edge the soul the sting the malignity of every trouble is removed so that it hath little more then the notion of a misery Gods people are not delivered from evils as oppressive to nature but as satisfactory to Justice whatsoever they suffer though it be death it self they may say Christ hath laboured John 4. and we enter into his labours he hath born the heaviest end death lost its sting in his side There 's honey in the carcasse of this lion this Serpent is but a gentle rod being in his hand 2. This spirituall preservation of beleevers is from Sin and in the state of holinesse their grace being preserved and the image of God never totally obliterated in them God preserving the jewel oft when not the casket a mans self his soul though not his carcasse and from that which is the greatest enemy and evill sin so oft in Scripture call'd the evill John 17.15 Mat. 5.37 and that which makes the very Divel himself both to be and to be called the evil One he both having most and dispersing most of that evil the world to be call'd an evill world Luk. 6.45 1 Joh. 5.18 Gal. 1.4 and men evill men And so this priviledge of preservation from sin and in the state of holiness aptly follows Sanctification the elect being not onely made holy but kept holy Hence we read of him that is able to keep us from falling Jude 24. of Christ praying that his disciples should be though not taken out of the world yet kept from the evil Joh. 17.15 the world kept out of them though not they out of the world of the faithfull their being kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Of the evill one's not touching him that is born of God 1 John 5.18 and of his not sinning of Gods delivering of Paul from every evill work 2 Tim. 4.18 of preserving blamelesse to the coming of Christ of finishing the good work begun unto the day of Christ Eph. 1.6 All which places intend this spirituall preservation mentioned by Jude which is that gift of God whereby the elect being united to Christ by his Spirit and faith continue in him and can never totally and finally fall from holinesse Sundry wayes doth God preserve from sin and in holinesse 1. Somtime by keeping his people from the very outward tentation to sin if he sees it would be too hard for them often dealing with his servants as the people did with David 2 Sam. 21.17 who would not let him go down to battell lest the light of Israel should have been put out as Gideon dealt with his souldiers suffering not the fearfull to go to fight Judg. 7.3 as we use to keep in a candle in a windy night putting it into a lanthorn 2. Sometime by making them conquerors even for the present over the tentation he strengthens them so with his Spirit as that they break the strongest cords with Samson bearing away the very gates of the City and overthrowing whole troops of tentations Gen. 39. Thus was Joseph preserved as Chrysostom expresseth it in a fiery fournace even when it was heated seven times hotter then ordinary the power of God being put forth therein more then in preserving the three children Thus were the blessed martyrs preserved from sin we read in that holy Martyrologie Heb. 11 35. they were tortured not accepting deliverance How many have overcome fire with fire the fiery flame with love to Christ hotter then fire their holy resolution rising the higher the more opposition they had as a flood that meets with an obstacle or as a ball the harder it is thrown against the ground the higher it mounts in the rebound 3. Alway God so preserves his Saints from sinning Luk. 22.32 that they sin not finally they sin not away all their holinesse their faith fails not ther 's somthing in them that sins not the seed of God a grain of mustard-seed a principle of holinesse which Gratia nec totaliter intermittitur nec finaliter amittitur as it opposeth so it will overcome their distempers as a fountain works out its muddinesse when dirt is thrown into it as life in a man his diseases A Saint is not delivered fully from the being of sin but from the totall prevalency of it from finall Apostacy so that his soul still continues in the state of grace and hath the life of holiness for the essence though not alway in the same degrees he may aliquo modo recedere non penitus excidere Grace may be abated not altogether abolish'd he may peccare Actus omittitur habitus non amittitur actio pervertitur fides non subvertitur concutitur non excutitur defluit fructus latet succus jus ad Regnum amittunt demeritoriè non effectivè Pr.l. Effectus justificationis suspenditur at status justificationis non dissolvitur Suffr Br. p. 187. Secundùm quasdam virtutes spiritus recessurus venit venturus recedit Gr. Mor. l. 2. c. 42. not perire sin but not to death intermit the actings of of grace not lose the habit Faith may be shaken in not out of the soul the fruit may fall off but the sap not totally dry up 'T is true Grace in it self considered as a creature might totally fail our permanency is not respectu rei but Dei not from our being holy but from our being kept holy We are kept by the power of God and if so it will be to salvation Notwithstanding the power of sin in us and the power of Satan without us the frowns and the smiles of the world the musick and the fournace the Winde and the Sun the tide of nature and the winde of example holinesse though in the least degree shall never be lost to be of no degree Satan doth soli perseverantiae insidiari he only aims to take away grace he would never care to take away gold or names or comforts c. if it were not to make us sin He that offers to give these things to make us sin would not snatch them from us but for that end God was not delighted that Job should be tormented but that his grace should be tryed nor Satan so much that Job should be tormented as that his grace should be destroyed But though he winnow never so violently Luk. 22.23 he shall winnow never out all our grace All the power of hell shall never prevail against the God of heaven The immutable eternall decree of God is the foundation of perseverance Isa 46.10 Now the counsel of God shall stand The elect cannot be deceived Matt. 24.24 The impossibility of seduction is grounded upon the stability of election the foundation of God abideth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 it can never be moved out of its place The purpose of God according to election must stand Rom. 9.11 Of all that God hath given Christ by election he will lose nothing John 6.39 And
these Christians or what it was that put him upon this profitable performance of exhorting them in these words Beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was needfull for me to write unto you 2. The Exhortation it self in these words And exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints 3. Sundry weighty and unanswerable Arguments to move the Christians to follow and imbrace this excellent Exhortation from the third to the 17th verse 4. Severall apt and holy Directions to guide and teach these Christians how to follow and observe the Exhortation which he had back'd with the former arguments to the 24th verse I begin with the former The Reasons which put the Apostle upon sending this following Exhortation And the Reasons contained in these words Beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was needfull for me to write unto you are these three 1. The first is drawn from the dear love which the Apostle did bear to them they to whom he wrote were beloved 2. The second is drawn from the care and diligence of the Apostle for the doing of them good and the furthering of their salvation When I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation wherein consider 1. With what mind and disposition he endeavoured their good or how he was affected in endeavouring it he gave all diligence 2. In what work he was imployed for their spirituall good or by what means he endeavoured it by writing 3. The Weightinesse and great Concernment of that Subject about which he wrote the common salvation 3. The third reason is taken from their need of having such an Exhortation sent to them It was needfull for me to write unto you 1. The first reason is taken from the love which the Apostle did bear to them They were beloved For the Explication whereof Explicat two things are briefly to be opened 1. What the word Beloved importeth and what is contained in it 2. Why the Apostle here bestoweth this title upon them calling them beloved For the first the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beloved noteth two things 1. An amiablenesse and fitnesse for and worthinesse of love in the thing beloved which can and doth commend it selfe to our love It importeth more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligendi they who are to be loved for that word comprehends every one even the wicked and our enemies but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beloved properly respects those who have something of excellency to draw out our love towards them Vid. passim and therefore it 's in Scripture only attributed to the faithfull 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beloved noteth a very intense dear tender vehement love Rom. 16.5 8.9.12 Col. 1.7 4.7 4.14 Philem. 1.3 3 John 1. Jam. 1.16 Phil. 16.19.2.5 Ephes 6.21 Col. 4.9 1 Cor. 15.58 1 Cor. 4.14 Ephes 5.1 1 Cor. 4.17 2 Tim. 1.2 to the thing beloved and therfore it 's in Scripture not only the title of some most dear friends but of brethren of children and sons nay Christ who was the Son of God by nature who was his only Son that his Son in whom he was well pleased is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his beloved Son The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by Greek Authours attributed to an only child the Septuagint do with this word interpret that phrase Only Son Gen. 22.2 Take thy Son thine only Son They translate take thy Son thy beloved One. And Zech. 12.10 They shall mourn for him as one that mourneth for his only Son they translate as one that mourneth for his beloved One and others attribute this word to an only eye as when a man hath but one eye they call it a beloved eye 2. For the second why the Apostle bestoweth upon them this title of beloved He did it for two reasons 1. To shew what was his duty not onely as a man in which respect love is a debt due to all Rom. 13.8 or as a Christian it being the duty of Christians peculiarly to love Christians the houshold of faith brethren John 13.34 the members of one body c. but especially as an Apostle and Minister What more sutable than for a Father a Nurse 1 Cor. 4.14 15. 1 Thes 2.7 8. John 21. to love their children a Shepherd his flock The Apostles were spirituall Fathers Nurses Shepherds 2. To gain their loves by this affectionate Compellation Beloved that they by observing his love to them might both love him and thereby more readily imbrace the following Exhortation He is very uningenuous who if he will not provoke love from an enemy will not repay love to a friend Mat. 5.46 Even Publicans love those who love them The stone wall reflects heat when the scorching Sun shines upon it Love must be reciprocall if we are to love those who are friends to our bodies estates names c. Si diligis fac quicquid vis are not they to be beloved much more who are our soul-friends Nor was it more the duty of these Christians than their benefit to love this holy Apostle How much would their love to him forward their love to his Ministery Though the message should not be imbraced for the messenger yet it 's not so easily imbraced unlesse the messenger be beloved 1 Cor. 4.14 Gal. 4.19 1 Pet. 4.12 Phil. 1.8 4.1 2.12 Rom. 12.19 1 Cor. 10.14 2 Cor. 12.19 Heb. 6.9 Jam. 1.16.19 1 Joh. 3.2.21 That Minister who is beloved hath a great advantage above another he stands upon the higher ground for doing good and this is the main reason that the Apostles so frequently call those to whom they write beloved They did not desire to insinuate themselves into the hearts of the Christians for their goods But for their good not to set up themselves but Christ they did not wooe for themselves but for the Bridegroom they being his friends they did not seek to advance themselves but their Message their Master 1. Observ 1. Piety is no enemy to courtesie Christianity forbids not sweet compellations Religion doth not remove but rectifie courteous behaviour 1. By a flat prohibition of the act of dissimulation and of sinfull serving mens humours 2. By a moderation of excessivenesse in our expressions which seem courteous 3. By preserving affection pure from being made the instrument of prophanenesse and wantonnesse that the pure seeds of religion may spring up in the terms of affability 2. Observ 2. The work and labour of a Minister should proceed from love to his people The Apostle loved them and therfore he wrote to them Love should be the fountain of ministeriall performances First Christ enquired of Peters love John 21. and then he urged Peter to labour A Minister that speaks with the tongue of men and Angels and hath
run away from his Master When our enemies do us greatest hurt they remove us above hurt A servant of Christ may be sick persecuted scorned imprisoned but never unsafe He may lose his head but not one hair of his head perish 4. That he will provide for us He can live without servants but these cannot live without a Master Verily his Family-servants shall be fed The servants of Christ shall want no good thing If they be without some things there 's nothing they can want they shall have better and enough of better Can he that hath a mine of gold want pibbles can it be that a servant of Christ should want provision when as God can make his very work meat and drink to him nay when God can make his wants meat and drink how can he want or be truly without any thing whose friend hath and is all And no good thing shall they want nothing that may fit them for and further them in duty 'T is true they may be without clogs snares hinderances but these things are not good that hinder from the chief Good should God give them he would feed his servants with husks nay with poyson 5. That he will reward them The Lord gives grace and glory Mat. 5.12 Great is their reward in heaven nay great is their reward on earth There 's a reward in the very work but God will bestow a further recompence hereafter We should not serve him for but he will not be served without wages even such as will weigh down all our work all our woes Oh the folly of them that either prefer the cruel and dishonourable service of sin before the sweet and glorious service of Christ or that being servants to Christ improve it not for their comfort in all their distresses 4. Obs 4. I inferr We owe to God the duty and demeanour of servants 1. To serve him solely Matt. 6.24 not serving sin Gal. 1.10 Tit. 3.3 Rom. 6.12 13. Satan at all not man in opposition to Christ not serving our selves the times Who keep servants to serve others enemies Christ and Sin are contrary Masters contrary in work and therfore it s an impossibility to serve both contrary in wages and therfore it s an infinite folly to serve Sin 2. Christ must be served obediently submissively 1 in bearing when he correcteth A beaten servant must not strike again nor word it with his Master we must accept of the punishment of our iniquities 't is chaff that slyes in the face of him that fanneth 2 We must be submissive servants in being content with our allowance in forbearing to enjoy what we would as well as bearing what we would not the proper work of a servant is to wait stay thy Masters pleasure for any comfort All his Servants shall have what they want and therfore should be content with what they have The standing wages are certain and set the vails are uncertain 3 Submissive in not doing what we please not going beyond our rule our order Ministers are his servants and therfore must not make Laws in his house either for themselves or others but keep laws not of themselves lay down what they publish but publish what he hath laid down Ministers are not owners of the house but Stewards in the house Laws are committed to us and must not be excogitated by us No servant must do what is right in his own eyes Deut. 12.8 4 Submissive in doing whatever the Master pleaseth not picking out this work Ps 119.6 128. and rejecting that nothing must come amisse to a servant We must not examine what the service is that is commanded but who the Master is that commands 1 Tim. 5.21 We must not preferre one thing before another a service that most crosseth our inclinations opposeth our ease and interest A servant must come at every call and say Lord I hear every command Acts 10.33 5 We must serve Christ obediently in doing what is commanded because it is commanded this is to serve for conscience sake If the eye be not to the command the servant acts not with obedience though the thing be done which is commanded nay it s possible a work for the matter agreeable to the command may yet be an act of disobedience in respect of the intent of the performer Oh how sweet is it to eye a precept in every performance to pray hear preach give because Christ bids me Many do these works for the wages this is not to be obedient they sell their services not submit in service 3. Christ must be served heartily Ephes 6.6 Col. 3.23 Rom. 1.9 We must not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-servants we must do the will of God from the heart Paul speaks of serving God in the spirit There are many complement all servants of Christ in the world who place their service in saying Thy servant thy servant Lord lip-servants but not life heart-servants such as the Apostle Gal. 6.12 speaks of that do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make a shew only but the heart of a service is wanting the heart makes the service sacrificium medullatum 't is the marrow of a performance Bodily service is but like the fire in the bush that appeared to burn but did not or like the Glow-worm in the night that shineth but heateth not these do but act service but are no servants servants onely in profession To these who would not profess Christ seriously Christ will hereafter profess seriously Mat. 7.23 I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity 4. Christ must be served cheerfully He Psal 40.8 Joh. 4.34 2 Cor. 9.7 as he was his Fathers servant delighted to do his will It was his meat and his drink God loveth a cheerfull servant in every piece of sorvice This makes the service pleasing to Master and servant too acceptable to the former easie to the later Nothing is hard to a willing minde willingness is the oyl to the wheel A servant cheerfull at his work is as free as his Master Si non possint à Dominis liberi sieri suam servitutem ipsi quodammodo li beram faciunt Aug. de C.D. l. 19. c. 15. Rom. 12.11 If his Master make him not free he makes himself free The preaching of the Gospel must be performed willingly 1 Cor. 9.17 Love to souls should make us cheerfull in that service not mourning at our own pains but at peoples unprofitableness not that we do so much but that they get no more 5 Christ must be served diligently These two fervent in spirit and serving the Lord are most properly joyned together Hence it 's most necessary that what-ever we do Eccl. 9.10 Gen. 24.33 should be done with all the might Abrahams servant was diligent when he went to procure a wife for Isaac he would not eat bread till he had done his errand when 't was done he stay'd not upon complements They whose service is in
down his work is done A person spiritually enlightned hath not onely Spiritum adstantem but assistentem should hee have all the incouragements of honour or profit from without he could never do any thing cheerfully but would ever be complaining unlesse he enjoyed inward quicknings and enlivenings of heart in duty by the Spirit of Christ the supplyes of the Spirit 2. A sanctified person lives a holy life as in acting from so according to a principle of holy life Now his actings are according to his principle of holinesse 1. In regard of their kinde they are of the same sort or nature with the principle of holinesse Water in the stream is of the same nature with that in the fountan He that is sanctified lives like himself his regenerated self A spirituall life produceth spirituall living the seed of God puts forth it self in the fruits of godliness if he be a fig-tree he bears no thistles the working of a Saint follows his being The Vnderstanding acts in a sound efficatious Eph. 1.17 18. Col. 3.10 Eph. 4.23 operative influentiall knowing both of God and our selves The Conscience acts in a holy tendernesse and remorsefulnesse for sin Psal 16.7 2 Chr. 34.27 and in a pious peaceablenesse and quietnesse giving witnesse of a persons reconciliation to Rom. 5.1 and walking with God sincerely 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of a good conscience The Memory retaining heavenly things as a treasury Psal 119.11 repository or spirituall store-house of the Word an Ark for the two Tables The Will acts by a plyable yeelding to God in all things both to do what God enjoyns and to undergo what God inflicts in both its flexible Rom. 7.18 Psal 39.9 It desires to please God in all things though it find not alway to perform The Affections act in a holy regularity and order being streams not dried up but diverted 1 Tim. 1.5 Psal 18.2 Love is out of a pure heart a spark flying upwards set upon God principally and that for himself set upon man for God either because we see God in him or desire we may Psal 139.25 Hatred is now of those things that God hates and that hate God Joy is now spiritual in the Lord in communion with him in serving of him though in tribulation Sorrow is now for ours and others sin and the sufferings of the Church not for such poor things as worldly trifles the pearls of tears not being cast upon the dunghill Our Desires are now set upon the presence and pleasing of God pardon of sin a soft heart fruitfulnesse under the means the prosperity of Sion the appearance of Christ Our Zeal is not now hot for our selves and cold for God like fire well ordered burneth for the service not the consuming of the house Hope is now lively and well grounded not false and carnall This spirituall acting outwardly reacheth the body making it a weapon of righteousnesse fire within will break out The whole body is the souls instrument in all its members being obedient to effect good actions according to the dictate of renewed Reason and the command of sanctified Will the Eye is as it were a watch-man the Tongue a spokes-man the Ear a disciple the Arm a champion the Leg a lackquey all at the dispofall of God If the wares of holinesse be in the Shop those of the same kind will be on the Stall the life of a Saint is a visible Sermon of sanctification he who hath his heart ordered aright hath his conversation ordered aright Psal 50. the hand of the clock goeth according to the wheels Out of the good treasury of the heart he brings forth good things The body will be the interpreter of a gracious heart the law is written in the heart and commented upon in the life a clean stomack sends forth a sweet breath The matter of our actions shall be warranted by the word Psal 119.35 Mic. 6.8 Luk. 17.10 Act. 4.19 Psal 32.2 Psal 112.1 the manner humble cheerfull resolute sincere In a word glory ends are propounded and our workings if God require shall crosse our own interest ease profit Tohave a good heart and a wicked life is a walking contradiction A sanctified person is not as Ephraim a cake not turn'd only baked on one side 2. The actings of a sanctified person are conformable to his principle of Sanctification as that principle is extensive to and puts upon all the wayes of holinesse and as it is a seed of all the fruits of Sanctification A sanctified person embraceth every holy duty he fructifieth in every good work Col. 1.10 hath respect to every precept Ps 119.6 128 esteems every precept concerning all things to be right There 's a concatenation of all graces they are linked together in a divine league he hath not any grace that wholly wants any The instructions of the Law are copulative Jam. 2.10 he that would seem to make conscience of keeping all the Commandments of God save one Non est justa causatio cur praeferuntur aliqua ubi facienda sunt omnia Salv. de Pro. l. 3. observes none at all out of any obedience to God who hath alike commanded all A sanctified person preferrs not one Command before another 1 Tim. 5.21 his foot can endure to walk being sound in a stony as well as a sandy path he will do not many things but all even to the parting with Herodias and the putting down the Calves as well as Baal he is not double-diligent in some matters and negligent in others he is neither maimed to want any limb nor a monster one part excessively outstripping another 3. The actings of a sanctified person are conformable to the principle of spirituall life as it is the same a permanent abiding principle not somtimes in us and at other times quite gone from us but at all times remaining in us A sanctified person is holy in a continued course he walks with God Psal 119.112 he applyes himself to keep the Commandments continually He is not holy upon extraordinary occasions his duties are not like a misers feast all at one time nothing at another he is not holy by fits and pangs upon a rainy day reading only good in thundring and lightning or in a storm at sea moved passionatly with an affectionate sermon trembling for the present Acts 24.25 and presently after following bribery At the first coming on to profession seething hot after a while luke-warm at length key-cold slashing with Peter at the first and shortly after flying and denying His infirmities and falls are but for a fit but his holinesse is constant his goodnesse is not like the morning cloud and early dew Hos 6 4. not like the redness of blushing but the ruddiness of complexion his religion is not operative in company silent in secret he is not like water that conforms it self to the shape of every thing into which its poured or like
God the Father Secondly the Observations follow 1. Even our holinesse administers matter of humility Obs 1. Our very graces should humble us as well as our sins as these later because they are ours so the former because they are none of ours Sanctity is adventitious to Nature Heretofore holinesse was naturall and sin was accidentall now sin is naturall and holinesse accidentall when God made any of us his garden he took us out of Satans waste ws are not born Saints the best before sanctification are bad and by nature not differing from the worst the members that God accepts to be weapons of righteousnesse were before blunted in Satans service when God sanctifieth us he melteth idols and makes of them vessels for his own use Before any becomes as an Israelites wife he is as a captive unpared unwash'd unshaven Sanctification is a great blessing but was this web woven out of thine own bowels the best thou didst bring to thine own sanctification was a passive receptivenesse of it which the very worst of heathens partake of in common with thee having a humane nature a rationall soul and was there not with that a corrupt principle of opposition to God and all the workings of God was not God long striving with a cross-grain'd heart how many denyals had God before he did win thee to himself How far was the iron gate of thy heart from opening of its own accord and if he had not wrought like a God omnipotently and with the same power wherewith Christ was raised Eph. 1.19 20. had thy resistence been ever subdued and when the being of grace was bestowed from whence had thy grace at any time its acting Didst thou ever write one letter without Gods guiding thy hand didst thou ever shed one penitentiall tear till God unstop'd thy spouts smote thy rock and melted thy heart didst thou hunger after Christ till God who gave the food gave the stomack also Was ever tentation resisted grace quickned corruption mortified holy resolution strengthened power either to do or will received from any but from God Doth not every grace the whole frame of sanctification depend upon God as the stream on the fountain the beam on the Sun when he withdraws his influence how dead is thy heart in every holy performance onely when he speaks the word effectually bidding thee go thou goest and do this or that thou dost it 2. Obs 2. The reason why all graces of a sanctified person are for God they are from him Gods bounty is their fountain and Gods glory must be their center He planted the Vineyard and therefore he must drink the wine We are his wormanship and therefore we must be his workmen All our pleasant fruits must be laid up and out for our well-beloved All things but particularly our graces are from him and for him we can never give him more or other then his own when we give all we can The streames will rise as high as the fountain head and so should our graces ascend as high in duty as he who gave them Where should God have service if a sanctified person denyes it 3. Obs 3. From this Author of Sanctification I note t s excellency and worth It s a rare work certainly that hath such a workman a beauteous structure that hath such a builder What is a man to be desired for but his sanctification if we see a beauty on that body which hath a soul how much more on that soul that hath the reflexion of God himself upon it Every Saint is a woodden casket fill'd with pearls The Kings daughter is all glorius within Love Jesus Christ in his worky-day clothes admire him in his Saints though they be black yet they are comely Did the people of God but contemplate one anothers graces could there be that reproaching scorn and contempt cast upon one another that there is Certainly their ignorance of their true excellency makes them enemies they strike one another in the dark 4. Obs 4. Great must be the love that God bears to Sanctification It s a work of his own framing a gift of his own bestowing God saw that the work of the first creation was very good much more that of the second Wonder no more that the faithfull are call'd his garden his Jewels his Treasure his Temple his Portion God hath two heavens and the sanctified soul is the lesser How doth he accept of Saints even in their imperfections delight in their performances pity them in their troubles take care of them in dangers He that hath given his Son for them promised heaven to them and sent his Spirit into them what can he deny them Jesus Christ never admired any thing but grace when he was upon the earth the buildings of the Temple he contemned in comparison of the faith of a poor trembling woman Certainly the people of God should not sleight those graces in themselves that God doth so value as they do when they acknowledge not the holinesse that God hath bestowed upon them Shall they make orts of those delicates that Jesus Christ accounts an excellent banquet 5. The love of God is expressive Obs 5. really and effectually in us and upon us even in sanctifying us Creatures when they love will not put off one another with bare words of bidding be clothed sed c. much lesse doth God If there be love in his heart there will be bounty in his hand Thou sayst that God is mercifull and loves thee why what did he ever do for thee work in thee hath he changed thy nature mortified thy lusts beautified thy heart with holinesse Where God loves be affords love-tokens and such are onely his soul-enriching graces No man knows love or hatred by what he sees before him but by what he findes in him If our heart moves toward God certainly his goeth out toward us the shadow upon the Dyall moves according to the motion of the Sun in the Heaven 6. Obs 6. We are to repair in our wants of Sanctification to God for supply He is the God of grace The Lord will give grace and glory He hath the key of the womb the grave the heavens but chiefly of the heart He that sitteth in heaven can onely teach and touch the heart How feeble a thing and unable is man whether thy self or the Minister to do this He hath the windes in his own keeping and till he send them out of his treasury how necessarily must thy soul lye wind-bound Whither shouldst thou goe but to him and how canst thou go but by him The means of grace are to be used in obedience to him Parum prodest Lectio quam non illuminat Oratio not in dependancy upon them A golden key cannot open without him and a woodden can open with him Man may with the Prophets servant lay the staff upon the fore-head but God must give life How many fat and rich Ordinances have been
whole it swims if broken it sinks he never droops in any trouble unless he apprehends a breaking between him and Christ He is like the marigold that opens with the shining and shuts with the setting of the Sun His heart is lockt up in sorrow when God hides his face and he cannot find another key fit to open it again among all the keyes in the house What 's all the world to him without the presence of God but as a sive pluckt out of the water His comforts are only full when God is in them What are companions to him in whom he sees nothing of God but objects either irkesome or pitied What are Ordinances unless with Christ but as candles that have no light put to them Nay what would the joyes of heaven it self be if it were not for the presence of God but as a funeral feast or banquet where is much provision but no chear 2 There 's a love of Complacency and delight Amor Complacentiae when the soul having ark'd it self in Gods embracements now with infinite sweetness and security reposeth it self in them saying then as David Psal 4.7 8. Thou hast put gladness into my heart more than when their Corn and Wine encreased I will lay me down in peace and sleep and with Peter Lord its good being here and with the Spouse I charge you stir not up nor awake my beloved And when Christ meets it sweetly in Prayer Sacraments or a Sermon breathing thus Oh that Lord this meeting might never end deer Jesus why comest thou so seldom and stayest no longer All the night long do thou lodge between my brests Psal 84.10 A day in thy house is better than a thousand elsewhere Cant. 2.4 My soul is fill'd as with marrow Thou hast brought me into a banquetting-house thou hast made me drink abundantly Thy left hand is under me thy right hand embraceth me How contented could the soul be in such an in-come of Christ were not his pleasure otherwise that it had no avocation to take it off no earthly employment no family feeding of body or relations to call it away from those secret enjoyments of such a beloved Oh thinks the soul what a blessed place will heaven be where I shall never be severed one moment from the embracements of Christ to eternity 3 There 's Amor amicitiae A love to be set upon God for the goodness and excellency which is in himself To love God for the creatures is not to enjoy but to use God To love him for another end than himself Medium quà tale et per se nullam boni appetibilis rationem possidet tota quippe ratio amandi medium est convenientia cum fine Aquin. Mat. 13.21 is to turn the ultimate end into a mean Love to God grounded upon humane inducements is but spurious When the inducement suppose profit preferment is removed that love will discover its falsness And by that very reason for which men contend for the outward appearance and profession of love to God viz. because they love their pleasures and profits which without such a profession they cannot peaceably enjoy By that very reason I say they will be beaten off even from that their outside appearing profession when thereby those profits and pleasures which they love so much shall come to be hazarded It s a dead love to God that cannot stand unless it be shored up True love will stand alone without politick props To shroud our own private ends under the name of love to God is not amicitia but mercatura not to love but to make merchandize of him The love that cannot be warm any longer than 't is rubd with the warm clothes of preferment is but the carkasse of love Then hath this love a soul when God himself is the object of it when 't is not of what he hath but of what he is when he is beloved though we beg with him or though all his Rings and Ornaments are pluckt off nay when he plucks off ours In a word all his wayes ordinances people will have our love drawn out to them for that of God which is imparted to them The word will be received in its purity and power most loved when least adulterated when it discovers most of God to us and most of sin in us when the dearest corruption is struck at the closest duty urged the secret corners of the soul searched when the spiritual sword is laid on with severest blows The persons also in whom most shines the beauty of Gods likeness we shall most be taken with and those shall have our love shine upon them who can reflect nothing back again but holiness 4. There 's Amor benevolentiae A love set upon God endeavouring to bring to him so far as creatures can to an infinite Creator Psal 16 to whom their good extendeth not all service and honour This love returns to God not only a heart but a tongue a hand of praises and obedience All its pleasant fruits are laid up for its beloved all it is and hath is accounted too little Lord saith the soul that I could love thee more and serve thee better how impure is my heart how poor and imperfect are my performances what I have is neither enough nor good enough for thee but had I something better than my self and Oh that I my self were a thousand times better for thy sake it should be bestowed upon thee A soul in love with God is boundless in duty The smalness of his obedience is the greatness of his trouble when another man observes his zeal and vehemency his tears and sobs and wrastling in prayer and sees him so strict and exact in living he thinks it a great matter and is ready as the Disciples who looked upon the beautiful buildings of the Temple to admire him but then the party himself that loves Christ thinks all this as nothing in comparison of what Christ deserves he looks upon his services as Christ fore-told of the Temple as if there were not one stone left upon another This love causeth an universal Joh. 14.24 cheerful constant obedience to the Commandments of Christ In it all our services are steep'd and with it made easie to us and coming from Faith acceptable to God Nor will love think it much to suffer much for Christ 1 Cor. 13.7 nay it accounts it little to endure all things for him who hath born our burdees and shed better bloud for us than any we have to shed for him Faith worketh by love Love is the instrument in the hand of Faith A hand alone can lay hold and receive and so the proper work of faith is to lay hold upon Christ but a hand without an instrument cannot cut any thing no more can faith practise any morall duties without love Faith in justification is alone but in the life of man it worketh by love 3 From this love to God floweth another
The light of knowledge without the heat of love speaks him not excellent A golden key that opens not is not so praised as a wooden one that opens the door The shining pransing and trappings of a Steed commend him not but his serviceablenesse Ministers are not made for sight but for service Sine cura cum pervenerit ad curam Bern. Nothing more unsutable than for him to live without care who hath gotten a Cure Pray the Lord saith Christ to send forth labourers into his harvest Ministers must labour for the pulpit Qui ludit incathedra lugebit in gehenna and in the pulpit there must be the labour of study before we speak the labour of zeal and love in speaking the labour of suffering must be born after preaching alwayes the labour of praying before and after Their plainest performances must be painfull Diligens negligentia There must be a diligence even in their seeming negligence Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully Jer. 48.10 John 4.34 No danger is so great as spirituall nor must any care be so great as Ministeriall A godly Minister must be carefull for those that do not and carefull with those that do care for themselves He should not only eat his bread in the sweat of his brows but his sweat John 4.34 his labour should be his meat and drink Love to Christ souls should constrain him His life is short his reward is eternall Short seasons require quick services The nearnesse of Peters departure made him diligent 2 Pet. 1.13 14. Seldom doth the Kingdom of Heaven suffer violence under a remisse Ministry A sleepy Preacher cannot expect a waking Auditory It 's uncomely to see a Minister weary himselfe in the world in the family in the field in Courts of Justice Omnibus avocamentis valedicat He must take his leave of other imployments He must not leave the word of God to serve tables He is a Warriour and must not intangle himselfe in the affairs of this life They who sweat in worldly imployments are commonly but cold in the pulpit 4. Observ 4. People who partake of the Ministers diligence must take heed of negligence a double negligence 1. They must not neglect themselves Nor 2. their Minister 1. Not themselves their own souls they must carefully gather up that spirituall Manna that raineth upon them in this wildernesse they must not play with that meat which the painfull Minister hath been long a dressing If he take pains to do them good what should they to do themselves good 2 Pet. 1.5 Jam. 1.19 Isai 60.8 They must give all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure In this their day knowing the things of their peace walking while they have the light They must be swift to hear flie as doves to the windows delight in the word Alphonsus King of Naples read the Bible over forty times in his life time The Bereans received the word with all readinesse of mind Acts 17.11 First They must seek the Kingdom of God not labour for that bread which perisheth but for that which endureth to everlasting life 'T is not meat on the table but in the stomack that nourisheth A Ministers care without their own will be but their curse 2. They must not neglect their Minister Double diligence deserves double honour If the Minister consume his strength they must labour to restore it It 's a shame that people should lay out more upon brooms to sweep their kennels than upon a Ministry to cleanse their souls If Ministers bring them venison their souls must blesse them It was a saying of an holy man now with God but his speech died not with him London loves a cheap Gospell Dr. Stoughton If Ministers spend their oile people must supply it They must administer of their temporals Alas they give but pibbles for pearls Since the Ministry was so slighted godlinesse never thrived This for the first Particular considerable in the second Reason Why the Apostle sent the following Exhortation viz. With what mind and disposition the Apostle endeavoured the good of these Christians He gave all diligence The second followes In what work he was imployed for or by what means he endeavoured their good viz. by writing he gave all diligence and it was to write And why would the Apostle chuse to further their salvation by the means of writing Explicat what was the advantage of a performance of that nature His writing was sundry wayes eminently advantagious 1. It was helpfull and advantagious to the absent he could not speak and therefore he writes to them Being absent saith the Apostle I write to them which heretofore have sinned 1 Cor. 13.2 Writing is an invention to deceive absence The use of Epistles is that even the separated by distance of place may be near to one another 〈◊〉 affection that there may be among the absent a resemblance of presence The pen is an artificiall tongue the reliefe of the dumb and the distant by it the former speaks plain and the later alond The rongue is as the pen of a ready writer and the pen is as the tongue of a ready speaker 2. The Apostles writing had the advantage to be diffusive of good to many He was covetous of benefiting as many as he could and his writing scatter'd holinesse Writing as it reacheth further so more than the tongue It 's like a little leaven that leaveneth a great lump even whole Countries nay after-Ages Pauls Epistles are ours though not in their inscriptions yet in their benefit Augustine was converted by reading part of that to the Romans The pen hath the greatest Auditories Rom. 13.13 14. 3. The Apostles writing had the advantage of authority and esteem Often the contemptiblenesse of bodily presence by reason haply of defects in utterance aspect life rank c. dampeth the spirit and diminisheth the esteem of the worthiest speaker Learned Doctor Fulk Master G.H. Many are famous for their writing who have been lesse esteem'd for their speaking Pauls adversaries objected the weaknesse of his bodily presence 2 Cor. 10.10 when they confessed his letters were weighty and powerfull Writing abstracts the work from sundry prejudices against the workman Many there are who build the tombs of the Prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous who publish alledge adorn the books those monuments of the memories of holy Fathers and others whose persons had they lived in their times they would have as much persecuted and opposed as they now do those who are guided by the same spirit and walk in those holy wayes in which those Saints of old did Many but meanly esteem'd of in forraign Countries by reason of their common and contemptible society are most eminently and deservedly esteemed among us for their writings 4. The Apostles writing had the advantage of permanency and continuance it was a standing lasting
it be sweet or no. Jesus Christ hath given us no commission to study the pleasure but the preservation of our people It s better that our people should be angry for not pleasing their lusts than that God should be angry for not profiting their souls 6. Observ 6. The truths of the word are to be known unchangeably Gal. 1.6 Ephes 4.14 Si fidem scrutari haesitando caeperimus omnium patiemur jacturam Theophylact. in Rom. 1. Col. 2.2 Helps hereunto see pa. 238 239. stedfastly once for all Christians must not be removed from the truth they must labour to be men in understanding and not be children tossed to and fro with every winde of doctrine They must be known by the truth as men say they will by the gift of a friend many years after 't is delivered Holy instructions must be entertaind with full assurance of understanding and look'd upon not as opinions but assertions more sure than what we see with our bodily eys A seepticall doubtfull staggering Christian will soon prove a falling an apostatizing Christian A Christian must be rooted and grounded in the love of the truth Ephes 3.17 Thus far of the first part of the verse viz. the Preface prefixed I come now to the second namely the Example propounded in these words How that the Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt afterward destroyed them that beleeved not In the Example I consider 1. A famous deliverance The Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt 2. A destruction following that deliverance Afterward destroyed 3. The meritorious cause of that destruction Vnbeleef Those that beleeved not I. The deliverance is contained in these words The Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt EXPLICATION The greatnesse of this mercy in delivering the Israelites out of Egypt is frequently mentioned in Scripture Deut. 4.20 Lev. 26.13 Psa 77.15 16 19 20 Psa 78.12 13 14. and from ver 41. to 54. Psal 105. form ver 23. to 39. Psal 106. from ver 6. to 13. Psal 114.3 5. Isa 63.11 12 13 Psal 136. from ver 9. to 17. Acts 7.18 19 c. to 37. Besides the large historie thereof in the book of Exodus it 's prefixed briefly to the ten Commandments as a most prevailing motive to obedience and often set down as one of the most famous deliverances that ever God bestowed upon his Church And indeed so it was if we consider 1. What the Egyptians did to the Israelites in abusing them during their abode in Egypt 2. What God did both to the Egyptians and Israelites when he delivered the Israelites from the abuses of the Egyptians For the first 1. The Egyptians offered many cruell injuries to the bodies of the Israelites 2. By their heathenish idolatry they were great enemies to their souls The first of these the Scripture expresseth in setting down First The bondage and servitude of the Israelites whereby their libertie and ease were taken away Secondly The murderous Edicts which were given out for the taking away also of their lives First The cruel bondage of the Israelites was so great Exod. 20. that Egypt is call'd in Scripture the house of bondage and Egyptian bondage is even become a Proverb The Israelites were not more lovingly received by one Pharaoh Exod. 1.6 then they were cruelly retein'd by another They who of late were strangers are now slaves With Joseph died the remembrance of his love to Egypt Thankfulnesse to him by whom under God the lives and beings of the Egyptians were preserved is swallowed up in envie at the increase of his kindred and posterity The great fault of the Israelites is this that God multiplieth them To pull them down though by opposing of God and to make them as unfit for generation as resistance the Egyptians make them serve with rigour Exod. 1.13 14 and make their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar and brick Every word notes Egyptian cruelty The word translated to make them serve signifies to oppresse by meer force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hanc habet vim praepositio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Frangere and it is a word noting properly a tyrannicall abuse of power and therefore translated by the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies such a proud and cruel domineering as is used by tyrants Nor is the word translated with rigour without an emphasis it signifies saith Cajetan a making them to serve even to the breaking of their bones It is added that the Egyptians made their lives bitter a word transferr'd from the body to the minde to note the grievousnesse and unpleasingnesse of a thing The same word is used Lam. 3.15 where the Church saith Hee hath fill'd me with bitternesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath made me drunk with wormwood And as Lorinus thinks Miriam the sister of Moses had that name given her which signifies bitterness because she was born in those times The Seventy in their Translation expresse this imbittering of the Israelites lives by a word which signifies the most sharp and cutting pains in child-bearing And much doubtlesse was this bitterness increased by the nature of the work wherein the Israelites were imployed which was in mortar dirt and brick and all manner of service of the field they were put upon the most sordid and servile imployment Philo and Josephus with others report 2. Antiq. c. 5. that the works of the Israelites were meer drudgeries the most mean and dirty as scouring of pits the casting up of banks to keep out inundations the digging and cleansing of ditches and carrying the dung out of the Cities upon their shoulders And it 's said Psal 81.6 I removed his shoulder from the burden and his hands were delivered from the pots And that which yet made their servitude more extreme and bitter was that being in these dirty drudgeries of mortar and brick Exod. 5.10 the tale of the bricks is by the taskmasters laid upon the people though the straw wherewith to make brick be denyed them The poor Israelites now take more pains to please and yet please their cruell masters lesse than ever before They are commanded to gather straw and yet cruelly beaten because while they were gathering of straw they were not making of brick that is because they performed not impossibilities and did not make straw as well as brick Do what may be is tolerable but do what cannot be is cruell Hereupon the Israelites cry and complain to Pharaoh of their want of straw and their plenty of stripes In a word all that they desire is that they may but work as for wages they desire none In stead of relieving them he derides them and with a cruelly cutting scoff and a sarcasticall insultation he wounds their very wounds and tells them against hisown knowledg they are idle they are idle Hereupon
salvation 4. 2 Pet. 3. Obs 4. Great is the hainousnesse of sin that can provoke a God of much mercy to expresse much severity That drop of gall must needs be bitter that can imbitter a sea of honey How offensive is sin that can provoke a God to whose ocean of pity the sea is but a drop Ephraim saith the Prophet provoked God to anger most bitterly Hos 12.14 or with bitternesses God afflicts not willingly he gives honey naturally but stings not til provoked Every sufferer coyns his own calamities There is no arrow of judgment which falls down upon us but was first in sinning shot upwards by us no showr of miseries that rains down but was caused by the ascent of the vapours of sin no print of calamity upon the earth but sin was the stamp that made it What a folly is it in our sufferings to be impatient against God and to be patient towards sin to be angry with the medicine and in love with the disease Let us justifie God in all our sufferings and condemn our selves God commands that if a man were found dead the City that by measure was found to be neerest to the place where he was found Deut. 21.2 should offer up a sacrifice In all our deaths and woes would we measure impartially we should finde sin neerest let us sacrifice it 5. Obs 5. It should be our care to obtain the best and choycest of mercies God hath mercies of all sorts wicked men are easily put off with the meanest their enquiry is Who will shew them any good But O Christian let nothing please thee but the light of Gods countenance so receive from God as that thou thy self mayst be received to God Desire not gifts but mercies from God not pibbles but pearls Labour for that which God alwayes gives in love There may be angry smiles in Gods face and wrathful gifts in his hand the best worldly gift may be given in anger Luther having a rich present sent him profess'd with a holy boldnesse to God That such things should not serve his turn A favourite of the King of heaven rather desires his favour than his preferment We use to say when we are buying for the body that the best is best cheap and is the worst good enough for the soul The body is a bold beggar and thou givest it much the soul is a modest beggar asketh but little and thou givest it less O desire from God that thy portion may not he in this life Psal 17.14 that what thou hast in the world may be a pledg of better hereafter that these things may not bewitch thee from but admonish thee what is in Christ The ground of Pauls thanks-giving was Ephes 1.3 that God had blessed the Ephesians with spirituall blessings in Christ. 6. Obs 6. How little should any that have this God of mercy for theirs be dismayd with any misery Blessed are those tears which so merciful a hand wipes off happy twigs that are guided by so indulgent a father Psal 25.10 All his severest wayes are mercy and truth to those in covenant if he smiles 't is in mercy if he smites 't is in mercy he wounds not to kill thee but sin in thee the wounds of mercy are betthan the embraces of anger if sicknesse poverty dishonour be in mercy why dost thou shrink at them Wrath in prosperity is dreadfull but Mercy makes adversity comfortable It s the anger of God which is the misery of every misery Peter at the first was not willing that Christ should wash his feet but when he saw Christs mercifull intent therein feet and hands and head are all offered to be wash'd A child of God when he sees the steps of a father should be willing to bear the stripes of a child God will not consume us but onely try us He afflicts not for his pleasure but for our profit Heb. 12.10 Psal 89. God visits with rods yet not with wrath He takes not away his loving-kindnesse Mercy makes the sufferings of Gods people but notions It would do one good to be in troubles and enjoy God in them to be sick and lye in his bosome God gives a thousand mercies to his people in every trouble and for every trouble He burdens us but it is according to our strength the strokes of his flail are proportioned to the hardnesse of the grain Is◠28.27 and merciful shall be the end of all our miseries There 's no wildernesse but shall end in Canaan no water but shall be turn'd into wine no lions carcass but shall be a hive of honey and produce a swarm of mercies The time we spend in labouring that miseries may not come would be spent more profitably in labouring to have them mixt with mercy nay turned into mercies when they come What a life-recalling cordial is the apprehension of this mercy of God to a fainting soul under the pressure of sin Mercy having provided a satisfaction and accepted it nay which is more it beseeching the sinner to beleeve and apply it That fountain of mercy which is in God having now found a conveyance for it self to the soul even Jesus Christ through whom such overflowing streams are derived unto us as are able to drown the mountains of our sins even as easily as the ocean can swallow up a pibble O fainting soul trust in this mercy Psal 33.18 and 147.11 If the Lord takes pleasure in those that hope in his mercy should not we take pleasure to hope in it Mercy is the onely thing in the world more large than sin It s easie to presume Exod. 34.7 Psal 77.7 but hard to lay hold upon mercy Oh beg that since there is an infinite fulnesse in the gift and a freenesse in the giver there be a forwardnesse in the receiver 7. Obs 7. It s our duty and dignity to imitate God in shewing mercy Obs 7. 1 Pet. 3.8 Matth. 5.45 Luke 6.36 Col. 3.12 Rom. 12.15 Plus est aliquando compati quà m dare nam qui exteriora largitur rem extra se positam tribuit qui compassionem aliquid sui-ipsius dat Gr. Mor. 20. A grace frequently commanded and encouraged in the Scripture Mercy we want and mercy we must impart As long as our fellow-members are pained we must never be at ease When we suffer not from the enemies of Christ by persecution we must suffer from the friends of Christ by compassion When two strings of an instrument are tuned one to the other if the one be struck upon and stirred the other will move and tremble also The people of God should be so harmonious that if one suffer and be struck the other should be moved and sympathize Jer. 9.1 Luke 19.41 2 Cor. 11.29 Holy men have every been tender-hearted Grace not drying up but diverting the streams of our affections Christ was mercy covered over with flesh and blood his words his works
life death miracles were all expressions of mercy in teaching feeding healing saving men If there were any severity in his miracles it was not toward man but the swine and the barren-fig-barren-fig-tree Insensiblenesse of others miseries is neither sutable to our condition as men nor as Christians according to the former we are the same with others according to the later grace hath made the difference Mercy must begin at the heart Sic mens per compassionem doleat ut larga manus affectum doloris ostendat Greg. Luke 14.14 Gal. 6 9. but must proceed further even to the hand they whose hands are shut have their bowels shut also We are not Treasurers but Stewards of Gods gifts Thou hast so much only as thou givest The way to get that which we cannot part with is by mercy to part with that which we cannot keep Our good reacheth not to Christs person it must to his members Jonathan is gone but he hath left many poor lame Mephibosheths behinde him We must love Christ in his worky-day clothes We cannot carry these loads of riches to heaven It s best to take bils of exchange from the poor saints whereby we may receive there what we could not carry thither Especially should our mercy extend it self to the souls of others as soul-miseries so soul-mercies are the greatest They who are spiritually miserable cannot pity themselves though their words speak not to us yet their woes do Wee weep over a body from which the soul is departed and can we look with tearless eys upon a soul from which God is departed If another be not afflicted for sin grieve for him if he be grieve with him If thou hast obtained mercy thou dost not well as said the Lepers to hold thy peace Mercy must never cease till its objects do in heaven both shall Thus much for the first blessing which the Apostle prayes may be bestowed upon these Christians to whom he wrote viz. Mercy The second follows viz. Peace of which by way Of 1. Exposition Of 2. Observation Peace is a word very comprehensive and is ordinarily used to denote all kinde of happinesse welfare and prosperity And 1. I shall distribute it into severall kindes 2. Shew the excellency of that here intended 1. There 's Pax temporis or external among men 2. Pax pectoris or internal in the heart 3. Pax aeternitatis or eternal in heaven Or more distinctly thus 1. There 's a Peace between man and man 2. Between man and other creatures 3. Between man and or rather in man with himself 4. Between God and man 1. Peace between man and man and that is publick or private 1. Publick and that either Political of the Common-wealth when the politick State is in tranquility and free from forrein and civill Warrs 2 King 20.19 Jer. 29.7 There shall be peace in my dayes In the peace thereof ye shall have peace This is either lawful and so a singular mercy or unlawfull as when one People is at peace with another against the expresse wil of God as the Israelites with the Canaanites and Amalekites or joyn in any sinfull attempt as did the Moabites and Ammonites against the Israelites Or Ecclesiasticall and of the Church when its publick tranquility and quiet state is not troubled within by Schisms and Heresies or without by persecuting and bloody Tyrants Psal 122.6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem Acts 9.31 The Churches had rest and Acts 4.32 1 Cor. 14.33 2. Private and that either between the good and the good or between the bad and the bad or between the good and the bad 1. Between the good and the good 1 Pet. 3.8 Love as brethren and Let brotherly love continue and Col. 1.4 The love ye have to all Saints 2. Hebr. 13.1 Between the bad and the bad 2 King 9.22 Is it peace Jehu And that either lawfully for their own preservation or wickedly against the people of God or to strengthen one another in some sinful attempt and to that end joyning hand in hand 3. Between the good and the bad which is either lawfull as Abraham's with Abimelech and commanded Rom. 12.18 Render to no man evil for evil but if it be possible have peace with all men So Psal 120.7 I am for peace And sometime caused by a work from God upon the hearts of wicked men as in the case of Daniel Chap. 1.9 and in Esan's love to Jacob according to that of Solomon Pro. 16.7 The Lord will make his enemies at peace with him c. Or unlawful when against the mind of God the godly make leagues with them or agree in any way of sin 2. There is a peace between man the faithful I mean and other creatures the good Angels are at peace with 2. Heb. 1.10 Ephes 1.14 and ministring spirits to them as Job 5.23 Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the earth shall be in peace with thee and Hos 2.18 Hujus foederis vigore mala hujus vitae sic laedunt pios ut non noccant non perdant sed prosint Ubi notandum est vocabulum foederis accipi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per similitudinem effectus Riv. in Hos 2.18 I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fouls of the heaven and with the creeping things of the earth The meaning is There shall be such a work of God upon the beasts and fouls c. for the good of the Church as if God had bound them to do them good by way of covenant There is mention Jer 33.20 of Gods covenant of the day and of the night that is the establishment of Gods decree upon the day and the night wherby they come to be in such and such a way from the creation to the end of the world so that although the beasts the fouls the stones c. may annoy them nay kil◠them the true safety of the Church shall not be hindred by them yea All things shall work together for their good neither nakedness nor sword nor death nor any of these things shall separate them from the love of God in Christ and if God sees it for their good all the creatures in the world shall be so far from hurting the godly that they shall all agree to advance their temporall good and welfare 3. There is a peace in man with himself and that is either false or sound False peace is when sinners thinking themselves free from the fear of dangers falsly promise safety to themselves 1 Thess 5.3 When they shall say Peace and safety c. Sound peace in man with himself is twofold 1. Of Assurance when sanctified conscience ceaseth to accuse and condemn us speaking comfortably in us and for us before God 1 John 3.21 This sweet quietnesse and tranquility of conscience being the immediate fruit of our attonement with God that peace of God which passeth all