119 2â— esteeming it above all riches Ps. 119.14 72 110. exercising our our selves in it day and night redeeming some time constantly to be imployed in it labouring most for the foode that perisheth not Ioh. 6.27 Amos 8. 12. being resolved to deny our reasons profits pleasures credits and carnall friends and all for the words sake Marke 10.2 Thus in generall In particular two things may be noted in this verse First the praise of the word for the continuance it abideth for ever Secondly the explication of the kind viz this is true of the word which we preach unto you The first thing theÌ„ is that the word abideth for ever which other scriptures with like plainnesse avouch Ps. â— 17.2 Mat. 5. 24. Two things would be explained 1. how the word abideth for ever 2. of what word of God this is true For the first the word of God abides for ever in divers respects 1 In the Archetipe of it in God the plotforme in the minde of God though all Bibles were destroyed yet the word of God could not because the originall draught of it is in God himselfe 2. In the very writings of the word it shall last for ever that is till time be no more If all the power on earth should make warre against the very paper of the scriptures they cannot destroy it but the word of God written will be to be had still It is easier to destroy heaven and earth than to destroy the Bible 3. In the sense of it all that is said in scripture shall be performed the counsell of the Lord shall stand not a word of Gods promises or threatnings shall faile Psal. 33.11 12. 4. It abideth for ever in the hearts of the godly the impressions made in the mindes of the godly are indelible every godly man hath the substance of Theologie in his owne heart which seed will abide in him 1 Ioh. 3. 5. Lastly it abideth for ever as it makes us abide for ever and so it abideth in the gifts of the minde wrought by it in the life of grace quickened by it and in the fruits of righteousnesse to which it perswaded men Rom. 11. The gifts of God are without repentance and the word begets an immortall seed in us and the fruits of the faithfull will remaine and their righteousnesse for ever Ps. 111. 3. 1 Pet. 2.3 Ioh. 15.16 1 Cor. 3.14 1 Cor. 13. ult 2. Now for the second It is true of every word of God of every jott or tittle of it that it abideth for ever The Law and the Gospell by the law I meane the morall law for the ceremoniall law lasted but for the Jewish eternity which was till Christ repaired the world and made all things new The Use may be First for information and so in five things 1. Concerning the vanity of all outward things the perfection of them doth come to an end but of Gods word there is no end Psal. 119. 2. Concerning the estate of hypocrites and such whose righteousnesse is but as the morning dew Hosh. 6.5 this shewes they have not received the power of the word in that it doth not abide in them 3. Concerning the misery of all wicked men heaven and earth shall passe away before one tittle of the curses and woes denounced against them shall faile or be unaccomplished yea it will remaine to judge them at the last day Ioh. 7. 4. Concerning the morality of the Sabbath For since this is one of the ten words of Gods law even this word of the Lord must abide for ever else more then a tittle of it should faile before heaven and earth faile 5. Concerning the madnesse of two sorts of men 1. Such as account all diligence in preaching reading and hearing to be foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.18 2. Such as are scorners and jest at the threatnings of scripture and say with them in the Prophet let the word of the Lord come that wee may see it Ezech. Secondly for instruction and so it should teach us all to adde to â—ur cares and desires after the word as that which will doe us good another day since in the lasting profit of it it will indure above all things else and therefore is better then all treasures yea to get this perpetuity of good wee should not thinke much to be at any labour or cost for it and the rather seeing it is such a sufficient portion or heritage Lastly this is comfortable to the godly divers waies 1. Against their unbeleefe when they are in distresse especially of spirit they thinke the word of God was wonderfull comfortable to David and such like but they cannot beleeve it should be so to them this doctrine assures them that the word of the Lord endureth through all ages and is as able to save their soules and sanctifie and comfort them as ever it was 2. Against the weaknesse of their memories The word will abide for ever some seeds of holy truth will never be lost and the spirit will lead them to all truth and bring the sayings of the word to their mind when they shall have need 3 Against the scornes of the world though men deride their counsell in making the Lord and his word their refuge yet they may be well pleased in themselves and resolve with the Psalmist still in God to praise his word For the profit of it will last to them when riches and honor and pleasures fade like the flower of the grasse to wicked men 4. Against their feare of falling away For the word of God in effect abideth for ever and it makes them abide for ever This is the word which is preached unto you These words explaine the sense of the former and direct mens minds to that use of the word which is most proper and powerfull to effect immortality in us and so there is a threefold limitation 1. That the word of God doth then cheefely beget in us eternall graces and abiding fruits when it is preached to us The intent of the Apostle is to exalt preaching not to deny efficacy to the translation or reading of the word but to shew that then it is most lively when it is in preaching fitted and applied to us and this may both instruct us what to doe and informe us what to thinke It should teach us especially two things the one is to depend upon hearing as the especiall meanes by which our soules may live for ever Heare and your soules shall live Esay 55.4 2. and it should also settle us in the resolution to heare if this be so let him that heareth heare Ezech. 3.7 It may likewise informe us in two things 1. of the misery of all such as have not the benefit of the word preached how doe their soules perish for ever 2. of the honor God doth to his poore servants the Ministers of the word when he treâ—â—â— about eternall life he sends the people to their Ministers as if he would tell
endure to be under the rule and authority of their husbands in this world for that estate of inferiority shall not last ever for in heaven God shall be all in all they shall be ruled by God and the Lambe Thus from the Coherence The first thing to be observed about the dignitie of Christians in generall is That they are heires Heires The doctrine is That all true Christians are heires Now for the opening of this doctrine two things must be considered 1. How they come to be heires 2. What their glory is in being so For the first Christians are not borne Heires I meane not heirs to God as is intended in this place but have it by the grace of adoption God hath but one Heire by generation and that is Christ all his other heires are by adoption such as hee chooseth of his meere Grace and makes them his heirs Now the mysterie of our adoption must be considered of in this manner A Christian by the Gospel is made a believer Now saith after an unspeakable manner engrafts him into the body of Jesus Christ Now being engrafted into Jesus Christ who is Gods Sonne hee thereby comes to the power to bee the Sonne of God and to be an heire with Christ. Christ is Gods Heire and so is all that is grafted upon Christ Ioh. 1.12 Now there is a double adoption the one imperfect in this life the other perfect which wee shall have after the Resurrection of the dead By the one wee have the promise of inheritance and by the other we shall have full possession Of the first is mention made Rom. 8.15 and the other Rom. 8.23 the first adoption is meant here For the second Adoption is called a glory by an excellence because there is no glory like to it even the adoption to be heires as it is in this life is the greatest glory in the world Now the glory of our adoption may appeare to be very great if we consider 1. By whom we are adopted viz. God If is be such a glory to be the Heire to any great Prince in the world what a surpassing glory is it to be the Sonne and Heire of God Rom. 8.17 and that if we respect either the excellence of God who is the King of all the earth and aâ—ove all kings or his eternitie he is such a Father as lives ever Hos. 1.10 An everlasting Father Esay 9.6 Other fathers that adopt may die before they passe the estate or at the best it is a kind of infelicity to enjoy the inheritance without the presence and love of the Father But not so here 2. The great price was laid downe to make us capable of this honour to be Gods Heires viz. the blood of Christ. There was never so much paid for all the inheritances in the world besides Gal 4.4 5. Heb. 9.14 15. 3. The great things we are heires to which I will but briefly touch here we are heires not only to all our eyes can see but to all things our hearts can thinke of Wee shall inherite the earth Mat. 5.5 Wee shall bee heires of the world Rom. 4. God will give us all the world yea we shall inherite eternall life as is to be shewed afterwards yea we are coheires with Christ Rom. 8.17 And what would we aske more 4. The great priviledges which Gods adopted children doe enjoy even in this life as 1. They have within them the spirit of Christ in their hearts therefore called the spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 16. Gal. 4.6 The spirit of Christ I say to drive away regall terrours and to testifie to their spirits that they are the sons of God and that he hath adopted them to heaven and to make them able to treat with God as a Father by affectionate prayer and as other Scriptures shew to lead them into all truth and to be the guide of their lives to tell them when they goe our either on the right hand or on the left And lastly to be their continuall comforter Iohn 16. Esay 30. 2. By the right of their adoption in Christ both their persons and their works are accepted before God so as they stand alwayes high in Gods favour howsoever they are entertained in the world Eph. 1.6 3. They have a name and honour shall never be taken from them an everlasting name no preferment so high as theirs Esay 56.4 5. And this is the greater priviledge because no meannesse or contemptiblenesse of condition on earth can bar them from the enjoying of this prerogative as the coherence of that place shewes 4. They have the Angels of heaven to attend them God shewes by that that he will have them looked unto as his sons and heires Heb. 1. ult 5. They may aske whatsoever they will of God and are sure to have it that may get any suit of God and he is so far from not granting that he rather complaines that they will not aske him often enough Iohn 16.23 6. If at any time they fall into distresse they have such interest in Gods speciall providence that a haire of their heads shall not fall to the ground without the providence of their heavenly Father And besides God will make himselfe marvellous in their deliverance if all worldly helps faile Esay 43.18 19 20 21. 5. If we consider the wonderfull maner of their communion with Christ and that foure wayes For first we have communion of nature with him and that by his Incarnation for he tooke our nature and so became our Brother And this doth nothing at all belong to Reprobates because Christ tooke not nature polluted with sin Heb. 2.14 Yeâ— we have communion with him in his divine nature as that nature doth dwell graciously in us and we are made like unto it 2 Pet. 1.4 Secondly they have communion of state with him which the Scripture acknowledgeth as a great mysterie for so they are said to live with him to suffer with him to die with him to be buried with him yea to rise with him to ascend to heaven with him and to sit together with him Eph. 2. yea to judge the world with him only preserving the difference betweene the head and the members in all this Thirdly they have communion of offices with him for he hath made them Kings and Priests with him The oile that was poured on his head hath run downe upon his members Rev. 1.5 6. so that Gods heires are all Kings and Priests A royall nation and a kingdome of Priests 1 Pet. 2.10 Fourthly they have communion in benefits with him for God as a Father hath blessed them in him with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things Ephes. 1.3 Communion they have with him in grace in this life and in glory in the life to come Lastly if we consider the assurance that Christians have given them for their right of adoption for first they have an Act for it in Gods eternall councell Eph. 1.5 Men that have an Act of
to be considered of 1. What need our spirits have to be sanctified 2. Wherein lyeth the sanctification of the spirit of man Our spirits have great need to be sanctified 1 By reason of the first sin they want originall righteousnesse and they are corrupt and infected with a generall leprosie 2. By reason of the steine and uncleanenesse all our actuall sins have added to the former corruption 3. By reason of the inhabitation of uncleane spirits our spirits have in them trenches cages forts and strong holds of Sathan 2 Cor. 10.4 and therefore had neede to bee cleansed after such soule spirits have been there 4. The naturall spirit of man frames nothing but evill and that continually this makes God so weary Gen. 6. In particular all the faculties of the spirit of man need sanctification 1. The minde is covered with a vaile wrapped in an ugly mantle of darknesse distracted with errour coupled with a thousand formes of evill thoughts 2. The memory performes no service to God it should be Gods Treasurer and Register but no body is in the office to keep record 3. The Will is grievously diseased and with sicknesse so distempered that it will not be ruled by any not by God not by men not by reason not by religion nor doth it agree with it selfe For man wills not alwayes the same thing 4. The affections out of the first poyson of naturall corruption have such monstrous births of evill that the spirit by them is set out of all order They are compared to beasts Esay 11. To fighting soldiers 1 Pet. 2.12 To tyrants making cruell lawes and leading into bondage Rom. 7. 5. The wretched Conscience then which there was once no diviner thing on earth is now in miserable case For either it is sick of a Lethargy and sleepes or if it waken it is like a mad Dog or Lion or a Iudge transported with rage It is ignorant without light it is soiled or â—teinâ—d with a thousand sinnes It is impure and exceeding base and without all properties of a divine Iudge For it is blinde and will be corrupted and will deferre the Affise c. Insteed of a throne of judgement it is thrust into a hole and horrible dungeon of darknesse where the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth not and there for the most part as if it were still night it lieth obscure and sleepeth And thus of the need we have of sanctification in our spirits The sanctification of the spirit lyeth in two things 1. In cleansing the spirit from sinne 2. In adorning the spirit with graces In the cleansing of the spirit consider both from what and how For the first if any aske what there is in our spirits needes cleansing away I answer That besides what hath been shewed many more particulars may be set out thus There are vile both impieties and unrighteousnesse in our spirits must be done away For impieties There is ignorance errour atheisticall thoughts pride hypocrisie inconstancy hardnesse of heart and division of heart conceitednesse vanity selfe-love hatred of goodnesse false feares carnall confidence forgetfulnesse doubts unsetlednesse unbeliefes of all sorts and love of the world For unrighteousnesse There are evill cares covetousnesse lusts of all sorts hatred malice desire of revenge anger fretting worldly griâ—fe bitternesse discontentment vaine-glory emulation inordinate affection and evill concupiscence as good as men thinke their hearts and meanings are they may by this taste see how foule their spirits are Now for the second The spirit is cleansed from these sins by degrees and to that purpose the spirit of God worketh and useth 8. distinct new qualities which have not place in the soule but upon occasion of this service against sin And these are 1. Spirituall poverty or sense of sin and misery 2. Base estimation viz of the world with the pleasures profits and lusts of it Phil. â— 8 Esay 30.22 3. Hatred of sinne 4. Shame for sin Rom. 6.21 5. Godly sorow 6. Feare 7. Indignation 8. A purpose and inclination to forsake sin Thus of the cleansing of the spirit The adorning of the spirit followes The spirit of man in sanctification is adorned with holy graces and here I consider of the adorning 1. of the minde 2. of the heart 3. of the conscience The minde is adorned with three things which come new into it 1. The first is a heavenly light 2. The second is humblenesse of minde 3. The third is purity of imaginations 1. This light comes in by the illumination of the spirit setting in the minde a celestiall kinde of knowledge and this stands in two things For first this sanctification breakes open a way and sets at liberty the light of nature which was imprisoned and withheld in unrighteousnesse and then there is besides infused a new light from above and this light hath in it 1 1. A holy discerning of good and evill truth and falshood by which the minde in a measure discerneth a general course of avoiding the waies of death and the 〈◊〉 of hell 2. A holy inquiry by which the minde aspireth after God and truth and tryeth things that differ 3. Wisdome from above by which the minde is caried not only to a foresight and forecast for the things of the soule and a better life above the things of the body and this life but is furnished with certaine feedes of discretion for practise with observation of the circumstances of time place persons maner end occasions c. 4. A sacred frame of piety and patterne of godlinesse and truth and this patterne is so communicated to the understanding that it is indelible no dangers sin or death can ever utterly abolish it This frame of truth is perfected by degrees 5. There is planted in the minde Gods watch by the light whereof all the wayes of the heart and life are over-looked 2 2. The second grace planted in the minde is humblenesse of minde 1 Pet. 5.5 and this hath in it 1. A sense of the wants of the soule and life of man 2. A lowly kinde of forecast in all things to glorifie God and profit man accounting it no abasement to serve and please with all readinesse 3. A thankfull acknowledgement of the mercies of God infinitely above desert by which a man holds himselfe not worthy of the least of Gods mercies 4. A freedome in matters of opinion from selfe-conceit by which a man attaines to that not to be wise in himselfe or to rely upon his owne reason or judgement Thus a man is not high minded 5. An accounting of others of Gods servants better then our selves 6. A pronenesse to humiliation for sin and humility in cariage 3. The third thing brought into the minde is purity of imaginations holy thoughts by which the minde converseth as it were in heaven already and feedeth upon the fairest objects in heaven and earth Prov. 14.22 Phil. 3. 20. Colos. 3.1 Thus much of the
the Messias to come 2. By the whole ceremoniall law and service For all those were shadowes of Christ to come But the Gospell is said to be hid and concealed from ages and generations c. Rom. 16.26 Eph. 3.5 Col. 1.26 The text is as it is now It did appeare but not so clearly But how doth this doctrine of the Gospell differ from other Scripture especially from the law 1. In the manner of revelation The law is written in some sort in the heart of man Rom. 2.15 but the Gospell now may not be knowne to nature but revealed by Christ Mat. 16.17 2. In the subject of doctrine The Law tels us what we should be but not how we can be so Now the Gospell shews us a full and sufficient righteousnesse in Christ that will be availeable The Law saith pay what thou owest doe this and thou shalt live But the Gospell saith beleeve the promise and thou shalt be saved 3. In the continuance of the force of it The gospell is an everlasting gospell God will never alter his mind whereas he hath changed his mind for the covenant of works But is it the Ministers duty onely to publish the gospell in that the Apostle saith by them which preached It is chiefly For to produce the effects before mentioned it is his calling who hath commission from God to be his embassador yet private persons may comfort one another with these things But is the gospell onely effectuall when it is preached It is most effectuall then and that is the ordinary meanes God hath appointed 1 Pet. 1. ult The Uses are First for Ministers and so 1. For consolation For the excellency of the subject exalts the dignity of their calling they are trusted with a very glorious embassage Rom. 15.16 17. 16.26 therefore never be ashamed of it Rom. 1.16 and this was taught by Christ himselfe Mat. 4.13 and those Eph. 3.4 2. For Instruction Therefore to serve God in their spirits even with their whole hearts Rom. 1.9 and suffer all things rather then hinder the Gospell 1 Cor. 9.12 Paul saies It is better for mee to dye then to make my glorying void Secondly for the people 1. For instruction 1. To pray for their teachers that God would open their mouthes and make their hearts fat with his goodnesse herein Eph. 6.19 and to esteeme them as Rom. 1â— 15 2. To receive it with all gladnesse and power yea and affliction too 1 Thes. 1.4 5. 2. For terror to wicked men that contemne or neglect so great salvation this is preached for a witnesse against worlds of them Mat. 24.14 The anger of â—od will be revealed from heaven against them Rom. 1.18 God will search mens hearts both for desires and care and for contempt too 1 Thes. 2.4 Act. 15.7 8. and at the day of judgement the terrible vengeance of God shall fall upon them 2 Thes. 1.8 1 Tim. 1.9 10 11. This makes their judgement greater Thus of the lesse principall The most principall cause is the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven By the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven The meaning is to affirme that the things propounded in the Gospell are the more eminent because they were effected by the very holy Ghost This that is here â—â—id that the holy Ghost was sent from heaven was first and principally fulfilled in the dayes of the Apostles and chiefly then also in the day of Pentecost as is shewed in the second of the Acts. But secondarily it is true of all faithfull Ministers that the holy Ghost works wonderfully from heaven in the power of the Gospell Ghost It is an old English word and signifieth a spirit and the Spirit of God is called an holy Ghost or spirit 1. for distinction sake and 2. by effect For Gods Spirit is holy that is it hath all holinesse and it hath it in it selfe not by illumination from any other higher cause and so are not the spirits of men and Angels holy mens spirits have sinne in them on earth and the Angels and blessed soules in heaven have no holinesse but what they received 2. Gods Spirit is holy by effect For it his proper work to sanctifie the elect and so to work holinesse upon the spirits of men by spirituall regeneration But why is Gods Spirit called a holy Spirit rather â—hen wise or mercifull c First when we call him holy we comprehend all that in it for wisdome and mercy are but parts of holinesse Secondly in respect of us and his working in us it is a most proper word for it notes his working in the Elect above all reprobates Fâ—r a man may be a wise man and yet perâ—sh Mat. 11 2â— 1 Cor. 1.19 and a man may give all his goods to the poore and yet it is nothing 1 Cor. 13.3 but now if a man be made a holy man hee is sure to be saved Well then the first doctrine is that Gods Spirit is a holy Spirit which may serve for divers uses 1. To exalt in us a further sense of Gods goodnesse that is pleased to put his Spirit within us seeing our hearts are so uncleane and his Spirit so holy 2. It may humble uâ— and feare us from sinne if we belong to Christ we carry about with us the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 Now think of it then thou canst not sin but thou hast a witnesse and a Judge within thee Besides the very respect of the holy Ghost should move thee to feare sinne for sinne grieves the holy Ghost and hinders his work of sealing thee up to the day of redemption Eph. 4.30 3. It should encourage uâ— in the works of mortification for Gods Spirit hath his name of holinesse and though it be never so hard yet by the Spirit wee shall be made able in some measure to mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.10 and to walk in Gods statutes Ezech. 36.27 Secondly if we consider why the holy Ghost is hâ—re named wee may learn that the holy Spirit of God is the first and chiefe cause of all that grace which either Ministers or people enjoy in the gospell Which may first comforts us against all the impediments of the gospell Oh might some men have thought a 100. yeares agoe how is it possible to bring downe the power of Antichrist why by the Spirit of Christs mouth he will consume him 2 Thes. 2. In the mouth of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell there is a Spirit even the Spirit of God which will doe more then 10000. armed men to pull him downe Oh might some one think I shall never understand or never remember so many holy comforts and instructions why the Spirit of God will teach us to profit and leade us into all truth and help our infirmities when wee deale with God and his ordinances and pull downe those strong holds which Sathan hath to hinder the obedience
reformation of ignorance we cannot be truely turned to God without knowledge the mind is not good therefore to teare the vaile is one part of Gods work in our conversion Prov. 19.3 Esay 25.8 4. That ignorance is wanton and full of lust Eph. 4.18 5. That the way to be rid of lusts is to be rid of ignorance For saving knowledge keeps us from sin Iam. 3.17 A godly man sinneth not because his seed abideth in him knowledge is the sword of the Spirit and here we may see the principall use wee should put our knowledge to viz. to clense our hearts of base thoughts and desires 6. That we may live in places of great meanes for knowledge and yet be grossely ignorant For he writeth here to the Jewes who had the law and the Prophets and the Oracles of God and the Priests c. 7. That all knowledge or learning without the knowledge of Gods favour in Christ and the way how to reforme our owne lives is but grosse darknesse and foolish ignorance as was before explained 8. That habituall lusts are a sure signe of ignorance whatsoever knowledg men pretend Lastly it may be profitably here asked Seeing there is ignorance even in the children of God after calling what are the signes of unregenerate ignorance Unregenerate ignorance may be discerned by divers signes 1. It hardens the heart and works a continued evill disposition to sinne with greedinesse Eph. 4.11 18. Now the ignorance in the godly may be where the heart is softned and the overflowings of corruption stopped 2. It hood winketh the soule in the maine things needfull to salvation as the knowledge of a mans owne iniquities God in Christ the forgivenesse of a mans owne sins and generally all the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 For either wicked men perceive them not or not spiritually out of desire and care for them without corrupt ends A wicked man may discern spirituall things carnally but not spiritually 3. It hath never beene in the furnace I meane of mortification it hath never been truly repented of whereas the ignorance of the godly hath often been in the fire it hath been often confessed rended mourned for c. 4. It will suffer no saving grace to neighbour by it where ignorance hath not beene repented of there no feare of God no holy contemplation no uprightnesse love of God or his word or his people will dwell Now the ignorance that is in Gods children is well neighboured with many holy graces that can dwell by it And as these ignorances differ in nature and working so they differ in imputation For unto the godly there is a sacrifice for ignorance God dâ—th not impute ignorance unto the godly it shall be to them according to what they know and not according to what they know not And thus of ignorance and so of the 14. verse Verse 15. But as he which called you is holy so be you holy in all manner of conversation HItherto of the first branch of the description of Gods image in us as his children viz. our conformity to God in holinesse and so the image of God in us is our endevour to be like God in all things in holinesse There are three great considerations in this verse 1. whom we must imitate viz. him that hath called us 2. In what we must imitate him viz. in holinesse 3. how viz in all manner of conversation Ingenerall and from the coherence we must note 1. That it is not enough that we approve our selves to be Gods children that we avoid sin but we must also be employed in doing good Hence we are compared to trees in which barrennesse is as grâ—at a fault as ill fruit 2. That the patterne of all holinesse is God himselfe or Christ or rather God in Christ. For whither else should we goe for example If to the dumbe creatures they have not natures capable of holinesse If to Angels they are invisible and so we cannot behold them and in Scripture little is recorded of them and besides we know many of them fell away If to man they are all fallen in Adam and there is none that doth good and good men have their both errors and sins Therefore we may say whom have wee in heaven but God and there is none in earth with him Vse Therefore wee should labour 1. To know God 2. To observe the specialty of his praisâ—s that are imitable both in his word and works 3. Wee must carry our selves with that humility and piety that we may walke with God else we cannot set him aâ— a patterne before us 3. That there are two picturâ—s as it were presented to the soule and for both there is greâ—t pleading for entertainment and liking The one is the picture of sinne even of sinnes repented of which are nâ—w varnished and with many plausible motives commended by bâ—th the world and the devill not without the good liking of the flesh The other is the picture as it were of the most holy God pourtraied out in the Gospell especially in the glory oâ— hiâ— holinesse Now here we are taught what to avoid and what to follow aâ—d the rather because here we are put in minde of the experience we have of Gods goodnâ—sse for it is he that haâ—â— called us Now of the former lusts tâ—ere can be assigned no good that we â—ave gotten by them The devill may lyingly tell us of some good to come but wee know that for the time past we got noâ—hing but shame and sorrow by them Thus of the generall As he that hath called you The first thing iâ— whom we must imitate aâ—d that is here exprest by 〈◊〉 to be he that hath called us viz. God and the Lord doth of purpâ—â—◠〈…〉 oâ— descriptions of himselfe for divers reaâ—ons 1. 〈…〉 our disability to câ—â—ceive of God as he is fully and thereâ—â—re he 〈◊〉 his knowledg into us by drops or sparâ—les as it were so far is our nature swarved from the knowledge of God that the doctrine oâ— God in the whole iâ— a doctrinâ— too transcendent for us 2. This God dâ—th to excite affection in us toward him as taking no delight in a dull câ—â—templation of him and therefore by such pâ—riphrases he doth with some 〈◊〉 consideration either gore us if it be a phrase of terror or suddâ—nly 〈◊〉 with some divine spaâ—â—les that like lightning force our attâ—â—dâ—â—â—â— 3. The â—ord doth use such descriptions out of choice of 〈…〉 which is most pertinent to the question in hand The Lord thrâ—ughâ—ut the whole Scripture is every where respective of the names he giveth 〈◊〉 therein shewing us what care we should have in taking up the name or title of God 4. It is a most forcible kind of speaking for compendiously it importeth abundance of matter usually more then the bare title it selfe would import as here thiâ— phrase He that called you doth not onely shew that it is God that is to be imitated
whether my obedience be right or no seeing I cannot have true grace else Answ. I might answer out of other Scriptures that a childe of God may know his obedience is right by two things 1. Because God heares his prayers Ioh. 9.39 Psal. 66.18 2. Because thou hast hyred thy selfe by covenant to doe Gods works as a servant of righteousnesse and thou dost worke as a servant every day Rom. 6. But I answer out of this text Thou maist know thy obedience iâ— right because thou hast these foure things 1. Thou makest the truth thy guide and dost obey for the truths sake and commest to the light as Ioh. 3.21 2. Thy obedience is from thy heart and with thy heart it is inward as well as outward 3. Thy obedience is in all things 1. Though it be against thy profit c. Heb. 11.8 2. In the least commandements 4. Thy obedience is in all places 1. As well absent as present Phil. 2.12 2. Before the wicked as well as the godly 3. Before the meanest Christian as well as the greatest Through the spirit Our sanctification was first wroâ—ght by the Spirit of God and it is of the assistance of the Spirit that we doe performe obedience to the truth of God For 1. It is the Spirit that quickens us and raiseth us in the first resurrection Ioh. 3.5 2. It is the Spirit that leads us into the truth â—â—d enlightens us Ioh. 14. 3. It is the spirit that sets us at liberty from the bondage of corruption we have lived in 2 Cor. 3.17 and kils the deeds of the flesh Rom. 10.11 4. It is the Spirit that makes us mourne when wee faile of â—bedience Zach. 12.12 5. It is the Spirit that sheds aâ—â—oad the love of God in our hearts by which we are inflamed with desire to obey Rom. 5.5 It baptizeth us with fire Mat. 3. 6. It is the Spirit that makes us finde a rellish and sweetnesse in spirituall things Rom. 8. 7. It is the Spirit that worketh in us the particular graces that adorne our obedience Gal. 5.22 yea by the Spirit the Lord works our works for us it causeth us to obey Ezech. 36. Esay 26. Psal. 90. 8. It is the Spirit that shews us the recompence of reward to incourage us to obey 1 Cor. 2.10 The Use is 1. For information for hereby it is evident 1. That the godly have Gods Spirit Rom. 8.9 2. That there can be no absolute free-will in man seeing it is not by his owne power that he doth obey Gods will 3. That the holinesse a Christian hath in this life is of singular worth Wee use to esteeme the work by the workman And if wee admire them that can make us faire houses clothes faces c. how much more should we admire the workmanship of the Spirit of grace that purifies and makes our soules faire It is a better piece of workmanship then is shewed in making of the world 2. It should teach us 1. To be more carefull of sinning seeing wee shall thereby vexe or grieve or tempt the Spirit of God in us yea and deface his workmanship 2. To stir up our selves to undertake the work of godlinesse seeing we have the Spirit to assist us which is a Spirit of power 2 Tim. 1.7 Vnto the unfained love of the brethren One chiefe end of our sanctification is that wee might ever after live with all holy love together God hath purifyed us to this end that wee might love the godly above all others after we are converted That which is chiefly to be done of us is the duty of brotherly love In these words three things are to be observed 1. That the godly are brethreâ— 2. That we must love the godly above all others and that we were converted to that end Our chiefest fruit after conversion is to shew our love to them 3. That God cannot abide faining in this love 1. For the first the godly are brethren Col. 1.2 1 Tim. 6.2 Mat. 23.8 borne of the same wombe 1 Pet. 1.23 adopted of the same Father Eph. 4.5 brought up in the same family Eph. 3.17 estated in the same inheritance Rom. 8.17 written amongst the living in the same City with the writing of the same house of Israel Esay 4.3 executing the same office of Prophets and Priests to God Rev. 1.7 1. The Use is first for information We see the godly though despised in the world yet are people of a great kindred The meanest Christian hath as good friends as the greatest Potentate Grace works as it were a consanguinity with all the Saints 2. For instruction and it should teach us divers things to doe and avoid Are the godly thy brethren Then 1. Live familiarly with them visit them be not a stranger unto them Act. 15.36 2. Doe what thou dost faithfully for them Ioh. 3.5 3. Defend one another by words and works ye are brethren let not a godly man be wronged if thou canst help it 4. Supply their wants with a brotherly affection Iam. 1.15 1. Ioh. 3.17 The things we must avoid 1. Wee must take heed of contention Gen. 13. and this contention is either 1. Publike suites 1 Cor. 6. 2. Private quarrels or discords Ob. But they doe me wrong Sol. 1. Admonish them of it Mat. 18.18 Lâ—v. 19.17 2. Be not unadvisedly angry Mat. 5.22 3. If they repent forgive them even seventy times Mat. 18.21 and be quickly reconciled Mat. â— 23 24. 2. Call no man Rabbi or father on earth Mâ—â— 23.8 9. The Angels refuse it Rev. 19.10 22.9 3. Speak not evill one of another Rom. 14.10 Iam. 5.9 4.11 It is the devils property to accuse the brethren Rev. 12.10 4. Be not ashamed of them for Christ is not ashamed to owne them as brethren Heb. 2.10 5. Have them not in respect of persons The poore are brethren as well as the rich Iam. 2. Though they be in tribulation yet they be companions in Gods kingdome as well as we Rev. 1.9 6. Lastly Superiours Magistrates Ministers Masters of families must take heed of tyranny and contempt for they rule their brethren The godly must be loved above all others this is a maine end of our sanctification Rom. 13.8 Col. 3.14 Eph. 4.16 1 Ioh. 3 11â— 4.21 The Use is first for reproofe of worlds of people that neglect this love of the godly which should be as the life of their lives yea contemne them yea and reproach them they love none worse then the godly Quest. But how shall I know who are godly Answ. Thou maist know them 1. By their innocency they beare their fathers image 2. By their love to Gods house and the Word 3. By their language 1 Ioh. 4.5 â— 4. By the opposition of the world Quest. What good should I get by them Answ. 1. By sorting with them thou wilt be protected from many judgments which else would fall on thee Sodome had been spared for ten
things that they have not their owne bodies in estimation nor allow themselves the fit use of the things they possesse Eccl. 6.2 2. That the bodies of men doe not utterly perish as doth the glory of men For the flower falleth off whereas the grasse onely withereth the roote is alive within the earth when a man dieth he shall never see his riches or pleasures of this life any more but yet his body hath a roote and when the spring of the last resurrection comes it will revive againe which should in force upon us a more through contempt of all these earthly things and the rather if we consider further what may be added concerning the glory of men For besides that once it must faile and that speedily First it is all stained and durtied already with mans sins and also the Lord usually sets himselfe so to staine the pride of all glory that it is scorned and despised even in the prime of it but especially when it begins a little to decay Besides who knowes how sudenly all may be gone the glory of many men we see is but as the hasty fruit before summer which while he that looketh upon it seeth it whilst it is yet in his hand he eateth it up Esay 28.4 Further we may observe the manner how the Lord doth bring downe the glorious beauty of many great men as it were with a tempâ—â—â— of â—aile their afflictions comming in as thick as haile and a destroying â—â—orms as a flood of mighty unresistable waters overflowing so doth the Lord cast them downe to the earth and tread their glory in the dust yea and many times turne their great glory into surpassing shame Esay 28.2 Ps. 7.5 Hos. 4.7 Verse 25. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which is preached among you HItherto of the vanity of man in his flesh and outward condition The eternity of the word followeth in this verse The hearts of all men naturally tend to the admiration and care for the body onely and the things thereof yea in the Church of God the faith of Christians is wonderfully deformed and disgraced by such cares while men professe they beleeve in Christ for a better condition their practise continually proclaimes the flesh still for the idoll of their hearts therefore it is needfull that this wretched pertinacy should be disgraced by a discovery of their vanity therein which is done in the former verse Now if men be put out of their way in the projects of the flesh it is expedient they should bee informed what better things to settle their hearts upon else it will never perswade with them to leave the love of the flesh and this present life if no better happinesse bee set before them This therefore is intended in this verse briefely to tell men upon what they might spend their time better than in the cares of the flesh The question then is since nothing in mans flesh or outward estate is worth the care and labour of attendance what then is the chiefe thing in this life to be sought after If we marke the direct Antithesis to the former verse it should have beene thus Mans flesh is grasse c. but mans spirit endureth for ever and so the soule of man should have bin the maine thing his heart should have beene set upon But thus there had beene great danger of mistaking still for God would have the body saved as well as the soule and the holinesse of the body as well as the soule thought of and besides the soule naturally is as corrupt as the flesh and it is no more safe to follow the lusts of the soule then the appetites of the body For the spirit of man is as much polluted as the flesh and the body is but the instrument of the soule therefore the scripture leadeth man cleane out of himselfe considered as he is in his present state of nature that he may be fully humbled for his misery Quest. If yet any say what then is the maine object of our cares and service in this life Ans. I answer that it is diversly resolved in divers scriptures In Ps. 102. 11 12. it is thus Man fadeth and withereth like grasse but the Lord endureth for ever and so that place shewes us it is God we should know admire love care for provide for and set our hearts upon In the 103. Ps v. 15.17 it is thus The dayes of man are as grasse and as the flower of the field flourisheth but the love and kindnesse of the Lord endureth for ever to them that feare him where we are guided to know in particular what in God wee should most seeke and that is the assurance of Gods mercy which will stand us in stead for eternity Here it is the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this comprehendeth all the former It is the word of the Lord that revealeth God and directeth our hearts to the love of God and the assurance of his mercy It is the word of God that clenseth and sanctifieth the soules of men So that then the chiefe doctrine of this verse is that in this life we should especially set our hearts upon the word of God that should be our maine care It is the word we should be most busied about and our hearts should specially be set upon we should meditate in it day and night Ps. 1.2 It should be our portion and heritage It is that we should provide for whatsoever we want Ps. 119. For the word of God perfects our natures and sanctifies us Ioh. 17. By the word wee have communion and fellowship with God and Christ on earth Ioh. 14.21 Rev. 3.10 It is the word that comforts us in all tribulation Ps. 119. It is the word that directs us in all our waies It is the light to our feete and laâ—thorne to our paths Ps. 119. yea it is the word that maintaines our lives for man liveth not by bread but by the word and prayer It is the word that fits us for immortality and brings salvation to us and in the meane while nourisheth us up to eternity 1 Pet. 1.23 2.2 Act. 26.18 4.16 This may serve First for information concerning the estate of two sorts of men 1. Of such as want the word or the love of it what shall it profit them to winne all the glory of the world for the flesh when for want of the word their spirits and flesh must perish for ever 2. Of such as follow the word and search the scriptures and have nothing more in request this justifies them they have chosen the better part with Mary and it shall never be taken from them Secondly for instruction we should all learne to glorifie the word Act. 13. 48. to receive it with all meekenesse Iam. 1.21 to hunger and thirst after it as our appointed foode to embrace it presse to it and never be ashamed of it Ps.
Apostle expounds or applies the former testimony of Scripture which he urgeth both for the beleever and against the unbeleâ—ver The beleevers he cals upon to take notice of their felicity assuring them that that Scripture doth avouch that Christ is an incomparable treasure to them Concerning the unbeleevers he speaks terrible things whom he describes both by their sin and by their judgement The sinne is disobedience their judgement is to be considered as it is denounced first against their Leaders whom he cals Builders and then against the whole body of unbeleevers The plague upon the Builders is that the Kingdome of Christ shall be advanced in spight of their hearts they shall perish and be confounded but Christ shall raigne and flourish The plague upon the body of unbeleevers is that Christ shall be to them a stone of stumbling a rock of offence which is amplified by the consideration of the causes partly in themselves which is their stumbling at the Word and disobedience and partly in God who in his justice hath appointed them thereunto Thus of the order of the words Now before I come to the ful opening of each particular in these two verses I may observe divers things from the coherence and generall consideration of all these words First in that the Apostle doth not rest satisfied to alledge the Text but doth withall apply it it shewes the necessity of application We cannot profit by the Word if it be not laid particularly to our hearts as food doth not nourish if it be not eaten nor a medicine cure the disease if it be not taken nor a plaister heale the sore if it be not laid to it nor are our wants supplyed by comming to the market if we do not buy and carry home Which should work in us a sound care of application of the Word we heare or reade and withall it should waken us to a care of observing all the rules that may further us in applying which are these and such like First we must be carefull to understand rightly the Scriptures wee would apply this is the very foundation of all application that is profitable 2 Pet. 3. else we may grow perverse and wrong both the Word and our own selves Ob. But some private man might say This is hard how can we learne to know the cleer meaning of the Scripture and the sense of the Text Sol. For answer hereunto thou must know that there be divers rules that may help thee to understand or at least keep thee from wrong and dangerous mis-application First thou must be wise to sobriety not presume to know above what is meet nor to meddle with such secrets as should lead thee into knowledges that belong not to thy calling or are not evidently revealed in Scripture Secondly thou must have respect unto other Scriptures to take no sense that is contrary to other apparant Scriptures Thirdly thou must haue respect to the Analogie of faith to avoid all senses which oppose any article of faith or thy faith Rom. 12.3 Fourthly thou must avoid all doubtful disputations and unprofitable questions and vain â—anglings that tend not to edification and the salvation of thy soule and account it as a happinesse to be able to keep thy selfe free from intanglements therein And therefore stand at the doore of every opinion and before thou let it in ask this question What shall my soule be advantaged by this opinion at the day of Jesus Christ and if it cannot answer to it directly reject it Psal 119.66 David praies God to teach him good judgement and knowledge Fiftly let the publike Ministery of Gods servants be the ordinary rule of thy interpretation so long as no sense is taught there contrary to the former rules 1 Cor. 14.36 and where thou doubtest thou must seek the law at the Priests mouth and be very fearfull in any thing to be wiser than thy Teacher I meane to nourish private opinions which are not justified by publick doctrine Sixtly pray to God to teach thee and to give thee his Spirit to leade thee into all truth understanding is Gods gift 2 Tim. 2.7 and he will teach thee humbly his way Psal. 25. Thus of the first rule wee must first soundly understand the sense of the Scripture we would apply Secondly thou must bring a mind apt to be taught willing to be formed and to be all that which God would have thee to be thou canst never profit by application without a penitent mind a mind that will part with any sin God shall discover in thee and a mind carefull to observe the conditions required as well as the promise tendred Iames 1.21 This is indeed to glorifie the Word Thirdly it is an excellent help in application to follow the guiding of the holy Ghost in thy heart thou shalt finde in all doctrines a difference Some things read or heard have a speciall taste put upon them by Gods Spirit or a speciall assurance of them wrought at the time of reading or hearing Now thou must be carefull to take to thee these truths which the Spirit of God doth cause to shine before thee Eate that which is good Esay 55.2 Try all things and keep that which is good 1 Thes. 5.20 Fourthly know that serious and secret meditation upon the matter thou hearest is the principall nurse of fruitfull application it is but a flash can be had without an after and deliberate meditation and about meditation remember these rules 1. Let it be secret 2. Hee must let it be full Give not over till thou hast laid the truth up in thy heart take heed of that common deceit Psal. 119.45 of resting in the praise or liking of the doctrine be not a Judge against thine owne soule For if the doctrine be worthy of such praise why darest thou let it slip and run out Let not the devill steal it out of thy heart Mat. 13.20 or the cares of life choke it Luke 11.28 3. Let it be constant Be at the same point still from day to day till it be soundly formed and seated in thy heart How rich might many Christians have been if they had observed this rule Psal. 1.2 Psal. 119.3 5. Esayâ—6 â—6 9 Fiftly be wise for thy self take heed of that error of transposing thy applications say not This is a good point for such and such till thou have tried thine owne heart whether it belong not to thee Psal. 119.59 Pro. 9.7 Sixtly by any means be carefull of the seasons of doctrine be wise to understand the season There be many truths which if thou let passe the opportunity of informing of thy selfe thou maist perhaps never have it so againe and therefore take heed of losing precious things when thou hast the time and meanes to attaine them c. Thus of the first point The second thing is the speciall duty of Ministers to apply the Scriptures to the hearers that belong to their charge we see the Apostles
Christian may somewhat be helped against the testimony of those wise men of the world if hee mark but their lives for usually by their fruits they may be known Mat. 7. For commonly such as oppose Christ and the Gospel or the sincerity of the Gospel are men that may be apparantly detected of profanenesse as our Saviour Christ shews by divers instances in the Pharises Mat. 23. But because sometimes the messengers of Satan can transform themselves into Angels of light therefore I answer secondly that all the godly have the sure word of the Prophets and Apostles which may by the touch-stone to try the opinions of men by which in the points absolutely necessary to salvation is evident and plaine and infallible to the Law and to the Testimonies if they speak not according to these it is because there is no light in them Esay 8.20 And that they may be sure let them pray to God to teach them for hee hath promised to teach the humble his way if a man come to God with an humble mind and with desire of reformation of his life in that hee knows God hath bound himself to shew him his will Psal. 25.9 Iohn 7.17 Besides every childe of God hath the Spirit of God in his heart who knoweth the things of God which indited the Scriptures and is the onely supreme Judge of all controversies Hee that beleeveth hath a witnesse in himselfe the Spirit working much assurance in his heart and anointing him with eye-salve and leading him into all truth And by this help the entrance into the Scriptures gives light to the simple Vse The use of the point then is First to informe us concerning that great justice of God in hiding his truth from the wise and revealing it to babes and children or infants which our Saviour and Saint Paul take notice of Secondly to confirme us against the sinister judgement of wordly-wise and learned men and in matter of religion not to be swayed by that inducement since it is thus plainly told and foretold Thirdly to confute the Papists that plead unto the ignorant that their religion is the right because it is and hath been maintained by such a number of Popes and Cardinals which have excelled in leaâ—â—ing and greatnesse of place for here we see the builders reject the head stone of the corner Fourthly to shew us that whatsoever wicked wise great men pretend yet their quartell is against Christ and his Kingdome Fiftly to teach us therefore to pray for our teachers and governors that God would guide theÌ„ by his good Spirit and assist them in their callings c. Sixtly to be more thankfull to God when the Lord gives us builders not in name onely but in deed that settle about Gods work with all their hearts and labour with all faithfulnesse to promote the Kingdome of Christ. Hitherto of the persons The cause of their punishment is their refusing of Christ. Refused They refused Christ they disallowed him as unfit for the support of the building They cast him away as rubbish they rejected him or accounted him as a reprobate Christ is refused or disallowed many waies First when the Gospel of Christ is contemned or neglected that is when men neglect or contemne the doctrine of salvation by Christ and live still in their sin without repentance and seek not reconciliation with God through the bloud of Christ. Secondly when men goe about to establish their own righteousnesse and neglect the righteousnesse of Christ and so when men fly to the intercession of Saints or Angels and use not the intercession of Christ. Thirdly when men follow wicked company and leave the care of the service of Christ this is to choose Barabbas to be given unto them rather than Christ. Fourthly we may be guilty of this sinne in the time of the use of Christs ordinances as in the Sacraments when we discerne not the Lords body or in hearing or any other ordinances when we entertaine contemplative wickednesse and so commit spirituall dalliance with strangers before the face of Christ. Fiftly when men fall away from the grace of Christ and so joy with the Jews as it were to crucifie the Son of God afresh Heb. 6. and 10. And so he is also refused when in time of persecution he is denied before men Thus Peter refused him when he denied him Sixtly when his servants are rejected and so either in general when Christians are exposed to publique scorn and made as it were the off-scouring of all things or in particular when his Ministers are despised For he that despiseth them despiseth him c. Quest. But how doe the builders that is Church-men refuse Christ Answ. I answer many waies First when they will not preach in his name when they preach not at all For this is to let Christ live as it were in the rubbish still and not to separate him out for the building c. Secondly when in preaching they preach themselves and not Christ crucified leaving the word of Christ to shew their own wit and learning c. Thirdly when they oppose the sincerity of the Gospell in the conversion of the soules of mâ—n or in the practice of godly Christians Fourthly when they teach the doctrine of merit of works or prefer the traditions of men before the commandements of God as did the Pharises Vse The use of this doctrine concerning the refusing of Christ may be divers for First it may teach us patience when we are refused in the world it is no other thing then what did befall Christ himselfe especially it should confirme us against the scandall arising from the discountenancing of godly men which are crucified by all sorts of people in the world If Christ himself were no better used why should we wonder at it to see godly Christians so neglected And if the most powerfull doctrine of Christ were so securely despised what wonder is it if the good way of God be now evill spoken of Secondly it may much comfort us and that especially two manner of waies First by reasoning for the contrary For if it be a signe of a notorious wicked man to let Christ lie like rubbish or refuâ—e stufâ—e then is it an excellent sign of a godly mind to love the Lord Jesus and to account all things but dung in comparison of Christ and his merits and righteousnesse Secondly by considering the effect of Christs refusall For he was refused as our surety that we might be received to favour He was cast off by men as a reprobate that wee might enjoy the admirable priviledges of the Elect of God and besides by enduring this contempt of men he bare the punishment of all our neglect and contempt of God his holy Commandements Thus of the cause The punishment it selfe followes Is made the Head of the corner Two things are here intended as punishment to these builders First the one implied Secondly the other exprest First that which is
hearts break that is they let the doctrine runne out and never thinke of it when they are gotten out of the Church Heb. 2.1 Or else they have resisted the light of the truth so long that God hath now delivered them over to a spirit of slumber lest they should convert and he should heal them Mat. 13.15 16. Isa. 6.10 Secondly in some the world is the cause of it For either they are entangled with the examples of the multitude especially of the wise Ones and great Ones of the world 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. Or else they are affrighted with the evill reports with which the good way of God is disgraced in the world Act. 28.22 Or else they are insnared with respect of their carnall friends they are loth to displease father or mother or sisters or brothers or any they have great hopes from or dependance upon Mat. 10.35 37. 1 Pet. 4.2 Or else they have so much businesse to doe and so many cares about their worldly affaires they cannot be at leisure â—o long as to thiâ—ke they cannot bring their lives into order Mat. 13.22 Luke 17. Or else they live at hearts-ease and prosper in their estate and so desire not to alter their course of life and so their prosperity destroyes them Prâ— 1.32 Thirdly in some men the cause is the lust after some particular wickednesse of life in which they live either secretly or openly which sinne is the very Idol of their hearts and hinders a good resolution Fourthly in some the cause is conceitednesse they are pure in their owne cicâ— and yet are not cleansed they rest in the outward profession of religion and the feare of godlinesse and regard not the sound power of it in their lives Lastly in all unregenerate men there are three causes why they are not perswaded to a religious life First the one is the forgetfulnes of their death therefore their filthinesse is still in their skirts because they remember not their latter end Lam. 1.9 Secondly the other is that they are dead in sin What should hinder the conversion of multitudes at once but that we preach to congregations of dead men Thirdly the divell workes effectually in all the children of disobedience striving to hide the Gospel from them and the glory of a righteous life that so they might perish 1 Cor. 4.4 And thus of the second Use. Use 3. Thirdly such as consent to obey and feele themselves raised from death to life and are now desirous to spend their daies in a religious and righteous course of life must observe all such rules as may further them and establish them in an orderly and fruitfull conversation Hee that would live in righteousnesse must thinke on these directions following as the very gates of righteousnesse First he must give over all needlesse conversation with vaine persons and profane men hee must shunne their company as he would such as have the plague running upon them hee must not come neere them as is urged Pro. 14.15 For what fellowship can bee between righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse 2 Cor. 6.14 Depart from me ye evill doers saith David for I will keep the commandements of my God Psal. 119.115 Secondly he must redeeme time he must buy time from his worldly occasions and settle such an order in his worldly estate or outward estate that he may provide to serve the Lord without distraction abstayning from all things that may intangle him or interrupt him Eph. 5.16 1 Cor. 7.29 35. and 9.28 2 Tim. 2.4 He must provide to him time for Gods service and for commerce and fellowship with the godly and for works of mercy Thirdly he must be wise for himselfe that is he must in all the meanes hee useth for or in religion especially apply what hee can for his owne use and study himselfe and to understand his owne way and provide whatsoever he doe for his justification and sanctification and finall salvation Prâ— 9. 12. and 14.8 And to this end he must meddle with his owne businesse and take heed of being a busie-body in other mens matters so much as in his thoughts 1 Thes. 4.11 12. And he must also avoid vaine janglings and doubtfull disputations in religion and quarrels that tend not to his edification but to shew wit or science Tit. 3.9.1 Tim. 6.20.2 Tim. 2.23 And he must keep his eye straight upon the mark to proceed directly and distinctly in building himselfe up in knowledge and grace not losing his time or going about but keeping a straight path to supply what he wants and grow in what he hath Pro 4.25 Ier. 31.32 Hee must take heed of uncertaine running but bee sure to take accounts of himselfe for all his courses to see that hee goe very straight towards the mark and finally hee must not respect company to goe the pase of other men but run as if hee alone were to obtaine striving to excell 1 Cor. 9.24 and 14 12. Fourthly he must esteeme the Word above all treasures Psal. 119.72 Mat. 1â— and take hold of the instruction thereof as that must bee the very life of his life Pro. 4 1â— For by the Word doth God sanctifie us and make us righteous Ioh. 17. And he must order his whole course of life so as that he may see the meanes of all his actions from the Word he must live by the rules of Scripture that will live righteously Gal. 6.16 Now that he may doe thus he must looke to divers things First that he place no confidence in the flesh neither trusting upon his owne wit nor carnall reason nor gifts nor yet yeelding himselfe to be a servant to any mans humour or opinions or example or commandement Secondly he must provide to live so as he suffer not a famine of the powerfull preaching of the Word hee must labour for the meat that perisheth not Ioh. 6.27 and so exercise himselfe in the Word morning and evening that the Word may dwell plenteously in him Psal. 1.2 Col. 3.16 Thirdly he must take heed of adding any more sinnes or duties than are discovered in the Word and of detracting from any thing that is forbidden or required there Psal. 30.6 detesting conceitednesse and singularity having his conversation in all meeknesse of wisedome Iam. 3.13 Fiftly he must daily lift up his heart to God to seeke a way of him whose glory it is to teach to profit and who giveth his Spirit to lead men in the paths of righteousnesse Psal. 23. Esay 48.17 Sixtly he must remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it For this will be both the meanes and the signes of his sanctification and true righteousnesse It is the market day for the soule Esay 58.13 14. Exod. 31.13 c. Seventhly he must haste to the comming of Christ hee must dispatch his worke as fast as he can and to this end he must cast about to finde out waies of well-doing and when he hath any projects or opportunities of well-doing he must not
spirit as Solomon shewes in the whole booke of Ecclesiastes Now if worldly things be corruptible things then in generall we should all learne divers lessons first not to set our affections upon these things here below we should not set our hearts upon that which wee cannot keepe long All wee have though it bee not yet corrupted yet it is all corruptible why should wee then make such haste to bee rich especially why should wee trust upon uncâ—rtainâ— riches Secondly seeing wee shall have these things but a â—hile wee should use them as such things as wee cannot enjoy long and so wee should take our part of them in a sober and Christian freedome while wee have them Psalme 49.18 Eccles. 9.7 10. and especially wee should employ them to the best uses wee can And the best use to put worldly things to is either to make friends with them by liberalitie to the poore Luke 16. or to buy wisedome with them by spending freely for the procuring of the meanes of salvation for our selves or others Proverbs 17.16 and in generall the chiefe use of them is by them to make our selves rich in good workes 1 Tim. 6.19 20. Thirdly seeing earthly things are corruptible wee should not envie the prosperity of wicked men that abound not in any thing that will â—arry long with them all their portion is in these things that will away Psalme 37.1 2. 49.15 16 18. Lastly wee should all therefore bee of Moses minde rather to suffer affliction with Gods people that shall possesse eternall things than with the wicked to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11.26 And in particular both poore and rich may bee instructed hereby for rich men should not glorie in their riches but rather râ—joice if God have made them low by true grace which will last for ever Iames 1.9 10. 1 Tim. 6.17 20 and poore men that have a portion in spirituall things should not bee troubled for want of these â—â—rthly things seeing if they â—â—d them they would last but a while Iâ—â—â—s 1.9 and therefore having food and raiment they should bee content Thus of the first Doctrine Doct. 2. Earthly things doe not adorne a man As they are corruptible so they doe not make a man any whit the more comely which is true in these foure senses following First they doe not adorne a man in the sight of God he respects it not whether a man be poore or rich bond or free cloathed or naked in robes or in rags Gal. 3.28 Secondly they adorne not the inward man they add nothing to the mind or heart of man Thirdly they adorne not with true ornament but onely with a shew for if the glory of the world be like a withering flower what true ornament can it be to weare such withered things Fourthly they adorne not for continuance All apparell for the body of a man and all ornaments for his house or state any way they are the worse for wearing and will weare cleane out in the end And therefore for the use first how vaine a thing is the pride of life and secondly we should therefore know no man after the flesh but to reckon of mans worth by better things than worldly things Doct. 3. A third doctrine is evidently to be observed out of these words and that is very comfortable for godly Christians such as the Apostle supposed these to be to whom he writes and that is That godly Christians have right to all incorruptible things That which is not corruptible if they seeke they may possesse It is their owne God would have them put it on as they put on their apparell He hath adorned his children with the gift of all incorruptible things heavenly treasures are theirs and they may lay hold on them and lay them up as their certaine riches and portion Mat. 6. â—0 He grants eternall life to them that seeke glory and honour and incorruptible things that is he grants them an eternall possession of spirituall things Rom. 2.7 Now that this doctrine may be more evident and full of comfort it is profitable to inquire distinctly what is incorruptible and will last alwaies and so we shall find by the testimonies of the Scripture that seven things are incorrupâ—ible 1. â—od is incorruptible Rom. 1. and God is their God by covenant and as David saith he is the strength of their heart and their portion for ever Psal. 37.26 1â—9 57. and God his mercy and his love and his power is everlasting His mercy endures for ever Psal. 136. and his loving kindnesse â—â—all never be taken from him Psal. 89.33 and with everlasting compassion he hath received them to favour Esay 54. and with everlasting love hath he loved them Ier. 31.3 and in the Lord Iehovah is everlasting strength for the protection and preservation of his people and therefore they may trust upon him for ever Esay 26.4 and therefore if all people will walke every â—ne in the name of his God godly men ought much more to waâ—ke in the name of the Lord their God for ever and ever Micah 4.6 2. The Word of God is incorruptible and lasts beyond all end 1 Pet. 1.24 Psal. 119.89 And this is the heritage of the godly Psal. 119.111 127. The truth shall be with us for ever 2 Iohn 2. 3. The righteousnesse of Christ is everlasting Dan. 9.24 and this righteousnesse is theirs â—o as they may put it on as a garment and it makes them righteous before God Rom. 13. ult 1 Cor. 1.30 2 Cor. 5.21 4. Gods covenant is incorruptible and everlasting Esaâ— 55.4 and it cannot be abrogared but the godly shall have the benefit of it for ever 5. The gifts of saving grâ—ce are incorruptible and their hearts can never â—ee drawne dry but the spring of grace will bee in some measure in them And through these graces the godly have everlasting consolation for Gods gifts and calling are without repentance Iohn 4.14 2 Thes 2.10 Rom. 11. This love is incorruptible 2 Cor. 13. and everlasting joy shal be upon their heads Esay 61. So the seed of saving knowledge will abide in the godly for ever 1 Iohn 3. and their meeknesse and a quiet spirit is reckoned an ornament that is not corruptible But of this afterwards 6. Good workes are incorruptible so the righteousnesse of the just will last for ever 2 Cor. 9.9 and though he die yet his workes will follow him to Heaven Rev. 14.13 Psal. 139.24 Lastly Heaven and the glory of it is everlasting Gods kingdome is an everlasting kingdome 1 Tim. 6.11 and that glory is an eternall waight of glory 2 Cor. 4.14 We have an house that is eternall in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 our inheritance there is immortall and undefiled and withereth not away 1 Pet. 1.3 The uses may be divers Use 1. For first it should teach us to strive to be such as may have our portion in incorruptible thing and so wee must first
for evill Note there three things first that hee gives this as a speciall charge as a thing most hatefull or ill-beseeming a Christian. Secondly what he saith No man must doe it Great men have no more liberty by private quarrels to revenge their dishonour or hurt than meane men Thirdly that he saith To no man wee must not render evill to any man of any religion condition or estate whatsoever the injurie bee So Rom 12.17 the like charge is given and two excellent reasons against private revenge One because vengeance belongs to God onely it is his office And it is best God should revenge because he gives recompence to every transgression and besides he gives a just recompence Heb. 2.2 whereas men that will perform their owne revenge give or seeke many times an unequall revenge as when our Gallants will have blood for a reproach this is not equall that a mans life should be taken for a supposed wrong to their reputation And further God hath never failed to execute vengeance whereas men many times fail and cannot perform the revenge they seeke but rather the contrary Gods vengeance falls upon them for taking his office out of his hands as many of those that seeke the bloud of others in revenge lose their owne Heb. 10.30 Also it is worth the noting that in that place to the Romans the Apostle adds another reason against private revenge which greatly crosseth the proud and passionate spirits of our times and that is couched in these words Be not overcome of evill but overcome evill with goodnesse which words import That he is over comâ—â— and hath lost his honour that will revenge and contrariwise he doth overcome that will render good for evill If this point were seriously considered it would mightily subdue that unruly pride and passionâ— that discovers it selfe in the most men and it doth directly prove that Duels or single combats are simply unlawfull and intolerable in any well governed Common-wealth and should warne all Christians to take heed of allowing themselves in the desires or projects of revenge Nor is their sin the lesse that seeke revenge but it is closely and much dissembled while they watch for an opportunity to be even with them that have wronged them Nor reviling for reviling Observe 1. That people that are ungodly are very prone to reviling This we may see in the conversation they have among their neighbours what brawling and scoulding from day to day and also in the case of religion how doe they continually reproach and slander the true Christians so in family affaires with what disgracefull and hatefull termes are all the businesses almost of the household dispatch But of this I spake before 2. That reviling and railing is a very hatefull sin It is here accounted a great suffering to suffer reviling Our Saviour reckons it murther in his exposition of the sixt Commandement Mat 5. And if godly men be reviled it is termed blasphemie in divers places of Scripture in the Originall It proceeds from vile and base natures Heb. 12.14 15. Iames 1.21 3.9 Gods spirit is a Spirit of meeknesse and evill words corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15.16 The Use is therefore for great reproofe and shame to all those that are guilty of this sin especially such as have their mouthes full of cursing and bitternesse Rom. 3.14 and such as revile men for this very reason because they follow goodnesse calling good evill Esay 5.20 21. 1 Pet. 4.5 and such as revile those that are neere unto them in the strong bonds of nature or covenant as when wives revile their husbands or children their parents 3. That though we be reviled yet we must not revile againe because reviling is a sin and God hath flatly forbidden it in this and other Scriptures and besides we have an excellent example of our Saviour himselfe that suffered all sorts of reproaches and yet was so far from reviling that he threatned noâ— 1 Pet. 2. and all sorts of godly men have endured reviling that were many degrees better than thou And further what knowest thou but God may blesse thee for their cursing as David said And therefore all that are true Christians should be effectually warned from hence to resolâ—e against bitter words and reviling though they be never so much provoked Thus of the rules the Apostle gives for avoiding of troubles Now followes the arguments for the confirmation of those rules especially of the later and the first is taken from the estate or condition of a Christian in this verse the second from the Prophet David ver 10 11 12. and the third from the probable event or effect of such a course ver 13. In the rest of this verse he infers from their calling to Gods blessing That they should be so far from cursing and reviling that they should use no other language than blessing even to the wicked and their adversaries But contrariwise This very terme imports That the life and discourse of a true Christian should be not onely different from the life and language of wicked men but in many things contrary And it must needs be so because the godly and wicked arise from a contrary fountaine the one borne after the flesh the other after the spirit Gal. â—4 and their words and actions flow from contrary principles for the one is led by the old man the other by the new manâ— and they have from without contrary leaders the one led by the Divell Eph. â— the other by the Spirit of God Rom. 8. and further they trade about contrary commodities the one for earthly things only iâ— the â—ther for heavenly the one for things of this world the other for things of another world and lastly they goe contrary waies the one to hell the other to heaven and therefore there can be no agreement betweene them no more than between ligth and darknesse Christ and Belial This point serves for great reproofe of some weake Christians for comming so neere the waies of carnall men as they can hardly be distinguished from them that looke so like them Such were those Corinthians Saint Paul reproves 1. Cor. 3. 1 2 3. Blesse It is required of all true Christians that they should blesse their conversation should expresse blessing continually Now for the understanding of this point wee must know that man is said in Scripture to blesse â—ither God or man He blesseth God when he praiseth his mercy and acknowledgeth his blessings he adds nothing to Gods blessednesse but onely acknowledgeth Gods blessed nature and dealing towards man This exercise of blessing God began betimes in the world as Gen. 14.20 and was constantly continued in all ages among the godly But in this place the Apostle meaneth it of blessing man and to blesse man is either a vice or a vertue There is a vicious blessing of men which must be separated from the doctrine of this Text. Now it is vicious first when a man blesseth himselfe
unto reformation if they will carefully observe these rules following 1. They must study to be quiet 1 Thes. 4.12 They must not trust their owne conceits of things but with good conscience study how to prevent occasions of unquietnesse and how to carry themselves discreetly and with meeknesse It doth require much study to live quietly 2. They must be sure they meddle with their owne businesse as it is further added in the same place They must be sure to place their greatest care in learning how to discharge their owne duties to others and not allow themselves liberty to suspect or censure the waies of others with whom they converse Such wives as are so diligent to studie their husbands duties and to finde fault with them in their callings seldome or never live quietly with their husbands whereas the Apostle here would have such wives as have ill husbands to lay the ground of a quiet life in the care of sound discharge of their owne duties to their husbands 3. They must heartily repent for their faults of unquietnesse and frowardnesse past and not only humble their soules in secret before God for such sins but also shew their repentance to those with whom they converse by an humble acknowledgement of their vile nature and froward behaviour even in the particulars of it Repentance for knowne trespasses can never be sound if it be secret and not made knowne to the parties grieved 4. It will wonderfully help them if they pray constantly to the Lord Jesus that left such a patterne of meeknesse and to entreat him by influence of his grace to quiet and sweeten their natures Beseech the Lord Jesus even by his meeknesse to make us meek and able to expresse his vertue in a quiet conversation 5. They must not give place to wrath but if they perceive their hearts rising and inclined to passion and provoking and censorious words they must presently lay necessity of silence upon themselves till they be able to speake quietly and without frowardnesse This one rule constantly for a while observed would breed a great alteration in their dispositions quickly and in time weare out the force of the disease Unquietnesse is much enlarged by the words are uttered after the offence is taken And thus of a meek and quiet spirit only we may note from the indefinite requiring of meeknesse That Christians and in particular Christian wives must exercise meeknesse and quietnesse towards all persons and at all times and in all places In all places I say and so both at home and abroad towards all persons and so they must carry themselves quietly not only towards their husbands but towards their servants and their neighbours whether they be poore or rich and at all times they must not be young Saints and old Divells as the Proverb is that is of a soft and gentle behaviour at first and then grow froward afterwards Age and infirmities are not sufficient excuses for vicious anger and unquietnesse Besides in that the Apostle resembles meeknesse to apparell it imports That by nature we are borne without it our soules being as naked in respect of meeknesse as our bodies be in respect of cloathes and withall that it should be our every-daies care to put on meeknesse and fit our selves for quietnesse as wee would put on our cloathes And further as it is not enough to put on our cloathes but we must tie them and fit them handsomely so must we use discretion in the putting on of meeknesse and quietnesse fitting the vertue to the reasons and occasions of the day Thus of the second part of this verse The third and last is the reason why women should be so carefull of this kind of dressing and apparell and that is because it is a thing of great price in the sight of God Which in the sight of God is of great price Divers things may be hence observed 1. That God doth highly esteeme of the vertues and true grace and good behaviour of his servants and therefore in this place their vertues are said to be very rich in Gods sight and in the Scriptures he gives the terme of riches to their gifts 1 Cor. 1.5 and grace is called glory Esay 4.5 and God is described as if he were in love with his people when they carry themselves graciously Iohn 14.21 And this serves greatly to exalt the praise of Gods good nature and tender affection to man and the more because all good things in us are his owne gift Iames 1.17 and because our best gifts have many imperfections in them and our best workes are defiled with sinne Esay 64. and besides because he greatly esteemes them even the least beginnings of goodnesse in his servants as their desires to be good and their very preparations of their hearts to goodnesse Esay 55.1 2. Psal. 10.17 2 Christians are bound in all their behaviour to carry themselves so as that God may accept of them and esteeme what they doe and this is required of them in every state of life They are tyed to this not only in what they doe in Gods house but in what they doe in their owne house This all are charged Heb. 12.28 and so wives here and so servants Eph. 6. 5 6 7. The praise and acceptation of God should be ever before their eyes the reasons are because the formes and rules of all behaviour are given by God his Word is the light to our feet and the lanthorne to our paths Psal. 119. and is only able to make the man of God perfect in every good word and worke 2 Tim. 3. ult and besides if we doe well we are sure never to faile of the praise of God whereas if we seeke the praise of men wee may be deceived For either they may praise us for that which is abominable in the sight of God Luke 16.15 or they may dispraise us when wee doe well or at best their praise is mutable And further it is God that must reward our good conversation Eph. 6.8 and therefore reason that hee bee looked after in what wee doe Lastly this is a signe of difference betweene the godly and the wicked in doing good duties a godly man is knowne by this signe that his praise is of God and not of men Rom. 2.29 Mat. 6. The Use should be to teach us therefore in all our waies to labour to please God and above all things to seeke his acceptation Now if wee would have God pleased with what we doe we must looke to divers rules 1. Wee must bee sure that wee are not in the flesh for they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom 8.8 Wee must be sure we are new creatures Gal. 6.15 2. Wee must set God alwaies before us and remember his holy presence Gen 17.2 Psal. 16.8 God cannot abide to be forgotten 3. Wee must come to the light that it may bee manifest that our workes are wrought in God Iohn 3.22 Wee must walke by
rule Gal. 6.16 and do all in faith Heb. 11.6 4. We must serve God in our spirits as well as in our outward man not as men-pleasers or with eye service or with outward worship but from the heart and with the spirit Rom. 2.28 29. Eph. 6.5 6 7. 5. We must make conscience of the least sins to avoide them and of the least Commandements to obey them if we would be great in heaven Mat. 5.19 Divers of these are exprest in one sentence Micah 6.8 Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe justly and to love mercy and to humble thy selfe to walk with thy God 6. We must avoide those sins that God especially hates such as are swearing Commandement 3. Deut. 28.58 lukewarmnesse in religion Rev. 3.15 16. persecuting such as feare God 1 Thes. 2.15 16. wilfull fashioning our selves after this world Rom. 12.1 2. to blesse our selves in our hearts against Gods curses Deut. 29.19 through impatience or unbeliefe to withdraw our selves in adversity Heb. 10 38. and in generall all grosse sins Rev. 22.15 Doct. 3. The best riches a Christian hath are his vertues and gifts of his mind and therefore he saith here they are rich in Gods sight Now they are his best riches in divers respects 1. Because they are riches in Gods sight whereas all worldly treasures commend not any man to God Gal. 3.28 He gives us naked into the world and takes us himselfe naked againe 2. Because they furnish the best part of man viz. his mind whâ—â—eas worldly riches doe only furnish mens houses or bodies 3. Because no violence can take these treasures away A man may be vertuous spight of the hearts of all the Divells in hell or divellish men on earth whereas worldly treasures may be many waies lost 4. Because those things doe make a man rich to immortality whereas worldly riches can serve at best but for a mortall life And therefore this point shewes that godly men that seeke vertue and grace have chosen the better part and that we should all covet spirituall gifts with more earnest affections than worldlings doe outward riches And it shewes the happy estate of poore Christians they may be very rich for all their poverty outward Rev. 2.8 Neither may hypocrites please themselves with saying they are rich Rev. 3.17 for God will discover their counterfeit wares And in generall we may hence gather that the richest men in the Parish are vertuous men Doct. 4. It is evident from hence that God sees the spirits of men our hearts are all open and manifest before him Ier. 17.9 1 Kings 8.39 1 Sam. 17. Heb. 4.13 And this must needs be so because God is omniscient all eye and sees all things The Sun may cease shining but God cannot cease seeing Secondly because God formed the hearts of all men and therefore must needs know them Psal. 33.15 Thirdly because God by his providence doth specially watch over the world of spirits add daily visits mens hearts Iob 7.18 Psal. 17.3 and receives presentments of all abuses He daily tries the hearts and reins and weighes the heart of man Pro. 21.2 And therefore the Use should be divers first to reach men to labour for inward and secret goodnesse as well as outward and open conformity and to be afraid of sin in secret for no darknesse can hide from God the day and night are all one to him and though no eye of man see thee yet art thou alwaies before the eye of God We should therefore keepe our hearts with all diligence Pro. 4.23 And it may be a great comfort to the godly against all the scornes and censures of the world that traduce them as hypocrites for God sees their hearts yea it may comfort them against the imperfections of their workes for God seeth the preparations and desires of their hearts and that they would faine doe better But especially this is terrible to wicked men for if God see the hearts of men in what case are they that have such evill hearts Ob. Why will some one say what fault can God find with our hearts Sol. God sees the deadnesse and dulnesse that is in thy heart in his service He sees thy directions and how far off thy heart is from him when thou drawest neere to him with thy lips he sees thy hypocrisie and securitie and thy double and divided heart he sees thy carnall cavils and the boiling risings of thy heart against him and his truth he sees thy fâ—â—â—fulnesse and unbeliefe and the uncircumcision of thy heart thy unreâ—â—hâ—blenesse and forgetfulnesse he sees all the vanities and errours of thy imaginations all thy lusts and passions and wicked desires and all thâ—â— framâ— of thy imaginations that are only evill continually he sees thy filthy nakednesse and all the Idols thou entertainest in thy heart and therefore if thou wilt not perish in the eternall abomination of God make haste to wash thine heart from wickednesse and seriously to repent of the sins of thy spirit Lastly the scope of this place teacheth us distinctly That God makes a great reckoning of such men and women as have meeke and quiet spirits There is reason for it because a quiet mind is like to Gods mind which is never stirred nor moved from everlasting to everlasting but is alwaies the same and because where the spirit is meeke and quiet there all sin is mortified and every good gift and grace doth prosper And this should be a great encouragement to all Christians and in particular to Christian wives that are meek and live quietly with their husbands for though their husbands should not love them the more or esteeme of this grace hence they may see that God will like them much the better for it and they are very comely and richly cloathed in Gods sight Ver. 5. Por even after this manâ—r in times past did the holy 〈◊〉 which trâ—sted in God 〈◊〉 themselves and were subject to their husbands Ver. 6. As Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord whose daughters ye are while ye doe well not being affraid of any terrour IN these two verses is contained the confirmation of the Proposition exhorting wives to be subject to their owne husbands ver 1. And this is made good by two reasons both taken from example the one in generall from the practice of holy women of ancient times that did so carry themselves towards their husbands ver 5. the other in particular from the practice of Sarah the mother of faithfull women ver 6. The example generally considered ver 5. is described and commended sixe wayes First for the maner of it it was in this maner that is just according to the precept now given by the Apostle Secondly for the anâ—iquitie of it it was so in old time Thirdly for the subject persons in whom it was found viz. not only women that did so but the holiest women Fourthly for the cause of it viz.