the day after so long between to approve the truth of his death and no longer that he might see no corruption Early in the morning to shew that he was the light of the world the Son of Righteousness a light to be revealed unto the Gentiles one that was to lighten every one that came into the world namely that is lightned even us that are by nature darkness it self from hence must every man fetch light On the first day of the week for so God disposed of it This first day was answerable to the first day of the world it was the morrow after the Jews Sabbath As he began to make the world the first day of it when before it was not so now that it was decayed and corrupted by sin he now came to make it up again which he did by his Death and Resurrection Hence the Reason of the alteration of the Sabbath from the Jews Sabbath to the day following which is ours to keep a memorial as of the Creation of the world so especially of the renewing of the world by the work of Redemption and as the first Sabbath continued from the Creation to Christs Resurrection so no question ought this to abide to the worlds end The benefits ensuing hereupon are 1. To assure us that Christ hath fully paid all our debts If Christ be not risen saith the Apostle we are yet in our sins and our preaching is in vain 2. To give us power to rise to a new life 3. To assure us of our Resurrection O then who shall lay any thing to the charge of Believers It s Christ that is dead nay rather which is risen again for whom therefore there 's no evil remaining They shall have power given them to walk in holiness of life as the Syon graft into a stock receiveth juice and life therefrom yea they shall enjoy a comfortable and joyful Resurrection Contrarily miserable is the case of the wicked their debt is all on the File against them they shall rise but to their cost and smart to a dreadful judgement when they shall stand trembling and wishing that the hills might fall on them on them the second death shall have power Now they lie snorting neither will be awakened by our preaching notwithstanding their present and approaching misery The duties which are hereupon to be performed are 1. In imitation of Christs Resurrection in a spiritual maner to rise out of the graves of our lusts and sins to a new and holy life O awake thou that sleepest the Word is appointed for this end 2. To endure any thing rather then to be deprived hereof The faithful in Heb. 11. endured racking and would not be delivered therefrom with an ill conscience that they might have a better and joyful Resurrection 3. Set our affections on those things which are above Thus of his Resurrection Verse 19. By which also he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison Verse 20. Which sometime were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water THe Apostle proceeds to comfort the faithful that suffer for Righteousness sake He had said before That as Christ rose again after his sufferings and had a good end of them so shall all that suffer for his sake Now lest this should be doubted of he sheweth how it cometh to pass namely by the help assistance and power of the Spirit of God who as he shewed himself mightily in Christs person so hath and will in his members and for instance he looks back a great while ago when long before Christs coming the Spirit shewed himself to the confusion of the wicked and disobedient and to the comfort and deliverance of Gods servants as Noah whom as this Spirit enabled to preach the to wicked world so they disobeying and mocking him the same Spirit preserved and saved in the common destruction And therefore if the Spirit of God shewed himself so in the people of God for their good so long ago then we need not fear but that he will much more shew himself in and with us inasmuch as now the Spirit is bestowed in a larger and fuller maner then before our Saviors coming into the world Now he reckons this rather then any other example because it was a famous one both of convicting the wicked world and preserving the servants of God in such a bad time and because it was so long ago I come to the meaning of the words By which his Spirit namely his Godhead and Divine Nature which raised him from the dead He went and preached namely by the mouth and ministery of Noah To the Spirits in prison even them that be now and were in Peters time Spirits and Souls in Hell but when Noah preached were disobedient men and women when God seeing the notorious corruption of the times threatned to destroy the world with a flood if they did not repent To them Noah preaching both by word and by deed also in preparing the Ark they not being moved hereat nor at the long suffering of God were at the length drowned Noah onely and his wife with his three sons and their three wives being preserved in the Ark. This Scripture hath suffered as Mr. Luther saith of the Lords Prayer much Martyrdom by false interpretations and erroneous constructions whereof that of the Papists is most gross They understand it thus that Christ being dead in his soul went down to the lower parts of the world where be four several places together one above another Limbus patrum Limbus puerorum Purgatory and Hell which is the lowest and hottest of all that Christ went into Limbus patrum to fetch out all the godly Fathers that dyed from the beginning til his coming and all such as in Noah's time seeing the flood come indeed repented and went to Purgatory and had there suffered all and so were gone into Limbus patrum also to deliver the souls then in Purgatory and into the lowest part namely Hell to Preach to the convicting of the Reprobates there c. But though in truth Christ had done thus which yet he never did this proves no such matter will afford no such sence for 1. By Spirit whereunto the word which hath relation is not meant Christs soul but his Godhead not his soul for then it was that Christ was quickned in his soul or by his soul but neither can be true not in his soul for his soul never dyed nor was mortal not by the soul for it was not the soul that raised him again but the power of God that joyned them both together as the Scripture testifieth and that his Godhead is hereby meant will appear by the like places as Rom. 1. 3 4. 2 Cor. 13. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. where that which our Apostle calls flesh Saint Paul calls infirmity and
This is worth our pains and cost this is good wisdom The wise Merchant spying the Pearl hid in the field goes and sells all and buys it so every one that is a true Esteemer of this Pearl prizeth it above all that he hath But few do thus because this Pearl is hid from carnal men they do not see it and many among us will not see it though it be discovered to us But O woful and miserable world he that would look upon most men might think there were no such inheritance How do some spend all their time in pleasure and never look after any thing else How do most men rake after the world night and day Sabbath and all by right and wrong hook and crook and suffer no stone unrolled for this pelf and trash of the world that never set their hearts once to enquire after any other inheritance for time to come as if Heaven were here poor beasts they might as well go on all four Oh base that men should spend their time their thoughts their pains and all for that which may be lost ere morning and no whit for that which will last for ever Thus with Judas most sell Christ for Thirty pieces with Esau their Birthright for a mess of Pottage and with the Gadarens prefer their hogs before Christ others that seem not altogether eaten up of the world or so prophane will talk of this inheritance but how do they hold it by every blinde conceit they that cannot even by learned Counsel make sure enough their Earthly inheritance can of their own heads make sure their Heavenly Nay the world if they see any take pains in Hearing Reading Praying and the like wonder at them count them fools say they will beggar themselves I wonder what they mean c. Dost thou wonder They desire to attain an heavenly inheritance not easily attained They may rather wonder to see thee so earnest for this trash which thou must leave thou canst not tell how soon and have no care for the time to com which is for ever let such leave off seeking for the body and now care for the soul Laying up in store a good foundation for themselves against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life Oh get good evidences to shew for it against all cavillers content not thy self with this that God is merciful and Christ died for all men and the like but labor to gain assurance upon good ground that thou art one of them to whom God hath promised mercy and for whom Christ dyed To this end examine thy Faith by its undoubted fruits Repentance and Charity If it be an undefiled inheritance let every one therefore labor to wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb and by the Spirit of Sanctification else can we never come there none but such are admitted into Gods presence what an impudent sawciness then is it in a number that wallow in the filthy mire of their sins and yet hope to go to Heaven as well as the best Are swine and such filthy cattel used to be brought into Kings Presence-Chambers No thou must be washed ere thou come here and that so as all the water in the sea cannot wash thee If such as thou go to Heaven then who go to Hell If you will say Turks Pagans then look into the Parable of the Sower three sorts of hearers perish you know and do not they know not the will of God Dost thou think that thou canst go on in thy lewdness and step out of thy filthy life into Heaven No then had all Gods servants lost a great deal of labor We read of one and but of one that made any short cut namely the thief upon the Cross labor thou therefore in time to be washed in time for Sanctification and hereafter as heretofore thou hast still done put not off from day to day But the Apostle contents not himself with the foregoing description he yet adds more touching the same what then We notwithstanding must learn to be wise according to sobriety and that we forgetting our weak understanding mount not up to search more curiously into Gods mysteries then he hath revealed lest the glory thereof dazle and confound us We are ready have a tickling desire to know further then God hath revealed which breeds rather jangling then godly edifying It may be enough for us to know that this inheritance and happiness is such as that when all that mens tongues can speak is uttered yet it is nothing to the excellency of it So laying aside all curious questions about it let us rather imploy our pains and study to get assurance of it Reserved in Heaven This inheritance is here described by the place not in Earth not in Paradice where Adam was not in Canaan which flowed with milk and honey but in Heaven Hence note that Heaven is the place wherein God hath appointed to glorifie his Saints even the third Heaven the place of his presence where he manifesteth himself most clearly to his Angels and Saints that Paradice whereinto Christ ascended at his death where also he promised that the penitent thief should be with himself the bosom of Abraham whereinto Lazarus was received For where Christ is there shall all his Saints be as he himself hath promised and will perform See to this purpose Mat. 25. 34. Joh. 14. 2. and 17. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 1. This is not every where as some have imagined but above in the highest Heavens Christ was taken up and who knoweth not that Heaven is above as Hell is beneath This sheweth the excellency of this inheritance Oh how infinite odds is there between Heaven and Earth both for Glory and Eternity Therefore it s called a glorious inheritance If the outside be so decked with Sun Moon Stars and such an excellent beautiful sky what is the inside According to our weakness St. John describes it by things of most worth amongst us as pure Gold and precious Pearls In this will God glorifie all his Saints whensoever we die our souls shall be taken up into it as our bodies also at the last day How doth this set forth the unspeakable love of God and merit of Christ that we who were worthily shut out of the Paradise on Earth should be received into this Heavenly Paradise How should this ravish their hearts that know themselves heirs of this How should it make them despise these things here below when they know and finde them experimentally lets hereunto How should it make us walk with an heavenly minde worthy of that inheritance Out minde and soul should be there and savour of it whither at the time of our dissolution we are to be carried How should this stir up all men to seek after this glorious inheritance this Treasure in Heaven so excellent so incomparable But Oh the blinde world thinks not of this because
in the way to it will he now disappoint thee No assuredly If he would not have saved thee he would have let thee alone as thy companions and many others and never have done this for thee O but the Devil is so strong and subtile and I so weak and simple He that hath pluckt thee out of his hands will never suffer him to get thee captive again It were else a disgrace to Christ Except therefore he be stronger then God and Christ thou needest not fear At the revelation of Jesus Christ. He plucks these Jews from Moses Law and the Ceremonies which were out of date but they could hardly be so perswaded and brings them to the Gospel which discovers Christ He was in that Law covered with Vails of Sacrifices and Ceremonies c. All these be done away in the Gospel where Christ is laid open without any covering Note We have the excellency of the Gospel that doth uncover and lay open Christ Jesus unto us brings us tidings of him who is the Way the Truth and the Life and the onely Savior of the world So that the Gospel is the glory of the World The Sun is not so necessary in the Firmament as the Gospel is to the world This teacheth us Christ which is life eternal and St. Paul desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified and counted all dung for the excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord O how welcome should this be It is well called glad tidings so it is indeed The Gospel is our pardon If we should finde evidences of great Lands and Inheritances to come to us or a Will wherein were bequeathed great Legacies to us how glad would we be of the same How often would we revise and read them over The Gospel brings us tidings and tells us the way to come to an everlasting inheritance and therein are bequeathed such blessed Legacies Item I give thee forgiveness of thy sins by my Sons death Item Eternal life by his obedience Item I give thee assurance that thou shalt be raised here from sin and that thy body shall be raised at the last day by my Sons Resurrection Item I give thee assurance of a place in Heaven by my Sons Ascension 1. Is it not a marvel then that the Gospel is so hardly entertained and that the World cares so little for it It s welcome to most people not as if it brought them news of a blessing but as if it would spoil them of all they have 2. How should they that want it be set on work to labor to get it as without which there 's no Salvation Its light food armor without which darkness famine spoil If the Sun should be wanting to a Town and could be procured how would all joyn to get it Or rain for a dry and barren ground who would not wonder at any that should be against it yet who joyns who labors for the Gospel 3. If the Gospel be the revelation of Jesus Christ then are the Ministers revealers of this blessed Secret therefore worthy to be acknowledged for their works sake for the greatness of their work and the excellency thereof Pharaoh reverenced and advanced Joseph for smaller matters O how beautiful are the feet of such Most people either rate them or at least set light by them not reverencing their calling but esteeming them more base then the meanest Tradesman But that grieves us not so much as that unkindeness that we meet with from them from whom we look for most comfort and encouragement Verse 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance TO Faith he addeth Repentance and Sanctification by the one to testifie the other as in the second Epistle he wills them to adde unto their Faith vertue as if he should say You that sometimes were the Children of wrath and are now by grace made Gods Children walk obediently as becomes such a mercy This Sanctification hath two parts and stands 1. In renouncing evil or the lusts which before grace we were wont to be led by 2. In putting on and embracing holiness of life that we may resemble the disposition of our Father who is holy and looks for holiness in his yea holiness in all maner of conversation For the order first goes Faith then Obedience and Sanctification for as the light and Sun-beams comes from the Sun a river from the Spring head fruit from the tree so doth obedience from Faith Till a man be pardoned and believe he cannot repent nor obey the will of God no more then a dead stick can bring forth fruit When by Faith we are ingrafted into Christ then we receive power not before one that hath never been humbled aright for sin cannot hate and flie from sin as he should He that seeth not the love of God to him cannot love God nor set upon a good life to deny his lusts being as dear as his life and to yield obedience is irksom to nature for this cause the Devil is such an enemy to our Faith and labors to shake it for then he knows he damps our care of a good life 1. This condemns Papists that boast of holiness of life and yet overthrow the foundation of it viz. A true justifying faith They may stir up good moods and a blinde devotion by scaring men with the pains of hell and telling them of the joys of heaven but no sound Obedience godly Life renouncing Lusts c. without the work of Faith from that will be Obedience even to suffering 2. It confutes them that think Repentance is before Faith they are indeed wrought at once and Repentance sheweth it self first but in order of nature Faith is as the root Many humble souls hold off and dare not believe O say they if I could repent so heartily as I see some and could serve God as I would then I could believe 3. It teacheth men that if ever they will set upon a good life indeed and in time they must begin at the right end and lay a foundation of true justifying faith for want of this many deceive themselves that have some purpose to do well being afflicted or somewhat stirred at the Word and fall out of a bad course to leave this and that evil or take up good duties and many that never had experience of the work of Faith that think they live well or some that upon some occasion thus promise You shall never hear me swear more I le never play more Never come in an Alehouse yet this lasts not but they fal to their old byase by and by because they took not the right course Many also purpose to repent and do great matters but this is a greater matter then the world thinks off a man must first be the childe of God ere he can obey and Faith must be wrought first ere he can
have a far more excellent one that they are going to Thus the Patriarchs counted themselves and thus David They are not of this World Here they have no continuing City They look for a building made without hands They are Passengers going through a strange Countrey where they be not known Here is but the beginning of their happiness which they have mingled with much sorrow but they have a fulnes of happines prepared where they shall rest for ever without sin and sorrow in the perfect fruition of all that 's good True the wicked shall not tarry here ever neither yet can they not be called Strangers here because they have no better countrey nor place for they shall go to Hell Here therefore is all their hope all the good that ever they shall have that which followeth is fearful Therefore no man needs envy at the prosperity of the wicked their 's that have most seeing they have all here they are like to have But Gods Servants after they have waded through this world they shall come home where they shall be with their Father and all their Brethren and Sisters in all happiness and more then can be uttered If we be strangers in this world and Heaven our countrey then our duty is to behave our selves so as strangers for so do all true Citizens of Heaven walk in some measure Many lay claim to Heaven having no right thereto as by their very walking in this world may appear To discern the one from the other consider these Notes 1. A Pilgrim follows not the fashion of the Countrey he is in nor runs after every thing he sees other do He observes some ride to Markets and Fairs some running to Plays others sitting in Ale-houses drunk others running to Bear-baiting Bull-baiting and the like he regards none of them but keeping his own Countrey fashion goes on his way homewards and if he happen to be drawn away by the sight of them and linger a while he repents himself and saith What a fool was I I have cast my self behinde so do Gods Servants they follow not the evil guises and maners of this world The world swear contemn the Word and Ministers thereof prophane the Sabbath Rail Curse Whore be Drunk Backbite Cozen Dissemble Lye be Proud and the like these they will none of These be proper to the men of this world we may not meddle with these and this is the Reason in the Text We must abstain from fleshly lusts Why These be for worldings of this world to follow we that are Spiritual may not follow fleshly lusts but leave them to them that be but flesh but our conversation must be Spiritual Holy according to the Laws of our Countrey Zealous Fervent Pure Chaste Innocent Merciful Patient Godly and the like To Love Fear Trust in God Worship him Delight in his Word and Saints These be the fashions of Heaven our Countrey therefore these we must follow and so the Gospel teacheth us to live 2. A stranger lays not out his stock on House and Land but trafficks in things transportable that he can send home before and carry out of the Countrey with him into his own It were no wisdom to lay it out and spend his time about things he must leave behinde him So the true Christian Pilgrim he spends not his time nor sets his heart on things of this world all which he must leave behinde but trades in Grace and purchaseth Pearls of Knowledge Faith Repentance Patience Peace Joy and the like and Trafficks in the fruits of Faith his good works which he sends before him into his Countrey and in such Graces as he shall carry with him Oh how many have taken much pains for belly and back and earth but never prized the Pearl with the wise Merchant nor the means how to come by it These have the portion here 3. Pilgrims will take and use all that may further them in their journey as their Meat Drink Sleep and whatsoever else but what would hinder them they cast away or meddle not with So a true Christian useth all that will help him in his journey the Word Sacraments Prayer and all such Spiritual Repasts good Company and such baitings and refreshings as God offers him in his way as for worldly cares or whatsoever presseth down he avoids as all sin which hinders in the way He takes the benefit of the things of this life indeed but sets not his heart on them neither overloads himself with worldly businesses and cares which might hinder him from good duties or a right performance of them much less that make him run into evil For a man then goes on his journey to Heaven when he awakes with God in the morning assoon as it is convenient goes to Prayer then to his calling in Faith and through the day neglects no Spiritual duty much less runs into evil of any kinde but walks on uprightly and with a good conscience useth the world as if he used it not Such as regard not these have no meaning to come to Heaven For how should they come there As men cannot go on in the earthly way without baits and refreshings so neither the heavenly without these They overload themselves so with worldly business and cares that they cannot go one step towards Heaven O how simply do many Christians walk in these days of Peace not hasting at all to Heaven for if they did they would not take such loads on their shoulders as make them go so stooping and staggering as they can scarce go a right step all day long 4. Pilgrims travelling towards their Countrey will be asking the way and desirous to know marks and notes whereby they may know when they are in their way upon the view whereof they are very glad So Christians that minde to go to Heaven indeed will be asking the way there They will go to godly Ministers and experienced Christians and ask how they might know the way and whether they be in the way and then finding these and these marks in them as an hatred of all sin a true desire in all things to please God seeking God in secret as well as openly with a true love to God his people and Word they are not a little glad but rejoyce therein above all riches O how many deceive themselves The way to heaven is straight and few finde it Most never ask the way but go on at a venture if they be in the way so it is if not they shall shift as well as others and most please themselves that they are in without asking the way as if it were a very hard matter to miss the way to Heaven and which but few do miss 5. Pilgrims will in a long dangerous way through a Wilderness where the path is narrow where there are many by paths little company to beat the
confutation of an Error 36 Verse 6. 1. VVE must rejoyce in the assurance of our Salvation 37 2. Religion reforms mirth ibid. And moderates lawful mirth ibid. 3. Being assured of Heaven we must rejoyce even in our troubles 38 4. Gods children must here undergo many troubles 39 5. Afflictions are tryals 41 6. Here on earth heaviness and rejoycing may stand together 42 7. The godlies afflictions are short ibid. 8. Afflictions come by the wise disposing of Almighty God 43 Verse 7. 1. A Qualification of their troubles 43 2. Affliction tryeth whether we have Faith 44 3. How we may try our Faith ibid. 4. Affliction tryeth whether our Faith be more or less then we take it 45 5. Affliction serveth to purifie and encrease Faith ibid. 6. Faith more precious then gold 46 7. Faith will be crowned at the last day 47 8 Christ will come on the last day to judge the world 48 9. The godly shall be publiquely rewarded 49 Verse 8. 1. VVHereat Ministers should aim in commending their people 49 2. Through Faith we believe even things above the reach of our reason 50 3. True love the fruit of Faith 51 4. How to try both our Faith and Love 52 5. Faith must directly fasten it self on Christ Jesus 52 6. A proof of the Divinity of Christ 53 7. Joy a fruit of Faith ibid. 8. Why no true joy can proceed from our selves 54 9. The joy of believers is unspeakable and glorious ibid. Verse 9. 1. EVery man is in danger of utter destruction 55 2. The godly by Faith do even here enjoy Salvation ibid. 3. No pains too much to get Faith 56 4. Salvation not the end or reward of our works ibid. 5. We cannot merit Heaven 57 6. Believers shall have also the salvation of their bodies ibid. 7. What those are to look for that follow Christ 58 Verse 10. 1. NO point touching Salvation is to be taught or received but what 's grounded on the Word 59 2. The Prophets took great pains to know the mystery of our Salvation by Christ ibid. 3. The Prophets and old Fathers were saved by Christ as well as we 60 4. The Doctrine of the Gospel not new 61 5. The Prophets foretold of Christ 62 6. The Harmony between the Old and New Testament 62 7. Salvation why called Grace 63 8. The Prophets did partake of Salvation though they saw not Christ in the flesh ibid. Verse 11. 1. VVE must endeavor to know what 's profitable to be known ibid. 2. The Prophets searched into this great mystery through the direction of the Spirit ibid. 3. Gods Spirit the Author of the Old Testament 64 4. A proof of the Divinity of the Holy Ghost ibid. 5. The sufferings of Christ foretold in the Old Testament ibid. 6. Why it was needful that Christ should suffer for us 65 7. Three degrees of our Saviors Victory ibid. 8. Through afflictions we must come into glory 66 Verse 12. 1. THe Anabaptists confuted ibid. 2. The Covenant of Grace one and the same throughout all ages 67 3. The Author Matter Form and End thereof ibid. 4. The difference about the measure given and persons to whom ibid. 5. Why God sent his Son no sooner ibid. 6. Why theirs was called the time of the Law and ours of the Gospel 68 7. God not to be charged with inconstancy 68 8. The same Gospel which was preached by the Prophets was also preached by the Apostles 69 9. The Apostles have left a perfect direction for all things needful for our Salvation 70 10. Why the Angels desire to see the perfection of the Salvation of Gods Church ibid. Verse 13. 1. DOctrine and Exhortation must be joyned together ibid. 2. The corrupt conceits of the Jews about Salvation 72 3. The corrupt conceits of Christians about it 73 4. The best prize it not as they should ibid. 5. What sobriety is and of sobriety about meat and drink ibid. 6. Sobriety about Apparel Recreation and Profits 74 7. What Faith is with the parts thereof 76 8. What it is to trust perfectly ibid. 9. Salvation a most special grace 78 10. What we are to expect by Christ 79 11. Salvation is not of our own procuring or seeking ibid. 12. The Gospel lays open Christ Jesus unto us 80 Verse 14. 1. THe two parts of Sanctification 81 2. Obedience and Sanctification follow faith ibid. 3. God calls for obedience 82 4. We must obey in all things that are commanded be the Commandment never so strange or unpleasing 83 5. The strict obedience of the Jesuits to their Superiors ibid. 6. We must obey without consulting with flesh and blood whosoever or whatsoever be against it voluntarily and constantly 84 7. What may stir us up unto obedience 86 8. Two parts of obedience ibid. 9. We must forsake evil before we can do good 87 10. Ignorance is the cause and root of a bad life ibid. 11. Why being so well instructed they were termed ignorant 88 12. All knowledge without the knowledge of Christ is nothing ibid. 13. Knowledge without Reformation is but ignorance ibid. 14. Such as have attained knowledge must not live as they did before 89 Verse 15 16. 1. HOliness must be added to abstinence from sin 90 2. This duty needful to be urged ibid. 3. Christians must be holy 91 Holy in all maner of conversation 92 4. God is holy 93 5. A twofold calling 94 6. The parts of the inward calling ibid. 7. The fruits thereof with the marks negative and affirmative 95 8. Why the Apostle doth so earnestly exhort unto Holiness 96 9. Ministers must prove their Doctrine by Gods Word 97 10. Obedience is to be yielded to those Doctrines which are proved by the Word 98 11. Gods word the rule of all truth 99 12. The use of the Apocrypha Books with the respect which is to be given thereto 100 13. Christians must be ready in the Scriptures ibid. 14. The more the Lord bestows on any the more he expects from them 102 15. The Popish Doctrine of Free-will hath no ground from this place 103 16. Nor is it against the married estate ibid. Verse 17. 1. VVHy we ought here to pass our time in fear 104 2. Three kindes of fear Natural Slavish Filial of which the last is often enjoyned 105 3. Whence it proceedeth with the benefits and marks thereof and opposites thereunto 106 4. Means to attain unto the fear of God 107 5. God requires our whole time for his service 108 6. Christians here in this world are but sojourners 111 7. The first reason of the fore-going Exhortation 113 8. Such as call God Father must walk in fear and obedience as Sons 114 9. What the name Father implyeth ibid. 10. The second reason of the foregoing Exhortation 115 11. How God doth and will judge of mens actions in this life at death and on the day of Judgement 116 12. The person of man how taken ibid. 13. Four things required to the being of a
also civil or foraign Wars might quickly deprive us neither are the smallest inheritances void of cumber as being in danger of bad titles oppressors tyrants and the like or to be spent and wasted by unthrifty heirs Undefiled There comes nothing to taint it it s most pure how can it be otherwise being the habitation of the most holy God who is Holiness it self holiness becometh the presence of God where his holy Angels attend upon him This is prepared for them that are sanctified neither can any unclean person come there Hereof the most holy place in the Temple called the Holy of Holies was a figure and this is also called the holy Jerusalem pure gold is the wall thereof and precious stones that have no mixture of any impure thing in them the gates That withereth not or fadeth not away A metaphor taken from herbs and flowers which though fair and fresh and of good smell in the morning yet in a short time fade and wither lose beauty smell and all This Kingdom is not so but continues ever fresh and flourishing always the same alters not through continuance or length of time There 's nothing in this world but welks the older we grow the more we wrinkle and wither the more do we fade both in beauty and strength so do inheritances so goodly and fair houses in time are ready to drop down or are quite consumed Kingdoms also fade and decay that were sometimes flourishing so also Cities yea every thing is the worse for the wearing Not so with this here 's an inheritance indeed could we but conceive and express the fame This sets out the excellency of the children of God that are beloved of God attended by the holy Angels heirs of the promises here and of such an inheritance hereafter If any man knew the excellency of a childe of God covered with Christs Righteousness heir apparent to such a Kingdom endued with the Spirit of Sanctification and who he were that is one of them he would fall down at his feet and kiss the ground he trod on and cry out Blessed be the day that ever thou wert born but twice blessed the day wherein thou shalt die for then thou shalt be blessed and that eternally but this the world seeth not they see us but outwardly and so our state is mean they see not our inward estate If the yong Prince should come on foot in his working-day cloaths through a Town and none knew who were his Father nor what he is born to he might go through the street and no man greatly regard him but if in his best apparel and known what he is then every man would look after him and reverence him so the world sees us in our working-days cloaths and therefore neglect us if they did see us in our holy-day apparel they would admire us but being ignorant of the Father that begat us and that will give us this inheritance how can they take notice of us This should stir up them that have attained hereunto to be highly thankful for the same and good cause why for we were begotten and born at first to a woeful inheritance to hell and damnation children of wrath but now begotten again to this happy inheritance walk we therefore as becometh those that are called to so high an inheritance Kings Sons must not carry themselves like base persons so neither must we but have our conversation in Heaven seeking for those things that are above and esteeming of this world as vain so using it as that thereby we may be furthered to our true inheritance not hindred we must long to be at it How do heirs under age long to be of age to come to their Lands so should we here as it were under age long to come to our Inheritance as they that be long tossed on the Sea long to come to the Haven and Pilgrims to be at their own Country and Prisoners to be at liberty so should we desire to be dissolved that we enjoy Heaven our Haven our Countrey the onely place of freedom A wonderful fault in Christians that so little think of it take so little pleasure therein are no more thankful for the same seek after earthly things too eagerly and do not so much aim after this Oh what great unthankfulness is this to be called to such an Inheritance and so little to think thereof so little to long after it Oh how we linger here below if God should not drive us out by crosses as Lot was fired out of Sodom we would never be weary we would still say It s good being here say we then out of our earnest desire hereof Come Lord Jesus come quickly Here we sin and taste of sorrows many ways then shall we sin no more feel no more affliction pain sorrow trouble any way All tears shall be wiped from our eyes then shall we be perfectly both holy and happy when we come there we shall not need to plow sow eat drink sleep we shall not need travel any more to hear more Sermons God shall be all in all This should comfort us against the fear of death what should we need to fear since when Our earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved we know we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens To go out of prison to liberty is it not comfortable out of of a miserable world to a most happy Inheritance what more desireable So if we be deprived of our earthly Inheritance as these Jews were that were scattered into other countreys for Religion sake comfort we our selves notwithstanding that yet we have an Inheritance as hard as the world goes and that a good and a sure one as long as we have this we are happy So though we have no Inheritance here not one foot yet if we have assurance of this we may rejoyce and having this bear with the want of other things It s better then without this to be Lord of a Town Owner of a Kingdom it s our great fault that if we be somewhat shortened here we are so much cast down thereat as if we had nothing This should make us count all the labor pains reading hearing conferring praying and all happy that hath brought us to the hope of this Inheritance we have travelled well it s happily bestowed Hereupon for the time to come we must be encouraged to any pains to do any thing to suffer any thing for the attainment and enjoyment of so blessed an Inheritance This Inheritance should we desire for our children above any other and use the means accordingly how do men toil to make their children rich how few use means to make them gracious This may stir up them that have no hope to labor after this Inheritance Lay up a treasure in Heaven Labor for the meat that endureth to everlasting life
we mean to raign with him we must be Baptized with the Baptism wherewith he was Baptized It is true that godliness hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come but of this only so much as God shall see meet Therefore let us dream of no tranquility here but expect that in Heaven where we shall be happier then can be uttered Ready to be revealed in the last time When shall we have it It was prepared before the world we shall have a measure of it in death but the fulness thereof is deferred till the day of Judgement Christs second coming which is called the time of refreshing and our full redemption By the last time may be understood in divers places of Scripture all the time from Christs coming in the flesh till the end of the world so called in respect of the former times and because they go directly and immediately before the end and because God hath perfected his will and the revelation thereof to his Church in his Son and no more is to be added They under the Law waited for a cleerer and fuller manifestation thereof but now we have all we shall ever have but by the last time here the worlds end is meant for then shall there be no more time as there was none before the creation the Sun Moon and Stars were made for signs and season Winter and Summer to measure days moneths years c. but then shall they cease in Hell the wicked shall have none in Heaven the godly shall need none so there shall be no more time no more day in Hell but all night no night in Heaven but all day Well our full Salvation we shall have at the last day and not before then shall our bodies whatsoever in the mean time becometh of them as they have been companions with our souls in well-doing and have been redeemed by Christ as well as they be raised up and set on the right Hand when both joyntly shall hear this comfortable sentence Come ye blessed of my Father c. then shall we be ever with the Lord in Heaven both in body and soul Now our life is hid with Christ in God But when Christ which is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory We must therefore wait patiently not making too much haste in the fulness of time we shall have our hearts desire Christ was promised in the beginning of the world but came not till long after even when the fulness of time came so shall our happiness in the appointed time We are taught to pray Thy Kingdom come and in the Revelation it s mentioned that the souls under the Alter cried How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth True but yet patiently awaiting Gods good time that he hath appointed Hereby also we may stop the mouths of mockers that shall come to us and say Where is the promise of his coming we may answer it is coming and it will be here too soon for you and God is not slack as you think but therefore deferreth as willing that all men should come to Salvation even all such as he hath elected who being once all born and called the end shall quickly come And as this may stop their mouths so it may make us patient to tarry for our fellow brethren When we therefore make too much haste what is it but that we would have our full happiness and leave out some of the elect to be quite put off as if we should desire to be over a water and then draw the bridge that the rest shall not come over And the rather let us be patient not onely because of the greatness of the reward when it cometh but also because it hasteneth we have the vantage of our Forefathers which lay long in the earth waiting for that day but now it s at hand we hasten to it and it hastens to us we shall meet ere long and as our Apostle saith The damnation of the wicked sleepeth not so neither the Salvation of the godly now ready to be revealed Last time Some gather hence That we shall have no part in glory at all till the day of Judgement but that the souls of the Saints go to a middle place c. confuted by our Saviors speech to the thief Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paridise the Angels carrying Lazarus of soul into Abrahams bosom See also Eccle. 12. 7. Phil. 3. 13. Rev. 6. 10. This should make us labor for pure and holy souls seeing they must be in Heaven as soon as ever they depart from our bodies which we know not how soon it may be They must be carried up above the Starry Heaven into the most solemn appearance that ever was Verse 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be yeare in heaviness through manifold temptations HAving shewed the Inheritance at large here he sheweth by what way God will bring us thither namely by weeping-cross by the rough way of affliction which yet shall not be to our hurt or consuming but to the trial of our Faith that it may be being purified to our honor at Christs coming Therefore though our afflictions breed heaviness yet not such but that the assurance of our Salvation makes us in the same to rejoyce Wherein that is In which Election Sanctification Lively hope and happy Inheritance ye rejoyce Here he setteth down another benefit bestowed upon us by the Gospel namely Spiritual joy and rejoycing proceeding from Faith and Hope yea and that in adversity He knew they rejoyced in the assurance of their happiness he knew it by himself he did so and therefore they could do no other for the same Spirit worketh alike in the elect which makes that they can the better tell how to speak to advise counsel and understand one another But in commending them he exorteth them namely That they would do so still for being now in persecution he requires them to reioyce yet in the assurance of their eternal happiness as Paul of himself in another case Hence note that Its the duty of all those that be assured of their Salvation to rejoyce in it which being attained unto breeds joy and no marvel For Is liberty joyful to the captive health to the sick sight to the blinde life to the dead Then must Salvation needs be so to them that have felt themselves condemned for them to be the children of God that were the slaves of Satan heirs of Heaven that were firebrands of Hell Who can but rejoyce that knoweth that there 's no condemnation to him Though thousands perish God loves him he shall want nothing such need not fear though Heaven and Earth should
pains to get faith being so rewarded The world wondreth at them that take pains to hear the word yet this is the means of faith which is the instrument of Salvation yet wonder they not at themselves and others that travel weekly as much and more for worldly trash who for faith would scarce stir their foot over the threshold But do not we rest our selves either upon our gifts of Knowledge Utterance Profession shew of Zeal outward Civility and the like for nothing will save us but faith and Salvation is the end hereof If a man had lived in the days of Christ and both heard him conversed with him and seen his miracles yet without faith he might be damned as Judas Were one the kinsman of Christ should he handle him in his arms nay were one his mother what would the same avail without faith Therefore refuse no pain to get faith for though its beginning be bitter yet its end is happy If the Apostle had said End or reward of your works the Papists would have had their mouthes made up and run away with a full cry Lo here whether our Works merit not Heaven and Salvation or no Alas there 's no such matter Can they not distinguish between Merit and a Reward freely given True the Scripture calleth Heaven a Reward and promiseth the same to them that hold out in well-doing but doth it not also call in an Inheritance and who knows not that that is free There are two kindes of debt one of desert and another of promise Herod made conscience to keep his rash Oath to the daughter of Herodias she deserved it not but he promised it And when God promiseth Eternal life to constancy in well-doing is it to puff us up as if we did deserve it no such matter its onely to help our weakness He calls us to deny our selves to wean our selves from the pleasures of this world to suffer Reproach Persecution and the like now these be harsh to our nature therefore to encourage us God makes these Promises and accordingly at the end of our work we shall have the thing promised not because we have earned it but because Christ hath purchased it and God hath promised it to us That we cannot merit heaven may thus appear 1. Because our best works be stained with many imperfections and what 's good in them is Gods gift not our goodness 2. Because there must be some proportion between the thing merited and that wherewith but here there 's none as a man cannot buy a great Manor for a trifle so the things we can do or suffer here are not worthy the glory to be revealed 3. Because that whereby we must merit must be free and that which we are not bound to do but we are bound to do all that we can and having so done we have done but our duty and consequently not merited As if we had a lame servant and assoon as he did a little service he would think he merited of us when if he could do much more by the state of a servant he owes us more David said Seemeth it a small thing to you to be son in Law of a King yet hereby should not he have had the Kingdom howsoever by his Victories he deserved well what then should we in respect of God But as the whole Scripture labors to beat down our Pride Arrogancy and any Conceit that we might have of any thing in our selves so this place saith The Salvation of our Souls is the end and reward of Faith not of Works and yet not the reward of Faith as if it merited any such thing as it is a Grace in us no but onely it apprehends it an instrument that whereby we are justified and saved and that which meriteth our Salvation The Salvation of your souls Not but that the servants of God shall have Salvation of their bodies also as being made by God redeâ—râ—ed by Christ and shall be glorified after the Resurrection and therefore Christ took not onely a soul but an humane body also but he speaketh of the soul as of the principal part which first entreth into Glory and for the bodies of Gods servants wherewith they endeavor to praise and glorifie God they shall be glorified as well as their souls Be we therefore encouraged even in our bodies to take pains in Gods service never a member that honors him but shall be filled with honor at the last day and for ever But what 's that we have and our Faith findes in Christ Jesus not Ease Health Worldly Honor and Preferment but Salvation CHRIST was not made these unto us but Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption We have by him also right unto outward things and possession of as much as shall be meet but so as we may have and must expect to drink of the same cup that our Master did even to meet with Reproaches Afflictions and Trouble Whe must therefore when we follow Christ or embrace him and his ways not expect all Prosperity here and Ease and Contentment outwardly but rather think of the contrary that it may appear that we follow him not for any by-respect but Salvation we shall have and he that thinks not that sufficient though it be joyned with troubles knoweth not its worth The favor of God the Kingdom of Heaven is great riches though not accompanied with outward either pleasure or profit Many profess Religion for advantage and many will profess so long as no hurt comes of it but if any trouble arise then they give over Verse 10. Of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you HAving spoken of Salvation by Christ laid hold upon by Faith which they had obtained He now commends and sets forth this Salvation and the means thereof to be the onely true way and the Gospel revealing it to be the most blessed and excellent Doctrine that ever was for 1. It s no new device of any or first preached by the Apostles but that which the holy Prophets that have lived in all ages men endued with the Spirit of God have studied and enquired into and found and have in their writings prophesied of the same enquiring also to know the time when our Savior Christ should be exhibited into the world who understanding by the Spirit that he was not to be born in their days but in the last ages of the world yet seeing him afar off were glad and took it thankfully and so believing in him were saved by him 2. That the Gospel and Salvation by Christ was preached by the holy Apostles men set apart by God for that business endued with his Spirit that came on them from Heaven and so it s the same that was known to our Forefathers and Patriarks and Prophets not varied but the same Doctrine and constant way of Salvation 3. That
the very Angels as they wondred at the wonderful mystery of Christs Incarnation and learned as is very probable something by the Apostles Ministery which they knew not before so into the fulness of this Salvation they desired to see So we have a commendation of the Gospel or the way of Salvation therein preached 1. By its antiquity the Prophets knew and embraced it 2. The Apostles not of their own heads but by the Spirit extraordinarily sent upon them preached it 3. The Angels desire further to see into it In the Prophets search we are to observe 1. The substance they sought 2. The circumstance of time for the substance it was privately for their own benefit who therefore enquired into it and searched it our diligently and publiquely for the benefit of the Church who therefore prophesied of it Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired c. In that the Apostle to prove that this was the true way of salvation produceth the writings of the Prophets in the Old Testament learn That for all matters of faith that we reach the people and would have them receive we must ground them on no other proof but the Word of God no point ought to be admitted touching salvation whereof God is not the author and author he is of nothing but of that which is in his written Word which is a perfect Rule able to teach all truth and confute all error 1. This confutes the Papists who lean so much on Councels as they banish the Scripture as a dumb Judge Of those howsoever the more ancient of them are to be reverenced and did worthily oppose conclude against the Heresies of their Times yet even in them some things are left rawly whether those worthy men intending the greatest less regarded smaller matters or whether they erred as men that we might not put too much confidence in them or give too much to them But for many latter ones they are patcht by the Pope and his Adherents which will be sure to do nothing against him and the greater part overcomes the better part Therefore we are not to rest in these but go to that Law and to that Testimony which alone must Judge and bear Rule in the Church For though Christ hath promised that where two or three be gathered together he will be amongst them yet they must be mâ—t in his Name which is when they all submit themselves to the Word of God and suffer Christ to be President of their Assembly by his Word and not when they will set up Conceits of their own devising 2. Ministers must learn in all matters of faith to bring forth the written Word of God and not mens Judgements which are of no force to stablish the Conscience neither Popish Traditions by them termed Apostolical and unwritten Verities 3. People also for their part must receive nothing but that which they see grounded hereupon To this end they are to search the Scriptures and with the Bereaâ—s to confer place with place to finde out the truth If an Angel from heaven should bring any Doctrine contrary to this we are to hold him accursed Assuredly for want of Catechizing publikely and reading the Scripture privately if a cunning Heretique should in most Congregations open his pack of Wares they would go for currant few or none being able to control him Enquired and searched The words imply the great pains they used herein as Daniel by prayer fasting and meditation They had a little hint from God and they found the savor of it so as they followed it most earnestly to get out more and plodded upon it to see further and further What then are all of us to beat our heads and to set our hearts upon even upon the mystery of our Salvation by Christ that we may 1. Know it and every part thereof 2. Give full assent thereto 3. Labor for a particular perswasion thereof by faith These things belong to us whom it much concerneth to know this by an effectual knowledge feeling the power of Christ in us causing us to dye to sin and live to righteousness and this we should do 1. For that its the chiefest thing in the world Its life eternal to know him and all is dung to this yea we should desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified 2. Because in seeking we may finde more in one day then all the Prophets and Fathers could finde by all their diligence all the days of their life This condemns the monstrous Unthankfulness of our days that make no reckoning of this so blessed Gospel of those glad tidings that should be the glory of the world without which the world is dead in sin and comes to confusion O how few regard to hear the Word Many run to Sports and Pastimes others to Markets and Fairs but in many places what thin Churches their Oxen and Farms draw them away Others hear yet it is without any regard any life Israel never loathed Manna more then most do the preaching of the Gospel O they have had Sermons in many Congregations until they have even loathed them O how few can be brought to see their own misery how few to prize Christ and to whom he is indeed welcom how few that will stoop to his yoke Sundry in shew would have him their Savior and talk that they hope to be saved by Christ but that 's but a Bawd for their sins whereby they may go on the more freely in them yea are not the truest and painfullest Preachers and Professors of the Gospel hated what this will come to is easie to see assuredly being like Châ—raziâ— and Bethsaida we may justly fear some iudgement at hand Time was when Christ was welcom amongst us and the kingdom of heaven suffered violence as haply it doth still in some parts of the land but O dead hearts and unthankful in most places Those under the Law saw but a little yet took it thankfully we have much revealed yet little regard it To prize the Gospel and seek after Christ will be our wisdom and welfare then to enquire for Salvation by Christ there can be no greater thing it becomes us well if for this we be counted fools well we be such fools as the Prophets were who enquired and searched after Christ God be thanked for our so doing let us continue in Gods name this shall bring us comfort living and dying when carnal Wordlings shall perish for want of comfort and go to hell But did they onely enquire after Salvation and the way to it and found it not Yes as they foretold Christ to others so did they finde that in him they sought for and were saved by him The Prophets and old Fathers were saved by Christ as well as we This confutes two pestilent Opinions 1. That of the Anabaptists That the Fathers had no other but earthly Promises and Rewards and
but the Apostles received a greater measure of the holy Ghost and a more plain and visible sign not onely perceived of themselves but of others In that he addeth Which the holy Ghost sent down from heaven he alludes to that of Acts 2. 17. taken out of Joel 2. 28. And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh c. If then the Gospel was also preached by the Apostles and that by the Spirit sent from heaven upon them Hereby may all that hear it be induced to embrace it as on the contrary their case must needs be fearful which reject and despise it Such is the case of the Jews though they killed the Prophets yea though they rejected Christ and his preaching yet were they not cast off till they had rejected and resisted the preaching of the Apostles who with one consent bare witness of him confirming also their Doctrine by Miracles from heaven having done this their sin was at the highest and from them the Apostles turned unto the Gentiles Such is the condition of the Turks utter enemies of Christ and true Christians Such is also theirs who among our selves despise this Gospel 〈◊〉 but none do so Yes many in sundry degrees for all that receive not the Gospel embrace not the Gospel do not believe obey and repent all these despise it for to believe and repent are the Commandments of the Gospel therefore he that yields not unto them despiseth the Gospel He that is not with me saith our Savior is against me All these have a dreadful account to make For though now it be preached by sinful men yet it is the Gospel that was preached by Christ himself and after by the Apostles inspired by the Spirit and it hath been abundantly confirmed by Miracle This is that I say which we preach let every one therefore take heed lest they set light by it as though it were not the Gospel of Christ but of men Again in that the Apostles were so filled with the Spirit to preach and write we learn That they have left unto us a perfect Direction for all things needful for our salvation and for the good estate of Gods Church and that therefore there 's nothing to be added detracted or altered 1. This condemns them that trust in new Gospels of Thomas Thaddeus Bartholomew c. and in Traditions and unwritten Verities which is to accuse the holy Ghost of want of care for his Church as not having left that which is sufficient for salvation 2. It condemns them also that take away and alter at their pleasure what is this but to tax the holy Ghost for leaving something not necessary nor profitable for his Church and by altering or taking away the same to make our selves wiser then he Which things the Angels desire to look into The third commendation of the Gospel The Angels defire to see into the further end of that salvation that is preached therein They are not ignorant of any thing the Church knoweth but they have gathered some things they knew not of or not so much till they came to pass as touching the Incarnation of the Son of God both Natures in one person c. This they desired to see before he came and this was figured by the Cherubims looking down toward the Mercy-seat which covered the Ark which was a figure of Christ signifying that they desired to look into that Mystery of his Incarnation and when they saw it they admired thereat even to see the Eternal Son of God joyned to mans Nature it to be worshipped without Idolatry and his Manhood to suffer the Deity remaining free without suffering So also by the Church they learned the Mystery of the calling of the Gentiles But now that which they desire to see is that which is yet to come namely the fulness perfection and accomplishment of the salvation of Gods Church and People namely to see the day of Judgement when God shall be perfectly glorified in his Saints They desire this 1. Because they are enforced to see now a great deal of sin in the world yea those duties which the Saints themselves perform full of corruptions and weakness which after that day they shall see no more 2. Because that day shall be our perfection Alas here we are imperfect every way and weak then shall we be perfect and free from sin and in a most happy estate both in body and soul which for the love they bear to God and us they long to see for as God revealed himself more darkly to the old world more clearly to us so when we shall come to heaven much more clearly then now There shall be as much and more difference between that which we shall know then and that which we know now as between us and the darkest times before us under the Law Here as children we are weak and rather stammer then speak plainly of God his Word and Works but when in the life to come we shall come to mans state it will be far otherwise Here we see with spectacles of the Word and Sacraments but there without and that most perfectly 1. Is there such an happy condition remaining for all Believers O how should we rejoyce that are entred into the first degree of it and expect the other How should we bless God for his Gospel and for the pains which we have taken herein to attain the same Yea how should we walk thankfully that look for such a state how zealously and heavenly-minded not defiling our selves with this world nor sticking here but mounting up in our affections and having our conversation there 2. How should we long for the day of our dissolution to enter another degree but especially for that last day when we shall be made perfect The Angels have what they shall have yet in love to God and us they long to behold our perfection what should we then do that shall have the benefit of it 3. This should teach them that be yet void of grace to embrace the Gospel that they may come to this happy estate else they shall go to one as miserable as this is happy from which the Lord deliver us Verse 13. Wherefore gird up the loyns of your minde be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. HEre followeth the 2d part of the Epistle containing matter of Exhortation built on the foregoing Doctrine Being begot again to the hope of such an inheritance and to such salvation whereinto the very Angels desire to look they were thereupon to trust stedfastly without wavering to the end honoring this hope and Gospel by an holy life and conversation not only renouncing the lusts of the time before their calling but also living in Sanctification of life wherein they might
exceed for the matter of it nor for the fashion God hath given it for necessity comeliness and decency it must not be newfangled either we use it to wantonness or pride 3. For Recreation it must be sparing in time place measure to make us more fit for our duty for God hath not set us here to satisfie and pamper the flesh but to mortifie the lusts thereof not to play but to do his work to this end is Recreation to be used 1. This rebuketh those that wallow in beastly and unlawful lusts in whoredom chambering wantonness drunkenness c. so in games altogether unlawful yet many make a practice of these to whom Solomons speech would well suit I said of laughter thou art madness For a man to sport at Gods dishonor and their own destruction is madness Can we play with nothing but edge tools the Lord will laugh such to scorn O turn your beastly pleasures into weeping and wailing 2. This rebuketh also such as are drunk with lawful things as some that so glut themselves and so pamper the body that they make themselves unfit for any duty many waste and consume themselves this way Bodies and Goods yea Souls and all Others also are so curious in their meats as that nothing can please them nothing's good enough for them yea are more angry for any want this way then for any sin in themselves or others they have fat Bodies but lean Souls O think they this is a goodly life but indeed it is a swinish life fitter for beasts then men most unseemly for a Christian So for Apparel they that follow every new fangled Fashion and are so proud and costly and so over curious as they spend no small time in trimming themselves taking no care to trim their Souls with Christs Righteousness and Spiritual Graces How are they to be reprehended What painted Sepulchres are these may not an image have gay clothes put on yet how many spend their precious time and goodly patrimonies about this vanity So for Recreations some are so mad on them as they think and speak of nothing else as if they were set here to eat and drink and rise up to play thus spend they the greatest part of their time 3. Let us therefore pare away whatsoever super fluity hath been in us in these things and learn soberly to use these mercies as the Gospel teacheth us so as thereby we may ever be made fitter for our duties and to serve God and that they may be as a staff in our hand to help us on in our journey and this is to walk pilgrim like be we more careful in feeding clothing and making merry the Soul For the latter namely profits we must also be sober both in getting and keeping them We must not onely use no unlawful means to get the world but use the lawful means moderately not setting our affections upon the world or being too earnest to compass it filling our selves with too many businesses and following the same too eagerly lest we neglect good duties or be hindred from doing them as we should 1. This condemns those that use flat unlawful means to get the world swearing lying deceiving oppression usury false weights and the like These pull a wâ— upon themselves besides that they heap up but chaff which the wind of Gods wrath will scatter God is an avenger of all such things O what reckonings do these multiply against themselves What answer shall they make that sell their souls to hell for pelf 2. This condemns not those onely that get thus but those that follow the world so eagerly as they minde nothing else of which sort most are all day long nothing but of the world no Prayer no hearing of the Word they think and talk of nothing else but the world Lords days and all they think Prayer would be an hindrance they savor nothing but of the earth they make more account of their old Shoes then they do of a Sermon they prize not such things when they are called to the Wedding Feast they have Farms and Oxen to hinder them or if they come all runs over for they be full already or as the Pharisees mock at that they hear or if they hear with joy the thorns worldly cares quickly choke it O this world undoeth most men its an enemy but not of it self but by reason of our sottishness and drunkenness that cannot moderate our selves but take too much of it and wound our selves many ways What will it profit them in the end to have embraced this strumpet she will serve us as Delilah did Sampson deprive us of our strength and give us into our enemies hands and as Jael the Wife of Heber did by Sisera thus will she serve her favorites 3. Learn we to be wise indeed laying up a treasure in heaven and laboring for meat that endureth to everlasting life For what will it profit a man to win the whole world if he shall lose his own soul O that Gods good servants should be so incumbred with the world O that that these base things should beguile and ensnare those that are born from above to the hope of so great glory Many good Christians are half drunk they are unfit for good duties cannot minde heaven from Monday morning till Saturday night and it is well if they be sober on the Lords day many be not but let both their hearts and tongues be employed on the world who yet count themselves Christians O what excellent Christians would some be were it not for the world but how doth it mar many keep them from good duties weigh down their mindes its that wherewith they are too easily beset O let 's winde up our plummets as the clock-keeper once every day keep our mindes from being weighed down with the world we must set apart some time to draw up our minde especially Saturday night not letting them down all the day following We must so use the world as not to run into evil for it neither to neglect any duty to God our Souls our Families our Neighbors the Poor or any other we must use it to further us as the Pilgrim doth his staff Learn we to prize Spiritual graces which are the onely current coyn in the Countrey we are going to yet is not the seeking of Gods Kingdom the way to hinder us of that which is meet but rather the onely furtherer would we have more then will do us good But if we shall have less of the world are we not more then enough recompenced if we shall have more peace of Conscience more credit here more favor with God more joy in death Hope to the end for the grace c. This is the main Exhortation to constancy in the Faith to the which the other two former Exhortations served as furtherances others read the words
always keep a good Conscience Wood is not more necessary and apt to nourish fire then good works and well doing to nourish Faith Also observe the dealings of God and grow by your own experience Many that have believed and were very earnest in their beginning till they got it after growing secure and worldly and withal neglecting the means have with David fallen into some one sin or other thereby losing the peace and comfort they formerly enjoyed A great loss indeed more then if a man were stript of all to his shirt O le ts take heed of this loss as we are to be wise as Serpents so let us shew our Serpentine wisdom in this one thing especially The Serpent will be sure so much as in her lies to save her head so must we our Faith for on this hangs all and if by any means we have fallen therefrom recover we our selves by all means possible 3. That which they are to hope for or trust on is Grace that is Salvation Every benefit is grace but to be delivered out of our lost and undone state and brought again into the favor of God and saved is a most special grace Our Election is of grace so our Redemption so our effectual Calling 1. This condemns the Papists that teach partly Grace partly Works No these cannot be mingled either all or none they be as contrary as light and darkness honey and gall else were grace no more grace To joyn any thing with Christ is to pervert the Gospel They now begin to be ashamed and mince this Opinion saying We be saved most by Grace yet partly by Works and that these Works be died in the Blood of Christ and that it is most safe to rest on his merits alone Well God make them so ashamed as altogether to renounce it and so let us in the mean time 2. Let us serve the Lord with a chearful and constant love and service for his free favor to us all the days of our life 3. Shew we grace and favor to others not to such as have deserved well of us but even to such as have not nay ill as we had of God Grace That is Salvation See he calls their mindes from looking for earthly preferment by Christ whereunto they had a lingring minde and calls them to look for Spiritual riches even Salvation by him What are we then to expect by Christ and by professing the Gospel zealously not Wealth Honor Peace Credit in the world but pardon of our sins freedom from Hell and Gods wrath peace of Conscience joy in the holy Ghost that our persons and works shall please God Angels to be our guard our Prayers to be heard our Souls at death to be carried into heaven both our Bodies Souls to be glorified at the great day Will this satisfie us Hereof we may be assured if we believe in Christ and zealously embrace the Gospel As for other things his Kingdom is not of this world he promiseth not plenty peace ease c. He had them not himself but contrarily troubles as all shall have that live godly in him This teacheth us to lay our hand upon our heart when we go about to profess we know what we shall finde but it may be sorrow withal if we can be content so then may we go forward else not Many having gone on in profession not so advisedly and after having found the wind and tide against profession and reproach trouble and danger for the same have shrunk away and with Demas have forsaken Paul and embraced the present world Others seeing how hardly such be dealt with though in their conscience they think best of such yet keep in their heads thinking that its best sleeping in a whole skin But alas they make but a weak choyce were they not better have these heavenly comforts and priviledges here and be acknowledged of Christ and saved at the great day though with some sorrows here then to make the world their friend and God their enemy and to have him ashamed of them at that day as he will for we cannot have it go on our side now and then too That is to be brought unto you God tarried not till they sought Salvation but he of his goodness brought it them which he useth here as an Argument to perswade them to trust stedfastly to this Salvation and look accordingly for it because God would bring them to the Faith of it when they thought not thereof Note here That Salvation is not of our own procuring or seeking Alas what could Adam and we in him do we could fall but what then towards our Salvation we could run and hide our selves and excuse our sin and encrease our danger but God was fain to bring him the seed of the woman he could not make himself an help a wife for God made and brought her to him much less a Savior So what 's the reason he hath given us the Gospel in this Land and not to our Forefathers not to many other Lands we sought it not but when Idolaters in darkness God brought it So have we not been brought by marriage or by Service into Towns where we have had the Word when we purposed no such thing So to our hearts what were any of us when God called us Did we seek him Alas no we ran from him rather long ere we yielded but he followed us and overcame us See it in Saul did he seek Salvation he was going to Damascus to persecute God brought it him so to Zacheus the Goaler c. so we This teacheth us 1. To be humble 2. To be exceeding thankful all the days of our life 3. To rest confidently on him for the time to come in the experience of that we have had as thus That he that brought us Salvation the Word to us or us to it and gave us to see our misery long after Christ have some taste of his love and some desire to please him that were far from these he will continue this and will never leave us Thus the Apostle reasons But God commendeth his love towards us c. So Jacob in danger of Esau He came over Jordan with his staff and God had given him two bands therefore he was perswaded to relie on God for present deliverance for why might he say I am perswaded thou hast not done all this for me to be lost in an instant as an ox should lick up a flower or a candle be put out at once We use not Gods mercies well when we grow not stronger by them for time to come 4. Comfort to a fearful heart that fears he shall not hold out or that God will cast him away O its impossible did he bring thee Salvation that regarded it not and now hath given thee an heart to prize it above the world and to walk
opposites 1. Prophaneness when men dare live as they list and their lust is their Law 2. Security when men live carnally and wretchedly contenting themselves that they be none of the worst they be not such and such kinde of persons yet go on without regard either to God or his Word The evil they abstain from as it is not from the fear of God so if good come in their way they do it after their fashion and evil also as comes to hand they dare commit sin in hope of mercy and think they shall do well enough 3. Hypocrisie which hath more shew of Religion but resteth in the outward ceremonious performance of duties and looks not to do them in the right maner and so are not guided by the fear of God in their lives 4. Slavishness when men fear indeed but never but under or in expectation of the rod they then will flie to a book have good words golden promises c. at other times they care not what they do or at least be as before Contrarily the true fear of God is known by these notes 1. To hate evil and not leave it off onely for some sinister respects 2. Not onely gross and open evils of the hand but inward corruptions of the heart as Pride Arrogancy Hypocrisie Hardness Frowardness Wordliness of the heart c. spying them out mourning for them and striving against them as being seen to God as well as gross sins to men 3. All evil the evil way every evil way 4. Such evils as a man may go closely away withal as Joseph might with uncleanness with his Mistress but would not as fearing God 5. Such as a man may carry out by strong hand by might and authority and no body to control him yet dares not do it because there 's an higher who hath forbidden it 6. It will make a man watchful to avoid evil as the Hare hath an eye to passengers as she sits 7. It will make men avoid the occasions of evil 8. It is ever joyned with the fear of his Word and as is the one in us so is the other If it be thus then I may too truly and plainly conclude That there is but a little fear of God in this Land for how few hate evil secret corruptions all evil such as they can go cleanly away with such as they can carry away by might and colour of Law How many live prophanely as if there were no God no Law no Judgement day no reckoning to be made but do what their lust leads them too and that which some would not nor durst do for a world they make no bones of Another sort live securely and carelesly not so bad as the former but such as look not to God nor set him before their eyes in their deeds Others perform more duties to God but so as they regard not why nor in what maner but rest in the work wrought not casting with themselves how they may do them aright and thereby taking notice as well of their own weakness as Satans malice Others slavishly fear in their misery but in their prosperity regard nothing but their own will These being called out a few there be remaining that truly fear God for which he may justly have an heavy controversie with this Land that after so many happy means so few should be found that truly fear him though many think they do How few keep Gods commandments all alway with delight let every man examine himself carefully by these notes If any be loth and would have a wider sieve truly I can give no wider God hath given me no wider to let Hypocrites Prophane Persons c. scape through I try you but by the Word and by it you must be judged at the last day But for those that do indeed fear God there 's abundant comfort for them they have that which is better then all the world yea Gods mouth pronounceth them blessed Both the quoted Psalms are a storehouses of promises made to such there are others also in Psal. 25 12 14. 34. 9 10. 84. 11. Mal. 3. 16 17. which are duly to be weighed Such as fear God need fear neither Man Death Devils Hell Day of Judgement c. which are indeed the terror of the world only let them be provok'd to fear him more and more for even of Gods children not a few have but a small measure hereof whereby it comes to pass that they hate not sin so heartily in themselves and others as they should neither are such enemies to privy corruptions but that they break out often and so pull many a sorrow and gripe of Conscience upon themselves which more fear of God would have prevented Our often falls argue too little fear as may appear by our small zeal to duties and our little trembling at the Word of God therefore labor we for more that it may be said of us as of Obadiah That we fear God greatly that so we may be preserved from evil Oh this is the keeper of all vertues holding all in good order a watchman indeed to look to our heart if it be there and temptation comes up starts it and says Nay This will keep the heart clean hold out ill set us on to good Means to attain hereunto may be these Let us often set before our eyes our own baseness Gods greatness power and justice with the effects thereof on Adam the old world and others especially do we consider what God hath done for us that so our care and resolution may grow how to please God If this religious awe be in us O how it will keep our lives from innumerable evils and replenish them with all goodness that having finished them well we may come to the Lord in peace at our latter end O if we did consider the unspeakable mercies of God towards us we should see cause enough though there were no hell yet to fear more then death it self to offend God but because our nature is so exceeding lewd and prone to sin its good to think often that that God under whose power we live hates all sin and will not let any go unpunished What cause have we then to grow in the fear of God that have seen his greatness and just displeasure against sin so much every year one punishment or other What cause have we also to fear God that have such experiences of his goodness in 88. when he delivered us from the Spanish Armado and after from the Gun-powder Treason and now of late hath begun to relent towards us and gives us some showers of rain But alas if we will prove our selves by the notes before mentioned it will be evident that most have not the fear of God which is a fearful thing As no better testimony can be given of a man then this that he feareth God as Job and Obadiah so none more
so to use their own Phrase drive away the time Alas they need not drive it it runs fast enough unless they spent it better Others are all for the world toiling and moiling night and day scraping together by hook and crook and minde nothing else Is this the work for which God sent you into this world Is Lying Swearing Sabbath-breaking Whoring c. any of Gods work pointed he out any time for this And did he set you here onely to rake for the World to Oppress Deceive gripe the Poor c No but to set forth his glory and work out your own Salvation but this lies all undone you never went about it as neither to do good in your places in the Church Common-wealth Town Family c. where you live Now if you have done hurt to the glory of God your own Souls and to others by your ill example have you not think you spent your time well A man hath two Servants and sends them to Market to sell his Corn do Errands buy Provision c. The one when Market begins gets him to an Ale-house with his Companions and there calls for beer by the yard or by the dozen and sits quaffing and prating and gaming and thereafter hath his Harlot thus holding on till Night and then is the Market done The other being a worldly fellow pitcheth down his Masters sack and spying good Commodities he falls to look after them for his own gain and buyeth what 's cheapest and most profit to be had by and so he spends the day wholly omitting his Masters business Well Market is done and all the people gone Being come home their Master falls a reasoning What was it a good Market to day how sold the Corn and have ye sold it all have you brought Provision did you the Errand to such a Man They answer they have not done any of those No saith he what then What have you done Sirrah And what you How spent you your time One makes answer I went into an Ale-house to drink two or three pots and good fellows came in so fast and held me till Night that I could not do your business The other saith he saw there some good Bargains and Penyworths to be had and while he followed these for himself Market was done ere he was aware would not the Master hereupon pull the coats of these varlets over their ears would he not discard them in his displeasure yea and get them punished yet thus for all the world do most men with God Some hunting after their pleasures as others after the things of this world Well let them that have hitherto mis-spent and lost their time let them I say yet ere Night come bethink themselves and fall to their work and dispatch it ere Market be done and thank God that they be yet alive It s better to be a living Dog then a dead Lyon thank God thou hast yet an hour and use it well There be thousands in Hell that if they had the whole world would give it for one hour here upon earth and if it were so much worth to them it s as much worth to thee that hast lost all the hours of thy life hitherto O therefore whilest thou hast yet an hour bestir thee for the night approacheth Thou hast plaid a bad mans part hitherto now ere thou goest off the stage unsay that part and tell the world it was not that part thou shouldest have plaid now begin the honest mans part defer not all thy work to the last as most men do that think when they be sick and fear they shall dye Oh then they will send for a Minister and as though we could work miracles we must teach them in a rice the whole way to Heaven and O I pray you give me some good counsel I sent for you to speak a few comfortable words to me and then either the Minister daubeth with untempered morter which is a just judgement or if he be faithful and begin to wade into his misery this he thinks to be strange Oh I sent for you to tell me some-words of comfort not to speak so much and such things to me And let all good Christians be wise let us think of our brittle state le ts ply us and be doing all the good we can to our selves or others and do not we put off from time to time I will next year take up prayers more constantly when such a business shall be over I will be liberal hereafter or at my death I hope I shall do my duty in due time O fie upon it that a Christian should say Hereafter and be bold to put off time and in the mean time we dye Oh do all the good we should now lest on our death-bed with grief we be forced to say Oh I thought to have left this sin done that duty c. if I had lived a year longer I would have put off some of my dealings that have clogg'd me given up some of my Farms I purposed to have got out of the Usurers books and never take that course more I purposed to have done more service to the Town where I live more good then ever and now death prevents me And if ye call on the Father Now we come to the Reasons of the Exhortation whereof the first is Because they call'd God Father it was therefore meet they should walk as children in awe and reverence and that not when and wherein they list but in all things for he cannot be their Father unless they be his Children An impregnable reason That they which call such an holy God Father should walk in fear and obedience as sons No Father without sons and the very name of Father calleth for reverence and obedience Therefore when God would include all Superiors to whom reverence and obedience is due Magistrates Ministers Masters Governors c. he calls them in one word Fathers even as he that calleth one Master thereby professeth service and obedience and the King his Soveraign professeth subjection so calling God Father we do thereby make known our filial awe and reverence By the name of Father which we ascribe to our Fathers as we acknowledge one to be the Author of our Being and that we owe him obedience so we challenge much of him as that he should have a care of us to preserve us defend us and provide for us all things needful for thus do Fathers to their children especially their dutiful ones in like maner when we call God Father we both ascribe so much to him and profess to look for so much from him as that it requireth of us to pass our time in a reverent awe of him in all things 1. This condemns them that live wickedly and in their sins and yet call God Father they might as well say any thing If one should fight against the King on his Enemies part and say he were
themselves equal with him two vile ends for the maner also there are great odds God effects it thus He makes man an holy and happy creature gives him a commandment to exercise his obedience gives him power to obey useth reasons to have him take heed of breaking it threatens death thereupon onely leaves him to himself and to the Devils temptations yet sufficiently armed to resist him onely follows him not with new grace which he was not bound to do Who can finde any fault in this The Devil effects it by alluring and tempting them to do that which God forbade and that by his vile lyes Adam and Eve they believe the Devil and break the Commandment of their Creator Who can herein lay any thing to Gods charge or have cause to complain Hath the Devil nothing done but what he perswaded to Hath Adam and Eve nothing done but what they voluntarily without any compulsion yielded unto Have their Posterity Neither for 1. The godly they are restored to a better condition in Christ then they lost in Adam 2. The wicked they are never punished till they have justly deserved it by their own sins therefore it s without cause to complain So is God just Man and the Devil to be condemned What! shall they be blamed for doing the will of God for doing that which he had decreed They aymed at no such end but to fulfil their own lusts therefore are they justly to be blamed 1. This setteth out the exceeding goodness and mercy of God thus graciously to plot a remedy so soon which no man could have done God like a Father did plot and forecast for us If we had been left without a remedy or must have shifted for one it had gone ill with us Now as this should make us love the Lord for his goodness and care so what a comfort is this to poor souls that seeing their misery desire above all the world to be delivered out of the same Shall these miss of it if they seek it of God with humble heart If the Lord had this care of his Church ere it was will he suffer it to want any thing now that is if it seek it of him Did the Lord ordain a remedy before the world was was he so careful and now will he not bestow this remedy on all that truly desire it Will a Father be so provident to lay up corn and necessaries into his house before there be need of them and when need is and the children call and cry for bread will he deny it them 2. This should marvellously provoke all to labor for their part in Christ Was he fore-ordained of the Father and did he come and suffer and shall we not lay out for him O monstrous carelesness and unthankfulness yet how few seek him how few seek him aright Few seek him as a Savior fewer as their Lord and King most so coldly as that they shall not obtain such a benefit as this 3. This sheweth that as God ordained some to Salvation before the world which was the cause of ordaining Christ so this was most free for what could we do to move him before we were before the world was No as God sent his Son into the world of his meer mercy so he ordained him of the same 4. If Christ were thus ordained then he is no new Savior but the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world by whom all the Fathers have been saved Abraham saw his day and believed therefore none needs doubt or fear to trust in him He that believeth in him shall never be confounded nor make haste O that the Jews and Turks would believe this but they will one day be confounded with shame and make haste to seek another Savior when their former shall fail them 5. Lay for Christ ere thou lay a foundation for the world let him be first sought after Till we have Christ neither our persons nor works please God nor have we right to the things of the world nor any promise of blessing Before the foundation of the world As the foundation of the world was laid so it may and shall be unlaid and pull'd down and that by him that laid it The time will come when the Elements shall melt c. when the earth with all the works therein shall be consumed with fire As all things here be frail and of no continuance or certainty but subject to many alterations so the world it self that hath worn out many generations of people it self shall have an end already waxeth old Trust not to it it will deceive all that do It s like a great round Bowl whereon if a man should offer to stand it would roll away and lay him under feet if not break his back Too too many break themselves with the world onely Heaven lies foursquare But was manifest He is manifested three ways 1. By the Word and Sacraments 2. By his coming in the flesh 3. By his last coming to Judgement Here the second is chiefly meant for he was revealed in all Ages to our Forefathers in the Word and Sacraments but yet not so evidently and clearly as in our times in these last times wherein he was made manifest in the flesh Note here 1. The constancy and unchangeableness of the Lord who as he Ordained Christ before the world so he sent him in due time into the world The Lord is not as man that he should lye or repent his purposes are unvariable and his promises most certain and sure he wants no power to effect his Decrees and Purposes No length of time could make him alter or fail neither the wretchedness of the Age that he came in which was wofully corrupt when even they that bare the Name of the Church were defiled in Judgement and Conversation God notwithstanding would accomplish his purpose So it is with every one whom he elected before the world he will not lose one but in time afford them effectual means for Faith and Repentance no length of time no mans badness shall hinder this work The Lord had decreed to call and make his Covenant with Abraham and yet what was he but a blinde Idolater till God called him What also Paul who notwithstanding was ordained from his Mothers womb nay before the world to be a special instrument in the Church 1. This may comfort godly Parents over their children that be yet uncalled they may have hope they be in the compass of Gods election and so that God will one day have mercy on them Oh but they be thus and thus bad It s grievous indeed but that shall not hinder if they belong to Gods election Shall the wretchedness of man make the faith of God of none effect nay let God be true and every man a lyar wheresoever God hath any elect ones he will finde them out and remember them
2. It teacheth us also to be constant in all our good purposes Hell is full of purposes Heaven of performances How many good purposes in sickness after the Word before the Sacrament c. have we which prove as blossoms without fruit 2. The constancy of Gods promises they be Yea and Amen no length of time can make him break a promise as this of sending Christ into the world as neither the unworthiness of men The Israelites as wretched as might be yet they could not make him break promise with Abraham to give them Canaan one would think he should cut them off in the mid-way but he had respect to his Name This was the cause that Gods Servants were always glad of a promise as Nehemiah So are his threatnings as that with Adam and Eve though then there were no more upon the earth So even with our Lord Jesus himself that innocent Lamb of God yet standing as our Surety God spared him not but according to the threatning of death gave him to dye notwithstanding of his prayers and strong cryes he abated nothing but laid it on him to the uttermost 1. Here 's a comfort to Gods people finde out apply and hold fast the promises in all our necessities Stand upon them on any one one of them as upon an unmoveable foundation God cannot fail who ever trusted in him and was confounded Happy is the man that trusteth in him 2. Let the wicked know how small account soever they make now of the Lords threatnings they shall finde them too true for them And if the Lord Jesus the innocent Son of God the Surety found it shall those horrible monsters that shake off all care of God and goodness think to scape free and finde his Word loose No though they bare themselves upon late repentance In these last times Christ was not exhibited till after Four thousand years of the world and why not before or all this while because God decreed it to be no sooner why decreed he it to be no sooner because he would not If any go yet further and ask why he would not this is Presumption and curious Pride we must not ask a reason further then the will of God where none is revealed God determined as we shall see after to bestow a greater priviledge on the last age of the world then on the former and who should question him for the same This then was the time which God in his counsel had appointed which is called by the Apostle the fulness of time when all time was run out that was to be before then he came so that he could not possibly have comed any sooner nor tarried any longer If we respect the Power of God simply he could have sent him sooner but if Gods Decree he could come no sooner even as Christs bones could not be broken in respect of Gods Decree though the nature of them was as other mens subject to be broken Nor could Christ have lived longer in the world in respect of Gods Decree though he might by the course of nature and strength of body continued many years Note we then from hence that What God hath decreed as he will effect so will he do in the due and appointed time whomsoever he hath chosen he will call every one in their time yet after Peter writes to the Christians scattered in those places what is this but that the time of their calling was not yet come which afterward was fulfilled At the first sending out of the Apostles they were forbid to go into the way of the Gentiles but afterwards and that upon the forementioned ground bid to Preach to all Nations So the Jews shall be called but when when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be come in Some were called into the Vineyard to work at one hour some at another 1. This may teach us being truly called and our time come highly to praise God 2. And for those that yet be behinde be not out of hope wait still use the means c. and when God sends the means hope the time is coming who knoweth whether God hath not some Elect among the Indians that he will send means unto which they have hitherto wanted and so call them to the knowledge of Christ Jesus The like may be said of particular persons But let none hence cast off care and say my time is not yet come wherein I shall be called and so neglect the Word and live badly but let such use the means with all speed to day while it s called to day The longer any goeth on uncalled it s the more dangerous sign of no Election of God 3. Here see the reason why many a good Prayer and good Enterprize taketh not effect by and by but the wicked prevail even because the time is not yet come Further observe three differences of times Before the Law Under the Law and After the Law or after the manifestation of Christ Why is this last called The last times A. They be so in comparison of former times and these from Christ onward are the next before the end of the world when there shall be no more time God will never speak to his Church after any other maner he will make no new Covenant no new Gospel Religion maner of Worship Sacraments Faith but hath revealed all his will to us in his Son Christ Jesus he will never alter his course we have all that ever we may look for here on earth nothing can be more clear This condemneth the Turks which look for their Mahomet and the Jews which look for I know not what Messiah and Lordly Savior The Papists also being belike ashamed of what God hath revealed in his Gospel patch together an infinite number of mens inventions so that their Religion is as a beggars cloak full of pieces of divers colours set on at divers times These being termed the last times because they be the immediate times before the Worlds end it followeth that having been so ever since the Apostles we live in the latter end of the last times 1. Here 's comfort to Gods people that the last day is so near which therefore they may wait for with patience 2. Terror to the wicked that think it will not come because defer'd and so many hundred years it hath been called the last time but God is not slack but patient for his Elects sake that yet are behinde If it had come one hundred years ago we had been prevented But a thousand years are but as one day with the Lord and it will surely come and that too soon to the wicked who shall feel the terror thereof For you The Reason of Christs coming thus towards the end of the world because God had appointed to do a greater favor to the last age not but that those
though it be but in small matters yet he will hold it out though the other be never so peremptory till in conclusion they fall flat out this is nought in small matters it were better to yield so in Dealings Covenants Bargains Bonds men will have their right herein right may be extream wrong always provided that we give not away anothers right especially Gods Moses would not yield an hoof yet most men are stiff in their own will yield enough of Gods right as they will not suffer their Servants to play one hour in the week day but for the Lords day they will suffer them therein to play as much as they will 3. Whereas love does no hurt to any Whence comes all the hurt and mischief in the world Stabbing Fighting Quarrelling Railing Reviling Scolding Crying all the defiling of mens Wives Children Servants So for Oppression Bribery Thievery Cousenage false Weights deceitful Wares So Slandering Defaming Backbiting Mocking All these abound in the World I am sure they come not of Love it was never at the doing of them and those that will so readily provoke one another by words and deeds they care not how are far enough from love 4. For being provoked O Lord be merciful to us who can bear any thing but taunt for taunt quip for quip he shall have as good as he brings is common with every one How do men stand upon every small trespass Hence the innumerable Contentions and Suits in the Land thousands in a year for meer trifles wherein ten times as much is spent then is sued for which is a shame for England having had the Gospel of Peace so long Oh mens stomacks be up straight all their blood in their faces or looking as pale as ashes or secretly practising to revenge hand on the Dagger straight straight on the top of the house fly in our Neighbors face by and by so little love is there to forgive till Seventy I may say till Seven times so short Spirited as we can bear nothing and that which is worse if we have once taken up a displeasure it s not easily laid down but Sun after Sun Moon after Moon yea Year after Year it continueth quickly provoked hardly pacified especially truly It may be we live not in open enmity yet in secret grudging the heart not sound but ready to break out upon every occasion can abide nothing but Revenge which is fearful 5. Where is communicating of Spiritual good things Parents bring up their children brave but how few Catechize Counsel and Instruct them pray with or for them So for Servants They give them Meat Drink and Wages with work enough on the six days little caring how they spend the Lords day neither instructing them examining them or drawing them to hear the Word or Read and Pray What love call you this shew you not as much to your Beasts So for our Neighbors who admonisheth them that be out of the way do we not rather let them run on talking of their Infirmities behinde their backs and spreading them to their grace Nay do not many yea most rejoyce thereat what consolation to the heavy who takes it to heart how few are able to comfort fitly but utter vain idle if not more hurtful words to to such nay many rather laugh and jest at heavy conscienced persons every man saith Is he is Brothers keeper Nay alas so far from communicating Spiritual grace to them which they ought or to call one another to go to the house of God as they rather use all means by jesting at them troubling them c. to discourage them yea how many have given lewd and wicked counsels to others to the dishonor of God For outward things how backward are most from giving any more then they needs must What contentions at making of Rates For lending where is this but rather as if God had never given precept for it or as if it were like a Statute repealed which is of no use so is this duty That cursed Trade of Lending upon Usury hath eaten up and banished out of the Countrey this Christian duty of free lending What rich man hath almost at any time any thing to lend Some are so grim and austere as a poor man dares not speak to them for such a thing Some put so much to Usury as they neglect their Trading set none a work nor have ought to lend at any time but rather borrow and if a poor man happen to do any work for them they cannot pay him in a good while they are so bare for as soon as any money comes in it must out straight to Use as if it would burn a hole in their Cupboard if it lay there two or three days or a week Others are ever Purchasing and are ever in debt and will be then wrangle at Rates grudge at this and that are never fit to lend such bring a curse upon themselves willingly which is to borrow when as they might else lend Others are so miserable that though they have wherewith yet will not lend So for Neighborly dealing inviting visiting c. Love is very cold Here I may adde That there 's a great deal of counterfeit love Pot-companionship and joyning in vanity a deal of fawning crouching conguing c. a great deal of self-love making others faults great and their own small or none nay sometimes extenuating and making light of the vertues of others highly esteeming their own being ready to provoke and wrong others but bearing nothing straight provoked seeking their own in all their dealings and courses so making sure for themselves without regard to their Neighbors These be the times Now let every man examine himself and see how it s with himself in these who findes not himself ready to take things at the worst and have we not often done so when as afterward having heard that it was nothing so but quite otherwise we have been put to shame and forced to say for our own excuse We heard or thought it had been so The like might be particularized in the rest 3. The causes of the want of love 1. Want or weakness of Faith when our Savior taught his Apostles this Duty they said Lord encrease our Faith Assurance of pardon makes us forgive 2. Pride whereby men think highly of themselves meanly of others think they may speak or do any thing but that others may say or do nothing to them Onely by Pride comes contention but humbleness causeth love Pride makes men think themselves so wise and good as every body should say as they say and yield in all things to them when they do not they break the peace as Haman with Mordecai Pride cannot endure a reproof therefore could not Herod abide John Ahab Elijah and Micaiah Pride makes men think so highly of themselves and meanly of others that they will not bear any wrong but take the least in scorn 3. Covetousness this makes
hath these two things in it 1. That we have brotherly and tender affections one towards another 2. That we shew it forth by brotherly actions and fruits answerable both which must necessarily go together 1. Then In vain do any challenge tender and loving affections except they shew the fruit thereof to their Brethrens Bodies and Souls especially 2. It s not enough to do brotherly offices unless they proceed from brotherly affections Many a man will give frankly and do other duties required of him but defiles his liberality with insulting over the parties relieved upbraiding them therewith and thinking thereby to make them subject unto them whereas a gift should be given chearfully and seeing one that stands in need of our help we ought compassionately to tender his estate as our own remembring Gods commandment for relieving such a one and thanking God we may and though the party ought to be thankful yet should not we stain our liberality with any sinister maner of giving It must be frank that 's the nature of a gift and it must also come from compassion and feeling So for reproving admonishing c. an excellent duty I would it were more usual it must proceed from a brotherly affection not proudly imperiously or harshly So we must invite from a brotherly affection else our brotherly action loseth his grace with God yea with men also if they perceive it And though we are chiefly to love Gods servants Christians professors with us of the same Religion and our fellow Brethren yet we are not to neglect any we must love all all that either be or may be the people of God though they be yet Pagans Heathens c. for they are our own flesh and have in them as ye heard some part of the Image of God as in their Soul which is a Spirit and Immortal and the Majesty of their face above all Creatures A King though an Heathen hath a part of the Image of God in his Soveraignty Then we must love the Devil as having some part of Gods Image We are not because he is pronounced of God as his final and desperate Enemy appointed to destruction So if we knew any such men as the Prophets did we ought not to love them but hate them not pray for them but against them as David did For others though Infidels we must love them and if God cast them into our lot we must do good to them to their Souls and Bodies They be strangers to me So was the Jew that fell among Thieves to the Samaritan and in that Christ taught who is our Neighbor Gods Image ought not to seem strange to us but loved wheresoever we see it They never did ought for me But God hath who bids thee love They have wronged me and are mine enemies This is no sufficient ground for thee not to love them for the rule is not to love for that thou art loved but because the Lord commands it God is not our enemy he deserves well of us and to him we owe all that may be and he hath turned us over to pay some of the debt we owe him to our enemy and he will take it as paid to him O that we could learn this Lesson And if we must love that small part of the Image of God where we see it then where its more we must love more Therefore where we see the very face of his Image renewed in Wisdom Holiness Righteousness and the Sanctifying Grace of Gods Spirit vouchsafing to make a man a new Creature and Holy as he is Holy Oh this we ought to embrace love reverence in a high degree we cannot shew a better tokenof our love to God then to love his Image and the more we see it to love it the more such are dear to God as the Apple of his eye 1. Those that make all alike make one as welcome as another make no difference of good and bad in their countenance help assistance they be not endued with the Spirit of God for where it is it will take knowledge of his own work and make a man love it yea though a carnal man should have some natural parts of civility skill c. more then a Christian man yet we must affect grace most These men be neither fish nor flesh 2. But much worse are those that of all persons like the Children of God worst and that for their zeal and forwardness If 't were not for them they could like them and therefore chuse swearers jesters and prophane persons for their companions and cannot away with the society of Christians who in their liberality will rather give to bad persons fitting in the others light and making them fare the worse for their zeal and godliness Of all men they cannot away with these Puritans and had rather their Friends should be any thing then of that number their Sons Daughters and Tenants c. They would love them if they were not so precise A bad sign such are not translated from death to life are not of God are in darkness to this hour they are not led by Davids Spirit who could not abide the workers of iniquity The more of Gods Image a man seeth in another to like him the worse is a fearful sign of no love to God If you will needs hate hate not them which God loves but whom he hates hate them not because he loves them and because of their goodness for God saith to them as to Jacob I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee even Balaam himself refused to curse Israel If they shall stand at the last day and be damned that gave them no meat then what shall become of their haters imprisoners and that for their goodness Then would they be glad to be with the least of them but it shall be far from them how little soever they regard them in this world and then shall their time of glory be as is their enemies in this world We must therefore labor to be religious else we can never love them that be so because of their goodness Here also observe a difference between the love we ought to bear to the Wicked Pagans Infidels c. we must love them as our flesh not as our brethren for they have not God for their Father the Church for their Mother have not suckt the same breasts with us the Word and Sacraments Therefore look how natural Brethren be affected each to other so ought Christians Fellow-heirs of the same Inheritance as having a better Brotherhood as much as the Spirit is better then the Flesh and Grace above Nature Our Savior prefer'd the hearers and doers of the Word before his natural Kindred This is a more lasting Brotherhood which abides longer then this life even for ever when it shall be with
our bosoms and bowels insomuch that all must dye It s so appointed It cannot be shifted It s the way of all flesh high and low This grim Sergeant knocks at every door spares none will not be bribed by any Money Physick Wit Wealth cannot free us from it even Methuselah dyed They that have been most unwilling yet have dyed where are all our Forefathers where all the mighty Monarchs long since gone and so must we there 's no remedy yet we know not when to day or to morrow this year or the next nor where at home or abroad in our bed or in the fields by sea or land nor how of a natural or violent death Here to day to morrow gone The fairest flower may be soon welked A few years ago we said Our Fathers and Mothers are dead and shortly our Children will say so of us one Generation passeth another succeedeth 1. This may well serve to humble us pull down our Peacocks plumes Alas why should we be proud proud against God as most be to shake off his commandment to stand in no awe of his Word but to do that which he flatly forbids nay though he threaten never so severely O thou poor Worm thou Snail what art thou poor Potsheard that darest lift up thy self against thy Maker the mighty and glorious Lord of Heaven and Earth shouldest thou not fall down at his footstool and say Speak Lord for thy poor Creature is ready to do whatsoever thou requirest as its right meet and my bounden duty so to do proud against our Neighbors what art thou that liftest up thy self proudly vaunting of thy Beauty Birth Strength c. mayest thou not be laid full low ere to morrow Night what art thou that treadest others down by thy greatness mayest thou not be laid where others shall tread on thee and that shortly what art thou who so proudly deckest thy self with endless cost and time why dost thou so gorgeously set out and take such delight in a piece of clay may it not lie by the walls this week may not a Tuft of grass be cut down this night O that there should be such excess cost vain fangles endless and too much time spent in trimming up the body and no care of decking the soul O this curious and long dressing and pinning is but for a day and yet what a great deal of precious time is spent this way Also what art thou that bearest malice against thy Neighbor and will not be pacified but threatnest to be revenged Alas poor soul where mayest thou be ere that time lay down thy displeasure to day lest thou dye to morrow and dye in wrath 2. This may abate our care for the world O how do men toil and care as if they were to live here and never dye when as dye they shall and that haply very suddenly 3. This should make us labor always to be prepared for death To this end 1. Labor to be assured of the forgiveness of our sins and that the book be crost the reckonings cancel'd and God at peace with us wo be to him that dyes these things being not discharged But alas most as if they were not enough indebted already run on more and more 2. Walk ever carefully in the fear of God that we may be found well-doing but how do most live in sin that they are unfit to dye 3. Be we not fettered nor intangled with the profits pleasures and excessive cares of this life 4. Imploy we our selves carefully in some measure about the work whereunto we are called 5. Wait we for the Lords coming being always desirous thereof 4. It should make us seeing we be but grass not to promise great matters of our selves We will do this or that We will be revenged of him ere seven years come to an end We will go and buy and sell and get gain and tarry thus long We will repent seven or ten years hence Alas poor fool art thou not ashamed to shew thy folly Alas poor Creature whereof art thou made Thou thinkest of heart of Oak Marble or Cedar remember thou art but grass Reckon not without thine Hoast boast not of to morrow Be we hereby stirred up to do all the good we can while we may and work while its day If thou hast to repent do it to day hear this Sermon keep well this Sabbath thou knowest not but it may be the last come this Communion thou knowest not whether thou shalt live till another 6. Never trust to any mortal friends haply they may be gone when thou shalt have most need of them and when they might do thee most good Trust in God that lives for ever who is Almighty ever a merciful Father and a Friend to his So make the best use of any friend while thou hast him People of their good Ministers Husbands of their gracious Wives Children of their godly Parents c. Thou knowest not how soon they may be taken from thee we shall hear lamentings after the death of such buts it more wisdom to make use of them while they be with us so for thy Enemies fear them not too much they are but grass they may be taken away ere the time come wherein they should have hurt thee 7. For our Children delight not too much in them for their beauty stature growth they are but grass If we set our minde too much on them while we have them we will be too excessively grieved when God takes them from us love them moderately of Gods blessings If we bring them up in the fear as God that they may prove gracious and instruments to honor God in Church and Common-wealth we do well Take heed we prank them not up too much or too much cocker them and give them the head as David to Absolom and Adonijah as also that we rake not greedily for them and so hinder God of his service If they be perkt up to high or regarded more then the glory of God it s the next way to provoke God to pull them down And all the glory of man as the flower of grass Not onely the glory of men as Nobles Princes Great-men High-born Wise Witty Learned and the like which are the chief are as flowers somewhat finer and fairer then grass in colour of them some fairer then some but even the greatest man is but a flower that for all the beauty fades assoon as another But this is the meaning that The glory of a carnal man is but a vain thing and the best part of an unregenerate man is corrupt the best gift is but vain our understanding not dark but darkness The natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can flesh and blood reveals no such things to him Our understanding is altogether blinde in the first Table unless it be for some few general notions
their hearts and lives and are more cunning in points of Church Government then in points of Sanctification yet we doubt not but some true servants of God have been misled and their tender consciences have stumbled whom God hath enlightened and brought from among them and who have had more peace in a day in coming to the Word from them and joyning with the Church again then they had before in a whole year 10. Some say There be so many Religions in the world that they cannot tell which to take There be Jews Turks Anabaptists Familists Papists Protestants Lutherans Calvinists Brownists c. every of which say they have the truth and what should such plain men as I do for my part I think it the wisest course to meddle with none of them all but follow my own business till they all agree which is the Truth not troubling my self at all with any thing they say I may come to Church because of the Law but I will never greatly regard what is said or spoken there A. A bad excuse is better then none at all but this will not serve mens turn Though there be many that say They have the Truth yet there is but one Truth and this is to be found out of such as are not willing to be ignorant as these Objectors commonly be Its no marvel that there hath been ever and will be that envious one that soweth Tares where the good husbandman soweth Wheat There have ever been Hereticks and false Teachers in the Church that they which are approved may be known but by the light of the Word which is able to shew men the Truth the servants of God willing to learn the same have found it out Zachary Elizabeth Mary Nathaniel and thousands of others found it out though the Jews at that time were rent into many Sects Scribes Pharisees Sadduces Essenes c. They did the will of God and were Christ sheep therefore heard his voyce and were instructed in the Truth And it is extream madness in any to neglect the finding out of the Truth because there is some difficulty seeing without the knowledge hereof they perish eternally The more falshood there is the more it stands them in hand to search for the Truth or else they shall perish in their ignorance as others do in their error We must buy the Truth we must strive both to finde it and maintain it The Truth must be had else we dye In worldly things men be wiser As if one dwell some distance from the Market and in the way to it he must go over a great Common where lie a great number of by-paths some to one place some to another will he for this stay at home and want necessaries and say I will never go lest mistaking my way I lose my Market No but he will rather get one that knows the way to conduct him therein whereto he will take good heed that he may not mistake at any other time Or will he neglect to buy necessary provision because there be so many deceitful people in the world and so starve at home No but he will say There be false wares and deceitful men but I le learn skill to know the one from the other to discern the good from the bad so that some difficulty taketh not away mens care but rather whetteth and increaseth it This worldly wisdom will condemn mens folly and madness in heavenly things We must therefore get skill in Gods Word whereby to try Doctrine and that by earnest prayer unto God there be plain places of Scripture that will confute the errors that shall be broached by them we must be judge These things I speak because I would have all get over these logs if they have hitherto stumbled and if we have got over we may be able by good Arguments to help over others our weak brethren that are willing to learn that they may be able to confute any caviller or answer any that shall kick at these things And I pray and beseech you look to it let there be none here so ill minded toward himself that having stuck at any of these he be willing and still content so to do concealing the same neither desiring to be rid out of the fetters thereof This is dangerous indeed especially take heed that there be not such an ill minde and vile disposition in any as not to be content alone to cast off Religion upon these occasions and pretences but labor to lay them in the way of others to draw them from God O fearful thing Cannot you your selves be content to cast off God but will you labor to bring others also to destruction O these enemies to God and his kingdom what will be their end and where shall they appear For if they that win souls shall shine as the stars what shall they do that destroy souls As the ten Spies that went with Caleb and Joshua bringing up an ill name and slander upon the Land of Canaan whereby they discouraged their Brethren from going toward it were shut out and perished so they that bring up an ill name upon the zealous Profession of Gods true Religion and discourage their Neighbors from it will assured perish in endless confusion Against the Preachers of the Word Offences also are taken as 1. Some say There is a deal of preaching indeed and crying out against sin and calling men to this and that strictness of life and that it is such an hard matter to be saved but you must give us leave to regard none of this that is said for we see none worse then the Ministers themselves they must say somewhat when they be in the place but they are as proud and covetous and as bad as any other and were there any such matter as they teach would they dare to go clean contrary A. It cannot be denied but that some in the Ministery both of them that do not and of them that preach that yet live so grosly and dissolutely contrary to their teaching that they give a grievous offence to those that wait for such things yea and make many ignorant with Elies sons loath the sacrifice of the Lord and think that Religion is no such matter as we tell them of because they observe the contrary in their Teachers But what though they do thus yet notwithstanding is the Word of God holy and good Is Physick nought because the Physician is a bad man or the meat because the Cook is a swearing hasty fellow There is no calling wherein there are not some bad But there be many Ministers that make conscience to live according to that they teach and as well to be examples to the Flock in holy conversation as to preach which is but one part of a Ministers duty and who setting humane frailties aside may bid their adversaries write a book against them For common frailties who can say his heart is clean even between
hell at the first He suffers the Vessels of wrath with patience Thus though there had been no sin in the World God might justly have appointed most men to Damnation and cast them away also for his glory but now God doth not cast any man away but for his own willing falling away and sin for he made man Righteous but now sin comes in and for this is every one condemned that is condemned Besides is God cruel to them He never makes their finger ake till they have deserved Hell never condmns man or woman till they have deserved it a thousand times and in the mean time ceaseth not to bestow manifold blessings on them But as it were tyranny in a King to appoint many of his Subjects to punishment upon his will so were it in God said a Papist It s a most unequal comparison they be not the Kings creatures though his Subjects committed to him to rule not as he will but as God commands but God hath power because they be his creatures As if a Potter having made many pots commits them to a servant to be looked to if he burst any of them at his peril he doth it because they be not his own but if the owner should break any who shall blame him But its partiality in God and respect of persons to take some and refuse others being all equally guilty and in estate without difference Not so respect of persons is when many being in one case one is preferr'd For what for something in their own person as a Judge having two Malefactors equally guilty executes the one and spares the other because he is his Kinsman Countreyman c. But a Prince hath two Traytors equally deserving death and he without respect but because he will pardons one and cuts off the other as it may be Pharaoh did by his Butler and Baker or a man hath two Debtors and without respect he requires it all of the one and forgives all to the other Who shall let a man so to do This is no respect of persons But if a man be to adopt a Childe out of five or six and chooseth one because he is Witty Fair Proper c. this is respect of persons but so it is not in the Lord for he respects nothing in them that he elected nor in the other but because he would Thus of the third The fourth is this That The Lord hath done this unchangeably Those that are ordained to destruction cannot possibly be saved as it is not possible for the elect to be deceived The foundation of the Lord remaineth sure His decrees are as himself without alteration for if it should be otherwise it must needs be either that he seeth further now and so wanted wisdom or that he is inconstant whereof to think but a thought were blasphemous or else that he were over-ruled by some power which he could not resist which were as horrible Balaam could say That God was not like man that he should lye or repent It seemeth to us sometimes as though God did change as in Nineveh and Hezekiah but it s not so for though he concealed it the threatnings were conditional His secret will is ever the same firm and fast and no contradiction between it and his revealed will though there may seem so to be yet not so as if Gods decree put a necessity upon man of offending for as Adam so every man sins willingly without constraint and yet necessarily Gods decree bindes to a necessity of condemnation but mans sin comes in of his own will O the infinite and unsearchable wisdom and righteousness of God! Seeing they whom God hath ordained to destruction can never be saved who yet may be enlightened go far and have many gifts and outward benefits we should never be quiet nor sleep good sleep till we can prove we are no Reprobates O it s a most fearful state able to make the heart ake yea the thought of it to torment a man therefore we must labor to know we are not such Hence is that of the Apostle Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Know ye not if you have not Christ in you by Faith ye are Reprobates and would be content to be so or so counted Nay can you be content till you know you are otherwise Therefore shake off and be sure to be rid of all the marks of Reprobates Namely 1. Ignorance whether enforced for want of means or affected for knowledge is the ground of faith and other graces Therefore its condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness Christ is known of his and knoweth them again 2. Unbelief Whosoever believeth not is condemned already Through this were the Israelites excluded out of Canaan and perished and through this were they broke off As many as are ordained to eternal life believe 3. Disobedience to the Word to such shall Christ say one day Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity 4. To stumble at Christ and at the Word upon occasion pickt as we see in this Text. So Apostacy impenitent living in any known sin especially after much warning and means hatred of Gods servants hardness of heart security and the like Now is it not fearful that men can go on and are not troubled about this that they can carry their black marks about them and yet be merry O fearful and desperate mirth If one should be condemned to be hang'd drawn and quartered and had an iron hang'd on him as a mark of it and were let go up and down for a few days if he were merry and jocund what would we say yet thus doth the world O awaken your selves Doth not this concern you O come out of your ignorane and unbelief and never give over till you get something that a Reprobate never had cannot have I tell you they may go far and have so gone therefore look well about you A number have not gone so far as a number of Reprobates in Knowledge Utterance Profession hearing the Word with joy reverence to the Preachers thereof Reformation in many things c. who yet think well of themselves O fearful that men can be so wretchless in so weighty a matter Awaken your selves I beseech you and know one thing is needful as the Apostle Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power do that which is good So if thou wouldest not be afraid of reprobation live godly for such cannot be Reprobates Faith true and particular and Sanctification throughout make a man a Christian this an Hyprocrite hath not So an humble and contrite heart a vehement longing after Christ an high prizing of him a vehement desire to turn to God in all things these an Hypocrite
strongly of some then others according to the grace of God and continuance in one duty as in another at home as abroad in prosperity as adversity yea suffering for the truth abiding constant in a godly course They that have experience and knowledge what is necessary to Salvation will look for these and rest in nothing else This we may have of others and this every man ought to labor to lay up in the hearts of his Neighbors A man must not onely lay up good evidence in his own conscience of his Election but give as full a Testimony to the conscience of others as may be This is a Crown to a man while he lives an Honor when he is dead better then a good ointment then silver and gold a comfort to his Friends a credit to them that are left behinde 1. This condemns them that so walk as charity it self cannot speak well of them or esteem them in the state of grace or any of Gods Elect What shall be said of these when they be dead There 's an old bibbing carnal man dead a proud yong man a wicked woman of a very malicious heart c. To speak well of these were to sin against conscience and the truth it self 2. Them also as walk so odly as though in some things they give good hope yet they are either suspected to abide in some known sin or take their liberty so much in gaming or give such way to some notable corruptions be so unreasonable hasty so covetous and worldly as men have no sound perswasion but being asked of them living or dead they that are of understanding can give no confident or comfortable but a lame and imperfect Testimony This is indeed a pittiful thing O leave something to comfort thy Wife Friends Kindred when thou art dead that they may not mourn excessively as without hope but may with others be perswaded thou art gone to God! O leave behinde thee a sweet memorial of thy self A royal priesthood Here 's a second priviledge of Believers cited as it seemeth out of Exod. 19. 5 6. By Christ they are made Kings Priests and Prophets O what a priviledge and admirable advancement it is that being by nature servants of sin and Satan they should be made Kings and so prophane that they had nothing to do to draw near to God may now be Priests and offer Sacrifices to God where may be noted by the way that even in the time of the Law Christ and the Gospel was also Preached to the Jews for they could not come to these priviledges by the legal Sacrifices but by the Lord Jesus And therefore wickedly do they that imagine God fed the Israelites onely with outward benefits and that they had no spiritual things which is contrary to the Scriptures Abraham saw Christs day and the godly also among them saw the Messias though darkly Again What Moses spake indefinitely to all the people the Apostle here applieth the same particularly to Believers Gods Elect to whom only the promises and priviledges appertain and they ought to apply them and make them their own wherewith the wicked are not to meddle To a wicked man there 's not a comfortable word spoken in all the Scriptures while he so abides Me-thinks he should be weary of his part and begin to turn in truth to God for then begins he to come within compass of these blessed promises and priviledges not before Nothing belongs to the wicked but sin and thereby the curses of God here and Hell hereafter as it was Judas his own place This priviledge flows from our Election which is the foundation of all good that comes to us here and hereafter And to become Kings Priests and Prophets who were by nature slaves of sin abominable to God and altogether darkness in matters of Salvation we obtain by the means of the Lord Jesus who was our Mediator and anointed King Priest and Prophet and discharged by the fulness of the Spirit which was in him above measure these offices for our Salvation Our King to gather guide defend us and overthrow our Enemies Men and Devils Our Priest to offer up himself a Sacrifice to God for us and to make continual Intercession on our behalf and our Prophet to teach us all that is necessary to know to Salvation and not this onely but he was King Priest and Prophet to make us such by conveighing a measure of that Spirit which is in him above measure to enable us hereto As Aaron being anointed with the holy oyl it ran down on the skirt of his Garment so did this from Christ to all his Members But of these three dignities I have elsewhere spoken Onely see what kinde of persons believers be other maner of ones then the world makes account They are Kings I tell you Heirs of a Kingdom as meanly as the world thinks of them and as little as they be in their own eyes and as Kings they conquer and over-rule those that conquer and over-rule the Devil the World and the Flesh They are also Priests and may come with confidence into the presence of God and bring Sacrifices that through Christ Jesus shall be well accepted of God and shew their Faces where the wicked may not come though never so mighty They are also Prophets to teach and their lips feed many 1. Therefore they are to be highly thankful for this high advancement and labor to walk worthy of it not in any carnal pride but in all godly humility but yet with notable courage and all true thankfulness to God This yet remember that though Kings yet its Spiritual and therefore hinders not subjection and obedience to civil Kings and Magistrates which I speak because Anabaptists do by such colours elude and take away the authority of Magistrates and exempt themselves from them So Servants are to be obedient to their Masters though not yet godly and to walk humbly christianly and wisely so every Christian is to give men their titles and their due according to their place yea though they be bad 2. Let all take heed how they meddle with these Reproach not rail not on them He that defends them is mighty Abuse not them whom God hath so highly advanced If thou knewest what they were thou wouldest fall down and kiss the ground on which they stand Be not an Ishmael lest thou be cast out of the house I tell thee its an ill mark Saul Saul why persecutest said Christ thou me many shall be condemned at the last day for not doing them good what shall then become of thee if thou do them any hurt I le tell you a far better way Take knowledge of their happy estate and labor to be one of them though despised in the world yet of account with God and Angels It s well said The Righteous is more excellent then his neighbor
where it may be they receive conversion and even that terror of conscience though it were occasioned by some outward thing yet it is the Word that indeed works it as which tells them both of their sin and danger The parts of it are 1. An enlightening of the understanding with a distinct knowledge of the principal points of Salvation 2. The opening of the heart to believe 3. The changing of the whole man from that ill nature that was in him to a quite contrary The Law prepares and make them see their deadly danger and by the Spirit makes to feel it grievously and then the Gospel works by little and little hope to comfort and so a change The cause that moves the Lord to do this to any is his meer mercy and no desert as is Election and Redemption so is our effectual calling free And this inward effectual calling is an infallible argument of Election past and glory to come They are links of the golden chain of mans Salvation that cannot by all the Devils be sundred but have one and have all Hereupon me thinks every mans heart should burn within him to prove his calling that hereby he might have a mark of his Election They that can prove it may have exceeding comfort and they must also beware lest being calling out of the world to God they look any more back or be more and more defiled with the fashions and maners thereof and every day in hearing the Word obey every part thereof and walk worthy of your holy Calling Much are they to be blamed that do no more honor their Calling but drop into things like men of this world yea are overcome of the world and covetousness But haply thou doubtest of thy Calling because thou findest not these fruits or not so plentifully as thou would'st be not discouraged though thou beest dull and full of infirmities and strong corruptions yet unfainedly hating and resisting them and being grieved at them and using the means against them thou art not to call thy foundation into question yet must thou humble thy self and as occasion requires set on more earnestly use the means more carefully and daily renew thy repentance But for those that shew no fruits of their Calling but though they have had the Word and been Hearers yet remain prophane and impenitent altogether or seeming to go some steps yet are not changed throughout through Faith they are not yet called for never imagine that every one that hears Sermons yea usually and with joy and mends many things and lives in some good fashion is straight truly called not onely the high-way ground but even the stony yea thorny which went far and beyond most in Congregations yet were not effectually called and numbers among our selves that think well of themselves are not truly called are not Believers nor turned to God Well let every man examine himself throughly being not called I dare not speak a word of comfort to you in this case you have not onely no mark of Election but the contrary when God hath by all means called as by promises threatnings c. and none have prevailed O now use the means with all diligence and though hitherto you have disobeyed the words of Gods calling yet let them now open the doors of your hearts If you do God will be merciful and blot out all if you will not when you shall hereafter call you shall not be heard and you which would not obey this gracious voyce of the Gospel to believe and repent that you might be saved shall one day hear another kinde of voyce from him which you shall obey nill you will you to your own confusion Out of darkness into his marvellous light Here are the parts of calling both from whence and whereto By darkness is meant ignorance of Christ Jesus and sin which are the works of darkness and tend to utter darkness In this case they were How could these Jews be said to be in darkness which had the Law and were skilful therein and stood not a little upon it They had knowledge of the Law but Christ Jesus the accomplishment of the Law they knew not to know whom aright is life everlasting All knowledge without this is nothing but darkness still so that he means not that they were without the means of knowledge as the Gentiles were for one may have the means and yet be in darkness nor that they were called out of ignorance to some knowledge by the means for one may have much knowledge and yet be in darkness but that they were called out of darkness that is out of ignorance of Christ and Salvation by him out of the state of corruption and sin and working the works of darkness and going to utter darkness To his light that is to know Christ by a saving particular and effectual knowledge to Sanctification and Holiness of life which are the works of the light and so to the hope of the eternal light of happiness Hereunto they were called out of the state of unbelief and sin which tend to death for so sin is called darkness and holiness light Sin is termed darkness because it comes from the Devil the Prince of darkness loves darkness and goes to darkness Holiness comes from light even God the Father of lights loves and can abide the light and goes to light and God the Fountain of Holiness is called light Here note What every mans estate is till he be called even that we are not onely darkened but darkness it self We were all made light in Adam full of knowledge and holiness since the fall we are all darkness and when God means to save any he pulls them out of darkness Darkness hath a power indeed which were it not for the Almighty power of God delivering us therefrom would hold us under for ever and as long as we be in this darkness we have no right to the Kingdom of God nay we have nothing to do with God we are neither his sons people nor servants The man that is not effectually called and sanctified what gifts soever he hath is yet in darkness and never wrought other then the works of darkness He may do good things and the works of light but they be not so in him being darkly performed by corrupt nature without Faith or the Spirit neither tending to the right end This may be said of every unregenerate person though never so old civil or of good parts 1. This confutes the Papists that teach that there are some such pure Naturals left in man some Free-will to goodness which if God stir up a little and help can work and that they can merit of Congruity which crosseth both this and other Scriptures as That the thoughts of mans heart are onely evil continually That the wisdom of the flesh is enmity with God and That
work will we be angry with him The Lord is much more equal and wise Now to discern these foul temptations from those which do arise from our own nature these notes may be observed 1. That they come suddenly 2. Violently being even forced into us 3. By their multitude being as thick as hailstones 4. That they come with such fears as often cost sickness faintness and the like which things usually be not of them that come of our selves which also come more leisurely and with more moderation 5. Such as be in such a degree of blasphemy against God usually rise not of our selves and seldom but in a Reprobate or one that hath sinned against the Holy Ghost as the Devil hath 6. Such as are against nature as to kill our selves our wives or children For the latter that arise from our nature they be sins whether they tarry so long as that they have got consent of will or not or so much as they have but inveigled the minde with some bait-like allurement yea but so as that either they do presently vanish so soon as they do arise or be cast out by us yet these I say be sins if with consent against other Commandments if without consent against the Tenth which ransacketh the heart more narrowly then any of the other It s true the longer they stay and the further they have prevailed it s the worse but the least and first thought against the Law of God is a sin and deserves the wrath of God as all Impatient Blasphemous Unbelieving thoughts all wandering thoughts when we be at the Word Sacraments Prayer or any good duty or any such on the Lords day all ill thoughts as that its in vain to serve God c. so also Disobedient Angry Revengeful Unclean Uncharitable thoughts God made us pure without any and may justly punish the contrary in us These first of all come from Original sin and who can bring good out of evil These bring forth bad effects and withdraw the heart from God to consent to and commit evil These are forbidden in the tenth Commandment else what This the heathen Philosophers never knew nor Paul himself a learned Pharisee till he was instructed in a more Spiritual understanding of the Law 1. This confutes Papists which teach That ill thoughts with consent be the least sins and that without consent they are none What is that then which Paul said I had not known that lust had heen sin but by the Law he knew that ill thoughts with consent were sins This Doctrine of Rome doth derogate from Gods glory and doth not humble a man to the purpose as it ought neither letteth it him see a multitude of such sins for which there 's cause he should be humbled 2. This sets out the absolute perfection and purity of the Lord who requires the purity of the heart and thoughts he made us perfect and requires that we should love him with our whole hearts 3. It serves notably to humble us on our knees every day to God for who knows how oft he offends this way O the innumerable vain foolish idle and bad thoughts that arise in our mindes in a day how in a Sermon or Prayer-while and on the Sabbath O if God should deal with us in justice he might condemn us for the least of these we should repent us seriously of these as of ill deeds This is that made Paul cry out O wretched man that I am and that makes the dear servants of God hang down their heads and humbles them continually and when others think highly of them for their graces they have matter to abase their vile nature and rebellious thoughts whereof some tickle the minde some get consent and are then cast out as some presently are repelled But how infinite numbers of them come through our heads as motes in the Sun as sparkles from a Fornace The want of the knowledge of these makes many a Christian when they look back at night see little to repent of which if they marked they might finde This is the Reason why civil persons be not humbled even because they take no knowledge of these thoughts whereof they have thousands on the Lords day in the times of Duties and against every Commandment whereof they take no knowledge or scarce of one of twenty and those whereof they take knowledge they think to be no sins as long as they break not out into words and actions Thought is free as the world thinks and judged at no Bar pay no Tribute True not in mens Courts because they cannot know them but before God they are and will be called in question who knows the thoughts and requires to be loved with the whole heart 4. This sets out the wonderful patience and abundant mercy of God that upon our repentance pardons so many thoughts 5. It s our duty to prevent them to the uttermost of our power and to this purpose we must labor 1. For the Spirit of God to be more and more abundant in us to mortifie this corrupt nature of ours that so this root being more and more killed may send forth fewer shoots this brand more and more quenched may send forth the fewer sparkles 2. To be ever doing some good to be in our Calling or some thing answerable thereto for if we be idle the minde will be ranging An idle person must needs have a corrupt heart swarming with ill thoughts for if the minde be not occupied about good it will be about evil its like Quicksilver ever stirring if we be riding working alone walking waking in our beds let our mindes be on some good And in duties we must keep our mindes earnestly bent thereto that being full already there may be no place of by-thoughts as when a vessel is full no more can be poured in Let 's covenant with our eyes and ears that they let in no ill thoughts especially in holy duties and on the Lords-day shut up all windows and doors so in praying whether conceived or read by our selves or heard of another our hearts must be set thereon that to every Petition they may say Amen So in hearing the Word we must be earnestly bent and fix our eyes on the Preacher and for the Lords-day be wholly in doing good and that earnestly In the time of the Sacraments both joyn with the Prayers then used and withal have holy thoughts by way of preparation and in the mean time have holy meditations about the matter present as long as we can then joyn in singing it must needs be a weary toil to them that cannot 3. To pray earnestly to God for his assistance but labor what we can all will not be prevented therefore must we grieve for those that come casting them out and that speedily They are as a flock of birds that we cannot let from hovering over our heads but may hinder from lighting on our heads if we nip
to our selves or the use of any lawful means If he set open the door then we may go out but not break away but be content so long here to stay as God shall see meet The world cannot abide to think of death or of the day of Judgement would buy them off yea but to be deferred with much money an ill sign nay many of Gods Servants be much to blame some so addicted to the world as not willing to part with it O ye be of little faith It s base that any thing here should take up our affections from longing to be with our true Inheritance Nay thus some Christians are held lingring indeed and that for wife and childrens sake especially namely to see them brought up and kept from evil courses seeing often the contrary through the want of Parents the wrack of many children As for the most part this argueth weakness of faith in Gods providence especially if their desire be excessive for God can provide for them without us moderately to desire life for this cause or only to do God some other service is tolerable always provided that it be the love of nothing here below that detaineth our affections but that we so esteem of the world and all that is in it as we see no cause in it why it should take up our hearts and make us linger here The causes that should make us desire to be hence should be sin and the desire to be with God sin to chase us hence and the love of God and Heaven the excellency of that place and state should allure us thither Some desire to be gone but it s most ignorantly and desperately for its onely because they be in trouble full of pain have many crosses Thus many make away with themselves others impatiently wish to be gone poor mad fools not knowing what is a coming onely looking to be eased of the present grief O our poor folly also and the earthliness of many of Gods people that are not wearied hence by sin and by their corrupt nature and continual spring of sin that they cannot be rid of but annoys them daily and continually Therefore God is pleased to send them sorrows and pains and with a week or fortnights pain they are made willing to dye that were not so before A great fault of sundry Christians that have their hands and heads so full of business as they cannot desire to be gone nay had need of a twelve-moneths warning to set their matters right This is not Pilgrim-like they may hap not have a week therefore so walk as you may ever be willing to be gone and be ever of this minde that to be gone is most happy and most to be desired 10. Pilgrims the nearer their Journeys end they are the gladder So ought Christians that have passed many years and are grown old to thank God highly that now their salvation is nearer then when they first believed it that they would not their time were to begin again and that they were yong again c. but thank God they draw nearer the shore where they shall arrive at the Haven of rest Ancient Christians near their end have this advantage that they have almost past the Pikes yong ones know not what remaineth for them yea every day a Christian at night should thank God that hath brought him safely one days journey nearer his end then in the morning Many think they grow old too soon too fast if they could make their years stand still as Joshua's Sun they would be glad 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 glorifie God in the day of visitation VNto the former Exhortation of purging the heart he adds this of looking to our outward behavior and conversation among men namely that it be honest good godly and every way such as may not onely not be offensive but may be of good example yea to the very wicked that though for a time they speak evil of us as our nature is to do of every one that differs from us thinking our own courses still to be best yet at last they looking more narrowly and seeing our constancy in well-doing may be enforced to think well of us and whensoever God shall touch their hearts with his grace they may glorifie God and say This is the onely true way of worshiping God and thank God for it and all the means that have brought them to the sight of it The parts are two 1. The Exhortation 2. The Reasons thereof The Exhortation is to godly life and that is inlarged by the circumstance of persons or company before whom namely the Gentiles that is the Idolatrous Wicked and Unbelieving The Reasons 1. That they may be prepared to their conversion by beholding our good life which is set forth by the contrary in former time namely their speaking ill of us 2. That they may glorifie God which is set out by the time namely when God shall please particularly and in a special maner to bestow his grace upon them so that by our innocent godly life led among the wicked we shall provide for our own credit their good and Gods glory which is the thing we should chiefly aym at in all our actions Here observe we first our Apostles order He begins at the right end as a wise Builder he lays a good Foundation then builds on it as a skilful Chyrurgion he first purgeth out dead flesh then heals which else would heal and break out again Reformation if ever if be good must begin at the heart No man can have a good conversation whose heart is Unregenerate and Unsanctified for from the heart proceeds the life if sin and lusts be nourished there they will break out as fire hid in straw or dry wood for our bodies are as apt to execute as our hearts to broach evil For one to purge the Channels and leave the Fountain foul were to lose his labor for one also to pull off the tops of the weeds and leave the roots still were to no purpose The heart must be washen kept cleansed from inward lusts else no godly life 1. This confutes the Papists that talk of good conversation and yet regard not the heart either seek after true justifying faith whereby to purge the same 2. This shews and rebukes the folly of those that think to frame a good life as civil persons and yet never knew the corruptions of their hearts nor what Faith means that purifieth the heart nor make Conscience of their inward lusts Hence it is that they shamefully deceive themselves especially in the first Table and in the sight of a true Christian that can tell what belongs to good conversation Numbers think upon occasion they will never do as they have done but promise great amendment as upon
They hate men for their goodness and the better they be the worse they like them whom whil'st they were prophane companions with them in disorder they were the onely men with them Why were Abel David our Savior himself hated but for their goodness If they pretend that they mislike them and speak against them for this or that fault it s but for a colour for why then do they like and nourish the same things in themselves and those like themselves Neither can such things be found in Gods people as are daily palpable in them and their companions It s therefore because the light of the godlies good conversation discovers their ill deeds which were the others like them would not be seen or taken knowledge of O the fearful condition of such If he shall dwell in Gods Tabernacle in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoreth them that fear the Lord where shall they dwell that honor vile persons and contemn them that fear the Lord Such 〈◊〉 not of God are not translated from death unto life As Ishmael was cast out of the Church God will for ever Excommunicate all ouâ— of Heaven that continue to be Enemies to his people Though ye have no minde to be as they are yet misuse them not for he that loveth them and will take their part is mighty and hath been revenged of Kings for their sakes But if you will be wise indeed labor to be such who are therefore set up either that you should follow them or else that they should be your Judges as Noah in condemning the old world If you will needs continue to despise them yet know that the time shall come when you shall desire to be as they but it shall be far from you Haply even in this life when you shall be visited with sickness or in some other extremity and misery you may with Balaam wish this but howsoever on the great and terrible day of Judgement when they shall stand on the right hand and you on the left they be received up into everlasting glory your selves cast out into eternal torments you would be glad hereof But you must not think to be as Dives in this world and as Lazarus in the world to come O then love ye the grace of God wheresoever ye see it and the people of God though never so poor and mean yea more then them that are in gold Chains without grace Shew your inward affection towards them by rejoycing in their welfare grieving at the contrary living peaceably with them doing them all the good you can or they stand in need of whether in soul or body 2. This rebuketh such as break this near knot of love for toys and trifles not worth the speaking of welfare Abraham that would rather yield to his Inferior then thus do Many wax hollow and strange and conceited one against another and live at odds in heart-burning even with them whom they cannot they dare not but think to be Gods people Is not this monstrous wrong to Christ to pull one member from another and is it not a great distemper when one member of the body will hurt another O that these days of peace should produce such an effect If God should send days of trouble we would be glad one of another O that wicked pride and covetousness the main causes hereof or any thing else in this world should be of such force as to sever those whom God by his Spirit hath joyned together Thus of their persons For their fellowship and company This follows upon the former for that which we love we desire as much to enjoy as may be as the Husband the Wives company and she his so Parents their Children one Friend anothers They therefore love not the people of God whatsoever they say or pretend that care not for their company But whose fellowship are we to love The Brethrens even the people of God we are to honor all even bad men but are not to have society or keep company with such Enter not into the way of the wicked saith Solomon and walk not into the way of evil men I wrote unto you in an Epistle saith the Apostle that ye should not company together with fornicators c. and again We command you Brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh inordinately and not after the instruction which he received of us Reasons 1. We shall hereby make them aâ—â—â—â—â—ed and so be a means of their Repentance When they shall see themselves after a sort excommunicated out of the society of the people of God they will begin to take notice of the ground thereof namely Their sins and thereupon thus question with themselves If for these and these sins I am thus rejected of men how much more will God reject me otherwise we shall strengthen them in their sins 2. We shall provoke others by our example not to have any fellowship with them who else might continue therein to their destruction 3. Lest we be defiled for who can touch pitch and not be defiled therewith or walk in the Sun and not be tanned A companion of fools shall be afflicted Their company is like an east wind to blast the tender plant of the grace of God in us If we shall use the same they will soon rob us of our good qualities as Hamor did Dinah of her chastity we shall quickly lose our good name quickly learn their works A little leaven leavens the whole lump Sin is of an infectious nature the infection thereof far worse then the plague Solomon the wisest man yet was wonderfully carried away and defiled thus and David with being a little among the Philistines learned to dissemble making as if he had been willing to fight against his own people Peter being but a while in the high Priests Hall fell foully Lot having sojourn'd in Sodom did so far forget himself as that he proffered his two daughters to be lyen with and they learn'd to be monstrous unshamefast Ahaziah did evil in the sight of the Lord saith the Text like the house of Ahab for he was the son in Law of the house of Ahab He was unequally yoked had the company of an ill wife and ill friends 4. Lest we partake of their punishments The curse of God is in the house of the wicked They are cursed abroad and at home and in all they put their hands unto It s dangerous to be in their company Lot being in Sodom was at first taken prisoner and afterward if he had not been pluckt away by the Angel had been there burnt Jehoshaphat hardly escaped his life for going with Ahab St. John would not enter the bath where Cerinthus was Lest saith he the bath fall upon us where this wicked enemy of God is This rebuketh the monstrous wickedness of our
it s not the glory of Serving-men to make those drunk whom they can get into the Cellar and thereupon rejoyce Poor woful Creatures that little think that for this they shall one day come to Judgement and their jollity be requited with everlasting torments in Hell If they must answer for every idle word and for such pleasures though in themselves not unlawful wherein they have regarded neither time place person measure nor end how much more for their wicked companionship in Swearing Blaspheming filthy talking Prophaning the Lords-day and the like Such would one day give the whole world if they had it for one hour to repent but in vain They now treasure up wrath to themselves and as they now delight in evil company so shall it be said unto them Go ye cursed of my Father c. There there shall they enjoy their company in whom they have so much delighted but to their further Torment 3. It rebuketh a marvellous fault in Christians that so little regard one another so seldom meet together or when they do spend the time to small purpose not edifying one another as they should do Some through Pride are so conceited of their parts as if they did not stand in need of any as others think themselves too good to converse with any and others through covetousness will not spare any time this way But time was when Christians made much one of another and often in simplicity and plain-heartedness met together to talk of good things and to further and strengthen one another and then Religion prospered and people grew in grace but now though there be more knowledge there is less zeal and true-heartedness and this is the cause of the decay of goodness amongst ancienter Christians when the brands are pulled in sunder and the heat decays the fire goes out Welfare our yonger Christians which cling together Beware you that have been long professors lest they that set out after you outstrip you and go far before you which many may see to your shame O is it not pitiful that when Christians meet the time should be spent in worldly talk without neâ—d or in vain idle frothy talk of News or other folks matters and things of no edifying This comes to pass sometimes through want of matter their hearts being barren of good things sometimes for that their hearts and mindes are earthy and delight not in those things Hence it cometh to pass that Christians become the worse one for anothers company not a few leaving an ill example and savor behinde them to the poysoning of others this is hard in Christians let us strive by all means that this may be amended To this end these Rules are to be observed by Christians in their private meetings 1. That they do not hereby neglect their Callings to the hinderance of their families except it be an extraordinary case of heaviness of minde when a poor soul for a while will borrow a little of the body as he hath beguiled the soul before so to procure comfort for thus shall they open the mouthes of bad people against Religion as if it made men idle 2. Break up at reasonable times and that for avoiding of offence especially if there be other then our own Family yet as often we sit up till midnight at Cards c. so at some times we may take more liberty herein 3. Keep within bounds for the business in hand they must not meddle above their reach as some in expounding the Scriptures plunge themselves over head and ears they must wade as the Lamb as far as they see ground to presume further is dangerous and leadeth into Error besides the abuse of Scripture Neither must they meddle with Church-Government and matters of controversie it s the Devils policy to set such things abroach to hinder more profitable matter and that there may be jangling no godly edifying In stead of these they must confer about points lately heard or about their own spiritual conditions doubts temptations and the like or about the lets and means of faith c. 4. Though there should fall out some differences yet they must not fall out in wrangling and contention but though they are in the right break off for the time to avoid contention Neither must any be so conceited as to stand upon their own wit and skill but refer themselves unto those which have their senses exercised to discern between truth and error 5. That none desire to have all the speech but be willing also to hear others for some that are not so forward in speech may yet put in his part to as good purpose as they that think well of themselves 6. That they avoid medling with other folks matters or censuring others this is an ill use of meeting together especially their Ministers Sermons wherein they should take every thing well that may be so taken and before they blame any thing they must be sure they understand and are not deceived or mistaken yea and then it must rather be humility to inform one another then to censure them with over-much harshness and boldness and to blaze the same abroad to their disgrace Many through their indiscretion do their Ministers much hurt and put them into strange courses of invectives whom in meekness they might easily win and so mar a good cause with ill handling Thus of their Fellowship Fear God This is the fountain whence as well the forementioned duties flow as those which follow and all other must be performed They must be such as will stand with the fear service and duty we owe unto God But God is perfectly good and we are to fear nothing but that which is evil We must fear to offend God and stand in awe of him This is not slavish in respect of punishment either inflicted or threatned such as Ahabs Belshazzars c. but Filial which cometh of love especially yet with consideration also of his Majesty Glory and Greatness This is often commanded and throughout the whole Scriptures highly commended as being the beginning of wisdom the whole duty of man a spur to obedience whereof these are infallible signs To hate sin and depart from evil every sin the inward as well as the outward secret sins as well as open such as might seem advantagious as well as others unlike those which will say thereof It s nought indeed and we should not do it but flesh and blood is frail God help and so living in it To keep the Commandments all the Commandments all the Commandments always yea always with delight To tremble at the Word as also at his judgements The want of this is the floodgate of all Iniquity Prophaneness Security Hypocrisie and hardness of heart utter Enemies hereunto This is the preserver of the heart against evil and temptations a main provoker unto that which is good when we would yield unto this or that temptation commit this or that
evil slubber over this or that duty up starts the fear of God and saith Nay that must not be yielded to O the marvellous priviledges and sweet promises annexed hereunto Such as fear God need fear neither Hell Death Devil nor Judgement they need not fear Poverty Sickness or Persecution for either they shall not befal them or be sanctified to them O how should we labor to encrease herein by considering Gods greatness and our base poverty together with his justice against sin throughout all ages yea considering his wonderful goodness in himself to the Land to our selves both for soul and body who is not to fear such a glorious such a merciful God but notwithstanding both of his mercies and judgements plentifully manifested who doth truly fear him There 's indeed little fear of God in the world in England in most of our Towns O the fearful condition of such they have cause to fear all things they see as if all did conspire their ruine which also sometimes falls out as the Lord threatned by Moses Were not people hardened bold nay desperate they would not thus shake off Gods fear O let such haste out of this case O labor to get assurance of the pardon of your sins and so turn to God and walk in his fear Go not away hence to live loosly any more as heretofore you have done but fear the great Lord of Heaven and earth who is able to plague you both in Body Mindes Goods Children here and hereafter rear him that hath made thee fed thee and kept thee out of Hell and hath been so good to thee every way yea and will yet do more to thee if thou turn to him Honor the King For the coherence of these words with the former Note we 1. That the duties to God and our Neighbor the duties of the first and second Table are to accompany one another they must not be sundred God hath knit them and they must go together He that loveth God must love his brother also The second is like the first promises are annexed to the performance of both punishments threatned for the breach of either He that commandeth the one enjoyned also the other 1. This rebuketh such as make shew of great zeal in the duties to God and of his worship but in the mean time make no conscience of Deceiving Oppression Falshood Backbiting Idleness and the like break their word and promises wrong men in their bodies goods chastity good-names whatsoever such make their Religion is vain The Prophets cryed down such hypocrites in their times there 's now no less cause so to do Let men joyn both duties together and justifie the truth of the one by the other else as we commonly say He that will swear will lye he that will lye will swear he that makes no conscience of his duty towards his Neighbor makes no conscience of his towards God This rebuketh also such as are very civil and just in their dealings sure of their word and kinde neighbors and yet make no conscience of the duties of the first Table regard not the Word Sacraments Prayer publike or private the observation of the Lords-day and the like O they delight not in these they savor not of such things Howsoever the world count such right honest men yet is God little beholding to them What though they give men their due if they defraud God of his what though they steal not from men if they rob God of his Sabbaths and times of worship which he challengeth as his converting the same to their private uses Let the world think as well and as highly of these as they will wherein they do well they are to be well thought of they are not such as can abide the tryal of the Word neither shall be able to stand before God on the great day but as they have sundered that which God hath coupled so will he if they repent not sunder them for ever from his Kingdom 2. That the knowledge and fear of God is the fountain of all our duties to men in their several places none can be a good servant indeed a through good servant one to be trusted with business of weight with hope of blessing and success as Eleazer Abrahams servant but such a one as feareth God So according to the Text no man can truly honor the King and be an absolute good subject except he fear God no man will honor him from his heart as he ought nor obey him for conscience sake nor pay duties chearfully venture his life for him faithfully and pray for him heartily but such as fear God This is the onely sure bridle all others of credit fear c. will break to keep people in duty where this hath been wanting there have been mutinies and risings yea what else can be expected where this bears not sway 1. Let all that fear God shew it in their several places by the performance of their duties to men especially of subjection to their Governors that so they may bring the same in esteem and procure credit thereto 2. Would any be good Subjects let them begin at the right end perform their duties in the right maner even for conscience sake as being required of God Thus shall the Prince be much the better for them and they themselves have comfort in the performance of the same Thus shall not they dare fail herein for fear of the highest whereas worldly men perform theirs meerly for fear of men 3. Magistrates are to trust those most which do most fear God and accordingly to use them kindely and countenance them as being indeed their most loyal Subjects yea to further the Gospel what in them lies whereby people may be brought to fear God that so they may prove true and loyal to themselves and so adde strength to the Kingdom Thus of the coherence For the words themselves Honor the King I have already spoken at large of the duty contained herein Know we onely that by the King here is meant Caesar who was an Heathen Emperor one that intruded himself ruled tyrannously and was an Idolater and by Honor not Divine and Religious honor for that is due to God alone but Civil worship and honor The difference between those is not in the outward gesture of the body or bowing the knee but in the intention of the minde Divine is when we bow both knee and heart and soul to God and that for his own sake as the Lord of Heaven and Earth and the Author of all good to us to whom we pray when we want it and whom we praise as the Author of any mercy for soul or body Civil is when bowing the knee yea and the affection of the minde to men we do it yet for the Lords sake and as the Lords instruments and whom he hath set over us for good as excelling us in gifts and graces to whom we
unquiet man with thy wife for a proud person rash censorious idle and one that followest not thy calling especially being a Professor and hereof causest the people of God to speak with grief thou hast cause to grieve and shame for giving them such cause who would gladly they had not the cause to speak thus of thee Yea but the wicked speak ill of me wilt thou say But why If it be justly and deservedly whosoever they be that 's no matter more shame that thou hast discovered thy nakedness to the Chams of this world to scoff at and at the Gospel withal fie upon it It s too usual in these days Christians give too much cause of offence howsoever the wicked speak not thus out of any hatred of the fault but of ill will to the Gospel O therefore take heed let us not suffer as evil doers look we so warily and narrowly to our conversation that if they should watch us as narrowly as the Nobles did Daniel yet they might finde nothing against us but in the cause of our God yea might be enforced with Saul of David to acknowledge our innocency If they will needs speak ill of us let it be falsly and for well-doing If any should be smitten by Sea or Land travelling on the Sabbath or any lose their lives at a Play no cause to rejoyce no comfort in it Note further That If there be no patience in suffering but when it s deserved its counterfeit patience and hath no reward of God it s in comparison nothing it s that which reason teacheth but to bear patiently for well-doing is a lesson for an high scholler Howsoever being simply considered its good and commendable as for any being justly afflicted or punished by God or man meekly to submit themselves to confess their faults and be desirous to amend thereby Aaron held his peace Eli and Hezekiah were submissive in theirs the Thief at the right hand acknowledged that he suffered deservedly Thus when Delinquents are punished by the Magistrate people be rebuked of their Ministers for their sin servants and children are of their Masters and Parents corrected for their faults they must take it patiently and learn to amend But if it be no great matter having done a fault and then being punished justly to bear it patiently are not those to be condemned which be impatient under deserved corrections Some being afflicted of God fret rage and boyl curse blaspheme run to Witches or use other unlawful means to get out What a beast art thou hast thou not deserved the same and yet wilt not thou be patient Is not this in effect to say What hath the Lord to do to punish me I have not deserved the same if I can get out of his fingers any way I will not abide to be thus used thus take they the rod by the end and pull it out of Gods hand What do those but desire there were no God to see them or that hated sin or that would punish sin Belike they would have God like but he will be like himself who at the beginning joyned punishment and sin together and so will do to the worlds end you will not get any thing by resisting by humble confession hearty Prayer and promise of amending you may Again there are others who being punished of the Magistrates for their faults do as well curse and rage against those their Rulers as those that informed against them Thus when honest men tending the glory of God and good of the places where they live knowing that Alehouses for the most part are Pest-houses Devils houses Breeders of all mischief Receptacles of the scum of the earth and means to encrease the number of sinners complain of such ryotous persons as would there keep Revel-rout and endeavor to suppress the same O how do drunkards and such others the friends of sin rage and fume would not such wish that there were no Law nor Magistrate to punish but that all might do as the list but this would bring all to confusion Are there not some also who being reproved by their Ministers fret and rail at them fall out with them and with Ahab account them for their Enemies nay sometimes will sue them at Law to their utter undoing And are there not also such servants and children which being corrected by their Governors will murmure or resist or run away a sign of a proud minde of a lewd heart and far from grace Such resist God and shall receive to themselves condemnation they provoke the Lord to take the rod nay scourge in his own hand or give them over into the hands of the Magistrates whence it cometh often to pass that not a few despising the rod and correction which giveth life and wisdom have been whipt burnt in the hand imprisoned yea hang'd up and that justly Thus daily too many seek their own ruine But if when ye do well c. Here 's the praise of patient suffering for well-doing There 's a suffering wrongfully and without cause which yet differeth from that which is here laid down namely suffering for well-doing Suffering wrongfully is when men are accused of that they are not guilty of or are punished without a fault whether it be onely in words or proceed to deeds David was unjustly censured of his brother when he came to the camp Hanna unjustly censured of Eli and John the Baptist of the Scribes and Pharisees so Mephibosheth Naboth and Stephen were wrongfully both slandered and punished Thus in these days days monstrous lyes and slanders are raised especially against Christians and godly Ministers It s an unrighteous world calling the best of Gods servants Proud Hypocrites and laying vile things to their charge which they never deserved as that they are enemies to the State would put down Kings c. Hence sometimes men are punished by Magistrates without cause as also Children and Servants of their rash and inconsiderate Parents and Masters In this kinde Papists are exceeding expert what lyes have they spread of Luther Calvin Beza Junius and such others And had their horrible villany in the Gunpowder Treason taken effect the blame would have been by them laid on the Puritans But as God hath at no time done wrong but judgeth the world with righteousness giving every man according to his works so will he be revenged of them that wrong others For them that sharply censure others let them know that what measure they mete to others it shall be measured to them again For Magistrates that punish any wrongfully if it be wittingly they prophane the sacred seat of Justice and what in them lies make God a wrong doer for nothing should be there done but as God would and lest they should fail of ignorance or through negligence with Job they must search out the matter diligently For slanderers that devise lyes of men they are fools they are
a Hammer a Sword and sharp Arrow they are like the Devil who both slandred God to Adam and Eve and Job to God and to this day is the accuser of the Brethren Such shall not be established on Earth neither shall they come into Heaven no place fit for them but Hell yea not onely the devisers but spreaders of Lyes so common a thing is fearful Thou shalt not walk about with tales among thy people saith God by Moses The receivers also of a false report are excluded out of Heaven and they that love lyes Oh! let none wrong their Neighbors any maner of way Magistrates Informers or whosoever Let none devise or spread abroad lyes no nor truths to their Neighbors discredit without a calling But alas what more common all folks talk then to talk of other folks matters and many times of their faults not at all of any good that 's in them We must not rashly believe what we hear against any especially having before given good testimony of their goodness yea as we would have God deal with us and ours we must not wrong any do right even to our poorest servant For them that suffer wrongfully it s their duty to behave themselves patiently looking up to God as David did when Shimei railed not fretting or raging or saying as its usual It would never have grieved me if it had been so rather say It grieves me much less because it is not so I thank God for the same it might have been if God had not kept me it was of him and not for any goodness in me more then in others I le bear it patiently for though I have not deserved it of men yet of God I have even to be made a threshold for all to tread on and a by-word and though I have not deserved it of men in this yet in some other things I have I have been faulty towards my Neighbors good name and now it s come home to me I pray God I may make a good use of it Besides it may be the Lord sees I might have faln into that or some other sin and hath sent this to prevent it preventing Physick is good blessed be his Name or he doth it to keep me humble c. Thus God that brought light out of darkness teacheth us how to bring good out of evil Thus we may make use of a slander Neither must we think that because it is wrongul we may fret and rage and make a stir and rail so should we make our selves guilty who were innocent before but may open our innocency and clear our selves as Job yea if it should concern us nearly but especially the Gospel then may we have recourse to the Magistrate for redress Thus of suffering wrongfully Touching suffering for well-doing Abel Isaas Joseph Micaiah are pregnant Examples hereof So David met with enemies because he followed goodness so our Savior Christ so suffered the Prophets Apostles Martyrs Thus many at this day even for their goodness they are hated and the better they be the worse they are hated They are not of the world and the world hateth them As sore eyes cannot abide the Sun so cannot the ill lives and consciences of worldlings who wallow in their works of darkness abide the light of Gods Word or the good conversation of godly men it makes their wickedness the more seen and they must mislike either themselves or the others but themselves you are sure they will not nay so wretchedly minded are they as to hate those that they know not but as they have heard of their goodness and rail on them and its pity they live or are suffered will they say who notwithstanding if they were put to it were unable to say one word justly against them By this time the Gospel ought to have been so beloved as that all that have shewed any good countenauce thereto should have been the better thought of but now Oh fearful that 's become a Reproach which should be every mans glory Oh you are a Professor of the Word c For those that thus hate men for their goodness it s as dreadful a sign as can be They be like the Devil are in darkness shall not enter into Heaven they are of Cains generation and Ishmaels brood God loves men because of goodness and the Angels rejoyce at a sinners conversion but these hate them for their goodness and so are unlike unto God If such as give but a cup of cold water unto a disciple in the name of a disciple shall not lose his reward shall not they be extremely punished which mock and despise them which hate and persecute them and that for their goodness They that do the least wrong to them in that respect or eo nomine shall not go unpunished For they that will smite with the tongue now would with the fist if they might yea carry to the Prison and to the Stake if times would give leave Well let them know the persecutors reward belongeth to them and how hath God from time to time dealt with such The examples of Cain Ishmael Ahab Jezabel Herod c. witness the same Besides when they would be glad to have part with the Children of God they shall be banished and have their portion with Devils and Reprobates and that in a fearful maner For if they shall stand on the left hand and hear that dreadful sentence Go ye cursed c. that have not given them meat and drink c. What shall become of them and what place shall they have in Hell that take away their meat and drink that cast them into Prison and do there deal cruelly with them The Papists are notable in this kinde who have even been drunk with the blood of the saints God will recompence tribulation to them that thus trouble his For those that are hated and punished for well-doing let them learn to bear the same patiently It s not without Gods will that hereby they might give glory to him and a seal to his truth We must not flinch away when trouble comes as many and most have done and so save themselves whole and leave Christ and his cause to shift for it self the world count them fools that will suffer any thing for his cause and themselves wise that can carry themselves so as they will be for all assays but Moses was not of that minde He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season These will prove fools at last that for a few days of short life in pleasures and profits transitory have sold away their part in that which is eternal For he that saves his life shall lose it and they which deny Christ before men them will he deny before his heavenly Father When we suffer for well doing we must not suffer frettingly with raging against them
taunt blow for blow c. He is no body that will not revenge himself to the uttermost from the least to the greatest Much is spent this way in Law onely for mens wicked wills upon stomack and to revenge Some profess and are not ashamed to say I 'le be revenged on him I 'le not leave him worth a groat I 'le fit in his skirts once in the year I 'le be even with him who that they may have their will of a man care not what they spend though they have the curse of God withal If they be told thereof what 's their defence Had he not begun with me he should have gone long enough before I would have wronged him but seeing he hath thus done I 'le serve him as well He is counted an honest man that doth not begin to wrong another but he that doth but requite wrong with the like O that 's very reasonable and it were no reason to require the contrary Thus most have no ears to hear any perswasions to put up wrongs a certain sign that they are fleshly and that the Devil bears sway in their hearts What Shall I put up abuses then I shall be counted a fool Not of God who bids thee so do nor of Angels nor of good men who count them wise that so do He that is slow to wrath is of great wisdom For the contrary none but fools and bad men will count you wise neither are they fit Judges yea their dispraise is a praise He is not strongest that can revenge but that can up most and overcome himself It s beastly power to subdue others but Christians must subdue their own rebellious affections and lusts But alas even Gods Servants and they that have good things in them are yet greatly taken herein as appears in their writings about matters in controversie they break out into personal disgraces and bitter invectives one against another a very unseemly thing me thinks not savoring of the Spirit but of the Fesh yea the way to exasperate and so to encrease sin The truth may be sufficiently maintained and error gainsaid and confuted without such things That Christians should be stirred one against another that they should not bear one with another that they should rip up one anothers faults that they should disgrace one another that they should either fall flat out one with another into bitter terms or biting them into worse purposes not forget wrongs true or seeming for a great while O this is wonderful yea monstrous pride where is love that suffereth long and where is the example of our Savior all this while And where 's our forgiving one another as we would God should forgive us This hinders not but that Magistrates may execute justice upon ill doers so it be upon no private grudge and that Parents and Masters may correct the faults of their Children and servants so it be chiefly in regard of the sin against God and for the good of the party And a man may take the benefit of the Magistrate if the matter be of weight and cannot be well ended otherwise yea if he be set upon and violence offered to him he may be a Magistrate for himself if he cannot shift off his enemies and by defending himself he may be freed of the danger and if he must needs wound or be wounded kill or be killed then no doubt its lawful rather to kill then be killed and yet to be as free from revenge as full of pity But committed himself c. Our Savior would not revenge himself on his adversaries as knowing that his Father was wise enough and knew what to do to them and being just would also do right judgement Whence note That They that revenge think that God either is not wise enough or just enough to requite the wrongs done them or to determine of their cases for if they so thought they would leave it to him whose office it is and who will do it to the purpose He that revengeth puts God out of his place and sits down therein Should any having no Authority Calling or fitness intrude himself into the place or seat of a Temporal Judge would he not be accounted a Fool or a Madman Let us therefore beware of revenge seeing it concludes so wickedly on our parts against God and know we that we do always provide best for our selves when we commend our cause to God for he knows how when and which way to defend his and revenge them on their Enemies When Moses bare quietly the abuse of Corah and his company how did God right his cause The like may be said of Davids in respect of the wrongs done by Saul and Shimei If we revenge our selves we turn Gods revenge against our selves and as we become partners with them that have wronged us in sin so shall we in punishment To him that judgeth righteously God is the Judge of the world he daily judgeth and hath especially prepared one day wherein he will judge the world and give every one according to that they have done His judgements are always righteous as between Moses and Corah yea Moses and Miriam David and Saul Ahab and Naboth c. they committed their cause unto God who accordingly righted them so did he right Hezekiah on Senacherib Peter on Herod the Holy Martyrs on their bloody persecuters Thus doth God revenge himself of the wicked enemies of Gods faithful Ministers and thus for our weakness he keeps as it were petty Sessions but this is nothing to that he will do He reacheth out his hand as it were from behinde a Curtain and gives now one now another of his Enemies a rap thereby to relieve our weakness and strengthen us and to curb the wicked that they be not too outragious but here 's a day coming wherein he will throughly judge between his servants and their enemies Things seem to go crooked now when the wicked tread under foot the poor Saints like clay in the streets and insult over them but as a Turner or Joyner with crooked tools will make straight and even work so hereby in Gods wise providence is set forth as well the constancy of his Saints as the malice of their Enemies the one being thus prepared to glory the other to Destruction both which shall evidently appear on the great day O how notably may this comfort Gods servants and make them patient in their sufferings And how may this terrifie the wicked that dare meddle with any that belong unto God He that defendeth them is mighty and he will spoil the soul of them that spoil them Verse 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteonsness by whose stripes ye were healed OUr Apostle having had occasion to speak of the passion of our Savior Christ thought it too bare to have spoken
can any thing cover them from the sight of God but the white raiment of Christs Righteousness if we put on this then shall not our filthy nakedness appear then shall we abound in knowledge wisdom zeal humility patience This is Royal apparel this will keep us from the Storms and Tempests of Gods heavy wrath and displeasure that will break out like a whirlwind against the ungodly who will be found naked The more we have of this we shall appear the more comely and beautiful before God his Angels and all good men This is the most costly apparel that can be of Gods own making and which none but his children wear This is apparel for all Sexes ages degrees and callings whatsoever and which doth well become and fit each of them neither are great ones to despise it for that mean ones wear it for this doth not derogate from its worth onely they that are Gods people wearing it This is never out of season as serving both for Summer and Winter never out of fashion It fits in Youth in Age in Life in Death and is to be worn as well by night as by day in sickness as in health yea is then in great account when other apparel is laid aside and not regarded yea this apparel we carry with us out of this world when we leave our gay Robes behinde us and this apparel lasts ever being the better for the wearing 1. This rebuketh those that though they go plain enough outwardly yet have no care of their soul their mindes being altogether led away with covetousness there be moe ways to Hell then one even these shall no less perish then those which are wholly addicted to costly apparel This will not serve their turn Oh we be not proud we go plainly What then if thou beest covetous if thou art not careful for the decking of thy soul what art thou the better It rebuketh also those that are very curious and careful for outward attire but are altogether careless of this inward How many wear brave clothes which have no inward adorning They savour not of this they have no leisure for it it s the inside and so not seen but God seeth it men also see it by the outward and it will be seen and found naked when God shall come to Judgement such though outwardly brave be inwardly base their souls are not onely void of good but filled with all evil and noysom lusts they are like a dead Corps stuck with flowers and like painted Sepulchres yea like the Heathen Temples especially the Egyptians whose Proches were curiously carved painted and engraven with gold and all the bravery that might by but within nothing but the base Picture of a Cat Crocadile or some ugly Serpent How gorgeous soever they are outwardly they have not inwardly in their souls the image of God shining in Spiritual graces but rather Crocadiles and ugly Serpents even noysom and beastly lusts and so are like a dunghil covered over with Snow They wanting the inward beauty of grace to commend them set out themselves as gorgeously as they can in apparel as the Painters servant who being set to make the Picture of a very beautiful woman and wanting skil to make the face beautiful dawbed on a great deal of gold on her clothes Those howsoever they please themselves herewith in their prosperity yet in sickness their deep Ruffs must be laid aside and all their costly toys and then what shall comfort them O their misery at death but especially on the day of Judgement Then shall they for ever be clothed with shame and confusion as not being here clothed with grace 2. Let all therefore be wise and moderate themselves for outward apparel if it be comely and according to our degree it s well Herein le ts be careful even to advance and enrich the soul This becomes us well and will assuredly afford comfort in sickness in trouble in death and on the day of Judgement In that which is not corruptible Grace is of an incorruptible nature and abides for ever and is not taken away from any that is possessed thereof it abides in sickness tarries with us at death and we shall carry it with us into Heaven and wear it there for ever and ever This he lays down by way of opposition to outward apparel that is vain transitory subject to Moths to be stollen lost burnt worn out worn by them that are corruptible who know not whether shall last longer themselves or their clothes so vain a thing is man Such as prefer Grace take hold of the substance as they that prefer costly attire thereunto embrace the shadow take hold of vanity The ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit This is a particular vertue most fit for wives The very proper ornament of a good wife is a meek and quiet Spirit This is the mean to comfort any husband and to draw on those that be backward to a love both of their persons and profession Oh! what a comely thing is it in a wife not onely not to provoke her husband but not to be easily provoked by him winking at small unkindenesses and bearing with their natural infirmities passing by some occasions of grief with silence as others with a soft answer O how pleasing is it for an husband to have such a wise how comely is it also for them to be quiet with their neighbors no meddlers no tale-bearers or talehearers void of contention gentle peaceable so with their family and servants not to be always chiding and complaining to their husbands but governing them in as milde and peaceable a maner as may be and especially to be peaceable and quiet with them in their husbands hearing They that are thus by grace for some are of a soft and still disposition by nature and so slow to wrath are of great wisdom They are endued with that wisdom which is from above and their meekness is out of the fruits of the Spirit Then this nothing becomes them better if they were clothed with beaten gold and pearls it were nothing to this This reproveth those that be curst cruel and vexatious to their husbands through their continual unquietness Such are fit to keep Bridewel or be Dames of some house of correction there were fit objects for their chiding and fighting Some there are who having no children or servants to bait at work their teen upon their husbands and weary them not onely out of their houses but out of their lives Wives were appointed helpers but these help their husbands no way except to their grave These certainly have no goodness in them not refraining their tongue their Religion is vain They are right fools for anger resteth in the bosom of fools Let them therefore fight against this vice mourn under it and endeavor to be of a meak and quiet spirit Which is in the sight of God of
great price Here 's the main Reason of the Exhortation A meek and quiet spirit is of greater value then all the gold of Ophir its precious in the sight of God and therefore must women endeavor for it None makes or gives it but God onely no Preacher Prophet nor Angel can give grace can bestow a meek Spirit it comes from above whence all other graces come it s bestowed on none but the Elect people of God Gold and Pearls are bestowed on Heathens and prophane people enemies of God but grace on none but Kings sons and daughters and such as shall be heirs of Heaven As for other outward apparel it s of no worth trash dung to this such is of no account in the countrey we go to no such base stuff enters in at Heavens gate But with whom is it of great price even with God and before him in his account who can rightly value things Costly apparel indeed is of value with men vain and carnal men but grace is in account with God Angels and all good and wise men God seeth not as man seeth God beholds all our actions we must therefore so carry our selves in our places as that what we do may be pleasing in Gods sight and accepted of him Verse 5. For after this maner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection unto their own husbands Verse 6. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well and are not afraid with any amazement HEre are Reasons to enforce the former Exhortations unto subjection sobriety in apparel and attiring themselves with grace 1. From the examples of godly women of former ages and times who were thus qualified 2. From the example of Sarah who thus behaved her self toward her husband whose daughters all such women shall be accounted as do imitate her and that for conscience doing their duties in a right maner as she did such shall be counted among the Saints of God in this life and in the life to come shall have the reward of such The former is amplified and strengthened by sundry circumstances 1. Of the number that so did not one but many women 2. Such as are worthy to be imitated as not being of the common sort but holy women 3. Their antiquity not of yesterday as though it were new but ancient in times past In the latter is set forth the maner how this duty is to be performed namely Not for fear of displeasure but for conscience towards God and love to their husbands For after this maner c. From the force of the Reason holy women have done so therefore so must you Note that The examples of Gods servants are to be followed in all their vertues The way of Gods Precepts is like an uncouth and bushy way the way of examples a beaten way and herein by setting up his servants as lights to direct us God hath condescended to our weakness Were it not thus we would say of precepts It s true we should do thus but who ever did so God shews us every where who they were All examples are written for our good the examples of the godly as Abels offering in Faith Enochs walking with God Noahs obedience Moses his mildeness Jobs patience c. for our imitation the examples of the ungodly and their punishment for our evitation yea even in our own times God presenteth divers unto us that they which belong unto him may be drawn on by the light of precepts and examples together as others left without excuse who do not such and such duties which are to their knowledge by others performed This rebuketh those that follow the evil but do not imitate good examples neither are any whit moved by them Those can make use of the frailties of Gods children mentioned in Scripture to encourage themselves in evil Did nor David commit adultery was not Noah drunk and did not Rebekah cause Jacob to lye c. will they say Such wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction So among our selves if any be bad and licentious they shall have enough to follow them but as for the examples of the godly they little prevail nay people are so far from following them that they mock and disdain them yea term them Hypocrites Precise fools and the like Well let such make as light of them as they will God will not lose his labor and his light set up They that make them not now their patern for imitation shall finde them one day their Judges to condemn them as Noah did the old world As the Ninivites against the Israelites so many a husband shall rise up against his wife on the day of Judgement and many wife against her husband as many a man against his neighbor and justly for its clear that those love darkness and to wander which will neither be guided by precept nor example whereas God might onely give us precepts and yet require obedience It s true all shine not alike some have their light dimmed for a time through some unbeseeming act howsoever there 's not the example of any whereby we may not receive some profit In the old time The Antiquity of the examples are an enforcement or inducement to follow them but how simply because they be ancient No but holy men did thus and well they did and that long ago He doth urge them to follow examples onely upon Antiquity but because they were good also Note then That Antiquity joyned with verity is reverend and to be followed If a truth in judgement or practice of life be ancient and gray-headed it s the more honorable and to be followed but if an opinion or practice be wicked though never so ancient its vile and to be detested and is not the better but much the worse for the antiquity of it The older the more time it were quite banisht out of the Land Town House and Heart This condemneth the Church of Rome and all such as plead bare antiquity onely it hath been thus and thus long will they say ours is the old Religion and yours is the new No ours is ancientest from the beginning whereof were the Patriarchs Prophets Christ and his Apostles Their stories mention when and how theirs began encreased and grew out of an heap of Ceremonies of the Jews and Gentiles mingled together one Pope devising one thing another adding another Though error and wickedness may be very ancient yet truth and goodness hath the start of it the truth was before sin entred into the world this therefore is no good rule this is ancient therefore it s to be followed nay is it also good It s else nothing Many Papists have nothing to say but thus did our Fathers and Grandfathers c. but they never enquire by the Word whether they did well or not whereas our
conversation may become wicked through the tradition of our Elders So among our selves if any be reproved for this or that they will answer It hath been done thus these forty years It was so ere you came and will be when you are gone If it be a wicked and unlawful custom why plead you for it It s more then time it were banisht it stinks because thus they did in darkness therefore we should so do in the light what folly were this They will not do so in worldly things as apparel dyet building They were wont to go in hose and stockings all of one and have no chimneys in their houses who will now do thus yet better retain those then bad and unlawful customs Holy women There hath always been a company of holy women in the world as well as of men and why not both were made after Gods image at first equally good and in the fall both are equally corrupt and the children of wrath and in the recovery have equal right to Christ to the Gospel to Grace to Sanctification and Holiness Men have no priviledge this way Grace had been as well bestowed on them as in the Old Testament on Sarah Rebekah Rachel Deborah Jael Hannah Naomi Abigail c. and in the New on the three Maries Elizabeth Lidia Dorcas with sundry others as on men Women also were as forward to maintain Christ to follow him to bury him and Christ after his resurrection first appeared to them Our own experience also Sheweth that in most Congregations women be as forward as men in frequenting the Word and Sacrament And why not 1. They are of a timerous nature and so more easily wrought upon by the Word and by Gods Judgements 2. They keep at home not seeing or hearing the abominations that be abroad 3. They have many crosses and pains sicknesses and Childe-bearings putting them in minde of death and drawing them near to God and so furthering their Salvation 1. This serveth to stop the mouths of such idle heads as take pleasure to disgrace women 2. It serveth to encourage women and to comfort them There have been ever good women women therefore must stir up themselves to encrease the number especially having more means then those had in former times And needful it is that there should be good women as well as good men 1. For their own sake who have souls to save or destroy 2. That there might be an holy seed to make up the number of the Elect good Mothers bringing up their children well and good Wives being helpers to their Husbands both in soul and body As for those women that be wicked unclean prophane and ungodly notwithstanding the fearfulness of their nature their keeping at home and their manifold crosses What would they have been if they had been men They would have been monsters and of such women-monsters Hell is as full as of men-monsters Note further That he saith not wealthy women fair women but holy women Here 's the ground of his commendation A little holiness is better then a great deal of riches and beauty That that is to be desired of a man is his goodness Beauty fades with sickness wealth hath many ways to take it away but grace holds ever to life eternal and commends before God Angels and good men Therefore when God threatned to take the wealth from the rich men of Jerusalem and gay cloaths from the women yet saith he will make them amends How Every one shall be called holy They shall so profit by their affliction as where it might have been said Yonder goes a rich man yonder goes a fair woman a woman in costly apparel now Yonder goes a godly man a vertuous gracious woman This is commendation indeed and for this we ought to labor that we may have our part herein Again He calls them holy though they were married Marriage hinders not holiness nor is single life more holy then it It s the holy Ordinance of God and the bed undefiled The gift also of continence and single life is sometimes given to carnal worldlings and prophane persons but denyed to Gods dear Servants by whom he will encrease his Church and Kingdom This condemneth the Church of Rome Oh they extol single life and disgrace Marriage as if it were a living in the flesh O their vile hypocrisie they would seem holy and yet maintain Stews openly yea some of them have written in defence of Sodomy and for Fornication and Adultery the infinite skulls of murthered Infants the fruit of their Whoredoms found near the Dens of their abode witness how unholy they are The Pope would be Peters Successor yet was he a married man Till God call us to marriage we are to live in single estate purely when we are married soberly and holily If we be single we are not the more holy or if married the less holy But how could they be holy in those days By Faith in Christ whereby their hearts were purified they severed from the world to the Lords use There 's no Sanctification no Salvation but by Christ Now Christ is more clearly revealed then he was in those days more holiness is therefore now expected all ignorant unbelieving impenitent and unholy women are in a fearful case especially considering the means The Lord will one day present these holy women Look you here here be women that in the dawning of the day saw Christ and you have lived in the Sun shine of the Gospel and have not believed He calls them holy though they had their weaknesses as Sarah had so that we are not to account those as not holy that have imperfections for God accepteth of Believers in Christ and pardoneth their imperfections This therefore correcteth the over harsh spirit of those which cry down our Church as unholy and a Synagogue of Satan and no Church because of some blemishes Our Savior did not so but more charitably calleth Jerusalem The holy City which indeed was the Church though stained with many blots of error and bad life It comforteth also those that be truly sanctified and upright in heart notwithstanding their imperfections and failings God accounts you Saints and righteous persons Adorned themselves c. Of those duties which they did perform I have already spoken observe we onely this how they came to do their duties thus he sheweth they were holy and godly women and so performed the same Note then that Wives cannot perform their duties aright unless they be holy no being a good wife till a good Christian no building of a godly life on any foundation but upon Faith in Christ Whoso would do their duties aright to Gods glory their own comfort and anothers good they must fetch and draw grace from Christ by Faith they that think to do otherwise build in the Ayr build that which will fall on their heads and which will never
the world to come He calleth especially the weak and despised ones for the further manifestation of his glory This is an high and honorable calling taking hold of election before the world and of glorification after we are called to live holily as well as to be saved never happy hereafter except we be holy here This a Christian may know and is bound to labor to make it sure It s our best riches it gives us a right unto all Gods promises it furthers our Sanctification it stays our heart in the evil day it enables us to suffer persecution to set light by the world and chearfully to do such duties as God requires of us but this is no idle thing it hath hard work belonging thereto He that is called must requite good for evil being cursed of others bless He that doth not thus is not called Thou art effectually called if thou groanest under the burthen of thy sin and desirest more to be rid of it then of affliction If thou receivest the Gospel in the power of it if thou art inwardly quickned in thy spiritual senses if thou forsakest the society of the wicked if thou art renewed throughout thy whole man and become a new Creature And though a Christian may be assured of his calling not a few notwithstanding are often unsetled the grounds are for that either they are false Christians or as yet but weak or careless and lazy or for that they are doubtful and full of unbelief or for that they be too worldly or for that they give way to some corruptions or for that they conceive afflictions befal not Gods people and the like That ye should inherit a blessing Another Reason It s for our profit we shall be so far from being losers hereby as we shall be great gainers If we shall lay aside our own wills and do good to our Neighbors according to Gods will we shall have Gods blessing both here and hereafter The Word ever perswades to our benefit and will be so found in the winding up howsoever for the present we can hardly believe the same O that we should lose our part in Gods blessing rather then yield up our will and obey God! O who would not hereby treasure up blessings to himself Note further That Christians are a blessed people none like them Therefore should Christians rebuke themselves when they be discouraged or think basely of themselves The blinde world judgeth Gods Servants miserable because of trouble but they are of all others blessed Hereunto they are called being by nature children of wrath neither shall any partake of this blessedness but they that are called and such are heirs of blessing The godly bless them for their graces pray for them and praise them The loyns of the poor bless them for their liberality Their own consciences also comfort them They are also blessed of God which may swallow up all the crosses they meet with This in a restrained sence may be his comfortable speaking to them He speaks unto his Servants peace and as God speaks thus unto his so should Gods Ministers thus speak unto them and as God speaks not onely comfortably to them but well of them so should we also In an enlarged sence They have Gods blessings on themselves on theirs on all they take in hand He blesseth his Ordinances for them he blesseth them with grace Many a poor Christian carries more Treasure in his heart then all the great ones in the world have being without grace The Church is glorious within though black without by reason of affliction for his blessings in the life to come who can express the same Would'st thou be blessed of God attend on Gods house let the rain of the Word soak into thine heart Turn from thy sins and evil ways fear God truly Art thou now blessed of him walk so as thou mayest enjoy it make high account of it endeavor that thy children and servants may fear God and so partake of it Verse 10. For he that will love life and see good days let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile Verse 11. Let him eschew evil and do good let him seek peace and ensue it ANother Reason in these and the following verse to perswade to patience and requiting ill with good We shall procure to our selves a longer and a more comfortable life in this world besides it will be the way to eternal life in the world to come This he proves by a testimony out of the Psalms which is here by the holy Ghost very fitly applyed to this special which is first affirmed then proved Affirmed That if any man desire life with comfortable and peaceable days he must refrain his tongue from evil c. Proved For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open to c. their prayers So we have 1. A Proposition That the patient and loving man shall live and see good days 2. The proof thereof from the care that God hath of such 3. The same illustrated from the contrary disposition of God against the wicked In the Proposition we have the blessings to be desired and obtained Life and good days with the means to compass the same A Christian and patient conversation consisting partly in the shunning of evil and partly in the doing of good In the Proof we have the love and care of God towards such set out by two actions of the Lord His looking to them and hearing them the contrary being affirmed of the ungodly We will speak first of those in general then of the several branches thereof in particular In general Note that A patient and peaceable man shall live the longer and the quieter See for the proof of this Prov. 21. 21. Isa. 29. 19. Mat. 5. 5. Such take the way to stint strife and as wood being kept away the fire goeth out so by this means contention ceaseth Thus also are the parties vanquished who would contend with us therefore we see that of all sorts of men such have fewest to trouble them Besides God takes the care of such hath an eye to them preserves them notwithstanding all their enemies can do as may be seen in Jacob and David On the contrary such as are not thus they do either shorten their lives or at least make them full of trouble for thus they stir up strife and make more work for contention and so shorten their days as is seen by quarrellers and such as vex themselves by Law Suits Evil hunts the violent man to overthrow him The terrible one is brought to nought c. whoso hath his hand against every man every mans hand shall be against him yea if men would let such alone God will not he will set his face against such quarrelsom and shameless persons to destroy them 1. This confutes the common Conceit of the world
which is That thus to put up wrongs were the way indeed still to have more and more wrongs put upon us as if they should precisely follow the Rule of the Word in their dealings poverty and beggery could not but quickly come upon them both which are and have been found contrary 2. Whoso desires to live and that peaceably let him take this course hating and avoiding trouble and vexation so much as in him lieth Let us learn to be wise and thus provide for a quiet life that we may be the fitter to serve God and do good to our selves and others if we do not believe and practice the same we shall do him less honor then we do a Physician whose prescripts we use for procuring health and when trouble comes upon us we may justly blame our selves for the same O be guided by the Word how else shall you live a comfortable and quiet life David and Peter who here urge the same knew this by experience What is herein required of us hath been throughout all ages long taught though not much learn'd Thus in general For he that will love life Life and long life are blessings of God to be desired and delighted in of Gods children See to this purpose Gen. 25. 8. Exod. 20. 12. Job 5. 26. 1 Chron. 29. 28. Psal. 128. 6. Prov. 3. 16. yea the Apostle counts it a mercy of God that Epaphroditus was restored to health To be taken away untimely is as an apple pulled from the Tree before it be ripe by living long we shall get to our souls an assurance of Gods love with more and more evidences thereof to the encrease of our joys hereby also we have time and means to grow in grace and sanctification and to have the image of God restored in us more clearly and fully hereby also we shall do God much service in Church and Commonwealth and that better at the last then at the first as being bettered through experience and hence it is that Gods servants have sometimes prayed against death and desired still to live as David and Hezekiah Quest. How is this to be counted a blessing seeing many of Gods dear servants go without it and are taken away betimes R. It s but a Temporal blessing and so Gods people may be debarred thereof as of health wealth and such like and that sometimes for correction of sin howsoever God saveth their souls as on the Corinthians for their unworthy receiving of the Sacrament so good Josiah going to war without Gods command was killed in the battel so many a Minister is taken from his people for their making no better use of him as many a husband from his wife for not regarding him or trusting too much on him the like might be instanced in other sometimes in mercy that they may not see the evils to come and thus also amends is made them they are paid weight in gold for weight in silver in stead of long life in this world they have longer time in Heaven Q. How is long life a blessing seeing even many of the wicked enjoy it R. Though it be in it self a blessing as whereby they enjoy many good comforts in this life and are not so soon in Hell as they deserve and besides have space and time to repent yet as they handle the matter it s no blessing but contrarily proves a means of the encrease of their sin and so of their condemnation Quest. How is life and the continuance thereof to be desired as a blessing seeing it hath been the desire of Gods people to be dissolved and to be with Christ R. We must not desire to live because we would live but because we would live to Gods glory our own and the good of others neither must we desire to dye for it self for that is against nature nor because of our crosses and troubles but that we may cease to sin and be with God in his heavenly Kingdom perfectly both holy and happy We must desire to be with God but yet we must not be so importunate as though we would prevent the Lord and make away our selves wittingly or negligently shorten our lives Again we must not so love our life as that we should be unwilling to yield it up if God will or to redeem the continuance thereof with an ill Conscience and denying God for he that so loves his life shall lose it and his soul too Both then may be desired but because we know not what is best we must not be our own carvers but commend our selves to God to be disposed of It s a base thing to desire life to be great enjoy pleasures be revenged of our enemies and the like Q. Whence is it that most men are strongly carried after long life R. 1. Through the corruption of nature To love life is natural but to love it so exceedingly is of corruption 2. Through ignorance and unbelief of the things of a better life 3. Through the love of worldly profits pleasures and prefermentss That such fail herein may thus appear we should not love the world nor the things thereof The whole world cannot satisfie the soul our life is but a breath a blast our days are determined beyond which we cannot pass we are here but strangers and pilgrims So long as we live we are lyable as well to sin as crosses by reason thereof Of the things here wherein we place happiness what certainty is there friends may forsake us fail us remove from us dye wealth also and honor are uncertain There 's no small labor both in getting and keeping them as there cannot but be grief in parting with them yea for the most part they prove hurtful and drown men in perdition In a word the commodities of a better life are infinitely beyond all those in this life 1. Seeing long life is a blessing we ought to be heartily thankful to God that we have lived thus long and do yet live 2. When we crave of God the continuance thereof we must so use it as that it may be a blessing to us wherein we may get the assurance of our Salvation grow in grace and do good They that do thus may account their life a blessing for those that do otherwise it had been good they had dyed long ago 3. We must take heed that we do not shorten our lives and so deprive out selves of this blessing through Whoring Drinking Gaming too too many thus do as if they should not be ni Hell time enough 4. We ought to use all good means for the continuance of their lives that be dear to us be careful especially not to provoke God to deprive us of them so should Subjects of their Prince and godly Magistrates People of their faithful Pastors Husbands and Wives each of other c. And see good days That is enjoy here in this world prosperity
and welfare inward and outward in body and soul. Quest. In Heaven indeed there shall be days without night good without the least mixture of evil but can good days be enjoyed in this world R. In comparison we may but not absolutely good without evil for as the best man is not without sin so he cannot but have inward sorrow of heart and likewise be subject to afflictions every day bringing grief enough with it yet in comparison of worse days of horror of conscience of troubles outward in the Land of miseries and vexations that may befal us we may see good days that is to say Inward peace of Conscience in the assurance of Gods love and our care to walk faithfully before God also we may enjoy Peace in the Land Plenty the Gospel Health Wealth Friends Wife Children c. and when these are there are good days days freed from calamities and sorrows and wherein we may plentifully enjoy comforts and blessings The day also of a Christians conversion is a special good day so the days wherein we do enjoy the purity of Gods Worship in the Word and Sacraments so the days wherein we see Gods Church flourish so when the Sabbath is duly sanctified it s a good day so when a Christian after sin comes to repentance so the days wherein a Christian walks with God and hath recourse unto him And as thus days may be termed good so may they in other respects evil evil to the ungodly without exception to whom even in their greatest prosperity their days be evil evil also to the godly when they cannot enjoy the means of salvation in the life and power of it when God seems to hide his face from them when they have conflicts with spiritual wickednesses when the wicked prevail over them such I say and are there not such now are evil days yet withal there 's great difference between the ill days of the wicked and the godly for the godly are even in the worst times blessed even then blessed when they are chastened God also will deliver them in due time yea will make them glad according to the days they have been afflicted Here note 1. That mens days be usually evil and that both in regard of sin and the effects thereof 2. That our life is short set out here not by years but by days which is elswhere compared to a post grass a vapor a Weavers shuttle c. Thus is it to the godly in mercy God will not have them to be long here in this wicked world Thus is it to the wicked in justice as spending the time here allotted them to Gods dishonor That good days are a blessing of God to be delighted in and desired of Gods Servants God hath promised it as an encouragement to obedience they have also prayed for it Psalm 118. 25. and 122. 7. and it s made a sign of Gods favor and presence with his servants Obj. But the wicked often enjoy the same 1. Sol. Outward prosperity they have not the inward assurance of Gods favor 2. Though they abound in the outward blessing yet wanting the right hold and the right use of it nay abusing it to contrary ends it will prove in the end through their own sin a curse to them Their table will be a snare to them and their prosperity their ruine the more outward blessings they enjoy the more have they to answer for Obj. Why is it often denyed even to Gods children who go through many sorrows Sol. Though prosperity be in it self a blessing yet through the corruption of our nature it often turns to our hurt for whereas hereby we should be made more mindeful of God to love praise and serve him and walk more obediently and carefully through our poysonful nature we are usually made forgetful of God proud secure worldly contentious and not onely untoward to goodness but apt to any ill The fattest ground is most slippery fed Horses fling their riders full bodies are subject to the Plurifie Adversity hath slain some but prosperity many thousands more In great Houses there 's swaggering swearing drinking gaming c. whereas in mean places there 's Reading Praying c. nay in adversity you shal have the same persons humble which in prosperity forgot themselves as David and Hezekiah So that adversity is of singular profit to drive us to a sight of our sins with Josephs Brethren to keep us from sin as an hedge of thorns keeps Cattel out from spoiling the Garden to abate our pride and mortifie our corruptions to wean us from the world to shew us that we are not to look for our portion here but set our affections on Heaven where our inheritance is indeed reserved for us Hereupon the Scripture pronounceth them happy that be afflicted yet doth not this prove that adversity in it self is better then prosperity To us indeed it may be better through occasion of our corruption as blood-letting or the taking of loathsom Physick may be to diseased bodies 1. Be we greatly thankful to God that hath given us to see so many good days in the enjoyment of peace plenty the Gospel particular favors c. Our sins have deserved all ill days and assuredly such we shall see if we be not thankful for good days 2. Crave we of God to continue his goodness towards us as also grace to use it well else it will be no blessing will not abide with us we are at all times to walk warily but more heed is to be taken in time of prosperity then adversity then are we to suspect our selves lest abusing the same we prove unthankful Q Whether may we pray for riches and great prosperity or not A. We have no such Warrant in Gods Word neither commandment promise nor example of moderation we have as in Jacob and Agur And for great wealth without admirable grace it s exceeding dangerous It s hard for a rich man to enter into Heaven not many such are called to be thus is no mark of a childe of God If God send it we are not to refuse it but to be thankful and crave great grace to govern it and our hearts therewithal but we have more cause to fear it then desire it but for competent prosperity we may pray yet conditionally because being an outward thing we know not but it may prove hurtful we are to leave it to God that knoweth what 's best for us therewith we must also crave the right use thereof and to be bettered thereby 3. When God shall be pleased to lay his hand upon us any maner of way let us bear the same with patience God sees the same to be needful for us as lanching for a sore blood-letting or purging to a full body If God take away our prosperity be content it s but one of Gods common
that the other is better as having more comfort in themselves and being more fit to do good unto others and yet they may scape some checks the others may meet with as Peter yea God seems more to tender these then those as a Father having two Children both beloved of him the one sick the other in health is most careful of him that is sick that he may recover To have a tender conscience checking us for the least sin idle words vain thoughts and the like as Davids for curting off the lap of Sauls Garment is a singular blessing and therefore to obtain it we must both see the odiousness of sin judging aright thereof and must bring our hearts to mourn even for the smallest sins 1. Let every man examine himself whether he hath a good conscience or not whether art thou assured of the pardon of thy sins whether doth thine heart bear witness that thou hatest all sin and art truly desirous to please God in all things as well great as small secretly as openly at least in the deep sence of thy misery art thou wearied under it as an intollerable weight hearing of the onely remedy dost thou long after it above all the world art thou as willing to turn from sin as to have sin forgiven to take up his yoke as to be refreshed by him If not thy case is fearful What have we if we have not this It s our duty then to labor for it and not rest till we obtain it What may not incite us hereto It procures Joy Peace Comfort Boldness before God and men such are bold to pray unto God bold to crave others to pray for them It s comfortable in prosperity a sweet companion at home and abroad night and day it s a sweet companion in adversity like a good wife by her kindeness chearing her husband when he comes home who hath been much turmoild abroad another Simon to bear a piece of our cross yea in the greatest crosses this assureth us that yet God is our Father he visits us in love he will assist us and at last deliver us It s a Castle of comfort an armor of proof a continual feast an Heaven upon earth It makes a man embrace the flames kiss the stake and being in the fire accounts as if he were on a bed of Roses In death its comfortable when all things else forsake us then when our eyes are shut up yet through this we shall with Steven see Christ Jesus ready to receive us and shall say Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace In the day of judgement it will make us lift up our heads with joy when we shall see our Savior Christ come to receive us into his heavenly kingdom O they that have a good conscience should make much of it as of their jewel and labor to keep it It may be easily lost and is hardly recovered as may be seen in David and Peter The first part of it namely The assurance of our Salvation is kept by daily renewing our Confessions Supplications and Thanksgivings To this end we must labor to know the will of God and daily to grow in knowledge by our diligent perusal of the Scriptures The 2 part of it namely our care to please God is kept maintained by a daily and constant resolution not to offend God and so we must both strive and watch against our frowardness worldly-mindedness c. and covenant and vow to do the will of God to the uttermost of our power Hereupon we must walk carefully as in the presence of God avoiding all occasions of sinning using all good means to keep us in a good course publiquely and privately being diligent and careful in our particular calling to the glory of God and good of our brethren 2. This reproveth those that having a good conscience fail as much in laboring to keep it as the World doth in not laboring to obtain it How do Christians go on carelesly without renewing their exercises of Faith and Repentance and so their assurance is to seek or else hold it at a venture and coldly our worst day in the week might be better then our Sabbath had we but the grace to use our time aright O how many are careless watch not give way to their lusts therefore fall into many evils and so wound their consciences very often which is dangerous A place often wounded or hurt will not at last be healed We dishonor God much disquiet our consciences give evil example to others by our frowardness impatience worldliness hard dealings c. Hence it cometh that the Word pincheth us evil tidings amaze us we are loath to dye and the day of Judgement is fearful to us 3. This may encourage and comfort those that have good consciences though they be timerous What God shews mercy even to men unworthy and though thy sins be many and great yeâ— hast thou to deal with him that 's able to pardon them Lose not that thou hast when we lose good consciences all Gods graces diminish and vanish away neither can we thrive any whit as is seen by daily experience But nothing can do us hurt as long as our consciences hold good then are we fit to live and fit to dye fit for the Word and Sacrament fit for death and judgement Thus of the kindes of conscience and so of conscience in general Having a good conscience c. Now of the Words in particular whereof I have laid down their coherence with the former and from whence may be noted That a godly conversation in all things is to be joyned to a bold and zealous profession of our Faith to our knowledge and profession gifts utterance and the like we must adde a good life these two be two Twins St. Paul often joyns them together neither must they be parted saying and doing the tongue and hand must accompany one another Reasons hereof may be these 1. God expecteth of us that where he reveals the knowledge of his will that we adde obedience or else we shall be beaten with more stripes Where God findes this he delights in it as in Abraham who is called The friend of God in David whom he calls A man according to his own heart so in Joh in Zachary and Elizabeth c. we finde the same commended The contrary God loaths as in his own people whom he did again and again advertise hereof 2. This will prove our profession sound and not hypocritical for hypocrites go a great way but its onely Faith that purifieth the heart and that our knowledge is not swimming in our brain but sound and saving knowledge purging both heart and life when we dare compact with any other and say Shew me thy Faith by thy works as I can 3. This not onely Gods children look for when we have got knowledge and come
lie there frying But he knows well what he doth if he should make it too common or let out too many then would the people care the less and say Though I go to Purgatory yet the Pope of his clemency will deliver me and so I mean to give my goods and lands to my children and not beggar my posterity by giving them for Pardons or Masses c. Thus indeed their trade would go down 1. This may stir us up to give thanks to God for his mercy in delivering us from those cousenages and revealing unto us his truth We ought to be so much the forwarder in every duty towards the worship of God the Ministers maintenance the poor c. you save it an hundred times over through the preaching of the Gospel truly It s a foul fault in people that they cannot be content thus to enjoy their goods lands and leave them to their children which they could not do but pull and rake from the Minister care not how little they allow him yea and are so miserable as they will scarce allow their part to keep the house of God upright or in decent sort neither give the poor without grudging or upon necessity It may comfort the godly There is no delaying place by the way to keep them from the joys of Heaven 3. It may teach men in any wise to look to themselves how they live for as soon as the breath is out of them they go presently to the place where they shall abide for ever as the Tree falls so it shall lie Neither went he down to Hell to preach to the Reprobates for as its absurd for one soul to preach to another so preaching is to do some good and thereby onely to do hurt is against the end thereof But say they he onely went and preached experimentally by his presence and shewed himself to them to convict them but they were already sufficiently convicted condemned and put in their place of torment if Christ should have gone thither to convict them again they were not sufficiently convicted before But if they say he went to triumph over the Reprobate there c. it may be answered That he triumphed on the Cross and shall triumph over the Reprobates mightily on the day of Judgement I proceed unto the Doctrines of the Text. By which also he went and Preached Here note 1. That when Gods faithful Ministers Preach it s the Spirit of God that preacheth in them Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost He that heareth you saith our Savior heareth me 1. Therefore Ministers must endeavor so to preach that it may appear unto all that its the Spirit of God which Preacheth in them their matter must be sound and wholly agreeable to the will of God and for the maner it must not be with enticing words of man wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power we must not seek our selves but Gods glory in the Salvation of our people Such as for their matter Preach contrary to the Word it s not the Spirit of God which Preacheth in them but the Spirit of Error and for the maner such as use a dark kinde of Preaching or curious and quaint terms or in such sort as the people cannot understand or profit do they woo for Christ or rather do they not speak for themselves Such kinde of Preaching is blasted and cursed of God and the Preachers thereof shall have their reward accordingly 2. Let people know that when they come to the Word they come not to hear such a man whosoever he be but to hear what the Spirit of God saith to them a great priviledge we must therefore prepare our selves rich accordingly with all reverence and fear as having to do with God himself laying the same to heart and endeavoring to be profited thereby in yielding obedience thereto O how many come hand over head sit sleeping at Church and are no whit moved with whatsoever is said Did we but believe that it were Gods Spirit that did Preach to us we would give better heed If we speak according to the Word in rebuking you for your sins you are not to fret and say O some body hath told him hereof or he doth this of ill will but acknowledge that its Gods Spirit which rebukes you and that God is there indeed 3. Gods people may be comforted by the promises delivered in the Word as the wicked may be terrified by the threatnings thereof They shall come to pass for that the Spirit of truth hath uttered them 2. That God will finde a time to right things when they be disordered Though the wicked may prevail for a time and iniquity abound and overflow yet will the Lord in his due time come to visit and reform all Thus did the Lord deal with this people Let the godly have patience and wait Gods leisure and for the wicked let them be never the lustier for that the Lord is patient and defers for a time for he will come to give every one his due and will come too soon for their turn In prison That is Hell the place appointed for the souls of the wicked a fearful place of Gods own preparing and whereof the Devil is the Jaylor For the wicked 1. They shall be separate and cast from God in whose presence stands happiness that as they regarded not his presence here so hereafter they shall not enjoy it 2. They shall be cast into the society of Devils and Reprobates whom they have served and whose society they have loved Yet 3. Not in their company to be with them in jollity and merriment c. as here but in torments howling and wailing c. those are both intollerable and eternal their souls are presently after death cast hereinto as both their bodies and souls which have been companions together in sin shall be on the day of Judgement And for that though many be called few be chosen and in the parable of the four kindes of seeds onely one of them was good as most of the old world perished so shall and have most of every age of the world Though Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet but a remnant shall be saved O how might this cool the wicked the proudest that live in jollity and set all others at nought Now they are lusty and swear and curse and do what they list poor woful creatures There is a prison prepared for them that will pull down the proudest of them sour sauce to their sweet meat but most live as if there were no such matter O what fools be they that for a few short profits ill gotten or onely sought after or some transitory pleasure or honor sell themselves to this woful place These count themselves wise and Gods servants fools but the contrary will be seen one day and that they themselves
were indeed the mad fools 2. How should this stir up them to be thankful to God that know themselves freed from this woful place and to Christ that hath suffered for them O what cause have they to rejoyce to walk obediently and to bear their few short afflictions patiently and for those that know it not me thinks they should never be quiet nor sleep good sleep till they know they are delivered from this prison 3. This should make us all not onely careful to save our own souls out of this place but to do all our endeavor to save others especially them that be committed to us as Ministers to preach diligently zealously and plainly to save their people out of Hell and pull them out of the fire such as do otherwise are merciless and cruel so Magistrates to punish sin zealously that they might not be condemned hereafter so must Parents towards their children by prayer counsel education correction so must every neighbor do what he can to save his neighbor If thou doest them no good yet shall they wish one day that they had been ruled by thee Which sometimes were disobedient Here 's the cause as well of their bodily punishment by the flood as their eternal judgement in Hell even for that they were disobedient to the Commandments of God and among the rest to the Ministery of Noah This is aggravated from the length of Gods patience shewed towards them though God told them how long he would wait yet did not they hereby become the wiser and by the real sermon which they had which was the building of the Ark They had both time and means to have repented but not repenting their sin was the greater and so was their judgement Q. Were all save those eight here mentioned drowned A. The Text is plain that all were drowned Q. Were all those that were drowned damned A. It is said That the earth was filled with cruelty they are also termed the world of the ungodly and its likely that if any had been openly known to have been good the Lord would have preserved them that they should not have perished in the waters with the rest yet it s possible that even among them that were drowned there might be some good and it were hard if we conclude that all were damned some were youths some infants not capable of sin some not born whereof some might belong to God Again it might be though not very likely that some might repent in truth when they saw the flood come However most no doubt were utterly cast away for ever yet some might be saved eternally though they had part in the bodily punishment as Cain a Reprobate had part in the temporal deliverance and yet perished eternally Hence perceive 1. The exceeding and almighty power of God that was able thus to take vengeance of the impiety of the world even of such an infinite multitude by such a judgement there 's no power nor counsel against him He is the Lord of Hosts and hath all Creatures in Heaven and Earth to use to preserve his and to destroy his Enemies even from the Angel which destroyed Senacharibs host to the very lice and worms fire ayr earth hail blasting mildew lyons bears c. are at his command there 's no Creature so mean which he cannot use to destroy the very proudest Tyrant How should this strike terror into the heart of every wicked man and make him humble himself at the footstool of the Lord and break off his sins by unfained repentance The people of Tyrus and Sidon feared Herod because he could hurt the Land who yet himself was worms meat God can plague and destroy a thousand ways What art thou that rebellest against thy Maker the Lord of the whole world who hath Heaven and Earth and Hell at his command and all Creatures in them He is able to plague thee which way soever he will every hour of the day He is able by the greatest by the meanest also of his Creatures to destroy thee as he can also immediately by himself But if he let all these alone he is able to finde enough in thine own bowels to torment thee some ill humor in thine own body or bowels to vex and weary thee any tooth in thy head may drive thee to extremity of pain thine own thoughts may take away sleep from thee yea drive thee into desperation as it befel Judas Most Princes if a great many be in a transgression or rebellion either cannot resist them or if they could dare not put them all to death for fear of rising or want of Subjects it s not so with the Lord he hath no need of men if they rebel against him he will cut them off if they be never so many he fears not O let none sin with the multitude thinking to be hidden or escape for God hath judgements enough and hath prepared Hell large enough though there be never so many that rebel against him 2. The wonderful justice of God and how he hates sin that thus revenged it upon the whole world This is a part of his name he will not account the wicked innocent He is a God that hateth and abhorreth iniquity and hath shewed it in all ages of the world He hath storehouses of judgements here against the wicked and hath prepared for them a prison and place of torment for them hereafter This should now make them tremble and fear hate sin and repent of it He hath done justice on the whole world and dost thou think to scape The world makes an Idol of him all of mercy such examples as this and that upon the Israelites in the Lamentations and many other shew his justice and this is such a dreadful example of Gods justice as should make all the world to tremble If we should see an hundred men executed together how would it daunt us what will it then to consider that thousands thousands are sent into Hell If any shall think that of those which were drowned there might some be saved eternally because oftentimes Gods servants be taken away in common calamities let them learn 1. To judge charitable of men taken away in such cases 2. Not to promise themselves any certain freedom from outward calamities howsoever we must not voke God hereunto but yet herein to commend our selves to God as which shall not hurt our souls Though we be wrapt among the wicked in some bodily affliction yet le ts be of good comfort we shall not be so at the day of Judgement we shall be delivered from eternal punishment But disobedience is as the forerunner of destruction it s as the sin of Witchcraft he who is the Lord of the whole world and requireth obedience of all cannot endure that men should contemn and disobey the admonitions of his Word whereby they are called to repentance This is mens destruction see 2
most earnest and labor by all possible means to win men to God when we have done all that we can do we may finde by woful experience that all is too little When we see the holy Ghost going from a matter and to it again and dwelling upon it and pressing it with manifold reasons know we That diligence and carefulness is required in us about the same For the time past of our life may suffice us c. He doth not here approve of their former living as though that might be born with or speaks as we do in a lawful thing as meat drink recreation c. It s enough now leave off O this would have been a plausible Doctrine that men might have taken a time till they had had their fill prettily well in sin so they then returned Our Apostle hath no such meaning but rather schools them that the badness of the time past should humble them and make them careful to spend the rest better and to hasten thereto Whence thus much may be noted That The time past of every mans life mispent ought to be a great spur to repentance Reas. 1. The time spent in sin we know how much it is but what is behinde we know not The Devil is sure of his part but what God shall have whether half or a quarter so much is uncertain If we knew we should live twenty years more to serve God as we have done twenty years in sin God should have but the half but we know not whether we shall live twenty days Should we then defer Should we not make haste 2. Time is very precious above gold and silver and hereof we have squandered away a great part 3. There is no time to be spent in sin but we are to serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life We must remember our creator even in the days of our youth Therefore having rob'd him of some of his due is it not well he will take this that remains and put up that wrong at our hands that is past though we adde no more 4. Whatsoever time is spent till we return to God is all going out of the way and if a man hath gone out of his way but till eight or nine a clock assuredly that 's more then enough 5. Whatsoever time is spent that way is but doing that that must be undone again and repented of and we must with grief and shame wish we had not done it Is not a little of this too much who will willingly so do his work that it must be ript or ravelled out again we use to chide our Children if they do their work so nay who perceiving that he hath thus wrought will not grieve who will not hereupon say It was a good turn I spyed it so soon c So should we grieve at all our former mis-spent time withal blessing God that we did so soon perceive it 6. All that is done this way is for the Devil our sworn Enemy for whom even the least is too much It s for the flesh to which we owe nothing and for the world which is our deadly though subtile Enemy 7. It s all done against God to whom we owe all and is it not then sufficient we have wronged him so far and is it not a great mercy if he will pardon all that is past though he adde no more to the heap 8. And all is against our own souls and is it not sufficient we have wronged yea wounded our own souls hitherto the welfare and salvation whereof we should now at least seek 9. It s all done in such filthy work as God never set them about nor gave them soul and body for the doing thereof 1. This rebuketh those youths that being called on to repentance yet think its too soon and that that 's not sufficient which they have done already What Have they not yet spent time enough that way do they know there is so much more behinde you would repent ere you dyed would you not you would Must you not then do it to day for you know not but that you may dye to morrow Have you squandered away already so much precious time as that some would even give the whole world for one day thereof and will ye yet go on in that course O do it not lest God snatch you away suddenly lest God give you up unto your hearts lusts and so ye fulfil the measure of your iniquity 2. This rebuketh also those unreasonable people as middle aged folks of forty or fifty years which are now as deep in the world and their profits as before they were in their pleasures and yet it s not sufficient for them they can finde no time of thinking truly and throughly to turn to God 3. It rebuketh also those that do still defer till towards their end and then they will turn to God Is not God much beholding to them O let these sluggards know that poverty will come upon them suddenly and strongly If they will needs stay till almost Sun-set ere they set out shall they not with the Levite and his Concubine be benighted and shut out of doors Their condition shall be the same with the five foolish Virgins If a man had a long journey and had gone out of the way all day till three of the clock in the afternoon would he being informed thereof go on still and say When it s almost Sun set I le turn into the right way yet thus doth the world Men defer till they think they shall dye then have they to come back all the way of their life and then must they lead the contrary good life and ere they can do this the night of death overtakes them and they be shut out with Dogs and Inchanters c. O let such be wise in time ere it be too late and let them think it more then high time to turn head and to ride hard too to redeem the time It s past Noon with many of us nay past three of the clock in the afternoon it draws towards night with some O then is it not time for us to draw near to God! Note further from hence That Where God bestoweth means of Salvation he expects fruit answerable while a place lies wilde and common like a Heath there can be nothing expected but Bryars and Thorns but if it be paled in and digged and planted then may fruit be expected therefrom when a people want the means especially the Gospel what can be lookt for at their hands having it their life and conversation must be answerable See Rom. 13. 12. Eph. 4. 17. 1 Thess. 4. 5. and 5. 4. 1. This discovereth the woful state of this Land which so aboundeth in iniquity notwithstanding the clear light of the Gospel amongst us Our sins are more then in times of Popery then among Turks and Pagans Our Saviors woes
time of Popery they wondred at the Martyrs that they would not at some times yield a little as to speak a few words c. Thus it is now for the world lives still and is like it self If any dare not play or riot or talk of the world on the Lords Day they are thought to be mopish fools who had rather be poring on a book then doing as others If any care not to get by Lying Deceiving and the common ways of the world they are wondered at as fools so if any now and then omit some of their businesses and go to hear the Word they are accounted idle as Pharaoh said to the Israelites and such as have little to do If any be humbled for their sins they think them melancholy and that they will be out of their wits and they would not be in their case for no good and would have them be merry and play it away If any at the hearing of the Word perceiving it to be high time to forsake his old wont and take a better course now dare not do as he hath formerly they wonder at him What! art thou turned Puritan will they say Wiltst thou forsake thy sports and merriments which they think a little heaven cast off thine old companions and sworn brethren c. What wondrest thou at them for thus doing What for coming out of the fire for taking pains to save their souls for not daring to wound poyson or destroy themselves by provoking God for taking pains to do that which must keep them by Gods appointment with all needful graces for being troubled about their sins and the danger thereof for longing to be in the favor of God c Assuredly thou hast small reason so to do but it s for that they savor not the things of the Spirit of God for that they perceive not the things that are of God are blinde and cannot see afar off If we should see one of a strange Country come through our Town we would wonder at their strange attire nothing like ours The children of God be not of this world but chosen out of the world and may not fashion themselves like the world but be of the fashion of Heaven the world therefore wonders at them 1. Therefore let none think that if they turn to God and take a good course that they shall be generally beloved and well thought of of God Angels and good men they shall but of the world they shall be wondered at and hated ere you begin make account hereof even to have the ill will of those which have loved you yea it may be the displeasure and frown of Father Mother c. yet let not this hold you off nor keep you still in your old course as long as God and good men love you what need you care Wo be to you when all men speak well of you better be wondered at and hated of the world for well-doing then condemned of God for ill-doing 2. For those that are entred into a good course already and finde it thus let them not be discouraged it s no new thing the worthy servants of God have been counted fools and madmen for well-doing We must have an Heroical courage not to be daunted herewith we must not think the worse of our selves because the world thinks basely of us who know us not nor our course which of them that be very fools indeed is counted foolishness we may wonder as much and much more at them that be so desperate to go on in their sins and take no thought for death or day of Judgement that hang over a pit and yet can be merry that run on in the score and never think of reckoning that dare buy a few short profits and pleasures at so dear a rate at the loss of their souls that deprive themselves of the inward and true comfort and peace they might have in God and spiritual things as the Word and Sacraments for the short and vain pleasures of honor and deceiveable riches that prefer Hogs meat before Angels food We have cause I say to wonder at their folly and madness and to pity them thanking God that hath not left us in their woful blindeness and miserable estate If thus by wondering at them we can do them any good so it is but let not their wondering hurt us 3. For those that think strange of Gods servants for not doing ill or for well doing they bewray themselves to be of the world and so to be carnal They that mislike the fashion of Gods children it s a sign they be of another Countrey not of Heaven and that they be none of wisdoms children for all they justifie wisdom wheresoever they see her and in whomsoever Labor therefore not onely not to think their course strange but to acknowledge it the best course in the world and accordingly to follow it That you run not with them This sheweth that Though we be dull and dead and slow to that that is good yet our proneness and eagerness to that that is naught is exceeding great We can run to Play-sports Vanities and Follies please us but we come to the Word Prayers and good Duties with a leaden heel at this we are drowsie but at the other watchful enough Many run so fast in the ways of sin and make such haste that they run themselves quite out of state and credit with God and man and out of their health too and have brought untimely destruction upon themselves they have made such haste that it seemeth they thought long till they were in hell Too too many also are now a running but it s in the broad way wherein the faster they run the sooner they come to destruction if it were well considered they can see small cause to make such haste O that they could be perswaded to turn head and enter into the way of good men and then let them run as fast as they will run the race set before them so run that they may obtain and as before we rejected all counsel that might do us good so now let us shake off all impediments whether within or without us that would hinder us in our Christian course or from running the way of Gods Commandments The faster we have heretofore run in vanity run we now the faster in the right way we could then take great pains think the time short spend our money in vanity now after the same maner le ts do the contrary it s our great fault that we did run apace after the world with the profits and pleasure thereof but now our fault is that we go a foot pace nay a Snails pace in goodness To the same excess of riot When men give way to sin and their hearts are set on evil there is no hoe but they will run over head and ears As the Sea if it break over a bank it can scarcely
such a destruction and desolation as hath been of some particular Cities and Nations nor a destruction of some Creatures in all places as was in the Flood but the end of all things that is All things shall come to that end that God hath appointed them to come to many and most Creatures to an utter end the heavens and earth to be purged by fire men and women not to come to an utter end but to live immortally in joy or wo but to be at an â—nd for living here so that as the world had a beginning it shall have an end the same God that created it shall destroy it Is at hand That is draweth near therefore these are called the last times and the Apostle saith Time is short and That upon them the ends of the world were come Obj. How could this be true that it was near when now 1600 years are past since and yet it is not come did the Apostle speak as he thought or onely to scare the people Answ. He spake as he was perswaded and that truly 1. Either in respect of the times before Christ it was nearer then to those under the Law or 2. In respect of God to whom 1000 years are but as one day or 3. In respect of eternity a thousand years are nothing to the time to come which is for ever it s as little as a drop of water to the whole ocean Sea Obj. But did the Apostle think that it was thus far off and should last thus many years as it hath since he spake this A. It s likely he thought it nearer for Christ Jesus being come and all the Prophesies of him fulfilled the Gentiles called and the mystery of iniquity begun already to work why might he not think this and though some things were yet to be accomplished touching the calling of the Jews yet might he think that that might quickly be dispatched Howsoever that that time was the last time they knew and that God would never speak after any new maner to his Church as he had done before from time to time and the Apostle Paul though he would often signifie the end to be approaching yet he knew it was not to be by and by but that some things must first fall out though haply he conceived that the same might have been dispatched in lesser time then it hath been But we have the advantage of them because we have the Book of the Revelation left to the Church by the Ministery of John the last living Apostle containing things to come from that time till the worlds end whereof many things be already accomplished which makes the Book more lightsom other things are yet to come touching the ruine of Antichrist calling of the Iews destruction of the Turks but in what time the Lord will finish these things we know not What if the day be yet some scores of years off yea some few hundreds as we may well think that is the utmost is it not then near by It was near in the Apostles time much nearer now then began the last time now is the end thereof But that is not so much the force of the Reason as this That we live in the last times nearer the worlds end then our Forefathers before Christ therefore ought to minde earthly things less and seek more after heavenly and lead an holy and godly life But say the day of Judgement were not so near as it is yet every of our particular ends is at hand we know not how soon when where how to day or to morrow and that is to us as if the world were at an end for any use thereof and for our state it shall be with us at the last day as when we dye 1. This may provoke us to Sanctification and a godly life seeing we live in the clearest times when the last day draweth near They that lived long ago were to live godly much more we having so short a time we must so live that when our Master cometh he may finde us so doing If death or judgement take us in our sins how miserable is our condition 2. It may reprove such as so live here as if here they were to live for ever eating and drinking and beating their fellow-servants c. others also that go on carelesly either making no profession or contenting themselves with a shew thereof as the five foolish Virgins every one must prepare himself that he may be found in peace at Gods coming 3. It may comfort the godly in bearing the Cross patiently yet a little while and we shall be in heaven from the same yea that day draweth near wherein God will be glorified in the sight of all his enemies See Phil. 4. 5. Heb. 10. 36. James 5. 8. 4. We should not set our mindes on these transitory things but on them that endure for ever The things of this world are vain uncertain perishing the world it self shall be consumed and our selves be most frail of all we must therefore be sober in seeking these earthly things laboring after grace life everlasting and the means thereof Be ye therefore sober Now of particular duties one helps another The former reason strongly enforceth these duties From the coherence note 1. That as before he exhorted to Sanctification in general so he doth now in particular for we are subject to deceive our selves Many be good in the gross not so in particulars they think they love God above all and their neighbors too and that they live holily but come to particulars it s nothing so 2. That as he forbade the forementioned lusts and vices so he now exhorts to the contrary duties the one must not be without the other see Acts 26. 18. In particular we are to be sober both in the use of riches and in the use of pleasures but of this last with the appurtenances thereof Meat Drink Apparel Recreations we shall speak afterward For sobriety in Riches Riches as Gods creatures be good in themselves and promised by God to his servants as blessings nay given to some of them as blessings as to Abraham Isaac Jacob Job c. They are encouragements to duty and well-doing and may be great helps and furtherances to us in and unto many good duties and that both towards our selves for we may spend the more time and have more freedom about matters of our soul and to others in shewing liberality and mercy and to the children of God that use them well they are as pledges of better and everlasting good things as Canaan was to the godly Jews a type of heaven But it may seem needless to speak of the goodness of riches seeing most men count them the onely good but the truth must be taught we speak of the things themselves yea some have utterly hated them as evil as Crates and among the Papists there be some that profess voluntary poverty
may desire so much as may be competently sufficient as well for our selves as for all that belong to us that not onely to maintain them while we live but to leave them somewhat according to our state when we dye yea and that whilest we live we may be enabled to do some good in our places towards the relief of the poor it being a more blessed thing to give then to receive To ask or desire more to spend superfluously we have no warrant yea so to ask or desire were a sign of distrust Not but that the things themselves are good how great a portion soever we have of them if we could use them to good uses but our corrupt nature is subject both to dote upon them trust in them be lifted up by them and the Devil to fasten many dangerous temptations on us by the means of them and therefore we should not desire such abundance of them If God should cast such abundance on us by honest labor in following our calling or otherwise we ought humbly to beg a great deal of grace and fear our stewardship and account being now far greater Jacob asked food and raiment and we are willed therewith to be content they be not good absolutely and to every man and many have taken hurt by them few at any time made better where poverty hath slain a thousand riches hath slain ten thousand They be never almost mentioned in Scripture but with one check or other as thorns snares uncertain deceitful meat that perisheth unrighteous Mammon c. that we may not be in love with them 1. This condemneth the common practice of most men in the world that be stark drunk with these things and seek them without all bounds which is also the fault even of some of Gods Servants O how many seek them before grace and heavenly things do altogether labor for the meat that perisheth O how many will work all the six days long but in the mean time do nothing for their soul yea on the Sabbath do no more then an outward performance of duty to satisfie Law and for fashions sake their tongues and hearts running after the world God and grace are not in their thoughts A little of this is enough yea and then onely when they can follow the world no longer and thus with most the greedy desires after the world eats up all thought of any goodness Hence it is that they are wise for the world but stark fools in matters of Religion of that they can talk all the day long but cannot speak three words savorly of any good thing They abound in wealth but have not so much as a dram of grace nor look after none rich in the world but to Godward miserable poor blinde naked souls 2. How do numbers set down with themselves to be rich thus much to give to such a childe c how also many are even mad in making haste to be rich up early down late by right wrong c. yea make such haste as they break their shins nay make waste of their souls What will they flie before they be fledged must they needs get up all at once cannot they tarry and rise as God will have them but by getting other mens goods into their hands or running into the Usurers books undo both themselves and others what purchasing is there before men be fit when haply they have not half the money to lay down but for the rest must be beholding to the Usurer and so fall into the Kites paws Thus some have lost their own livings which have been competent by reaching at more before they were fit others though they have not thus undone themselves yet much straiten themselves shame and disgrace themselves are still in debt live barely and miserably who might else live at elbow room and comfortably How many are so unsatiable and greedy that like Hell and the Grave they still cry Give give they have the dropsie and their thirst can never be quenched They are like a great Hound standing at the tables end give him one piece of meat he swallows it down without chewing looking on your face presently for another There 's no end of Lying Swearing Sabbath-breaking Deceitful and false Weights and Wares Oppression Wrongful dealing c. and all to be rich in the world nay when men have both competency and sufficiency yet do they still eagerly follow it with as hot a pursuit as if they had nothing O how odious this is in Gods sight this Covetousness is Idolatry yet as if one should have told Nabal after he had so blockishly sent away Davids servants that he was Covetous he would have said Nay but a good husband so who can perswade these hereof This is a kinde of drunkenness as the moderate seeking of riches soberness neither can two things be more like then are drunkards and covetous persons 1. Both be insensible ye cannot beat any good thing in either of their heads Though the one reel as he goes and cannot so much as speak a wise word yet you cannot perswade him that he is drunk and though the other doth both pinch himself and others yet he will not believe that he is covetous 2. Both be insatiable The drunkard must have pot after pot is never satisfied but still dry So the covetous man must joyn Farm unto Farm House unto House Land unto Land The one calls in dousens of beer yards of beer pails of beer beer by the Hogsheads So if a covetous man had a whole Town he would desire another and then a third c. 3. Both be inserviceable who will put a drunkard in any office what employment is he fit for So a covetous man he will so look to his private gain as he will neglect the publique he will have something clear to himself of that 's committed to him or will take bribes or extraordinary fees Therefore it is that both Magistrates and Ministers are willed to avoid this 4. Both be incorrigible There 's no hope of an old drunkard few of them repent so of a covetous man it s a rare thing to see a Zacheus That story begins with a word of Note Behold The vilest drunkard is not more odious to God then is a wicked covetous man God would not have covetousness to be once named amongst us yea he forbids to keep company with one that is covetous pronounceth that such shal not inherit his kingdom Covetousness is the root of all evil the breach of all the ten Commandments it takes away our Love Fear and Trust in God and gives it to Wealth yea it hinders from the very knowledge of God Through it many have society with Idolaters because of it how many thousand oathes are sworn daily how many daily forsworn what regard bear such to the Word either because of their Farms and Oxen they will not come thereto of if they do
ask not onely whether it be East West North or South but through what Shires we must go nay by what great Towns nay by what Villages nay we ask what turnings there are from such a place to such a place nay what marks we shall meet withal as Windmils Crosses c. And as a great mans servant sets not down onely received 100 or 500 l. and laid out so much in the gross but particularly what he received of such a one and what of another and what he laid out for this what for that c. so should we observe every particular and that throughout the whole course of our lives There 's no time for security or sin we must not at any time give way either unto evil or that evil one That we ought to be thus watchful may appear 1. For that we have within us corrupt and wretched hearts which continually lust after evil and are untoward to any good being also subtile and deceitful above all things 2. The Devil a most malicious and watchful adversary is at our elbows always yea in our best actions as he was at Joshua's right hand to resist him The world also affords many provocations 3. The love of God towards us in Christ pardoning our sins and calling us to the hope of eternal happiness being so wonderful and unspeakable must we not therefore so watch in all things as that we may do nothing to grieve so good and merciful a Father but be careful in all things to be acceptable in his sight 4. Our Lords coming is uncertain we must therefore be like the diligent servant with our loyns girded and lights burning we must be like the five wise virgins with oyl in our lamps attending the coming of our Bridegroom This is no more then Gods requires of us no more then Noah Henoch and Abraham performed they walked with God set themselves continually as in Gods presence in an heedful care to all their ways This is no more then needs if either we consider the price of sin the inclination of our own hearts and what enemies the Devil and world are to us Neither doth this watchfulness hinder us from any thing but sin from no liberty but that that is nought and hurtful and that we may as well spare as water out of our shoes it hinders not from our calling onely requires us to pray first now a whet is no let we shall speed the better all the day after it onely teacheth us how to be in our calling not as drudges to the world but the servants of God it hinders us not from buying and selling but from Craft Covetousness Corruption in the same not from company but from vanity and unprofitableness in company not from mirth but from vain wicked mirth so that it s so far from being a bondage that its blessed liberty Some think that thus we shall pinion and binde our hands behinde us and that this is too strait It s true to our nature that hath been used to so much liberty it will seem strait at first till we be accustomed to it and then it will be found easie and pleasant even as a new sute of apparrel though never so fit yet will seem strait at the first putting on which afterwards it will not Such pretences are but as a Lyon in the way of a Sluggard The benefits ensuing hereby are divers 1. It keeps from many sins whereunto else we must needs fall ere we be aware and so consequently from many sorrows both outward and inward from many crosses and troubles from many heart-smarts and wounds of conscience Whatsoever is a mean to keep a man from sin is a blessed friend of his 2. It keeps us from lying still in any sin and is a mean to raise us up by true repentance for if it cannot prevent it yet it will no suffer us to sleep in it nor be quiet nor go to bed till we have vomited it up and so is a mean to keep our hearts from hardness Lying in sin hardens the heart and provokes God against us so that when we would we cannot rise nor tell how to go about it and when we do yet we do not so easily obtain pardon and peace Often reckonings make long friends 3. It keeps us from falling into foul sins for lightly men fall not far at once but by little and little neither is this a small benefit for though every sin be hurtful to the soul yet great sins do it more hurt A little jerk with a wand makes us skip and puts life into us as it were but a blow with a Cudgel or Leaver dazles us so little sins make us stir up our selves and put more care in us through Gods mercy whereas great sins benumb and dazle the conscience 4. It makes us see the corruption and naughtiness of our own hearts and so to be the humbler as also to see Gods mercy in keeping us from so many evils whereof we are in continual danger that so we may be the more exceedingly thankful 5. It upholds our communion with the blessed Majesty of God and the peace of our conscience which is a continual feast 6. It s a special argument that we are the children of God All the while we do thus we go on in the strait way we do as few do as none but Gods servants none but zealous Christians do 7. It makes our lives the more fruitful to our selves and our brethren by many degrees 8. It makes us fit both to live and dye to live and perform the good duties that God requireth for a heart well ordered is fitter to pray to hear to come to the Sacraments c. our accounts be the sooner made and so it being done daily it s done more easily then if it be put off to a great deal together To dye as being always fit and ready for our Lords coming 1. This being a thing so necessary and profitable we have cause to lament that we have known it no better nor had acquaintance therewithal for alas not to speak of the common sort which look after no such matter but will do as they list though they smart for it eternally even among the people of God how little is it known that God requireth such a particular care and watch that it s a thing possible but rather impossible or at least most irksom and therefore content themselves with a general purpose to do well and if they be careful on the Sabbath day to look to their heart tongue and ways and keep within compass yet that they ought and must thus do on other days few think Hence it is that we fall into so many evils to Gods dishonor our own discomfort the ill example of others and reproach of our profession What though we have no purpose in the morning to do ill as some wicked have not yet may we not through want of watchfulness fal ere
to believe the truth and be bolder to defend it Again if we look to the state of the Church and faithful Servants of God in former ages we need not think it strange for its the way that they have all gone Abel Isaac Jacob the Prophets Christ his Apostles the Primitive Church thousands under the Roman Emperors not a few even in this our Land in the Reign of Queen Mary c. Indeed the Devil is ready to make us believe that our case is worse then any bodies and that there were never any as we which is that he may make us murmure and drive us to desparation or to flinch whereas its a very lye for we are in no such case but the Saints of God have been in as bad in the same in worse This duly considered will be a means that afflictions shall be better born Which is to try you Here 's the Reason of the Exhortation The end of persecution is not to destroy the good but to make them better as the gold is tryed by the fire afflictions persecution chiefly are sent to try what we be and in what state not but that God knows it already but he would have us also and others to know to our comfort or humbling They are of great use As 1. To try whether we have any truth of grace in us whether we be any thing or nothing sound or hollow true friends or hypocrites such as are built on the rock or sand Many that now think well of themselves will never be able to stand and many mean in their own and others eyes would hold out A man is never tryed till adversity comes as a Soldier is in the Battel a Marriner in a Storm a Friend in time of need Who would have thought the seed in the stony ground would have flincht few so good as they in most Parishes If these would not abide what shall we think of most amongst us persecution as the fan of one heap makes two and as the fire separateth the gold from the dross Labor then for a true faith of the right stamp who knows but that God will send a tryal let 's labor to be so provided as we may be good wheat to abide by it and not chaff that will flie away that we may be gold fit to be Vessels for the Lords use not dross to be burnt up with unquenchable fire Onely true believers will hold out all others will flinch le ts now look to our selves lest we making a fair house not onely in the sand it fall and our fall be great and we having begun a piece of work leave it in the mid way to our perpetual shame But they that are proved to be sound and to have true Faith it s a great Comfort and Crown to them Who would not have his Sword or Gun tryed ere he went to the field A little tryed Faith is better then much tryed Gold then much Faith in mens tongues and conceits 2. To try what measure of grace we have whether as much or more or less then we thought for some over-prize themselves and some do on the contrary Who would have thought Peter had been so weak after such bold protestation Who would have thought Abrahams Faith so great as it was or Jobs both Faith and Patience Though the Lord would kill him yet would he wait on him What do thine afflictions bewray If more grace then thou thoughtst be thankful if less be humbled and apply thy self to the means more carefully 3. To purge purifie and refine that measure of true grace that 's in us In the days of Peace and Prosperity the best men are subject to gather soil as standing waters putrifie bodies without exercise prove full of gross humors In prosperity we gather pride security teachiness self-love too much love of the world these God purgeth away that our Faith and Grace may shew themselves in their bright colours as the Vine having the superfluous branches cut off proves the more fruitful Never do Christians shine so bright as in affliction or presently after it But rejoyce Here 's the second Exhortation We must be so far from thinking it strange when we are persecuted as that we are then to rejoyce But how can this be will some say To rejoyce in mockings imprisonments cold irons tortures c. seems impossible and the rather for that no affliction for the present is joyous but tedious To the flesh these things be tedious yet there is cause to make us rejoyce in them Though a natural man cannot do this as being impossible to flesh and blood yet grace and a good measure of faith and an heart mortified to the world and taken up with the desire of a better life will do the same A man may both grieve and yet rejoyce in the same thing in diverse respects as them that saw the Temple re-edified some wept namely the ancient men some again rejoyced namely the yong men the one because it was no better the other because it was as it was both which might have been in either of them As a man may be glad that he hath a childe departed in a godly maner and yet grieve at the loss of his childe so if at the fall of a Scaffold where many lost their lives we have had a childe that broke his Arm we are sorry at that but glad that he scaped with his life Thus the Apostles rejoyced thus Paul and Silas thus the Thessalonians thus the Christian Hebrews thus the Martyrs throughout all ages Such a thing is Faith it s not a Conceit but that that makes things absent so present as that we can be content to endure present pain for joy to come and to lose things present for happiness hereafter Thus have many of Gods Servants done so that God requires nothing of us but that he hath enabled many to do yea ordinary Christians like our selves nay not a few even of the weaker Sex 1. This rebuketh the woful unbelief and hypocrisie of most of the world which though they profess the Word in prosperity yet in adversity they shift for themselvs make friendship with the world and will suffer nothing for Christs sake or his Religion they are ashamed of Christ here of them will he be ashamed hereafter now saving their lives with an ill Conscience they shall lose life eternal 2. It rebuketh even the Servants of God who are so loath to suffer or abide any hardness We can hardly abide a frown of our Superior or an hard word or a railing speech but we are cast down and disquieted about it yea many pull in their heads and step back and think it s not good to be forward and so come to Jesus by night How will we suffer imprisonment and loss of all we have how endure the fire and especially with joy This is too much tenderness it
not be dismaid but bear these things patiently yea joyfully for should we not rejoyce in that that makes us blessed If therefore we shrink at the least of these things and pull in our heads where 's our faith labor that if we should be mockt and railed on it may not be for nothing but for true grace faith wrought in us by the Word c. If we have these things no matter though we have some mocks withal 2. See that wicked persecuters make Gods Servants happy yea more happy then they should be so that in seeking their hurt they do them good many ways They purge and try them make them the more dear to God and set the greater Crown upon their heads what a priviledge have the Servants of God that all things even their persecuters should work together for their good It s not so with others yet are not we to thank the wicked for this who intend no such thing The Caldeans and Sabeans were an occasion that Job had twice as much goods given him as he had before but no thank to them for they took from him what they could It s God who blesseth the more those whom the wicked curse 5. That the judgement of the world is contrary to Gods They think not any blessedness to be in being railed on for Christs sake but that blessedness stands in Health Wealth Honor favor of Princes c. Alas poor vanishing vanities to be lost every day but blessedness is in being a Christian and suffering for the same Gods thoughts are not as mans The blinde world cannot judge of colours and Carnal men savor not of things Spiritual 1. Therefore look that we never esteem nor be carried with the judgement of the world no not of the wise men of the world which is a crooked rule to go by They say it s not good to be too forward is matters of Religion but go so far as they may come back when they will and save themselves from danger and have two strings to their bow but let us know this to be cursed policy this amity with the world to be enmity with God 2. If we think troubles for a good conscience base vile and accursed and so shun them though with an ill conscience we are then of the world and either wholly carnal or in great part Shall we account that cursed which the Lord calls blessed True we must not bring troubles on our selves nor desire persecution yet if God call us to them we must not count them base but glorious not cursed but blessed So if we think basely of them that suffer or are in persecution and shun them then are we carnal and of the world nay we ought to esteem highly of them and think them glorious persons because they be honored of God and greatly graced of him For the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you He proves what he affirmed If ye suffer for Christs sake it s an argument ye have the Spirit of God in you which is a glorious Spirit and makes you glorious notwithstanding the ignominy and reproach the world casts upon you as though you were of all others the vilest whereupon you must needs be blessed which Spirit is on their part ill spoken of but on yours that suffer is glorified So that as the Spirit makes you glorious you glorifie it by your constant and joyful suffering Hence Note 1. That to suffer for Christs sake is a sign that we have the Spirit of God in us for 1. The world would not hate us except they saw some work of Gods Spirit in us for if we lived after the maner of the world they would let us alone 2. Such have the Spirit of Adoption assuring them of Gods love of pardon and Salvation which makes them willing to suffer 3. It s the Spirit that comforts and heartens to such weighty things flesh and blood will endure nothing for Religion neither can it but through the Spirit we are enabled Steven a comfortable Martyr Why It s said He was full of the Holy Ghost It was by the Spirit of God onely that the Martyrs endured so constantly not a few of them being weak sick tender feeble of nature and fearful It was of the Spirit that Mr. Glover spake when he came to the Stake to be burnt He is come Austin he is come having been very heavy and comfortless the night before In ill I confess some may be as stiff as the best can be in the truth but they cannot suffer so joyfully as the Servants of God for it s through the Spirit of God that they suffer 1. Therefore if we have had or finde any power to endure persecution we may know that we have Gods Spirit and thereupon ought to be both thankful and joyful 2. As we would suffer with comfort and joy let us labor for the Spirit and for a greater measure thereof daily 3. As for those that neither can nor will endure any thing it s a sign they are carnal and without the Spirit And indeed none can suffer much or joyfully but such as have the Spirit and therefore so few having the Spirit there would be but a few to stand for the truth if there should come a time of tryal 2. That such as are endued with Gods Spirit be blessed for such as have and are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and they yea they onely which be sanctified here shall be glorified hereafter The Spirit is given to the Elect not to the world it s the earnest of our salvation and seals us up to the day of Redemption Again such are freed from the bondage of sin to serve God such also have God abiding in them yea and hereby the Word the Sacraments Prayer Afflictions all things are profitable to us Hereby we are enabled to every duty and armed against temptations 1. This may comfort those that can prove they have the Spirit of God in them they are comforted sanctified and guided thereby This is the earnest and pledge of eternal life they are blessed though but mean they may come into Gods presence boldly they shall want nothing that is good 2. It may be a terror to those that live after the flesh They have no mark whereby to free them from being reprobates for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Christ never dyed for such they are yet under the bondage of sin 3. This should teach us having the Spirit to beware of doing any thing whereby to grieve or weary such a guest sin is a filthy thing and that wherewithal the Spirit cannot away yea to use all means to cherish it daily suffering our selves to be guided thereby as that which will not be there where it may not rule 3. That the Spirit is glorious in it self and makes them
will but either will live in all their sins or onely yid in what they list and so trample the precious blood of Christ undeâ—â—eir feet and despise the gracious offer of mercy One would think thâ—very man hearing such a gracious voice and offer of a Savior shâ—ld flie to it and that it should suffer violence every one saying O â—me embrace it let me as they did at the Pool of Bethesdai O â—t at the stirring of the water some might step in There might bâ—ne at once but here if an hundred would they should all be closed 2. O then me your benefit of the Gospel by yielding obedience thereto Belie and repent and then happy are ye that ever ye heard else you shall câ—t the time that ever you heard the Gospel O ungrateful world unhappy company It will vex them and encrease their torment â—ee that mercy was offered so often and yet they like woful caytiffs despise the same to obey the Gospel is the note of a good christian let appear by thy hearty obedience thereto that thou art such a one Verse 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear HE proceeds still in the foregoing reason taken from the comparison between the good and the wicked whereof the former though they have many troubles and afflictions yet they shall in the end be eternally blessed and saved in Heaven though with some difficulty the latter though they flourish and prosper for a while and many of them persecute the former yet they shall end their life with misery that cannot be expressed and have a fearful appearance before God on the last day If the righteous Servants of God get hardly to Heaven the wicked how glorious soever in this world shall never be able to appear in Judgement before God but in a most fearful maner which is not set down by a bare affirmation but by way of interogation for the greater force where there is comfort for Gods Children notwithstanding their troubles and the wickeds prosperity they shall be saved and terror for the wicked notwithstanding all their present jollity their end shall be fearful Speak we first of the position The righteous are scarcely saved then of the comparison if it be so where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear If the righteous Hereby we are to understand not such as be perfectly righteous in themselves and without sin for if there be any such as there is none they should not scarcely and with difficulty be saved but according to that do this and live easily and without stop Even the most perfect have not been without their own failings there was impatience in Job infidelity in Zachary c. not meant the righteous in their own conceits for these shall never be saved as for whom Christ came not nor such as having attained some common gifts as of knowledge to profess to reform some things c. seem to themselves and others righteous but yet are not so truly but as the seed sown on the stony ground and the house built on the sand but such as be truly righteous though not perfectly yet in some respect perfectly to namely 1. By the righteousness of Christ Jesus imputed unto them by Faith They that have their sins pardoned in his death and his righteousness imputed to them are truly righteous yea and perfectly too as ever they shall be in heaven 2. By inherent righteousness wrought in the hearts of Gods Children and Believers by the Spirit of Sanctification whereby they be sanctified throughout though not perfectly yet those God vouchsafeth to call righteous though they be but so in part and have remnants of corruption abiding in them yet they are so called from the better part as an heap of corn that lies on the floor though there be chaff in it and that much 3. For that they endeavor and daily labor after more righteousness as one is called a Schollar or by the name of the trade he is entred into though happily he can do but a little onely endeavors for skill and knowledge therein Of which elswhere 1. This setteth out the exceeding goodness and mercy of God that vouchsafeth thus to come and call such poor and sinful creatures as we be pestred with such a deal of blindeness and so manifest corruptions yet seeing he seeth an heart in us to hate them and suppress them he will not reckon of us after them and though we have but a little grace yet because it is true and of his own working that we have and that we would fain have more he accounts of us according to that we would be and not that we are 2. This is an exceeding comfort to Gods true Servants can we believe Christs righteousness imputed to us and feel we an universal and true change in us then may we rejoyce God calls us by glorious names Saints Holy ones Righteous let us not then be dismaid at our imperfections or corruptions which we labor to mortifie le ts not say with some because of them we are none of the Lords we have such sinful hearts c. Neither let us suffer the Devil to pluck our Crown from us or rob us of our comfort making us believe that we be none of the Lords as some few be thus in danger especially at first though many Christians make too light of their sins as long as God speaks so graciously let us not believe what Satan our adversary saith onely let us care to grow more and more in grace 3. This rebuketh those wretched mockers that reproach the Servants of God that labor to please God and dare not do as they O you be of the righteous you be so righteous c. Is not this right like Ishmaels mocking of Isaac O you be the Son of the promise you are the dainty one c. Such shall be shut out with Ishmael unless by repentance they prevent it Why say you thus because you think it to good a name for them Is thine eye evil because Gods is good what hast thou to do seeing God calls them so or is it because thou wouldst not have them so Yes but if thou beest not also so thou shalt never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Scarcely be saved Hereby is not meant rarely or that but a few righteous ones shall be saved For whosoever believeth shall be saved and to every one that doth good shall be glory and honor and immortality and There is no condemnation to them or any of them that are in Christ Jesus Nor is it meant that there will be difficulty at the day of Judgement whether they should pass or no have or miss Salvation no for God knoweth who be his and their names be all written in the Book of Life and if they were righteous here and had the Spirit the seal of their Redemption and earnest of their Inheritance as they
uttered nor conceived what it is It s described according to our weak conceit by a feast a marriage feast of a Kings Son a City whose Walls and Streets are Gold and Gates Pearls c. It s a State free from all evil whereas here there 's nothing but crying and complaining one of his head lungs back c. another of his unruly children losses by sea by Bankrupts c. There all tears are wiped away there also there 's no want of any thing no need of any thing whether for body or soul but a perfect enjoying of all good for we shall enjoy God himself the fountain of all goodness we shall also enjoy the society and fellowship of the Lord Jesus who hath so loved us and who is the joy of our hearts So of the holy Ghost the Comforter so of the Angels of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs of our godly Friends Children Ministers that begat us to God c. where we shall be so filled with all comfort as we shall joy continually for we shall sing night and day the place also adds unto our happiness Needs must Heaven be excellent as being prepared by God for himself to set forth his magnificence what it s within appears by its glorious outside and the glory thereof by the fairness of the world given to dogs and Gods Enemies this also is eternal The glory of this world as it s not worthy to be so called so it s inconstant and fickle see it in Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar Herod one day yea one hour knows us often both happy as the world accounts and miserable but such is not the glory of Heaven it endures for ever This is here as elsewhere promised to faithful Ministers they shall enter into their Masters joy 1. This may exceedingly encourage Ministers to take all the pains that possibly they can in their calling we serve a good Master O how men strive for a corruptible Crown how much more should we for an incorruptible how careful should we be in Studying Preaching living well c 2. It may serve to uphold us in the midst and against all discouragements our office is not onely painful but oftentimes fruitless thankless and perilous A Minister shall have to do with such dull ones as he must teach them as a childe new weaned with line upon line precept upon precept others are so wretched as that by no means they will be reclaimed yea oftentimes they may receive unkindeness where they least expect it people count our labors nothing which yet we finde such as we are scarce able to undergo others grudge at our maintenance otherwhile we shall having delivered things never so carefully be taxed by some of ignorance by others of malice others will raise up lyes and slanders against us and so requite our pains others will persecute us as Demetrius and Alexander the Copper-Smith did the Apostles yea the more painful we are the harder we shall be dealt with Now against all those and the like hath not a Minister need to have something to comfort and hearten him This will do it fully the incorruptible Crown will pay for all we must look up to that Contrarily what will be the reward and end of all unfaithful Ministers that starve and mislead their Flock that live in jollity and at ease c Oh their reward will be with the unfaithful Servant to be taken and bound hand and foot and thrown into utter darkness Then shall they pay for all the wages taken without doing any work so for all their ease which will be turned into pain and wo They shall then give an account for all the souls that they have caused to perish Q. But when shall Gods Ministers have their Crown Answ. When Christ shall appear and come to Judgement O then if he never come we shall never have our Crown O doubt not once hereof He shall certainly come to Judgement It s an Article of our faith and which is often mentioned in Scripture See Matth. 25. 31. Acts 2. 11. 1 Thess. 4. 14. 2 Thess. 1. 10. Rev. 1. 7. Therefore let neither the good doubt hereof to become slack or faint nor the wicked to continue careless Obj. But when will it be It will be long first Answ. It cannot be long ere it be for we be in the latter end of the last times but if it were our life is not long and in the end thereof we shall have one half of our Crown and our bodies shall rest for the other until the day of Judgement therefore live by Faith and wait and be not short breathed If one part tarry a while it will be so wonderful when it comes as that it will abundantly pay for all 3. For People If they be good sheep brought from their wandring turn'd from goats to sheep and be ruled by the government of their godly Pastors they shall also have this incorruptible Crown of glory For the stubborn and disobedient that will retain their goatish qualities that wil not be brought home by any means that can be used their condition will be fearful but in death when their souls shall be carried into Hell and on the day of Judgement when they shall stand on the left hand they which here would not hear that voice that called them so often to him shall then be charged to depart from him As this day will be joyful to the godly so shal it be terrible to the wicked Verse 5. Likewise ye yonger submit your selves unto the elder yea all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble THe Apostle proceeds to the duty of another special sort of people namely the yonger ones shewing what duty they owed to their elders and then goes to Exhortations to sundry particular duties Likewise ye yonger submit your selves unto the elder Although I use to trouble you little with divers interpretations or mens judgements taking it that my duty is to shew you rather what God saith then what men say yet at this time it will not be amiss to propound fome Elders may be taken as in the preceding uses not for elders in years but by office and so by the yonger may be meant not the yong in years but inferior in place namely the people or if yong in years are to be understood then a part for the whole is meant All the people must submit themselves to their Ministers whereof a great part are yong ones and they commonly the most unruly and so the duty of people towards their Ministers is here taught as the word likewise seemeth to imply Or Elders may well be taken for Elders in age properly and so the yonger in like sort for the yong sort of people and so the duty of youth towards them that are aged be here taught as it may well be and the more likely
blood and destruction both of body and soul therefore called Satan An Adversary The Envyous man The Accuser of the Brethren A Murtherer from the beginning and because there is no man so vile but hath some reliques of humanity in him he is compared to the Beasts without reason and so termed here A roaring Lyon as elsewhere A red Dragon c. he it is that first tempts and then accuseth us to God and ready to be the executioner Let him suck the blood of never so many yet is not his malice the more satisfied he hath been so from the beginning but now more by much because his time is but short Strength He was strong by Creation which though it be diminished yet continueth it exceeding great He can do marvellous things though no true miracles Through Gods permission he were able to do infinite mischief see in Job what havock he soon made his names declare it The strong armed man A Lyon yea A roaring Lyon his strength being doubled with hunger A great red Dragon Principalities Powers c. Prince of this world bearing a great sway and having many at his command The God of this world yea that doth almost what he list and who in respect of mans power to resist hath as it were an Omnipotent strength to do what he list And as he is wonderful in strength so he knows it well enough and is audacious and bold to put it out to the outmost when he may as to Job he wil set upon any the greatest and worthiest servants of God and sometimes foil them He set upon David a man according to Gods own heart and foiled him twice shamefully and again got him to number the people He winnowed Peter that was so couragious he buffered Paul that valiant Champion yea he set upon our first Parents in their innocency when he had no great likelihood of prevailing yea upon our Savior Christ himself having no likelihood at all and that again and again and again and when he had been so often foiled yet he departed from him but for a season who no doubt was busie with him in his passion in the garden Subtilty He was made exceeding wise by Creation which is not lost but perverted and turned to evil much hath been revealed to him and wonderful much he hath gotten by his almost 6000 years experience which would make a simple body wise yet he hath not an absolute knowledge He knows not our thoughts and hearts perfectly nor things to come but he can guess very shrewdly and nearly at them by signs and comparing things past with present as at our thoughts by observing our speeches actions and desires So at future things by knowing and seeing further into the nature of things and of mens bodies then men can but he is exceeding cunning to do evil and compass his purpose He was so at first much more now therefore called not a Tempter but the Tempter by way of excellency he that hath the Art and Trade of Tempting that is the Master thereof all others learning of him So the old Serpent which was subtile at first but now much more How cunningly dealt he with Eve 1. He goes to her not to Adam 2. When she was alone 3. Pretends great good will 4. Takes away the fear of all danger 5. Tells her of great benefits which would come by eating of the forbidden fruit yea such a benefit as she most desired and was most fit to tempt her she wanted nothing but to be as God c. 6. He shews her the beauty of the fruit and how like it was to be good meat and so perverted her So dealt he with our Savior Christ when he had fasted forty days and was alone in the wilderness then he tempts him to trust and not prevailing therein to presume wherein failing he propounds wealth and honor So now he tempts some to be Atheists and of no Religion if not so then to be of a false Religion if not so then to be careless and idle professors of the true if not so but that men will be somewhat careful to read hear get knowledge be forward then he labors to lift them up with pride and blow them out of the Church to Amsterdam make them too forward c. yea some he will not leave there but provoke them further to be Anabaptists nay Sebaptists as Mr. Smith who Baptized himself If he cannot tempt men to keep from Church then will he go with them to hinder them from receiving any good there and there bring them asleep if they be inclined that way or if not then fill their heads with worldly thoughts if not so then he brings in good thoughts of some good things that at another time were good but now out of season as thoughts of some other Sermon so in Prayer he fills the head with odde and strange thoughts or else with thoughts of the Sermon to keep them from lifting up their hearts wholly to God If he cannot keep men in presumption but that they be troubled about their estate then he seeks to drown them in dispair Bad men he will incite to those evils they be most apt to Civil men he will keep in a coldness in Religion and carelesness in the matters of Salvation as about the Word Sacraments Sabbath Prayer Good men he will incite to do good things but to ill ends or if they propound good ends to themselves to compass them by unwarrantable means Thus is he a cunning fisher and fowler He hath baits and nets for all kindes high and low rich and poor learned and unlearned men women yong old he will spread them and so lay them that he will not lightly miss He hath for every sex age constitution complexion state and condition he will make his shraps of profits or pleasures or honors and then get in some especially of the fairest marks and set them up as a stall and by both together tills in many Diligence He will spare for no pains he rests neither night nor day but goeth about continually His occupation is to compass the Earth If he prevail not at one time he will come again and again yea he will not leave a man as long as he lives and though there be such an infinite number alive at once in the world yet what with the multitude of Devils and with their most exceeding diligence and unwearied pains no man is free So that he is armed on all sides to do mischief If he were malicious and had no power we might despise him if power and no malice or but a little we might the less fear him or if malice and strength yet if he had no wit nor cunning there were much less danger for he were as a Gyant without eyes one might keep out of his hands or if he were all those and yet were lazy and could take no pains we might be free most what but
put altogether O Lord who shall escape him 1. No marvel that most men go the broad way and perish and so few be saved seeing there is such an enemy and so armed and so followed that hath sworn all mens destruction he so malicious and we so careless of our Salvation he so strong and we so weak he so subtile and we so simple for our souls and in Spiritual things he so diligent and we so retchless and lazy in the great matters of our soul. Every man by nature loveth sin and carrieth along with him as ready a disposition to yield to temptations as Satan is to tempt him Marvel not that so few but that any are saved and if thou hast any hope and assurance wonder and praise If God were not infinite in wisdom power love and care over us we should certainly perish 2. See what wonderful need there is of diligent continual zealous earnest and plain preaching of the Word it s that must cast the strong man out This is the mean to scale his walls batter his Kingdom were it not for this he would do what he list in the world and carry all to destruction Where this is not he may sit and sleep for his work and will goes forward What should let therefore it s no marvel he is such an Enemy to it and the Preachers thereof O what should become of Gods people already pluckt out of his Kingdom if they had not the Word to shew his subtilties what is the will of God what good what evil how to do it what be the advantages that Satan takes and how we may be able to resist them Hence Gods servants are made wise and strengthened against his Temptations they come weak to the Word but go from thence mightily strengthened What do they then that seek the hinderance of the faithful and zealous preaching of the Word but gratifie the Devil in an high degree and work journey-work to him in the best maner it s to learn the Devil to have his will to devour what souls and as many as he lists 3. We may wonder and praise God that seeing there be so many Devils and such as we have spoken of that the Church of God can be upon the face of the earth that it is not rooted out and swallowed up the Devil having so many and such armed instruments in the world A wonder the Church hath any abiding but that God Almighty hath a care of it and will defend and preserve it Christ Jesus the Husband thereof will not suffer his Spouse to be trodden under We may wonder we be yet a people under this peace of the Gospel there being so many Papists within and without the Land and such an infinite number of most subtile and malicious Jesuits that like the Devil go up and down compassing the earth to work mischief That poor weak men and women in themselves sinful and poor creatures should yet be got out of Satans power and then defended from his malice not in body goods and name onely but from his deadly temptations and to escape them and get safe to Heaven O this is Gods Almighty power and goodness so may every poor Christian man say and wonder 4. This rebuketh 1. Such as make a League with the Devil to obtain their purposes It was death by the Law of God and so ought to be still What fools be these They think the Devil serves them and is at their command when indeed he hath got them to serve him and that in an high degree of sin to their destruction 2. Such as seek to such for things lost or for cure from them for them and theirs Those woful Creatures seeking to the sworn Enemy of mankinde for help are like to speed as if a Lamb should run to a roaring Lyon to be kept from harm Think they that he will do them any little pleasure outwardly unless to fasten deadly on their souls to work the ruine of them His help is as the milk which Jael presented unto Sisera 3. All such as live in sin and so serve the Devil These count him not a deadly Enemy if they did they would not be at his beck as the most part be Though they stop their ears against God their Parents Magistrates Friends yet they open them to all his temptations no Servant can serve his Master so diligently as the world doth the Devil even with all the might both of their bodies and mindes speaking and writing and employing both their goods and pains on his behalf and for sin and that both night and day What he bids them do they do Lye Swear Curse break the Sabbath Oppress Cozen Mock c. who yet for that their humor likes it and its agreeable to their own minde observe not Satans policy herein nor suspect him for an Enemy They will say they hate the Devil as much as any and defie him alas he can give them leave so to do as long as they serve him and do his works This is as good as Popish holy Water and crossing themselves 4. All civil persons that say they never found the Devil so troublesom as they hear folks talk They never doubted of their Salvation were ready to make away themselves were never troubled with such wicked and blasphemous or troublesom thoughts were never so troubled but that they could go to Church and serve God quietly c. True the Devil tempts them not to dispair because he hath them fast enough in pride and presumption He tempts them not to foul sins because he sees God hath restrained them and so that there 's no great likelihood he shall prevail neither cares he seeing he hath them fast enough in the main namely in ignorance unbelief or carelesness of the first Table He troubles them not with thoughts it may be when they go to good duties because he knows they are likely not to do any good duty yet he tempts them in things which through blindeness they discern not as being none of the foulest things as they think Though in the hearing of the Word they have many wandring by-thoughts they feel not that the Devil is at their elbow and at work with them because they make no account of such smal things also about worldly idle speeches on the Sabbath they see not Satan going along with them because they count them small whereas a good Christian in these espies Satan and is troubled thereat when the strong man hath and holds his Possession all things are at peace the Devil having these fast enough he cares not for troubling them but let him be about to be cast out and then I le warrant you he will bestir himself and they shall have trouble Let a civil man that lived never so quietly before be smitten in conscience for his sins and begin to be converted he shall finde his case altered and that the Devil will do him all the mischief he
Use 2. Use 3. See B. Halls Heaven upon Earth cap. 4. and 6. Why termed a lively hope See Mat. 9. â— Psal. 4. 7 and 51. 7. 8. See Psal. 112 7. 8. Acts 16. 25. Psal. 51. 15. ibid. 13. Psal. 119. 32 Use. Gods free favor the cause of all our good Eph. 1. 4 5. Rom. 5. 10. Iam. 1. 18. Eph. 2. 2. c. Man could not be saved without abundant mercy Use 1. Ioh. 3. 16. Use 2. Ioh. 11. 35 36 See Eph. 2. â— Tit. 3. 5. Psal. â—1 1. Eph. 1. 5. 1 Ioh. 3. 1. Use 3. Psal. 116. 12. Tit. 2. 14. Col. 1. 10. 2 King 19. 31. Use 4. Mat. 5. 45. Luke 6. 36. Use. 5. Heb. 12. 17. Mat. 25. 12. The means whereby we are begotten to this hope 1 Cor. 15. 3. c. Benefits arising from Christs resurrection Rom. 4. 25. ib. 8. 33 34. 1 Cor. 15. 17. Use. The Kingdom of Heaven why termed an inheritance See Act. 20. 32 Luke 12. 32. Rom. 6. 23. Use. Psal 146. 2. Rom. 3. 20. Luke 18. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 9. The happiness of Gods people in Heaven abideth for ever Heb. 12. 28. Why termed undefiled Act. 20. 12. Apoc. 21. 27. Apoc. 21. 10. The Kingdom of Heaven always one and the same Use 1. Simile Use 2. Phil. 3. 20. Col. 3. 1. Rev. 22. 17. Rev. 7. 17. Use 3. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Act. 7. 5. Use 4. Use. 5. Mat. 6. 20. Ioh. 6. 27. Mat. 13. 45. 1 Tim. 6. 19. Use 6. God hath appointed to glorifie his Saints in heaven Col. 3. 1. Act. 1. 9. Use 1. Eph. 1. 18. Rev. 21. 11. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. The prevention of a conceit of the Iews Mat. 20. 21. Acts 1. 6. Mat. 8. 19 20. The preventian of an Objection Mat. 25. 34. Gods children shâ—ll not miss of Heaven Use. To be particularly assured of Heaven a special comfort Gal. 2. 20. Iob 19. 25. Ioh. 20. 28. Heb. 6. 6. Use. Eccle. 9. 1. Rom. 8. 14. 2 Cor. 13. 5. 1 Ioh. 4. 13. Rom. 8. 30. The preventi of another doubt Gods children have many enemies to hinder their salvation Mat. 26. 56. 2 Tim. 4. 16. Rom. 8. 7. Gen. 6. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 11. Ioh. 17. 11. Psal. 73. 2. Use. Eph. 6. 10. Christians cannot stand of themselves Psalm 127. 1. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Gods almighty power is sufficient to uphold us against all our enemies See Rogers his Book of Direct Ioh. 17. 11. Use 1. Psal. 121. 4. Ioh. 10. 19. See Phil. 1. 6. Ier. 31. 3. Rom. 5. 10. Objections against this answered by Downham lib. 3. cap. 13. Phil. 4. 13. 2 Tim. 12. Object Sol. Rom. 8. 31. Rom. 8. 35. 37. Gen. 4. 14. Use 2. Gods people are kept thrâ—ugh Faith 2 Pet. 3. 4. How Faith bringeth us to Salvation Eph. 2. 8. Heb. 11. 24. Psal. 42. 5. 11. Psal. 23. 4. Pro. 18. 10. 1 Ioh. 5. 4. Eph. 6. 16. Luke 22. 32. Use 1. Use 2. Luke 17. 5. Simile Phil. 1. 6. Christians must not look here for outward prosperity Rom. 8. 17. Use. The fulness of our happiness not to be had here Act. 3. 19. Act. 2. 17 Heb. 1. â—â— Gen. 8. 22. But at the last day Col. 3. 3 4. 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Use. 1. Iam. 5. 7. Object Rev. 6. 10. Sol. Use. 2. 2 Pet. 3. 4. Simile Iam. 5. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 3. The coufutation of an error Luke 23. 43. Luke 16. 22. Use. Phil. 1. 18. We must rejoyce in the assurance of our Salvation See Psal. 4. 7. 50. 12. Mat. 9. 2. Luke 10. 20. Act 8. 8. 39. 16. 34. Use 1. Object Sol. Use 2. Phil. 4. 4. 1 Thess. 5. 16. Religion reforms mirth Moderates our lawful mirth Use. Pro. 14. 13. Eccles. 7. 6. Being assured of Heaven we must rejoyce even in our troubles Rom. 5. 3. 2 Cor. 8. 2. Mat. 5. 11. Iam. 1. 2. Reason 2 Cor 4. 17. Rom. 8. 18. Acts 5. 41. 2 Cor 6. 10. Heb. 10. 34. Use 1. Dan. 5. 6. Use 2. Use 3. Pro. 24. 10. Rev. 16. 21. Gods children must here undergo many troubles Psal. 34. 19. Acts 14. 22. 2 Tim. 3. 12 Reasons 2 Sam. 12. 18. Gen. 42 21. Psal. 32. 4 5. 119. 67. 71. Hos. 2. 6. Iob 33 17. 2 Câ—â—on 20. 37 Isa 4. 4. Heb. 12. 10. Isa. 27. 9. Iob. â— Ioh â—â— 18. 1 Cor 11. â—2 Psal 9â— 1â— 13. Heb. 12. 6. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. Use 5. Object Sol. 2 Chro. 32. 31 Afflictions arâ— tryals Use 1. Use 2. Here on earth heaviness and rejoycing may stand together Ezra 3. 12 13. Heb. 12. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 10. Iohn 16. 20. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Iob 13. 15. Iames 5. 11. Iob 1. 20. The godlies afflictions are short 2 Cor. 4. 17. Psal. 90. 9. Psal. 30. 5. and 125. 3. Isa 54. 7 8. Use. See Cap. 3. 17. Afflictions come by the wise disposing of Almighty God Use 1. Use 2. A quilification of their troubles Affliction tryeth whether we have Faith Iam. 1. 3. 2. Deut. 13. 3. 1 Cor. 11. 19. Mat. 4. 16. Heb. 3. 19. Use. How we may1 try our Faith Rom. 5. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 6 7. Luke 7. 47. Cant. 5. 8. 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Ioh. 14. 22. Psal. 103. 1. 1 Thes 5. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 6. Ier. 31. 18 19 Rom. 5. 8. Affliction â—â—â—eth whether our Faith be more or lesse then we take it Use. Affliction â—â—â—veth to purifie and encrease Faith Simile Simile Psal. 119. 67. 71. Ier. 31. 18. Simile 2 Cor. 4. 16. 1 Thess. 5. 16. Iam. 1. 2. 12. 2 Pet. 1. 1. Faith more precious then gold Iam. 1. 17. Tit. 1. 1. Iam. 5. 3. Use 1. Iam. 2. 5. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. Faith will be crowned at the last day Iames 1. 12. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Matth. 10. 32. Matth. 19. 28. 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. Use Rev. 21. 8. Mat. 5. 11 12. Phil. 1. 28. Rom. 8. 18. 2 Thess. 1. 7. Christ will come on the last day to Iudge the world Use 1. Use 2. Psal. 1. 5. Psal. 76. 7. Nah. 1. 6. The godly shall be publikely rewarded 1 Thess. 4. 1 10. Whereat Ministers should aym in commending their people Gal. 1. 10. Through faith we believe even things above the reach of our reason Heb. 11. 1 3. and 17. Gen. 17. 17. Rom. 4. 19 20. Heb. 11. 30. Luk. 1. 18 20. Gen. 18. 12. Ioh. 20. 25 29. Iohn 8. 56. Heb. 11. 27. Iob 19. 25. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Heb. 11. 26. Heb. 10. 34. and 11. 35. Use 1. 1 Cor. 15. 19. Use 2. Hab. 2. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 7. See D. Taylor on Acts 10. page 296. 2 Tim. 1. 12. Obj. Sol. Ioh. 20. 27. 1 Ioh. 1. 1. 1 Ioh. 4. 19. True love the fruit of faith Gal. 5. 6. 1 Ioh. 5. 1. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. 1 Ioh. 5. 1. How to try both our faith and love Psal. 97. 10. Ioh. 14. 15. and 15. 14. and 21. 15. 1 Ioh. 5. 3. Rev.
ordained most men to destruction then is his justice greater then his mercy We must not measure his justice and mercy by the number of the one or of the other for if there had been but one onely saved it had been as great mercy as his justice in condemning the rest for if but one had been saved it must have cost the death of the Lord Jesus such was our misery Now what a mercy it was that the eternal Son of God equal with the Father and in whom he was well pleased should not onely abase himself to our nature but to our infirmities yea to sorrows and great indignities nay to death yea a cursed death O who can express this love It was a wonder he did not rather suffer us all to perish then his Son to endure the least of these Then he hath ordained the means of their condemnation namely sin and so is the Author of sin True he ordained and decreed that there should be sin in the world as he did of the fall of Adam but not as is sin and evil but as whereby and out of which God draws glory to himself and it was necessary that there should he evil in the world as well as good that a way might be made for setting out Gods mercy in pardoning some and his justice in punishing it in others but so as the Lord is no way faulty He ordained willingly to permit it as it hath respect of good in it but as no actor of it He put no evil in Adam nor any man but onely willingly permitted his fall c. 2. This should and may stay our mindes when we see any great Professors and men of excellent parts fall away It s no other then that an Hypocrite and one that never was sound nor elect of God is now discovered and let none that can prove their election be overmuch troubled onely walk reverently but never be dismaid with deadly fear They fell because they were not elect and you being elect shall be therefore sure to stand and thus our Savior comforts his Disciples That none was lost but Judas who was the son of perdition so did Paul the Christians notwithstanding the revolting of Hymeneus Philetus Alexander c. If it were not for this what a deadly fear might this breed in weak Christians to see those so far their superiors in knowledge and gifts to fall away Thus of the first The second is this That This was of his own will and for no cause out of himself for the Lord infinite in wisdom and holiness needs not as man to fetch the reason of his purposes forth of himself He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth He doth all things according to the counsel of his own will Is it not said O Israel thy destruction is of thy self and He that beliveth not is condemned and Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Cursed be the mouth that saith not so even that every mans destruction is of himself and his own just desert but we must put a difference between the decree of God and the execution of it God condemneth no man upon his bare will but his own just desert Sin comes in between the decree of God and the execution of his Decree as the cause of Damnation If then it be asked Why is any man condemned For his sin But why did God decree to condemn any Because he would As no man is saved but by Faith in Christ and Sanctification of life which yet is not the cause why God appointed him to Salvation but because he would so there 's none condemned but for his sin yet God ordained him not thereto because of sin but because of his own will If any ask further and why would he That a note too high for man or angel to sing but there in humility we must rest and not put the Lord to render a reason of all his decrees or doings which even princes will not do to their subjects he raised up Pharaoh c. even because he would get glory out of him and by his means This condemneth the Opinion of foreseen works good or bad as of this because he foresaw some would be bad and refuse grace he therefore Reprobated them c. but God loved Jacob and hated Esau not onely before the had done good or evil but before there was any thinking of good or ill If foreseen sin be the cause of Reprobation then on the contrary foreseen grace of Election but the Epistle to the Ephesians sheweth the contrary hereof Faith and Sanctification followeth upon Election as fruits thereof therefore go not before as any causes so do Infidelity and impenitency follow after Reprobation If foreseen sin had been the cause of Reprobation then we should all have been refused for he could not see us but all sinners But as the blinde man was not so born for his own or Parents sin but that the work of God in curing him by a Word might be seen so was it in this business Thus of the second The third is this That The Lord hath done this most justly His will is a rule of Righteousness and he can do nothing but most holily and justly Is there unrighteousness with God God forbid Though we cannot see into the justness of it yet we ought to acknowledge it The Sun may shine and that brightly too though a blinde man see it not Man was made holy and having free-will by his willing sin lost his state and still sins willingly It seems cruelty in the Lord to appoint most part of mankinde to Destruction He did it not as ayming at their Damnation but at his own glory which is more to be regarded then all the World And shall the Clay say against the Potter Why hast thou made me thus and thus may not he do as he list So may not the Lord get glory by his own creatures which way he will And do men for their pleasure hunt the Hare and Partridge or kill not onely Flyes and baser creatures but also Fowls with their grins in like maner appointing Sheep Oxen c. for the slaughter and shall not the Lord have as much Soveraignty over men the work of his hands we cannot make a Fly or Flea yea it s more reason that the Lord should be glorified if he would with the Damnation of all mankinde then that the killing of a Hare nay a Fly should serve to the honor or pleasure of the greatest Potentate of the world What if he had ordained none to Salvation who had had cause to complain Besides with what patience bears he with them and their blaspheming of him every day What marvellous benefits and comfortable good things bestows he upon them houses lands wealth health peace who might destroy and send them to