of the sobriety of Gods children in prosperity and in aduersity as also of that watchfulnesse which doth alwaies accompany and associate the said sobriety For whereas the wicked in prosperity swell and rage are proud and insolent contemning and despising all men as if they would beare down all before them and so do fall into infinit outrages the children of God looking to him that giueth prosperity considering for what end they haue more then other regarding the vncertainty of all that they haue and remembring before the account that one day they shall make of the emploiment of all that they haue receiued are kept from the former euils So whereas the wicked in aduersity do mutter and murmur against him that sendeth the same and particularly in the times of need and great penury do occupy their heads with many wicked imaginations and put in practise many vnlawfull shifts of stealing of borrowing without purpose of paying againe of promising much and performing nothing of deceiuing cosening and such like the children of God liuing euen this life by their faith and belieuing the promises of God as well for this life as for the life to come and remembring the performance of them in all ages and calling to mind the experience that themselues haue had of Gods prouidence c. do so commit their waies vnto him and cast their care vpon him that they are kept from those former scandalous euils These things might be prosecuted more at large but the religious reader by these instances may consider of other the like Touching the other point before named the raising againe of them that after regeneration doe fall to disgracefull sinnes Dauid also is a most worthy example thereof For how gratiously he was raised after his foule adultery with Bathsheba and his most horrible murder of her husband Vriiah it is manifest by the confession of his sinne to Nathan the Prophet 2. Sam. 12. 13. and by that dolefull and no lesse heauy then heauenly one and fifty Psalme written afterward by him in further testimony of his most serious and vnsained repentance When he was againe afterward ouertaken with numbring of the people yea though Ioab coūselled him very grauely to the contrary how was he raised out of the same being admonished thereof by Nathan and corrected with a great pestilence amongst his people by the angell of the Lord Yea did he he testifie that his rising againe by acknowledgement of his sinne and by praying for the people that the hand of might be turned from them vpon himselfe and his own house saying I haue done wickedly but these sheepe what haue they done Let thine hand I pray thee be against me and my fathers house 2 Sam. 24. 17. How did Hezekiah humble himselfe and cause the inhabitants of Ierusalem to humble themselues when hee saw wrath to come from the Lord vpon him and Ierusalem because he had not rendred vnto the Lord according to the reward of health miraculously bestowed vpon him 2. Chroni 32. 25. 26. How bitterly did Peter weepe after his foule and shamefull denying and forswearing of his master Yea how zealous was he from that time forward for him For being with other and Christ being there vnknown to his disciples and hauing bidden them to cast out their net on the right side of the ship with promise to finde for they had laboured all night and taken nothing and the net according to the former promise of Christ hauing comprehended a great multitude of fishes whereby Iohn discerned him to be Christ that had so spoken vnto them Peter no sooner heard Iohn say It is the Lord but presently he girded his garment vnto him and leapt into the sea and so came swimming vnto Christ whereas all the rest staied in the ship and so at leisure brought it and came themselues therein vnto the land Ioh 21. 1. To these things let me heere insert this one point more viz. that whereas the children of God regenerated doe sometimes fall into greater sins then the common sort of eiuill men not regenerated as Dauid in the things before spoken of and Salomon in many things this falleth out by the speciall prouidence and wisedome of God the better to teach what men are of themselues without God and beeing left vnto themselues as also to admonish such as thinke they stand to take heede lest they fall 1. Cor. 10. 12. and to instruct all to finish ther saluation with the more feare and trembling Phill. p. 2. 12. So by their sinnes they are made schoolemasters vnto other Is not this a singular priuiledge so to haue the old man more and more mortified so to bee preserued from great sinnes after regeneration So to arise out of them being by frailty and naturall corruption fallen into them and so by falling into them to bee made schoolemasters of such excellent things vnto other Verily we cannot but acknowledge it to be a great priuiledge if we shall consider with what greedinesse all the wicked and vnregenerate commit sinne continue in sinne and like wilde horses doe runne on and proceed from one sinne to another without any restraint But to proceed yet further as the childrenof God do daily more and more die vnto sinne and are preserued from notorious euils wherein the wicked wallow and welter themselues like filthy swine in the mire and will not be plucked out or if they fall into such euils yet they rise againe As I say the children of God do thus so also hauing by the vertue of their regeneration once brought foorth the fruits of the spirit and of righteousnesse they are made more and more abundant in them As the Apostle hath often exhorted the children of God so to doe viz. to abound alwaies in the works of the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. to encrease more and more c. 1. Thes 4. 1. to bee rich in good works c. 1. Tim. 6. 18. to consider one another to prouoke to loue and to doe good works Heb. 10. 24. to toyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godlinesse with godlines brotherly kindnes with brotherly kindnes loue and not onely to haue all these things but that also these things should abound in them 2. Pet. 1. 6. 7. 8. And as the Apostle praied most earnestly to be with the Philippians to this end that their loue might abound more and more in knowledge and iudgement and that to these ends first that touching their inward man their minds might be able to iudge things that differ and their hearts might be pure as the Sunne Cantic 6. 9. that is cleer and sincere without mixture of hypocrisie and touching their outward man both without offence euen till the comming of Christ and also filled with the fruits of righteousnesse Philip. 1. 9. 10. 11. As I say the Apostles haue exhorted the children of God so to abound in all goodnesse as also whiles they liued praied
him suffered by God himselfe to preuaile in some things as for some reasons before mentioned so also for some afterward to be spoken of By denying also the new borne of God to sinne the Apostle insinuateth that seruing of God in holinesse and righteousnesse which was before touched and so the word not to sinne is taken by our Sauiour when he saith to the man restored to his limbs Sinne no more lest a worse thing happen vnto thee Ioh. 5. 14. He meaneth not onely that he should abstaine from the euils forbidden but that also he should performe the things required in the law of God For the law of God saying not only Eschew euill but also Doe good Psal 34. 14. he must be a transgressor of the law not only that doth commit the euill forbidden but also that neglecteth or omitteth the good commanded So the distinction of sinnes of commission and of sinnes of omission is as sound and true as it is ancient and common As God himselfe is not only free from all euill but infinit also in all goodnesse so his law is like himselfe and doth as well command that which is holy and iust as it forbiddeth all vnholinesse and vnrighteousnesse According to this law men shall be condemned and that most iustly as well for leauing vndone good duties as for perpetrating acting of those things that are euill It is not said That euery tree that bringeth forth euill fruit but which bringeth not forth good fruit shal be bewen down or stubbed vp by the roots and cast into the fire Mat. 3. 10. And our Sauiour pronounceth sentence of condemnation for not visiting the sicke entertaining the strangers feeding the hungry clothing the naked c. Mat. 25. 41 c. By condemning notwithstanding them that haue not done good he teacheth that much more they shal be condemned that do commit that which is euill Mat. 12. 36. 37. 1. Cor. 6. 9. Reuel 21. 8. and 22. 15. So then this freedome of Gods children is not only a release from the most grieuous seruitude of sinne but also a participation of holinesse and righteousnesse Without this holinesse and righteousnesse our life before spoken of were no life neither were our freedome any freedome at least not worth the hauing The soule of man may be as well without motion in the body as the life of God without the fruits of righteousnesse That which is spoken of faith Iames 2. 20. is true also of the life of God What freedome also of any city is without commodities belonging thereunto But of this anon This also touching the fruits of righteousnesse is to be vnderstood in respect of the knowledge and wisedome before handled For how can a man be accounted a man of knowledge and wisedome that sheweth not the same by his workes of knowledge and wisedome And indeed we haue heard before that our knowledge and wisedome consisteth in the feare of God and keeping of his commandements And the Apostle Paul describeth that excellent knowledge of Christ before spoken of to be not the knowledge of his natures and person onely as they are things in Christ himselfe but as they are effectuall in other both to iustification and also to sanctification by the power of his death and the vertue of his resurrection of the one to our release from that bondage of sinne before handled and of the other to the quickning of vs to newnesse of life Philip. 3. 8. 9. 10. Therefore also Christ in the place before diuers times alledged is said to be made vnto vs not only wisedome righteousnesse and redemption but also sanctification 1. Cor. 1. 30. Therefore without Christ no more sanctification then wisedome righteousnesse or redemption In this respect Christ is not only said to haue giuen himselfe for vs that we might be pure or purged and holy or sanctified these things I say are not spoken in the nowne or in the verbe passiue as if either we or some other might purge and sanctifie vs but in the actiue verb that he might purge vs c. Note Tit. 2. 14. and that he might sanctifie his Church c. Epo 5. 26. to teach that the purging and sanctifying of vs is the worke only of Christ as well as the redeeming sauing and iustifying of vs. The same is yet further taught by our Sauiour himselfe As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me and againe without me ye can doe nothing viz. that good is Iohn 15. 3. 4. 5. and Paul accordingly saith that the fruits of righteousnesse are by Iesus Christ Phil. 1. 11. All this is to be vnderstood of Christ not as God only but as God and man the mediator betwixt God and man and as in that respect he is the head of the Church and so communicateth his vertue to all in regeneration incorporated into him and in whom he dwelleth by faith euen as the naturall head of a naturall body communicateth the vertue thereof to all the members of all the said naturall body So that also is to bee vnderstood that of his fulnesse we doe all receiue grace for grace or grace vpon grace or grace after grace Iohn 1. 16. All hitherto spoken of our life of our knowledge and wisedome of our redemption freedome and liberty and of our sanctification and holinesse and righteousnesse as the matter of our regeneration and things wherein the Note same doth consist must be vnderstood to be by Iesus Christ in a double respect first in that he hath purchased them for vs by the same price which hee gaue for our selues and for our saluation Secondly by working them in vs himselfe being apprehended by a true and liuely faith as hath been shewed before by the similitude of the vine and the branches and of the head and the members Moreouer touching this holinesse and righteousnesse now in hand we must vnderstand that it must not only be inward but also outward not in heart alone but also in our outward man and in our outward behauiour For Let your light so shine before men saith our Sauiour that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Mat. 5. 16. Clense your selues saith the Apostle from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit that ye may grow vp to full holinesse 2. Cor. 7. 1. he speaketh not only of filthinesse of the flesh but also of the spirit and therefore the holinesse there commended and opposed to the former filthinesse must be answerable thereuno viz. of the flesh that is of the body as well as of the spirit and heart Peter exhorteth them to whom he did write not only as strangers and pilgrims to abstaine from fleshly lusts because they fight against their soules but also to haue their conuersation namely their outward conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which did speake euill of them as of euill doers
said hope doth purge himselfe Tonching this effect let this be the first obseruation that the Apostle changeth the former word of knowing into an other viz. into hope what teacheth he thereby that the former knowledge is but an vncertaine hope Not so but that this hope is a certaine knowledge and that therefore it far differeth from the hope of worldly men of their worldly commodities as of the merchant of the returne of his stock with gaine of the husbandman of the recouery of his seed with increase c. For all such hope is but vncertaine depending vpon many vncertainties The merchants goods come often hard to the hauens mouth most safely and yet euen there ship and all are cast away The husbandman hath often goodly corne in the blade and yet by haile or by cattell or by some other meanes it is smitten and cleane destroied before it come to earing oftentimes it eareth well and yet at the time of blowing it is blasted that it neuer setteth well oftentimes it setteth well at the first and yet afterward it is smitten with mildew and so pinked that it is little worth Many times also it setteth well at the first thriueth well afterward continueth well till the very haruest and yet then either by fire from heauen or by fire through the malice of men as Absolon fired Iâ—abs corne 2. Sam. 14. 30. or by some other meanes it is altogether spoiled The like may bee said of the hope of other things of this life All is vncertaine and nothing but vncertaine As Salomon saith Vanitie of vanities vanity of vanities and all is vanity Eccles 1. 2. so may I say â—ncertainty of vncertainties vncertainty of vncertainties and all is vncertaintie But this hope of the children of God is ioined with certain knowledge and is the expectation of those things which we know most certainly and for which we haue Gods promise confirmed with an oath and many other assurances But of this we haue spoken so largely before in Chap. 14 that we shal not need to speake any more in this place Let the Papists therfore goe with their vncertainty and let their life still be miserable by vncertainty altogether disquieted and full of feares but let vs hold our certainty and labor daily more and more to increase the same by purging euery man himselfe as it now followeth to be further considered Thus much for our first obseruation vpon these words The second is the vniuersality of this sentence Euery one saith the Apostle that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe He speaketh generally He exempteth and excepteth none neither yong nor old neither poore nor rich neither vnlearned nor learned neither base nor noble neither woman nor man neither him that is in aduersity nor him that is in most prosperity neither subiect nor King Whosoeuer he be that hath this hope purgeth himselfe whosoeuer he be that hath not this hope doth not purge himselfe neither can purge himselfe The grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men saith the Apostle hath appeared and teacheth vs to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. and so to looke for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2. 11. 12. 13. Marke here first he saith that the Gospell described to be the grace of God because it commeth from the free grace and fauor of God teacheth the free grace and fauor of God and is the meanes whereby we both know the free grace and fauor of God and are also partaker thereof or be brought thereinto doth bring saluation to all men that is to all sorts of men yong and old masters and seruants c. mentioned in the former part of the Chapter and that then hee saith the said Gospell or free grace of God doth teach vs to deny all vngodlines and worldly lusts c. and so to looke for the blessed hope c. who then are to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to looke for the blessed hope Euen all sorts of men because the Gospell bringeth saluation vnto all men and teacheth as many to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. and to look for the blessed hope c. as it bringeth saluation vnto And indeed so to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. is a part and the first degree of saluation without which it is not possible to haue the other degrees of saluation A man may be master in the arts in the Vniuersity that was neuer bacheler in the arts yea a man may be bacheler in diuinity that neuer had any of the former degrees but no man can haue saluation in the world to come that is not commenced and hath not taken the first degree of saluation in this world for the denying of all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. yea no man can look for that blessed hope which hath not first denied all vngodlines No no what is that to deny all godlinesse and worldlie lusts c. but to purge himselfe as here the Apostle speaketh And what is that to looke for the blessed hope c. but to haue that hope in him wherof the Apostle here also speaketh I conclude therfore from the former place the same which here the Apostle setteth down viz. that as all must deny all vngodlines and worldly lust that looke for saluation by the grace of God so all must looke for saluation and for that blessed hope there spoken of that doe deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and conuersiuely that all that doe looke for that blessed hope must also deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts that is that euery one that hath this hope in him as this Apostle speaketh must purge himselfe This is the second obseruation The third is that he speaketh of that hope that is in a man He saith not Euery one that maketh profession of this hope or that hath this hope in his mouth or in his tongue but he saith Euery one that hath this hope in him that is within him in his heart Many that make profession of this hope and that say they hope and looke to be saued and to be made like vnto Christ at his appearing as well as the best doe notwithstanding liue in their sinnes and not purge themselues yea many doe declare Gods ordinance to other and doe talke of the couenant of God which yet hate to be reformed and cast his words behind them whereby they should be reformed and purged Psal 50 16. 17. The Apostle speaketh not of such but of them that indeed haue this hope in them which is a vertue of the inner man as well as the other two faith and loue wherewith it is ioined 1 Cor. 13. 13. Fourthly let vs obserue the word purgeth and that in a double respect first as touching the signification thereof secondly as touching the tence whereof it is viz. of the present tence Touching the first this word is deriued of a word that most properly signifieth chaste as the Apostle
would haue the yonger women to be chast Tit. 2. 5. Notwithstanding by the figure synecdoche that putteth the speciall for the general this word is vsed for all vertues and in this very place here is not only the verbe but also the primitiue whereof it is deriued in the words following as he is pure which being spoken of Christ noteth all the vertues that were in him euen his perfect holinesse and righteousnesse without any sinne at all This verbe in the generall signification thereof is borrowed as now it is vsed from the manner of the law for purifying themselues according to the ceremonies of the law either after they had any waies defiled themselues or before they were to come to the passeouer or to be imploied in any other holy worke So it is vsed Iohn 11. 55. Acts 21. 24. and 24. 18. The law being abrogated when the Apostle wrote this it cannot be taken for any ceremoniall purging but for a morall purging from sinne So also it is taken Iames 48. Clense your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye wauering minded men So also 1. Pet. 1. 22. Seeing your soules are purified in obeying the truth This word therefore in this signification of it noteth all sinne to be a filthy thing and not only adultery fornication and other such bodily vncleannes which euery man accounteth filthy to be filthy but euery other sinne also The wicked do account of some sinnes as speciall ornaments Pride is vnto them as a cbaine and cruelty as a garment Psal 73. 6. So we see that many in these daies thinke themselues the trimmer and the gaier for going in strange apparell fet from other countries and contrary to their sexe the man wearing womans apparell especially the woman wearing mans apparrell and contrary to their kind men and women conforming themselues rather to beasts then to any sobrietie and the men wearing long haire euen long locks behind contrary to nature and not only like to women but also like to some vnreasonable creatures and women wearing such kindes of periwigs that if a man should come out of the land of the liuing where he had not seene any such thing hee would hardly know what kind of creatures they bee but would take them to be some strange monsters only bred in this country These things haue beene proued before to be condemned in the word and to be greeuous sinnes yet in these things diuers take a great pride esteeming of them as of goodly ornaments yea so farre are some gone in impiety that they thinke it a great ornament â—o sweare great and fearefull othes and that they doe not account of him for a gentleman but rather for a clowne and a foole that cannot and doth not ordinarily in his common speech most wickedly and prophanely rap out all manner of othes The like doe some account of that foule and more then beastly sinne of drunkennesse But howsoeuer these and other the like sinnes be accounted as ornaments yet the holy Ghost doth account them as foule things and doth often call all sinne by the name of filthinesse 2. Cor. 7. 1. Iames 1. 21. or of uncleannesse Rom 1. 24. and 6. 19. 2. pet 2. 10. And it is not to be neglected that in cuery one of these places there is in the originall a seuerall word though they be all interpreted either filthinesse or vncleannesse For 2. Cor. 7. 1. is one word Ianâ—es 1. 21. another the primatiue whereof signifieth most properly such filthinesse as is gathered in the top of the fingers betwixt the nailes and the flesh Rom. 1. 24. and 6. 19. is another word and another in 2 Pet. 2. 10. what doth all this variety of words teach vs Truly this that such is the foulnesse and filthinesse of all sinne that no one word is sufficient to expresse or set forth the same Let men therefore please themselues as much as they will in it it is but a foule and filthy thing yea so foule filthy and lothsome that they that hauing been deliuered from it do returne againe vnto it are compared to the dog that returneth to his vemit and to the sow that being washed doth also returne to her mire againe wherin before she had wallowed 2. Pet. 2. 22. Can any thing be more lothsome then such mire and then the vomit of a dog Let no man blame me for writing so homely I vse the words and phrase of the Apostle yea it is the cloquence of most wise King Salemon Pro. 26. 11. and in both places of the holy ghost himselfe to make all sinne the more odious vnto all men But alas is it not a strange thing that many base persons should be so squaimish nice and dainty that they should condemnâ— that for rudenesse and thinke much to heare it spoken which that great and mighty King Salomen and God himselfe haue vsed for eloquence Is it not much more strange that men euen of the greatest sort should daily defile themselues with that and tumble and wallow in it ouer head and cares soule and body which is a thousand times more filthy and beastly then either the mire of a sow or the vomit of a dog and reproue those that set forth such filthinesse by the words of King Salomen of the Apostle and of the holy ghost Thus much touching the first respect of my obseruation of this word viz. concerning the signification thereof Touching the tence the Apostle speaketh not in the time past or in the time to come saying either he hath purged himselfe or he will purge himselfe but in the time present saying purgeth or doth purge This teacheth that this is and must be a continuall worke because sinne whereof this purging is doth alwaies remaine touching the blot stame and blemish thereof Though they that once be regenerated to be the children of God be iustisied and discharged from the guilt of all their sinnes as also freed from the bondage of them yet touching the staine of sinne that doth and shall alwaies remaine as along as we be clothed with corruption For who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am cleane from my sinne Pro. 20. 9. There is no man that sinneth not 1. Kings 8. 46. In many things we sinne all Iames 3. 2. And who needeth not daily to pray for forgiuenesse of trespasses What man also lineth and shall not see death There are certaine times of the yeere fitter for purging of the body for bodily health then other as the spring is best of all and the fall of the lease next to that So also in those times that are sit there are some daies fitter to purge either with pilles or with potions or by vomits or by clysters or by letting of bloud But for this spirituall purging of our selues from sinne all times are like all daies ahke none better then other except only when there is fitter opportunity in respect of fitter meanes as also in respect of some iudgement and