IMPRIMATUR Novemb. 25. 1693. Guil. Lancaster R. P. D. Henrico Epis. Lond. Ã Sacris Domesticis A Practical COMMENTARY UPON THE First Epistle General of St. Peter VOL. II. Containing the Third Fourth and Fifth CHAPTERS By the Most Reverend ROBERT LEIGHTON D. D. Some-time Archbishop of Glasgow Published after his death at the request of his Friends LONDON Printed by B. G. for Sam. Keble at the Great Turks-head in Fleet-street over-against Felter-lane MDCXCIV TO THE Christian Reader THE following Discourses of our most Reverend Author contain his judicious and pious Thoughts upon the Third Chapter to the end of the First Epistle of St. Peter which together with the Commentary on the First and Second Chapters published the last year make a compleat and useful Explication of that whole Epistle They might have been all of one Impression and so have come into thy hands at the same time and in one Volume had not some prudent considerations oblig'd us to change the Printer However we have taken care so to print this Second Part that it may conveniently be bound up with the first and there is little loss by the delay but that of time which perhaps is not so much neither but that it may with more profit to thee be happily redeemed I know that some do not relish the phrase and contexture of such Discourses but I am on the other hand assured by others very able and competent judges of such performances that they are highly valuable in their whole scope and tendency for they think that they not only contain the purity of Doctrine according to Scripture but also the life and spirit of Christian Morals and that they happily cement together and bear in upon the heart right notions of God and Religion with solid Piety In a word that as they are written by a Primitive Spirit and in a plain Stile so they may through Gods grace sow the Seeds of Primitive Devotion which is too much worn out in this Age the seat whereof is more in the Heart than in the Head If they serve in any measure those great ends our labour is highly rewarded Let such then as shall reap this benefit by these well designed Papers be pleased to know that it is not so much to me as to the Pious Zeal and Care of our Great and now Blessed Authors surviving Relations that they owe this Happy Enjoyment whose Virtue and Piety afford matter enough for a large Preface if their Modesty did not so awfully restrain my too forward inclinations that I must content my self to say that they now live like him whom they tenderly loved whilst he was amongst them and that as he did so they make it their business to do good without letting the World know of it It has been at their charge and pressing desire that all those papers that are already printed have been copied out prepared for the press and published They neither proposed to themselves nor expect any other advantage but thy Edification and therein the glory of God rich returns indeed and which nothing can rob them of but meerly thy inproficiency and if that happen which God forbid the loss shall be more thine than theirs I was not willing that such good ends should be obstructed by my declining any part of the trouble that fell to my share on the contrary I considered it a Duty I owed first to God and then to the memory of the excellent Author whose divine converse and wonderful example gave me early and powerful Resolutions to dedicate my self to God and the Service of his Church In my performance I have done my best tho short of what I wished to serve thee there remains in our Hands some brief but lively Discourses upon the Epistle to the Ephesians upon the Decalogue the Creed and the Lord's Prayer which possibly may be made publick in a convenient time When this is done I think we have ended all we intend to publish at present Let us therefore set about the reformation of our Lives in the use of these means depending upon God for the success and that he by his free Grace and good Spirit may enable thee and me by this and all other helps which this Age affords to make greater and greater Advances towards Heaven and so to finish our Course with Ioy is and shall be the hearty Prayer of Thy Servant in the Lord I. FALL York March 13 th 1694. Books written by the most Reverend Father in God Robert Leighton D. D. sometimes Archbishop of Glasgow Printed for and are to be Sold by Sam. Keble at the Great Turk's-Head in Fleet-street EIghteen Sermons Printed in 1691 8 o. A Practical Commentary upon the First and Second Chapters of St. Peter by the most Reverend Robert Leighton D. D. sometime Archbishop of Glasgow 1693. 4 o. R mi. D. D. Roberti Leightoni Praelectiones Theologicae in Auditorio publico Academiae Edinburgenae dum Professoris primarii munere ibi fungeretur habitae Vna cum Paraenesibus in Comitiis Academicis ad gradus Magistralis in artibus Candidatos Quibus adjiciuntur Meditationes Ethico Criticae in Psalmos IV. XXXII CXXX 1693. 4 o. A Practical Commentary upon the First Epistle General of St. Peter Vol. II. containing the Third Fourth and Fifth Chapters by the most Reverend Robert Leighton D D. sometime Archbishop of Glasgow 1694. 4 o. ERRATA PAg 16. on the margin for nulla read multa p. 22. l. 22. far very read very far p. 51. l 5. mind read mud p. 61. l. 10. be read the. p. 81. l. 2. re read respect p. 211. l. 1. not be read not to be p. 219. l. 25. caties read Calamities p. 243. l. 16. point it thus we were all sealed to God in Baptism p. 245. l. 1. yea read ye p. 254. l. 20. dele where he reigns p. 261. l. 31. bear read bore p. 277. l. 10. he read the ib. penult it hatest read hatest it p. 281. l. 29. point it thus not to equal that which it were so reasonable c. p. 262 l. 32. their read the. p. 357. l. 21. before you read before you p. 416. l. 14. of the way teaching read the way of teaching p. 441. l. 30 some read foam p. 448. l. 15. turn read turned 1 Ep. St. Peter Chap. III. Ver. 1. Likewise ye Wives be in subjection to your own Husbands that if any one obey not the word they also without the word may be won by the Conversation of the Wives THE Tabernacle of the Sun Psal. 19 is set high in the Heavens but 't is that it may have influence below upon the Earth And the Word of God that is spoke of there immediately after as being many wayes like it holds resemblance in this particular 't is a sublime heavenly Light and yet descends in its use to the Lives of Men in the variety of their Stations to warm and to enlighten to regulate their affections and actions in whatsoever course of
mention'd and carries along with it this inward and real not acted courteousness Not to insist on it now it gains at all hands with God and with Men receives much Grace from God and kills envy and commands respect and good will from Men. Those showers of grace that slide off from the lofty Mountains rest on the Valleys and make them fruitful He giveth grace loves to bestow it wherethere is most room to receive it and most return of ingenuous and entire praises upon the receipt and such is the humble Heart and truly as much humility gains much grace so it grows by it 1. 'T is one of the Worlds reproaches against those that go beyond their size in Religion that they are proud and self conceited Christians beware there be nothing in you justifying this sure they that have most true grace are least guilty of it common knowledge and gifts may puff up but grace does not He whom the Lord loads most with his richest gifts stoops lowest as pressed down with the weight of them the Free Love of God humbles the Heart most to which it is most manifested And towards Men it graces all Grace and all gifts and glorifies God and teaches others so to do It is the preserver of Graces sometimes seems to wrong them by hiding them but indeed it is their safety Hezekiah by a vain shewing of his jewels and treasures forfeited them all Verse 9. 9 Not rendring evil for evil or railing ofr railing but contrary wise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing OPposition helps Grace both to more strength and more lustre when Christian Charity is not encounter'd with the Worlds malignance it hath an easier task but assaulted and overcoming it shines the brighter and rises higher and thus it is when it renders not evil for evil To repay good with evil is amongst Men the top of iniquity yet this is our universal guiltiness towards God he multiplying mercies and we vying with multiply'd sins as the Lord complains of Israel as they were increased so they sinned The lowest step of good mutual amongst Men is not to be bent to provoke others with injuries and being unoffended to offend none but this not to repay offences nor render evil for evil is a Christians rule and yet further to return good for evil and blessing for cursing is not only counsell'd as some vainly distinguish but commanded It is true the most have no ambition for this degree of goodness aspire no further but to do or say no evil unprovoked and think themselves sufficiently just and equitable if they keep in that but this is lame is but half the rule Thou thinkest injury obliges thee or if not so yet excuses thee to revenge or at least disobliges thee unties thy engagement of wishing and doing good but these are all gross practical errours For 1st The second injury done by way of revenge differs from the first that provoked it little or nothing but only in point of time and certainly no one Man's sin can procure priviledge to another to sin in that or the like kind If another hath broken the bonds of his allegiance and Obedience to God and of charity to thee yet thou art not the less ty'd by the same Bonds still 2dly By revenge of injuries thou usurpest upon God's prerogative who is the Avenger as the Apostle teaches Rom. 12. this doth not forbid either the Magistrats Sword for just punishment of Offenders or the Souldiers Sword in a just War but such revenges as without authority or a lawfull call the pride and perversness of Men do multiply one against another In which is involv'd a presumptuous contempt of God and his supreme authority or at least the unbelief and neglect of it 3dly It cannot be genuine upright goodness that hath its dependance upon the goodness of others that are about us that as they say of the vain glorious Man his vertue lyeth in the beholders eye if thy Meekness and Charity be such as lyeth in the good and mild carriage of others towards thee in their Hand and Tongues thou art not owner of it intrinsecally such quiet and calm if none provoke thee is but an accidental uncertain cessation of thy turbulent Spirit unstirr'd but move it and it acts it self according to it self sends up that Mind that lay at the bottom but true Grace doth then most manifest what it is when those things that are most contrary surround and assault it it cannot correspond and hold game with injuries and raylings hath no faculty for that for answering evil with evil a Tongue enur'd to graciousness and mild Speeches and Blessings and a heart stor'd so within can vent no other try it and stir it as you will A Christian acts and speaks not according to what others are towards him but according to what he is through the grace and Spirit of God in him as they say quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis the same things are differently received and work differently as the Nature and way is of that which receives them A sparkle blows up one of a sulphureous temper and many Coals greater injuries and reproaches are quench'd and loose their force being thrown at another of a Cool Spirit Prov. 17. 27. They that have malice and bitterness and cursings within though these sleep it may be yet awake them with the like and the Provision comes forth out of the abundance of the heart give them an ill word and they have another or two for one in readiness for you where the Soul is furnished with spiritual blessings there blessings come forth even in answer to reproaches and indignities the mouth of the Wise is a Tree of Life says Solomon can bear no other fruit but according to its kind and the Nature of the root an honest spiritual heart pluck at it who will they can pull no other fruit but such fruit Love and Meekness lodge there and therefore whosoever knocks these make the answer Let the World account it a despicable simplicity seek you still more of that Dove-like Spirit the Spirit of meekness and blessing a poor glory to vie railings and contest in that faculty or any kind of vindictive returns of evil the most abject creatures have of that great Spirit as follish poor Spirited persons account it but it is the glory of Man to pass by a transgression the noblest victory and as we mention'd the highest example God is our Pattern in Love and Compassions we are well warranted to do 't in this Men esteem much more of some other vertues that make more shew and trample upon these Love and Compassion and Meekness but though these violetâ— grow low and are of a dark colour yet they are of a very sweet and diffusive smell odoriferous Graces and the Lord propounds himself our example in them Matth. 5. 't is to be truly the Children of your Father your
sealed it that then the Grave had indeed shut her mouth upon him it appeared a done business to them and lookt very compleat-like in his Enemies eyes and very desperate like to his Friends his poor Disciples and Followers were they not near the point of giving over when they said This is the third day c. And we thought this had been he that should have delivered Israel And yet he was then with them who was indeed the Deliverer and Salvation of Israel that rolling of the Stone to the Grave was as if they had rolled it towards the East in the night to stop the rising of the Sun the next Morning much further above all their Watches and power was this Sun of Righteousness in his rising again That body that was enâ—omb'd was united to the Spring of Life the Divine Spirit of the Godhead that quickened it Obs. 1. Thus the Church which is likewise his Body when it seems undone is brought to the lowest Posture yet by vertue of that mystical Union with Jesus Christ as his Natural Body by personal Union with his Deity shall be preserved from destruction and shall be delivered and raised in due time Yet as he was nearest his exaltation in the lowest step of his Humiliation so is it with his Church when things are brought to the most hopeless appearance then shall light arise out of darkness Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses Therefore as we ought to seek more humble Sense of Sions distress so withal not to let go this hope that her mighty Lord will in the end be glorious in her deliverance and all her sufferings and low estate shall be as a dark Soil to set off the lusture of her restorement when the Lord shall visit her with Salvation As in the rising of Jesus Christ his Almighty Power and Deity was more manifested than if he had not died and therefore we may say confidently with the Psalmist to his Lord Psal. 71. Thou which hast shewed me greâ—t and sore troubles shall quicken me again and shall bring 〈◊〉 up from the depths of the Earth thou shalt increase my greatness and comfort me on every side Yea the Church comes more beautiful out of the deepest distress let it be oâ—erwhelmed with waves yet it sinks not but rises up as only washt And in this confidence we ought to rejoyce even in the midst of our sorrows and though we live not to see them yet even in beholding afar off to be gladed with the great things the Lord will do for his Church in these later times he will certainly make bare his holy Arm in the Eyes of the Nations and all the ends of the Earth shall see the Salvation of our God His King that he hath set on his holy Hill shall grow in his Conquests and Glory and all that rise against him shall he break with a Rod of Iron He was humbled once but his glory shall be for ever as many were astonished at him his Visage being mar'd more than any Man they shall be as much astonished at his Beauty and Glory so shall he sprinkle many Nations and Kings shall shut their mouths at him According as here we find that remarkable evidence of his Divine Power in rising from the dead put to death in the Flesh but quickened by the Spirit 2. Thus a believing Soul at the lowest when to its own sense it is given over unto death and swallowed up of it as it were in the Belly of Hell yet look up to this Divine Power him whose Soul was not left there will not leave thine there Yea when thou art most sunk in thy sad apprehensions and far off to thy thinking then is he nearest to raise and comfort thee as sometimes it grows darkest immediately before day Rest on his power and goodness which never failed any that did so It is he as David says that lifts up the Soul from the Gates of Death 3. Would any of you be cured of that common Disease the fear of Death look this way and you shall find more than you seek you shall be taught not only not to fear but to love it Consider 1. His Death He died by that thou that receivest him as thy life maist be sure of this that thou art by that his death freed from the second death and that 's the great Point let that have the name which was given to the other the most terrible of all terrible things and as the second death is removed this death that thou art to pass through is I may say beautified and sweetned the ugly Visage of it becomes amiable when ye look on 't in Christ and in his death that puts such a pleasing comeliness upon it that whereas others fly from it with affrightment the Believer cannot chuse but embrace it longs to lie down in that Bed of Rest since his Lord lay in it and hath warmed that cold Bed and purified it with his fragrant Body 2. But especially looking forward to his return thence quickened by the Spirit this being to those that are in him the certain pledge yea the effectual Cause of that blessed Reâ—urrection that is in their hopes there is that Union betwixt them that they shall rise by the communication and vertue of his rising not simply by his Power so the wicked to their grief shall be raised but they by his life as theirs Therefore is it so often re-iterated Io. 6. where he speaks of himself as living and Life-giving Bread to Belivers adds I will raise them up at the last day This comfort we have even for the house of Clay we lay down and for our more considerable part our immortal Souls this his death and rising hath provided for them at their dislodging entring into that Glory where he is Now if these things were lively apprehended and laid hold on Christ made ours and the first Resurrection manifest in us quickened by his spirit to newness of life certainly there would not be a more wellcome and refreshing thought nor a sweeter discourse to us than that of death and no matter for the kind of it were it a violent death so was his Were it that we account most judgement like amongst diseases the plague was not his death very painful and was it not an accursed death and by that curse endured by him in his is not the Curse taken away to the Believer Oh! how wellcome shall that day be that day of Deliverance to be out of this woâ—ful Prison I regard not at what Door I go out at being at once freed from so many deaths and set in to enjoy him who is my life Verses 19 20 21. 19. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison 20. Which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water 21. The like figure
fruitful 2. By this Spirit it s said here he preacht not only did he so in the Days of his abode on Earth but in all times both before and after never left his Church altogether destitute of saving light which he dispenced himself and conveyed by the hands of his Servants therefore it s said he preacht that this be no excuse for times after he is ascended into Heaven no nor for times before he descended to the Earth in humane flesh though he preached not then nor does now in his flesh yet by his Spirit he then preacht and still doth so according to what was chief in him he was still present with his Church and preaching in it and is so to the end of the World This his infinite Spirit being every where yet 't is said here by it he went and preached signifying the remarkable clearness of his Administration that way as when he appears eminently in any work of his own or taking notice of our works God is said to come down so to those Cities Gen. 11. Let us go down So Exod. 3. 8. Thus here so clearly did he admonish them by Noah coming as it were himself on purpose to declare his Mind to them And this word I conceive is the rather used to shew what equality there is in this He came indeed visibly and dwelt amongst Men when he became flesh yet before that he visited by his Spirit he went by that and preached And so in after times himself being ascended and not having come visibly in his flesh to all but to the Jews only yet in the preaching of the Apostles to the Gentiles as the great Apostle says of him in this expression Eph. 2. 17. He came and preached to you which were asar off and this he continues to do in the ministry of his word and therefore says he he that despiseth you despiseth me c. Were this considered it could not but procure far more respect to the word and more acceptance of it Would you think that in his word Christ speaks by his eternal Spirit yea he comes and preaches addresses himself particularly to you in it could you slight him thus and turn him off with daily refusals or delays at least Think it is too long you have so unworthily used so great a Lord that brings unto you so great Salvation that came once in so wonderful a way to work that Salvation for us in his flesh and is still coming to offer it unto us by his Spirit does himself preach to us tells us what he undertook on our behalf and how he hath performed all and now nothing rests but that we receive him and believe on him and all is ours But alas from the most the return is that we have here disobedience Sometimes disobedient Two things in the hearers by which they are charactared their present condition in the time the Apostle was speaking of them and this by-past disposition when the Spirit of Christ was preaching to them this latter went first in time and was the cause of the other Therefore of it first If you look to their visible subordinate Preacher a holy Man and an able and diligent Preacher of righteousness both in his Doctrine and in the tract of his life which is the powerfullest preaching it seems strange that he prevailed so little But much more if we look higher this hight as the Apostle points to us to look to that Almighty Spirit of Christ that preacht to them and yet they were disobedient The word is they were not perswaded and it signifies both unbelief and disobedience and that very fitly unbelief being in it self the grand disobedience the mind not yielding to Divine Truth and so the spring of all disobedience in affection and action And this root of bitterness this unbelief is deep â—aâ—â—ened in our natural hearts and without a change in them a taking them to pieces they cannot be good it is as a Tree firm rooted cannot be pluckt up without loosening the ground round about it and this accursed root brings forth fruit unto death because the Word is not believed the threats of the Law and promises of the Gospel therefore Men cleave unto their sins and speak peace unto themselves while they are under the Curse It may seâ—m very strange that the Gospel is so fruitless amongst us yea that neither word nor rod both preaching aloud to us the Doctrine of Humiliation and Repentance yet perswades any Man to return or so much to turn inward and question himself to say what have I done But thus it will be till the Spirit be poured from on high to open and soften hearts It is to be desired as much wanting in the Ministery of the Word but were it there that would not serve unless it were by a concurrent work within the Heart meeting the Word and making the impressions of it there for here we find the Spirit went and preacht and yet the Spirits of the Hearers still unbelieving and disobedient it s a combined work of this Spirit in the Preacher and Hearers that makes it successful otherwise it is but shouting in a dead man's ear there must be something within as one said in a like case To the Spirits in Prison That 's now their Posture and because he speaks of them as in that Posture he calls them Spirits for it s their Spirits that are in that Prison As likewise calls them Spirits that the Spirit of Christ preacht to because it is indeed that that the preaching of the Word aims at it hath to do with the Spirits of Men is not content to be at their ear with a sound but works on their Minds and Spirits some way either to believe and receive or to be hardened and sealed up to Judgement by it which is for Rebels If disobedience follow on the preaching of that word the prison follows on that disobedâ—ence and that Word which they would not be bound by to obedience binds them over to that Prison whence they shall never escape nor be released for ever Take notice of it and know that you are warned you will not receive Salvation offering pressing it self upon you You are every day in that way of disobedience hastening to this perpetual Imprisonment Consider you now sit and hear this Word so did these that are here spoken of they had their time on Earth and much patience used towards them and though not to be swept away by a flood of Waters yet daily carried on by the flood of â—imes 90 Psal. and mortality And how soon you shall be on the other side set into Eternity you know not I beseech you be yet wise hearken to the offers yet made you for in his name I yet once again make a tender of Jesus Christ and Salvation in him to all that will let go their sins to lay hold on him Oh! do not destroy your selves you are in Prison he proclaims you Liberty Christ is still following
Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt And besides many other things to animate this that is here exprest Oh! how full is it They shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead And this in readiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the day set and it shall surely come though you think it far off Though the wicked themselves forget them and the Christian slight them and let them pass they pass not so they are all registred and the great Court-day shall call them to account for all these riots and excesses and withal for all their reproaches of the godly that would not run with them in these ways Tremble then you despisers and mockers of Holiness though you come not near it What will you do when these you reviled shall appear glorious in your sight and their King the King of Saints here much more glorious and his glory their joy and all terror to you Oh! then all faces that could look out disdainfully upon Religion and the Professors of it shall gather blackness and be bathed with shame and the more the despised Saints of God shall shout for joy You that would rejoyce then in the appearing of that holy Lord and Judge of the World let your way be now in holiness avoid and hate the common ways of the wicked World they live in their foolish opinion and that shall quickly end But the Sentence of that day shall stand for ever Verse 6. 6. For for this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit IT is a thing of prime concernment for a Christian to be rightly inform'd and frequently remembred what is the true estate and nature of a Christian for this the Multitude of those that bear that name either knows not or commonly forgets and so is carried away with the vain fancies and mistakes of the World The Apostle hath charactered Christianity very clearly to us in this place by that which is the very nature of it conformity with Christ and that which is necessarily consequent upon that disconformity with the World And as the nature and natural properties of things hold universally thus it is in those that in all ages are effectually called by the Gospel are moulded and framed thus by it thus it was says the Apostle with your Brethren that are now at rest as many as received the Gospel and for this end was it preacht to them that they might be judg'd according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit We have first here the preaching of the Gospel or suitable means to a certain end 2. The express Nature of that end 1. For this Cause There is a particular end and that very important which the preaching of the Gospel is aimed at this end many consider not hearing it as if it were to no end not propounding a fixed determined end in our hearing This therefore is to be considered by those that preach this Gospel that they aim right in it at this end and no other no self end The legal Priests not to be squint eyed nor evangelical Ministers thus squinting to base gain vain applause and also that they make it their study to find in themselves this work this living to God otherwise they cannot skillfully nor faithfully apply their gifts to this effect on their hearers and therefore acquaintance with God most necessary How sounds it to many of us at the least but as a well couched story whose use is to amuse us and possibly delight us a little and there is an end and indeed no end and turns the most serious and most glorious of all Messages unto an empty sound and if we awake and give it hearing it is much but for any thing further how few deeply before hand consider I have a dead heart therefore will I go unto the word of Life that it may be quickened it is frozen I will go and lay it before the warm Beams of that Sun that shines in the Gospel my corruptions mighty and strong and grace if any exceeding weak there is in the Gospel a power to weaken and to kill sin and to strengthen grace and this being the intent of my wise God in appointing it it shall be my desire and purpose in resorting to it to find it to me according to his gracious intendment to have faith in my Christ the Fountain of my Life more enabled and more active in drawing from him to have my heart more refined and spiritualized and to have the Sluse of Repentance opened and my Affections to Divine things enlarged more hatred of sin and more love of God and communion with him Ask your selves concerning former times and to take your selves even now enquire within why came I hither this day what had I in mine eye and desires this morning ere I came forth and in my way as I was coming did I seriously propound an end or no and what was my end Nor doth the meer custome of mentioning this in prayer satisfie the question for this as other such things usually do in our hand may turn to a lifeless form and have no heat of spiritual affection none of David's panting and breathing after God in his ordinances such desires as will not be still'd without a measure of attainment as the Childs desire of the breast as our Apostle resembles it chap. 2. And then again being returned home reflect on your hearts much hath been heard but is there any thing done by it have I gained my point it was not to pass a little time simply that I went or to pass it with delight in hearing rejoycing in that light as they did in S. Iohn Baptists for a season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as long as the hour lasts it was not to have my earpleased but my heart changed not to learn some new notions and carry them cold in my head but to be quickened and purified and renewed in the Spirit of my mind is this done think I now more esteemingly of Christ and the life of faith and the happiness of a Christian and are such thoughts solid and abiding with me what sin have I left behind what Grace of the Spirit have I brought home or what new degree or at least new desire of it a living desire that will follow its point Oh! this were good repetition A strange folly of multitudes of us to set our selves no mark to propound no end in the hearing of the Gospel The Merchant sails not only that he may sail but for traffick and trafficks that he may be rich The Husband Man plows not only to keep himself busie with no further end but plows that he may sow and sows that he may reap with advantage and shall we do the most excellent and fruitful work fruitlesly hear only to hear and look no
further This is indeed a a great vanity and a great misery to lose that labour and gain nothing by it which duly used would be of all others most advantageous and gainful and yet all meetings are full of this Now when you come this is not simply to hear a discourse and relish or dislike it in hearing But a matter of life and death of eternal death and eternal life and the spiritual life begot and nourisht by the word is the beginning of that eternal life Follows To them that are dead By which I conceive he intends such as had heard and believed the Gospel when it came to them and now were dead And this I think he doth to strengthen these brethren to whom he writes to commend the Gospel to this intent and not to think the condition and end of it hard As our Saviour mollifies the matter of outward sufferings thus so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you And the Apostle afterwards in this Chapter uses the same reason in that same subject so here that they might not judge the point of mortification he presses so grievous as naturally Men will do he tells them it is the constant end of the Gospel and they that have been saved by it went that same way he points out to them They that are dead before you died this way that I press on you before they died and the Gospel was preached to them for that very end Men pass away and others succeed but the Gospel is still the same hath the same tenour and substance and the same ends As Solomon speaks of the Heaven's and Earth that remain the same while one Generation passes and another cometh the Gospel surpasses both in its stability as our Saviour testifies they shall pass away but not one Iot of this Word And indeed they wear and wax old as the Apostle teaches us but the Gospel is from one Age to another of most unalterable integrity hath still the same vigour and powerful influence as at the first They that formerly received the Gospel it was upon these terms therefore think them not hard and they are now dead all the difficulty of that work of dying to sin is now over with them if they had not died to their sins by the Gospel they had died in them after a while and so died eternally it is therefore a wise prevention to have sin judged and put to death in us before we die if we die in them and with them we and our sin perish together if we will not part but if it die first before us then we live for ever And what think you of thy carnal will and all the delights of sin What is the longest term of its life uncertain it is but most certainly very short thou and these pleasures must be severed and parted within a little time however thou must dye and then they dye and you never meet again Now were it not the wisest course to part a little sooner with them and let them dye before thee that thou mayest inherit eternal life and eternal delights in it pleasures for evermore It s the only bargain and let us delay it no longer This is our season of enjoying the sweetness of the Gospel others heard it before us in our rooms that now we fill and now they are removed and remove we must shortly and leave this same room to others to speak and hear in It is high time we were considering what we do here to what end we speak and hear and to lay hold on that Salvation that is held forth unto us and that we lay hold on it let go our hold of sin and those perishing things that we hold so firm and cleave so fast to do they that are dead who heard and obeyed the Gospel now repent their repentance and mortifying the flesh or do they not think ten thousand times more pains were it for many Ages all to little for a moment of that which now they enjoy and shall enjoy to eternity And they that are dead who heard the Gospel and slighted it if such a thing might be what would they give for one of these opportunities that now we daily have and daily lose and have no fruit nor esteem of them You have lately seen many of you and you that shifted the sight have heard of numbers cut off in a little time whole families swept away by the late stroke of God's hand many of which did think no other but that they might have still been with you here in this place and exercise at this time and many years after this and yet who hath laid to heart the lengthning out of their day and considered it more as an opportunity of that higher and happier life than as a little protracting of this wretched life which is hastening to an end Oh! therefore be intreated to day while it is day not to harden your hearts though the Pestilence doth not now affright you so yet that standing mortality and the decay of these earthen lodges tells us that shortly we shall cease to preach and hear this Gospel Did we consider it would excite us to more earnest search after our evidences of that eternal life that is set before us in the Gospel and we would seek it in the characters of that spiritual life which is the beginning of it within us and is wroâ—ght by the Gospel in all the heirs of Salvation Think therefore wisely of these things 1. What 's the proper end of the Gospel 2. Of the approaching end of thy days and let thy certainty of this drive thee to seek more certainty of the other that thou maist partake of it and then this again will make the thoughts of the other sweet to thee that visage of death that is so terrible to unchanged sinners shall be amiable to thine eye having found a Liâ—e in the Gospel as happy and lasting as this is miserable and vanishing and seeing the perfection of that life on the other side of death will long for the passage Be more serious in this matter of daily hearing the Gospel why it is sent to thee and what it brings and think it is too long I have flighted its Message and many that have done so are cut off and shall hear it no more I have it once more inviting me and it may be this may be the last to me and in these thoughts ere you come bow your knee to the Father of Spirits that this one thing may be granted you that your Souls may find at length the lively and mighty power of his Spirit upon yours in the hearing of this Gospel that you may be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit Thus is the particular nature of that end exprest and without the noise of various senses intends I conceive no other but the dying to the World and sin and living unto God which is the Apostle's
main subject and scope in the foregoing Discourse that death was before called a suffering in the flesh which is in effect the same and therefore though the words may be drawn another way yet its strange that Interpreters have been so far wide of this their genuine and agreeable sense and almost all of them taken in some other intendment To be judged in the flesh In the present sense is to die to sin or that sin die in us and it s thus exprest 1. Suitably tably to the nature of it it is to the flesh a violent death and it is according to a Sentence judicially put against it that guilty and miserable life of sin is in the Gospel adjudged to death there that arrest and sentence is clear and full Rom. 6. 6 c. 8. 13. That sin must die that the Soul may live it must be crucified in us and we to it that we may partake of the Life of Christ and Happiness in him And this is called to be judged in the flesh to have this sentence executed 2. The thing is the rather spoke here under the term of being judged in counter-ballance of that Judgment mentioned immediately before v. 5. The last Judgment of quick and dead wherein they that would not be thus judged but mockt and despised those that were shall fall under a far more terrible Judgment and the sentence of a heavy death indeed everlasting death though they think they shall escape and enjoy liberty in living in sin And that to be judged according to men is I conceive added to signifie the connaturalness of the life of sin to man 's now corrupt nature That men do judge it a death indeed to be severed and pulled from their sins and that a cruel death and the Sentence of it in the Gospel a heavy Sentence a hard Saying to a carnal Heart that he must give up with all his sinful delights must die indeed in self-denial must be separated from himself which is to die if he will be joyned with Christ and live in him Thus men judge that they are judged to a painful death by the Sentence of the Gospel although it is that they may truely and happily live yet they understand it not so They see the death the parting with sin and all its pleasures but the life they see not nor can any know it till partaking of it it is known to him in whom it is it is hid with Christ in God And therefore the opposition here is very fiâ—ly thus represented that the death is according to men in the flesh but the life is according to God in the Spirit As the Christian is adjudged to this death in the flesh by the Gospel so he is lookt on and accounted by carnal men as dead for that he enjoyes not with them what they esteem their life and think they could not live without it one that cannot carrouse and swear with prophane Men is a silly dead Creature good for nothing and he that can bear wrongs and love him that injured him is a poor spiritless fool hath no mettal nor life in him in the World's account thus is he judged according to men in the flesh he is as a dead man but lives according to God in the Spirit dead to men and alive to God as ver 2. Now if this life be in thee it will act all life is in motion and is called an act but most of all active is this most excellent and as I may call it most lively life it will be moving towards God often seeking to him making still towards him as its principle and fountain holy and affectionate thoughts of him sometimes on one of his sweet attributes sometimes on another as the Bee amongst the Flowers And as it will thus act within so outwardly laying hold on all occasions yea seeking out ways and opportunities to be serviceable to thy Lord employing all for him commending and extolling his goodness doing and suffering chearfully for him laying out the strength of desires and parts and means in thy station to gain him Glory If thou be alone then not alone but with him seeking to know more of him and be made more like him if in company then casting about how to bring his name in esteem and to draw others to a love of Religion and Holiness by Speeches as it may be â—it and most by the true behaviour of thy carriage Tender over the Souls of others to do them good to thy utmost thinking each day an hour lost when thou art not busie for the honour and advantage of him to whom thou now livest thinking in the Morning now what may I do this day for my God How may I most please and glorifie him and use my strength and wit and my whole self as not mine but his and then in the evening reflecting O Lord have I seconded these thoughts in reality what glory hath he had by me this day whither went my thoughts and endeavours what busied them most have I been much with God have I adorned the Gospel in my converse with others And if finding any thing done this way to bless and acknowledge him the spring and worker of it If any step aside were it but to an appearance of evil or if any fit season of good hath escapt thee unprofitably to check thy self and to be grieved for thy sloth and coldness and see if more love would not beget more diligence Try it by sympathy and antipathy which follows the nature of things as we see in some Plants and Creatures that cannot grow cannot agree together and others that do favour and benefit mutually If thy Soul hath an aversion and reluctancy against holiness this is an evidence of this new Nature and Life Thy heart rises against wicked ways and speeches oaths and cursings and rotten communication yea thou canst not endure unworthy discourses wherein most spend their time findest no relish in the unsavory societies of such as know not God canst not sit with vain persons but findest a delight in those that have the image of God upon them such as partake of that Divine Life and carry the evidences of it in their carriage David did not disdain the fellowship of the Saints and that was no disparagement to him he implies in the name he gives them Psal. 16. The excellent ones the Magnifick or Noble and that word is taken from one that signifies a robe or noble Garment so he thought them Nobles and Kings as well as he and had robes royal and therefore Companions of Kings A spiritual eye looks on spiritual dignity and esteems and loves them that are born of God how low soever be their natural birth and breeding The Sons of God have of his Spirit in them and are born to the same inheritance where all shall have enough and they are tending homewards by the conduct of the same Spirit that is in them so that there must be amongst them a
wills and loves that 's Law and a powerful Law so written on the Heart this Law of Love that it obeys not unpleasantly but with delight no constraint but the sweet constraint of love to forgive a wrong to love even thine enemy for him is not only feisible now but deâ—ectable that ere while thou thoughtest impossible That Spirit of Christ is all sweetness and love so calms and composes the Heart that peace with God and that unspeakably blessed correspondence of love with him doth so fill the Soul with lovingness and sweetness that it can breath nothing else hates nothing but sin pities the sinner and carries to the worst that love of good-will desiring their return and salvation but to those in whom appears the Image of their Father those their heart cleaves to as Brethren indeed No advantages natural no birth no beauty nor wit draws a Christian's love so much as the resemblance of Christ wherever that is found it is comely and lovely to a Soul that loves him Much communion with God sweetens and calms the mind cures the distempers of passion and pride that are the avowed enemies of love particularly Prayer and Love suit well 1. Prayer disposes to this love he that loveth not knoweth not God saith the beloved Apostle for God is love he that is most conversant with love the spring of where 't is purest and fullest cannot but have the fullest measure of it flowing in from thence into his heart and flowing forth from thence unto his Brethren if they that use the society of mild and good men are insensibly assimilated to them grow like them and contract somewhat of their temper much more doth familiar walking with God powerfully transform the Soul into his likeness makes it merciful and loving and ready to forgive as he is 2. This love disposes to prayer to pray together hearts must be consorted and tun'd together otherwise how can they sound the same Suits harmoniously How unpleasant in the exquisite ear of God that made the ear are the jarring disunited hearts that often seem to joyn in the same prayer and yet are not set together in love and when thou prayest alone thy heart imbitter'd and disaffected to thy Brother altho' upon an offence done to thee 't is as a mistuned Instrument the Strings are not accorded so are not in tune amongst themselves and so the sound is harsh and offensive try it well thy self and thou wilt perceive it how much more he to whom thou pray'st when thou art stirr'd and in passion against thy Brother or not on the contrary lovingly affected towards him what broken disordered unfastened stuff are thy requests therefore the Lord will have this done first the Heart tun'd go thy way says he leave thy Gift and be reconcil'd to thy Brother c. Why is this so much recommended by Christ and so little received by Christians given by him as the cognisance and badge of his Followers and of them that pretend to be so so few that wear it Oh! little real Christianity were more worth than all that empty profession and discourse that we think so much of Hearts receiving the mould and stamp of this Rule these were living Copies of the Gospel ye are our Epistle says the Apostle We come together and hear and speak sometimes of one Grace and sometimes of another and the most never seek to have their hearts enricht with the possession of any of them We search not to the bottom the perversness of our Nature and the guiltiness that is upon us in these or we shift off the Conviction and find a way to forget it when the hour 's done That accursed root self-love that makes man an enemy to God and Men enemies and devourers one of another who sets to the discovery and the displanting of it bends the force of holy Endeavours and Prayer supplicates the hand of God for the plucking of it up Some Natures are quieter and make less noise but till the heart be possest with the love of God it shall never truely love either men in that way due to all or the Children of God in their peculiar relation Among your selves c. That is here the point the peculiar love of the Saints as thy Brethren glorying and rejoycing in the same Father the Sons of God begotten again to that lively hope of glory now these as they owe a bountiful disposition to all they are mutually to love one another as Brethren Thou that hatest and reproachest the godly and the more they study to walk as the Children of their holy Father the more thou hatest them art glad to find a spot to point at on them or wilt dash mire on them where thou findest none know that thou art in this the enemy of God that the indignity done to them Jesus Christ will take it as done to himself truely we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in death So then renounce this Word or else believe that thou art yet far from the Life of Christ that so hatest it in others Oh! but they are but a number of Hypocrites wilt thou say Brethren if they be so this declares so much the more thy extream hatred of holiness that canst not endure so much as the Picture of it canst not see any thing like it but thou must let fly at it and this argues thy deep hatred of God holiness in a Christian as the Image of God and the Hyprocrite in the resemblance of it is the Image of a Christian so thou hatest the very Image of the Image of God for deceive not thy self it is not the latent evil in hypocrisie but the apparent good in it that thou hatest The prophane Man thinks himself a great Zealot against Hypocrisie he is still crying out of it but it s only this he is angry at that all should not be ungodly wicked enemies of Religion as he is either dissolute or meerly civil and the civil man is readily the bitterest enemy of all strictness beyond his own size as condemning him and therefore he cries it down as all of it false and counterfeit wares Let me intreat you if you would not be found fighters against God let no revilings be heard amongst you against any that are or seem to be Followers of Holiness if ye will not reverence it your selves yet reverence it in others at least do not reproach it It should be your ambition else why are you willing to be called Christians but if you will not pursue holiness yet persecute it not if you will not have fervent love to the Saints yet burn not with infernal heat of fervent hatred against them for truly that is one of the likliest pledge of these flames and society with damned Spirits as love to the Children of God is of that inheritance and society with them in glory 2. You that are Brethren and
their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 15. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evil-doer or as a busie body in other Mens matters 16. Yet if any Man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalf THE Word is the Christians magazine both of instructions and encouragements for doing or suffering and this Epistle is rich in both here what the Apostle said in suffering he specifies in particular suffering of reproaches but this seems not to come up to the height of that expression he hath used he spoke of fiery trial but that of reproach seems rather fit to be called an airy trial the blast of vanishing words Yet upon trial it will be found to be as here it is accounted a very sharp a fiery trial first then of this particular kind of suffering 2. Of the comfort and advice furnisht against it If we consider both the nature of the thing and the strain of the Scriptures we will find that reproaches are amongst the sharpest sort of sufferings and are indeed fiery trials the tongue is a fire says St. Iames and reproaches are the flashes of that fire they are a a subtile kind of flame like that lightening that they say crusheth the bones and yet breaks not the flesh they wound not the body as tortures and whips but through a whole skin they reach the spirit of a Man and cut it so Psal. 42. 10. The fire of reproaches preys upon and dryes up the precious oyntment of a good name as Solomon compares it A good name is in it self a good a prime outward good and take us according to our natural temper and apprehensions according to which we feel things most Men are and some more excessively too tender and delicate in it Although truly I take this rather to be a weakness than true greatness of spirit as they fancy it to depend much on the opinion of others and feel it deep yet I say considering it to be commonly thus with Men and the remâ—ins of this as other frailties in the Children of God it cannot well be but reproaches will ordinarily much afflict Men and to some kind of Spirits possibly be more grievous than some bodily pain or suffering And as they are thus the Scripture accounts them so and very usually reckons them amongst sufferings and readily names them more than any other kind of suffering and that 〈◊〉 good reason not only for their piercing nature as it s â—â—id but withal for their frequency and multitude and some things we suffer do as flies more trouble by their number than by their weight Now there is no 〈◊〉 kind of suffering of such constancy and commonness and abundance as reproaches are When other periecutions cease yet those continue when all other Martyr fires are put out these burn still in all times and places the malignant World ready to revile Religion not only avowed enemies of it but the greatest part even of those that make a vulgar profession of it they that outwardly receive the form of Religion yet are many of them inwardly haters of the power of it and Christians so called will scorn and reproach these that are so indeed And this is done with such ease by every one that these arrows fly thick every one that hath a tongue can shoot them even base Abjects Psal. 35. And the drunkards make songs as Ieremy complains the meanest sort can reach this point of persecution and be active in it against the Children of God they that cannot or dare not offer them any other injury will not fear nor spare to let fly a taunt or bitter word so that whereas other sufferings are rarer these meet them daily Psalm 42 10. While they say daily unto me where is thy God We see how justly reproaches are often mentioned amongst and beyond other trials and accounted persecution Matth. 5. 10 11. Blessed are ye when Men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Gal. 4. 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so is it now And in the History all we find is he mockt him And thus are they amongst the sufferings of Christ in the Gospel and not as the least the raylings and mockings darted at him fixed to the cross more than the very nails that fixed him And Heb. 12. 2. The shame of the cross though he was above it and despised it yet that shame of it was much of the burden so ver 3. Contradiction of sinners Now the other thing is that this is the lot of Christians as it was of Christ and why should they they look for more kindness and better usage and think to find acclamations and applauses from the World that so vilisy'd their Lord. Oh no The vain heart must be weaned from these to follow Christ if we will indeed follow him it must be tamed to share with him in this point of suffering not only mistakes and misconstructions but bitter scoffings and reproaches Why should not our minds ply and fold to this upon that very reason he so reasonably presses again and again on his Disciples The servant is not greater than his master and in this very thing if they called the Master Beelzebub how much more will they speak so of the servants Ins. 1. Seeing its thus I shall first press upon the followers of Christ the Apostles rule here to keep their sufferings spotless that it may not be comfortless resolve for it but that it be innocent suffering suffer not as evil doers ver 15. Besides that ways of wickedness are most unsuiting our holy calling look to the enmity about you and gain even out of that evil this great good of the more circumspect and holy walking know who you are and where you are your own weakness and the Worlds wickedness This our Saviour represents and upon it gives that sutable rule Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves Know you not what exact eyes of others are upon you will you not thence learn exactly to eye your selves and all your ways and seek of God with David to be led in righteousness because of your enemies your observers This is the rule here ver 16. suâ—â—er as Christians holily and blamelessly that the enemy may not know where to fasten his hold as the wrestlers anointed their bodies that the hands of their party might not fasten thus truly they that walk and suffer as Christians anointed with the Spirit of Christ their enemies cannot well fasten hold I recommend therefore to you that love the Lord Jesus this especially to be careful that all your reproaches may be indeed for Christ and not for any thing in you unlike
can turn the chase in an instant still cleave to him when the whole powers of thy Soul are as it were scatter'd and routed rally them by believing draw thou but into the standard of Jesus Christ and the day shall be thine for victory follows that standard and cannot be severed from it yea though thou find the smart of divers stroaks yet think that often a wounded Souldier hath won the day believe and it shall be so with thee And remember that thy foiles through the wisdom and love of thy God may be ordered to advance the victory to put courage and holy anger into thee against thine enemies to humble thee and drive thee from thine own imagined strength to make use of his real strength and be not hasty think not at very first to conquer many a hard conflict must thou resolve for and often be brought very low almost to a desperate point that to thy sense 't is past recovery then 't is his time to step in even in the midst of their prevailing let God but arise and his enemies shall be scattered Thus the Church hath found it in her extremities and thus likewise the believing Soul Knowing that the same afflictions c. There is one thing much troubles the patience and weakens the Faith of some Christians that they are ready to think there is none yea there was never any beloved of God in such a condition as theirs Thus sometimes they swell even their outward trials in imagination but oftner their inward which are most heavy and pressing to themselves and the parallel of them least discernable by them in others Therefore the Apostle St. Paul breaks this conceit 1 Cor. 10. and here is the same truth The same afflictions c. Inf. We had rather hear of ease and cannot after all that is said bring our hearts to comply with this that tentations and troubles are the Saints portion here and that this is the royal way to the Kingdom Our King led in it and all his followers go the same way and besides the happy end of it is it not sweet even for this simply because he went in it yet this is the Truth and taken altogether is a most comfortable Truth the whole Brotherhood all our Brethren go in it and our eldest Brother went first Verse 10. But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Iesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you HIS Divine Doctrine and Exhortations the Apostle closes with Prayer as we follow this rule in publick after the Word preached so St. Paul frequently so Christ himself Iohn 17. after that Sermon in the preceding Chapters it were well if both Ministers and People would follow forth the same way more in private each for themselves and each for the other and the want of this is mainly the thing that makes our preaching and hearing so barren and fruitless the Ministers of the Gospel should indeed be as the Angels of God going betwixt him and his People not only bringing down useful Instructions from God to them but putting up earnest supplications to God for them In the 10th of St. Luke the Disciples are sent forth and appointed to preach and in the 11th we have them desiring to be taught to pray Lord teachus to pray and without this there can be little answer or success in the other little springing up of this Seed though Ministers sow it plentifully in preaching unless they secretly water it with their prayers and tears And People truly should keep some correspondence in this duty and that if other engagement will not perswade even for their own advantage for it returns unto them gainfully if much of the Spirit be poured forth on Ministers are they not the more able to unfold the Spiritual Mysteries of the Gospel and build up their People in the knowledge of them Oh! that both of us were more abundant in this rich and sweet exercise But the God The Prayer suits the Apostle St. Paul's word in his direction to the Philippians Chapter 4. 6. 't is supplication with thanksgiving prayer with praise In the prayer or petition consider the Matter the Stile The Matter or thing requested in divers brief words which though they be much of the same sense yet are not superfluously multiplied for they both carry the great importance of the thing and the earnest desire in suiting it and though it be a little light and unsolid to frame a different sense to each of them nor are any of the ways that such kind of Interpreters have taken in it very satisfactory to any discerning judgment yet I conceive they are not altogether without some profitable difference as the first perfect carries more clear than the rest their advance in victory over their remaining corruptions and infirmities carrying them on towards perfection Stablish hath more express reference to both the inward lightness and inconstancy that is natural to us the counterblasts of persecutions and tentations and to outward oppositions and imports the curing of the one and support against the other Strengthen the growth of their graces especially gaining of further measures of those graces wherein they are weakest and lowest And settle though it seems the same and in substance is with the other word stablish yet it adds somewhat to it very considerable for it signifies to found or fix upon a sure foundation and so indeed may have an aspect to him who is the foundation and strength of Believers on whom they build by faith Iesus Christ in whom we have all both victory over Sin and increase of Grace and establishment of Spirit power to persevere against all difficulties and assaults he is that corner foundation stone laid in Sion that they that build upon him may not be ashamed that Rock that upholds the House founded on it in the midst of all winds and storms First Obs. These have in them that which is so primely to be sought after by every Christian perseverance and progress in Grace These two here interwoven for there be two words importing the one and two the other and are interchangeably plac'd this is often exhorted them as their duty and accordingly ought they to apply themselves to 't and use their highest diligence in it not to take the beginning of Christianity for the end of it to think it enough they are entered into the way of it and sit down upon the entry but to walk on to go from strength to strength and even through the greatest difficulties and discouragments to pass forward with unmoved stability and fixedness of mind To be aiming at perfection this we shall still fall exceedingly short of but the more we study it the nearer to it shall we come the higher we aim the higher shall we shoot though we shoot not so high as we aim Inf. It is an excellent life and it is the proper
passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Iesâ—s Christ. Amen FINIS Naz. Eâ—â—les 1. â— 1. Me male amando me perdidi te solum quaerendâ— pure amando me te pariter inveni â Kemp. Magnus qui fictilibus utitur tanquam argentis nec ille minâ—r qui argento tanquam fictilibus Sen. Non bis pueri sed semper Nulla nos â—ffendunt quae nâ—â—â—â—dunt Omne infirmum naturâ querelum Stipato agmine Deum obâ—â—dentes Tertull. Fama est junctas fortiuâ— ire preces Matth. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nil tam spiritualem virum indicat quam peccati alieni tractatio â—sal 122. Heb. 2. 11. Ioh. 17. Is. 54. 7 8. Hos. 11. 8. Emolliâ— mores nec sinit esse feros Ille est qui superbire nescit cui Deus ostendit misericordiam suam Conservatriae vâ—tâ—tum Prâ—dendâ— perdidit Caputartis est decere quod facias Qui thesaurum tuum alieno in ore constituis ignoras quod arca ista non clauditur Si haec sunt â—estra tollite eavobiscum S. â—ern Ps. 34 13 14. Furor â—arma ministrat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ier. 9. 4. Obtrectatio livor primis auribus accipiuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aeschyl 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Orat. 1. Stater in lagena â—is bis clamat Is. 44. 20. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—b 12. 1. Heb. 12. 2. Kovit se saepe vicisse post sanguiâ—em Sen. Ezek 8. 18. Is. 1. Is. 29. 15. Verba sensus connotâ—â— affectâ—â— Ver. 4. Ver. 5. Ver. 6. Ver. 7. Velut e palude suâ vilis ranuncula Bern. Ecel 5. 2. Schechinah Ps. 55. 17. Si non ad voluntatem ad utilitatâ—m Clavis diâ—i sera â—â—ctis Consilium faturum expraeterito venit Sen. Splendida miserla 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pyth. Matt. 10. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Si violandum est jus regnandi causa violandum Opibus major virtuâ—ibus minor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vident cruces nostraâ— unctiones non vident S. Bern. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haec inter dubii vivimus mâ—rimur Dâ—n 3. 16. Spreta vileâ—cerent Spes est nomen boni incerti Sen. Acts. 23. Matth. 6. Ex alienâ— nvninis jactura gâ—adum sibi ficiunt ad gloriam Sal. De verbo 〈◊〉 moâ—daci Bern. Magna â—â—natu magâ—as negas Malo sentare â—â—â—panctiâ—â—â—â— quam 〈◊〉 ejus desâ—â—â—inem Non vacant bonae mâ—nti Acts. 24. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surdo verbere caedit Juv. Ferre quam sortem patiuntur â—â—nes Velut unda pellitur unda Greatness of the Example 1 The person Vbi se humiliavit majestas vermiculus infletur intumescat Bern. 2 The Sufferings Isaiah The fitness of the example Exemplum domesticum The advantage Enimvero non sentient sua qui illius vulnera intuetur Bern. in Cant. Serm. 61. Rom. 5. 1 2 3. Sheol Acts 2. Isa. 52. Psal. 2. Isa. 52. Descendiâ— huc vita nostra tulit mortem nostram ocâ—idit eam de abundantiâ— vitae suae c. Aug. * Thus I then thought But do now apprehend another sense as probable if not more even that so much rejected by most Interpreters The mission of the Spirit and Preaching of the Gospel by it after his Resurrection Preaching to sinners and converting them according to the Propheâ—y which he first fulfilled in Person and after more aâ—ply in his Apostles That Prophecy I mean Isa. 60. 1. The Spirit upon him and it was sent from him on his Apostles to preach to Spirits in Prison to preach liberty to those Captives Captive Spirits and therefore called Spirits in Prison to illustrate the thing the more by opposition to that Spirit of Christ the Spirit of liberty setting them free and this to shew the greater efficacy of Christs preaching than of Noahs tho â—e a signal preacher of righteousness yet only himself and his Family eight Persons saved by him but multitudes of all Nations by the Spirit and preaching of Christ in the Gospel and that by the Seal of Baptism and the Resurrection of Christ represented in the return from the water and our dying with him by immersion and that figure of Baptism like their Ark. Vtilis lectio utilis eruditio sed magis unctio necessaria quippe quae sola docet de omnibus Bern Clamans dictis factis morte â—ita descensâ— ascensu â—lamans ut redeamus ad eum Aug. Gen. 6. Eccles. 8. Nemo decoquit huic â—reditori 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 17. 27. Semen sanctum statumen terrâ— Heb. 11. Isa. 26. 19. Vbi caput meum regnat ibi me regnare credo Summa religionis imitari quem colis Pyth. Corporis negotium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnisque potestas impatiens consâ—rtis Plus illi ad vanitatem quam nos ad veritatem Luk. 21. 34. Incontinentes vere vâ—luâ— tatis ignari Frist Eth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquae propter ardorem libidinis ignis propter teporem charitatis * The Psalmist's Word for the boly Psal. 139. Nolo auream ubi Christus spineam Ioh. 15. 20. Mat. 10. 24. Bern. Prudens simplicitas Papulus me sibâ—lat at 〈◊〉 plaud Ps. 5. 2 Tim. 1. 12. Isa. 30. 20. Deut. 32. Satius soleâ— non Incâ—re quam Chrysostomum non docere Peregrinus in terris nulla est jucundior recordatio quam suae civitatis Aug in Psal. 145. The duty Bern. Advent Serm. 3. Epictec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 The due qualification of the duty Timothy careth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not artificially but naturally Phil. 21. 20. 2 Cor. 5◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. 1 Tim. 4. 12. 3 The advantage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps. 92. 12 13. Rom. 12. Ad super vacuâ— sudatur Luc. 12. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is. 26. 12. Is. 43. 2. Is. 35. Is. 45. 24. Is. 40. 29. Is. 40. 11. Rom. 8. 28. Phil. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. in Vita Marâ—el Sâ—avissima 〈◊〉 est indies sentire 〈◊〉 meiâ—â—rem Isaâ— 59. 1â— Non magna relinquo magna sequo r. Dan 5 Direct 1. Direct 2. Direct 3.
the heart But sure this one thing would make the Soul more calm and sober in the pursuit of present things if their term were truly computed and considered How soon shall youth and health and carnal delights be at an end how soon shall State craft and King-craft and all the great Projects of the highest Wits and Spirits be laid in the dust This casts a damp upon all those fine things but to a Soul acquainted with God and in affection removed hence already no thought so sweet as this helps much to carry it chearfully through wrestlings and difficulties through better and worse they see Land near and shall quickly be at home that 's the way The end of all things is at hand an end of a few poor delights and the many vexations of this wretched life an end of tentations and sins the worst of all evils yea an end of the imperfect fashion of our best things here an end of prayer it self to which succeeds that new Song of endless praises Verse 8. And above all things have fervent charity among your selves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins THE Graces of the Spirit are an entire frame making up the new Creature and none of them can be wanting therefore the Doctrine and Exhortation of the Apostles speak of them usually not only as inseparable but as one But there is amongst them all none more cemprehensive than this of Love insomuch that St. Paul calls it the fullfilling of the Law love to God the sum of all relative to him and so likewise is it towards our Brethren Love to God is that which makes us live to him and be wholly his that which most powerfully weans us from this World and causeth us delight in communion with him in holy Meditation and Prayer Now the Apostle adding here of the duty of Christians to one another gives this the prime yea the sum of all Above all have fervent love Concerning this Consider 1. The Nature of it 2. The Eminent Degree of it 3 The Excellent Fruit of it 1. It is an union therefore called a bond or chain that links things together 2. 'T is not a meer external union that holds in customs or words or outward carriage but an union of hearts 3. 'T is here not a natural but a spiritual supernatural union it is that mutual love of Christians as Brethren There is a common benevolence and good-will due to all but a more particular uniting affection interchangeably one amongst Christians The Devil being an Apostate Spirit revolted and separated from God doth naturally project and work division This was his first exploit and still his grand design and business in the World he first divided Man from God put them at an enmity by the first Sin of our first Parents and the next we read of in their first Child was enmity against his Brother so Satan is called by our Saviour justly a liar and a murderer from the beginning murdered man by lying and made him a murderer And as the Devil's work is Division Christ's work is Union he came to dissolve the works of Satan by a contrary work he came to make all Friends to recollect and reunite all Men to God and Man to Man and both those unions hold in him by vertue of that marvellous union of Natures in his Person and that Mysterious Union of the Persons of Believers with him as their Head so the word Eph. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To unite all in one head Thus his great project in all this he died and suffered for and this he prayed for Iohn 17. and this is strong above all ties natural or civil union in Christ this they have that are indeed Christians this they pretend to have if they understood it that profess themselves Christians If natural friendship be capable of that expression one spirit in two bodies Christian union hath it much more really and properly for there is indeed one Spirit more extensive in all the Faithful yea so one Spirit that it makes them up into one body more intensive they are not so much as divers bodies only divers members of one body Now this love of our Brethren is not another from the love of God 't is but the streaming forth of it or the reflex of it Jesus Christ sending in his Spirit into the heart unites it to God in himself by love which is all indeed that loving of God supreamly and entirely with all the mind and soul all the combined strength of the heart and then that same love first wholly carried to him is not divided or impared by the love of our Brethren 't is but dilated and derived from the other he allows yea commands yea causes that it stream forth and act it self toward them remaining still in him as in its source and center beginning at him and returning to him as the Beams that diffuse themselves from the Sun and the Light and Heat yet are not divided or cut off from it but remain in it and by emanation issue from it Loving our Brethren in God and for him not only because he commands us to love them and so the Law of Love to him ties us to it as his Will but because that love of God doth naturally extend it self thus and acts thus in loving our Brethren after a Spiritual Christian manner we do even in that love our God Loving of God makes us one with God and so gives us an impression of his divine bounty in his Spirit and his love the proper work of his Spirit dwelling in the Heart enlarges and dilates it as self-love contracts and streightens it so that as self-love is the perfect opposite to the love of God it is likewise so to brotherly-love shuts out and undoes both and where the love of God is rekindled and enters the Heart it destroys and burns up self love and so carries the affection up to himself and in him forth to our Brethren This is that bitter root of all enmity in man against God and amongst Men against one another Self Man's Heart turned from God towards himself and the very work of renewing Grace is to annual and destroy Self to replace God in his Right that the Heart and all its Affections and Motions be at his dispose so that instead of self-will and self-love that rul'd before now the Will of God and the Love of God commands all And where it is thus there this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this love of our Brethren will be sincere Whence is it that Wars and Contests and mutual Disgracings and Despisings abound so but that men love themselves and nothing but themselves or in relation to themselves as it pleases or is advantageous to them that 's the Standard and Rule all is carried by interest so thence are striâ—es and defamings and bitterness against one another but the Spirit of Christ coming in undâ—es all selfishness And now according to God what he