry are or else they be most unnatural and unthankful persons in railing against all the Ministers of England and so against their own Spiritual Fathers They spi on their faces and call their Mother Whore O most wretched requital Verse 14. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus Amen THe last part of the conclusion consisting 1. Of an Exhortation to embrace each other with love and to testifie the same by outward signs 2. Of a Prayer for them that all that be true Believers in Christ Jesus might have all prosperity and welfare to which he joyns the note of his faith and fervency Amen So concluding his Epistle with all signs of love In general That he contents not himself that he loved them but labors to further love among them we may note how needful this duty is where love is we must endeavor the continuance and encrease thereof where its crazy we must use means to heal it Blessed be the peace makers It s a sign they are endued with the wisdom which is from above All our words should tend to make love the Devils Cole-carriers and Bellows that blow up strife rejoyce in folks contentions and further encrease the same A woful office who gets hereby but the Devil except the Lawyers hap to get too Greet one another To Salute each other hath been an ancient custom in the Church of God whereof you may finde the forms Judg. 6. 12. Ruth 2. 4. Psal. 129. 8. Luke 1. 28. and 10. 5. John 20. 19. and elsewhere Ours also are commendable when we meet any we say God save you when any goes from us God be with you or Fare you well in the morning we say God give you a good morning in the afternoon God give you a good night when any is at meat we pray God that much good it may do them when one goes a journey we say God speed you in your journey when at work God speed your work when one is come newly to an office God give you joy of your office c. These ought we to use as occasion serveth both to our Superiors more reverently by the Titles that are due to them of worship honor c. our equals with good respect and somewhat familiarly as we look they should to us and to our inferiors that they may not think themselves despised and so be discontent with their place and with God and it s a base thing to tread under ones inferiors Thus we must salute not our friends onely but strangers but our enemies Even blessing them that curse us and praying for them persecute us Else we shall be but like the Publicans who salute those that salute them so we must salute not onely good men though
1 Cor. 13. 5. Use. 1 Sam. 30. 23. Hest. 4. 16. Obs. Love must be constant Heb. 13. 1. Eph. 4. 3. Psal. 34. Use. Iames 4. 5. Tit. 3. 3. Observ. No unregenerate person can truly love Observ. Such as are born again must needs love 1 Ioh. 3. 10. What Regeneration is 2 Cor. 5. 17. The Lord the author thereof See Deut. 29. 4. Psal. 51. 10. Ezek. 36. 26. Iohn 1. 13. 3. 5. Acts 11. 21. 1 Iohn 3. 9. Simile Acts 3. 10. Iohn 9. 8. 1 Tim. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 4. 1 Cor. 7. 16. Use. The Lords will the cause hereof Iam. 1. 18. Iohn 3. 16. Without regeneration all things else that we have are nothing Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. Use 5. Regeneration of absolute necessity Iohn 3. 3 5. Revel 21. 27. Mat. 5. 8. Col. 3. 9 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rom. 8. 1. The effects of Regeneration See also the notes laid down 2 Cor. 7. 11. 1 Iohn 2. 29. 1 Pet. 2. 2. A Regenerate man is not the same he was before Gal. 2. 20. Use 1. Gal. 6. 8. Use 2. A Regenerate man groweth by degrees Use 1. Use 2. Why men grow no faster in goodness A Caveat for such as complain they do not thus grow See Wilson of Sanctification pag. 11. 12. There 's no perfection here in this life 1 Cor. 13. 9. Eph. 5. 27. Reasons hereof Rom. 7. Gal. 5. 17. Simil. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Observ. Regeneration cometh not by nature See Iohn 3. 6. Psal. 51. 5. Iob 14. 4. Mat. 16. 17. 1 Ioh. 5. 18. Observ. Gods Spirit by the word doth alter and change mans heart 1 Iohn 3. 9. 5. 1. Iohn 3. 5. Use 1. Iam. 1. 18. Use 2. Use 3. Eph. 4. 30. Obser. Gods word is the instrumental cause of our conversion Rom. 6. 17. Ioh. 15. 3. Isa 11. 6 7. Ioh. 5. 25. God doth not always tye himself hereunto Luk. 16. 29 31 1 Cor. 2. 4 13. 2 Cor. 10. 4. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Prov. 29. 18. Use 4. Use 5. The Ministers of the Word are appointed of God the instruments to convert souls 2 Cor. 5. 20. Use 1. Dan. 12. 3. 1 Pet. 5. 4. Use 2. Whence it cometh to pass that the Word worketh Regeneration Use 1. Heb. 4. 12. 2 Cor. 10. 4. Use 2. Psal. 103. 15. Wherein mans life may be compared to grass Mr. Midman at that time so kild Heb. 9. 27. Eccles. 1. 4. Use 1. Dan. 5. 22 23. Use 2. Use 3. How to be prepared for death Luke 21. 34. Use 4. Iam. 4. 13. Use 5. Eccles. 9. 10. Gal. 6. 10. Use 6. 2 King 2. 3 5. Exod. 4. 19. Matt. 2. 10. Use 7. Doct. The glory of a carnal man is but a vain thing Eph. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Rom. 1. 23. See Gen. 6. 5. Isa. 64. 6. Rom. 7. 18. 8. 7. Eph 2. 1. Mat. 5. 20. Use. Observ. Nothing in an unregenerate man can abide the Lords examination Doctr. Gods Word is the means whereby we may live for ever Iohn 5. 25. Prov. 29. 18. Use 1. Psal. 19. 10. 119 72 127. Psa. 147. 19 â—0 Use 2. Ioh 6 68. 1 Cor. 9. 2. Doct. The word by preaching is made the instrument of Regeneration Rom. 10. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Acts 8 3â— See Neh. 8. 8. Use. Doct. The Word ought to be preached in every Congregation Use. Obser. The Word must be so preached as that the Ministers thereof may avouch it to be indeed the Word of God Use. 1 Pet. 4. 11. Isa. 55. 10. 11. The coherence of this Chapter with the former The sum of this Chapter The sum of the first three Verses Doctr. Regeneration and the love of sin cannot stand together Rom. 8. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 5. 24. Rom. 13. 1. 2 Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Doctr. There 's no perfection to be attained here 1 Iohn 3. 9. 1. 11. Use 1. Luke 17. 10. Use 2. Rom. 7. 24 25. Simil. Doctr. To be a Christian is a work of great difficulty Luke 9. 23. Use 1. Use 2. Obs. Vnder those here named all other corruptions are included Col. 3. 5. Heb. 12. 1. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Use. Observ. Most of the corruptions here named are inward Iam. 1. 26. 1 Thess. 5. 23. Use 1. Use 2. The Author was absent at this time three weeks Obser. That 's naught which is forbidden in Gods Word Iohn 3. 4. Use. What malice is The difference between it and anger Eph. 4. 31. Col. 3. 8. Use 1. Eccles. 7. 9. Use 2. Mat. 5. â—3 2 Sam. 16. 11. Iob 1. 21. What we are to understand by guile Prov. 20. 14. Prov. 11. 1. 1 Thess. 4. 6. Object Sol. Object Sol. Object Sol. Prov. 12. 3. Matt. 6. 33. Obs. Guil is to be avoided as wel in small as great matters What 's here to be chiefly understood by hypocrisie What Envy is Gal. 5. 21. What we are to understand by evil speakings Iames 1. 26. See Iam. 3. 5. Psal. 120. 4. Doct. The Word of God cannot thrive in an unsanctified heart Use. Observ. Our desire towards the word must be earnest Iob 23. 12. Psal. 42. 1. 119. 20 103 111 227. Psal. 119. 98 99. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. Iam. 1. 21. Use 1. Use 2. Prov. 2. 3. and 8. 17. Constant. Psal. 27. 4. Psal. 119. 20. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Vnpartial Use. Obser. Ministers must have store of milk for their spiritual Children Mal. 2. 7. Obser. Ministers must have good store of love Acts 20. 31. 2 Tim. 4. 2. Obser. Ministers must have much patience 2 Tim. 2. 25. The Word why compared to milk Isa 55. 1. 1 Cor. 3. 2. Heb. 5. 12. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Psalm 19. 10. Obs. Nothing sweeter to Gods children then the Word Obs. The Word is the common food of all Christians The Word why called sincere Use 1. Isa. 8. 20. 1 Pet. 4. 11. Psal. 119. 129 130. Use 2. Acts 11. 17. Why Christians are to desire after the Word Eph. 4. 11. 15. Use 1. Use 2. Acts 20. 32. Rom. 15. 14. 2 Peter 1. Doctr. Christians must daily grow in grace 1 Thess. 4. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 18. Rev. 2. 19. 2. 4. Use 1. What we are to understand by tasting Doctr. Such as finde the Word powerful for their salvation are the more desirous thereof and affectioned thereto Use 1. Use 2. Iohn 8. 47. 11. 27. Use 3. Obs. Christ is sweet to a Christian and sweetens all that he hath Use. Obser. Christ is every way bountiful to his Use. Wherein Christs bounty doth appear A comparison between the Temple of Ierusalem and that which Christ maketh of all that believe in him Christ why compared to a stone Obser. To believe in Christ which is to come to him is a great priviledge Object Sol. Ioh. 6. 35. Doctr. Christians must come to Christ. Reason 1. Reason 2. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Reason 3. Isa 55. 1. Use 1. Use 2. Iohn 6. 29. Obj. Sol. Luke
a most intire affection each to other which often in this life is not because of the weakness of Grace It s unseemly for Kinsmen to disagree much more Brethren but most for Christians to fall out to contend wrangle and be at odds Do we not profess we are members of Christ and perswade our selves our Neighbors are so We do then let Nature teach us See how the natural members be affected Are we not Fellow-Brethren When therefore we live in enmity with our Neighbor that is a Christian we do as much as in us lies put him out of the Lords Roll and unbrother him for is he our Brother of the same Father and Mother and can we jar with him especially though somewhat should fall out otherwise then well can we suffer the Sun to go down upon our wrath God forbid When we come to Heaven we shall love all our Fellow-Brethren better then ever two Brethren loved in this World and shall we not aym at it now and come as near it as we can and we have need so to do for the World loves their own therefore hates us shall not we then hold together shall we be divided within our selves O what wrack comes of this in the Church of God in these days whiles Brethren differ and contend the common Enemies Atheists and Papists multiply For the maner of it It must be without faining love unfained God hates dissembling in every thing loves simplicity and plain dealing as in Jacob and Nathanael If love which is the main vertue be counterfeit and false what shall become of all the duties that proceed from thence Two sorts of persons may be here chiefly taxed 1. Such as pretend to love but indeed hate as Joab to Amasa Saul to David Judas to our Savior Christ such have a mark of Rebrobation workers of Iniquity to whom belongs some notable judgement of God they be like the Devil who pretended to love Eve and our Savior Christ of these see Psal. 12. 2. 55. 12. 62. 4. Pro. 26. 24. Jer. 9. 2. 1 Sam. 18. 17 25. 2 Sam. 20. 9. Those are more dangerous to them they hate then if they bare open hatred as one enemy within the walls is worse then ten without it s also worse for themselves for any vice cloaked or masked under shew of vertue is double iniquity such shall receive greater damnation yet how common is this Many will speak men as fair as may be yet lie in wait to do them a shrewd turn and as soon as their back is turned raise a slander of them and do them all the hurt they can Others haply have done so with us but so must not we do 2. Such as pretend they love but do not Many will salute with Good morrow and Good night when as there 's no true love one handful of true hearty love is worth ten armfuls of their Court holy-water crouchings and congees down to the ground These are clouds without rain vessels with false bottoms that have onely a little water in the top Such are they who pretend they love the poor who yet coming to them can get nothing of them but what they are enforced to and that very hardly So many good Ministers have proved the good-will of a number that have made goodly shews but have found small kindeness at their hands What love call you this its dead as Faith without Works Such is theirs who will speak well of such and such and seem to pity them saying They are worthy men and pity they should want but yet relieve them not at all If God should so feed and deal with them they would soon complain See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently Here 's the Exhortation wherein we have again both the duty required which is to love one another and the maner also with a pure heart fervently Love one another This noteth 1. A mutual love It must come from one to another mutually and be at every hand As others are to love us so are we to love others none free Many wil look for a deal of love from others that yet care not how little they themselves part with would be visited but care not to visit others would have their own vertues commended but will not do so by others have their infirmities covered but will not do so by others would not be provoked yet will provoke would not that others should be quickly angry with them who will yet be angry with others Alas this is weakness It s a more blessed thing to give then to receive and we should rather strive to go before and set others in our debt by love A good minde rather remembers the debt that is going from him then that which is coming to him This often comes of pride in some men to look for much of others and perform little themselves The husband often looks his wife should walk at an inch with him though he will break many ells out of square So the wife will look for much of her husband not caring how little she perform This is no equity We must do as we would be done to It s more dangerous for us to neglect our duty to others then for them to neglect theirs to us let us therefore strive who shall perform most each to other Husbands Wives Neighbors c. 2. A community We must not love one or two or a few but all that fear God in the place wherein we live Love communicates it self and is not ingrossed to a few Many can be content to love one or two or a few but they oppose and justle against many others and live unkindely with them This is no true love nor ought love so to be yet in many Towns there is siding which at the length turns to its undoing yea we must love the meanest that fear God and not neglect them as the meanest member of the Body is regarded of the chiefest we must not have the Faith of Christ in respect of persons God hath vouchsafed to give his Son to Redeem them his Spirit to Sanctifie them and Heaven to be possessed of them and shall we despise them Nay we ought rather to encourage and hearten them on in well doing seeing so few of that sort fear God If we regard them they will bear their poverty the better and it will be a great chearing to them There 's nothing more comely then for the wealthy to be thus affable and kinde to them The Lord is the Maker of both and being fellow-Brethren and fellow-Members the one as dear to God as the other a little wealth must not puff up the ones minde over the other With a pure heart Every kinde of love is not that which is here required it must be the fruit of the Spirit proceeding from a Sanctified heart and be agreeable to
the pure Word of God This hath many properties 1. It loves for some good actions which condemns the common love of wicked persons as of the Fornicator and his Harlot the Adulterer and his Mate the Drunkards and Thief though sworn Brethren To love any because they can rail against goodness or Dice well or are eager against the Servants of God c. this is cursed love True love rejoyceth not in iniquity a worse note cannot be then for one to love them whom as Rebels and Conspirators against God he sees fighting against God 2. Pure love is that which is grounded on Grace and Religion not on any transitory thing which condemns the carnal love of the world which love onely for worldly respects as strength beauty and the like or if it be for any inward gift of the minde not Sanctified that 's also but carnal as wit skill in Arts Musique c. these are worthy love but to love onely for these is not true and pure love for thus the Heathens loved as Isaac loved Esau for his hunting and many a man his wife for her beauty These are false grounds when they fail love fails 3. Pure love is in respect of the party himself whom we love and for no respect to our selves or commodity of ours which condemns the world which onely loves on such respects as because he is my Uncle my Friend loves me hath done this or that for me or may do me a pleasure therefore I will make much of him or for fear he may do me a shrewd turn This being shak'd out of the clowâ—s is indeed but self-love as having a respect onely to our selves Many a man shews kindeness to others to purchase credit The charitable deeds of the Papists were of self-love for they were done out of opinion of merit So the love of worldlings they have a reach at themselves 4. Pure love reflects chiefly on anothers Soul therefore hates his sin in him whom he loves most dearly advising him from all evil counselling him to all good This condemns all impure love So to love as not to tel our neighbor of his fault for angring or disquieting him this is hatred So Parents that love their children so well as they will not nurture rebuke or correct them do indeed hate them slay them in following their ways He that spares the rod hates his childe It s as if any should be so tender over a childe as not to suffer the wind to blow on it and therefore holds their hand before the mouth of it but holds it so hard as they strangle the childe or as the Ape which hugs her yong one so hard that she strangles it Again friends perswade a man to do this or that for preferment which he cannot do with a good conscience Oh they love him they would fain see him prefer'd woful love to the body by destroying the soul A neighbor hath his Childe or Cattel strangely handled one comes in of love perswading to send to such a Cunning-man or good Witch one of the Devils worsts instruments Is this love Is he a friend that will do that whereby a peny may be gained but many hundred pounds lost So when a Christian is ready to suffer for a good Conscience and a friend comes and says Oh I pray cast not away your self I wish you well do as the times are and as others do This was the tormentors love to Martyrs tormenting love indeed that by saving their bodies their souls might perish Thus would Peter have perswaded our Savior O Master these things shall not be unto thee but if Christ had not suffered we had all perish'd in our sins yea the Saints in Heaven must have come out from thence for they went to Heaven by Christ who was to be crucified What love was this our Saviors Answer shews that he gave him no thanks for that counsel Fervently This stands in two things Earnestness and Constancy 1. For the Earnestness of our love we must stretch it to as many persons as we can and to as many duties as giving forgiving c. and therein we must not be sparing as in giving For he that gives sparingly shall reap sparingly So for forgiving it must not be onely an offence or two Charity covers a multitude thus is God to us in giving for Soul Body Goods Good-name to us to ours day and night never weary never upbraiding us So in forgiving how merciful is he to pass by our many offences and that daily should not we then herein resemble him Again a little love is soon quench'd soon hindred but we must love so as if we meet with many temptations from our selves or the parties whom we are to love our love notwithstanding must last still yea we must not onely do these things when we can well do them or there 's nothing to let us but even forget our ease pleasure and profit to do our neighbor good Love seeks not her own things is laborious we love our selves fervently and therefore must so love our neighbors This condemns the cold frozen love of the world wherein there 's no heat or fervency a little thing lets We are so full of self love that we will not speak so much as a good word in defence of the very best whether man or cause if thereby we may be prejudiced never so little so did not Jonathan so did not Hester when she adventured her life for her people 2. For the constancy thereof Unity must be kept we must seek Peace and follow after it and its a part of fervency when it will not easily be broken off Gods love is constant ours must be so the Devil will assay to break it off we must therefore the more stand in it Oh it s the easiest matter in the world to break off love but we must not embrace any occasion moving hereunto This rebukes the inconstancy of many men that are won with an Apple as we say and lost with a Nut that will upon every slight occasion break friendship I loved him as well as could be will some such say till such and such a thing fell out and what are you now broke off what can worldings do more If God should so deal with us how miserable were we but his love is constant yea he loveth us in our adversity and low estate nay best then and is then nearest with his comforts so it ought to be with us for then our Neighbor hath most need of us and then our love will appear most free not mercenary But how contrary this is daily experience sheweth while men be in prosperity they have many friends which in their affliction forsake them as Doves that come to fair houses not to low cottages whereof Job often complaineth Verse 23. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by