know that this divine adoption is not a mere outward Relative Name as that of men The sonship of the Saints is here and often elsewhere in scripture express'd by new Generation and new birth They are begotten of God Io. 1.13 1. Io. 2.29 There is a new being a spirituall life communicated to them they have in them of their Fathers spirit and this is derived to them through Christ and therefore called his spirit Gal. 4.6 They are not onely accounted of the family of God by Adoption but by this new birth they are indeed his Children partakers of the divine nature as our Apostle expresseth it Now though it be easie to speak and hear the words of this Doctrine yet the truth it self that is in it is so high and mysterious that it is altogether impossible without a portion of this new nature to conceive of it Corrupt nature cannot understand it what wonder that there is nothing of it in the subtilest Schooles of Philosophers when a very doctor in Israel mistook it grossely Io. 3. It is indeed a great mystery and he that was the sublimest of all the Evangelist and therefore call'd the Divine the soaring Eagle as they compare him he is more abundant in this subject than the rest And the most profitable way of considering this Regeneration and Sonship is certainly to follow the light of those holy writings and not to jangle in disputes about the order and manner of it of which though somewhat may be profitably said and safely Namely so much as the scripture speaks yet much that is spoke of it and debated by many is but an useless expence of time and paines What those previous dispositions are and how far they go and where is the march or point of difference betwixt them and the infusion of spirituall life I conceive not so easily determinable If Naturalists and Physicians cannot agree upon the order of â—ormation of the body's parts in the womb how much less can we be peremptory in the other If there be so many wonders as indeed there be in the naturall structure and frame of Man how much richer in wonders must this divine and supernaturall Generation be see how David speaks of the former Psal. 14.15 Things spirituall being more refin'd than Materiall things their workmanship must be far more wonderfull and curious But then it must be with a spirituall eye There is an unspeakable lustre and beauty of the new Creature by the mixture of all divine Graces each setting off another as so many rich severall colours in embroidery but who can trace that invisible hand that works it so as to determine of the order and to say which was first which second and so on whether Faith or Repentance and all Graces c. This is certain that these and all graces doe inseparably make up the same work and are all in the new formation of every soul that is born again If the wayes of Gods universall providence be untraceable then most of all the workings of his Grace in a secret unperceivable way in this new birth He gives this spirituall being as the dew which is silently and insensibly formed and this Generation of the sons of God compar'd to it by the Psalmist they have this originall from heaven as the dew Io. 3.3 Except a man be born from above he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And 't is the peculiar work of the spirit of God as he himself speaks of the dew to Iob. Iob. 38.28 hath the Rain a Father or who hath begotten the drops of the dew The sharpest witts are to seek in the knowledge and discovery of it as Iob speaketh of a way that no fowl knoweth and which the vultures eye hath not seen Iob. 28.7 To contest it much how in this Regeneration he works upon the will and renews it is to little purpose providing this be granted that it is in his power to Regenerate and Renew a Man at his pleasure And how is it possible not to grant this unless we will run into that Error to think that God hath made a Creature too hard for himself to Rule or hath willingly exempted it and shall the works of the Almighty and of all others especially this work wherein he glories most fail in his hand and remain Imperfect shall there be any abortive births whereof God is the father shall I bring to the birth sayes he and not cause to bring forth No no sinner so dead but there is vertue in his hand to revive out of the very stones Tho the most impenitent hearts are as stones within them yet he can make of them children to Abraham He can digg out the heart of stone and put a heart of flesh in its place otherwayes he would not have made such a promise Io. 1.13 Not of flesh nor of the will of Man but of God If his soveraigne will is not a sufficient principle of this Regeneration why then sayes the Apostle St. Iames Of his own will begat he us and he addes the subordinate Cause by the word of truth which is here called the Immortall seed of this new birth Therefore 't is that the Lord hath appointed the continuance of the Ministry of this word to the end that his Church may be still fruitfull bringing forth sons unto him That the Assemblies of his people may be like flocks of sheep coming up from the washing none harren amongst them Though the Ministers of this word by reason of their employment in dispensing it have by the Scriptures the Relation of Parents imparted to them which is an exceeding great dignity for them as they are called co-workers with God And the same Apostle that writes so calls the Galatians his little Children of whom he travell'd in birth again till Christ were formed in them and the Ministers of God have often very much pain in this travel yet the priviledge of the Father of spirits remains untouched which is effectually to beget again these same Spirits which he creates and to make that seed of the word fruitful that way where and when he will The Preacher of the Word be he never so powerful can cast this seed only into the Ear his hand reaches no further and the hearer by his attention may convey it into his head but 't is the Supream Father and Teacher above that carries it in to the heart the only soyl wherein it proves lively and fruitful One Man cannot reach the heart of another how should he then renew its fruitfulness If natural births hath been alwayes acknowledged to belong to Gods prerogative Psal. 127.3 Lo Children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward And so Iacob answered wisely to his Wife 's foolish passion am I in Gods stead how much more is this new birth wholly dependant on his hand But though this word cannot beget without him yet 't is by this Word that he begets and ordinarily not
foot and take this kingdome by a hand of violence that God is so well pleased with he is willingly overcome by that force and gives the kingdome most willingly where it is so taken 't is not attain'd by slothfullness and sitting still with folded hands It must be invaded with strength of faith with armies of Prayers and Tears and they that set upon it thus are sure to take it Consider what we are doing how we misplace our diligence on things that abide not or we abide not to enjoy them We have no abiding City here saith the Apostle but he adds that which comforts the Citizens of the new Ierusalem Wee look for one to come whose builder and maker is God Hear not those things idley as if they concerned you not but let them move you to Resolution and Actions say as they said of Canaan 't is a good land Let 's go up and possesâ— it Learn to use what you have here as Travellers and let your home your Inheritance your Treasure be on high which is by far the richest and the safest and if it be so with you then Where your Treasure is there will your hearts be also Verse 6. Wherein ye greatly Rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations THe same Motives cannot beget contrary passions in the soul therefore the Apostle reduces the mixture of sorrowing and Rejoycing that is usuall in the heart of a Christian to the different causes of them and shews which of the two hath the stronger cause and therefore is alwayes predominant Entertains it and Considers it aright His Scope is to stir up and strengthen spirituall joy in his afflicted Brethen and therefore haveing set the matter of it before them in the preceeding verses he now applies it and expresly opposes it to their distresses Some read those words exhortatively In which râ—joyce ye 't is so intended but I conceive it serves that end better indicatively as we now read it in which ye rejoyce It exhorts more insinuatively and perswasively that it may be so to urge it on them that it is so Thus St. Paul Acts. 26.27 King Agrippa believest thou the prophets I know that thou believest And straight he answered Thou almost perswadest me to be a Christian. This implies how just and how reasonable it is that the things spoken of should make them glad they will Rejoyce in those Yea do Rejoyce certainly if you know and consider what the causes of your joy are ye cannot chuse but find it within you and in such a measure as it swallowes up all your temporary Sorrowes how great and how many soever their causes be We are then to consider severally those bitter waters and sweet this Sorrow and this Joy 1. in their Springs 2. in their Streams And first they are called Temptations and manifold Temptations The habits of divine supernaturall Grace are not acquirable by humane study or Industry or by Excercise they are of immediate Infusion from Heaven yet are they infus'd to that end that they may act and exercise themselves in the severall conditions and occurrences of a Christians life and by that they grow stronger Whatsoever oppositions or difficulties Grace meets with in its acting go under this generall name of Temptations It is not necessary to reckon up the variety of senses of this word in its full latitude how God is said to tempt man and how 't is said that he tempts him not how man tempts God and how 't is said that God is not tempted how Satan tempts men and men one another and a man himselfe All those are severall acceptations of this word But Temptations here meant are they by which men are tempted and particularly the Saints of God and though there is nothing in the words that may not agree to all sorts of Temptations the godly are subject to yet I conceive it is particularly meant of their Afflictions and Distresses as the Apostle Iames likewise uses it Chap. 1. ver 2. And they are so called because they give particular and notable proof of the temper of a Christians spirit and draw forth Evidence both of the Truth and the measure of the Grace that is in them if they fail and are foyled as sometimes they are this convinces them of that humane frailty and weakness that is in them and so humbles them and drives them out of themselves to depend upon another for more strength and better success in after Encounters If they acquit themselves like Christians indeed the Lord managing and assisting that Grace which he hath given them then all their Valour and Strength and Victories return to his praise from whom they have received all A Man is not onely unknown to others but to himself that hath never met with such difficulties as require Faith and Christian Fortitude and Patience to surmount them how shall a man know whether his meekness and calmness of spirit be reall or not while he meets with no provocation nothing that contradicts or crosses him but when somewhat sets upon him that is in it self very unpleasant and grievous to him and yet if in that case he retains his Moderation of spirit and flyes not out into Impatience neither against God nor Men this gives experiment of the truth and soundness of that Grace in him whereas standing water that 's clear at top while 't is untouch'd yet if it have mudd at the bottome stirre it a little and it rises presently 'T is not altogether unprofitable yea 't is much wisdom in Christians to be arming themselves against such Temptations as may befall them hereafter though they have not as yet met with them to labour to overcome them before hand to suppose the hardest things that may be incident to them and to put on the strongest Resolutions they can attain unto yet all that is but an imaginary effect and therefore there is no assurance that the victory is any more then imaginary too till it come to Action and then they that have spoken and thought very confidently may prove but as he said of the Athenians sortes in tabula Patient and Couragious in Picture or fancy and notwithstanding all their armes and dexterity in handling them by way of exercise may be foully defeated when they are to fight in earnest The Children of Ephraim being armed and carrying bowes says the Psalmist Psa. 78.9 yet turned back in the day of battell 'T is the battell tries the Souldier and the storm the pilot how would it appear that Christians can be themselves not onely patient but cheerfull in Poverty in Disgrace and atempts and Persecutions if it were not often their Lot to meet with those He that framed the heart knows it to be but deceitfull and he that gives Grace knows the weakness and strength of it exactly yet He is pleased to speak thus that by afflictions and hard tasks he tries what is in the hearts of his Children
make Christ once the Medium our pure Redeemer and through him as clear transparent Glass the beams of Gods favourable Countenance shine in upon the soul the Father cannot look upon his wellbeloved son but graciously and pleasingly God lookes on us out of Christ sees us rebels and fit to be condemn'd we look on God as being just and powerfull to punish us but when Christ is betwixt God looks on us in him as justified and we look on God in him as pacified and see the smiles of his favourable countenance Take Christ out all is terrible interpose him all is full of peace Therefore set him always betwixt and by him we shall believe in God The warrant and ground of believing in God by him is this that God rais'd him from the dead and gave him glory which evidences the full satisfaction of his death and in all that work both in his humiliation and exaltation standing in our room we may repute it his as ours if all is payed that could be exacted of him and therefore he set free from death then are wee acquitted and have nothing to pay If he was rais'd from the dead and exalted to glory then so shall we he hath taken possession of that glory for us and we may judge our selves possessed in it already because he our head possesseth it And this the last words of the Verse confirm to us in meaning this to be the very purpose and end for which God having given him to death raised him up and gave him glory it s for this end expressly that our faith and hope might be in God The last end is that we may have life and glory through him the nearer end that in the mean while till we attain them we may have firme belief and hope of them and rest on God as the giver of them and so in part enjoy them before hand and be upheld in our joy and conflicts by the comfort of them and as St. Steven in his vision faith doth in a spirituall way look through all the visible heavens and see Christ at the Fathers right hand and is comforted by that in the greatest troubles though it were amidst a showre of stones as he The comfort is no less than this that being by faith made one with Christ his present glory wherein he â—its at the Fathers right hand is assurance to us that where he is we shall be also Verse 22. Seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned Love of the brethren see that ye Love one another with a pure heart fervently JEsus Christ is made unto us of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 'T is a known truth and yet very needful to be often represented to us that Redemption and holiness are undivided Companions yea that we are redeem'd on purpose for this End that we should be Holy The pressing of this we see is here the Apostles scope and having by that reason enforc'd it in the general he now takes that as concluded and confess'd and so makes use of it particularly to exhort that main Christian Grace of brotherly love The Obedience and holiness mention'd in the foregoing Verses comprehends the whole duties and and frame of a Christian life towards God and Men and having urg'd that in the general he specifies this Grace of mutual Christian Love as the great Evidence of their sincerity and the truth of their Love to God for Men are subject to much hypocrisie this way and deceive themselves if they find themselves diligent in religious Exercises they scarce once ask their hearts how they stand affected this way Namely in love to their Brethren They can come constantly to the Church and pray it may be at home too and yet cannot find in their hearts to forgive an Injury As forgiving Injuries argues the truth of Piety so 't is that which makes all converse both sweet and profitable and besides it Graces and commends Men and their holy profession to such as are without and strangers to it yea even to their Enemies Therefore is it that our Saviour doth so much recommend this to his Disciples and they to others as we see in all their Epistles He gives it them as the very badge and Livery by which they should be known for his followers by this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye Love one another And St. Paul is frequent in exhorting and extolling this Grace Rom. 12.10 13.8 1 Cor. 1.13 Gal. 5.13 Eph. 4.2 and in many other places Colloss 3.14 he calls it the bond of perfectness that Grace which unites and binds all together Our Apostle here and often in this and the other Epistle and that beloved Disciple St. Iohn who leaned on our Saviours brest drunk deep of that spring of Love that was here and therefore it streams forth so abundantly in his writings they contain nothing so much as this divine Doctrine of Love We have here 1. The due Qualifications of it· 2. A Christians Obligation to it The Qualifications are three Namely sincerity purity and fervency The sincerity express'd in the former clause of the Verse unfeigned Love and repeated again in the latter part that it be with a pure heart as the purity is in fervency It appears that this dissimulation is a disease that is very incident in this particular The Apostle St. Paul hath the same word Rom. 12.9 And the the Apostle St. Iohn to the same sense 1 Ioh. 3.18 That it have that double reality which is opposed to double dissembled love that it be Cordial and Effectual that the professing of it arise from truth of affection and as much as may be be seconded with action that both the heart and the hand may be more the seal of it than the tongue Not Court-holy water an empty noise of Service and affection that fears nothing more than to be put upon tryal Although thy Brother with whom thou conversest cannot it may be see through thy false appearances he that commands this Love looks most within seeks it there and if he find it not there hates them most that most pretend it so that art of dissembling never so well studied cannot pass in this Kings Court to whom all hearts are open and all desires known When after Variances Men are brought to an agreement they are much subject to this rather to cover their remaining malices with superficial verbal forgiveness than to dislodge them and free the heart of them this is a poor self deceit as the Philosopher said to him that being ashamed that he was espyed by him in a Tavern in the outer Room withdrew himself to the inner he called after him that 's not the way out the more you go that way you will be the further within it When hatreds upon admonition are not thrown out but retire inward to hide themselves they grow deeper and stronger than before and those
the words of Eternal life yea though he being so often offended should threaten to leave me to the shame of my own follies yet I will stay by him and wait for a better answer and I know I shall obtain it this is assur'd me for my comfort that whosoever believes in him shall not be ashamed Verse 7. Vnto you therefore which believe he is precious but unto them who be disobedient the stone which the Builders disallowed the same is made the head of the Corner BEsides all the opposition that meets Faith within in our hearts it hath this without that it rowes against the great stream of the Worlds opinion And therefore hath need especially where it is very tender and weak to be strengthened against that The multitude of unbelievers and the considerable quality of many of them in the world is one continuing cause of that very multitude And the fewness of them that truely believe doth much to the keeping of them still few and as this prejudice prevails with them that believe not so it may sometimes assault the mind of a believer when he thinks how many and many of them wise men in the world reject Christ Whence can this be Particularly the believing Jews to whom this Epistle is address'd might think it strange that not only the Gentiles that were strangers to true Religion but their own Nation that was the select people of God and had the light of his Oracles kept in amongst them only that yet so many of them yea and the chief of them should be despisers and haters of Jesus Christ. And that these that were best vers'd in the Law and so seem'd best able to judge of the Messiah foretold should have persecuted Christ all his life and at last put him to a shameful death That they may know this makes nothing against him nor ought to invalide their faith at all but rather indeed testifies with Christ and so serves to confirm them in believing the Apostle make use of those Prophetical Scriptures that foretell the unbelief and contempt the most would entertain Christ withal as old Simeon speaks of him when he was come conform to these former predictions That he should be a sign of contradiction as he was the promis'd sign of salvation to believers so he should be a very mark of enmities and contradictions to the unbelieving world the places the Apostle here useth suite with his present discourse and the words cited from Esay in the former Verse continuing the resemblance of a corner stone they are partly from Psa. 118. partly out of 8th of Esay Vnto you c. Wonder not that others refuse him but believe the more for that because you see the word to be true even in their not believing of it it is fulfill'd and verified by their very rejecting it as false And whatsoever are the worlds thoughts concerning Christ that imports not For they know him not but you that do indeed believe I dare appeal to your selves your own faith that you have of him whether he is not precious to you if you do not really find him fully answerable to all that is spoken of him in the word and that accordingly you have believ'd concerning him We are here 1. To Consider the opposition of the persons And then 2. Of the things spoken of them 1. They are oppos'd under the name of believers and disobedient or unbelievers for the word is so neer that it may be taken for unbelief as is by some so rendered And the things are large as near as the words that signify them disobedience and unbelief 1. Unbelief is it self the grand disobedience for this is the work of God that which the Gospel mainely commands Ioh. 6.29 that ye believe Therefore the Apostle calls it the obedience of faith Rom. 1.5 And there is nothing indeed more worthy the name of obedience than the subjection of the mind to receive and believe those supernatural truths that the Gospel teaches concerning Jesus Christ. To obey so as to have as the Apostle speaks the impression of that divine pattern stamp'd upon the heart to have the heart delivered up as the word there is and laid under it to receive it Rom. 6.17 The word here us'd for disobedience signifies properly unpersuasion and there is nothing can more properly express the nature of unbelief than that and it is the very nature of our corrupt hearts We are Children of disobedience or unpersuasibleness altogether incredulous towards God who is truth it self and as pliable wax in Satan's hand he works in them what he will as there the Apostle expresses most easie of belief to him that is the very father of lies as our Saviour calls him a Liar and a murderer from the beginning murdering by lies as he did in the beginning 2. Unbelief is radically all other disobedience For all flowes from unbelief This we least of all suspect but 't is the bitter Root of all that ungodliness that abounds amongst us A right and lively persuasion of the heart concerning Jesus Christ alters the whole frame of it brings low its high lofty Imaginations and brings not only the outward actions but the very thoughts unto the obedience of Christ. Concerning these disobedient unbelievers these two testimonies taken together have in them 1. Their rejection of Christ. 2. Their folly 3. Their misery in so doing 1. They did not receive him as the father appointed and design'd him as the foundation and chief corner stone but slighted him and threw him by as unfit for the building and this did not only the ignorant multitude But the builders they that proâ—ess to have the skill and the office or power of building The Doctors of the Law the Scribes and Pharisees and chief Priests and think to carry the matter by the weight of their authority as overbalancing the belief of those that followed Christ. Have any of the Rulers believed in him But this People who know not the Law are cursed Iohn 7.48.49 2. We need not wonder then that not only the powers of the world are usualy enemies to Christ and that the contrivers of policies those builders leave out Christ in their building but that the pretended builders of the Church of God though they use the name of Christ and serve their turn with that yet reject himself and oppose the power of his spiritual kingdom There may be Wit and Learning and much knowledge of the Scriptures amongst those that are haters of the Lord Christ and the power of godliness and corrupters of the worship of God 'T is the Spirit of humility and obedience and â—aving faith that teaches Men to esteem of Christ and build upon him But the vanity of those builders opinion appears in this that they are over power'd by the great Architect of the Church his purpose stands notwithstanding their rejecton of Christ he is still made the head corner stone They cast him away by their miscensures and reproaches
before and the hope of that reward he hath promis'd as it is Col. 3.24 No less than the inheritance so then such Servants as these are Sons and Heirs of God Co-heirs with Christ thus he that is a Servant may be in a far more excellent estate than his Master The Servant may hope for and aim at a Kingdome while the Master is embracing a dunghill and he that is thus thinks highly of Gods free grace And the looking ever to that inheritance make them go cheerfully through all paines and troubles here as light and momentany and not worth the naming in comparison of that glory that shall be revealed In the mean time the best and most easy condiâ—ion of the Sons of God cannot satisfy them nor stay their sighs and groanes waiting and longing for that day of their full redemption Now this is the great rule not only for Servants But for all the Servants of God in what estate soever to set the Lord alwayes before them and to study with St. Paul to have a conscience void of offence towards God and Man to eye and apply constantly to their actions and their inward thoughts the command of God to walk by that rule abroad and at home in their houses and in the several ways of their calling As an exact workman is ever and anon laying to his rule to his work and squaring it and for the Conscience they have towards God to do and suffer his will cheerfully in every thing being content that he chuse their condition and their trialls for them Only desirous to be assur'd that he hath chosen them for his own and given them right to the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God still endeavouring to walk in that way that leads to it overlooking this moment and all things in it accounring it a very indifferent matter what is their outward estate here in this moment providing they may be happy in Eternity high or low here bond or free it imports little seeing all these differences will be so quickly at an end and thene shall not be so much as any tract or footstep of them left with particular Men 'T is so in their graves you may distinguish the greater from the less by their Tombs but by their dust you cannot and with the whole world it shall be so in end All Monuments and Palaces with cottages made fire as our Apostle tells us the elements shall melt with fervent heat and the earth and all the works therein shall be burnt up Verse 21.22 23. For even hereunto were ye called Because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps 22. Who did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not But committed himself to him that judgeth righteously THe rules that God hath set Men to live by are universally just and there is an universall obligation upon all Men to obey them but as they are particulary address'd to his own people in his word they are out of question particularly bound to yeild obedience and have many peculiar perswasives to it that extend not to others which are therefore usually represented to them and press'd upon them in the Holy Scriptures Thus the preface of the Law runs to Israel besides that I am Iehovah and have Supreme power to give Men Laws is added I am thy God especially thy deliverer from slavery and bondage and so have a peculiar right to thy obedience so Deut. 7.6 Thus the Apostle here urgeth this point in hand of inoffensiveness and patience particularly in Christian Servants But so as it fits every Christian in his station for hereunto sayes he ye are called Whatsoever others do though they think this too strait a rule yet you are tyed to it by your own calling and profession as you are Christians and this is evidently the highest and clearest reason that can be and of greatest power with a Christian Namely the example of Jesus Christ himself For Christ also suffered for us c. So 't is all but one entire Argument that they ought thus to behave themselves because 't is the very thing they are called to as their conformity to Jesus Christ whose they profess to be yea with whom as Christians they profess themselves to be one Hereunto were ye called This in the general is a thing that ought to be ever before our eye to consider the nature and end of our calling and to endeavour in all things to suit it to think in every occurrence what doth the calling of a Christian require of me in this but the truth is the most do not mind this we profess our selves to be Christians and never think what kind of behaviour this obliges us to and what manner of persons it becomes us to be in all holy Conversation but walk disorderly out of our rank inordinately you that are Prophane were you called by the Gospel to serve the World and your Lusts to Swearing and Rioting and Voluptuousness Heare you not the Apostle testifying the contrary in express termes That God hath not called us to uncleanness but unto holiness You that are of proud contentious Spirits are you suitable to this holy Calling No for we are called to Peace sayes the same Apostle but we study not this Holy Calling and therefore we walk so incongruously so unlike the Gospel we lie and do not the truth as St. Iohn speaks our Actions belie us The particular that here Christians are said to be called to is to suffering as their Lot and Patience as their Duty even under the most unjust and undeserved sufferings· And both these are as large as the Sphere of this Calling not only Servants and others of a mean condition that lying low are the more subject to rigours and Injuries but generally all that are called to Godliness are likewise called to Sufferings 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will follow Christ must do it in his Livery they must take up their Cross. This is a very harsh and unpleasing Article of the Gospel to a carnal mind but it conceales it not Men are not led blindfold upon sufferings and drawn into a hidden snare by the Gospels invitations they are told very often that they pretend not a surprisal nor have any just plea for starting back again as our Saviour tells his Disciples why he was so express and plain with them in this These things sayes he have I told you that you be not offended I have shew'd you the ruggedness of your way that you stumble not at it takeing it to be a smooth plain one but withal where this is spoke of 't is usually allay'd with the mention of those comforts that accompany these sufferings or that glory that followes them The Doctrine of the Apostles which was so verified in their own Persons Acts 14. That through much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdom of God
Apostles both for his Graces and his failings Eminent in zeal and courage and yet stumbling oft in his forwardness and once grosly falling and these by the Providence of God being recorded in Scripture give a check to the excess of Rome's conceit concerning this Apostle Their extolling and exalting him above the rest is not for his cause and much less to the honour of his Lord and Master Jesus Christ for he is injured and dishonoured by it but 't is in favour of themselves as Alexander distinguished his two friends that the one was a friend of Alexander the other a friend of the King That preferment they give this Apostle is not in good will to Peter but in the desire of Primacy But whatsoever he was they would be much in pain to prove Rome's right to it by succession And if ever it had any such right we may confidently say it has forfeited it long ago by departing from St. Peters footsteps and from his faith and retaining too much those things wherein he was faultie namely His uâ—willingness to hear of and consent to Christs sufferings his Master spare thy selfe or far be it from thee in those they are like him for thus they would disburden and exempt the Church from the cross from the real cross of afflictions instead of that have nothing but painted or carved or guilded Crosses these they are content to embrace and Worship too but cannot endure to hear of the other instead of the Cross of Affliction they make the Crown or Mitre the badge of their Church and will have it known by Prosperity and outward Pomp and so turn the Church Militant into the Church Triumphant not considering that it is Babilons voice not the Churches I sit as a Queen and shall see no sorrow Again his saying on the Mount at Christs Transfiguration when he knew not what he said 'T is good to be here So they have litle of the true glory of Christ but the false glory of that Monarchy on their seven hills 't is good to be here say they Again in their undue striking with the Sword not the Enemies as he but the faithful Friends and Servants of Jesus Christ but to proceed We see here S Peters Office or Title An Apostle not Chief Bishop Some in their glossing have been so Impudent as to add that beside the Text. Though Chap. 5.4 He gives that Title to Christ alone and to himself only fellow Elder and here not Prince of the Apostles but An Apostle restored and reestablished after his fall by repentance and by Christ himself after his own Death and Resurrection Ioh. 21. Thus we have in our Apostle a singular instance of humane frailty on the one side and of the sweetness of Divine grace on the other Free and rich grace it is indeed that forgives and swallowes up multitudes of sins of greatest sins not only sins before Conversion as to S. Paul but foul offences committed after Conversion as to David and to this Apostle not only once raising them from the dead but when they fall stretching out the same hand and raising them again and restoring them to their Station and comforting them in it by his free Spirit as David prayes Not only to cleanse polluted clay but to work it into Vessels of honour yea of the most defiled shape to make the most refined Vessels not vessels of honour of the lowest sort but for the highest and most honourable Services vessels to bear his own precious Name to the Nations making the most unworthy and the most unfit fit by his grace to be his Messengers Of Iesus Christ. Both as the beginning and end of his Apostleship as Christ is called Alpha and Omega Rev. 2.11 Chosen and called by him and called to this to Preach him and salvation wrought by him Apostle of Iesus Christ. Sent by him and the Message no other but his Name to make that known Anâ— what this Apostleship was then after some extraordinary way befitting these first times of the Gospel That is Now the Ministry of the word in Ordinary and therefore an imployment of more difficulty and excellency then is usually conceiv'd by many not only of those that look upon it but even of those that are exercised in it to be Ambassadourâ— for the greatest of Kings and upon no mean imployment that great treaty of peace and reconcilement betwixt him and mankind 2 Cor. 5.20 This Epistle is directed to the Elect who are described here By their Temporal and by their Spiritual conditions The first hath very much dignity and comfort in it but the other hath neither but rather the contrary of both and therefore the Apostles intent being their comfort he mentions but the one in passing to signifie to whom particularly he sent his Epistle But the other is that which he would have their thoughts dwell upon and therefore prosecutes it in his following discourse and if we look to the order of the words their temporal condition is but interjected for 't is said to the Elect first and then To the Strangers scattered c. And he would have this as it were drown'd in the other according to the foreknowledge of God the Father That those dispersed Strangers that dwelt in the Countries here named were Iews appears if we look to the foregoing Epistle where the same word is used and expresly appropriated to the Iews S Iam. 1.1 And Gal. 2. S Peter is called An Apostle of the Circumcision as exercising his Aposteship most towards them and there is in some passages of the Epistle somewhat that though belonging to all Christians yet hath in the strain and way of expression a particular fitness to the believing Iews as being particularly verified in them which was spoken of their Nation Chap. 2. v. 9.10 Some argue from the Name Strangers that the Gentiles are here meant which seems not to be For Proselyte Gentiles were indeed called strangers in Ierusalem and by the Iews But were not the Iewes Strangers in these Places Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Not strangers dwelling together in a prosperous flourishing condition as a well planted Colonie but Strangers of the dispertion scattered too and fro and their dispersion which was partly first by the Assyrian Captivity and after that the Babylonish and by the Invasion of the Romans and it might be in these very times increased by the believing Iews flying from the hatred and persecution that was raised against them at home These places here mentioned through which they were dispersed are all in Asia So Asia here is Asiae the lesser Where it s to be observed that some of these who heard S Peter Act. 2. are said to be of those regions And if any of those then converted were amongst these dispersed the Comfort was no doubt the more grateful from the hand of the same Apostle by whom they were first converted but this is only conjecture Tho Divine truths are to be received
they mock and despise is that Spirit that seals men to the day of Redemption Eph. 4.30 If any pretend they have the Spirit and so turn away from the straight rule of the Holy Scriptures they have the Spirit indeed but 't is a fanatical Spirit the Spirit of Delusion and Giddiness but the Spiâ—it of God that leads his Children in the way of truth and is for that purpose sent them from Heaven to guide them thither squares their thoughtts and wayes to that Rule And that Word whereof it is Author which was inspired by it sanctifies them to Obedience He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar and the truth is not in him 1 Ioh. 2.4 Now this Spirit that sanctifieth and sanctifieth to Obedience is within us the Evidence of our Election and Earnest of our salvation and whoso are not sanctified and led by this Spirit the Apostle tells us what is their Condition Rom. 8.9 if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Let us not delude our selves this is a truth if there be any in Religion they that are not made Saints in the estate of Grace shall never be Saints in Glory The Stones that are appointed for that Glorious Temple above are hewen and polished and prepar'd for it here as the stones were wrought and prepared in the Mountains for building the Temple at Ierusalem This is the Order Psal. 84.12 He gives Grace and Glory as Moralists can tell us that the way to the Temple of Honour is through the Temple of Vertue They that think they are bound for Heaven in the wayes of sin have either found a new way untroden by all that are gone thither or will find themselves deceived in the end We need not then that poor shift for the pressing of Holiness and Obedience upon Men. to represent it to them as the meriting cause of Salvation this is not at all to the purpose seeing without it the Necessity of Holiness to Salvation is pressing enough for holiness is no less necessary to Salvation then if it were the meriting Cause of it it is as insepararably tyed to it as the purpose of God and in the Order of performance Godliness is as certainly before Salvation as if Salvation did wholly and all together depend upon it and were in point of Justice deserved by it Seeing then there is no other way to Happiness but by Holiness no Assurance of the Love of God without it Take the Apostles advice study it seek it follow earnestly after holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Grace unto you and peace be multâ—plyed It hath always been a civil custom amongst Men to season their intercourse with good wishes one for another this the Apostles use in their Epistles in a spiritual divine way suitable to their holy Writings It well becomes the Messengers of Grace and Peace to wish both and to make their salutation conform to the main scope and subject of their discourse The Hebrew word of salutation we have here Peace and that which is the spring both of this and these good things are all in the other word of Salutation used by the Greeks Grace All right Rejoycing and Prosperity and Happiness flowes from this source and from this alone and is sought elsewhere in vain In general this is the Character of a Christian spirit to have a heart fill'd with Blessing with this sweet good will and good wishing to all especially to those that are their Brethren in the same Profession of Religion And this Charity is a precious Balm diffusing it self in the wise and seasonable expressions of it upon fit occasions and those expressions must be cordial and sincere not like that you call Court Holy-water in which there is nothing else but falshood or vanity at the best This manifests Men to be the Sons of Blessing and of the ever blessed God the Father of all Blessing when in his name they bless one another yea our Saviours Rule goes higher to bless those that curse them and urges it by that Relation to God as their Father that in this they may resemble him That ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven But in a more eminent way it s the duty of Pastors to bless their People not only by their publick and Solemn Benediction but by daily and instant Prayers for them in secret And the great Father who seeth in Secret will reward them openly They are to be ever both endeavouring and wishing their increase of knowledge and all Spiritual grace in which they have St. Paul a frequent Pattern They that are Messengers of this Grace if they have Experience of it 't is the Oyl of gladness that will dilate their heart and make it large in Love and spiritual desires for others Especially their own Flocks Let us 1 Consider the matter of the Apostles desire for them Grace and peace 2. The measure of it that it may be multiplyed 1 Grace We need not make a noise with the many School-distinctions of Grace and describe in what sense 't is here to be taken for no doubt 't is all saving Grace to those dispersed Brethren so that in the largest Notion that it can have that way we may safely here take it What is preventing Grace assisting Grace Working and Co-working Grace as we may admit these differences in a sound sense but divers Names of the same effectual saving Grace in relation to our different Estate as the same Sea receives different names from the different parts of the shoar it beats upon First It Prevents and Workes then it Assists and Prosecutes what it hath wrought he worketh in us to will and to do but the whole sense of saving Grace I conceive is comprehended in these two 1 Grace in the Fountain that is the peculiar Love and Favour of God 2. In the Streams the Fruits of this Love for 't is not an empty but a most rich and liberal Love viz. All the Graces and spiritual Blessings of God bestowed upon them whom he hath freely chosen The Love of God in it selfe can neither Diminish nor Increase but it is Multiplied or abounds in the Manifestation and Effects of it so then to desire Grace to be multiplied to them is to Wish to them the living Spring of it that Love that cannot be exhausted but is ever flowing forth and in stead of abateing makes each day richer then another And this is that which should be the top and summe of Christian Desires To have or want any other thing indifferently but to be resolved and resolute in this to seek a share in this Grace the free Love of God and the sure Evidences of it within you the fruit of holiness and the Graces of his Spirit but the most of us are otherwise taken up We will not be convinc'd how basely and foolishly we are busied though in the best and most respected employments
his promise because I live ye shall live also Ioh. 14.19 Christ and the Believer are One this is that Great Mystery the Apostle speaks of Eph. 5. though ' it s a common known truth the words and outside of it obvious to all yet none can understand it but they that indeed partake of it by vertue of that Unction their sins were accounted His and Christs sufferings are accounted theirs and by consequence His Glory the consequent of his sufferings is likewise theirs there is an indissoluble connection betwixt the life of Christ and of a Believer Our life is hid with Christ in God and therefore while we remaine there our life is there though hid and when he who is our life shall appear we likewise shall appear with him in glory Colos. 3.14 Seeing the sufferings and Glory of our Redeemer are the maine subject of the Gospel and the Causes of our salvation and our comfortable persuasion of it ' it s a wonder that they are not more the matter of our thoughts should we not daily consider the bitterness of that cup of Wrath he drunk for us and be wrought to Repentance and Hatred of sin to have sin imbitter'd to us by that Consideration and find the sweetness of his Love in that he did drink it and by that be deeply possessed with Love to him these things we now and then speak of but they sink not As our Saviour exhorts where he is speaking of those same sufferings O that they were engraven on our hearts and that sin were Crucified in us and the world Crucified to us and we unto the world by the crosse of Christ. And then considering the Glory wherein he is And to have our eye often upon that and our hearts solaceing and refreshing themselves frequently with the thoughts of that Place and condition wherein Christ is and where our hopes are ere long to behold lin Both to see his Glory and to be Glorified with him is it not reason Yea ' its necessary it cannot be otherwise if our Treasure and Head be there that our hearts be there likewise The Third Expression here of the Gospell is that 't is the Doctrine of Grace The work of Redemption it self and severall parts of it and the Doctrine revealing it have all the name of Grace because they all flow from free Grace that is their spring and first Cause And 't is this wherein the Doctrine of Salvation is mainly comfortable that it is free ye are saved by Grace Eph. 2.8 't is true God requires faith it is through faith but he that requires that gives it too that 's not of your selves 't is the gift of God 't is wonderfull Grace to save upon believing believe in Jesus for Salvation and live accordingly and 't is done there is no more requir'd to thy pardon but that thou receive it by faith But truely Nature cannot do this 't is as impossible for us of our selves to Believe as to doe this then is that which makes it all Grace from Beginning to End that God not onely saves upon believeing but gives believeing it self Christ is called not onely the Author and finisher of our Salvation but even of our Faith Free Grace being rightly apprehended is that which stayes the heart in all Estates and keeps it from fainting even in its saddest times what though there is nothing in my self but matter of sorrow and discomfort it cannot be otherwise ' its not from my self that I look for Comfort at any time but from my God and his free Grace Here is Comfort enough for all times when I 'm at the best I ought not I dare not rely upon my self when Im at the worst I may and should rely upon Christ and his sufficient Grace Though I be the vilest sinner that ever came to him yet I know he is more Gracious then I am sinfull yea the more my sin is the more Glory will it be to his Grace to pardon it it will appear the richer doth not David argue thus Psa. 25.11 For thy names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great But 'T is an empty fruitless notion of Grace to Consider it onely in the Generall and in a wandring way we are to look upon it particularly as address'd to us and 't is not enough that it comes to us in the message of him that brings it onely to our ear but that we may know what it is it must come into us then 't is ours indeed but if it come to us in the message only and we send it away again if iâ— shall so depart we had better never have heard of it it will leave a Guiltiness behind it that shall make all our sins weigh much heavier then before Enquire whether you have entertain'd this grace or not whether it be come to you and into you or not whether the kingdom of God is within you As our Saviour speaks 't is the woefullest condition that can be not to be far from the kingdom of God and yet to fall short and miss of it The Grace of God revealed in the Gospell is intreating you daily to receive it is willing to become yours if you Reject it not were your eyes open to behold the Beauty and Excellency of this Grace there would need no deliberation yea you would endure none desire your eyes to be opened and light from above that you may know it and your hearts open'd that you may be happy by receiving it The Apostle speaking of Jesus Christ as the foundation of our Faith calls him the same yesterday and to day and for ever Yesterday under the Law to day in those primitive times neerest his Incarnation and for ever in all succeeding ages And the Resemblance holds good between the two Cherubims over the Mercy-seat and the two Testaments those had their faces towards one another and both toward the Mercy-seat and these look to one another in their Doctrine agreeing perfectly and both look to Christ the true Mercy-seat and the great Subject of the scriptures This we see here the things that the Prophets foretold to come and the Apostles reported were accomplished were the same and from the same spirit they were the sufferings of Christ and his after Glory and in them our Salvation by free Grace The Prophesies look forward to the times of the Gospel and the things then fulfilled look back to the Prophesies and each confirms the other meeting all in Christ who is their truth and Center We have spoken already of the Author and subject of this salvation Now we come to say something of those who are Employed about it as well in Administring to it as in Admiring it And those are the Prophets and Apostles the first foretold what was to come the second Preached them when they came to pass In the Prophets there are three things here remarked 1. Their Dilligence 2. The Success of it 3. The Extent of its usefulness This
here our Apostles great intent to ballast the souls of his Brethren with this firm belief that they might sail even and steady in those Seas of trouble Wherefore sayes he if these things we have spoken be thus if there iâ— indeed truth in them and you believe it so what remains then but to resolve for it upon any terms to fit for the journey whatsoever be the difficulties and in them all to keep up the soul by that certain hope that will not dissappoint us What he hath said before is as it were showing them some fruits some clusters of grapes of that promised Land and this Exhortation is answerable to Caleb's word there Num. 13. Seeing 't is so good a Land let us go up and possess it though there be fleshly objects Sons of Anak Giants of tentations and afflictions and sins to be overcome ere it be ours yet 't is well worth all our labour and our God hath ascertain'd us of the victory and given us by his own word undoubted hope of possessing it That which he principally exhorts in this Verse is the right placing and firm continuing of our hope When we Consider how much of our Life is taken up this way in hoping for things we have not and that even they who have most of what others are desiring and pursuing yet are still hoping for somewhat further and when Men have attained one thing though it be something they promis'd themselves to rest contented withal yet presently upon obtaining it Hope begins to find out some new matter for it selfe I say considering the uncessant working of this passion throughout our life 't is of very much concernment for us to give it a right object and not still to be living in vanity and uncertainty Here is then that for our hope to apply it self to after which it needs not change nor can change without the greatest loss Hope for the Grace that is coming at the Revelation of Jesus Christ bestow all your hope on this and recal it not Hope perfectly and to the end The other part of the Exhortation relates to this as the main end and in the Original runs in this form wherefore girding up the loines of your mind being sober hope and to the end hope may be the more perfect and endure to the end and more like it selfe heavenly your minds must be freed from the Earth that they may set for heaven and this is expressed in two several words but both meaning much the same thing that temper of sobriety and posture of being girt are no other but the same removal of earthly mindedness and incumbring cares and desires of earthly things Gird up the loynes The custom of those Countries was that wearing long garments they trussed them up for work or journey Chastity is indeed a Christian grace and a great part of the souls freedom and spiritualness and fits it much for Divine things yet I think it is not so particularly and only intended in this expression as St Ierom and others take it for though the girding of the loynes seem to them to favour that sense 't is only in allusion to the manner of girding up used and besides the Apostle here makes it clear he meant somewhat else for he sayes the Loynes of your minds gather up your affections that they hang not down to hinder you in your Race and so in your Hopes of obtaining and do not only gather them up but tye them up that they fall not down again or if they do be sure to gird them straiter then before thus be still as men for your journey tending to another place This is not our home nor the place of our rest therefore our loines must be still girt up our affections kept from training and dragging down upon the Earth Men that are altogether earthly and profane are so far from girding up the loines of their mind that they set them whole downwards the very highest part of their soul is glued to the Earth and they are daily partakers of the Serpents curse they go on their Belly and eat the dust they mind earthly things Now this disposition is inconsistent with Grace but they that are in some measure truly godly though they grovel not so yet may be somewhat guilty of suffering their affections to fall too low that is too much conversant with vanity and further engaged than is meet to some things that are worldly and by this means abate of their heavenly hopes and make them less perfect less clear and sensible to their souls And because they are most subject to take this Liberty in the fair and calm weather of porsperity God doth often and wisely and mercifully cause rough blasts of afflâ—ction to arise upon them to make them gather their loose garments nearer to them and gird them closer Let us then remember our way and where we are and keep our garments girt up for we walk amidst thornes and briers that if we let them down will entangle and stop us and possibly tear our garments we walk through a world where there is much mire of sinfull pollutions and therefore cannot but defile them and the croud we are among will be ready to â—read on them yea our own feet may be entangled in them and so make us stumble and possibly fall Our onely safest way is to gird up our affections wholly This perfect hope is inforced by the whole strain of iâ— for well may we fixe our Hope on that happiness to which we are appointed in the Eternall Election of God Ver. 2. and born to it by our new birth Ver. 3 4. and preserv'd to it by his almighty power Ver. 5. and cannot be cut short of it by all the afflictons and oppositions in the way no nor so much as depriv'd by them of our present Joy and comfort in the assurance of it Ver. 6 7 8 9. And then being taught the Greatness and Excellency of that blessed Salvation by the doctrine of the prophets and Apostles and the admiration of Angels all these conspire to confirme our Hope to make it perfect and persevering to the End And we may also Learn by the foregoing doctrine that this is the place of our triall and conflict but the place of our rest is above we must here have our Loynes girt but when we come there we may wear our long white Robes at their full length without disturbance for there is nothing there but peace and without danger of defilement for no unclean thing is there yea the streets of that new Jerusalem arâ— pav'd with pure gold to him then that hath prepared that City for us let us ever give praise Verses 14.15 16. Verses 14. As obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to the former Lusts in your Ignorance Verse 15. But as he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation Verse 16. Because it is written be ye holy for I am holy THy
word is a Lamp unto my feet says David and a Light unto my paths not onely comfortable as Light is to the eyes but withall directive as a Lamp to his feet Thus here the Apostle doth not onely furnish consolation against distress but Exhorts and directs his Brethen in the way of Holiness without which the apprehension and feeling of those comforts cannot subsist This is no other but a clearer and fuller expression and further pressing of that sobriety and spiritualness of mind and life that he joyntly exhorted unto with that of perfect hope ver 13. as in separably connext with it if you would enjoy this Hope be not conform to the lust of your former ignorance but be holy There is no doctrine in the world either so pleasant or so pure as that of Christianity 'T is matchless both in sweetness and holiness The Faith and Hope of a Christa in have in them an abiding precious balm of comfort but this is never to be so lavish'd away as to be poured into the puddle of an impure Conscience No that were to lose it unworthily As many as have this hope purify themselves even as he is pure 1. Ioh. 3 3. Here they are commanded to be holy as he is holy Acts. 15. Faith first purifies the heart Empties it of the love of sin and then fills it with the Consolation of Christ and hope of Glory 'T is a foolish misgrounded fear and such as argues inexperience of the nature and workings of divine Grace to imagine that the assured hope of salvation will beget unholiness and presumptuous boldness in sin and therefore that the doctrine of that assurance is a doctrine of Licentiousness Our Apostle we see is not so sharp sighted as these men think themseves he apprehends no such matter but indeed supposes the contrary as unquestionable he takes not assured hope and holiness as Enemies but joynes them as nearest friends hope perfectly and be holy They are mutually strengthened and increas'd each by the other the more assurance of salvation the more holiness the more delight in it and study of it as the onely way to that End and as labour is then most pleasant when we are made surest it shall not be lost nothing doth make the soul so nimble and actitve in obedience as this oyle of gladness this assured hope of glory Again the more holiness is in the soul the clearer always is tâ—is assurance as we see the face of the heavens best when there are fewest clouds· The greatest affliction doth not damp this hope so much as the smallest sin yea it may be the more lively and sensible to the soul by affliction but by sin it always suffers loss as the Experience of all Christians does certainly teach them The Apostle exhorts to Obedience and enforceth it by a most persuasive Reason His exhortation is 1. Negative not fashioning your selves 2. Positive Be ye holy That which he would remove and separate them from is Lusts This is in Scripture the usuall name of all the irregular and sinfull desires of the heart both the polluted habits of them and their corrupt streams both as they are within and outwardly vent themselves in the Lives of Men. The Apostle St. Iohn 1 Ioh. 2 17. calls it the Lust of the world and Verse 15. love of the world And then Verse 16. Branches it into those three that are indeed the base Anti-trinity that the world worships the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh and the pride of Life The soul of Man unconverted is no other but a den of impure Lusts wherein dwells pride Uncleanness Avarice Malice c just as Babylon is described Revelation 18.2 or as Isa. 13.21 Were a Man's eyes opened he would as much abhorre to remaine with himself in that condition as to dwell in a house full of Snakes and Serpents as S. Austin says and the first part of conversion is once to rid the soul of these noysome Inhabitants for there is none at all found naturally vacant and frâ—e from them thus the Apostle here expresses it of the believers he wrote to that these lusts were theirs before in their Ignorance There is a truth in it that all sin arises from some kind of Ignorance or at least from present Inadvertâ—nce and Inconsideration turning away the mind from the light which therefore for the time is as if it were not and is all one with Ignorance in the â—ffect and therefore the works of sin are all called works of darkness for were the true visage of sin seen at a full light undress'd and unpainted it were impossiable while it so appear'd that any one soul could be in love with it but would rather flye it as hideous and abominable but because the soul unrenewed is all darkness therefore it is all lust and love of sin no order in it because no light as at the first in the world confusion and darkness went together and darkness was upon the face of the deep 't is so in the soul the more Ignorance the more abundance of Lusts. That light that frees the soul and rescues it from the very kingdome of darkness must be somewhat beyond that which nature can attaine to all the light of Philosophy naturall and morall is not sufficient yea the very knowledge of the Law sever'd from Christ serves not so to enlighten and renew the soul as to free it from the darkness or Ignorance here spoke of for our Apostle writes to Jews that knew the Law and were instructed in it before their conversion yet he calls those times wherein Christ was unknown to them the times of their Ignorance though the stars shine never so bright and the moon with them in its full yet they do not all together make it day still 't is night till the sun appear Therefore the Hebrew doctors upon that word of Solomons Vanity of vanities all is vanity say vana etiam Lex doneâ— venerit Messias Therefore of him Zacharias sayes that the day spring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace A naturall Man may attaine to very much acquir'd knowledge of the doctine of Christ and may discourse excellently of it and yet still his soul be in the chains of darkness fast lockt up under the Ignorance here mention'd and so still of a carnal mind in subjection to these lusts of Ignorance The saving light of faith is a beam of the sun of Righteousness himself that he sends into the soul by which he makes it discern his incomparable beauties and by that sight alienates it from all those lusts and desires that do then appear to be what indeed they are vileness and filthiness it self makes the soul wonder at it self how it could love such base trash so long and so fully resolves it now on the choyce of Jesus Christ the cheif
evils and the cause of all other evils 't is a transgression of the just Law of God and so a provocation of his just anger and the cause of those punishments temporal and spiritual and Eternal which he inflicts And then considering how mighty he is to punish both the power and reach of his hand that it is both most heavy and unavoidable All these things may and should concurre to the working of this fear There is no doubt a great difference betwixt those two kinds of fear that are usually differenc'd by the name of servile and filial fear but certainly the most genuine fear of the Sons of God that call him father doth not exclude the consideration of his justice and of the punishment of sin that his justice inflicts we see here 't is us'd as the great motive of this fear that he judgeth every Man according to his workes And David in that Psalm wherein he so much breaths forth those other sweet affections of love and hope and delight in God and in his Word yet expresseth this fear even of the justice of God My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Iudgements Psal. 119.120 The flesh is to be enaw'd with divine judgements though the higher and surer part of the soul is strongly and freely ty'd with the cords of Love temporal corrections indeed they fear not so much in themselves as that Impression of wrath that may be upon them for their sins Psal. 6.1 c. That is the main matter of their fear because their happiness is in his Love and the light of his countenance thaâ—'â— their life they regard not how the world lookâ—â— upon them care not who frown so he smile 〈…〉 and because no other enemy nor evil in 〈…〉 can prejudge them in this but their own sin 〈◊〉 it is that they fear most As the evil is great so the Christian hath great reason to fear in regard of his danger of it considering the multitude and strength and craft of his enemies and his own weakness and unskilfulness to resist them and his sad experience in being often foyled reacheth him that it is thus he cannot be ignorant of it he finds how often his own resolves and purposes deâ—eive him Certainly a godly Man is sometimes driven to wonder at his own frailty and unconstancy what strange differences will be betwixt him and himselfe how high and how delightful at some times are his thoughts of God and the glory of the life to come and yet how easily at another time base tentations will bemire him or at the least molest and vex him and this keeps him in a continual fear and that fear in continual vigilancy and circumspectness When he looks up to God and considers the truth of his Promises and the sufficiency of his grace and protection and the Almighty strength of his Redeemer these things fill his soul with confidence and assurence But when he turnes his eye downward again upon himself and finds so much remaining corruption within and so many tentations and dangers and adversaries without this forces him not onely to fear but to despair of himself and it should doe so that his trust in God may be the purer and more entire That confidence in God will not make him secure and presumptuous in himself nor that fear of himself make him diffident of God This fear is not opposite to faith but high-mindedness and presumption is Rom. 11.20 To a naturall mind it would seem an odd kind of reasoning that of the Apostle Phil. 2.12.13 'T is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Therefore would he think you may save a labour you may sit still and not work or if you work you may work fearlesly being so sure of his help but the Apostle is of another mind his inference is therefore Work out your own salvation and work it with fear and trembling But he that hath assurance of Salvation why should he fear if there is truth in his assurance nothing can disappoint him not sin it self 't is true but it is no less true that if he do not fear to sin there is no truth in his assurance 't is not the assurance of faith but the mispersuasion of a secure and profane mind 2. Suppose it so that the sins of a godly Man cannot be such as to cut him short of that salvation whereof he is assur'd yet they may be such as for a time will deprive him of that assurance and not onely remove the comfort he hath in that but let in horrours and anguish of conscience in its stead though a Believer is freed from hell and we may overstrain this assurance in our doctrine beyond what the soberest and devoutest Men in the world can ever find in themselves though they will not trouble themselves to contest and dispute with them that say they have it so that his soul cannot come there yet some sins may bring as it were a piece of hell into his soul for a time and this is reason enough for any Christian in his right wits to be affraid of sin No man would willingly hazard himself upon a fall that may break his leg or some other bone though he could be made sure both that he should not break his neck or that his life were not at all in danger and that he should be perfectly cur'd yet the pain and trouble of such a hurt would scarre him and make him warry and fearfull when he walks in danger The broken bones that David complains of after his fall may work fear and warriness in these that hear him though they were ascertain'd of a like recovery This fear is not cowardise it doth not debase but Elevates the mind for it drownes all lower fears and begets true fortitude and courage to encounter all dangers for a good Conscience and the obeying of God The Righteous is bold as a Lyon he dares doe any thing but offend God and to dare that is the greatest folly and baseness and weakness in the world From this fear have sprung all the generous Resolutions and patient sufferings of the Saints and Martyrs of God because they durst not sin against him therefore they durst be imprison'd and impoverish'd and tortur'd and dye for him Thus the Prophet I say sets carnall and godly fear as opposite and the one expelling the other Isa. 8.12.13 And our Saviour Luke 12.4 Fear not them that kill the body But fear him which after he hath kill'd hath power to cast into hell yea I say unto you fear him fear not but fear and therefore fear that you may not fear This fear is like the trembling that hath been observed in some great Courages before their battels Moses was bold and fearless in dealing with a proud and wicked King but when God appeared he said sayes the Apostle I exceedingly fear and quake Heb. 12.21 The Reason that we have here to perswade
so much and spake so many tongues yet I determined sayes he to know nothing among you save Iesus Christ and him Crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 And again he expresses this as the top of his Ambition that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death That Conformity is this only knowledge He that hath his lusts unmortified and a heart unweaned from the World though he know all the history of the death and sufferings of Jesus Christ and can discourse well of them yet indeed he knows them not If you would increase much in holiness and be strong against the Tentations of sin this is the only art of it view much and so seek to know much of the death of Jesus Christ Consider often at how high a raâ—e we were redeem'd from sin and provide this answer for all the enticements of sin and the world except you can offer my soul something beyond that price that was given for it on the cross I cannot hearken to you Far be it from me will a Christian say that considers this Redemption that ever I should prefer a base lust or any thing in this World or it all to him that gave himselfe to death for me and payed my Ransom with his blood his matchless love hath freed me from the miserable Captivity of sin and hath for ever fastened me to the sweet yoke of his Obedience Let him alone to dwell and rule within me and let him never go forth from my heart who for my sake refus'd to come down from the Cross. Verse 20. Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you OF all those Considerations and there are many that may move Men to Obedience there is none that persuades both more sweetly and strongly then the sense of Gods goodness and mercy towards Men and amongst all the Evidences of that there is none like the sending and giving of his Son for Mans redemption therefore the Apostle having mentioned that insists further in it and in these words expresses the performance and the Application of it 1. The purpose or Decree foreknown but 't is well rendred fore ordained for this knowing is Decreeing and there is little either solid truth or profit in the distinguishing them We say usually that where there is little wisdom there is much chance and comparitively amongst Men some are far more foresighted and of further Reach then others yet the wisest and most provident Men both wanting skill to designe all things aâ—ight and power to act as they contrive meet with many unexpected Casualties and often Disappointments in their undertakings but with God where both wisdom and power are infinite there can be neither any Chance nor Resistance from without nor any Imperfection at all in the contrivance of things neither himself can give that cause to add or abate or alter any thing in the frame of his purposes The modell of the whole world and of all the course of time was with him one and the same from all Etenity and whatsoever is brought to pass is exactly answerable to that pattern for with him there is no change nor shaddow of turning Iam. 1.17 There is nothing dark to the father of lights he sets at one view through all things and all ages from the beginning of time to the end of it yea from Eternity to Eternity And this Inccomprehensible wisdom is too wonderfull for us we do but childishly stammer when we offer to speak of it It is no wonder that Men beat their own braines and knock their heads one against another in the contest of their opinions to little purpose in their severall Mouldings of Gods Decree Is not this to cut and square Gods thoughts to ours and Examine his Soveraign purposes by the low principles of Humane wisdom how much more learned then all such knowledge is the Apostles Ignorance when he crys out O the depth of the Riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.33 Why then should any man dâ—bate what place in the series of Gods decree is to be assign'd to this purpose of sending his son in the flesh Let us rather seeing it is manifest that it was for the Redemption of lost Mankind admire that same Love of God to mankind that appears in that purpose of our recovery by the word made flesh that before Man had made himself miserable yea before either he or the world was made this thought of boundless love was in the bosome of God to send his son forth from thence to bring fallen Man out of misery and restore him to happiness and to do this not onely by taking on his nature but the curse to shift it off from us that were sunk under it and to bear it himself and by bearing it to take it away he laid on him the iniquity of us all And to this he was appointed says the Apostle Heb. 3 2. Before the foundation of the world This we understand by Faith that the world was framed by the word of God Although the Learned probably think it evincible by humane Reason yet some of those that have gloried most in that and are reputed generally masters of Reason have not seen it by that light therefore that we may have a divine belief of it we must learn it from the word of God and be persuaded of its truth by the spirit of God that the whole world and all things in it were drawn out of Nothing by his almighty power that is the onely Eternal and Increated being and therefore the fountain and source of being to all things Foundation In this word is clâ—ar the Resemblance of the world to a building and such a building it is as doth evidence the greatness of him that fram'd it so spacious Rich and comely so firm a foundation and rais'd to so high and stately a roofe and set it with variety of stars as with Jewels therefore call'd as some conceive it Psa. 8. the work of his fingers to express the curious artifice that appears in them Though Naturalists can give the reason of the earth's stability from its heaviness which stayes it necessarily in the lowest part of the world yet that abates nothing our admiring the wisdom and power of God in laying its foundation so and establishing it for it is his will that is the first cause of that its nature and hath appointed that to be the property of its heaviness to fix it there and therefore Iob alledeges this amongst the wonderfull works of God and evidences of his power that he hangeth the earth upon nothing Before there was Time or place or any Creature God the blessed Trinity was in himselfe and as the Prophet speaks inhabiting Eternity compleatly happy in himself but intending to manifest and communicate his goodness he
before Search the Scriptures sayes he himself for they testify of of me Namely the Scriptures of the Old Testament which were only then written and to evidence this both himself and his Apostles make so frequent use of their testimony and we find so much of them inserted into the New as being both one in substance their lines meeting in the same Jesus Christ as their center The Apostle here having express'd the happy Estate and Dignity of Christians under a double notion 1. Of a Spiritual House or Temple 2. Of a Spiritual Priesthood he amplifies and confirmes both from the Writings of the Prophets The former Verse 6 7 8. The latter Verse 9. These places that he cites touching this building are most pertinent for they have clearly in them all that he spoke of it both concerning the foundation and the Edifice as the first in these words of Esay 28.16 Behold I lay in Sion a chief Corner stone c. Let this commend the Scriptures much to our diligence and affection that their great Theme is our Redeemer and Redemption wrought by him that they contain the Doctrine of his excellencies are the lively picture of his matchless beauty were we more in them we would daily see more of him in them and so of necessity love him more but we must look within them the Letter is but the case the Spiritual sense is that we should desire to see We usualy huddle them over and see no further than their outside and therefore find so little sweetness in them we read them but we search them not as he requires Would we digg into those Golden Mines we would find treasures of comfort that cannot be spent but would furnish us in the hardest times The prophecy here cited if we look upon it in its own place we shall find it cast in in the middle of a very sad denounciation of judgement against the Jewes And this is usual with the Prophets particularly with this Evangelicall Prophet Esay to uphold the spirits of the godly in the worst times with this one great consolation the promise of the Messiah as weighing down all both temporal distresses and deliverances Hence are those sudden ascents so frequent in the Prophets from their present subject to this great hope of Israel And if this expectation of a Saviour was so pertinent a comfort in all estates so many ages before the accomplishment of it how wrongfully do we undervalue it being accomplish'd that cannot live upon it and answer all with it sweeten all our griefs in this advantage that there is a foundation stone laid in Sion on which they that are builded shall be sure not to be ashamed In the words there are 4 things 1. This foundation stone 2. The laying of it 3. The building on it 4. The greatness and Excellency of the work 1. For the foundation called here a Cheif corner stone Though the Prophet's words are not precisely render'd yet the substance and sense is one There both the foundation and corner stone is express'd the corner stone in the foundation being the main support of the building and throughout the corner stones uniting and knitting the building together and therefore this same word of a corner is frequently taken in Scripture for Princes or Heads of people Iud. 20.2 1 Sam. 14.38 because good governours and government are that which upholds and unites the societies of people in states or kingdomes as one building And Jesus Christ is indeed the alone head and King of his Church that gives it lawes and rules it in wisdom and righteousness the alone rock on which his Church is built not Peter if we will belâ—eve S. Peter himself as here he teaches us much less his pretended Successors he is the foundation and corner stone that knitts together the walls of Jews and Gentiles having made of both one as S. Paul speaks and unites the whole number of believers into one everlasting temple and bears the weight of the whole fabrick Elected or chosen out for the purpose and altogether fit for it Isaiah hath it a stone of triall or a tryed stone As things amongst Men are best chosen after trial so Jesus Christ certainly known by the father as most fit for that work to which he chose him before he try'd him as after upon tryal in his Life and death and resurrection he prov'd fully answerable to his fathers purpose in all that was appointed him All the streâ—gth of Angels combin'd had not suffic'd for that business but the wise architect of this building knew both what it would cost and what a foundation was needful to bear so great and so lasting a structure as he intended Sin having defac'd and demolish'd the first building of Man in th' integrity of his creation it was Gods design out of the very ruines of fallen Man to raise a more lasting edifice than the former one that should not be subject to decay and therefore fitted a foundation that might be everlasting The sure founding is the main therefore that it might stand for the true honour of his Majesty which Nebuchadnezzar vainly boasted of his Babel he chose his own son made flesh he was God that he might be a strong foundation he was Man that he might be sutable to the nature of the stones whereof the building was to consist that they might joyn and cement together Precious Inestimably precious by all the conditions that can give worth to any by rareness and by inward excellency and useful vertues Rare he is out of doubt there is not such a person in the world again Therefore called by the same Prophet wonderful full of wonders the power of God and the frailty of Man dwelling together in his person the ancient of dayes becoming an Infant He that stretch'd forth the Heavens bound up in swadling cloaths in that his Infancy and in his full age stretch'd forth on the crosse altogether spotless and Innocent and yet suffering not only the unjust cruelties of Men but the just wrath of God his Father the Lord of life and yet dying His excellency appears in the same things In that he is the Lord of life God blessed for ever equal with the father the sparkling brightness of this precious stone is no less than this that he is the brightness of the fathers glory so bright that Men could not have beheld him appearing in himself therefore he vailed it with our flesh and yet through that it shined and sparkled so that the Apostle S. Iohn saves of himself and those others that had eyes opened and look'd right upon him he dwelt amongst us and he had a â—ent like ours and yet through that wee saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten son of God full of grace and truth The Deity filling his humane nature with all manner of grace in its highest perfection And not only thus Excellent in himself but of precious vertue which he lets forth and imparts to
are no benefit to the Soul but they are its pernicious enemies They war against it and their war against it is all made up of Stratagem and slight for they cannot hurt the Soul but by it self they promise it some contentment and so gain its consent to serve them and undo it self they embrace the Soul that they may strangle it The Soul is too much diverted from its own proper business by the inevitable and uncessant necessities of the body And therefore 't is exceeding injustice and cruelty to make it likewise serve the extravagant and sinfull desires of the flesh so much time for sleep and so much for eating and drinking and dressing and undressing and to many the greatest part of the time that remaines from these spent in labouring and providing for those Look on the employments of most Men all the labour of the Husband-men in the Countrey and Tradesmen in the City the multitude of shops and callings what are they all But the interest and service of the body and in all these the immortal Soul is drawn down to drudge for the mortal body the house of clay wherein it dwells And in the sense of this those Souls that truely know and consider themselves in this condition do often groan under the burden and desire the day of their deliverance But the service of the flesh in the inordinare lusts of it is a point of far baser slavery and indignity to the Soul and doth not only divert it from spiritual things for the time But habitualy indisposes it to every Spiritual work and makes it earthly and sensual and so unfits it for heavenly things Where these lusts or any one of them have dominion the Soul cannot at all perform any good neither pray nor hear nor read the word aright And in as far as any of them prevail upon the Soul of a Child of God they do disjoynt and disable it for holy things Although they be not of the grossest kind of Lusts but such things as are scarce taken notice of in a Man either by others or by his own conscience some irregular desires or entanglments of the heart Yet these litle Foxes will destroy the vines they will prey upon the graces of a Christian and keep them very low Therefore it concernes us much to study our hearts and be exact in calling to account the several affections that are in them otherwise even such as are called of God and have obtain'd mercy for such the Apostle speaks to may have such lusts within them as will much abate the flourishing of their graces and the Spiritual beauty of the Soul The Godly know it well in their sad experience that their own hearts do often deceive them harbouring and hiding such things as prejudge them much of that liveliness of grace and comforts of the Holy Ghost that otherwise they would be very likely to attain unto This warring against the Soul meaning the mischief and hurtfullness of them hath this under it that these lusts as breaches of Gods Law do subject the Soul to his wrath So that by this the Apostle might well urge his point Besides that these lusts are unworthy of you the truth is if you Christians serve your lusts you kill your Souls So Rom. 8.13 Consider when Men are on their death-beds and near their entering eternity what then they think of all their Moyling in the earth and serving of their own hearts and lusts in any kind when they see that of all these wayes nothing remaines to them but the guiltiness of their sin and accusations of conscience and the wrath of God Oh! that you would be persuaded to esteem your precious Souls and not wound them as you do but war for them against all those lusts that war against the Soul The Soul of a Christian is doubly precious being besides its natural excellency ennobled by grace and so twice descended of heaven and therefore deserves better usage than to be turn'd into a Scullion to serve the flesh The service of Jesus Christ is that which only fits it only honourable for the Soul to serve so high a Lord and only due to serve Him that bought it at so high a rate Verse 12. Having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as Evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation THese two things that a Natural Man makes least account of are of all things in highest regard with a Christian his own Soul and Gods glory So that there be no stronger persuasives to him in any thing than the interest of these two and by these the Apostle urgeth his present Exhortation to holiness and blamelesness of life for the substance of his advice or request in this and the former Verse is the same a truely honest conversation is only that which is Spiritual not defil'd with the carnal lusts and polutions of the world The abstaining from those lusts doth indeed Comprehend not only the rule of outward carriage but the inward temper of the mind whereas this honest conversation doth more expressely concerne our external deportment amongst Men as 't is added honest among the Gentiles And so tending to the glory of God So that these two are inseparably to be regarded the inward disposition of our hearts and the outward conversation and course of our lives I shall speak to the former first as the spring of the latter Keep thine heart with all diligence For all depends upon that for from thence are the issues of Life Prov. 4.23 And if so then the regulating of the tongue and eyes and feet and all will follow As there it followes Ver. 24. That the impure streams may cease from running the corrupt spring must be dried up Men may convey them closely to run under ground as it were as they do vaults and ditches Sentinas cloacas but till the heart be renewed and purg'd from base lusts it will still be sending forth some way or other the streams of iniquity as a fountain Swelleth out or casteth forth her waters uncessantly so she casteth out her wickedness sayes the Prophet of that very People and City that was called holy by reason of the ordinances of God and profession of the true Religion that was amongst them And therefore t is the same prophet's advice from the Lord. Wash thine heart O Ierusalem how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Ier. 4.14 This is the true Method according to our Saviours Doctrine Make the tree good and than the fruits will be good not till then for Who can gather grapes of thornes or figs of Thistles Some good outward actions avail nothing the Soul being unrenewed As you may stick some figs or hang some clusters of grapes upon a thorne bush but they cannot grow upon it In this Men deceive themselves even such as have some thoughts of amendment when they fall into sin and