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
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
altered by that we are This is the end of all See Jonah 3. 5 6 c. Acts 2. 37. 1 Cor. 14. 25. Therefore they should as pray earnestly before that the Word may be made of force and efficacy so afterwards must their mindes run on the things delivered and their Prayers in their Families by themselves relish of the same But what neglect is there this way How few pray before and how many after they have heard suffer worldly business or pleasures to put out the same Oh! there is no such care that this precious seed should take root and fructifie we complain of our bad crops but not of this yet here there 's not onely a loss if it do not take root but it turns hurt by to every Sermon a step â—igher Heaven or Hell What Crop can we shew to God of all the Sermons we have heard we crave Gods blessing upon our bodily food how much more ought we on this Spiritual The God of all grace He is so called of the effect because he is the Author and Giver of all grace he is the Author of all that may be called good which may be divided into gifts and graces in this world gifts of all kindes as of body minde c. In him we live he makes the Sun shine on us c. also gifts of health strength beauty so of the minde as natural vertues also gifts to rule Kingdoms as to Saul so of Trades Arts Sciences nay of gifts yet higher then those knowledge understanding of the Scripture Prophesie Prayer yea extraordinary too as of miracles So is he also of graces which are such as accompany Salvation and he bestoweth onely on his Elect as saving knowledge faith peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost repentance love meekness patience c. Hence it is that sometimes he is termed the God of hope sometimes the God of peace sometimes the God of all comfort so here the God of all grace He gives every good gift and grace and not that onely but every measure of every grace the beginning continuing and finishing grace Whatsoever grace is in Saint or Angel is the gift of God either by Creation as to the Angels and Adam or sin by restitution What grace is in any man alive of what kinde or measure soever is onely of God for we are so far from having any of our selves that we have nothing but the quite contrary even Opposition and Rebellion none else ever did or can give grace The best Parents cannot convey grace into their Children by generation nor can the best Minister into any by preaching or counsel God alone is the giver hereof 1. Every one that hath grace in what measure soever must be humble and thankful acknowledging the same to be onely from God and giving him the praise thereof O be exceeding thankful for it that he hath given it to thee denying it to most and to thee as unfit to receive grace as the worst in the world and who didst no better deserve it then they that shall never have it and especially be thankful for it for the worth thereof one dram of grace is of more worth then the whole world it s the quintescence of Gods favor and like Pearls of great value in a little room A true humble heart in the sight of thy misery a little true faith in Christ and Sanctification with an hatred of all sin and care to please God in all things is worth a Kings Ransom and an honest upright heart careful to be be ruled by that it knows is better then all knowledge without this 2. Every one that is without it must endeavor for it Whether goeth a woman with her pot or pail for water but to the Fountain so must thou have recourse unto God there is grace enough in him and he hath it to bestow and it s his honor so to do But how shall we come by it the Well is deep God hath opened the Fountain of his grace in Christ Jesus and conveys grace by the Conduits of the Word Sacraments Prayer c. so that it s not lockt up in Heaven wouldest thou therefore have thine heart humbled and broken God can do the same come to him wait on him in his word for it would'st thou believe thy sins are pardoned through Christ would'st thou be changed and have thy heart altered to hate every sin to love whatsoever is good would'st thou have grace against thy strongest corruptions that thou could'st never master and do duties to thy thinking impossible as to love thine Enemies abide persecution for the Truth c come to him in the same word and by prayer he can do these things for thee Why then is the world so graceless seeing there is abundance in God It s because men see not their emptiness of grace and know not the worth thereof They desire Health Wealth Honor Pleasure true grace they regard not prize not O that men did see themselves woful naked Creatures without grace They would not then content themselves with any shadow of grace hearing profession a little restraint some few gifts c. but labor indeed for grace 3. The Servants of God that have obtained some measure of grace already should be provoked still to wait upon God for increase for he gives all grace the last as well as the first and the middle According therefore to our proceeding let us beg fitting grace of God Why are there all kindes and measures of grace in God and we have so little we beg not earnestly we open not our mouth wide that God might fill it we have not hunger-bitten hearts we prize not grace Who hath called us Another Reason to perswade himself and them that they should obtain this request of being confirmed to the end even because God had already begun with them and called them that is had pulled them out of the state of ignorance unbelief impenitency into the state of grace knowledge repentance c. Whom God means to save he calls them out of their sinful state to grace There 's an outward calling and there 's an inward calling This last through the operation of the Spirit going along with the outward means is made effectual as to Lydia This stands in three things enlightning the understanding to conceive opening the heart to believe and changing the whole man from that it was before not onely he calls them but awakens them not onely invites them to come but gives them an heart to come of this you may read Rom. 8. 30. 1 Pet. 1. 15. This is proper to Gods children and is the work of God none else can do it without this there 's no Salvation as those that have this shall be certainly saved this being a mark of their Election past 2 Pet 1. 10. and of their glory to come Rom. 8. 30. Let every man examine himself whether he be
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
and be well accounted of and reverenced yet when they come before God then they must hide themselves as the Stars and Moon shew a goodly light in the night but when the Sun appears they appear not The Nazarets vow was pleasing to God yet the time thereof being expired there was a sacrifice appointed for the sin of such a one what of such a one as had lived and served God in that strict order yea even they must acknowledge no desert but as they stand in need of mercy earnestly call upon God for it Who will shew mercy to thousands of them that love him and keep his commandments our works then or any thing that we can do cannot bring us sound peace and joy as being imperfect and unable to abide the justice of God but Faith that layeth hold on the all sufficient merit and satisfaction of Christ and his most perfect Righteousness whereby they are made ours brings us great joy as whereby we dare come before God with boldness and confidence Unspeakable and full of glory What maner of joy is that of believers Unspeakable such as cannot be uttered with the tongue why because it is for glory and happiness which is unspeakable for such things as neither eye hath seen nor ear heard therefore such as the glory is such is the joy it s an everlasting weight of glory a wise man joys according to the object of his joy but a fool reioyeth in a trifle of nothing unspeakable things are believed therefore it must needs be an unspeakable joy Full of glory Not a vain carnal or flitting joy that will fail and shame them that have had it but a glorious joy in the glorious Lord Jesus Christ and everlasting glory glorious things believed bring a glorious joy What was Davids when he said Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name c. and What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me What the Virgin Maries when she said My spirit rejoyceth in God my Savior and cannot many a Christian say that after long and heavy seeking after God and Christ Jesus God hath sent down such glimpses of joy into their hearts as they could not express and would think O if this would always last it were a little heaven and so it were indeed for its the same joy for quality that we shall have in heaven though the quantity be but small in comparison Here then see the happy estate of a Christian above all other men and the difference between the joy of all rich worldings that fat themselves in their rich comings in and richly furnisht tables and coastly attire and the godlies for do these bring unspeakable joy O no! there 's indeed small joy in them besides much vexation that accompany them and what a torment is it for such to think that they must be snatcht from this in a moment and are provided for no better neither is their joy glorious but base and childish that turns into shame in a few days their joy is in vain things and not in things that abide they rejoyce in the Creature not in the Creator yea their glory is their shame Verse 9. Receiving the end of your Faith even the salvation of your souls HEre 's the ground of their joy the end and reward of their Faith the salvation of their souls Salvation of their souls why was there any danger of the contrary O yes By nature and through sin we have deserved the utter damnation both of our souls and bodies but through Christ we escape it and obtain the salvation of both every man is in this danger neither is there any help to be had but in and through Christ apprehended by Faith How then doth it behoove every man to bestir himself about this so weighty a matter For what shall it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his own soul yet the most makes small account hereof but rather set themselves altogether about their profits and pleasures O madness to be condemned nay if they see any earnest about this they wonder what they mean what they mean they seek salvation if thou wonder at that wonder still but the time will come when thou wilt wonder at thine own folly that sought'st not after this though thou hadst missed of whatsoever else when thou seest any grieve and mourn wondrest thou what they ail It s for the want of salvation as thou art when thou wantest money if thou thinkest their grief and heaviness to be but melancholly dumps of foolish weak folks which they may shake off at their pleasure and be merry as formerly they were wont thou art much deceived Receiving He saith not you shall receive but receiving in the present tense Whence note that The Servants of God by faith do even here enjoy Salvation and Eternal life even presently we have glory though not in the fulness thereof 1. Because we are as sure of it as if we had it as who have Gods Hand for it even his Word his Seal his Sacrament 2. Because even here we have the earnest of it which is his Spirit when earnest is given between honest men there 's no going back and shall God say and not do it shall he promise and not perform He is not a man that he should lye or repent He that believeth on the Son saith the Son himself hath everlasting life 3. Because by faith we are already entred into the first degree of it being knit to Christ and so perfectly justified we are come to the suburbs of our glory and are as it were at the gate lacking nothing but to be let in by death As we say to our friends having come a long way to a City and are but at the walls thereof and not entred therein Now we are at it ye are welcom to this place so having received the first-fruits of the Spirit we may thereupon affirm that we are in Heaven This sheweth the happy estate of true believers that are so sure of their happiness and as it were entred upon it already Thou therefore that believest be of good comfort thou art even as sure of Heaven as if thou wert there already Rejoyce always serve God chearfully and bear afflictions patiently Being at the suburbs thou wantest but letting in when Death as the Porter shall open the gate Thou hast paid the price and hast good Evidence to shew for it which by thy learned Councel is judged sound and good God hath given thee his own Writings and thou hast sure under his Hand and Seal onely thou wantest Livery and Seisin which thou shalt have in good time which in the mean time is never the farther from thee The end of your Faith Or the reward which God hath promised so often who would not take any
of man is taken 1. For those outward qualities that be common to good and bad that yet set out a man as Birth Wit Learning Strength Beauty Wealth c. Now God is no respecter of these things though amongst men they are much lookt after by reason of which not a few scape their deserved punishment and yet the same is prohibited of God He forbids it in others therefore will not himself have respect of persons Therefore let no man think he shall escape better by his Wealth Birth Learning Authority c. and because of them embolden himself to do that which a poor ignorant mean man may not Gods laws be not Spiders-webs Nay for these a man shall scape the worse for the greater the wages are which God gives he requires the more work the higher place he sets men in he looks for the better carriage where there 's more knowledge there must be more obedience else there must be more stripes 2. For the outward appearance of a work the shew of Holiness Costliness Painfulness Multitude c. and so it s here God respecteth not the out-side of a work and the shew that it hath to the eye of the world but looketh to the inside and respecteth with what heart it s done and from what affection it comes The Jews did abound in their outward works and service yet their hands being full of blood and abomination his own Ordinances were irksome to him and accordingly he did reject their Humiliation though it was extraordinary So he respected not the sacrifice of Cain though he were the first-born nor made choyce of Eliab for all his outward appearance God is a Spirit and will be served with a spiritual service My son saith he give me thy heart God seeth into the heatrs and reins whom therefore we are to serve with a perfect heart and willing minde To the being of a good work these things are required 1. That the person be justified in Christ and so pleasing to God 2. That it be done in Faith or a particular perswasion of the lawfulness of the thing done 3. It must proceed from a sanctified heart else the fountain being impure makes the sacrifice or work abominable to God 4. It must be done to a good and right end our own discharge and the good of our brethren as inferior ends but the main end the glory of God 1. Here are rejected all the works of natural and unregenerated men all the civil vertues in the Heathen Philosophers their Justice Temperance Liberality Fortitude contempt of the World Patience and the like which great works of theirs were but shining sins So the actions of such as are meerly civil though never so fair conditioned to the world-ward these are in no account with God nay their hearing praying Alms-giving are abominable till their persons please God and be sanctified and all such though haply of great age did never in thoughtword or deed please God trust nor then to these things Oh many will brag with the Pharisee of their just dealing but resting thereon they shall have the Pharisees reward Many a poor man will say I thank God I have lived honestly followed my work earned my living truly no man can say Thus and thus hast thou done amiss but even this not done to a right end and in a right maner is sin O but Christ loved the rich yong man though not yet converted He loved that seed or good that was in his own work but not the person 2. Here are rejected all works of Hereticks though never so costly devour painful as their early rising to Mass their painful travel on Pilgrimage their costly gifts to Religious houses So of other nations that coming into the Temples of their gods throw themselves down on the ground smite themselves on the breasts c. of all these being done without Faith God will say Who required these things at your hands The faster one runs in a wrong way the further he is out and the longer ere he come in 3. Here are rejected the works of hypocrites and carnal Gospellers which make a profession hear receive the Lords Supper joyn in outward performance of duty but look not to themselves their hearts remaining tainted with their lusts Such as yet live in some sins may go to Hell with Water of Baptism on their faces and the Bread of the Lord in their mouthes They care not how works be performed but slubber them over so they be out of their hands they care not how these will be paid according to their work They make sale ware for the Lord slight and of no substance but this the Lord cannot abide he will have it substantial If it come not inwardly from a good heart let the outside be what it will it s but like a painted Tomb or gilded Idol hollow within that cannot speak We are here met to day to hear Gods Word a good work an excellent work if all came with an upright heart God requiring it and that we should know his will and in all things be ruled thereby but few be such but when they have heard all they can yet do as they list at least in part It s true Ahabs hypocritical repentance was rewarded with a temporal benefit but not for love of the work but for example to others how well God would reward things done in truth 4. Let this teach all Gods servants not onely to have a care to do duties so can hypocrites but to do them in a right maner Herein lies the difficulty to bring our vile hearts to do them aright else the doing of the duty is an easie thing and no straight way if that were all but we have a wretched heart full of inwindings and privy corruptions that cannot be seen to others when we do our duties for even sundry of them are unknown to our selves pride hypocrisie dulness earthliness unbelief and the like look therefore when we Hear Pray give Alms follow our Callings or whatsoever that we do it well and substantially using all skill and diligence for we have a God with whom we deal that looks to the inside and hates all slightings and he will pay well cares not what he gives so the work be done well Commonly men that be good husbands will look to have their work well done so doth the Lord and he pays presently in hand Peace of Conscience Joy in the Holy Ghost with divers outward Blessings besides the inheritance reserved for us hereafter Verse 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your Fathers Verse 19. But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot HEre 's another main Reason of the foregoing Exhortation drawn from a wonderful benefit
bestowed upon us namely Redemption procured by no less price then the precious blood of Christ Were we redeemed at such a rate and by such a great and unspeakable price Then we must pass the time of our sojourning here in fear Here consider 1. The benefit Redemption 2. From what Their vain conversation which is set out by the Original of it The tradition of their fathers 3. The price whereby purchased which is set down first Negatively where 's shewed what it is not no worldly thing such as silver and gold described by the nature and quality Corruptible things then Affirmatively where 's shewed what it is namely Blood precious blood The precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Forasmuch as ye know Here note That A man may know himself to be a redeemed one he may know that there 's no condemnation to him and that he is translated from Death to Life He may know that he serves not sin as he was wont but his heart is to serve the Lord and that he walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And doth a man know himself redeemed he must pass his time in the fear of God and therefore in vain do such boast that they are redeemed that live yet in their sins That ye were redeemed Here note 1. That as Mercy presupposeth Misery so Redemption Bondage and Slavery neither is the bondage wherein we stand such as of Pharaoh or the Turks but Ten thousand times worse even of Sin and of the Devil God indeed made us free in Adam Sin nor Satan had nothing to do with us but we all sinning in Adam became subject not onely to the Wrath and Curse of God the first and second death and the forerunners of both but to sin also and so by nature we can do nothing but sin we drink sin as a thirsty man doth water It s as natural to us as for the fire to burn So fast is our will bound to the will of the Devil that for our lives we cannot think a good thought Now as all bondage is abhort'd of the nature of man so the baser person one is in bondage too the more odious it is to them that see it and the more tedious to themselves that bear it Now none so base in the world as sin and the Devil the woful enemies of God and our souls This should humble us all being in this woful case and so would it do if we could be brought to believe it But as the Jews we think we were never in bondage to any and finding our bodies at liberty conceive so of our souls whereas both be in a spiritual bondage unto evil Nay such is our woful bondage as we cannot believe we are in it nor can desire to come out of it but naturally we love and desire it thereupon are enemies to the means of our freedom most think that if they may have their lusts satisfied and fetch their flings in all maner of evil some of pleasure some of their unconscionable dealing c. O it s a little Heaven O such Towns and Houses where they may thus have their wills are the onely places but for the Towns and Services where they may not thus lash out but are restrained and must be brought to the Word Prayer Reading Repetition Catechizing and the like O fie upon it say they Here 's a Bondage a Slavery who would be tyed thus If my year be our once I le lay a stone there c. This is a hard saying who can bear it Let us break their bands and cast their coards from us If this Preaching be suffered we shall do nothing shortly we shall not be merry we shall have our hands bound behinde us Thus counting Gods service which is perfect Freedom to be Bondage they hold their woful Slavery to be the onely Liberty and therefore are not onely willing so to continue but are against the means of their Delivery which is a great depth of bondage for let one be a slave to the Turks never so though his body be bound yet his minde is free he retains an earnest desire to be set at liberty well men must see it and feel it else they shall never be delivered and if they dye in this case they must have their wages according to the work 2. That there is a way out of this bondage for our parts we could finde none we could desire none nay God of his infinite mercy having found it out and prepared it we have no desire of it This indeed is a great and wonderful mercy He might have been glorified in our confusion and hath provided no remedy for the evil Angels as he hath for us It followeth hereupon 1. Seeing there is away of Redemption that all that know not themselves delivered must give all diligence that they may have their part in it Believe Gods Word that thou art now in Bondage but abide not in it seeing there 's a way-out will any of the Turks Slaves stay in Prison if the door be set open and liberty offered and proclaimed Christ was sent to proclaim liberty to Captives and so doth Do this the rather for the redeemeth not all most shall bear their own burthen He prayed not for the world All mine are thine saith he to his Father thine by Election mine by Redemption But is not he the propitiation for the sins of the whole world This is to be understood of all Believers of all Nations through the world in this last age since Christ. 2. That they which know themselves delivered from so great Thraldom both of Death and Damnation and of Sin also must now serve God and that under the hope of eternal Life They must study how to shew their thankfulness in all dutiful obedience all the days of their life If any were ransom'd from the Turk doth he not count himself his that hath ransom'd him so should we As we have yielded our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin so must we now yield them as instruments of righteousness unto God We have taken great pains for the world and vanity forgot our meat and sleep thought the time short feared ever we should come too late have pleaded for Baal O le ts now do so for goodness we have spent our substance on lewd persons to follow our lusts now let us spend it in the service of God and on Gods Children O le ts not serve the Devil and sin in any point more forwardly then God! we must glorifie God in Body and Spirit we must have neither Heart Tongue Wit Will Eye Ear but for the Lord and all to be at his command O that we would often think of our Redemption both from whence and to what This would make us gather up our feet in our Masters service more roundly
which went before both knew and saw Christ as Abraham though afar off So that here the Fathers are not excluded but he was manifest for us that we might have a fuller sight of him then the fathers their light was but dim in comparison of ours How much then are we bound to God and ought we not to have more knowledge and faith and shew more tokens of thankfulness then they But alas though we have the Gospel and Sacraments so clearly never did iniquity more abound Thus do we reward the Lord for his kindeness Who by him do believe in God He saith They believed how came he to know that he hoped so and in charity so judged of them as who willingly gave themselves to the profession of Christian Religion and for the same did undergo persecution Therefore I say he hoped the more confidently of them even as we may do of such Assemblies as these on the week days a man may hope better of them then of those which come by commandment as others of Custom not Conscience especially considering the discouragements they meet withal and their constancy notwithstanding A man cannot but think they should come for Conscience and expect better things at their hands then others which I desire you would be careful to declare well at home in your places and several dealings not onely to Gods glory your own comfort and winning on of others but stopping up the mouthes of the worst that are ready to pry into and speak all evil of the forwarder sort of professors By him We cannot believe in God but by the Son For 1. The Father dwelleth in the light that none can attain unto How then shall we come to him of our selves we being so poor and weak and he of so infinite Majesty As in the Summer we cannot directly look upon the Sun shining in his full strength but may view it in a pail of Water so must we see the Father in the Son who is the image of the Father and the ingraven form of his person 2. God is infinitely just and we extreamly wicked he a consuming fire and we stubble How then can we come to him believe in him or take comfort but onely in and by the Lord Jesus our Mediator who by his death hath made satisfaction to his Father and covered us with his righteousness He is the Way the Truth and the Life none cometh to the Father but by him By him we have boldness and access with confidence Its life eternal to know the onely true God but how shall that be done onely by Jesus Christ He therefore that would believe in God and have comfort thereupon must first know and believe in Christ Jesus even know him to be for natures and offices as he is God and man and believe in him as the onely Savior who reconcileth us to the Father 1. Therefore Jews and Turks believe not in God because they believe not in Christ and know him not 2. All are Hereticks that deny any of Christs natures or offices for we must believe him to be such as the Word declares him to be 3. The Papists which in effect deny his Humane Nature by standing for Transubstantiation and his offices Priestly by their Masses Satisfactions Joynt-intercessions his Prophetical by their own Traditions his Kingly by making the Pope head of the Church making Laws to binde the Conscience to forgive sins save damn c. Therefore they cannot truly believe in God and therefore it stands them in hand to know Christ aright and then to believe in him 4. This condemneth a number of ignorant creatures among us which will come to God but how by their good meanings good prayers good serving of God civil life and the like as others which seem better taught by their repenting and crying God mercy Oh this goes for current and in the mean time take no thought how his justice should be satisfied These may cry their hearts out to God and finde no mercy they must bring Christ their Surety in their hand and plead mercy for his sake and his satisfaction Such as were stung by the Fiery-Serpents could not be otherwise healed but by looking up upon the Brazen-Serpent neither we otherwise accepted of God then through Christ Humble thou therefore thy self confess thy sins judge thy self know Christ and plead his satisfaction That raised him up from the dead and gave him glory The Father is here said to have raised up Christ and yet the Son saith of himself That he laid down his life and took it to him again A. Whatsoever the Father did herein the same did the Son and the Holy Ghost The work is common to all Here I might speak 1. Of our Saviors Resurrection and shew how carefully all the Evangelists have recorded it with the witnesses thereof and how all the Apostles in their Sermons stood upon it and how the Devil and the Jews endeavored to hinder it and what great benefits ensue unto us hereby 2. Of his Ascension after forty days being on earth and how he changed his place and vanished not and how though absent in his Humanity he is ever present by his Spirit and how he is most highly advanced and how his Godhead was not thus advanced it was impossible nor his manhood by it self had such a name and such glory due to it but that the person of Christ God and man was advanced and how now he makes intercession and hath prepared a place for us but of these I have spoken at large on the Creed That your faith and hope might be in God Every one that believeth in Christ that these things belong to him may boldly believe and hope in God for all good for this life and that which is to come look for a full discharge of all sins for power to rise to a new life for a glorious resurrection look also on God with boldness by the intercession of Christ and be assured of expect and wait for an entrance into the same glory our Head is entred into Verse 22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfained love of the brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently A Good life is an inseparable companion of Faith and Hope God having bestowed upon them the former the Apostle would not have them to be wanting in the latter Generally he exhorts to Sanctification vers 14. then particularly first to renounce their lusts ibid. then to embrace the contrary Holiness vers 15 16. This he divides into two parts 1. The fear of God which contains all parts of Piety towards God vers 17 18 19 20 21. 2. Love to our brethren which comprehendeth all the Duties we owe to them These two are knit in a comely order not to be sundred In this verse we have an Exhortation to true and
abominable in the sight of God So impure that we cannot cleanse our selves nay nor desire it conceiving that even our uncleanness is purity and becomes us well So as all the water in the Seas all the help of Men and Angels cannot help us it must be the mighty work of God alone as the very water in Baptism teacheth us This should humble us and make us desire speedily to be cleansed which is by the Blood of Christ Jesus from sin past and from the taint of nature by the Spirit of Sanctification But how few are thus affected how few take knowledge of their uncleanness and that sin doth so defile them 1. There are even open prophane ones which yet seek no washing but refuse it yea think themselves clean enough yea hate them that wallow not in the mire as themselves thinking strange to see any cleanse themselves by the Word and Prayer yea think them strange that will not go on in their filthiness by companying and joyning with them 2. Civil persons can see no such thing therefore few of them are cleansed because few finde themselves leprous and desire to be cleansed let such take knowledge of their uncleanness yea let the civilest know that if they be not born again of water and the holy Ghost they cannot see the Kingdom of God Seek therefore to be purged in time that you may please God and see him for without holiness none shall see him He onely that hath innocent hands and a pure heart shall enter into his Tabernacle else person service and all is loathsom to God and what should such a man do living And the servants of God that are in some measure purged must desire to be more purged of these evils that cleave to them and prevail so much over them and defile even their best duties Your souls Hereby he means the whole man both Body and Soul for God sanctifieth throughout and there the body is Sanctified where there 's Sanctification of the Soul as from which comes the Sanctification of the Body In obeying the truth The Word of God is the outward instrument of our cleansing Thus were Zacheus Mary Magdalene and the Goaler thus also are we sanctified The Law pulling down the Gospel by degrees lifts up working an high prizing of the remedy vehement longing after it at last some perswasion which Faith unites to Christ whereby guiltiness and sin is pardoned in Christs death and corruption being taken away the grace of Sanctification is given which Faith sucketh from Christ the fountain of life so that as he that is out of Christ can do no good so united to him we receive sanctifying grace therefore Faith is said to purifie the heart namely by uniting us to Christ and the Word is the instrument to work Faith Besides the Word purgeth thus not onely setting before us as in a glass all our faults and what we should do but it worketh in us care and conscience to be obedient 1. Therefore thank God for the Word the instrument of purging Where it is not all lie in the mire O how we should desire the free passage of it 2. If we see our children and servants defiled we must bring them to the Word and pray and wait thereon 3. For our selves we are to try whether it hath been effectual to wash us both heart and hand if yea then there 's comfort it hath obtained the right end if not but that we remain in our filthiness or in any part of it willingly it s a fearful sign Many have been cleansed by it what hath it purged us of Hath it washed our mouthes from swearing lying our hands from wrong our eyes from wantonness our hearts from the love of all sin our master sin especially as Zacheus They obeying the Word their Souls and bodies were purged thereby else they could not This is better then Sacrifice and disobedience is that which the Lord cannot away withal but will grievously punish All the stir is about obeying the truth for men can be content to hear but to obey is death O how would the Word purifie men if they would obey it its just with God to take away the Truth from us because we obey it not Truth The Word is called Truth not true onely but Truth the Truth nothing but Truth and in matters of God and our Salvation all the Truth the rule of Truth 1. Then Traditions contrary to this are lyes and whatsoever else 2. It s Blasphemy to speak against this Truth or any part of it 3. Let Gods poor people get the Word on their sides humble persons get a promise and stay upon it against all contrary temptations They are lyes the Word is the truth yet they suffer themselves to be more carried away with a temptation of Satan or that riseth of their own unbelief then they are comforted by three or four plain promises of Gods Word 4. Let the wicked that make such slight account of Gods threatnings know that they shall prove all too true for them they shall not be held guiltless and they go in danger of all Gods wrath and curses every hour and hang over the pit of Hell c. These things move not but the Word ought to make their hearts ake and tremble as who shall one day finde whose word shall stand theirs or the Lords Through the Spirit The inward worker is the Spirit without which all will be in vain It s the Spirit that worketh all from first to last opens the understanding works Faith and then conveys power from Christ to dye to sin and live to righteousness without him we shall have but binde eyes ears stopt no hearing ears he opened the heart of Lydia We must not then trust to our selves or our wit learning and parts but acknowledge the very best thing in us the wisdom of the flesh to be enmity against God Nor must we trust to any Preacher in the world for its God onely that giveth the encrease but ever come in humility calling upon God both on our own and the Preachers behalf that God would give us his Spirit to make all effectual that through him we may understand believe and obey Unto unfained love of the brethren Hence note 1. That till a man be cleansed by the Spirit of Sanctification he is not fit to do any good no not for love for the heart must first be emptied of the love of all evil ere the love of any good can take place The garden must be rid of weeds and stones ere we sow and plant For those therefore that declare by their loosness that there remaineth the love of some lust in them it s as sure as God is in heaven for all the countenance they make of Religion and shew of profession and good things there
is not any dram of true grace in them and all the seeming good things they do are in hypocrisie and to no purpose for the love of evil and of good cannot be at one time in one heart O look to it will you lose all your comfort here and all your labor yea Heaven it self for some one sin 2. The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works and to set upon good duties Such therefore as profess themselves to be Sanctified must be more fruitful Touching the grace here exhorted unto speak we both in general and particular In general where consider 1. What Love is It s a Sanctified affection of the heart wherewith whoso is endued endeavoreth to do all the good he can to all but especially to them that be nearest unto him It s an affection seated as is said in the heart as the others of Hope Fear Joy Grief c. are They were all good and well ordered in Adam but ever since his fall wofully corrupted and utterly disordered and perverted as this of love is turned either into an hatred of that we should love or into self-love It s a Sanctified Affection For ere a man can love he must be Regenerate and Sanctified throughout which comes by being united to Christ by Faith whereby our affections are in some measure purged and restored to their former integrity as to hate evil and love good God and our Brethren for Gods cause Love is a fruit of the Spirit and must come from a pure Heart good Conscience and Faith unfained and therefore cannot be in an unregenerate person there may be indeed a shew and shadow of it but that 's no true love They do not love one another neither possibly can love the people of God There 's no trust in them they do but watch their opportunity when to do them mischief O the wretched condition of such how needful wert for them to be wearied thereof And for the people of God they must not trust them or too much open themselves to them He onely that fears God is to be trusted he dares not deceive Wherewith whoso is endued endeavoreth Though love be in the heart yet it must and will shew it self forth in the Life Words and Deeds to Soul and Body else it s like the love of bad men to God who yet keep not his commandments or like the worldlings Faith which is without Works To do good For it s the nature of love it can do no hurt but what good it can it will do to Soul and Body and wheresoever any true good is done to Soul or Body Goods or Name there was love love did it To all For though brotherly kindeness be to the people of God yet love reacheth to all whether near or far off to Strangers Enemies such as are not yet called under the Turk Pope Pagans c. for whom we are to pray and to do them all the good we can with the pitiful Samaritan But especially to them that be nearest So God gives leave nay commands that our love begin at our selves and ours and so go on forward to them that be nearest by nature Therefore they that prefer Strangers before Kinsmen and Kinsmen before Children are blame-worthy and to bestow upon any to the undoing of ones Family is not love but folly as in them which wil spend in lewd company their Wives and Children at home being in want So must it be to them that â—e nearest by grace This is often commanded and highly also commended in the Scriptures This is the bond of perfection It bindes up all the duties that we owe to our Neighbor which are many holds them together as the bond of a Fagot and makes every duty easie as where this is not every duty is irksome nothing comes well off hand It ties Societies together and Families O how it keeps out evil how it sets up good By it small things have become great and for want of it great things have come to nothing It s the fulfilling of the Law It s a most beneficial vertue other vertues benefit our selves but this doth good to others Faith draws all from Christ to us Love lays out it self for others good as the Sun that hath no light for it self other vertues be like the Bung of a Barrel Love like the Tap that sets it abroach to the benefit of them that need If a man be as full of gifts as a Tun of Liquor if he have no Tap others may starve so for Temporal things without this all gifts are nothing but as sounding Brass We are not born for our selves but the perfection of all we have is to employ This is the lasting vertue which when others as Faith and Hope shall end shall spring afresh abound and abide for ever that vertue that makes us like to God for he is Love and doth good to all even his enemies though he have a special affection to his Children O that I could paint out the face of this lovely vertue that every one of us might grow in love therewith 2. The properties thereof whereby we may try whether it be in us and in what measure They are laid down by the Apostle unto the Corinthians Charity suffereth long and is kinde Charity envyeth not Charity vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly c. Take we notice of a few of them 1. Love will interpret things doubtful to the best that is speeches or actions of men towards our selves or others and if they may be taken well will not take them ill Our nature is to take every thing in the worst part Love doth otherwise the Mother saith a pin pricks the Childe or it breeds teeth when it may be its of frowardnes that it cryes Thus Josephs Brethren sold him spitefully into Egypt afterward when by reason thereof they were afraid what construction made he thereof God saith he did send me before you to preserve life If a thing be plainly evil yet it will make it no worse then it is nor say it was done deliberately when it may be it was done rashly or maliciously when it may be it was done weakly and in temptation for one may do injury to a bad action in making it worse and its better to judge a little better of a thing then worse then it is Always provided this be understood not of palpable notorious foul evils nor of continued courses in sinning for what good or charitable construction can a man make of these Therefore such say foolishly when being informed hereof they Reply Oh ye must not judge what can be judged of this case but onely that there may be Repentance It s a fault in Ministers and others that will extenuate foul sins in bad persons and wicked livers in the mean time aggravating a
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
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
others are included and the first word may be taken very fitly for all naughtiness in general the rest being particular branches thereof elsewhere more are set down Therefore a Christian must not renounce onely some evils but all all being hateful to God he must cast away every thing that presseth down we must cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit The Spirit of God and the love of any one sin cannot be together in one heart and here he names onely those wherein they were most faulty and which were contraries to that love exhorted unto in the former Chapter Therefore wheresoever there 's the love and practise of any one sin assuredly the Spirit of God dwells not in that man neither is there any work of Regeneration in him 5. That most of those here mentioned be inward corruptions which we must as well avoid as the outward the sins of the tongue and the like It s not enough to pare away the outward sins but the heart also must be purged we must be sanctified throughout our whole Spirit Soul and Body must be kept blameless 1. This condemneth those that will look to the outside and yet in the mean time suffer their hearts to boyl full of Lusts and swarm ful of Corruptions of Pride Envy Impatience Unbelief the like making no conscience of these This is an ill sign These haply may bridle themselves awhile but they wil surely break out one time or other if they should not yet were they but painted Sepulchres in Gods sight 2. This may comfort Gods Servants who groan under their inward corruptions and when men think they have done well yet they shake their heads at themselves at their dulness to good at their Pride and Hypocrisie therein at their unwillingness thereto at their wandrings This is the minde of Gods true Servants and this also may much comfort them Wherefore laying aside Now of the vices themselves or corruptions rather as they are in the Regenerate I remember I requested in the beginning of the Chapter to attend to it because we knew not whether we should live to the end of it or no and is it not proved true Some that were at the first Sermon there being but a little intermission from the course of my Ministery here are now at their long home not Ancient alone but Yong and Lusty also that might have lived to see the most of us buried Therefore I see we had need take heed not to Chapters onely but to every Verse every particular Sermon this very Sermon accordingly making the best use and benefit thereof seeing no man knows whether he shall hear another so vain a thing is man and I pray God we may so do All malice The Word signifieth very properly all kinde of naughtiness and so may fitly here as the genus of the vices that follow and all others and accordingly speak we thereof Naughtiness What is that that is naught and what makes a thing naught That which is forbidden by God in his Word as that is good which he approveth for his will is the absolute rule of righteousness who doth not see a thing first good then willeth it but willeth and commandeth it and thereupon it becomes good and so on the contrary and therefore sin is said to be the transgression of the Law This teacheth us to examine all things and knowing any thing commanded to conclude that its good and thereupon to do it contrarily knowing any thing forbidden that thenceforward we know it to be naught and therefore abhor it for what good can come of that which is naught and what should we have to do therewith The Lords will is a rule of Righteousness all promises made to the obedience of it and all the threatnings and plagues upon the world have come because of disobedience that God would have his will and men will not but have theirs This is the trouble of the world and that which hath cost the world full dear yet how few knowing Gods will can be content there to rest and say Now I know this is forbidden I have done with it I know this prescribed I will therefore obey it O this were a happy world But if by this word we understand malice in particular It s an old grudge upon some wrong done or conceived to be done to a man whereupon he waits to do some hurt or mischief to him that did it Anger is like a fire kindled in thorns soon blazeth is soon out but malice like a fire kindled in a log it continues long This is often forbidden and yet as Esau hated Jacob and Haman Mordecai so the world hateth Gods Servants as being reproved of them and who run not with them into the same exceâ—s of riot 1. We ought to take heed of the beginnings of unadvised anger it rests in the bosom of fools whereas he that is so slow to wrath is of great wisdom God is slow to wrath and so should we be 2. If we be overtaken as a right good man may take heed it fester not grow not to hatred heal it quickly as we do our wounds The Devil is an ill Counsellor cast it out to night how can you else lie down in peace or pray prayers be lost and that 's a grievous loss Nay further Cast it out to night thou mayest dye ere to morrow and then shalt thou either dye in malice or else forgive per force when thou canst not retain it any longer nor any cares for it for what needs one care for thy hatred if thou be once dead Again thou art not fit to come to the Sacrament not fit to offer thy gift at the Altar And to be revenged what a madness is this It may be thou dost but imagine a wrong and then there 's no cause thou dealest unjustly but if there be wilt thou revenge It s the Lords office Take heed of perking up into Gods place as if he would not deal equally either not revenging at all or not sufficiently The Lord knoweth what is best let him alone else thou turnest off his hand from thine adversary against thy self Nay what is this but to be revenged of God as it were for hath not he a hand therein Is it not by his appointment And all guile It s meant of guile that is between men and men in their dealings each with other as in buying selling letting hiring borrowing lending paying wages doing work partnership and the like when men would seem to do well but do otherwise when one thing is pretended but another practised Guile in the buyer is naught as not to pay or to pay in ill coyn so also there may be many frauds in the seller These God forbids and he is an avenger of such things we are not born for our selves but for the good
joyned to us so are we to Christ by believing in him and this is a real and true Union but a Spiritual one not that we are thereby united to Christs soul but to his body also and by his humanity to his Deity and by both to God the Father and the holy Ghost which is an admirable prerogative If any say How can this be Christ being in Heaven and we on Earth It is so by the Spirit on Gods part and Faith on ours Those joyn things far distant in place most nearly together If any say I cannot see nor comprehend how this should be If we cannot no marvel for its a great mystery which we are to believe and adore in our hearts The benefits hereof are unspeakable as the honor most glorious for by vertue hereof we that were as dead as blocks and stones draw spiritual life and Grace to become new Creatures to dye to sin and to lead a righteous life as the members receive sence and motion from the head and the Vine-branches sap from the root Hereby also we have title to Christ and all his good things He also bears our troubles with us and hereby our souls shall be as filled with Grace here so taken up to glory with him at death and the body remains united to Christ even in the grave by vertue whereof it shall be raised up a spiritual and glorious body to be glorified for ever And this is yet so much the more absolute and blessed a Union because its indissolveable No violence of Satan nor any other Enemy can break off the same He hath not therefore fastened us as stones into this building to be ever pulled out any more If they had been of us saith the Appostle they should have continued with us What God hath joyned together who can separate 1. This is for instruction to all that are believers and so members of this body stones of this building that they walk in their conversation answerable to such high Dignity to such an Union The Members must be like the Head the stones answerable to the Foundation as the Fruit to the true Vine Take heed they disgrace not themselves and their stock by bringing forth sowre fruit even of the wilde Olive of their own sinful and corrupt nature but mortifie the same more and more But how cometh it to pass that they which are graft into Christ should bear any sowre Fruit Even because there are some suckers of our own crabbish and sinful nature shut out and have through heedlesness and want of care grown apace and which we must pluck off by any means 2. Comfort to all believers O admirable priviledge to be joyned into one with Christ and with God! What grace or good thing can he stand in need of that is joyned to such a plentiful and living head He cannot but mortifie the strongest Corruptions overcome the greatest Temptations perform the most difficult Duties Such thou mayest draw from thy head but make no obstructions by sin Keep open the passages and by the Word Sacraments Prayer and other like means fetch Grace from Christ Jesus He also will strengthen thee and even in the fiery Fornace be present with thee and after take thee up to glory neither shall all the power of Hell ever seperate thee from him for though Hypocrites that hang on onely by the untemperated morter of outward Profession shall fall off thou that art saudered into Christ by the Spirit of God shalt never be pluckt off 3. To discard all those that profess themselves believers and stones of this building and yet have no life in them let such know they have no part in Christ nor fellowship with him 4. This should perswade all men to labor to have part in this blessed Union Till this be they are quite dead and have no more Spiritual Life then a stone hath If thou beest not united to Christ thou canst never have Life of grace here nor glory hereafter And if not a Member of Christ thou art a Limb of the Devil If not a Branch of this Vine thou art a dry withered stick for the fire of Hell If not a stone of this Building thou art refuse and rubbish to be thrown into Hell Q. But how should we become stones of this building A. By suffering the ax of the Word of God to cut off our knobs to hew and square us that thereby we may be humbled and mortifie all our sins and lusts for if there be but one sin in us unrepented of we are not fit to lie in this building And though all stones be not alike some bigger some less some more costly some less yet happy we if we be any true stone of this building let us now suffer our selves to be fashioned for it it must be now in this Life or never As there was no hammer heard about the Temple but all was hewen in Libanus so must we be hewen in this Life that we may rest in the Spiritual Temple for ever Having a house to build will we lay in a stone rough as it comes from the Quarry or a piece of Timber as it comes from the Wood much less will the Lord suffer any to be joyned into his Spiritual building till they be squared and hewen by his Word Therefore le ts be tenderly affected one towards another and build up one another and do all the good we can one to another not living to our selves or having hand in Contentions Rents Divisions which do so abound among Christians and that for toyes Are built up a spiritual house So foretold by Haggai Not a materiel one as was the Temple of Jerusalem but a far more excellent as much as the body is better then the shadow which the Apostle speaks to take off the mindes of these Jews from the material Temple on which they too much doted and on the promises made thereto not considering that it was appointed but for a time and that it was but a type of this Spiritual house infinitely more excellent and to labor to become stones of this Spiritual house which did so far excel the other All the Church of God and Believers make together a Spiritual house as a house though it hath but one foundation yet hath many stones to make up the building This sheweth the communion that the Saints have one with another members of the same Body stones of the same Building with this Union that we have with Christ we have also communion one with another as Fellow-members Stones Branches Besides As all the Saints together are here said to be built up a Spiritual house so els where the like is affirmed of every particular Believer that whereas before he was but a Cage of uncleanness and a Den for the Devil and an Habitation for foul Spirits now he is made the House of God of a poor mortal man an
the Spirit without measure he was made and fitted our King Priest and Prophet and not so onely but to make us so so that every one that believeth in him he gives him the honor to be so As we partake of the benefit of his Priesthood and its parts Satisfaction and Intercession so of him we also are made Priests 2. As we are to rejoyce in this priviledge so we must use it and improve it carefully in offering Sacrifices What else becomes a Priest he were not worthy the name that did not delight to offer Sacrifices to God Now the Sacrifices of the New Testament for Christians to offer are these 1. The offering up of our Bodies and Souls and all that is in us to serve God having neither Wit Will Memory nor any thing else but for the Lords use It s meet we should offer this Sacrifice for its his by right of Creation Redemption and continual Preservation we owe neither it nor any part of it to any other all to him and when we give it to him we provide best for it It s not onely never the further from our selves but that is the happiness of it we should give it and thank him he will take it of us and this is the first Sacrifice to be offered Till this be no other will be accepted of Prayer Praise or whatsoever first the person must please God then the work as in Abel And thus every man may try his Cristianity Do you give up your bodies and souls for his Service and would not with your good wills that any the least part should be withdrawn from him no not one thought if you could help it thou art a good Christian this is a good Sacrifice continue it still But how few do thus how few which give not their Hearts and Bodies to Profits and Pleasures to Sin the World and the Devil How many Sacrifice to these all day long Christians in name not in deed They that give themselves wholly to sin are monsters as they that give themselves partly to God and partly to their lusts are like Ananias and Sapphira Oh but though we do not thus yet we offer other Sacrifices Fie upon thee and them they are abominable in Gods sight as is the Sacrifice of the wicked O give them no more as weapons of sin to serve the Flesh the World and the Devil that were too too base but employ them for Gods service not some part but the whole all too little and wish it were better for his sake 2. The Sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart that is an heart grieved and crush'd for sin past comforted in Christ afraid to offend careful to please God touch'd and grieved at the smallest offence They that offer this scape Gods Judgement fearing alway they are happy fearing small sins they escape great ones being troubled at the least they rise and fall not into security Such as offer this and would it were softer grieving and complaining of their hardness of heart let such know that there may be hardness as they complain but not such hardness as they conceive as who could not feel the same But there are few broken hearts in any measure most are not troubled for their sins past nor afraid to offend nor careful nor humbled after they have offended being neither melted by mercies nor moved by the Word and Afflictions O the fearful state of an hard heart all have not alike tender heart but assuredly he is no Christian that hath it not in some measure 3. Prayer and Praise for Christ Jesus and all benefits by him past present and to come for Soul and Body O what a favor is it that we worms on earth may come to the glorious Lord of Heaven and Earth but where are our morning and evening Sacrifices What a Priest without a Sacrifice They that pray not at all it s a sign they are prophane persons as they that pray onely in misery are hypocrites Hath God honored us to make us Priests by Jesus Christ and do we neglect the Office not appearing with our Sacrifice 4. Alms mercy to all in hunger thirst sickness prison especially to the houshold of Faith This we ought to do whensoever God prepares an Altar of the necessity of a poor Saint or Church that then we Priests lay on our Sacrifice God requires it it s an honor he counts it as done unto himself therefore he promises that he will requite it and that not as we a peny for a penyworth but as Kings that use to reward a house largely where they have found kindeness therefore it s compared to sowing God and his poor Saints are the best ground can be sown in O that we had Faith enough in this Point If we did believe that we should have peny for peny it would make us forwarder then we be but he will do more The world savoreth not this at all and Believers fall too short in this Sacrifice but the more we offer it and the better the better Christians are we To offer up Spiritual Sacrifice He calls them Spiritual 1. In comparison of the carnal and bloody Sacrifices of the Law 2. Because they must be done with the Soul Heart and Spirit 3. Because they must be done by the help of Gods Spirit Our services then to God must be done in a Spiritual maner else they please not God They that give God their bodies and keep their hearts to sin perform a carnal and wicked no Spiritual service and sacrifice So we must pray and praise in a Spiritual maner with our souls and best affections not with labor of the tongue or knee True he will have the Body but especially he will have the Spirit which condemns the cold idle wordy Prayers of men wherein there is no Spirit So our alms and liberality must be done not out of ostentation for company no nor for a natural kinde of pity but for love to God because he requires it and to them because they are the Lords Acceptable to God It being a great favor to do any thing that may please God they might object as any weak Christian would Alas I would go and offer these Sacrifices but doth the Lord regard what I do will he once look to such a one or such service as mine Yea saith the Apostle we may offer up Spiritual Sacrifice acceptable to God Gods Servants shall not then need doubt but being once Believers their services done Spiritually are accepted of the most High God of Heaven yea of the meanest true Believer for he that vouchsafed to bring thee to Christ to unite thee to him to make thee a lively stone a Spiritual house an holy Priest to offer Sacrifice he will also accept of the same Let this encourage us much to these duties what a spur is this True it is if one knew he
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
Minister hath power to command the people being in the person of God and for their own good to flie from things hurtful and follow things profitable for themselves Paul might have commanded Philemon but being perswaded of his forwardness he rather entreated so must we as they that set in a joynt in a tender body stroke and stroke softly and anoint the place and so put it in the place ere the party be aware yet upon occasion we may both command and threaten as the same Apostle elsewhere and John the Baptist and our Savior himself as when we have to deal with stubborn and disobedient persons or such as have fallen into foul sins or are secure and dead-hearted or are revolters and backsliders then I say are we to deal more roundly and severely knotty logs must have many and hard strokes as a rough horse an hard rider when we have to deal with toward and well disposed tender hearted ones or afflicted then are we to deal otherwise and here is required the wisdom of the Spirit of God to discern what is meer and this must be considered of before hand Abstain from fleshly lusts Now of the matter of the Exhortation By fleshly lusts are meant not onely acts of sin breaking out in the body but the inward lusts that are in the heart though they should never break out for even the heart and soul is flesh as well as the body and fleshly even corrupt and sinful as the sinful lusts of unbelief impatience hardness of heart hypocrisie rebelling against that which is good weariness in well doing pride anger envy self-love covetousness uncleanness uncharitableness and the like These we must abstain from even labor against that they prevail not in us yea to subdue them quite Now in that he gives his Exhortation to such as they were whom he before described We may learn That There are remnants of sin abiding in the best of Gods Servants and will be while they be here They shall not lay down sin wholly till they lay down this flesh They are sanctified but in part through out but not perfectly corruption is not in one part and grace in another but grace and corruption joyned in every part and faculty of body and soul and thus it hath ever been Hence it is that we scarce read of any in Scripture but taxed for some infirmity and weakness as Abraham with some little shifting for himself when he said Sarah was his sister Sarah for her unbelief Moses for speaking unadvisedly Job for cursing his day Paul and Barnabas for being stirred the one against the other And this the wise and good providence of God hath so appointed for he could sanctifie us perfectly at the first but it s not meet for then righteousness should not come onely by Christ for if we were not onely perfectly justified by Christ as we are but also perfectly sanctified by his grace then might we stand before God with confidence and boldness in our own righteousness and need not to have the righteousness of Christ continually imputed to us Besides the Lord would hereby humble us that we should not be proud of any gifts or graces that he bestoweth on us more then we had or others have but be kept still humble when we see these corrupt lusts sticking in our nature which may more justly provoke wrath against us then our good actions procure favor as Paul lest he should be lifted up through the abundance of revelations had a prick in the flesh even Satan working upon his corruption and strongly tempting and as it were boxing him to humble him Therefore no man hath cause to be proud of any grace not only because he hath nothing but the meer mercy of God but also because if he consider he hath such remainders of sin still in him as if they be laid in the Ballance with his graces might be of more force to condemn him then all his graces to procure favor to him Further hereby we are held continually in exercise and made see our need of the Word Sacraments Prayer and the help we have one of another while we live 1. We are not to expect the perfection of any here though Gods Ministers are still to call on the people to grow towards it yet they must rejoyce even in their proceedings to it and bear with some weakness and wants and people must not think their Ministers can be perfect without blemish either knowing or suspecting some infirmity in them to esteem meanly of them or their Ministery or gifts so drowning all their graces God forbid It s well 1. We know no sin our Minister lives in 2. No corruption he yields to but that he is in strife with his corruption and counts it his burthen this we should cover with the lap of our love The contrary is in the world If a Minister have any imperfection though strived against by him and seldom or never shewing it self and have never so many good graces yet the same shall still be cast in his face and tost from one to another and all his gifts neglected and that oftentimes of those that live in soul sins or are an hundred times more foully overtaken of the same or some other Husbands look not for perfection in your Wives nor Wives in your Husbands thank God they be godly hating all foul sins and striving against corruptions look for these and cover them else lovingly help to cure them in time convenient but look on their graces some man that is himself carnal and hath a professing wife so narrowly views her as if he spy the least imperfection it s cast in her teeth as if she should be perfect though he be never so far off from perfection Let none look for Christians that profess the Gospel that they can be altogether without blame yet let none take up this as a good excuse and shelter for them yea say they It s true as the Preacher said to day which I liked well that we are all sinners some make themselves so holy and profess such zeal as if they were without sin or wiser then all their neighbors when they be no less sinners then others Well let not these carnal or prophane and civil persons think to scape away with this or be hid in the number of sinners and scape as well as others God will finde two sorts of sinners such as live and lie in sin indeed workers of iniquity and such as having been unfeignedly humbled and obtained pardon of sin and truly repented have yet corruptions which they hate and strive against and are heartily sorry when they have been at any time overtaken thereby and yet the world bless themselves herein What are not all sinners I pray yea and you shall have them that will dilate of any infirmity that a Christian hath and stretch it on the tenters when themselves are polluted with foul sins 2.
bad behavior without dislike especially being with their betters But he that is not with me is against me and though often we cannot do good as we would no nor stop evil yet at least let our righteous souls always grieve thereat yea and as much as may be shew our dislike by hasting out of the company and silence if we may not speak and if we be askt our mindes le ts speak though wisely and humbly lets not dare to turn our backs upon God and his cause for any mortal mans sake whether our Landlords betters or otherwise le ts come as little in such dangerous places as may be but being there le ts take heed we deny not our Master with Peter and hear goodness or Gods Servants railed on or slandered and we consent or not shew our dislike 4. If God would have us live well among the wicked what would he then in the midst of all good means what then is their sin and where shall they appear that break out and live badly in the midst of the means of good the Ministery of the Word good company and the like wherewith they are shoared up on every side what would these do if they were far from such means 5. It rebukes those that professing Religion more then ordinarily yet remember not with whom they live but as if they were onely among the good which would hide all their frailties or interpret them to the best not as if they were among the wicked that seek occasion against Gods Servants Canaanites and Perezites that desire no better booty then the fall of a Professor that not regarding this nor the Gospel by their careless and ill life and the bad actions they break into set open the mouthes of ill men not upon themselves that were the less but upon the holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus for that they will flie upon straight when alas the Gospel is not in fault the contrary was in Abraham Wo be to the world because of offences but especially wo to them by whom they come For hereby the good are grieved the weak hindred the wicked strengthened in their dislike of the Gospel and some of whom there might be some good hoped by this means held off O you that have thus done thus hurt repent heartily and labor to make amends and you that are as yet free pray God that ye may never live to that day if it be his blessed will wherein ye should shame your selves blemish the Gospel and grieve the rest of Gods faithful Servants but that living and dying ye may credit it That whereas they speak against you as evil doers Now follow the Reasons to provoke to godly life 1. We shall cause the wicked to speak well of us and of the Gospel of God yea though they have spoken ill of us and it before yet upon a serious consideration of our innocent and constant conversation they will change their mindes 2. They shall by that means be brought to glorifie God and both like and speak well of the truth which they shall then do when God shall graciously visit their hearts and work by his Word and Spirit true conversion in them then being prepared before by our good life they shall be made to glorifie God for his truth and for us and for opening their eyes and moving their hearts to embrace it Forcible Reasons We shall by our constancy in a good life 1. Provide well for our own credit the credit of the Gospel and the wickeds conversion 2. Which is the main we shall provide for the glory of God In the first place is set down the nature disposition and practise of the wicked towards Gods children as they speak evil of the truth of God and Religion so do they of those that truly profess the same It s in mens nature to mislike all that be of another Religion and Practise then themselves for such is our inbâ—ed pride we think best of our selves and our own Religion and all others to be in error and to be deceived The Crow thinks her own bird the farest But though men mislike all differing Opinions yet none so much as the truth that we naturally hate as black blew and green differ yet not so much as black and white which are opposite so wicked ones hate the truth especially for that is our nature to do and the more sincere any is in professing the truth the more the wicked naturally hate him Thus have Gods children ever been ill spoken off Ishmael mocketh Isaac as his brood yet do Elias was reputed A troubler of Israel One of the children of the Prophets counted a mad fellow Micaiah smitten on the mouth as one that spake without God Jeremiah with them is as one that raveth and fit to be put in the stocks yea they speak ill of the truth and goodness it self The Jews were accused for nothing but doing that which God required and Cyrus had permitted namely to build the City and Temple wherein to worship and serve God and they were a poor contemptible company in the others eyes So we read of them that called the Gospel Heresie sore eyes cannot abide the light Thus was our Savior Christ the most innocent and blessed Son of God reproached and spoken ill off as if he had been a glutten a winebibber was a Samaritan and had a Devil So the Apostle Peter and the rest were termed drunk and Steven that he had blasphemed God and Moses They cannot indure the wrath of God because it crosseth their humors and vile lusts which they set so much by See Acts 17. 18. and 19. 13. and 19. 6. and 24. 5. To come down to the Primative Church were they not most horribly slandered as if they had been Canibals and lived of mans flesh and eat their own children That they met in caves in the night to worship and that then the candles being put out they committed filthiness promiscuously without respect of Kindred c. and if any plague came as that Tyber did overflow to great hurt and that Nilus did not overflow her banks as it used to do or any the like it was because of them and by their means thereupon they fell upon them and killed them like Dogs Thus have they used always to incense great persons against Gods servants with such false suggestions and to make them odious to the common people It hath ever since been the maner of the Church of Rome which hath a mouth that speaketh blasphemies to call the Truth Error and the Gospel Heresie and with them we that profess it be all Hereticks cursed to Hell and who should have nothing but fire and faggot if they could help it and the sincerest Professors and godliest men they hate most and have ever particularly devised horrible lyes against the great men in the Church whom God hath raised
may so do but yet that is not all nor the most we must confute them quietly by a good life and by all contrary good conversation Which they shall behold Though the wicked will do no good works yet they look we which profess Religion more zealously should and herein we are beholden to them If any be forward in profession the world looks they should be very innocent in life and it ought so to be and seeing not onely God Angels and good men look for good life but even the very wicked let 's look to it they may have that they look for and see what will come of it Good works Here 's occasion offered to speak of good works but I cannot at large consider we onely briefly 1. What good works are namely Things commanded of God done by a Regenerate man in faith to the glory of God in our Neighbors good 1. They must be things commanded Gods Word being our rule and that which makes things good what is forbidden then is vile and what 's of our own heads what shew soever it hath Popish Religion stands most in such 2. Done of a Regenerate man For who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean we had need look whether we be Regenerate else we did never good in our lives whether in thought word or deed 3. In faith not onely of a man that hath faith but in a particular faith that that action is lawful and warrantable by the Word of God let 's look to our selves I doubt many run to those Games and to Usury which they have no warrant and Faith for 4. The end whereat we must aym must not be our selves nor our own merit credit profit but Gods glory in our neighbors good and thus done not onely the duties of Gods Worship which indeed are principal and duties done to our neighbors bodies and Souls be good works but even our eating and drinking and following our calling are good works though Papists make no good works but such as maintain their Religion by gifts and such as fill the belly 2. How necessary they are They are of absolute necessity to Salvation the path to Heaven yet not as causes of our Salvation and Justification before God as the Papists hold but effects of our Justification to declare the soundness of our Faith and that we are persons justified Papists cry out of us That we renounce good works profess liberty and set open a flood-gate to sin because we teach that works merit not but we establish works better then they even true good works We dare not yet say they merit for 1. They are not done by our own power 2. They are but our bounden duty 3. They are imperfect 4. We are perfectly justified before we can do any good work for we are justified by the Righteousness of Christ which is absolute and perfect then follow good works to declare we be persons justified by true Faith apprehending the Righteousness of Christ to declare our Election our Faith to be living our selves justified persons and in the way to Heaven And are they so necessary to Salvation le ts examine our lives they that can witness to themselves before God that they unfeignedly hate all evil and love God and his Commandments endeavoring in all things to be obedient thereunto let them be of good comfort it s a sign of Election a mark of true Faith and one in Christ and of one in the high-way to Heaven Therefore rejoyce what pains soever you have taken to come to this state and proceed chearfully This way will bring you to Heaven may comfort you in assurance of Faith Glorifie God That is may change their mindes to think well of you and of the Truth be prepared to their Conversion and when God shall work withal break forth into his praise Hence note That If we continue in innocency of life we shall be the means that God shall be glorified not onely in our selves by well-doing but also that others shall so do and so we shall prepare them to Conversion and make them like the better of the Truth and think they will be hearers too and doers of Gods will whereas on the contrary if we do contrary to our profession we shall dishonor God doubly both in our selves and move others so to do and so set them further off from the Truth which be too far already and make them speak evil thereof O this ought to be the greatest spur to godliness that may be we shal hereby win our neighbors soul as it were and provide well for Gods glory the two greatest things that can be next our own Soul the latter far above it O who would not look to himself when the Soul of our neighbor and the glory of God lyeth upon it and the credit of the Gospel so that the life of Christians is not a little to be regarded but great things depend upon it and what joy may we have of our selves to live to win our Neighbors and bring glory to God O this rebukes the wonderful fault and negligence of many Christians that partly falling into foul things partly yielding unto their own affections are carryed by their lusts living as others as froward as proud as hard and worldly some loose of promise some idle some living in every bodies debt c. do dishonor God and beat others back from Religion O if there were no more but the single dishonor to God it were too much considering what God hath done for us but Oh! when so many lyes are upon us that shall take hurt or good what a fault is this to be careless What a fearful thing is it to live to set men further off from Religion or open their mouths against Religion for they will not think ill or speak ill of you onely but they will fly upon the Gospel and the name of God which is innocent O therefore awaken your selves welfare Abraham that knew well the Canaanites and Perizzites dwelt then in the Land therefore walk the more watchfully O beloved if ever we took good it was by the Gospel and shall we thus require it and do we profess Gods holy name and yet cause others to reproach it O grievous In the day of visitation That is when God shall in mercy look upon them and work the grace of Conversion in their hearts visitting here is taken in good part as Luke 1. 68. Isa. 24. 21 22. as elswhere in an ill part as Exod. 20. 5. when God shall in his goodness turn his eye toward him that is in the snare of the Devil and by his Word and Spirit work Conversion in his heart Whence note 1. That Conversion is the work of God All men and Angels cannot change the heart of a man it s a work surpassing all Christs miracles and as great or greater then
carelesness of some Christians that walk so losely and lie so open as the wicked have their will even matter enough to talk of their covetousness of their wonderful impatience and the like such had need to repent much and by the contrary to labor by their well-doing to stop their mouthes which they have justly opened against Religion and the professors thereof O how far are some to blame who by too severe and sudden censuring cause many to loath the professors of the Word as if they were all such proud fellows and did condemn all but themselves O its good to have charity yet I mean not that we are to call black white c. The ignorance of foolish men Here is shewed what they be that are ready to rail and speak ill of Religion and open their mouthes against the Professors of the Gospel even ignorant foolish men Oh but many be great men for Wit and Parts and Learning that do thus It s all one such they be and no other They that will rail at a Trade for the fault of a Tradesman and condemn all of a Trade for the fault of some one of that Profession might they not be taxed of ignorance and folly So what ignorance and foolishness is it in a number to speak ill of the way of God and of the Word Preached and of the Preachers thereof and all for the fault of some that profess Religion It s true that some speak evil of Gods people not of ignorance but of hatred and contempt of the Gospel A good life will stop all cavils of the former not of these Ignorance Whoso speaketh ill of God of his Truth of his Servants that profess his Name are ignorant know not what they do as our Savior said of them that Crucified him As the Sadduces They erre not knowing the Scriptures Had the Pharisees known the Father they would not have hated and persecuted Christ the Son Had the Jews known They would not have Crucified the Lord of glory When men rail on Gods people O they know not what they say nor whom they despise for if they knew them and whose they be and their great Glory and Dignity they would catch them about the neck and earnestly desire that they may be like unto them But they know them not one brings Religion thus complaining I Religion am a meer stranger in the world therefore I do not wonder that the Dogs of this world do bark at me which I do not greatly regard my Pedegree my Father my Brother my Countrey is above yet I wish that while I stay among you you would not speak evil of me because you know me not And assuredly if men knew Christianity and the revenues thereof they would not onely not speak evil thereof but all the good they could yet this is not simple but affected ignorance therefore their judgement will be the more just and fearful 1. If therefore we hear any whosoever they be rich or poor reproaching the way of Salvation and calling it preciseness and niceness and railing on the best Preachers and most zealous Christians let us not be much troubled at it It s but the speech of ignorant men that know not what they say blinde that cannot judge of colours but through the darkness that is in them they call good evil and evil good who will one day see otherwise though it may be when it will be too late 2. While any is of this minde let him be what he will be have what knowledge he will or can have he is but an ignorant man that speaks and does he knows not what and walks in darkness and knoweth not how soon he may fall Foolish men Every natural man as long as he so continueth is but a fool even till God the fountain of all true wisdom do give him his Spirit of grace into his heart and make him wise unto Salvation whose fear is the beginning of wisdom Let men have wit to rule a Countrey to compound Controversies contrive businesses and to be so deeply fighted in the world as no man can go beyond them yet if they be in their natural and unregenerate condition they are fools the greatest fools that are such is Solomons fool throughout the Proverbs not he that wants wit but true wisdom nor one that wants natural parts but grace For is not he a fool that prefers toys and bables before matters of great and good worth such are they that are careful for the world for Profits Pleasures Honors and such transitory toys never regarding what shall become of their souls having no care of the pardon of their sins to escape from Hell and to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven such was the rich man in the Gospel Were not he a fool that in the Summer would neglect to prepare his Winter provision as having then no use thereof such is he that hath no care in the Summer of the Gospel and in the time of his health to lay up against the stormy time of sickness temptations and death Is not he a fool that runs on in the score and takes no care to discharge it such are they that go on in sin and in the abuse of Gods creatures Is not he a fool that will wallow himself in mire and think and speak ill of them that will not so do such are the wicked that wallow in their sins even wondring that others run not with them into the same excess of riot A fool will play with firebrands arrows and mortal things so the wicked make a sport of sin He is a fool that being condemned of Treason and yet in possibility to get a pardon defers to sue for it till it be too late such are the wicked that put off their repentance He is a fool that will laugh being in extream danger or being told he is going to execution doth jest at it yea if it were but to the stocks or house of correction yet thus do the wicked every day go nearer and nearer the place of their torment A fool hates those that tell him he is in danger and would help him out of it and can sleep soundly though it be told him the house is on fire over his head yet thus do the wicked being told of their sins and their danger thereby Thus are we to repute our selves being unregenerate and to labor by all means for the fear God which is the beginning of true wisdom Verse 16. As free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God HEre the Apostle prevents an Objection that they might make whereby he would cure the disease they were sick of even their not yielding subjection willingly and that both in respect of their badness which ruled and of their own liberty which they misconstrued and stretched beyond the bounds We be freed might they say by Jesus Christ therefore
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
above all others Oh! it rebukes our cold serving him which will scarce lay down our lusts at his request who yet laid down his life for us our proud lusts revenging lusts covetous and worldly lusts unclean lusts c. O fearful unthankfulness And how hardly are we brought to do duties No forwardness therein negligence every way and when we do them how cold and careless are we O lamentable Is a cold drowsie service suitable to such a love as this we may be even ashamed herein And for suffering alas we have no will no not to endure a mock a frown of a great person we will make friendship with the world rather then to endure the least disgrace we will forbear many duties nay to keep company with Gods servants onely lest we should be counted Puritans How shall we then be able to go to Prison and death for the cause of Christ 3. To all that mourn in Sion to all that are heavy laden hungring after Christ Jesus and willing to take up his yoke and to all other Believers this is matter of most unspeakable consolation Their sins be gone and all the punishment due to them no punishment shall befal them here as on the ungodly no wrath or condemnation hereafter Their afflictions are merciful corrections to further their Salvation To them death is no death but a passage to life that whereupon their Souls are received into Heaven their bodies committed to the earth both which at the Resurrection shall be joyfully reunited O how should we walk worthy of this in all holiness and honesty But to all that shall not have part in Christ there remains unspeakable misery it had been good for them they had never been born they must bear their own burthen and sink to Hell there to be for ever and ever This will be the portion of most because so few receive Christ so few are humbled so many through pride and profaneness refuse to be guided by him O how few will cast away their lusts and yield up themselves to be ruled by him and his Word It will be most woful to the Turks Jews and Pagans that shall perish without Christ but yet of all others their judgement will be most fearful which have had him preached daily and by the Ministers of God have been so often besought to embrace him and yet have despised him would none of him Oh it will encrease their torment to consider that they had offer of Christ and many believed in him and were converted by the same Sermons whereat they themselves were no whit moved O this will fret hearts O le ts consider this we that live in this happy time One would think every man should receive and imbrace Christ Jesus but alas how few do this for them that do not it will be their undoing O give no rest unto your selves till you can get a discharge in and by Christ confess bewail crave pardon cry to God and resolve to turn to him The water is now stirring step into this Pool of Bethesda 4. This condemneth all false ways for Salvation for other then Christ never was any neither is or shall be therefore all that reject him as Jews and Turks or embrace him onely to halves as the Papists are in a fearful case as all among our selves that trust to any thing else besides him That we being dead to sin c. Another main end of Christs death and another great benefit redounding unto us thereby namely That he dyed for us not onely to free us from sins and wrath and damnation deserved thereby but also to kill sins in us to deliver us from the power thereof and to dissolve the works of the Devil in us that being dead unto sin we might live unto righteousness Of the words first in general then in particular In general note we thus much that For whomsoever Christ dyed he dyed to kill sin in them for he dyed not to free us of half our misery and leave us in the other half nor to be at a great deal of cost with us and for us and yet leave us in a case fit to do him no service as if one should ransom a man out of the Turks galleys and leave him in the midway but hath done all this that we might be fit to do him service thereupon giving us his Word and Spirit to humble us and so to change us that sin may be mortified in us and we made live He is not onely made of God unto us Redemption but also our Sanctification as he hath redeemed us so hath he purged us to be a peculiar people unto himself Christ affords both and from him we may as well look for the one as the other yea whosoever hath indeed his part in the one cannot be without the other and in token of our thankfulness we ought to labor by all means to shew forth this latter 1. This confutes that wicked slander of the Church of Rome We talk say they that we must be saved by Christs death and by Faith in him onely and not by any thing we can do and therefore that we set men at liberty to do what they list and open a gap to all licentiousness but as the Gospel is not a Doctrine of liberty so neither do we by preaching give way unto licentiousness The Gospel requires as strict obedience as the Law doth to every of Gods Commandments though not in extremity neither freeth it us from any duty to God or men yea teacheth us That denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and that none have nor can have part in Christ which give not themselves to good works 2. This setteth forth the wonderful goodness of Christ Jesus that hath not onely freed us from Gods wrath and the punishment of our sins which is unspeakable goodness but hath appointed to give us his Spirit to free us from sin for if we should all our life here have lived after our own lusts or under the power of Satan what a base and woful life had this been that we might both in heart and body serve him in the works of holiness and a godly life 3. This condemneth all those that lay claim to the death of Christ and yet live in their sins and old lusts Numbers in these days have got this by the end They hope to be saved by Jesus Christ They be no Papists that look to be saved by their works but they believe in Jesus Christ with all their hearts and yet they are not washed from their old filthiness but abide still in security in all or some of their lusts But let such know they speak impossible things God hath joyned these two ends of Christs death and they divide them yea blasphemous things that Christ dyed to set men at liberty to live as they list O woful
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
light at noon day to the light of the Sun neither shall you lightly finde any truly vertuous and industrous in their Calling that give their mindes to costly apparel If vicious its cost ill bestowed and so will all say and this will not make them the less but the more vicious for it will make them more proud ambitious lustful covetous c. 8. They that give themselves to constliness in apparel Sin 1. Against God abusing his Creatures to Pride and in neglecting his worship publique and private or coming unprepared thereto while they are providing and putting on their knacks and gew-gawds dressing themselves by the hour and praying by the minute 2. Against themselves by neglecting the inward cloathing of the soul which is of most worth and by procuring a great deal of envy and ill speech and many censures upon themselves Many Maids also of small Portion deck themselves beyond their degree as that no man of wisdom or that 's careful to live dares meddle with them and so where they might have been honestly and well bestowed if they had gone decently their garishness hath made them stay without Husbands till being ashamed and wearied hereof they have at last cast away themselves upon some swaggeres 3. Against their Neighbors in provoking them to the like by their bad example for when some begin others quicklyly follow after and Pride once begun spreads quickly especially where Religion keeps it not down Hereby also themselves become so disabled that their rich Neighbors are not so often invited as before nor their poor Neighbors in any good sort relieved 9. It s a sin and the cause and encreaser of much sin It comes from pride and a high conceit of ones self and it doth encrease pride greatly cherish it It hinders much good much service to God much good to our souls It breaks the neck of hospitality which hath been in former times for though our Forefathers would for festival times have good apparel yet they wore it so seldom as it was still new and lasted so long as they were stil able to do good but now it s both costly and almost every day put on wears out apace The buying of such slight Stuffs and changing their fashion so often is very chargeable besides that this hinders one great good that ought to be and that comes of old apparel namely to cloath the poor Saints and Members of Christ Now most wear such thin slight Stuffs as that they are quickly in pieces and not fit to keep a poor body warm It causeth also much evil racking of Rents enhancing of Fines in great persons oppression in Farmers in Shop-keepers falshood deceit swearing and all to hold up bravery yea it causeth also lust in the wearers and provokes it in others Seeing then that excess in apparel is so dangerous and prejudicial let all such as are faulty this way endeavor to see their folly and silliness herein and accordingly reform themselves and for those that are modestly attired let them so continue Thus shall they bewray more vertue in their mindes have more time to serve God and have better ability to do good upon every occasion with more peace to their consciences Here I may adde such defences as some women make 1. Say they We are not proud though we delight to set out our selves in apparel as others do we are as humble as others and so we would pray you to think of us A. I would we had cause to think so but how shall we judge of that which is within but by the outward fruits but say it were so we must not provide for things honest before God onely but before men also and the Apostle witnesseth that he endeavored to have a conscience void of offence both towards God and men Our light must shine outwardly that others may behold it 2. Herein we please our Husbands they will have it so A. If any Wives have such vain and foolish Husbands somewhat more is to be yielded to them then to others but let none make this their excuse especially doing the same to please their own mindes neither go too far lest they displease God but rather let them please their Husbands by their low and dutiful subjection their modest and sober carriage 3. We do but what most do A. We may not follow a multitude in evil 4. We would be content to lay it aside if others would so do A. We ought not to tarry for others we must begin though none would follow which in likelyhood they will by our example To conclude as we are to cast away this folly of priding our selves in apparel and learn to be modest herein so let us take occasion of good by putting on and off our apparel accordingly making a Spiritual use of the same When we put it on think we of our Spiritual nakedness and of putting on Christ and when we put it off of putting off the old man and laying away our filthy corruptions But let it be the hidden man of the heart Having forbid carefulness and curiosity for outward apparel now he tells them what they should be careful to cloath namely their inward man the hidden man of the heart This is a remedy and cure for the former disease such as set themselves about this wil spend but a little time for outward bables and toys Grace will make them see the baseness of these outward things and excellency of the other yea this Exhortation is also profitable for those which through covetousness are not addicted this way and are ready to cry out against fineness and pride who in the mean time being tainted with other sins have no less deformed and naked souls the Apostle doth not onely forbid costly apparel but requires the inward purity of the heart not onely that we should leave evil but do good His exhortation is To deck and clothe the hid and inner man with grace whereof he names one A meek and quiet spirit The Reasons 1. It s incorruptible and lasting 2. In the sight of God of great price The hid man of the heart Our chief and principal care must be for the soul to clothe and adorn the same the soul is the principal part To clothe the foot in costly apparel the upper parts with rags were absurd so to bestow cost in clothing the body but none on the soul The soul is immortal must live for ever either in joy or misery it was created according to Gods image which shined most of all in the soul and now the soul is most deformed and ugly with sin and so hath need of clothing especially seeing God who is of pure eyes cannot behold it but with detestation The Church is all glorious within and such as would be indeed members of Christ and heirs of Heaven must look for inward Sanctity Naturally our souls are defiled with sin neither
time If he be worse then an infidel that provides not bodily maintenance for his family then what is he that provides not spiritual For those that are to marry let them beg for wisdom and labor for knowledge that being married they may live Christianly and according to knowledge For parents let them instruct their sons in knowledge and before they provide them wives let them know indeed that they are men of knowledge and for those that have daughters to marry let them not so much aym at wealthy husbands as with those which may live with their daughters according to knowledge Giving honor unto the wife The honor which is here prescribed is not Divine honor Peter would none of it at Cornelius his hand nor the Angel at Johns nor that honor which an Inferior is to give to his Superior whereof we may read in the fifth Commandment but such as a Superior may give to an Inferior so is the wife in some things but as anunequal to his equals so is the wife in many things This comprehends diverse things 1. That the husband is to respect and esteem his wife as of a most comely necessary and profitable instrument appointed of God as a meet help for him for the comfortable passing of his life and such a one as he could not be without profitable to the encrease of posterity to the building up of his house for the bringing up of his children for the ordering of his family and disposing of things within doors wherein he himself hath no skill and which being left to servants are but sorrily done profitable also to converse with in prosperity to take comfort from in adversity yea by joyning with him in every good duty to further his souls salvation She is every way a necessary not evil as the world faith but good an help meet for man both in respect of body and soul who more careful painful faithful comfortable to her husband then she If God take away the wife alas how lame and maimed is the husband his one hand is gone When husbands do not thus esteem of their wives they discourage them occasion unquietness in them if they be women of Spirit or otherwise make them foolish 2. That the husband is to ask his wives counsel and advice in businesses God hath made her of his privy councel and two eyes see more then one yea oftentimes that he may not despise her she more then he Jacob sent for his wives into the field and conferred with them about his journey Many husbands have confessed that if they had taken their wives counsel it had gone better with them Naaman heard his servants advise and followed it much more should the husband the wives Abraham heard and yielded to Sarah about Hagar and Ishmael such are indeed injurious to their wives that will never make them of their counsel 3. That according to his ability he is to allow her competent maintenance for her self children and family not spending all abroad as too many do 4. That he is to give her a fit employment for her place It were a foul wrong for her to sit in a chimney-corner or set about some base employment a servant in the mean time carrying the keys and having the whole disposal of the house And as he is thus to give her a fit employment so therein to let her alone not prying narrowly into every thing and following her from room to room and taking account of every thing and every peny made of it as distrusting his wives thrift wisdom or faithfulness 5. That he do not over burthen his wife or require more of her then she is well able to go through He must not be a task-master to her lest she cry unto God and he hear in his anger especially not when she is sickly or childe-bearing when she is big or after her delivery for then he is to bear much with her Such as fail herein whereby either their wives or children are cast away have they not a guilty conscience and an hard answer to make 6. That he must not reprove her before company no not before her Children or Servants for as this provokes her so it weakens her authority that she shall prevail the less with her Family in her husbands absence 7. That he ought not to take part with Childe or Servant when she rebukes or corrects them though haply she be in a fault he must tell her thereof in private 8. That he is to use her lovingly and kindely not proudly tyrannously or cruelly abusing his authority for though God hath given him preeminence yet is he not to use it as he list but as God prescribes What may not incite husbands hereunto God requires it they are their own flesh Christ loved his Church dearly as accordingly they are to love their wives She hath forsaken all for him and he hath chosen her from all others Her Friends entrust her with him and expect kindeness at his hands He promised the same at the time of his Marriage before God and the Congregation This also will provoke her to her duty and so further a comfortable living together Whoso then regards the Commandment of God and will suffer it to bear â—way with them or their Covenant and Promise must thus honor their wives This condemneth 1. Those Monsters which not onely lade their wives with Curses and Railings but abuse them also with blows and heavy strokes oftentimes in their drunken fits shurting them out of doors these be bruit beasts when knew you the Cock spur the Hen Devils in the shape of men Its marvel their Neighbors take them not and binde them for mad men for none but mad men beat themselves and their own flesh whom Bedlam or Bridewel would fit better then to be at liberty unless they could use it better 2. Those though not altogether so bad as the former yet can lend their wives a box on the Ear or a dowse on the Neck or a spurn with their foot 3. Those which though they can rule their hands yet are so hoggish and churlish to their wives as they know not how to please them ever unquiet and like Nabal so wicked that one cannot speak to them yea will both rail on them and revile them 4. Those that sometimes be pleasant and use their wives well who yet at small things will be so hot and angry as they break out into unseemly harsh and bitter words that vex and grieve the spirit of their wives This argueth much weakness in the heart Anger resteth in the bosom of fools and He that is hasty to wrath exalteth folly as He that is slow to wrath is of great wisdom Such sharp and unkinde speeches fall out sometimes between those that love well and be good Christians but it s their fault and matter of humiliation Neither let any please themselves with this that they are
Martyrs clearly shew Gideon indeed by reason of the troubles of Gods people in his days thought that God was not with them but it was otherwise Gods eye is not so over them as that he promiseth to keep them out of all danger but so to dispose as that nothing shall fall out to their hurt he keeps them from man and disposes so that when any do befal them the same tends to their good Thereupon they become humbled thereby their Faith and patience tryed in the mean time they are enabled of God to bear them and through him delivered in due time therefrom if not thereby the sooner they enter into Heaven God doth preserve the wiâ—â—ed also and provide for them Though they are preserved from some yet into how many do they fall especially how do they fall into sin daily and how soon they shall fall into Hell who knows The Lord also provides for his own as for the Israelites in the wilderness for Elias in the time of famine for Jacob in Padan-Aram c. many have had experience hereof beyond that they could have lookt for 1. This serves to comfort all those which can prove themselves righteous such may safely depend on God in the very midst of dangers How many or great soever they may be had we but the eyes of faith we might perceive that there are more with us then against us He that is Almighty and All-sufficient careth for us He also taketh our cause in hand so that being wronged we need neither be impatient nor revenge our selves but commit it unto him that judgeth righteously He also will provide for us things needful and therefore must not we murmure grudge or use unlawful means He that feeds the Ravens and cloaths the Lillies will assuredly be careful of us only we must not be wanting unto our selves through neglect of our callings or trusting too much therein but commend our selves therein unto God by Prayer 2. Let such as are not as yet righteous get into the number of righteous persons till then they lie open to all danger are outlaws have no right to any promise neither are under Gods care or protection Oh! could they see their condition they might perceive it to be most fearful but happy is the state of the righteous happy are they whom God loveth and careth for And his ears are open unto their prayers Here note The readiness of the Lord to hear his Servants prayers and to grant their requests the like is elswhere often expressed They are acceptable to him as incense and sacrifice yea he prefers them before those They are available before him the Examples of Abraham Jacob David Asa Jehoshaphat Daniel c. manifest the same They are available to prevent dangers as Hezekiah's Senacheribs Army Available to remove dangers entred as the prayers of Moses and Aaron stayed the Plague therefore when God was not purposed to grant a thing he bade his Servants that they should not pray as Jeremiah Pray not for this people yea protested that though Noah Job and Daniel should pray yet he would not hear them he is a Father merciful gracious full of pity and compassion If earthly fathers can give good things unto their children asking them how much more will the Lord unto his He cannot deny the prayers of his own children endited by his Spirit and offered in the Name of the Lord Jesus who sitteth at his right hand yea he heareth not onely the eloquent and large prayers of his Servants but even their stuttings as Hezekiahs and when there is no voyce but sighs and groans as Hannahs and Jonahs in the Whales belly For prayer is the labor of the Spirit and Heart and God delights in such prayers though he will have the voyce when it can be and looks that men should pour out their hearts and wants at large yet he will accept of such prayers as come from the sincerity of upright hearts But every kinde of prayer will not pierce the clouds and come into Gods presence and prevail with him but such as are according to his own will prayers made in understanding not like those of the Papists in an unknown tongue or those amongst our selves which use the Creed and ten Commandments as prayers or theirs which mark not what they say whose Prayers are meer bablings Prayers also in sincerity Prayers in faith knowing that we are reconciled unto God through Christ Prayers in repentance in love fervent Prayers continued Prayers with fasting not prescribing the Lord either the time means or maner of our deliverance See Psal. 145. 18. Jer. 29. 13. John 5. 15. Mark 11. 24. Psalm 66. 18. Proverbs 28. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 19. John 9. 31. Isa. 58. 9. 1 Timothy 2. 8. Isa. 1. 15. Psalm 51. Daniel 9. James 5. 16. Luke 18. 1. Romans 12. 12. This hath been the strength and defence of this Land and if it were not for Prayer and the remnant of the righteous that cry to God night and day both publikely and privately and stand in the gap to avert his indignation we could not but have looked for some heavy judgement on this Land ere now the iniquities thereof do so fearfully abound and that in every corner such as are the contempt of his Word Sacraments and Servants horrible Blasphemies Sabbath-breaking and the like yea which of us having prayed aright have not had experience of the truth hereof even that God hath many a time and in many particulars given ear unto our desires and granted our poor Prayers There is none that can hear or help but he and it s his honor to right the cause of his poor Saints and Servants This his readiness to hear their prayers appears diversly as that 1. He makes a way for them by his sons blood to come to him which else they durst not 2. He gives us his Spirit to work faith in us and to wash us clean and to embolden us to call him Father and to pray aright who knew not how to pray of our selves It s a sign that he hath a minde to hear us who puts a Supplication into our mouthes 3. He commands us and sets us on work so to do 4. He hath also promised for our better encouragement to hear us and grant our requests Obj. But have not Gods Servants with David complained that the Lord hath not heard them A. True But not in respect of any unwillingness in him but sometimes because they pray not aright or that they pray the more carefully or to try whether they will continue or break off by and by as our Savior did by the woman of Canaan or for that he would have us set the more short by it when we have it and be the more thankful and use it the better else soon gotten and soon forgotten lightly come
them occasions of sinning cease therefore to be wicked else shalt thou never cease to be miserable Be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled To comfort them in their sufferings for Christ he removes the enemy of constant and patient suffering namely Fear Be not saith he afraid of their terror neither be troubled that is Either be not afraid with the fear of ungodly men and such as have no hope in God who in the very least danger are altogether dismaid as the words in Isa. 8. 12. whence these seem to be taken do imply or Fear not the things wherewith they seek to afright you the Apostle using the words but to his own sense Fear not their faces big looks threats prisons censures and tortures neither be dismaid at them fear is an enemy to constant suffering as a coward can be no true Soldier and therefore are we often diswaded therefrom This hindred Nicodemus from coming unto Christ by day and multitudes from confessing him even for fear of the Scribes and Pharisees made Peter deny his Master and because of this in all alterations of Religion most turn with the time And would not many be more forward in goodness then they are if it were not for fear of displeasing O strive against this fear and be couragious so were Daniel the three Children the Apostles Moses the holy Martyrs c. Their Faith overcame their fear we need not fear men or what they can do to us for God will stand by us we must fear him fear to sin against him for unbelievers and fearful they shall have a fearful portion such as fear man more then God flye from the stroke of a childe and fall into the hand of a Gyant from a straw to a sword Verse 15. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear HEre 's the true means of constant and patient suffering even faith resting it self confidently on God But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts We sanctifie God or his name as it s in the first petition of the Lords prayer not when we adde any holiness thereto which is holy beyond comparison but when we acknowledge and give that holiness which belongs to it Particularly herein we sanctifie the Lord in our hearts when we believing his faithfulness in his promises do thereupon rest on him in time of our troubles and this is to glorifie him Faith is the mother of constancy in suffering I know thy faith and thy patience Be thou faithful unto the death c. By faith those worthies mentioned in Heb. 11. did undergo all their sufferings This is the victory that overcomes the world The want of faith makes the world flye from God and his cause weakness of faith causeth fear to overflow us as in Peter and Cranmer as soon as we see some trouble to arise then are we ready to say with Peter O Master we perish If we do believe our selves to be the Lords and that our cause is just and good and that he hath all power in his hand and that none can stir further then he pleaseth and that he will strengthen his servants to endure and after this transitory life translate us unto life everlasting O this will encourage us indeed Labor we therefore for a good stock of Faith now in this time of peace and let us in our daily tryals reproaches and afflictions exercise the same and make good use of it If in these we can give glory to God by depending on him we may trust our Faith will not fail us when greater tryals shall befal us to believe God of his Word is to give glory to God as on the contrary to faint tends to his dishonor and as to believe on him is great ease to our selves so not to believe but faint very troublesom And be ready always to give an answer c. He proceeds to another duty as a fruit of the former trust in God exhorting us in token of our Faith in God that we be ready with courage to acknowledge and make confession of our Faith to those that shall demand a reason thereof This we must be ready at all times to do and so often as we shall be called thereto and to all men that have authority to call us and to any that shall demand it with a desire to learn or whensoever and wheresoever we shall see it meet and requisite so to do as the Spirit of God will direct his servants where when and to whom yet so as we do it with courage meekness and godly reverence Our duty then is not onely to believe the truth of God in our hearts but we must be ready outwardly to make profession thereof and confess the same with our tongues when God shall call us thereunto Abraham Isaac and Jacob walk'd as Pilgrims here on earth professing themselves Gods servants and Joshua professed That he and his would serve the true God Accordingly must we both by our speeches and actions declare whose servants we are so walking as that men may see we are not ashamed of God or his Word and way whatsoever others do most do yea rich and wise men do the great ones of the world do yet do we thus walk daring do no otherwise and not caring who know our carriage and behavior and though they scoff at it as scruplous too strict and precise and call us fools for our labor and ask us Why we do not thus and thus as we see most men do yet need not we be dismaid as being warranted by the Word of God So in all Companies we must make known what we are If we hear any rail at goodness speak ill of good duties oppose any part of Gods truth reproach the professors of Religion whether unknown or known unto us we must take the cause in hand standing for the defence of Gods truth and servants If by our timely answer any good may come to the Gospel we must not through our silence betray the same but if we be among scorners and dogs we must shew our dislike by departing from them Thus must we do being in company with prophane ones so if we be among Papists or other adversaries to the Truth we must have the zeal of God in us so if it be in the times of persecution that we be called forth by Magistrates or their authority we ought not to flinch nor be ashamed or afraid but shew what our Religion is what our Faith and Hope giving a Reason thereof out of Gods Word or if they demand us about any point of Religion we must in the defence of Gods cause speak our consciences freely Thus if the Jews or Turks should call us to know through whom we did hope look to be saved we must
his conscience he disswaded them therefrom so Davids conscience told him that he should do ill to kill Saul and thereupon would not give ear to those that perswaded him hereto Thus being tempted to Lye Deceive Swear Prophane the Lords day c. the conscience tells us that its evil so to do Again being called upon to any good duty the conscience tells us its good and provokes us to do it Why then Conscience is a Puritan if it do thus is not this corrupted as well as the other faculties O yes therefore it gives judgement very weakly and imperfectly in all but especially in the unregenerate and especially in the most ignorant and most wicked yet it retains some part of her office and power and will be doing as its enlightened and therefore it will give this judgement in foul and gross things in the worst of all as when they go to commit Murther Adultery c. or tell them on the other side they should go to Church c. but in the regenerate it doth much good work it s as a guide to conduct us in our way and whereby we shun all by paths It s a bridle to keep us from sin and a spur to goodness it s joyned in Commission with the Spirit of God they are obeyed or rejected together 1. Our duty then in token of our thankfulness is That we listen to the voyce of Conscience and be ruled by it we must take advice thereof ere we do any thing If we will not be ruled thereby but do contrary thereto it will one day exclaim against us when God shall judge us for our disobedience Why did not I give thee a Conscience to tell thee of these things will God say Yes Lord shall Conscience answer I told him it was naught and yet he would do it I told him such and such a thing was his duty and urged him to it and yet he would not give ear but put off the time from one day to another he would not repent have prayers in his family c. such shall then be stricken speechless Most are so eagerly carried after their passions and unruly affections as that they do not hear the voyce of their conscience the noise of those drowns the voyce of this 2. Even natural men have a light of conscience urging them to good and restraining them from evil None so evil but they have in them some light by which conscience is set on work to advise or counsel to the doing or avoiding this or that good or evil it s therefore no note or sign of grace in any because their conscience doth thus and thus This is in meer natural men from the light and knowledge that conscience hath of things good or evil yea oftentimes so forcible are those stirrings of conscience in them as that it keeps and restrains them from many sins which they are inclined to and would otherwise commit and puts them upon many good things which it urgeth them to which of themselves they have neither will nor power to do not from the love they have of the good or hatred of the evil but becaâ—se they would please Conscience which will not suffer them to be at quiet till it be obeyed this they may do and yet in the mean time may be onely in the state of Nature for though here they obey Conscience yet they do it not for Conscience sake Their obedience ariseth not from the purity and holiness of the Law of God but from fear of men from discredit or shame from hope of reward desire of ease or the like If there were no other cause to move them to enter upon good duties or to restrain them from doing evil but the Law of God they would not yield that obedience to Conscience which now they do And thus conscience gives judgement before things be done For its judgement after our Actions It then gives sentence This was well done This was ill done and not so onely but with an Absolution or Condemnation This was well done therefore you are innocent in it and deserve neither guilt nor punishment This was ill done therefore you are guilty and have deserved Gods wrath hereby Samuels Conscience spake for him Whose Ox have I taken c. Pharaohs against him I have sinned c. Thus is Conscience as a Judge acquitting or condemning us yea a little God as it were in the midst of man giving sentence beforehand as it shall be at the Tribunal seat of God on the last day If it acquits us then it worketh Peace Joy Comfort Boldness if it condemn us especially forcibly O then it causeth shame as in Adam when he fled and hid himself in the thicket after he had offended so also fear yea in the midst of all jollities as in Belshazzar and at small things as the shaking of a leaf so also sorrow which the world judgeth to be melancholy whereas it is far otherwise and yet both may and do often meet together yea desperation as in Cain and Judas and an universal distraction of body and minde the accusation of conscience are wounds to the heart Davids heart smote him A wounded Spirit who can bear They are as the gnawing of a Worm that never dyeth but lyeth continually gnawing at ones heart 1. If our consciences do excuse and acquit us bearing witness of the truth and integrity of our hearts of our hatred of evil our delight in Gods word and endeavor to please him above all things c. then may we rejoyce and be of good comfort the same being an infallible mark of our Salvation and may be bold in believing the same against Satan and all his discomforts There 's a great fault in many Christians though as the Apostle saith They know nothing by themselves but that their hearts bear witness with them of their care and faithfulness in all things yet are never the more comforted but are still cast down through Satans suggestions and lyes and their own unbelief If thine own conscience well informed according to Gods Word acquit thee why shouldst thou not be of good comfort you may be humbled for your failings yea deeply for your strong corruptioÌ„s yet for the main be of comfort if in any particular we have done well we may be comforted 2. Let us always keep our selves in well-doing that we may hear our consciences speak comfortably so may we keep a continual feast 3. If we have any thing lying on our consciences for which they boyl within us and accuse and pronounce judgements against us let us not make a slight matter of it but seek to God for mercy and to be discharged of it that so we may still conscience which then may be done not before Stop not the mouth of conscience as many do by mirth and toys this is but to delude thy self and delay time others let
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
Chron. 36. 16. Isa. 1. 5. Hos. 5. 4. Mat. 23. 23. This may serve to awaken this woful world that is set upon disobedience Most men do what they list and follow their own lusts as if there were no Law nor any had to do with them yea though God call upon them and send his Ministers unto them yet they will not give their mindes to repentance but harden their hearts Oh those carry a badge of their destruction and a mark whither they are going a certain forerunner of judgement here or to be sure of eternal destruction hereafter He that lives in a flat disobedience of any Commandment and in any known sin is in the state of damnation He that committeth sin is of the Devil If thou livest in impenitency under the Word know that thy judgement sleepeth not For their particular disobediences their licentious living their security and carelesness their following of their lusts their intemperancy in eating and drinking their oppression and cruelty one towards another c. they be the common sins of our times and therefore we may justly fear some heavy judgement which in likelihood for those few sakes amongst us which fear God hath been all this while kept off us What marrying now onely for beauty there being no regard had of Religions and whence this Gyantly generation not in stature but lewdness springeth How are some set onely upon pleasures some upon their profits and what wrestling and clambering is there to get preferment most care not whom they tread under so they be aloft When once the long suffering of God waited This aggravates their sin that they continued disobedient notwithstanding God did both wait for their repentance and set them a time of One hundred and twenty years but nothing would do them good Thus did he to them thus to this Nation thus to every particular person of us 1. They that have received grace and are converted should be thankful to God for his great patience towards them before their calling Oh every one of us have much cause of thankfulness this way Oh if God had cut us off in our sins and days of our vanity yea after many a warning that we despised we had now been howling without hope with the damned spirits in Hell yea if God had taken away his Gospel and Peace from us but within these few years nay haply within this twelve moneths in which time God hath shined into our hearts and hath had mercy on us how miserable had been our condition 2. Others that are not as yet converted must make use of this patience through their timely repentance But alas most do abuse it to the quite contrary O how fearful will their case be which having had experience of Gods long suffering these twenty thirty forty fifty years yet abide in their old sins If their judgement was the greater by the abuse of this patience then what shall those amongst us which have had longer patience and a thousand times more means The time allotted them an hundred and twenty years was not above the third part of the life of a man then which being compared with that hath been allotted us and the usual time wherein men now live it will appear that by way of proportion we have had far more and besides the sermons of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles we have had faithful sermons from the faithful Ministers of God Those of the old world shall rise up in judgement against us as also Sodom and Gomorrah and shall speed far better then we O therefore le ts abuse the patience of God no more but to day whilest it is called to day not to harden our hearts c. Oh do we this the rather because God hath set the time how long he will bear with us which if it should once be out it would be then too late for us he would bear with us no longer but would either snatch the Gospel from us or us from it by death or give us over to hardness of heart never to be moved or to feel our misery but when it is too late as it befel Esau and the foolish Virgins Therefore it is said here Once the long suffering of God c. That is it being out there was no longer time to be granted nor though they had cryed would God have heard and so we may suspect that there were but a few if any at all which either repented when they saw the flood come or whom though they cryed the Lord regarded for that the time set was then expired In the days of Noah Here Noahs name remaining up record honorably registred He saith not in the days of any of the Gyants whose names are all buried but in the days of Noah God vouchsafes not so much as to name them In the Scriptures the godly are spoken of to their honor but the wicked are either not named at all or else to their disgrace and their brand Jeroboam that made Israel to sin Ahab that sold himself to work wickedness wicked Athaliah that cursed woman Jezabel Judas that betrayed him c. or with their sins at large to their eternal reproach But how sweet is the memorial of the godly mentioned in Scripture as of Mary Magdalene Lazarus c. In Stories also we have the names not onely of famous Ridley Latimer Cranmer c. but even of meaner men and not onely of men but of women also yea and of those even of poor ones who are worthily reported of whereas the names of their persecutors are either altogether unknown or if they be spoken of as Bonner Gardiner and others its with stopping the nose c. How may the servants of God be comforted though haply they are mean in the world yet their names be written in Heaven and shall abide when the names of the wicked shall rot Labor then to be Religious and godly that ye may be well reported of alive and dead else if ye be wicked ye shall have an ill report in the Church of God whilst ye live and leave a stinking memorial behinde you when ye are dead both which are fearful While the Ark was a preparing Another thing whereby their disobedience is aggravated that it was even then while they saw Noah busie in making an Ark which might have admonished them of the flood for he in Faith made it obeying the Commandment of God He believed what God had threatned but so did not they 1. Note here That if Noah because of the flood threatened made an Ark to save himself from it as God had commanded it s our duty much more as I may say to prepare an Ark and use the means to save our selves from drowning in Hell the pit of perdition There is a certain flood of destruction whereinto all such shall fall as have not before got into the Ark as all that were out of
To send his holy Spirit into our hearts 5. To make intercession for us And is on the right hand of God In general 1. He gathers his Church by raising up Christian Kings and Governors where he hath any Elect. 2. He governs and keeps the same defeating all subtile plots of his Enemies and confounding all their devices Thus did he on the behalf of the Church in Egypt Thus also by overthrowing Hamans conspiracy Thus did he by dissipating the Spanish Armado and defeating the Gunpowder Plot. 3. Exerciseth his Church with crosses to scour off the rust which usually long Prosperity brings thereon In Particular for the Members of his Church that shall be saved he gathers them guides them and exerciseth them to obedience by crosses and represseth a great part of the rage of their Spiritual Enemies strengthening them against the same and for the Enemies of his Church he brings confusion upon them as on Pharaoh Senacherib Haman Herod c. Thus do we also see many Enemies of Christs Church daily cut off what else would become of the Church Angels and authorities and powers c. That is both good and bad the good willingly the others against their will are subject unto Christ. 1. For the good Angels If such glorious Creatures be subject to Christ then 1. How great a one is he and how glorious is his Kingdom He that hath Kings and Princes under him is an Emperor What 's he then to whom angels and authorities and powers are subject 2. The greater honor and dignity our head hath the more joy and comfort may we have which are his members Again In that he appoints them to watch and guard us then 1. What a great honor is this to us as if a plain Countrey man should dine at a Noble mans Table and have great Gentlemen with gold Chains to attend him 2. How may we hereby be comforted and encouraged against Satans malice 3. We must keep within compass and walk carefully in Gods ways we must take heed we do no uncomely thing lest thereby we make the Angels loath to attend on us or to carry ill tidings of us to God or be Messengers of some displeasure against us They themselves are very zealous for God and accordingly look that we should so be 2. For the evil Angels I shall not need to speak of their number power subtilty malice watchfulness to do hurt as neither of their office and work which is to hinder all good and further all evil Note we onely 1. That all these are subject Christ and he hath triumphed over them 2. That as it s no small honor to him our head to have all these under him so the meditation hereof cannot but be comfortable to us both in regard of him and our selves 3. That those evil Angels cannot do that evil they would and if they cannot much less can their instruments If even the Devils be subject to him that they cannot do what they would much more can he repress the rage of wicked men notwithstanding both of their malice and power But of these points I have spoken at large by way of Catechism CHAP. IV. THis Chapter consists of three parts 1. An Exhortation to Sanctification in general being the common duty of all Christians and belonging to all that shall be saved from Verse 1. to Verse 7. 2. An Exhortation to some particular duties of Sanctification from Verse 7. to Verse 12. 3. A comfort against persecution or an encouragement to the suffering of affliction for Christs and Righteousness sake from thence to the end of the Chapter Verse 1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same minde for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin Verse 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God HEre is 1. An Exhortation and 2. A motive to perswade thereto The Exhortation is to resolve to mortifie and subdue the lusts of our corrupt nature and to cease from sin namely living in any sin which is both explained and amplified explained by setting forth the parts of Sanctification severally where 's shewed 1. What must be laid away the lusts of men these we must not follow nor walk in 2. What we must do even walk according to Gods will amplified by the circumstance of time even so much time as remaineth in this life behinde The motive to perswade hereto is For that Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh namely in his humane nature both in body and soul for that are we to understand by flesh in the first place as thereby in the second the mortifying of our corrupt nature or that sinful disposition which is in us called flesh which spreadeth it self both over our bodies and souls and in the third this natural life of ours while the soul lives in this body of ours for us not for himself but our sins for us not angels who are reserved undereverlasting chains of darkness but for us men for us even me and thee whosoever thou art that believest for us the Apostle himself being one for every man must labor to know it to be for him and the rest of Gods elect Forasmuch then I say as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh we must arm our selves with the same minde even not onely to bear afflictions patiently and if it were to suffer persecution for his cause but also to dye unto sin not living any more to the lusts of men but to the will of God As Christ hath dyed for sin so should we dye to sin and not live in that for which Christ paid so dearly and God so hated and from which we are freed but rather in token of our thankfulness for our deliverance we must labor by all possible means to mortifie these our wicked lusts and to lead an holy life to the glory of our Redeemer Our Note may be this That The passion of our Savior Christ ought to be a mean to mortifie our lusts and to kill sin in us for who can love the knife that killed his dearest friend or that would have been his own certain destruction neither can any man have any perswasion upon good grounds of his part in Christ death except he dye to sin for as one end of Christs death was to free us from condemnation so another was to kill sin in us for he purgeth those whom he redeemeth He is a perfect Savior and Redeemer not setting us free from some but out of the tyranny of all our enemies therefore of sin as well as wrath again would Christ dye for a company and have no use of them but leave them still to live in sin As therefore we would not live in sin let us often meditate
they should have To flee therefrom they cannot whether should they all being on fire To resist they cannot they have nothing wherewith they are naked of their pomp and retinue Hide themselves they cannot from his all-seeing eye to abide the presence of this Judge is impossible O they will then call to the hills to cover them we think that the Jews Judas Pilate and the Soldiers shall have a fearful appearance but many among our selves shall have a worse then some of them Do not we prefer our lusts before Christ as the Jews did Barrabas Do not many among us pierce him with their sins Crucifie him again persecute him in his Members This will not be the state onely of poor snekes or of the common multitude but of the greatest and mightiest potentates Nimrods Gyants O these shall wail before him beating their knees one against another They that have sit as Judges of Gods Servants in their Velvet coats and Gold Chains shall now stand naked before this Judge Here they dare appear any where yea where Gods Servants oftentimes care not for appearing but we shall one day appear with joy where they shall not shew their faces O that this might strike terror into wicked mens hearts to think of this day and might be a choak to all their ungodly profits and pleasures O this day will pay for all O that they could be perswaded now to kiss the Son now to humble themselves before him now to stoop to him and imbrace him as their Savior yet how many wicked wretches be there that will hope to be saved as well as the best even notorious ones O fearful impudency you saved then who shall be damned The Turks and Heathens that know not God True but not with such a destruction as shall befal you your stripes shall be worse and more then theirs your day is coming you have had the start of Gods Children you have been first in prosperity as they in trouble but ere long their mourning shall be turned into mirth your joy into everlasting misery Verse 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator THe conclusion containing an Exhortation to commend and commit our selves and our state in all our troubles to God holding on our good course and keeping a good conscience without turning awry one way or other who both can being our Almighty Creator and will being faithful in all his promises whereof he hath many of protecting and defending his Servants who will either deliver them out of their troubles or give them strength to bear them and when their life shall end will take up their souls to Heaven keeping their bodies to a joyful resurrection This also hath the force of another Reason to perswade to the point in hand namely patience and joyfulness in troubles and may be gathered thus If we may in all our troubles as long as we keep a good conscience in them confidently commend our selves to God in assurance to be cared for as shall be best for us then ought we to be joyful in our troubles but the former is true therefore the latter Here 's an Exhortation to commend our selves to God in our troubles those are described by the efficient cause of them they come by the will of God whereunto Reasons are annexed to move us to commend our selves to God in them 1. Because of his omnipotency 2. Because of his faithfulness To all which is added a caution how far forth we may commend our selves to God in our troubles namely in well-doing even so long as we be careful to continue in our uprightness without swerving Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God Here note That Whatsoever troubles befal us in this life either afflictions from the hand of God for chastisement or persecution from the world for our tryal c. that they come not to us by chance or the will of the Devil or man without God but by the determinate purpose and counsel of God But of this before Commit the keeping of their souls to him c. Here note That God hath a care and special regard of his Servants in the time of all their trouble and adversity of what kinde soever He cannot forget them they be as the apple of his eye There are infinite promises of God to this purpose in the Psalms and Prophets He will either deliver them out of their dangers as Let Noah Daniel c. or comfort and provide for them as for Joseph in Prison whom at last he advanced as he did also David and Jeremiah else he will strengthen them to bear their pains give them faith and patience to bear all the malice and torments of their Enemies as he did Steven and the holy Martyrs that had such invincible courage and constancy as they wearied their tormentors even in the middle of their torments singing Psalms And their souls and bodies being parted he takes their souls to himself into Heaven in the mean time reserving their bodies safely to a joyful resurrection Neither is it any wonder For He hath created them redeemed them with his Sons blood sanctified them preserved them and prepared Heaven for them ere the world was This teacheth Gods Children in all their troubles of what kinde or degree soever to commend themselves into his hand with confidence and assured trust that he will take care of them and dispose of them to the best c. Let 's never be dismaid but cast our care and roll our selves upon the Lord be we assured that he will be with us and not fail us He is Almighty and can do it He is also most loving and hath made many promises in his Word so to do Be we faithful unto the death and he will give us a Crown of life Faithful is he that hath promised He loves that we should rely on him If it be poverty sickness pain persecution c. say not I shal never be able to get through it but cast thy self on God who never failed any that put thier trust in him Do not we rely on our selves for this were the way to fail like Peter and Origen who fell shamefully but trust in God Pray use all good means and set thy faith on work to depend on God to be well carried through thy trouble to the end and from death to Heaven Thus did our Savior and after him St. Steven commend their Spirits into the hands of God O our unbelieving hearts that fail as soon as any great tryal comes as the Israelites upon Pharaoh's pursuing them yea are ready to sink to be dismaid to put our hand to some unlawful means If we had faith enough what Victories might we get what Conquerors might we be we shrink and are dismaid as if we had none to trust in or as if
is able and this is a great deal better then before and men should labor to be at enmity with him and must pray that the stronger man even Christ would put him out of his possession 5. This should rowze up the servants of God out of security and intemperance Have they need to be drunk with the world or be asleep having such an Enemy ought they not rather to be sober and continually to watch to save themselves from his deadly enmity Against his malice let us have Christian resolution and earnestness to seek after salvation Against his power let us set the power of God and be strong in his might craving his assistance continually for we have no power of our selves he that should trust to himself should speed as this our Apostle we must always have recourse to God saying with David God is my Castle Rock Tower of Defence in him will I trust Against his subtilty let us labor to be wise in the Word of God read hear meditate confer that it may dwell plentifully in our hearts in all wisdom and labor for the wisdom of the Spirit of God that thereby we may spy Satans subtilties and be holpen to avoid them and let us have the fear of God always in our hearts and before our eyes which is true wisdom Through this alone we avoid Satans snares and are not ignorant of his wiles who so Achitophel like think by worldly policy to resist the Devil the Devil will make fools of them and ensnare them at his pleasure Against his diligence let us be as diligent and watchful we must not be weary or give over our watch at any time if we do we must prepare our throats for destruction Satan gives no truce Not a few Christians have no such fear of this enemy as they should neither do they furnish themselves against him as they should but are careless silly and negligent Hereby it comes to pass that the Devil hath his will too much and too often of us and catcheth us here and there as to neglect one duty to do another untowardly and to fall into this or that evil and so makes us to dishonor God to wound our own consciences and to give ill example to others If we had a bodily Enemy thus armed how would we fear If there were a great Lyon in our fields and which did haunt our grounds how afraid would we be but there 's a roaring Lyon a red Dragon an old Serpent lies in wait for us who may do us more mischief then all the Lyons Dragons or Serpents in the world and yet we are careless Here he is not thus fearfully described to discourage us or make us cast away all our weapons as though there were no resisting but to watch and be careful and then though he be as he is we may be preserved from his anger for though he be malicious yet God is most merciful and careful for us Though he be strong yet God is stronger His power is limited he cannot do what he will to the godly as to Job nay not to reprobates as to Saul and Ahab the Devils had leave before they could do their feats nay till they had leave they could not enter into the Swine And though he be so subtile yet the wisdom of God is far beyond his craft to catch him in it as he hath done many a time as in the fall of our first Parents he thought the same should have been to Gods utter dishonor and that he should not have a Creature on earth to serve him which yet turned to Gods greater glory the like might be instanced about the death of Christ So he can turn his temptations to nothing to folly to our greater good And though he be diligent yet have we a God that keepeth Israel who neither slumbers nor sleeps The Devil is a Lyon but we have a Lyon of the tribe Judah to fight against him He is strong but God is stronger then all they be innumerable but God is greater then all together and to help our weakness we have the good Angels to take our part more with us then be against us He is a Spirit but the Spirit of God is in us more active nimble and wise then he we have no cause therefore to be dismaid Let us hold our Faith Hope and Confidence and go on in a godly course and in the end we shall get to Heaven Praised be God praised be God alone To God onely be glory for this Verse 9. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the world HEre are the means set down whereby we must oppose the Devil and through the use of which we may prevail against him namely By being stedfast in the faith Whom resist The course to be taken with an Adversary is either to make peace with him to yield to him to flee from him or resist him To flee from Satan we cannot from men we may but not from him as who will be with us whithersoever we go To yield to him we may not then we spoil all that were to be his servants to our destruction to make peace with him we must not for his malice is unquenchable and he will still seek our destruction therefore we must resist him and herein onely is our safety 1. We have a warrant and command for this 2. We promised so to do in our Baptism 3. If we resist not we can never come into Heaven for none come there but such as overcome such as are conquerers who have palms in token of victory See 2 Tim. 4. 8. James 1. 12. Rev. 2. 26. and 3. 10. and 7. 14. 4. If we do not fight and resist we shall surely be destroyed Every coward will fight when he sees there 's no other remedy 5. If we resist we are sure to overcome for we fight not in our own might but under our Captain Christ Jesus who hath bruised and broke the Serpents head in his own person and will do also in us We resisting as he requires it were a disgrace to him if we should be overcome nay most certain it is that no Soldier of Christ Jesus resisting by the armor of his appointing can ever be finally or wholly vanquished 1. This rebuketh all those that resist not Satan at all or as they ought as 1. The prophane sort that live in sin these resist not but rather serve the Devil They resist God his Word the Spirit good Counsel all the means which are used to draw them from their sins but Satans temptations as serving their humor they resist not this is the cause that Hell is so full If the Devil perswade them to any evil they are as ready to yield as he to tempt 2. Civil persons they resist not the Devil as conceiving their case to be good enough for that they are
none All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution There 's none so tempted but others have met with the like Thus will the Lord have all to be humbled thus prove them thus set their graces on work yea thus encrease grace in them We must therefore be the more comfortable seeing we have so many and such Companions would we go to Heaven an easier way then all the Servants of God have gone we are well if we go the same Sanctified way And as we go in no harder way then others so we must not look to have a soft and fine way strewed out for us alone this were too much daintiness True it is the Devil that will perswade us and we are ready to think no bodies case like ours O I have had such temptations That there is no God that the Scriptures be false innumerable blasphemous thoughts so to rebel against God to hurt my self c. O be not discouraged others of Gods Servants have met with all these So we are ready to think our pain or cross or kinde of life to be more painful then any others whereas it is nothing so and this the Devil perswades to that we might conceive that God hath pickt us out for his Enemies and so might move us to distrust and put us out of comfort Are accomplished That is both suffered and overcome by them Hence note That God lays no temptation on his but he enables them to overcome it They have no power of their own but by his they are able to do all things yea even such as our selves have gone through the fire it self This may encourage us to fight and resist manfully for as others have overcome so shall we who do no more fight in our strength then they did we have had many a temptation that we feared sometimes we should not have prevailed over which yet through Gods goodness we have now outgrown So shall it be with the rest Obj. But seeing they knew this before why doth he urge this as a Reason to comfort and hearten them and not rather some others which they knew not Answ. Because though they knew it yet they had not so the use of it as to be heartened by it It s one thing to know a thing another to be able to apply it and make use of it according to our need The common sort know many principles and many truths whereof yet they make no use of their lives and live as if they knew no such thing whose knowledge doth but procure them the more stripes 1. It s therefore the Ministers duty not to inform the understanding onely but to labor and work upon the dull affections and to bridle the unruly lusts of the heart and bring them to stoop If people could make use and apply a thing as soon as they knew it a Ministers life would be more easie then it is but the wisdom and skill is to winde into the peoples hearts and to work a love to that they know is good and an hatred to that that is evil 2. People must not content themselves to know but look they put in practice that they know If ye know these things saith our Savior happy are ye if ye do them O how many promises do Gods people know whereby yet they are not comforted In your brethren There 's a near conjunction between believers They are fellow-brethren of the best brotherhood God is their Father the Church is their Mother they are begot of the same immortal Seed nourished by the same food of the Word Heirs of the same Inheritance are Members of the same Body 1. This rebukes them that scoff like Ishmael at the term of Brethren or Brotherhood who yet can be content to have a Brotherhood between themselves in swaggering lewd companionship c. such scoff at the language of the most High 2. It teacheth us to embrace each other with brotherly entire affections and express them by brotherly actions as good counsels admonitions exhortations prayer example rejoycing with them that do rejoyce and weeping with them that weep c. 3. This rebuketh not onely the want of these which is very common but also and especially the contentions and jars that are often between Christians If Parents should have of their children some going together by the ears and that before the rest of their Brethren and Sisters yea before the servants and strangers how would it grieve them so doth it God if we shall before his face and our Mother the Church our fellow Brethren and Sisters to their grief yea before the Canaanites and Perizzites who will laugh thereat If I say we shall thus contend and strive together how monstrous is this either we must unchristian our selves and one another or else we offer violence to Christs body pulling one member from another which he will not indure What if there be a sudden offence or falling out between any is there not a time to forget to be reconciled and to heal up all That are in the world That is dispersed here and there in the world Hence note That God hath his Church far and wide in many places In former times indeed it was hemmed within the compass of Jury but since our Saviors time it s spread into all Nations though not into all at once This in some Countreys more visible in others less because of persecution wherein yet no doubt are Seven thousand that never bowed their knee unto Baal We must therefore pray earnestly for all Gods people that be in other Countreys they have as much need of prayers as we and as many yea the same temptations with us yea most of them far greater They love the same God and Jesus Christ that we do are led by the same Spirit look for the same glory have the same hearts to God have the same Devil for their enemy therefore pray for them for so we may do them good though they be thousands of miles from us and love we them when we hear of them for they be our Brethren In the world As if he should have said There are some of your Brethren indeed that are not under these temptations namely They that be out of the world they which be triumphing in Heaven They rest from their labors and are blessed They triumph with palms are out of danger No temptation no trouble toucheth them but all that be in the world be in the same troubles 1. Therefore whilst we are in this world do not we look for any time of truce we may be foiled in our old age if we look not to it as many worthy men have been We must not therefore lay away our weapons we may hap to have a sore combat on our death-bed 2. Long to be with God and so to be out of temptations though not so earnestly but that we be content to tarry the
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