is one heart in them to serve the Lord. Thirdly they are all governed by one booke of Lawes Fourthly they all enjoy the same priviledges in the communion of Saints even those before contained in this verse Fifthly they all enjoy the love of God they are his portion As Israel was his out of all the world so the godly are his and make all but one Nation In that all the godly are one Nation divers things may from thence be observed by way of use Use. First it should be very comfortable to all that are truly godly and so it should comfort them divers wayes First against the fewnesse of them that live in one place so against the reproach of the world for that reason For here they may know that if all the godly were together there would be no cause to despise them for their number Never such a Nation of men as they Secondly in the case of adversaries the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them They are a whole Nation of them they may be oppressed but they can never be utterly rooted out Thirdly in respect of their consanguinity with all the godly though they differ much in estate or condition yet wheresoever or howsoever they live they are all country-men they are all of one Nation the partition wall is broken downe All godly Christians whether Jewes or Gentiles are but one Nation Fourthly in respect of the government and protection of Christ over them Why cryest thou then O Christian Is there no King in Sion Secondly hence some use for instruction may be made For first wee may here learne to know no man after the flesh All other relations are swallowed up in this relation when thou art once converted thou needst not reckon of what country thou art or how descended for thou art now onely of the Christian nation All godly men should acknowledge no respects more than those are wrought in them by Christ. Secondly since Christians are all countrymen and seeing they are like the Jewes dispersed up and downe the world they should therefore be glad one of another and make much one of another and defend one another and relieve one another by all means of help and comfort Thirdly they should therefore observe the fashions of the godly and bee more strict to follow the manners of their nation wheresoever they come A peculiar people The Latines render the words of the originall Populus acquisitionis In the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word rendred peculiar signifies sometimes conservation or saving as Heb. 10.39 to the saving or conservation of the soule sometimes purchase as the Church was purchased by his blood Act. 20.28 sometimes possession or obtaining as Hee ordained us to the obtaining of salvation 1 Thess. 5.9 and the glory of Christ 2 Thess. 2.14 Neither do Interpreters agree about the attributing of what felicity the word imports For one would have the sense thus Populus acquisitionis that is the people he could gaine by intending thereby that the Apostle should say that the godly were the onely people that God could get any thing by Others would have it thus A people for obtaining that is of heaven and so the sense is 1 Thess. 5.9 that they are a people God hath set apart to obtaine heaven or to gaine more than any people Others thus A people of purchase that is such as were purchased viz. by the blood of Christ. And so the people of God were purchased out of the world by the blood of Christ and the Israelites were typically redeemed out of Egypt by the blood of the Lambe The godly are a people bought at a great price none ever so dearely ransomed But I take it as it is here rendred A peculiar people and so the word may intimate a double reason For first they are a peculiar people because God hath every way fashioned them for himselfe Secondly they are a peculiar people because they are his treasure yea all his treasure The godly comprehend all his gettings they are as it were all he hath And so Exod. 19. vers 6. may explaine it Use. The use may be partly for consolation and partly for instruction First it should exceedingly comfort the godly to know their acceptation with God they are in high favour with him they are his very Favourites And this should distinctly comfort them divers waies as first that God doth make so much account of them to love them as any covetous man can love his treasure Hence God is said to delight in them to rejoyce over them with joy and his mercy to them pleaseth him Secondly it should comfort them in respect of the suites they may obtaine from God Hee is rich to all that call upon him No King can doe so much for his Favourites as God can and will doe for his Gods favourites may aske whatsoever they will and be sure to have it and therefore it were a shame for them to be poore Thirdly the favourites of earthly Princes may lose all and fall into the Kings displeasure and so be undone for ever and goe out with singular disgrace and ruine but Gods Favourites have this priviledge they shall never lose the favour of God He will love them to the end Iob. 13.1 Nothing shall separate them from the love of God in Christ Rom. 8. ult God hath not appointed any of them to wrath but to the obtaining of salvation 1 Thess. 5.9 10. And all this should be the more comfortable because God respects no persons Every subject cannot be the Kings Favourite nor is every servant in Ordinary nor is every one that serves in the Chamber of presence or Privie-Chamber but in Gods Court all servants are Favourites and hee hath treasure enough to enrich them all and affection enough to love them all Secondly divers instructions may be here gathered for if we be Gods Favourites and his treasure it should teach us First to live comfortably even to live by faith to trust upon Gods favour for life and salvation nor need wee doubt our pardon nor question our preferment Secondly to live humbly to be ever ready to acknowledge that it was Gods free grace that hath raised them up from the very dunghill as it were to such high preferment we must confesse that we hold all from him we must humble our selves seeing we have this honour to walke with our God Pride is one of the first things destroyes the favourites of the world Thirdly to live holily denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and living religiously and soberly and righteously in this present world since he hath redeemed us to bee a people peculiar to himselfe wee should be zealous of good workes An exactnesse of living is required of such as must live in Princes presence and since God hath bought us at so deare a rate wee must not live to our selves but to him that died for us 2 Cor. 5.15 Tit. 2.12 14. Fourthly to submit
the case of prayer he is called a God that delighteth to heare prayer in the case of infirmities a God that takes away iniquity and passeth by transgression and in cases of great difficulty he is conceived of as Almighty and so forth Doct. 4. It is evident from hence that God is a Judge and this point is both terrible to the wicked and comfortable to the godly It is terrible to the wicked many waies First because he is Judge of all the world all must bee judged by him Gen. 18.25 Heb. 12.23 1 Sam. 2.10 He is not a Judge of some one circuit as Judges amongst men are Secondly because hee is a Judge that needs no evidence be brought in for hee knowes all causes and is witnesse himself Ier. 29.23 and so Judges among men are not Thirdly because he judgeth for all offences he tries the hearts and the reines as well as the words and works of men Psal. 7.9 11. Earthly Judges try malefactors but in one or some few cases Fourthly because hee hath Armies of executioners hee can call to the heavens or speake to the earth and have hostes of servants to doe his will and execute his judgements Dan. 7.9 10. Psal. 50.4 22. so as none can deliver out of his hands Fiftly because hee is Judge himselfe Psal. 50.6 and 75.8 He doth not doe justice by Deputies but will heare all cases himselfe Sixtly because his judgement is the last and highest judgement and therefore there lieth no appeale from it Seventhly because he can bring men to judgement without any warning hee standeth before the doore and often seizeth upon the offender without serving any writ or giving him any summons Iames 5.9 And therefore wicked men doe very foolishly that ruffle here in the world and lift up their hornes so high and speake with such a stiffe neck and walke on in their sinnes and injuries so securely Psal. 75.5 6 7 8. Againe if God be Judge it is comfortable to penitent sinners First because repentance will alter the judgement if it be after the fact and before the sentence even in such offences as deserve everlasting death as appeareth in the case of David and the Ninivites is notified to the world Act. 17.31 whereas earthly Judges must proceed in their judgement whether the parties be penitent or no. Again it is the more comfortable that God is Judge because all parties wronged or grieved may have accesse to God and put up their supplications at any time he is ready to be found and willing to hear which is seldome true of earthly Judges Thirdly because godly men know their sentence already God hath acquitted them by his Word and by his Sonne and by his Spirit and therefore they need not feare his last judgement Doct. 5. God will judge righteously Gods judgement is a most righteous judgement Psal. 9. 8. Rom. 2.5 2 Tim. 4.8 Hee is the righteous Judge by an excellency because there is no Judge but misseth it some way only Gods judgement is alwaies righteous and it must needs be so for many reasons First because he judgeth the high as well as the low Iob 21.22 Secondly because his judgement extendeth to every offender in the world Iude 15. Earthly Judges may punish some malefactors but they leave thousands of men that are as great as they I meane as great offenders as they as for other reasons it is because they cannot apprehend them Thirdly because he judgeth for the breach of most righteous Lawes Fourthly because he will take no gifts Iob 36.18 19. Fiftly because he hateth heartily what he condemnes severely so the day of judgement is called A day of wrath Rom. 2.5 whereas man may censure other men for such faults as they themselves commit or at least are not moved to the sentence simply out of the disliking of the fault Sixtly because he is not deceived with shewes and outward appearances but his judgement is according to truth Rom. 2.2 Seventhly because it is generall according to mens works 2 Cor. 5.10 Eighthly because in the day of his judgement hee will specially honour the righteous Rom. 2.7 c. Ninthly because when a man can have no justice from men hee shall be sure to have justice from God and this is especially here intended Tenthly because he doth not judge rashly but as we see after wonderfull patience and the many daies men have had of sinning he appoints his day of judging Uses The Uses may be divers for First it shewes the wofull case of wicked men that forget God and in the hardnesse of their hearts runne on in sinne and so heap up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.4 5. Secondly it should teach all men that have any care of themselves to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live godly and righteously and soberly in this present world Tit. 2.12 13. Thirdly it should be a singular comfort to all such as suffer wrongs and injuries in this world whether in their names or bodies or states or any way let them but be patient God will doe them justice as these places shew 2 Thes. 1.5 Psal. 4.5 Iam. 5.6 7 8. Iude 15. Doct. 6. It is the duty of Gods servants in all distresses to commit themselves and their causes to God and to his righteous providence and judgement This the example of Christ here shews us there is reason for it First because God requires we should doe so as these places shew Psal. 37.5 6. Prov. 16.3 1 Pet. 4. ult Secondly because it is not in man to direct his owne way Ier. 10.23 Thirdly because God never disappointed the trust of them that committed themselves to him Nabum 1.7 Pro. 16.3 The Use should be to teach us as we would shew our selves to beare the image of Christ and to be true Christians to practise this duty in all cases of wrong danger affliction or temptation But then withall when we have committed our cause to God we must remember these rules First never to use ill meanes to get out of distresse Esay 28.16 Secondly not to limit God but to let him doe whatsoever pleaseth him Thirdly not to be impatient or troubled but quiet our selves in God and waite and trust in him and if we finde any difficulties wee must then roule our way upon the Lord as the Psalmist saith Psal. 37.5 6 7. Fourthly we must acknowledge him in all our waies and give him glory when he doth us justice Pro. 3.6 Verse 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being delivered from sinne should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes you were healed HItherto of the manner of the suffering of Christ. Now follows in the fift place the matter he suffered viz. He bare our sinnes amplified by shewing how and that three waies first his own selfe secondly in his body thirdly on the tree He bare our sinnes Christ may be said to beare our
shall suffer for anothers workes further then he is some way 〈◊〉 of it But how can infants be iudged according to their works We understand not clearly how the proceedings shall be with infants it is evident that corruption of nature can make even infants children of 〈…〉 Psal. 51. and the covenant of God with the faithfull doth 〈◊〉 even their seed also Besides the Spirit of God doth supply externall works by internall sanctification in the elect infants But how shall poore men doe that are not able to doe good works It is an error to think that there are no good works but giving of almes For the obedience to Gods law in any commandement is a good worke works of piety to God are good works and so are the works of a particular calling It is a good worke to provide for a mans family and so to deale iustly with men is a good worke Besides there are many works of mercy which the poorest Christian may doe hee may pray for others or reprove or comfort or instruct c. The Uses may be collected out of the severall Scriptures where this doctrine is taught as 1. In Iob 7.2 We should long for that day seeing it is the day of paying wages 2. Iob 34.11 14 15 19 20 to 25. It should terrifie the mightiest sinners seeing God will not spare but without respect of persons iudge every mans works and if a temporall iudgment so affright all sorts as is reported Ezech. 7.27 how much more should this last iudgement 3. Psal. 62. ult We should daily think of this day of reckoning and not suffer any doubt against it For it will certainly be so 4. Prov. 24.12 Two things are inferred 1. That wee should not faint in the day of adversity 2. That without trifling we should doe good and shew mercy when we have occasion 5. The Prophet Ieremy useth this doctrine as a meanes to stirre up their hearts to a more awefull feare and admiration and adoration of that God whose eyes behold the waies of all men and whose iustice will reward according to their works 6. Our Saviour Christ useth it to excite the care of saving our soules and to work in us a contempt of life and this world and to deny our selves and take up our crosse and follow him Mat. 16.27 7. The Apostle Paul Rom. 2.7 useth this doctrine 1. To fright and terrifie three sorts of men viz. 1. Hypocrites ver 1 2 3. 2. Impenitent hard-hearted sinners ver 4 5. 3. Contentious and froward adversaries of well-doing ver 8. 2. To incourage the godly in all well-doing ver 9 10. 8. In the 2 Cor. 5.10 it serveth to inforce 1. Walking by faith ver 7. 2. Care to be accepted of God ver 9. 3. Desire to be absent from the flesh and present with the Lord ver 8. 4. Diligence in Ministers with all power to perswade with their hearers ver 11. 9. In the Eph. 6.8 9. it is used 1. To comfort servants 2. To warne masters ver 9. So it is also Col. 3.24 26. 10. In Rev. 22.11 12. it is used to upbraid the pertinacie of wicked men in sin and to incourage the godly in all perseverance in well-doing 11. Lastly you see how the Apostle make a use of it viz. that we should passe the time of our sojourning here in feare And thus of the doctrine of the second reason Paâ—e the time of your sojourning here in feare These word containe the inference or use of the former doctrine viz. it should imprint in us such a sense of our mortality as should stir up in us a daily care and feare in the spending of our time we are to live in the world These words aâ—firme fâ—ure things 1. That we are but sojourners 2. That we have but a time to sojourne 3. That this time passeth 4. That therefore we ought to spend the time in feare Sojourners This word may be taken either literally or mystically if it be taken literally it must be referred to the provinciall Jews so it may import two things 1. That Gods children in this life may be so driven from their native abodes that they may be compelled to live in strange places 2. That though the Lord suffer the Jewish Nation to be under a soâ—e dispersion for the time yet the time will come when they shall be gathered home together in great glory though now they are but sojourners But it is rather to be taken mystically and so it is to be referred to all the Elect who in respect of their absence from their heavenly Canaan are but soiourners at best in this world Heb. 11. Psal. 39. There may be some difference put betweene a home-dweller a stranger and a soiourner The dweller is perpetually resident and is at home The stranger staies but for a short time and is from home Now the soiourner differs from them both for he hath some setled abode but it is not at home as the dwellers is nor is it for so short a time as the strangers is Now if in this strict sense we should stand upon the words then in this world dwellers are no men strangers are wicked men and soiourners are godly men But it is evident that this word sojourner is taken promiscuously for any abode that is from home for Luke 24.18 it is taken for a stranger in the strictest sense and Act. 7.19 it is taken for a sojourner in the strictest sense But usually it is a word that notes the condition of the godly absent from their heavenly happinesse and imports an allusion to the childrenof Israel living in Aegypt absent from Canaan and so our Aegypt is the world our Canaan is heaven our soiourning is our entertainment in this world The world is like Aegypt and our entertainment like the children of Israel in Aegypt For 1. Pharaoh the Devill doth with all cruelties oppresse the gâ—dly 2. As Aegypt was full of enchaunters so is the world 3. As Aegypt abounded with superstitions so doth the world with ignâ—rance and all sorts of vaine observations â—ut the similitude will more appeare in the use The consideration of this that the godly are in this world as Israel soiourning in Aegypt may afford both matter of Instruction and matter of Consolation For Instruction it should teach us divers duties 1. Not to seeke unto our selves great things in this world Ier. 46. 2. To study to be quiet and meddle with the world no more then wee must needs 3. To please our selves or rest in no prosperity but to expect alteratiâ—â— never trusting the favour of the Aegyptians the men or this world For thâ—y will change 4. To have recourse to the promises of a better life and live by faith and wait for the time of our changing 5. Live separate from the conversation of worldly men as Israel did in Goshen 6. Endure much with patience and commit all to God Secondly this similitude imports
are immortall Sometimes it signifieth an everlasting happy being from which a man cannot fall and so the godly are immortall and so their immortality differs from that of Adam also for he was immortall that is such as might have continued happy for ever and might also not continue The first kind of immortality begins at birth the second at new birth of which he intreats here These words must be considered in their coherence and in themselves In the coherence both with the 13. verse and with the former As they depend upon the 13. verse they are a fift reason why wee should regard those three things viz. because our soules are immortall For if wee soundly consider of it it evidently followes 1. That therefore we should gird up the loines of our minds and get established our celestiall cogitations and resolutions as such as still mind an eternall being and therefore will strive against all impediments which might hold us downe 2. That therefore we should be wonderfull temperate in the use of earthly things seeing these serve not unto immortality 3. That therefore we should with all industry make sure all those evidences of hope concerning the grace to be brought unto us in the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now as these words depend upon the former verse they confirme us in the love of the brethren we should therefore love them fervently and purely because we are borne together as heires of the same hope and must live together for ever in another world Looke not upon the godly according to their birth but according to their new birth nor according to their present condition but according to the happinesse they are born to and the fellowship thou shalt have with them in another world The words of themselves intreat of immortality two waies First in respect of the fountaine Secondly in respect of the meanes of it The fountain of immortality is the new birth The meanes is set downe negatively and affirmatively Negatively it is not corruptible seed Affirmatively it is the incorruptible seed which is expounded to be by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Borne againe Being turned unto God by true faith and repentance A metaphoricall tearâ—e We are borne againe foure waies 1. Sacramentally by Baptisme 2. Spiritually by the Word 3. Corporally in the Resurrection 4. Eternally in our Glorification Quest. But why is our repentance likened to a new birth Answ. To distinguish true repentance from that which is false and fained for it imports five differences 1. That in true repentance there is an utter disclaiming of all happinesse in a naturall life or what doth or can belong unto it 2. That in true repentance there is a totall change in the whole nature of man He hath grace in every part a new mind and a new heart a new memory and a new conscience a new language and a new carriage both to God and man for birth is the producing of all essentiall parts of man 3. That in true repentance there is the paine of contrition a broken spirit the throwes and paines of travaile there is true godly sorrow and griefe in the birth of grace 4. That there is in true repentance a daily hunger and thirst after the sincere mild of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 5. That in the things of Gods Kingdome there is new life and sense and feeling and motion Secondly to shew the priviledge of the penitent For it signifies he gets more by his new birth then any child in nature can doe by pleading his birth-right For if in repentance we be borne unto God then it shewes 1. That we have received power to be the sons of God Ioh. 1.2 2. That with our adoption we enjoy the priviledges of sons 1. The favour of God as a father 2. The care of God to mainâ—aâ—eus Mat. 6.33 3. The pardon of God in saving us from condemnation Rom. 8.1 4. The portion of God even the inheritance which God gives as a Father which is spoken of Rom. 8.17 Gal. 4.7 The Use should be twofold 1. That wee try ourselves carefully in the businesse of our repentance by the former signes and secondly that we comfort our selves in the priviledges of our new birth rejoycing in our portion and the favour of our heavenly Father And thus of the reason of the phrase Concerning the new birth here we have occasion to consider of 2. things 1. That it is needfull often to be remembred of the doctrine of regeneration the Apostle having spoken of it before falls upon it here againe There is great need that men should be put in mind of it often for divers respects 1. Because of the extreame necessity of it and the unspeakable danger if it be neglected Ioh. 3.5 Gal. 6.15 2 Cor. 5.17 Luke 13.5 2. Because of the dignity of it It is a second creation of as great fame and wonder as the making of the world therefore Christ is called the beginning of the creation of God Rev. 3.14 3. Because of the marveilous impediments with which men are hindred from the effectuall indevour after it such as are 1. Extremity of blindnesse A Ruler in Israel knowes not what it is unlesse it be to goe into his mothers wombe againe This is still the case of the most 2. Evill opinions about it as 1. That it needs it not God made them and therefore will save them yet as Ioh. 3.5 2. That Baptisme did it yet but a seale Rom. 4.11 3. That a civill life is it yet as Mat. 5.20 4. That the purpose of it hereafter will serve 3. Forgetfulnesse the doctrine runs out Heb. 2.1 the heart is so weak and impotent in keeping alive the sparks of resolution and remorse and desire 4. Prejudice that lieth in the minds of many in respects of the reproches lie upon such as teach it or practice it It could not be but we should be more respected in this doctrine were it not that many of you have strange opinions of us the truth of which you seeke not to be resolved in 5. A dumbe devill many have throws and give over will not propound their doubts nor seeke directions 6. The marveilous pleading of the world sinne and Sathan that they might not be cast out or forsaken especially the unspeakable methods of Sathan 7. The lethargie of the soule which appeares in such as cannot leave sinne that is hatefull hurtfull to themselves even grosse sinnes as wee see 4. Because it may be a meanes of conversion to such as are not yet converted The opening of the doctrine may open a way unto Christ into their hearts Who knowes what and when God will worke And it is certain the work is done more easily and successefully when we goe about it while the doctrine is fresh in our memories 5. Because of the excellent use of it both 1. For consolation for this doctrine comforts 1. Against the fiery darts of the devill Eph. 6. that
measure of true appetite to the word may be discerned by some of these signes that follow First it is a signe that we doe heartily love the word when wee can from our hearts love and blesse them that doe love the word accounting them happy for their very love to the word Psal. 119.1.12 Secondly it is a sign of desire after the word when we can stick to the word and the constant frequenting of it notwithstanding the scornes and shame of the world Psal. 119.31.46 141. It is a sure testimony of our love to the Gospell when we can forsake father and mother brother and sister house and land for the Gospels sake Mark 10.29 Thirdly It is a signe of love to the word and of desire after it when we can mourne for the famine of the word as a bitter crosse Psal. 42.3.4 Fourthly Yea when men have the word and yet find not comfort in it it is a signe of their true affection when they long for those comforts with heavinesse of heart and account themselves in an uncomfortable distresse yea bitter distresse till the Lord returne to them in his person in the power of the meanes Psal. 119.82 83 123 131. Fiftly It is a signe we love the word when such as feare God are glad of us it is a signe that the Godly doe discerne appetite in us though we do not when they are tenderly affected toward us Psal. 119 74. Sixtly We may know our affection to the word by our willingnesse to be ruled by it if we can make the word our Counseller it is sure we do delight in it whatsoever we conceive of our selves Psal. 119 24. Lastly to strive against our dulnesse constantly and to pray to be quickned is a good signe that we have some desire to the word One may love Gods precepts and yet need to be quickned Psal. 119.159 Vse 2. Secondly this doctrine of desire and appetite after the word may much humble the most of us some being altogether void of all desire after it more then for fashion sake and the better sort have their appetites either dull or decayed Quest. Whence comes it that people have no more affection to the word or that men are so cloyed with the word Ans. The lets of appetite and affection to the word may bee considered two wayes First as they are without us Secondly as they are within us Without us the cause of want of affection is sometimes in the Minister sometimes in the Divell sometimes in the company men sort withall and sometimes in God himselfe 1. In Ministers there are two things which marvelously hinder the admiration and desire after the word The first is the manner of their teaching when they teach unskilfully deceitfully vaingloriously negligently or coldly When there is not a majesty and purity and life in the teacher it is no wonder if there be no affection in the people 2. Cor. 4 2. 1. Thessa. 2. 2 3 4 6 8. 1. Cor. 2.4 2. Tim. 2 15. The second is their ill lives What made the people in Elies time so loath the service of God but the wicked lives of Hophnâ— and Phineas 1. Sam. 3. Ministers must teach by example as well as by doctrine if they will not be despised 1 Tim 4 12. 2. The Divell that god of this world doth mightily labour in this point to keepe men from affecting the Gospell If he cannot hinder men from hearing then his next worke is by all possible indeavours to blinde their mindes and marre their tastes that they may not perceive nor regard the glorious things of God in Christ 2. Cor 4.4 3. Evill company is a wonderfull impediment it causeth perpetually hardnesse of heart and carelesness it keepes the hearts of the wicked men in a continuall habituall deadnesse and the best men seldome light into prophane company but they get some degree of dulnesse and deadnesse of affections by it Prov. 9.6 Psal. 119.115 4. God himselfe being provoked by mans extreame wilfulnesse in sinning gives them over to a spirit of slumber and curseth their very blessings yea restraineth sometimes the very gifts of his servants that so hee may execute his judgements upon a rebellious people The Lord hideth his statutes from them and with-holding his spirit keeps backe the life of the word in their hearts Esay 6.10 Yea many times to scourge the unthankfulnesse and unprofitablenesse of his owne people he doth for a time hide his testimonies from them Psal. 119.19 Thus much of the lets without us The internall lets must be considered First in the wicked Secondly in the godly The cause of this heartlessenesse and want of affection in the wicked is First their ignorance they know not either the word or the worth of the word or their owne need of it Secondly their prophanenesse and irreligiousnesse they live without God or without Christ in the world they make no conscience of their wayes They forget their later end they mind not the good of their soules but only earthly things they never tasted of the bountifulnesse of the Lord but were altogether corrupt and strangers from the life of God only greedy in sinning Thirdly Atheisme there is in the hearts of all wicked men in some degree abominable conceits concerning God and his word They either doubt whether the Scriptures be the true word of God or else they are strongly carried to resolve there is no profit in the knowledge of Gods wayes or in serving the Almighty Iob. 21.14 Malac. 3.15 Fourthly Cares of life The love of the profits or pleasures of this life cheak the word and the power of it as is apparent by these places Matth. 13. Luke 14. Psal. 119.36 37 c. Fiftly In some eyther whoredome or wine for these two sinnes together or either of them take away mens hearts they are voide of all due consideration and of all affection to Gods word They are senselesse creatures Hosh. 4. Thus of the chiefe lets of the wicked The lets of affection in the godly are divers First Sometimes it is their worldlinesse their too much minding and plodding about the things of this life or their excessive burthening of their heads about their calling they have too much to do or they have too much care care I say that is distrustfull and câ—rking care Psal. 119.36 Secondly Sometimes it is want of comfortable fellowshippe in the Gospell Affection that is alone is seldome constant in the same degree There is much quickning and comfort and incitation in a constant and tender and profitable society with such as love the word Psalm 119. verse 63. Thirdly Sometimes it is some secret sinne that gets too much dominion over them As affection may stand with meere frailties and infirmities So on the other sidâ— if any sinne once get head and men yeeld to it and agree to obey it their affections to the word presently dye within them Psal. 119.133 Yea if this sinne be but in the
For if in all these senses it be a marvellous light then First we should be marvellously affected with it and strive to be exceeding thankfull for it How have wee deserved to be cast againe into darknesse for our extream unthankfulnesse How have we given God cause to take away the Candlesticke from us Let us therefore strive after thankfulnesse and admiration and if the Lord doe worke it in us let us take heed wee lose not our first love Secondly we should arme our selves for the defence of the light we should preserve it as a singular treasure both in our hearts and in our Churches wee should with the more resolution resist the works of darknesse standing alwaies upon our guard Rom. 13.12 Thirdly we should strive after all the degrees of the assurance of faith Fourthly we should strive to make our light shine the more excellently both for the measure of good workes Malac. 5.16 and for the strict and precise respect of the exact doing of good duties Now we have the light so cleerly shining wee may doe every thing more exactly than if it were darke Ephes. 5.15 Our gifts must not be hid The light must not be put under a bushell Matth. 5.15 Phil. 2.15 Wee should now avoid not onely greater faults and falls but lesser stumblings 1 Ioh. 2.10 11. We should do all things to the life and power of them and shew discretion aswell as knowledge This doctrine also doth imply the grievous misery of wicked men for if it bee marvellous light into which the godly are called there is a marvellous darknesse in which wicked men live The whole creation of God had beene but a confused heape if God had not set in it the light of the Sunne such a confused Chaos is the world of men if the Gospel shine not into their hearts Finally this should much comfort the godly they are called into marvellous light in all the senses before named which should much enflame their hearts and they should rebuke their owne hearts for not valuing so rich treasure We may from hence take occasion to note how little wee should trust to the judgement of flesh and blood in valuing spirituall things when the very godly themselves doe not so much esteeme of them as they should Whatsoever we thinke yet in Gods account the light of the Gospel the light of faith and knowledge the light of Gods countenance c. is marvellous light But if the light of the godly be marvellous in this world what shall it be in the world to come when God and the Lambe shall be their immediate light Here God lights us by the meanes there God himselfe will bee our everlasting light Here our light may bee darkened with clouds of affliction and temptation there shall be an eternall light without all darknesse Here wee have no light but what is infused into us there we shall our selves shine as the Sunne in the firmament Hitherto of the description in Tropicall termes Now it followes in plaine words VERS 10. Which in times past were not a people yet are now the people of God which in times past were not under mercy but now have obtained mercy THe Apostle takes the words of this verse out of the Prophet Hosea chap. 1.11 where the Lord promiseth that the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea and in the place where was it said unto them Ye are not my people it shall be said unto them Ye are my people Now the Apostle applies that sentence to the people to whom he wrote shewing that it was accomplished in them Quest. The question is of whom the Prophet and Apostle spake Ans. Some say of the Israelites in the letter both because the same chapter shewes that they were cast off and called Loammi not Gods people as also because the Apostle is thought to write onely to the Jewes But the Apostle Paul Ro. 9.24 25 26. apparently expounds it of the Gentiles chiefly and therefore wee must rest in his sense which by the way shewes that this Epistle was written to the Elect amongst the Gentiles as they were strangers and pilgrims in the world and not to the provinciall Jewes onely The Apostle then to the singular comfort of Christians in those times shewes that now were the Prophesies accomplished concerning the calling of the Gentiles which was before a great mystery hidden from ages and generations Col. 1.26 admired by Angels Eph. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.12 Before I open the words of this verse in particular some use would be made of this great worke of calling the Gentiles and so from the consideration of their estate both before and after calling And first for the meditation of the estate of the world or the Nations of the world before Christ preached unto them note First the horrible infectiousnesse of sinne whole worlds of people are poysoned with it Secondly the dreadfull horrour of Gods Justice against sinne which as we may see plainly in the sufferings of Christ so also very lively in the desertion and forsaking of the Gentiles so many millions of men perishing without pardon or pity and therefore it was never safe to follow a multitude in evill nor to pleade the practice of fathers or forefathers with such like And for the meditation of their calling againe in Christ by the Gospel wee may gather matter First of information and so first that God is not tied to any place If Israel after the flesh will not serve him hee will raise up children unto Abraham from among the Gentiles Mat. 21.43 Secondly that the Church of Christ is now Catholicke of all Nations and therefore Christs Kingdome is the largest Kingdome in the world and the glory of it must not be restrained to Rome or any one place Secondly of consolation for here we may observe First the infallibility of Gods promises these promises concerne the calling of the Gentiles as being dead and were most unlikely and yet wee see them fulfilled which should teach us to trust upon God Secondly the wisdome and power of God working light out of darknesse The rebellion of the Jewes is so farre from laying Sion waste or dissolving Religion that it is an occasion of a greater worke of God among the Gentiles yea when profanenesse seemes to over-grow all and the whole world seemes to live in wickednesse yet wee know not what times may come for the glory of Religion among Jewes and Gentiles Thirdly Gods wonderfull love to his Elect hee will gather them from all the foure windes of heaven Though they be few in number in comparison and live dispersed in every Country yet God the great Husbandman will not want meanes to fetch them home into his garner A husbandman that had all his field growne over with weeds save here and there one graine of corne on a land would never be at the paines of gathering and separating yet God will Fourthly the great encouragement that
speed better than the Apostles who in all places left thousands of people that would not regard them nor their Ministeries 2. Tim. 2.25 26. Lastly we should learne even of wicked men how wee should entertaine the truth for if it bee so hard a matter to get men to change their minds when they hold grosse errors and falshood how ought we to stick to the truth when wee have received it and not receive any other doctrine though an Angell from heaven should teach us otherwise than is written in the Word of God Gal. 1.7 Doct. 2. Wee may hence also note that God is pleased to suffer his children in this life to live amongst wicked men A godly man can live no where but there are some wicked living there the Tares will grow up with the Wheate There may be divers reasons assigned of this why God doth not gather his people altogether from the places where wicked men dwell as first God doth hereby try his people whether they will forsake the inticements of the wicked and cleave to him and his truth the more by-waies there are the more prayse to him that keepes the right way Secondly God doth by the wicked many times refine and purifie his servants by reason of the wicked he both keeps them cleane and if they gather any filth by them he washeth them Wicked men are many times God's Laundresses to godly men for if God appoint them to chasten his servants they will doe it throughly both by reproaches and other waies Thirdly the Kingdome of Christ must bee set up among wicked men because amongst them are many of God's Elect which are in due time to bee converted from their wickednesse Fourthly hereby the power of Christ is magnified that can set up and maintaine his Scepter in the middest of his enemies Fiftly by this course God's patience is prolonged for God is pleased for the godlie's sakes to forbeare those destroying judgements which else would fall upon the wicked The use should be to teach us to beare with patience the inconveniences which befall us in our places and callings by reason of the neighbourhood of wicked men as knowing that it is the condition of all the godly and hath alwaies beene so and is so in all places and therefore to resolve with our selves rather to learne how to carry our selves fairely and honestly among them than through impatience without calling to shift our places or without charity to make any schisme or rent in the Church Secondly since on earth it will be no better with us in respect of our habitation we should therefore learne the more to desire to be in heaven where all the people shall be righteous since there is so much unrighteousnesse in this Wourld we should long for these new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse We should be the more thankfull if God ease us in any degree of the molestations of wicked men either ridding out manifest Idolaters Pagans or Papists or restrayning those that are with us from unquietnesse and tumult and daily slander or comforting us with a large fellowship of the godly Fourthly it should teach us circumspection seeing the dayes are evill both to hold forth our owne light in the midst of their darkenes to take heed that we trust not every man nor beleeve every thing a holy reservednesse will become this Doctrine Fiftly the zeal of Gods house should the more overcome us to strive to winne men to God and provoke them as wee have occasion and ability to the love of God and the true Religion Sixtly we should cleave the faster to the society of the godly and strive together and contend for the faith seeing that we are alwaies in the midst of our enemies Lastly it may bee a great comfort to such as can quiet themselves well towards wicked men that can keepe their way and be still upright and undefiled that can also keepe peace and winne love from their very enemies that can doe valiantly in the winning men to the liking of Religion for their sakes To bee good among the good is not singular but to bee evill among the good is abominable and so is it an admirable prayse to be good among the evill Doct. 3. That in some cases the conversation of a Christian may extend it selfe even to wicked men Someone will say We are forbidden conversation with them how then can wee converse with them Ans. First our conversation may reach unto them by fame or report so the Christians conversed among the Gentiles in that what they did was discoursed of among the Gentiles But this is not all for in some cases we may goe among them lawfully even into their presence and company as first in case of negotiation in things of necessitie as trade publike service or the like Secondly in case of naturall or civill obligation to them as children wives servants subjects may not withdraw their attendance or service from them but may and must converse with them Thirdly in case of Religion men that intend to admonish confute perswade or winne them to the love of Religion may for that end converse with them But then two cautions must be observed first that the party that would so converse with them must be able to admonish or confute c. Secondly such an end must not bee made a pretence onely to cover needelesse society with them Lastly a difference must be put betweene the open enemies of God and such as give some hope of inclination to Religion though yet they be not manifestly religious There are some persons that are inoffensive so as they are not guily of any grosse and open crime and seeme to favour Religion and the exercises thereof and doe desire the society of the godly and take no pleasure in evill company now we must beware that we judge not rashly of these to account them as Gentiles and such as are without and with these wee may hold more sure society Doct. 4. It may be lastly hence observed That to convince or winne the Gentiles honesty of conversation is chiefly to be respected honesty I say not Religion To shew the practice of religious duties before them is a way to irritate them they must bee beaten with their owne weapons and overcome in the things they professe to bee good The way to amaze them that are without is to shew that religion formes in us such things as they confesse to be good yet cannot come to or not in such a manner or degree such as are faithfulnes chastity meekenes wisedome taciturnity mercy or the like The use should bee therefore to teach godly Christians in the places where they live to looke to this point not onely to live without offence but to strive to excell in the vertues that concerne outward honesty of life And to this end it were excellent if Christians would marke in what things the men of the world where they live doe strive to excell
curing it and putting life into it by sprinkling it with the bloud of Christ and love infusing or rather inflaming it with the heat of life All these things are requisite though I stand not upon the precise order of the working of every one of these Thus how conscience may bee made good Now I might adde a direction or two how conscience may doe her worke aright that is a good conscience and not doe ill offices in the soule Two things I say are of great use for the guiding of a good conscience First that in all her proceedings she must follow the warrant of Gods word Secondly that she doe not mistake in judging of particular actions she must bee sufficiently informed about our Christian liberty for unlesse the conscience discerne that wee are freed from the malediction of the law and from the rigorous perfection of obedience and have restored unto us a free use of all things indifferent and the like shee may be over-busie and troublesome disquieting the heart and restraining the joyes should refresh and support a man Thus of the meanes how conscience may be made good the signes of a good conscience follow First by the opposition it makes against the remainders of sinne in the godly It maintaines a constant combating against the law of the members having at command the law of the minde It doth not only resist grosse evils but even the most secret corruptions in the heart of man This Paul discerned in himselfe Rom. 7. of doing God service Secondly by the manner of exacting of obedience for a good conscience First doth incline a man to doe good duties not by compulsion but a man shall find that he doth them by force of an internall principle in himself Secondly it cannot abide dead works a good conscience abhors all cold and carelesse or luke-warm or counterfeit serving of God it puts life into all good dutes it exacteth attendance upon God in doing them Heb. 9.14 Thirdly it more respecteth God than all the world or the man himselfe and therefore will compell a man to obey against profit and pleasure and liking of the world 2 Cor. 1.12 Fourthly it requires an universall obedience it would have all Gods commandements respected and therefore Paul saith I desired in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 The allowing of one sin shewes the depravation of the conscience if it bee a knowne sinne and still tolerated As one dead flie will spoyle a boxe of pretious oyntment I say one dead flie though many living flies may light upon a boxe of oyntment and do it no great hurt so a godly man may have many infirmities and yet his conscience be sound but if there be one corruption that lives and dies there that is such a corruption as is knowne and allowed and doth by custome continue there it will destroy the soundnesse of the best conscience of the world and doth usually argue a conscience that is not good Fiftly a good conscience doth require obedience alwaies thus Paul pleads I have served God till this day It doth not command for God by fits but constantly Acts 23.1 A third signe is that a good conscience is alwayes toward God it still desires to bee before God it seekes Gods presence it reckons that day to be lost and that it did not live as it were when it found not the Lord or had no fellowship or conversation with God A good conscience is like a good Angell it is alwayes looking into the face of God Acts 23.1 Thus of the signes The benefits of a good conscience are many and great for First it is the best companion a man hath all the daies of his life it is ever with him and speakes good unto him and comforts him A man that hath no company needs not to be alone for he may converse with much delight with his owne conscience and it is the surest friend a man can have for it will neither hurt him by flattery nor forsake him for any carnall respects and being an internall agent is out of the watch of all outward hinderances and is alwaies a messenger of good things to a man and fits him and fills him with peace that passeth all the understanding of all men that want a good conscience Secondly it gives a man assurance of the best treasures it makes a man certaine of his salvation for a good conscience will not be quiet till it know the love of God and the promises of grace in Christ and the assurance that conscience gives is a better assurance than any man can have for his lands or any estate on earth because it is so highly honoured that Gods owne Spirit doth not disdaine at any time to witnesse with it and to it Rom. 8.15 16. Thirdly by reason of that new acquaintance and affinity it hath with the holy Ghost it brings us into a familiar friendship with God as being an immediat Agent with the holy Ghost in all things that concerne us for Gods Spirit treates with the conscience and the conscience treates with the Soule Fourthly it is a continuall bulwarke against the divell and all his fiery darts whether he tempt us to sinne or to feare and doubting for so soone as the temptation is cast in a good-conscience by her reasoning presently throwes it out reserving principles both of precept and promise alwaies in a readinesse to that end so as by contrarious reasoning within us it both hinders us from yeelding to sin and supports us against all doubts and feares Prov. 28.1 Fiftly against all afflictions and disgraces and reproches of the world a good conscience still comforts a man and makes him rejoyce by the force of the testimony thereof 2 Cor. 1.14 So as it is most true that a good conscience is a continuall feast he never fares ill that hath a good conscience Psal. 7.8 Acts 24.16 Rom. 9.10 Sixtly and the greater is the comfort of a good conscience because it will comfort us and stand by us and for us when all other comforts faile It will never leave us in sicknesse or in death and so is better than a thousand friends or wives or children yea it will goe with us to the Judgement feat of Christ with this assurance that as a good conscience speakes to us now so will Christ speake to us at that day Rom. 2.16 Thus of the sorts or kindes of consciences The last point is about the bond of conscience what it is that can binde a mans conscience and the doubt ariseth from this and other Texts because here a servant is bound in conscience to submit himselfe to a froward master both to his command and to his punishments and other Scriptures speake of his obedience to superiours for conscience sake For answer hereunto we must know that God and his law have power simply and absolutely to binde conscience that is to urge it to require obedience of a man or to accuse
and preached hee received the Sacrament in a private chamber at night and gave it onely to Clergy-men and used unleavened bread c. Quest. But what rules are then left to ground our practice upon and how far are our consciences bound by examples and so by the example of Christ Answ. Examples and so the example of Christ binde us in the things hee did which were required by the morall Law or the Word of God For an example is but the illustration of a precept it is but like the seale to a blank if there be no precept Secondly in other things which Christ did not required by the Law we are so farre forth tied to follow his practice as hee hath for those specialties given himselfe a precept as here we are bound to suffer from others and for others if need require by the force of Christs example but so as it is specified that his example bindes in this and other things But where the Scripture doth not make use of his example there we are not boâ—nd in things indifferent iâ— their owne nature to follow any example out of necessity Verse 22.23 Who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth Who when he was reviled reviled not againe when be suffered bee threatned not but committed it to him that judgeth righteously HItherto of the end of Christs suffering the manner followes set down both negatively and affirmatively Negatively Hee suffered without sinne in this verse and without reviling in the next verse Affirmatively He committed himselfe and his cause to him that judgeth righteously He did no sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words of this verse doe commend the innocency of this our Saviour which doth much increase the price and value of his sufferings He suffered for the sinnes of others that never committed any sinne himself in thought word or deed and as he was innocent in all the course of his life so did hee beare his sufferings without fault and carried himselfe so as no man could finde any just occasion against him The first thing affirmed of Christ to shew his innocency is that hee did no sinne In the Originall it is expressed by a word of great force which signifies to make or frame or fashion with art or to make sinne and it may be rendâ—ed as I conceive more fitly He 〈◊〉 sinne To make sinne being a phrase somewhat unusuall the sense is to be 〈◊〉 red into Now a man may be said to make sinne many waies First when a man 〈◊〉 and commits a sinne never heard of before Thus Onan made that sin of filthinesse Thus the Sodomites and Gentilish men and women made sinnes of lust Thus drunkards make strange kindes of drinkings Thus the 〈…〉 of our times 〈◊〉 the sinnes of strange apparell And thus the Papists make that horrible sin of murthering of 〈…〉 And thus swearers now make their monstruous oaths Secondly when a man sinnes having not so much as temptation to sinne in himselfe or pronenesse of nature to sinne and so he sinnes that sinnes wilfully and not by infirmitie or weaknesse of nature Thus Adam made the first sinne for he had no corruption of nature to intice him or incline him nor could any temptation from without compell him but he sinned wilfully Thus those men of bloud make sin that kill their brethren in cold bloud And so many whoremongers and drunkards make sinne when they are not inticed but intice themselves and strive by all meanes to fire and force themselves to wickednesse And thus swearers and usurers and such like make sinne Thirdly when a man commits such a sinne as other men condemne by the very light of nature though he doe it by corrupt inclination or though it bee sinne which others commit so to make sinne is to be a malefactor or one that is guilty of any grosse sinne Fourthly when a man studies mischiefe and sinnes not suddenly but imagines and deviseth and forecasts and plots how to compasse his sinne and thus all wicked men make sinne because they sinne not suddenly or by meere frailty but doe study iniquitie every wicked man is a great student Psal. 36.4 Fiftly when a man causeth others to sinne by evill counsell or example or compulsion Thus Tyrants made sinne that forced men to deny the faith and thus they make sinne that make their neighbours drunke and thus Stage-plaiers and Minstrels make sinne that call and provoke others to licentiousnesse and wantonnesse and thus superiours make sinne when by their evill example or negligence in not punishing offences they tempt others to sinne Sixtly when a man makes a trade of sinning and thus men are said in Scripture to bee workers of iniquity which is a Periphrasis of wicked men Now he that is said to make a trade of sinne or to bee a worker of iniquity first is one that makes it his daily custome to follow his sinfull course of life or that followes sinne as the trades-man doth his trade Secondly that cannot live without his sinne that accounts his sinne the life of his life that had as liefe be dead as restrained of his sinne as the trades-man accounts himselfe undone if his trade be destroyed Seventhly when a man calls good evill and evill good when a man makes that to bee a sinne which is no sinne Thus they make sinne that call those things sinne which God by his Law never called sinne and thus men make sinne both out of superstition on the left hand and out of rash zeale on the right hand thus also profane persons make godlinesse and a body conversation to be Schismes and truth to be Heresie thus the Jewes called Pauls religious course Heresie when he by that way which they called Heresie worshipped the God of his fathers and the Professors of Christian Religion they called a Sect Acts. 2â— Isa. 5.20 Thus Lawyers many times make sinnes when they make a good cause bad and a bad cause good Eightly when a man by slander casts foule aspersions upon other men that are innocent speaking evill with any manner of evill report of such as live religiously And this art of making sinne the slanderer learned of the divell that accuser of the brethren Thus many godly persons are many 〈◊〉 by wicked reports made grosse offenders in the common acceptation of the world and in the rumours speed abroad of them in many places Thus they made Christ and the Apostles grievous sinners and a spectacle to men and Angels Ninthly when a man in adversity deviseth 〈…〉 to get out of trouble or deliver himselfe from the crosse is laid upon him And this sense may in some sort be applyed to the case of our Saviour who never used ill meanes to deliver himselfe though he suffered extreme things Lastly in a generall sense every man that is guilty of sinne may be said to make sinne And so it is commonly by way of removall said of Christ that he made no sinne that is
they desire to be as pure as he would have them to be 3. Sound mortification and judging of our selves for what impurity we finde cleave to our workes 't is Christian perfection to judge our selves for our imperfections 1 Iohn 3 3. 4. Freedome from the grosse impurities and vices and vanities of the time God accounts us pure when our spot is not as the spots of the wicked and when we are not infected with the corruptions which are usually in the world 1 Tim. 5.22 2 Pet. 1.4 5. Freedome from the reigne of hypocrisie in the heart and from hypocriticall courses in the life Thus Saint Iames accounts the heart to be pure when men are not double minded Iames 4.8 And in conversation he is a pure man that is like Iacob a plaine man without fraud trickes or dissimulation 6. Precisenesse circumspection or exactnesse of conversation when a man sheweth respect to all Gods Commandements and makes conscience to avoide lesser sins as well as greater Eph. 5.15 Mat. 5.19 7. Devoutnesse and zeale in matters of religion and Gods worship and glory and so a pure conversation is a religious conversation that expresseth zeale and conscience in the things of Gods service in a speciall manner seeking Gods Kingdome first and above all other things 2 Tim. 2.22 Titus 2.14 8. Chastitie in keeping the heart and life cleane from the impurities condemned in the seventh Commandement is one great part of Christian purity But before I come to entreat of chastity in particular I would apply this doctrine of purity in generall first to the Text and then to the times As for the Text a pure conversation is here considered only so far as it may fall into the observation of carnall men and so it comprehends of the former senses chiefly inoffensivenesse separation from impure men freedome from grosse impurities and dissimulation a Christian and wise strictnesse of life and devoutnesse and well ordered zeale in matters of religion Use. Now for the Use of it If these be applied to these times it shewes first how wicked and profane those sorts of people are who reproach godly men for the care and practice of these things as if to be a Puritane even in these senses were to be some vile man not worthy to live amongst men Secondly it shewes that worlds of people that beare the name of Christians are not true Christians because their conversations are not pure for their swearing or drunkennesse or whoredomes or sins of deceit or dissimulation or fashioning themselves to this world or the liberty they take to live as they list testifies against them to their faces that their workes are not pure and therefore unlesse they repent they will all perish Rev. 3.1 2. and the rather because they cause by their evill lives not only the hearts of the good to be grieved but the mouthes of the enemies of religion to be opened to blaspheme Thirdly godly men that find these cares in them should comfort themselves much in the testimonies of their owne consciences and the gracious acceptation of God who will shew himselfe pure with them that are pure 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal. 18. Thus of Purity in generall Now of Chastity as a part of a pure conversation and it may well be that which is chiefly here intended Chastitie is either of the mind or of the body and it is a most certaine truth that God requires a chaste minde as well as a chaste body and doth forbid unchaste thoughts and desires aâ— well as unchaste words or deeds For unchaste thoughts and desires are first foolish and noisome 1 Tim. 6.9 secondly they hinder the power of religion and true knowledge and grace 2 Timâ— 4 thirdly they fight against the soule 1 Pet. 2.11 A man were as good have his body wounded with weapons as his soule wounded with lusts fourthly they cause many times many and monstrous sins in the life which arise at first from the nourishing of soule desires and thoughts in the heart The wickednesse that was in the lives of the Gentiles did in many of them spring from the lâ—sts which they harboured in their hearts Rom. 1. lastly if men repent not of them in time they will drowne them in perdition 1 Tim. 1.9 But it is the chastitie of the body which is especially here intended our Saviour Christ divides those chaste persons into three sorts some are termed Eunuches from their mothers wombe and so are disabled for bodily fornication some are made so by other men who by violence for their owne service made some men Eunuches Now the third sort are they that made themselves Eunuches for the kingdome of Heavens sake Of this third sort are all chaste persons who by a godly care and watchfulnesse keepe themselves from the sinnes of filthinesse as well as naturall Eunuches doe Mat. 19.12 Now these persons that are made chaste for the kingdome of Heavens sake are either single persons or married persons of chastity in single persons other Scriptures intreat as 1 Cor. 7. of chastity in married persons this place intreats Now this vertue of chastity is of purpose imposed upon godly Christians by the Apostle because the sins of fornication were so rife and common among the Gentiles who oftentimes defended their filthinesse to be either no sin or a very small sin But before I come to speake of chastity in particular some doctrines would be in generall observed as first Doct. 1. A godly Christian must shew the proofe of his religion especially in keeping himselfe free from the sins that are most common and rife in the world and even the more sinne abounds in the world the more strict they should be in resisting sinne as here even the more filthy the lives of others were the more chaste should the conversation of godly Christians be because their love to God should constraine them the more to be zealous for his glory by how much the more God is dishonoured by other men and because they are flatly forbidden to follow a multitude to sin and because God hath chosen them out of all other sorts of men to beare his name and to hold forth the light of the Word in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation and because thereby the conscience of wicked men may be the more effectually convinced and prepared to repentance Thus Lot is righteous in Sodome and Ioshua and his house will serve the Lord though all the Nation serve Idols This point as it should inflame the zeale of the godly to contend for the truth the more earnestly and to resist all the vices of the time so it shewes that they can hardly have any truth of grace in them that are so easily borne downe with the streame of evill example and are so apt to follow the fashion of the world Doct. 2. Chastity may be in married persons as well as in single persons as here wives are said to be chaste in conversation though they with-hold not
they live Prov. 24.11 12. But judgement mercilesse shall be to them that shew no mercy Iam. 2.13 4. Divers of the better sort are to bee rebuked about this point many Christians spend a great deale of zâ—ale about lesser matters and in the meane time neglect the greater things of the Law such as are judgement and mercy for few Christians are sufficiently instructed or inflamed in the estimation of the worth of the workes of mercy or the necessitie of them to the glorifying of God and the profession of Religion Matth. 23.23 Secondly for instruction and so this doctrine should worke in us a great impression of desire to shew forth the fruits of mercie with all tendernesse and sinceritie and to this end we should shew that we desire in practise to obey this doctrine as neere as we can I say we should shew it by accepting the exhortations of others that move us for any workes of this kind 2 Cor. 8.17 especially we should strive to answer the expectation of our Teachers herein and willingly give our selves first to the Lord and then to them suffering them to direct our workes herein with all readinesse 2 Cor. 8.5 24. and to this end we should use all good meanes to stirre up our selves to good workes of this kinde all our dayes and therefore we should plow up the fallow ground of our hearts by prayer and confession of our naturall barrennesse herein and indisposition Hos. 10.12 and withall thinke much of all the motives might stirre us up hereunto And so we should thinke of the matchlesse patterne of Gods mercy and in particular of his mercy to us Mat. 5. Luke 6. as also of the worth of mercy it is better than sacrifice Mat. 9.13 and of the originall of it God is the father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 and of the use of it it proves us to be the true brethren and true neighbours Luke 10.37 and of the great profit of it for they that are mercifull shall obtaine mercy Mat. 5.7 and to give to the poore is but to lend to the Lord and so there is no usury can be so gainfull as this of laying out of our estates for the reliefe of the poore Thus of the right bowels of mercy Be courteous Courtesie is the fift thing required in our conversation one towards another This is exacted in other Scriptures as Eph. 4. ult Tit. 3.2 Col. 3.12 this is called by the title of comitie and kindnesse Now that we may know distinctly what is meant by courtesie I will shew both what it comprehends and what it hath not in it It comprehends divers things as 1. A willing saluting of those Christians we meet 2. A conversation void of harshnesse sullennesse intractablenesse scornfulnesse clownishnesse churlishnesse desperatenesse or hardnesse to please 3. In matters of offence it makes the fairest interpretations and forgives heartily and cheerefully Eph. 4.32 4. In entertainement it is free and hearty and loving Acts 28.7 5. In hearing others speake it is patient and willing Acts 24.4 6. In giving honour it preferreth others almost of all sorts 7. In moderating authoritie over inferiours so as to be better towards them than they can require Thus of the courtesie of the Master to his Servants 1 Pet. 2.18 But yet we must know that under pretence of courtesie we must not hold needlesse conversation with the wicked nor any way countenance or honour open and notorious offenders nor use a promiscuous respect of good and bad all alike nor unadvisedly contract any speciall familiaritie or friendship with persons unequall or unmeet nor rashly discover secret things to all we meet withall The use should be to teach all Christians to make conscience of this vertue seeing God requires courtesie as well as pietie and the contrary causeth the good way of God to be evill spoken of And besides the Apostle imports here that a courteous conversation may preserve us from many troubles But yet let men be againe warned not to rest in meere complements and outward formalities but practise such a courtesie as is joined with the right bowells of mercy and good workes which may be observed from the coherence Especially let all true Christians abhorre that dissimulation that men should salute willingly and speake faire and use men with great kindnesse and yet plot malice and mischiefe in their hearts and speake evill behind mens backs and secretly labour to subvert other men who are deceived by their complement and mistrust not their envie or malice and withall men should avoid complementing with others when it is for the compassing of their owne ends especially when they are sinfull as was the practise of Absolon when he aspired to the kingdome And thus of the directions the Apostle gives for the avoiding of trouble as they concerne our conversation towards the godly Vers. 9. Not rendring evill for evill or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing REnder not evill for evill Now followes the directions for our carriages to wicked or unreasonable and injurious men and so if we would live in peace and out of trouble we must take heed that wee be not provoked by them to revenge or reviling Where observe 1. That wicked men are naturally bent to doe evill and to be injurious and to revile others especially the godly Psalm 36.3 4. Destruction and misery are in their waies and the way of peace they have not knowne and their throat is an open sepulchre their mouthes are full of cursing and bitternesse the poyson of Aspes is under their lippes Rom. 3.13 14 16 17. The use should be therefore to teach godly men to provide for it wheresoever they live in this world they must looke for it to be abused and reproached they may thinke to live safely in a wildernesse as well as to live without receiving injury from carnall and profane men God can restraine the very Lyons that they should not fall upon Daniel and hee can cast a feare upon the wicked that they shall not attempt injury against the godly but though God doe thus at sometimes yet he will not be bound alwaies to doe it Secondly this should teach such as desire to live in safety to avoid all needlesse conversation with the wicked for though at the first thou mightest thinke they were of faire carriage and would doe no wrong yet after a time they will shew their nature especially if they see they cannot draw thee to run with them into the same excesse of sinning And thirdly as any desire to have evidence to their owne soules that they are become new creatures and have new natures so they should shew the proofe of it hereby viz. by avoiding all injurious courses and reproachfull and bitter words 2 All private revenge is forbidden for it is unlawfull to render evill for evill 2 Thes. 5.15 the Apostle saith See that no man recompence unto any man evill
concerning the practice of true Christians it shewes That the rules of holy life have beene the same in all ages of the world before the Law and under the Law and now under the Gospel We may see by the carriage of holy men before the Law that they walked by such rules as these and the reason is because the rules of a religious and vertuous life were in the minde of God from all eternity and so given to men from the beginning and cannot change in as much as God is unchangeable in the formes of things And this point may shew us how hard the world is to learne in that these lessons have beene taught from the beginning and yet the most men have not learned them And besides godly Christians should be encouraged to live by rule and to walke circumspectly seeing this is no harder a taske required of them than what hath beene required in all ages Thirdly it is worth the observing who the persons are that give this counsell to strive as well as we can to live out of trouble and to lead a quiet life They were two great Champions that had endured a world of troubles themselves Peter I meane and David and yet we see they presse other men to seeke to live as quietly as is possible and thus did Paul doe also 1 Tim. 2.2 1 Thes. 4.11 Heb. 12.11 Now one maine reason why they doe so is because they themselves did feele by experience how unable they were to beat crosses when they fell upon them It was this Peter that denied his Master upon the very sight as it were of adversaries and it was this David that gave this advice after himselfe had changed his behaviour before Aâ—imâ—lech as you may see by the title of the Psalme Which should teach us to be thankfull for that publike or private quietnesse any of us doe enjoy and besides it should warne those unruly froward Christians that live not in quiet either at home or abroad to repent and amend their words and works They cannot imagine what singular comfort and contentment they withhold from their owne lives and the lives of others If they did but know how much God abhorrâ—s a froward Christian they would be more affraid than they are Thus of the generall observations The first part concernes the persons that are exhorted and they are described by two formes of speech the one such as will love life the other such as would see good daies If any man will love life From this forme of speech three things may be observed Doct. 1. That men by nature are prone to the love of life and so prone that the most men will breake all bounds and will love life whatsoever be said to them or done to them This is a point so sensibly felt by the experience of the most that heare it that it needs no proofe If any man aske what the reason should be why there is such an inordinate love of life in the most many things may be answered The first cause of it is the generall corruption of nature in the most men which came in by sin To love it selfe is nature but to love life so pertinaciously is from degeneration and the great abasement of the nature of man that cannot now move it selfe towards the perfection of it selfe for unto the godly the change of life is an alteration that brings perfection Secondly ignorance and unbeliefe is the cause of it If men did know and beleeve those glorious things God speakes of a better life they would loath this present life and long to be in heaven Thirdly the cause in many is that their hearts are ingaged upon such perplexed and intricate projects about profit or pleasure or greatnesse in the world that they are not at leasure to examine the reasons of the love of life the heart of man is usually oppressed with some one or other of these projects Fourthly in all sorts of people there is such an inâ—â—rable inconsideration that no warning from the Word or workes of God no experience of their owne or other mens can force them to a serious and constant meditation of the things concerne their true happinesse Fiftly the love of life ariseth in the most from the Idols of their hearts There is one thing or other that they have set their hearts upon in a vicious manner and this unreasonable love of their particular sins doth hold them downe in bondage to this present life and so cannot be cured of the disease till they repent of their beloved sins And the guiltinesse of their consciences makes them affraid of death and judgement and to embrace this present life upon any conditions And in godly people this inordinate love of life ariseth from the defect of particular repentance for it Thus of the first point Doct. 2. Men have cause to take off their affections and not to be so desperately bent to the love of this present life This is a point very profitable to be urged and most men and women have need of it and therefore I will shew more largely the reasons why wee should not love life or not so inordinately as to be unwilling to leave it upon any termes The first reason may bee taken from the commandement of Christ who gives this charge to all that will bee his Disciples that they must not love life As they must deny themselves in other things so in this particular And be so gives this in charge as he seemes to threaten them with the losse of life if they love it so Luk. 17.33 Ioh. 12.25 The second reason may be taken from the example of the godly that have not loved life Iob detested life Iobâ— Salomon tels of a multitude of occasions that he had to hate life in his book of Ecclesiastes and a multitude of godly men have shewed the proofe of it in laying down their lives willingly when they have beene calâ—â—â— to it Act. 20.24 Phil. 2.20 Heb. 11.35 37. The third reason may be taken from the consideration of life in it selfe both in the nature of it and in the end of it for the nature of it it is but a winde or a vapour Iames 4. so meane a thing that no man can well tell how to describe it perfectly which is the greater wonder that it should get the love of all the world and yet no body knowes what it is he loves And for the end of it it is not in the power of man to number his owne daies God hath set an appointed time for every mans death and though they love life never so much they cannot hold it beyond that time Iob 7.1 And besides our times are so hid that a man cannot be sure of a moneth a weeke a day an houre and shall our hearts be so bewitched with that which we know not how long we shall enjoy Iob 24.1 and the rather because there are so many wayes for life to goe out at though but
and to beseech Christ our friend Iohn 15.15 to provide our place for us who is ready with all willingnesse to doe all our businesse in heaven for us 10. A stranger is unskilfull in the language of the severall people where he comes onely cunning in his owne language So it should be with us though we find in one place the ambitious man telling of his honors offices livings and in another place the covetous man telling of his barnes wares bargaines and in another place the voluptuous man telling of his dogges sports whoores and in another place the wrathfull man telling of his adversary wrongs revenge c. yet we should keepe us to the language of Canaan and speake as becomes the oracles of God and the gifts God hath made us stewards of 11. A stranger is cautelous and wary he lookes to his words and behaviour So should a Christian be circumspect and get the wisdome of a serpent with the innocency of a dove he should not be curious nor inquisitive but studie to be quiet and meddle with his owne businesse Phil. 2.14 15. 12. A stranger strives to ride on merrily and to weare out the tediousnesse of the way with singing sweet songs to himselfe So should we our songs should be of the statutes of God in the house of our pilgrimage Psalme 119.34 13. A stranger if by ignorance or passion he have brought restraint or bonds upon himselfe he will use all possible intreaties and meanes to get himselfe loose againe that he may goe on in his journey homewards so should we if by sinne we have brought restraint upon our selves we should never be quiet but powre out our teares and prayers unto God and urge him to bee good unto us even for this reason as David doth Psal. 39.12 13. 14. A stranger specially hath his minde still running upon his home his thoughts desires longings wishes and all for his journies end So should it be with a Christian his conversation should be in heaven and our affections continually running after God and heavenly things Phil. 3.20 Heb. 11.12 13 14 c. 13.14 15. This also should teach us seeing Gods children are strangers in this world to use Gods pilgrims with all honor and kindnesse let them be as princes of God amongst us though they be now farre from home yet they are noble persons they are Gods heires learne of the very Hittites Gen. 23.4 6. This doctrine may also serve for great reproofe not onely to wicked men who like cursed Edomites Hab. 12. abuse Gods Israel in their journey but also for many that are in Israel yea of Israel for their worldlinesse and continuall plodding cares about the things of this life miserably forgetting that they are but strangers and this world is but an Inne Psal. 39.5 6. Eccles. 7.1 2. Lastly we should gather consolations to comfort us in our travaile to heaven certainly the Lord hath a great care of his pilgrims he keepeth the strangers Psal. 146.9 If God command men to use strangers well and not to wrong them Exod. 22.21 or vexe them Levit. 19 33. but love them Deut. 10.19 how much more will God himselfe have mercy on his banished and pitty his weary servants in their travaile What though the way be long and labour great and dangerous yet thinke of two things 1. That Christ will be the guide of the way and never leave thee nor forsake thee 2. How great thy happinesse shall bee when thou art come home to that heavenly Canaan that glorious new Hierusalem the City of the great King when God shall wipe away all teares from thine eyes and give thee a thousand fold for all thy travaile Dispersed here and there If we understand this of the Iewes It shews the malice of wicked men if they may have their wills they will never be quiet till they drive the godly from them If we understand it of the Elect in generall it teacheth us 1. That Gods children may be driven from their native dwelling God doth not alwayes build them a house in their owne land 2. That the Church of God is not tyed to any one place neither to Rome not to Hierusalem 3. That the godly are thin set It is rare to finde true godly men they dwell here and there 4. That the Church hath not alwayes an externall glory to commend it It consists sometimes of a few scattered persons that live stragling here and there 5. That there may be a great inward beauty under a despised condition These dispersed ones are glorious creatures sanctified in their spirits under the abundant mercies of God that have lively hope through the sprinkling of the blood of Iesus such as shall have an immortall inheritance 6. That there may â—e excellent order in appearing confusion One might thinke the husbandmen spoiled their corne when they scatter it abroad on the ground and yet we know it is better so then when it is in the barne all on a heape so is it with the godly Quest. If any aske what good can come of this dispersion of the godly Answ. I answer First by this meanes they carry the light of the truth all abroad the world 2. By this meanes they preserve the whole earth For they are the worlds guard they beare up heaven as it were were it not for these the world would be destroyed and by their dispersion they binde Gods hands as it were from the places wherein they are and keep off his fierce judgements and besides it is good for the godly themselves to bee asunder tâ—us It quickens them to prayer It makes them love and long one for another more It prepares them for heaven It traines them up in spirituall soldiery when they see they must fight alone All the riches of a Christian is his armour and he hath nothing but what he gets by wrastling and fighting Pontâ—â—â— Galatia Bithyâ—ia For the Geography of these places some thinke they all belong to Pontus Hence some of the Fathers cite this Epistle by this title Epistola Petri ad Ponticos Some say they were called by one name of Aâ—tiochia Others say they are all in Asia minor It is certaine they are all in Greece Two things may be observed from hence 1. That Christians though scattered here and there yet they have one God one faith one Lord Iesus Christ the doctrine we see is common to them all 2. That unthankfulnesse and contempt of the Gospell and sinfull living may ruinate famous Churches Where are the Churches that then were in those places Oh how hath the Turkish fury swallowed up almost all amongst them If we continue in sinne may not our sunne set as well as theirs Hitherto of their outward estate Their spirituall estate in generall is comprehended in their election Elect There is a fourefold election 1. There is a generall election of a Nation or City singled out to the benefit of Gods generall covenant and
in Christ he tooke the true nature of his brethren true flesh and blood that he might serve and satisfie God in the same nature that had offended 2. This blood was shed If you aske who shed it I answer Iudas by selling it the Priests by advising it the people by consenting to it Pilate by decreeing it the soldiers by effecting it Christ himselfe by permitting it and after presenting it to God Heb. 9.14 our sinnes that chiefly caused it If any aske for whom it was shed I answer briefly for the Church Act. 20. not for himselfe nor for impenitent and obstinate sinners that dye in their sins 3. It is not enough that the blood of Christ bee shed to make us happy unlesse it be applyed also which the word sprinkling notes 4. This effusion of blood was solemnly prefigured or foretold by the sacraments and sacrifices of the Law For this word sprinkled is a Metaphor borowed from the legall sprinkling which shewes us two things 1. The great account that God and good men make of it in that it was so solemnely and anciently typed out 2. That the ceremonies of that Law are now abolished seeing we have here the true sprinkling of the blood fore-shadowed out 5. That our estate in Christ is better now than our estate in Adam was For God here in his eternall counsell is brought in over-looking that first estate in Adam and setting up his rest in this estate purchased in the blood of his Sonne If any man marvell at this he shall be thus satisfied Our estate in Christ is better than our estate was at the best in Adam even in this life and therefore much more in the world to come In this life it is better onely in two respects 1. That wee cannot fall from this happinesse 2. That Christs righteousnesse imputed to us is better then that righteousnesse was inherent in Adam Now for the world to come heaven is better then paradise 6. We can never discerne our comfort in the blood of Christ till we be sanctified in spirit and set upon the reducing of our lives into the obedience of Christ. Iustification and Sanctification are inseparable Thus much for the generall In particular concerning this sprinkling of the blood of Christ I consider two things 1. What benefits the Christian enjoyes by the blood of Christ which is here noted as the end of his sanctification 2. The mystery of this sprinkling or applying of the blood of Christ as it was shadowed out by the legall sprinklings The benefits which flow from the effusion of the blood of Christ are either generall or particular The generall are 1. The purchase of the Church Acts 20. 2. The ratification of the new Testament or covenant of grace Heb 9.18 3. The breaking downe of the partition wall betweene Jews and Gentiles and the adopting of the abject Gentiles the free denizing of the Gentiles and repealing of all statutes of aliens Ephes. 2.13 c. 4. The reconciliation of all things both in heaven and earth and the dissolving of that enmity which came in by sin Col. 1.20 The particular benefits which flow from the blood of Christ to every converted Christian are 1. Iustification which hath in it 1. the pacification of Gods anger Christs blood is the propitiatory like the cover of the Arke that hides the law from the sight of God Rom. 3.25 2. the pardon of all sinnes 1 Iohn 1. 7.9 Ephes. 1.7 3. prevention of Gods eternall wrath or the losse of heaven Rom. 5.9 4. the garment of imputed righteousnesse or putting on of robes made white in his blood Rev. 7.14 2. Sanctification and the cleansing the conscience from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.13 14. 3. The sanctification of all the meanes of help to the beleever both spirituall and temporall the very booke of God is sprinkled with the blood of Christ that it may be opened and of use to the faithfull and so all meanes else in his generall and particular calling Heb. 9.19 20. 4. Intercession the blood of Christ speaking better things then the blood of Abel pleading daily for the godly and procuring the establishment of favour in God and acceptation Heb. 12.24 5. Victory over Sathan who is overcome by the blood of the Lambe and the word of the testimony Rev. 12.11 so as his molestations and temptations shall not prevaile 6. The destruction of him that had power over death so as now the beleever needs not feare death nor can he be hurt of it Heb. 2.14 7. Entrance into the most holy place even within the Vaile that is into heaven Heb. 10.19 20. you may see more Iohn 6.53 54 55 56 57 58 59 c. All this may serve for divers uses As 1. For singular consolation to all the godly Oh what an honor is it to be descended of the blood of Christ How doth a Christian mans new birth in this respect excell all the nobility of birth in the world Iohn 1.13 What reason have we of thankfulnesse for so happy a condition what should we complaine of what matters it what we lose or want if wee neither lose nor want the blood of Christ How incomparable are these benefits beyond all the glory of this world if we have eyes to see them and hearts large enough to conceive of the glory of them The Lord from eternity looking upon the blood of his Son sets up his reâ—t there as having provided a sufficient portion for all that shall be sanctified by his spirit 2. For instruction we should every one of us be incited to all possible care of assurance that Christ dyed for us and get it ratified to our hearts by all the testimonies we can There be three witnesses of a mans happinesse 1. the water 2. the blood 3. and the spirit 1 Iohn 5.6 The water of repentance the blood of expiation in the passion of Christ applyed by faith the spirit of sanctification testified by saving graces and new divine gifts 3. For terror to all wicked men that sin against the blood of Christ by despising and neglecting the grace of the covenant by swearing by unworthy receiving the sacrament and by their obstinate unbeleefe and impenitency Shall the blood of Abel cry for such vengeance and shall not the blood of Christ much more What a blood-guiltinesse doe these men draw upon themselves that sinne against the blood of Christ If Iudas burst his heart with despaire for betraying it how can their case be better for despising it Thus of the benefits which come by the blood of Christ Now it followeth that I should open the meaning of those ceremoniall legall sprinklings and shew how they did in their kinde fore-signifie the mystery of this sprinkling of the blood of Christ. There was a â—ourefold legall sprinkling 1. the first was of the blood of the red Cow and of a water made of the ashes of the red Cow Num. 19. 2. the second was of
Solomon Eccles. 11.9 Dan. 7. Mal. 4. and many more after the Law by Christ Mat. 24. Paul 2 Thes. 1. Peter 2 Pet. 3. Iohn Rev. 2â— 2. The types of it which are so many pledges doe certainly though fearfully foretell it such as were those dreadfull executions done upon wicked men in all ages as the drowning of the world the burning of the Cities Sodome c. the opening of the earth to swallow Corah Dathan and Abiram the destruction of Ierusalem c. yea he spared not the very Angels Iud. 6.2 Pet. 2.4 These stupendious works are monuments of a strange judgement to come 3. The exact fulfilling of the signs so many of them as belong to times past and present which were given as fore-runners of that judgement such as were 〈◊〉 Christs warres the apostacie of the Church the detection and falling of Antichrist c. 4. From the need of it for in this world the godly are oppressed and not righted and the wicked flourish and are not punished many times therefore of necessity there must be a time wherein all these things must be set in order 1. Let every man repent Act. 17.30 Here is no trifling it will certainly be and therefore repent or perish 2. Judge nothing before the time let us not judge one another but leave all judgement to God 1 Cor. 4.4 3. Let us not be impatient or fret at the prosperity of the wicked or be discouraged at the afflictions of the righteous for there shall come a time wherein the godly shall have full reward and honor and wicked men everlasting shame and paine Every man The whole world must come to judgement good and bad wee must all appeare before the Tribunall seat of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 not onely all the godly but all the wicked of all sorts which will appeare by a distribution 1. The Pagans shall come to judgement such as have sinned without the law Rom 2. 2. The Iewes that crucified Christ or still doe deny him to be come in the flesh Rom 2. 3. Papists 2 Thes. 2. 4. Atheists that mock at his comming 2 Pet. 3.3 In the true Church 1. Grosse offenders Mal. 3.7 Rev. 21. 22. 2. Civill honest men Mat. 5.19 3. Rich and mighty men of the world God will not accept the person of Princes Iob 34.19 Iam. 5.1 3. 4. Hypocrites Mat. 23. Psal. 5â— 16 5. The unmercifull Mat. 25. Iam. 2.13 6. Apostates Heb. 10.27 2 Pet. 2. 7. All that trouble the godly 2 Thes. 1. Gal. 5 1â— 8. Inordinate censurers Rom. 2.1 2.3 Iam. 3.1 9. All unruly persons that will not be ordered according to Gods ordinances Mat. 25. goates 10. All that use scant measures wicked balances and false weights Mat. â— 10 11. Yea as I said before all the godly must be judged we must all appeare It is said the godly shall not be judged Iob. 3.18 6.54 They shall not be judged with the judgement of condemnation The Use. Therefore every man should stir up his heart to a carefull examination of himselfe and make his account and provide for his answer at that day and the rather should wee attend hereunto because the most men are after an unspeakable manner forgetfull of their latter end and suffer themselves to be drowned in the cares of life as if there were no time of chaâ—ging or reckoning The fourth and last point is the cause of the judgement imported in these words according to their works According to their works It shall be tâ— every man at that day according to his works if his works be evill he shall be damned if his works be good he shall be saved 2 Cor. 5 1â— Rom. 2. For the better understanding of this doctrine divers questions and objections are to be resolved It seemes then faith shall not be inquired after It shall yea and that chiefly as appeares in the 7. verse of this Chapter and in many other Scriptures which avouch we are saved by faith yea and works are mentioned to this end because by them Christ shall evidently prove to the world the faith of his Elect hee will thâ—n shew their faith by their works yea faith is comprehended under the word works as being indeed the noblest of all works and that which most shineth in the life of a Christian it is the chiefe obedience required in the Gospell and the just live by their faith But how can works be looked upon in the Elect seeing they are not acknowledged as having merit in them Can they be saved by their works Works shall be inquired after in the godly not as meritorious causes of their salvation for the merit of heaven is onely in Christs works which onely are perfect But works shall be examined and judged 1. As the witnesses in that Assise that give in evidence concerning their calling and faith 2. As the conditions of Gods promises concerning reward in heaven not for their merit but of Gods free grace that will so crowne them Observe that the Scripture no where saith for their works but according to their works But how can the works of men be numbred they are so infinite The books shall then be opened viz. first the booke of Gods remembrance in which are fast graven the deeds of all men Rev. 20. Mal. 3.16 Secondly the consciences of all men shall be extended to an exact view of all the works of their life past By what law shall mens works be examined seeing the Pagans have not the Scriptures to guide them and the faithfull have not fulfilled the morall law in their owne persons The infidels shall be judged by the law of nature Rom. 2. the wicked in the Church by the morall law and the godly by the Goâ—pâ—ll Shall not wicked men be judged for their originall sin but onely for their evill works By works may be meant 1. both the worke of our fall in Adam as well as 〈…〉 worke 2. This phrase according to workes doth include all workes and yet not exclude the respect of other things besides workes aâ— faith in the godly and originall sinne in the wicked 3. Workes are but the â—ruits of corruption of nature and so synâ—â—dochically it is comprehended under them But shall no man be then judged for other mens workes as well as for their owne may not children be iudged for their fathers sinnes or one man iudged for the evill done by another as the Pharises for the blood of Abel and Zacharâ—as God as an absolute Monarch and iust governor may with temporall punishments chastise the posterity of wicked Parents and to warn the world 〈…〉 but hee cannot iudge them to eternall damnation further then they be guilty of their fathers sinnes either by consent assistance or 〈…〉 the Pharises be sent to hell for Abels bloud onely to farre as they were not warned by that example to avoid bloud To con 〈◊〉 no man
divers consolations 1. Christ our Ioseph whom our fathers sold into Aegypt hath provided for us before we came into the world 2. God hath promised to go down with us and to soiourn with us there Gen 45.4 3. Ever the more we are oppressed the more we may grow the godly lose nothing by their troubles Exod. 1.8 4. God is I am still ever the same howsoever the world use us Exo. 3.14 5. God can give us favour in the sight of the Aegyptians when and as often as he will Exod. 3.22 6. God hath promised covenanted yea sworne that he will bring us home and take us to himself be our God he will surely bring us up againe 7. God hath given us Moses and Aaron even his two witnesses daily to comfort us with the glad tidings of his Gospell even the good newes of our departure hence 8. The very time is appointed and at the very self-same time without faile we shall depart out of Aegypt Exod. 12. 9. God can and doth work many wonders for the proofe of the love of his people and his power to subdue the mightiest adversaries 10. Our part we have in this world is the best part of the world wee dwell in Goshen in comparison of the servile estate of the rest of the Aegyptians we are free from many a misery lights upon them And if Goshen bee so good what is Paradise If there be some comfort sometimes on earth oh how doth milke and hony flow in heaven 11. In all our distresses our cries are heard to heaven and God pities us with wonderfull compassion Exod. 2.23 3.7 Onely this is our misery in this world that many times if the very godly enjoy not the ministry of Moses and Aaron they grow very secure and are much infected with the manners of the world And againe if they have them and they tell the world Gods message if any trouble follow they are too often ready to murmure as if they had much hurt by the ministry of Gods servants Thus of the first point namely that we are sojourners The second followes namely that there is a time of our sojourning here Time Duration or the continuance of a thing is either infinite or finite The one is the continuance of God the other of the creatures â—he measure of the one is eternity absolutely considered the measure of the other is time Time may be considered in the meanes of it either the meanes of effecting or appointing which is the decree of God with all the meanes of execution of it or else the meanes of declaring or numbring which is the course of the Sun and Moone our continuance on earth is not disposed by the course of the heavens but by the decree and providence of God By time here is meant that space of continuance on earth which God in his counsell hath set us and is numbred by the motion of the Sun or Moone This time we may number as it is past but know it not as it is to come it being ordinarily hidden from the sonnes of men Neither may we reckon of the time of man upon earth as we doe of the continuance of heaven and earth for the time of man is wonderfull short in comparison of many other creatures This time also once set is unchangeable we cannot passe it Iob 14.5 The maine doctrine is that God hath unchangeably set us a time for our continuance here knowne unto him though unknowne unto us The Uses may be divers 1. It may comfort us against the inconveniences of our sojourning our time is set we shall not alwayes be from home we shall shortâ—y be gathered to our fathers and the afflictions of this present condition are not worthy the joy and glory we shall enjoy for ever Rom. 8.18 2. This should the rather make us willing to have little to doe with this world but use it as if we used it not 1 Cor. 7.29 3. This should order us to a care of our preparation for death and lessen in us the feare of dangers and adversaries and make us resolve never to use ill meanes to save or prolong or shorten our lives say with David My times are in Gods hands Psal. 31. and with Christ I will worke to day and to morrow and the third day I shall c. The third thing is that this time passeth it runneth out it is continually going away and therefore the use should be 1. To doe good while we have time Gal. 6.10 2. To redeeme the time past ill spent by providing by forecast for the more fruitfull employment of the time to come The more of this time past that hath been spent on sin or the world the more resolute we should be to be conscionable in the strict use of the time that yet we are to remaine in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.2 3. Col. 4.5 3. Especially we should be carefull that we discerne and use the opportunities of grace the accepted times the dayes of our salvation they may passe and never returne againe 2 Cor. 6.1 Mat. 16.3 4. Since the godly are sojourners here but for a time and this time passeth too let us entertaine them as the Princes of God and make all possible use of their fellowship in the best things for they will be gone they will not abide with us long In feare This word expresseth how we should spend the time of our sojourning viz. with all carefulnesse and due respect But that wee may reach the meaning of this feare we must know that there is a worldly feare a servile feare and a godly feare There is also a vaine feare as in the melancholy of thingâ— that are not The worldly feare is about things of the world as reproaches losses dangers adversaries c. this is a wicked feare and the godly are commanded not to feare the feare of the wicked Esay 8. A servile feare is chiefly in spirituall things called the spirit of bondage such was the immoderate feare of the law or justice of God such is also that feare of traâ—sgression where Gâ—d hath given no law The godâ—y feare iâ—â—ither restrained unto our respects of God only and so it is a part of his inward worship or elâ—e it is that feare which is required all parts of holy life and so it iâ— taken here It may not be denied but that this feare may be referred in part to wicked men the Apostle warning them to be afâ—â—aid lest this day come upon them before they have repenâ—ed of their sinneâ— and so they fall into Gods eternall wrath Wickâ—d men have goâ—d cause to â—eare for the threatnings of God are against them the wrath of God hangs over their heads sinne lyeth at the doore their owne conscieâ—ce will witnesse against them the devill is ready to devâ—ure them death may fall 〈◊〉 upon them and then they must beare the open and eternall shame and confusion of
is urged from the example of Christ Heb. 12.3 4. 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Rom. 8.17 That your faith and hope might be in God In these words the eighth point is contained viz. the end of our redemption viz. that our faith and hope might be in God that is that knowing our debts to be paid in Christ and God to be well pleased in him we might for ever relie upon God for present favour and future salvation Faith and hope are not all one Faith lookes upon Christ exhibited and made present in his ordinances Hope lookes upon Christ hereafter more fully to be revealed Faith beleeveth the promises to be true Hope expecteth performance Faith beleeveth eternall life is given us and Hope waiteth when it will be revealed Faith is the mother of Hope and Hope is the nurse of Faith Faith takes notice of present prerogatives and Hope chiefly looks to things to come The doctrines that may be observed from hence are divers Though we doe truely beleeve yet we doe need to be often stirred up to faith and hope still For 1. We beleeve but in part 2. We need faith all our life long 3. We are hard of beleefe in our selves 4. There is nothing the devill more opposeth 5. There is nothing God or Christ more desireth as the coherence shews 6. Nothing more glorifieth our profession and daunteth our adversaries then an unmoveablenesse of hope 7. Nothing more provides for us A Christian could live by his faith if he had nothing else The Vses also are divers for therefore 1. We should stir up one another and be examples one to another in beleeving and receive the exhortation one from another 2. Especially every one of us should be carefull to increase in faith and provide to beleeve in God at all times Quest. But what must we doe that we may doe so Answ. 1. Desire the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2.2 2. Be frequent in the use of the Sacraments 3. Pray to God to increase thy faith Luke 17.5 4. Practice holinesse and be diligent about those graces mentioned 2 Pet. 1.10 in the coherence Quest. But how can we beleeve still For 1. We have not alwaies meanes to accomplish the good we desire Answ. Doe as Abraham did Rom. 4.10 beleeve the promise above hope Quest. 2. God himselfe sometimes fights against us Answ. Say with Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Iob 1.3 Quest. 3. But our crosses are desperate Answ. Yet say as David did Psal. 23.4 Though I walke in the shadow of death yet c. Quest. 4. But we have sinned Answ. Christ hath prayed that thy faith might not faile Luke 22.32 Quest. 5. But our faith is so weake we feare we cannot beleeve still Answ. There are comforts for that in these places Esay 42.3 2 Cor. 12.9 and God hath received the weake in faith Rom. 14.1 3. Quest. 6. But I have so many hinderances and have so many things to passe through Sol. Yet be perswaded as Rom. 8.38 and say with Paul Through Christ I can doe all things Phil. 4.13 3. All this adoe about faith and hope should make us carefull to informe our selves of the things by which faith is assaulted that when such things befall us we may be armed against them Now besides such things by which faith is assaulted intimated before there are many things without us to omit our owne doubts and Sathans tentations within us that have assaulted and tryed faith 1. False doctrines 2. Contentions in the Teachers of the Church 3. Treacherie of brethren 4. Prosperity of the wicked and impuâ—ity of wickednesse 5. The small number of beleevers 6. The deformity and oppression of the Church 7. The falling away of many from the faith 8. The delay of Gods promises 9. The tokens of Gods wrath 10. The scoffes of mockers 4. Lastly hence wee may gather a reproofe to our selves for our marvellous neglect in faith and hope how might the Lord justly have left us for ever as a people without Christ and without hope in the world There is one faith and hope in all Gods servants Your faith Eph. 4.5 The use is therefore to love one another seeing we have all one faith one I say in respect of the Author meanes object and end 2. It should comfort poore Christians whatsoever difference God hath put otherwise yet they have the same faith that Abraham David the Martyrs or any had Here is implyed that all faith and hope in other things besides God is vaine Hope in the wedge of gold is vaine The Hypocrites hope in credit is vaine Trust in the arme of flesh is vaine c. And the truth is a Christian is never perfectly well till he can place his faith and hope onely in God It is good for him sometimes to be stripped of all other things that he may put his confidence in God Verse 22 Seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the Spirit to the unfained love of the brethren so that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently THE fourth reason to inforce the exhortation in the 13. verse is contained in these words and is taken from that relation and respect wee beare unto the godly it is in effect this By repentance and holinesse we are all made brethren and in repentance and reformation of our lives one main thing we aime at is the advancement of our happinesse and holinesse in the love of the brethren whom we prefer before all people in the world and resolve to rest in the contentment of their communion and therefore wee ought so to resist the impediments within us or without us and to order our lives with such holy sobriety and so to stir up our hearts in the hope of the happinesse to come that we may in all purity of nature and life and earnestnesse of affections cleae unto them in this world as the onely people we shall live withall in the world to come There are two things in this verse 1. A proposition of doctrine 2. and an exhortation by way of Use. The proposition is this Ye have purified your soules in obeying the truth by the spirit unto unsained love of the brethren or brotherly love The Use is therefore see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently The proposition properly and in it selfe concerns sanctification which is here described in five things 1. The nature of it imported in that metaphoricall tearme purified 2. The subject of it their soules 3. The forme of it in obeying the truth 4. The cause of it which is twofold 1. The principall the Spirit of God 2 The cause in some respect is themselves ye have purified 5. The end is brotherly love amplified by the speciall property of it viz. unfained Before I enter upon the particulars in generall and for the coherence divers things may be noted The Coherence is double 1. both with
the verses immediately before 2. and with the 13. verse upon which it depends as the reason of it 1. From coherence with the verses next before we may note that God expects love to the brethren at our hands as well as faith in Christ As we are joyned to God by faith so he stands upon it to have us joyned one to another by love nay it is certaine true faith will worke this love He cannot beleeve in God that loves not the godly 2. From coherence with the 13. verse we may note that an affectionate love to the godly is a strong inducement to holinesse of life and therefore used here as a reason to inforce it 3. Contrariwise unlesse we looke to those three things in the 13. verse we cannot love the brethren as we ought to doe For 1. Unlesse we gird up the loines of our mindes such as our selfe-love concupiscence anger c. we shall be unfit for society with the godly 2. Againe unlesse we be sober in the use of the delights and profits of the world our affections will be stolne away from the godly 3. And thirdly unlesse our hope carry us stedfastly to the contemplation of the glory to be revealed upon the godly in the day of Christ they wil in their present condition seeme to us many times of all men most miserable 4. A Christian should looke to his heart and waies if not for his owne sake yet for his respect to the godly to whom he hath joyned himselfe that he neither shame them nor grieve them Now hee may shame them and dishonour the profession three waies 1. By sluggishnesse in his profession 2. By inordinate living 3. By doubting and despaire These three stand opposed to the three things in the 13. verse 5. That God is not onely carefull we should love one another but hee stands upon the manner and measure of it as the whole verse shewes and therefore we should looke to two things that our affections grow neither 1. cold 2. nor corrupt There are foure things doe usually abate affection to the godly 1. Selfe-love and pride when men grow into great thoughts onely of themselves 2. Discord and vaine janglings 3. Worldlinesse 4. Too much viewing of the infirmities reproches or miseries of the godly and thus affection growes cold It is corrupt three waies 1. When we love the godly for carnall ends 2. When it is fruitlesse it is fellowship but not in the Gospell 3. When we respect persons Purified The tearme is a metaphor borrowed either from the Goldsmith or the Physitian or else from the ceremoniall law The Goldsmith purifieth his metall so doth God his chosen ones The Physician purgeth his distressed patients so doth God distressed sinners seldome is there any found conversion but there is some purgation taken even some sound practice of mortification which paines the spirit and throwes out forcibly the filthy matter lies in the soule But I think the tearme is chiefly borrowed from the Ceremoniall law and so shews us that in the effecting of sanctification is wrought that which was signified in those Legall purifyings either of women after child-birth or especially of the Leper after the healing of his leprosie It is true that seldome or never is there a birth of saving grace but there followes it a fluxe of mortification a vehement casting out of naturall impurities and there must be also a purifying of the soule But I take the tearme to be most fitly borrowed from the clensing of the Leper for that most neerly expresseth the state of our soules both in nature and grace And so divers things may be here noted some implyed some expressed in those ancient shadowes The things implyed are 1. That by nature we are all of us polluted in our selves and so polluted as we have reason to doe as the Leper Levit. 13.44 and cry uncleane uncleane 2. That the infection of sin is such that it will infect the very house wee dwell in and the garments we weare even all the creatures we use so as all things are to us impure Lev. 13. Tit. 1.13 3. That in our native condition we are out of the campe even strangers from the common-wealth of Israel even when we professe our selves members of it Num. 5.2 3. Eph. 2.11 The things expressed in the state of our soules in respect of sanctification are lively shadowed out in the ceremonies of purifying mentioned Lev. 34. 4. to 33. which howsoever they containe more then the precise respect of this Text calls for yet for the more full explication of the ceremonies of clensing I handle them as they are set downe in order Now before we enter upon the particular explication of the Text wee must understand 1. That the ceremoniall law did make two distinct things in sanctification 1. Healing 2. Clensing for first the Leper was healed then clensed Now this word here used doth expresse onely the likenesse of the clensing of the Leper there is such a difference to be put in our sanctification For first our hearts are turned to God and then we fall upon divers exercises of faith and repentance by which we settle our owne hearts in the assurance of our conversion The ceremonie shadowed out the first of these degrees the Leper was cleane when after his confession of uncleannesse his leprosie stayed and spred no further and did not fret inward So are we truely turned to God in that moment when under the sense of our owne vilenesse we so judge our selves that our hearts begin to cease from evill and sinne loseth his dominion and that it doth not prevaile over our hearts but groweth lesse and lesse but yet though this be done in a moment many times yet there is a great deale more to be done before we can have comfort in our conversion or be soundly clensed and setled in our consciences before God 2. We must know that sanctification shadowed out by that clensing is taken in the largest sense even for all that righteousnesse that is conferred upon us either in justification or sanctification as it is strictly taken 3. That in the businesse of sanctification none of the Lords people healed of their leprosie should trust onely upon their owne judgements but seeke all direction and helpe they can from their faithfull and able Teachers There was nothing done in the law but the Priests said and did all as it were whether it were in discerning the disease or the healing of it or in judging of the state of the Leper they tooke the testimony of the Priest in all things yea when one would have thought they might have done all by the same rules of discerning The clensing or purifying of the leprosie was either more slight or more exact In some leprosies it was but to wash and so be cleane Lev. 13.53 54 55. to note that repentance in some and from some sinnes is far more easie then in others The more exact clensing is distinguished
be their eternall food in heaven The meat offering must be upon the Altar to signifie that we can have no hope of nourishment but from the merit and vertue of the sacrifice of Christ as all meanes are sanctified by it VERSE 21. to 32. Hitherto of the sacrifice for the richer sort Now followes the course to be taken for the poorer sort which in effect is the same with the former save that he must take Turtles or Pigeons instead of two of the Lambs The things here to be noted are 1. That in the application of Christ God puts no difference the poorer sort if they be penitent may be justified as well as the richer 2. That without Christs sacrifice no man can be justified be hee of what condition he will 3. That in the receiving of Christ all are not alike qualified for the measure of grace and discerning and faith 4. That the endevour is accepted for the deed for the poore is excused if he provide a sacrifice according to his labour of his hand 5. That if wee through carelesnesse neglect the meanes of further grace that is a just exception therefore it is urged three times If he cannot get so much ver 21 31 32. Hitherto of the digression into the explication of the doctrine of clensing the Leper And thus of the nature of this work of sanctification The subject followes Your soules Your soules It is true that by the soule synecdochically hee meaneth the whole man for he that is truely sanctified is sanctified in soule in body and spirit 1 Thes. 5.23 The medicine is applyed and goeth as far as the disease and Christ dâ—ed as well for the body as the soule and both must be purged before we can enter into the Kingdome of heaven and therefore wee are charged to abstaine from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 9.1 and our bodies must be offered up as a sacrifice to God Rom. 12.1 yet notwithstanding the soule is named as that which God chiefly stands upon though he require and worketh both for the holinesse of the heart is that he calls for to have given him Ier. 4.18 and we do perform the most immediate worship by our spirits Ioh. 4.24 and the sanctity of the heart is the fountaine of all the outward holinesse as the impurity of the heart is the cause of the outward impurities of life Besides the soule is the seat of all holy graces that are saving graces they dwell there though their imployment must sometimes be without and further the sanctification of the soule is characteristicall for that is the holinesse that distinguisheth betweene the godly and the wicked This then is the observation that the chief seat of true grace and holinesse is in the soule of man The Use is divers 1. For Information From hence it is manifest 1. That they are grossely deceived that think inward inordination of thoughts and affections are no great faults whereas the infection of the soule is most dangerous because it is the fountaine of all the rest and is more usually committed and more hardly cured Psal. 78.8 â— 66.18 95. c. 2. That God lookes not at the outward appearance of men hee askes not what houses clothes fare friends c. they have but what grace they have in their hearts yea it is certainâ— that outward reformation will not here serve the turne Hypocrites that make so much adoe about washing the out-side are deceived in their reckoning God will not be deluded with painted sepulchres hee knows what is within and the civill honest man is in the same case 3. That true grace may be where there is not an outward shew of it the truest sanctification is in the heart yet this gives no liberty to wicked men For it is not true that a wicked life may be found where there is grace in the heart therefore call thou not that uncleane which God hath purified 1 Cor. 4.5 4. That it is a grievous sinne to infect the soules of men by example counsell provocation corrupt opinions c. They that would poison the bodies of men were worthy punishments in all mens judgements how much more they that wilfully poyson many soules 5. There is no need of any purgation after this life for God takes an order to purifie the soules of his people even in this world Secondly for Instruction 1. Therefore this should strongly perswade with us to seek inward holinesse If there be so much adoe in the world to get cleane and cleare faces what should our care be to have cleane soules seeing God looks at that Psal. 7.9 God searcheth the heart and reines The chiefest thing wee can get for our soules is the purifying of them Ierem. 44.14 what profiteth it to winne the whole world if thou lose thy soule for the foulenesse of it and it is certaine no beauty of the face can allure a man so much as the cleannesse of the heart doth allure Christ. But this inward holinesse chiefly consists 1. In casting out the vices of the soule evill thoughts ignorance pride inordinate affections stubbornnesse of will and humour with whatsoever drosse hypocrisie security malice c. 1 Pet. 2.12 circumcise therefore thy heart Col. 2.11 2. In attaining new gifts of the spirit of grace such as are illumination discerning faith zeale love of God softnesse of heart affections of worship c. Heb. 13.9 2 Cor. 4.6 Rom. 5.5 3. In the exercise of these in the daily coâ—rse of our lives looke to thy heart when thou dost any work to God â— In the reformation of the heart wee must looke to it that we be sanctified throughout it is not enough there be some gifts in some of these faculties but there must be grace in all and so of the sinnes of the soule to be mortified 3. This doctrine may be a great comfort to the godly that have set their hearts to serve God in their spirits and labour for the true grace of Christ in their soules though they abound with infirmities and the world speak evill of them it should comfort us against the many aspersions of men Psal. 17. 4. c. though it be true as Prov. 20.9 yet God accepts of the desire c. Rom. 8.27 Quest. But how know I whether I have the true grace of Christ in my soule Answ. By this text thou maist know it by three things 1. If thou seeke inward purity as well as outward 2. If thou find an alteration in every faculty of thy soule 3. If thou be like unto God that hast most care of what shall become of thy soule and art most carefull of meanes for thy soule Quest. But what shall one doe to get a cleane heart Answ. 1. Examine your hearts as Psal. 4.4 for the heart is deceitfull Ier. 17.9 c. 2. Pray to God to create a new heart in thee 3. Attend upon the meanes that are powerfull to clense the heart our
whether my obedience be right or no seeing I cannot have true grace else Answ. I might answer out of other Scriptures that a childe of God may know his obedience is right by two things 1. Because God heares his prayers Ioh. 9.39 Psal. 66.18 2. Because thou hast hyred thy selfe by covenant to doe Gods works as a servant of righteousnesse and thou dost worke as a servant every day Rom. 6. But I answer out of this text Thou maist know thy obedience iâ— right because thou hast these foure things 1. Thou makest the truth thy guide and dost obey for the truths sake and commest to the light as Ioh. 3.21 2. Thy obedience is from thy heart and with thy heart it is inward as well as outward 3. Thy obedience is in all things 1. Though it be against thy profit c. Heb. 11.8 2. In the least commandements 4. Thy obedience is in all places 1. As well absent as present Phil. 2.12 2. Before the wicked as well as the godly 3. Before the meanest Christian as well as the greatest Through the spirit Our sanctification was first wroâ—ght by the Spirit of God and it is of the assistance of the Spirit that we doe performe obedience to the truth of God For 1. It is the Spirit that quickens us and raiseth us in the first resurrection Ioh. 3.5 2. It is the Spirit that leads us into the truth â—â—d enlightens us Ioh. 14. 3. It is the spirit that sets us at liberty from the bondage of corruption we have lived in 2 Cor. 3.17 and kils the deeds of the flesh Rom. 10.11 4. It is the Spirit that makes us mourne when wee faile of â—bedience Zach. 12.12 5. It is the Spirit that sheds aâ—â—oad the love of God in our hearts by which we are inflamed with desire to obey Rom. 5.5 It baptizeth us with fire Mat. 3. 6. It is the Spirit that makes us finde a rellish and sweetnesse in spirituall things Rom. 8. 7. It is the Spirit that worketh in us the particular graces that adorne our obedience Gal. 5.22 yea by the Spirit the Lord works our works for us it causeth us to obey Ezech. 36. Esay 26. Psal. 90. 8. It is the Spirit that shews us the recompence of reward to incourage us to obey 1 Cor. 2.10 The Use is 1. For information for hereby it is evident 1. That the godly have Gods Spirit Rom. 8.9 2. That there can be no absolute free-will in man seeing it is not by his owne power that he doth obey Gods will 3. That the holinesse a Christian hath in this life is of singular worth Wee use to esteeme the work by the workman And if wee admire them that can make us faire houses clothes faces c. how much more should we admire the workmanship of the Spirit of grace that purifies and makes our soules faire It is a better piece of workmanship then is shewed in making of the world 2. It should teach us 1. To be more carefull of sinning seeing wee shall thereby vexe or grieve or tempt the Spirit of God in us yea and deface his workmanship 2. To stir up our selves to undertake the work of godlinesse seeing we have the Spirit to assist us which is a Spirit of power 2 Tim. 1.7 Vnto the unfained love of the brethren One chiefe end of our sanctification is that wee might ever after live with all holy love together God hath purifyed us to this end that wee might love the godly above all others after we are converted That which is chiefly to be done of us is the duty of brotherly love In these words three things are to be observed 1. That the godly are brethreâ— 2. That we must love the godly above all others and that we were converted to that end Our chiefest fruit after conversion is to shew our love to them 3. That God cannot abide faining in this love 1. For the first the godly are brethren Col. 1.2 1 Tim. 6.2 Mat. 23.8 borne of the same wombe 1 Pet. 1.23 adopted of the same Father Eph. 4.5 brought up in the same family Eph. 3.17 estated in the same inheritance Rom. 8.17 written amongst the living in the same City with the writing of the same house of Israel Esay 4.3 executing the same office of Prophets and Priests to God Rev. 1.7 1. The Use is first for information We see the godly though despised in the world yet are people of a great kindred The meanest Christian hath as good friends as the greatest Potentate Grace works as it were a consanguinity with all the Saints 2. For instruction and it should teach us divers things to doe and avoid Are the godly thy brethren Then 1. Live familiarly with them visit them be not a stranger unto them Act. 15.36 2. Doe what thou dost faithfully for them Ioh. 3.5 3. Defend one another by words and works ye are brethren let not a godly man be wronged if thou canst help it 4. Supply their wants with a brotherly affection Iam. 1.15 1. Ioh. 3.17 The things we must avoid 1. Wee must take heed of contention Gen. 13. and this contention is either 1. Publike suites 1 Cor. 6. 2. Private quarrels or discords Ob. But they doe me wrong Sol. 1. Admonish them of it Mat. 18.18 Lâ—v. 19.17 2. Be not unadvisedly angry Mat. 5.22 3. If they repent forgive them even seventy times Mat. 18.21 and be quickly reconciled Mat. â— 23 24. 2. Call no man Rabbi or father on earth Mâ—â— 23.8 9. The Angels refuse it Rev. 19.10 22.9 3. Speak not evill one of another Rom. 14.10 Iam. 5.9 4.11 It is the devils property to accuse the brethren Rev. 12.10 4. Be not ashamed of them for Christ is not ashamed to owne them as brethren Heb. 2.10 5. Have them not in respect of persons The poore are brethren as well as the rich Iam. 2. Though they be in tribulation yet they be companions in Gods kingdome as well as we Rev. 1.9 6. Lastly Superiours Magistrates Ministers Masters of families must take heed of tyranny and contempt for they rule their brethren The godly must be loved above all others this is a maine end of our sanctification Rom. 13.8 Col. 3.14 Eph. 4.16 1 Ioh. 3 11â— 4.21 The Use is first for reproofe of worlds of people that neglect this love of the godly which should be as the life of their lives yea contemne them yea and reproach them they love none worse then the godly Quest. But how shall I know who are godly Answ. Thou maist know them 1. By their innocency they beare their fathers image 2. By their love to Gods house and the Word 3. By their language 1 Ioh. 4.5 â— 4. By the opposition of the world Quest. What good should I get by them Answ. 1. By sorting with them thou wilt be protected from many judgments which else would fall on thee Sodome had been spared for ten
a spirit without guile a heart without hypocrisie But of this puritie he intreats not here The purity of heart that concernes men hath three things in it or there are three things required in our affections towards others whom we ought to love and with whom we converse in which we should shew the purity of our hearts 1. The first is the respect of holinesse In our love one to another wee should chiefly aime at holinesse and the furtherance one of another in the best things Our fellowship should be in the Gospell Phil. 1.5 and we should exhort one another to good works Heb. 10.25 we should cleave to that which is good and abhorre evill Rom. 12.10 2. The second is the respect of chastity we should take heed of worldly lusts and all impurity of heart or life that way we must mortifie inordinate affections and the evill concupiscence Col. 3.5 and avoid all those works of darknesse such as are chambring and wantonnesse c. Rom. 13.13 avoiding both the matter and appearance of evill 1 Thes. 5.22 1 Pet. 2.12 3. The third is the respect of truth and plainnesse of heart the heart is pure when it is without dissembling so we must love one another indeed as well as in shew 1 Iohn 3.18 and for right ends For Gods glory and the grace of God in them and for their good and not serve our owne turnes onely We may know that our hearts and affections are pure 1. If wee rejoyce not in iniquity but in the truth 1 Cor. 13. 2. If we make conscience of lesser sins and the very appearance of evill to avoid them 3. If wee love purity in others and admire commend and defend it in them 4. If daily we seeke a pure heart of God in secret judging our selves for what drosse wee finde in our natures 5. If we seeke not our owne things Phil. 2.4 6. If we cannot beare sinne in any 7. If our conversing with them make us grow more in holinesse and grace 1 Thes. 3.12 13. c. And therefore we should both try our selves and strive daily more and more after this uprightnesse and purity of our hearts that God requires of us and to this end we should 1. Pray daily to God to create cleane hearts in us 2. We should avoid society with impure persons 3. We should take heed of idlenes and fruitlesse mispending of the time For the heart gathers impurity with very emptinesse 4. We should often think of that rule Doe as thou wouldest have others doe to thee 5. Converse much with the pure For with the pure thou wilt be pure and with the froward thou wilt learne frowardnesse 6. Acknowledge your sins one to another This wonderfully fenceth the heart against impurity in conversation and excites a pure love one to another with much honor and delight This greatly convinceth and reproveth such as have taken upon them a profession of love to others but it is for corrupt ends their hearts are not pure nor are they stirred up with desire after the godly further then lust or their owne carnall ends give hope to their projects Fervently God in the second place requires a fervent love hee stands much upon it and therefore he requires else-where that above all things we should put on fervâ—â—â— love God is not contented with it that we doe not hate one another but we must love one another nor is he contented with a cold love but would have it fervent a burning ardent inflamed affection Quest. But how may the ferventnesse of our love be discerned if it be aright Answ. If thy love be a fervent love 1. Thou dost account it the greatest felicity on earth to enjoy Gods favour and the delightfull fellowship of the Saints Psal 16. â— 2. Thou mayest discerne it by the longings and infâ—amed desires after the godly such as were in Paul 3. Thou canst cover a multitude of sinnes thou levest as God loves 1 Pet 4.8 4. It is diligent thou shewest it by the paines and labour of love 5. It is speedy it seekes no delaies it faâ—â—h not goe and come againe to â—â—â—row 6. Thou dost greatly lament thy absence from the godly as a bitter crosse 7. Thou dost as Paul did in some measure thou dost daily and heartily pray for them and give thanks without 〈◊〉 as he shews in the most of his Epistâ—es standing before God often the heart doth take fire from thence which warâ—es the heart afterwards Quest. What is the cause this fervent love is so rarely found amongst men Answ. There are divers causes in divers sorts of men As 1. Unregeneracy Wee must know that no man can love his brother with this love but he that is borne of God 1 Ioh. 4.7 without repentance and the true love of God this love is never had 2. Prejudice in others The names of the godly are so buried under the disgrace of the world that this keeps off many from declaring their love to them though sometimes they have motions of good affections 3. The love of wicked persons 4. In others the cause is hatred of the good malice like Cain 1 Ioh. 3. 11. they can love any but the Saints 5. Security in prosperity Many when they be sick acknowledge the way of God and send for the Ministers and good people but when they are well they start back like a bow 6. Conceitednesse and a high opinion of themselves 7. Neglect of society with the godly 8. Worldlinesse 9. Suspitiousnesse Quest. But what must be done that wee might be abundant in love one towards another and that it might be more generall in the places where wee live Answ. First let the wicked turne from his wickednesse wee may not returne to them they must returne to us what peace or love while their whoredomes drunkennesse c. testifie to their faces Wee may love them with a generall love as Gods creatures but with a fervent love we may not nor may we converse freely with them as multitudes of places of Scripture shew Secondly to nourish affection amongst the godly wee must remember these rules 1. Remember much and often Gods love to us in Christ 1 Ioh. 4.9 10 11. Eph. 5.1 2. 2. Thinke much of the commandment of God and his acceptation Eph. 5.1 2. 3. Meditate often of our dwelling together in heaven Iam. 2.5 1 Pet. 4.8 else puâ—blind 2 Pet. 1.7 4. Converse much together have fellowship in the Gospell 5. Consider the promises made hereunto Eph. 4.15 16. 2 Pet. 1.9 10 11. Phil. 2.1 Esay 19. Verse 23. Being borne anew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God which liveth and endureth for ever IN these words the Apostle intreats of the immortality of the soule of man Now there is a double immortality of the soule For sometimes immortality signifieth an everlasting continuance of man without ending dying or ceasing to be and so the soules of the wicked
them they shal never hunger Ioh. 6. yea he wil be life to them the life of their present lives and eternall life they shall live for ever Iohn 5.40 Thus of the first things required in Christians The second is They must be lively stones Verse 5. Ye also as lively stones bee made a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iosus Christ. As lively stones IT is not unusuall in Scripture to compare men to stones and so both wicked men and godly men Wicked men are likened to stones first for their insensiblenesse and so the heart of Nabal was like a stone Secondly for their silent amazement when iniquity shall stop their mouth thus they were still as a stone Exod. 15.16 Thirdly for their sinking downe under Gods judgements so the Egyptians sunk into the Sea like a stone Ex. 15.6 And thus the wicked sinke into hell like a stone But chiefly in the first sense for hardnesse of heart their hearts by nature are like a stone And in the comparison of a building if they be in the Church they are like the stones of the house that had the leprosie or like Jerusalem when it was made a heap of stone Godly men are like stones too they are like the stones of Bethel that were anointed God is the God of Bethel and the godly are as those annointed pillars consecrated to God and qualified with the gifts of the holy Ghost They are like the Onyx stones given by the Princes and set on the brest of the High-Priest in the Ephod The High-Priest is Christ. The Onyx stones are Christians The Princes of the Congregation are the Ministers that consecrate the soules of men which they have converted to Christ who weares them on his brest and hath them alwaies in his heart and eye They are like to the rich stones of a Crowne lifted up Zach. 9.16 They are like the stone with the Booke bound to it Ier. 51.63 They are never without of the Word God But in this place they are likened to the stones of the Tâ—mple which in the Letter are described 1 Kings 6.7 36. and 7.9 10. and in the Allegorie Esay 54.11 12 13. Sure it is that the stones of this spirituall Temple are the plaâ—e of Saphires as is said in Iob in another sense 28.6 Now the godly are likened to stones in divers respects First they are like stones to grave upon and so they are like those stones which must have the Law graved upon set up in mount Ebal Deut. 27.2 3 4. What is the mount but the world and what is Eâ—â—l but vanity or sorrow and what are those graved stones but the godly vvith the Lavv of God vvritten in their hearts the light vvhereof shineth on the hill of the vanity of this vvorld and 〈◊〉 in the midst of all the soâ—rovves of this vvorld Secondlyâ— they are likestones for strength and unmovednesse in all the stormes of life The raine pierceth not the stones nor doe afflictions batter the hearts of Gods servants strength is attributed to stones in that speech of Iob. 6.12 Thirdly They are like stones for continuance and durablenesse they will last for ever so will their persons and so ought the affections of their hearts Lastly they are like stones for a building and that in two respects First if you consider the manner of their calling into the Church they are digged out of the quarry of mankinde as stones digged out of the earth being in themselves by nature but stones of darknesse such as might never have seene the light Secondly if you consider their union with Christ and Christians in one body they are like the stone of the house compact in themselves and upon the foundation Vse The use may bee briefly First for information Here is come to passe that saying that is written God is able of stones to raise up children unto Abraham Secondly let all the servants of God take pleasure in the stones of this spirituall Sion Psalm 102 15. and let us all learne to bee like stones in the former senses for the receiving the impression of the law and for constancy and durablenesse and for care to keepe our communion with Christ and Christians Lastly woe to the multitudes of wicked men whom God neglects with that heavy curse so as a stone is not taken of them to make a stone for the building Ierem. 50.26 Thus they are stones It is added they must bee lively stones to signifie wherein they must not be like unto stones they must not be dull and insensible they must be lively and cheerefull and that for divers reasons First Because the second Adam is a quickning spirit and they dishonor the workmanship of Christ if they be not lively 1 Cor. 15. Secondly Because one end of the offring up of Christ was that their consciences might be purged from dead workes Heb. 9.14 Thirdly they are therefore condemned according to men in the flesh that they might live according to God in the Spirit 1 Pet. 4.6 Fourthly Because we have beene alive to sinne and it is a shame to expresse lesse life in the service of God then wee have done in the service of sinne Fiftly Because we have lively meanes we are fed with living bread Ioh. 6. and we live by the power of God 2 Cor. 13.4 and we have the Spirit of Christ in us which is the fountaine of life and hath springs of joy in him Rom. 8.9 Ioh. 6. and the Word of God is lively and mighty in operation Heb. 4.12 and Christ himselfe lives in us Gal. 2.20 Sixtly because we professe our selves to be consecrate to God as living sacrifices Rom. 12.1 Seventhly because we have such excellent priviledges wee partake of the divine Nature and God is a living God and we have precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 and we have plentifull adoption in Christ and we have a hope of a most glorious inheritance which should alway put life into us â— Pet. 1.3 4. and wee have a secure estate in the meane time For to live is Christ and to die is gaine and whether we live or die we are Christs Rom. 14.8 Phil. 1.21 Vse The use should be therefore for instruction We should stirre up our sâ—lves and strive after this livelinesse and that for the two reasons imported in this text to omit the rest For without a ready heart wee shall make no riddance in matter of sanctification and holy life and besides wee shall extract but a small deale of influence from Christ. For it is here required that we should be lively when we come unto him Now this livelinesse we should shew First by contentation in our estate Secondly by patience and cheerefulnesse in afflictions Rom. 5.2 3. Thirdly in the performance of holy duties with power and life Thus we should be lively in praier such as will bestirre themselves and take no deniall as Philip. 4.5 6. Quest. Now if
thing is Wee must be a holy Priest-heed unto Christ which is amplified both by the labour of it To offer sacrifice and by the honour of it acceptable to God through Iesus Christ. Here are many things to be noted The first is that Christians are Priests before God and Iesus Christ This is acknowledged in other Scriptures Revel 1.5 Exod. 19.6 The meaning is that they are like to the Leviticall Priests and that in many things First in respect of separation they are Gods portion given him out of all the people so are the godly all the portion God hath in the world They are said to be the ransome of the children of Israel Numbers 8.9 Secondly in respect of coÌ„secration The oile of God is upon the godly and as it was powred out upon Aaron his Sons The oile of grace and gladnes powred out upon Christ our true Aaron hath runne downe upon his garments so as all his members are Christians that is anointed with him Psal. 133. 2 Cor. 1.22 1 Ioh. 2. The holy Ghost is called the anointing in this respect Thirdly in respect of the substance of the ceremonies in their consecration for First as it was required in the Law that the Priests should be without blemish Levit. 21.17 so is it required of Christians Col. 1.22 Secondly as the Priests were washed in the great laver of water Exod. 29.4 Levit. 8.5 6. so must Christians be washed in the laver of Regeneration Eph. 5.23 Titus 3.5 Thirdly as the Priests had their holy garments beautifull and goodly ones which they called their Ephods so doth the Queene the Church stand at Christs right hand in a Vesture of Ophir Psalm 45. Thus Iosuah hath change of garments mystically given him Zach. 3.4 Those garments are promised to such as have had a spirit of heavinesse Isaiah 61.3 called garments of salvation verse 10. and royall garments and like the new wedding garments of the Bride Isaiah 62.5 7. Those garments signified either the singular glory and joy of Christians Esaiah 61.3 or the righteousnesse of Christ imputed Revel 19. or the excellent divine gifts and graces bestowed upon them Fourthly The Priest must have blood sprinkled upon his eare and upon his thumb and upon his toe to signifie that our hearing practice and progresse must be all sanctified to us by Christ and that the maine thing Christians should expresse and attend to should be Christ crucified and that Christ by his blood hath consecrated them in all these respects so as their hearing and practice and progresse shall all be blessed unto them And thus of the ceremonies of their consecration Fourthly Wee should be like the Leviticall Priests for knowledge the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seeke the Law at his mouth Malac. 2. And it is true of Christians that they are a people in whose heart is Gods law Esay 57.7 Hebr. 8. Ierem. 31. Fifthly Wee should be like the Priests in respect of the worke they did For First It was the Priests office to carry about the Arke of the Lord when it was removed upon their shoulders What is the Arke to be carried but the doctrine of Christ and the Church Christians must carry about the Word of God and hold it forth in the light and life of it as lights that shine in the dark places of the wildernesse of this world Philip. 2.15 Secondly It was their office to blow in the silver trumpets and that upon foure occasions as you may see Num. 10. First The one was to assemble the congregation or the Princes to the tabernacle Secondly The other was to give an alaâ—â—n when there was any remove of the campe Thirdly The third was in the time of Warre when they mustred to battaile Fourthly The fourth was for joyes sake at the time of solemne feasts and for thanksgiving to God and in all these we should be like the Priests Wee should be as trumpets to call one upon another to goe up to the house of the Lord Esay 1.2 Secondly We should every where proclaime mortality and signifie that the whole hoast must remove wee must cry All flesh is grasse 1 Pet. 1.23 Thirdly Wee should also blow the trumpet of defence and arme our selves in the spirituall warfare and call upon God to save us from our enemies and stirre up one another provoking to love and good works 1 Pet. 4.1 2. 2 Tim. 2.3 4. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. We should cry alowd like a trumpet in reproving the transgressions of men and opposing the sinnes of the time Esay 58. 1. Ephes. 5. Lastly We should trumpet out the praises of God for all the goodnesse he hath shewed unto us we should blow as in the new Moone Psal. 81.3 But then in all this we must remember that wee blow with a silver trumpet that is with all discretion and sincerity c. Thirdly A speciall worke of the Priests was to blesse the people and to put the name of God upon them The former whereof is prescribed Numb 6.22 23 24. and so should we all learne the language of Canaan or the language of blessing we must blesse and not curse for we are thereunto called 1 Pet. 3.9 Lastly Their principall worke was to offer sacrifices of which in the next words The Uses follow First For reproofe For there are many faults in Christians whereby they transgresse against their spirituall Priest-hood as 1. When men are yoaked with unnecessary society with the wicked for hereby they forget their separation to God c. 2. When men neglect the finishing of their repentance and assurance they looke not to their anointing 3. When men are scandalous of their indiscretions and faults they forget that such as have any blemish must not offer the bread of their God and forget their washing from their old sinnes 2 Pet. 1.7 4. When men are barren of good works or are uncheerfull and dull they leave off the Priests garments of innocency and gladnesse 5. When the lives and behaviours of men savour of vanity and worldlinesse they remember not the blood of sprinkling 6. When men are ignorant and idle seeke not knowledge or doe not teach and instruct and admonish How doe the Priests lips preserve knowledge or how doe they beare about the Arke of the Lord 7. VVhen Christians are fearefull and irresolute and colde and not frequent in the praises of God how doe they blowe in the silver trumpet 8. VVhen Christians are bitter-hearted and accustomed to evill-speaking how doe they forget their duty of blessing To omit the neglect of sanctifying till I come to handle it in the next place Vse 2. Secondly For consolation to all godly and mortified and inoffensive Christians they should be wonderfull thankfull to God that hath made them partners of this holy Calling howsoever the world conceives of it God promiseth it as a great mercy to his children that they shall be called the Priests of the Lord Esay 61.6 and the
nor to be dejected if our faith prosper and it should be a great comfort to poore Christians in all their wants if the Lord have made them rich in faith He is a great rich man that hath a strong faith And therefore also wee should learne to judge of men not according to the flesh or these outward things but ever acknowledge more honour to a faithfull Christian than to any rich wicked man And it is a great signe of our owne uprightnesse of heart when we can judge of Christians as God judgeth and without dissimulation account them the onely excellent Ones Secondly in particular wee may here observe the necessity of faith in respect both of the favour of God and the merits of Christ we cannot please God though we be in Sion without beleeving Heb. 11.6 and without faith we see here we are not built upon the foundation and so have no part as yet in Christ. And therefore wee should every one be throughly awakened to examine our selves whether wee have this precious faith or no 2 Cor. 13.5 and to keepe our owne soules with so much attendance hereupon as to be sure the Tempter deceive us not in our faith 1 Thes. 3.4 And here especially take heed that thou dash not thy soule upon the rock either of ignorance or presumption of ignorance as many doe that to this day know not what a true faith is of presumption as many doe that entertaine without all ground from Gods promises a hope to be saved which they call a strong faith in Christ and yet live in their sinnes without repentance and here never taste of the sweetnesse of spirituall things nor shew the affections of godlinesse in Gods service Thirdly note that hee saith Hâ—e that beleeveâ—â— indefinitely meaning any of what nature or condition or state of life soever And therefore when this Text is quoted Romanes 10.11 and 9.33 hee saith in stead of Hee that Whosoever beleeveth which sheweth us plainly that in matter of faith God is no accepter of persons No man can say hee is exempted A poore man a Gentile a Barbarian an unlearned man a servant c. may beleeve as well as the rich learned free c. There is no exception against any calling of life or any sex Faith will make any one a childe of God and a member of Christ. The severall sorts of men are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 28. This is the large extent of Gods love to the world that whosoever beleeveth should be saved Iohn 3.16 Mark 16. The proclamation is to all that are athirst they may be possest of those treasures of gold without money Esay 55. Which should much embolden us to goe unto God with a true heart in the assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 And withall it should cause us to cast out of our hearts all the waverings and doubts of unbeliefe arising from our owne condition in unworthinesse Fourthly we may hence note that faith in Christ was ever required in all sorts of men It was required of them in the Prophet Esay's time and it is still here required in the Apostles time Thus Paul Heb. 11. shewes that faith was the character of the godly in all ages before the Floud and after the Floud before the Law and after the Law and he proves it by an induction of particulars in their severall ranks Which againe should both serve to take downe carelesnesse seeing never man could please God without faith and withall it should much perswade us to get and preserve faith seeing we have such a cloud of witnesses and that every godly man in every age of the world did provide himself of faith whatsoever he wanted Fiftly observe here the nature of true faith To beleeve God in any thing he saith will not save us if we beleeve not in Christ. The object of faith is Christ for though we beleeve other things yet either they are not things that directly concerne salvation or else they are founded upon Christ nor is it enough to beleeve Christ or to beleeve that he is sent of God but wee must beleeve in him that is out of sound judgement wee must with all our hearts imbrace the happy newes of salvation by Christ and relie upon him and his merits onely for our owne particular salvation The very comparison here imported shews us the nature of faith Christ is like the foundation of a house now to beleeve in Christ is to fasten our selves in our confidence upon Christ as the stone lieth upon the foundation To beleeve in Christ is to lie upon Christ unmoveably and not flee out of the Building And it is to be noted here that the Apostle addes these words in him to the Text in Esay of purpose to explain the Prophets meaning and to shew what kind of beleeving the Prophet intended Therefore it is apparant that Pagans cannot be saved because they beleeve neither God nor Christ no Jews and Turks because they beleeve God but not Christ nor the common Protestant because he onely saith he beleeveth but doth not beleeve indeed nor the Papist because he beleeves not in Christ nor placeth his confidence in him alone but in his own works or in Saints or Angels or in Popes pardons and indulgences Sixtly note here the circumstance of time by which he describeth a true faith Hee doth not say Hee that shall beleeve or Hee that hath beleeved but He that doth beleeve which is to shew us both what we should doe with our faith and what in some measure is done by every beleever for wee should not beleeve at one time onely but at all times we should every day live by our faith Gal. 2.21 Christ liveth in us by faith and so long as we goe about without faith we make Christ to be in us as it were without life To spend one day without faith is to bury Christ as it were for so long Now the life of Christ must be considered of us two waies namely as it is in it selfe and as it is in our sence For this latter it is true when we imploy not our faith we let Christ die in us in respect of sence But for the first way it is certaine a Christian doth alwaies beleeve after the life of faith is once conceived in him There is no time in which it can be truely said Now he beleeveth not Therefore doth the Apostle here say He that beleeveth It is true that in some particular points or promises a Christian may fail through unbeliefe but not in the maine point or promise of salvation by Christ. It is true also that a Christian may oftentimes and usually want the feeling of his faith and goe without the joyes of the holy Ghost but yet he wanteth not faith yea a Christian may violently object against beleeving and thinke he hath not faith by the temptation of Sathan and the rebellion of that part of him that is unregenerate and yet God can dispell
all these clouds and in the very dunghill of his unbeliefe and sinfulnesse can find out his owne part of faith In plaine tearmes there is no time after conversion but if a Christian were throughly sisted and put to it he would be found resolved in that point to rest upon the covenant of grace for all happinesse by Christ alone I say at all times in that part of him that is regenerate Christ can die in no man and if faith could die then should Christ also die in us seeing he liveth in us by faith A man may be without faith in the judgement of the world in his own judgement but never is without faith in the judgement of God A man may want this or that faith but not faith simply as that faith Luke 18. to rely upon God without failing and to call upon him with continuall perseverance as resolved that God will help us in that particular It is true If the Sonne of man come to search amongst men he shall scarcely finde that faith upon earth but yet a true faith in the generall he will find in the breast of every godly man and woman Peters faith did not faile when he denied his Master For Christ had prayed that his faith should not faile and was heard in that he prayed Shall not be confounded The Prophet Isaiah hath it thus He that beleeveth shall not make haste and it may be understood either as a precept Let him not make haste or as a promise He shall not make haste Men make haste two waies either in their behaviour when they runne headlong upon the duties they are to doe or when through impatience they will not tarry Gods leasure for their helpe and deliverance but fall to use unlawfull means and take that which comes next them without consideration of the lawfulnesse of it Now the beleever must avoid both these and God will in some measure sanctifie and guide the beleever thereunto The Apostle Paul Rom. 9.33 10.11 And the Apostle Peter in this place following the Greeke translation reade it He that beleeveth shall not be ashamed as in the Romans or confounded as here They swarve not from the meaning of the Prophet For by this tearme is avouched That the godly that beleeve shall never have cause to repent themselves or to fly from God to use ill meanes The holy Ghost then in this place is pleased to assure the beleever that he shall not be confounded To be confounded signifies sometimes to be reproached so Psal. 14.6 The wicked are said to confound the counsell of the godly that is they reproached it Sometimes it signifies to be daunted or dismayed Sometimes to be disappointed or broken in their purposes as Esay 19.9 10. Sometimes to be extreamly ashamed and so it is rendred Rom. 10.11 Sometimes to be put to a Non plâ—â— as Acts 9.22 Sometimes to be driven into amazement or wonder Acts 2.6 Sometimes to be brought into such a straite as one hath neither hope nor help 2 Cor. 4.8 9. Lastly it signifieth to perish utterly or to be undone or damned for ever and so confusion shall come to all that hate Sion or serve graven Images It is true that sometimes to be confounded is taken in the good sense and signifies either the affection of wonder as before Acts 2.6 or else a spirituall grace in the heart of a Christian by which his soule mourns and is abashed and ashamed with him And so there may be three reasons or rather causes assigned wherein the godly ought to be confounded As first in repentance for their sins of which these places intreat Ezech. 36.32 Ier. 31.19 Ezech. 16 61. and for this cause rebellious offenders must be noted their company shunned that they may be confounded in themselves for their sins 2 Thes. 3.14 and the Lord complaines that the people were not ashamed for their sins Ier. 6.15 Secondly when God or Religion or the godly are reproached and disgraced thus Psal. 44.15 16. Ier. 51.51 Thirdly the people that professe the truth doe erre through indiscretion or give offence or live in any grievous evill Esay 29.22 23. Ezra 9.6 7. Now because the confusion here mentioned is a misery God will turne away from the beleever therefore I will explaine that point and shew how many wayes God keeps the beleever from being confounded They shall not be confounded This God will make good unto them both in this life and in the day of Judgement In this life they shall not be confounded neither in respect of their outward estate nor in respect of their spirituall estate For their outward estate whether we respect their condition and credit or the meanes of their preservation For their credit God will doe one of these two things For either God will make them exceeding glorious and make them high in praises as Esay 49.2 3. or â—â— the least though they may passe through evill reports yet they shall not be utterly ashamed God will give them good report amongst the godly will greatly esteem them himselfe 2 Cor. 6.8 Heb. 11.2 Faith shall obtaine a good report And for the meanes of their preservation Either first God will save them from the temptations that fell on the world so as in the evill time they shall be provided for and preserved from distresse as Psal. 37.19 or else secondly God will not disappoint their trust but come to their succour and deliver them as Psal. 22.6 and 25.3 and Rom. 5.3 or else thirdly if God doe defer for a time hee will in the meane time refresh their hearts and lighten their faces with the comfort of his favour and presence as Psal. 34.6 Or else fourthly if the Lord let the affliction yet continue he will give theÌ„ strength to beare it and patience and magnaniâ—â—ity so as it shall be no great burthen to them as it is shewed of Christ Esa. 50.6 7. so of Paul Phil. 1.20 2 Tim. 1.12 Or else fiftly though they may be many wayes distressed yet they shall never be forsaken or perplexed so as to have cause to despaire They shall not be destroyed 2 Cor. 4.9 In all these senses they shall not be confounded in respect of their outward estate And for their spirituall estate they shall not be confounded and this may be shewed in divers things First in respect of illumination they shall not abide in darknesse Iohn 12.46 Secondly in respect of justification their sins are not imputed to them and the Lord so surely forgives the beleever that the conscience shal be satisfied with that propitiation is made in the bloud of Christ for it is not ashamed of the former evill waies because it beleeveth that they enjoy Gods pardon as if they had never been Zeph. 3.11 Thirdly in respect of Adoption because by beleeving they are made the sons of God so need not be ashamed at any time of their condition Ioh. 1.12 Fourthly in respect of accesse
unto the presence of God For by faith hee is priviledged hee may goe with boldnesse and confidence into the presence of the King of Kings and therefore what should confound them Eph. 3.12 Fiftly in respect of the promises of God For by faith hee obtaineth many rich and precious promises each of them like a Well of joy and a very spring of contentment 2 Pet. 1.4 Heb. 11.13 33 34. Sixtly in respect of the hope of glory For by faith we have accesse to this grace whence wee stand and rejoyce in the hope of the glory to come Rom. 4.2 And for the day of Judgement it is certaine they shall not be confounded in two respects First they shall have boldnesse at that day and houre and praise before all the world They that are not ashamed of Christ in this world he will not then be ashamed of them And secondly they shall be delivered from eternall confusion and damnation They shall enjoy everlasting salvation and shall not be confounded world without end Esay 45.17 Quest. So that by this which hath been said we may in part know how to answer that objection which may be made For some one may say The Scripture in divers places seems to grant that Gods servants have been ashamed and confounded Answ. Now for answer hereunto divers things must be distinctly considered of First the godly shall not be ashamed or shamed with everlasting shame or they shall not be ashamed at the day of Judgement though it were granted they might be ashamed in this life Esay 45.17 in that World which is without end they shall not be ashamed Secondly we may answer with the Prophet Daniel that shame and confusion belongs unto the godly if we respect their deserts but they are freed from it by the covenant of grace in Christ Dan. 9.7 Thirdly if we consider of the state of the Church in the publike condition of it as both good and bad are mingled together so God may powre out terrible shame and confusion upon visible Churches for their great provocations as Ier. 9.19 and 17.13 Fourthly this promise shewes what God will make good to the beleever if the fault be not in himselfe he shall be set in such a condition as hee shall have no reason to be ashamed but in all distresses two things shall be certaine first that God will come quickly to his succour Heb. 10.35 36. Secondly that till his deliverance he shall have a fair assurance and evidence for his hope in God by his promises so as if he doe not withdraw himselfe through unbeliefe in rest and quietnesse he shall be fortified Esay 30.19 Fiftly if wee restraine the sence to the coherence and particular drift of this place we may answer three things First that he shall not be so confounded as to be driven to run headlong upon the use of any unlawfull meanes Secondly that he shall not fall downe from the foundation which is Christ though he should endure many a sore storme And thirdly hee shall not be ashamed in the point of Justification hee shall never repent that he relied upon Christ and his merits and righteousnesse Sixtly it is true that in some temporall crosses they may be foiled in the judgement of the world and in their own sense as the Prophet confesseth Psal. 48.9 and so farre as this promise reacheth to temporall things it must be understood with that common limitation Esay 54.4 viz. so farre as it is good for them they shall be kept from shame as for poverty or sicknesse or the like that is if it be good for them But yet if this temporall shame doe fall upon them for their sinâ—es repentance will remove it as is promised Ioelâ— 13 26. Lastly the Lord will give his people double for all their confusion Esay 61.7 and therefore it is not to be reckoned as a crosse for which they have so much recompence made them Vses The use of all this remains then to be considered of which concerns first the godly secondly the wicked The godly should here learne First to take notice of their priviledges above other men in this respect c. Secondly to sue out this promise upon all occasions For since they have a grant of freedome in this kind they should seek unto God for the obtaining of it as they shall find need when either their crosses presse them or their hearts faile them so did David in many places of the Psalmes as Psal. 31. 1 17. and 119.116 and in divers other places Thirdly but they must ever look to it that they be such as may answer the conditions of this promise expressed in this or in other Scriptures as 1. They must preserve a constant respect unto Gods commandements and in all their waies be sound in Gods statutes else wilfull sinne and shame will be companions Psal. 119.6 80. 2. They must not be ashamed of Gods truth and the profession of it but witnesse a good profession before all men Psal. 119.46 3. They must not be too tender in matter of reproach from the world but learne of Christ to despise the shame and scornes of men Heb. 12.2 Esay 51.6 7. 4. In this Text they must hold fast their faith and live by it it is a promise to the godly as he is a beleever and will relie upon Gods mercy in Jesus Christ we must be established in the faith The wicked may hence gather an argument of singular terror For this Text imports that such as live in their sinnes without repentance and have not a lively faith in Jesus Christ shall certainly be confounded and this will more particularly touch such sorts of men as are distinctly designed out to shame and confusion Quest. Now if any ask who are they shall be ashamed and confounded Answ. I answer out of severall Scriptures They shall be ashamed and confounded First that worship graven Images and trust upon them Psal. 97.7 Esay 42.17 Secondly that wish evill and hate the godly and rejoyce at their misery and seek to doe them mischiefe Psalm 44.7 Psalm 129.5 Esay 26.11 and 41.11 Thirdly that are proud and deale perversly for pride is a fore-runner of shame Prov. Fourthly that call not upon the Name of the Lord that use not prayer Psal. 53.5 Fiftly that use customary lying they shal be lothsome and come to shame Prov. 13.5 Sixtly that put their trust in men and not in the Lord Esay 20.5 Seventhly that are ashamed of Christ and the Gospell in this world Mark 8.38 Lastly that go about to establish their own righteousnesse Rom. 10.4 Verses 7 8. 7. Vnto you therefore which beleeve it is precious but unto them which be disobedient the stone which the Builders disallowed the same is made the Head of the corner 8. And a stone to stumble at and a rock of offence even to them which stumble at the Word being disobedient unto the which thing they were even ordained IN these words the
unto them yea unsearchable riches Eph. 3.6 All ages ought to wonder at the riches of Gods kindnesse to the beleevers in Jesus Christ Eph. 2.7 Christ in us is our riches Col. 1.27 and thus he enricheth us with the favour of God his own merits and righteousnesse the grace of the Spirit and the promises of the Word and the hope of glory The Uses are many Vses First woe to the rich men of this world that are not rich in God and Christ Luk. 12.16 21. Let not the rich man glory in his riches Ier. 9.24 Secondly let the brother of low degree rejoyce in that God hath thus exalted him Iâ—â— 1.9 For godly Christians aâ—e the richest men in the world for their possessions are greatest because theâ— possesse Jesus Christ and his treasureâ— Iames 2.5 For God is rich to all tâ—at call upon him Hee cannot be a poore man that can pray Rom. 10.12 Christ makes amends to the poore Christian for all his wants Thirdly hence we may gather anothâ—r signe to try our faith by If Christ be more precious to us than all the world besides it is certaine we are true beleevers For Christ is precious to 〈◊〉 but beleevers Phil. 3.9 8. Fourthly we should strive with all â—hankfulnesse to admire and praise the grace of God that hath bestowed such riches upon us in Christ Eph. 1.7 Fiftly we should hence learne to â—ake more account of our faith which is therefore precious because it applieâ— Christ unto us Hence poore Christians are said to be rich because they have faith and assurance of faith and hee calleth it all riches of full assurancâ— Col. 2.2 2 Pet. 1.4 Iam. 2.5 Sixtly we should live securelesse Men would promise to live at all hearts ease if they were rich enough why Christians are exceeding rich and possesse more treasure than all the woâ—ld besides and therefore should live henceforth by the faith of the Sonne of God which was given to them Gal. 2.20 Seventhly looke to it that thou keepe Christ whatsoever thou losest resolve to lose father mother wife children friends house lands yea and life too rather than lose Christ who is so precious Eighthly we should shew it thâ—t wee account him our greatest riches and that we shall doe first by esteeâ—ing the Gospell that brings us daily tidings above gold and silver Secondly by oft receiving of the Sacraments we should account the Word and Saâ—raments as Gods Exchequer whither we alwaies come to receive more treasure Thirdly by making much of them that resemble his vertues Fourthly 〈◊〉 longing for his appearing Thus as Christ is our riches Now secondly he is precious in that he is an honour unto us and so some translate it Christ then is a singular honor to every beleever and he is so both in heaven and in earth First in heaven he is an honour to us because he graceth us before God and the Angels covering our nakednesse with the rich garment of his owne imputed righteousnesse and making daily intercession fâ—r us to God and covering our imperfections and presenting our works and prayers to God and giving the Angels a charge to look carefully to uâ— Secondly And so he is an honour to us on earth both amongst the godly and amongst the wicked First Hee graceth us amongst the godly by giving 〈◊〉 room in their hearts causing them to love us and honour us even for Christ onely whom they discover in us by our love to Christ and faith in his name and imitation of his vertues Secondly and he graceth us also amongst the wicâ—ed by protecting and acknowledging us in times of greatest distresse and by washing out the blemishes which our owne indiscretions at any time brought upon us and by cleering our innocencies from their unjust aspersions The Use may be first for confutation of their folly and madnesse that account it a course of abasement to follow Christ and leave the vanities of the world Godly â—ourses are honorable courses No man ever lost honor by cleaving to Christ and living so as might become the faith and love of Christ. Secondly and withall we may hence be informed that all the honor that is without Christ is but obscure basenesse no man can be truely honorable without the faith of Jesus Christ in his heart Thirdly we should hence be resolved to make more account of the godly because Christ is to them all honour they are the onely excellent ones in the world Fourthly we should labour also to be an honour unto Christ and to the faith and profession of his name and service we must remember that he is our surety to God for us and hath undertaken for our good behaviour and therefore for that reason we should be carefull of our duties and besides wee see that the disorders of great mens servants leave an imputation on their master and so it is with us and Christ. If we live righteously and soberly and religiously we honour Christ our Master but otherwise if we be scandalous we dishonour Christ and therefore had need to look to our waies And lastly we should account Christ sufficient honour to us and not regard the scornes and reproaches of the world but rather with Moses esteeme the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt Thus of the consolation to the godly The terrour to the unbeleevers is exprest first partly by charging upon them their offence secondly and partly by describing their punishment Their offence is disobedience To them that are disobedient All unbeleevers stand indicted of disobedience and that in three respects For first they are guilty of Adams disobedience For by the disobedience of one man many are made sinners Rom. 5.19 Secondly they are guilty of disobedience against the morall Law which they have broken by innumerable offences and in respect thereof are liable to all the curses of God Deut. 28. Thirdly they are guilty of disobedience against the Gospell For there is an obedience of faith Rom. 1.5 and the Lord complaines that they obeyed not the Gospell Rom. 10.16 and for this disobedience God will render vengeance in flaming fire at the day of Judgement 2 Thes. 1.8 Now men disobey the Gospell not onely when they are bewitched to receive false opinions in religion Gal 3.1 but also and chiefly when they beleeve not in Jesus Christ but live in their sins without repentance Vses The use should be for humiliation unto impenitent sinners they should take notice of their indictment and make haste to humble themselves before the Lord lest sentence come out against them and there be no remedy and the rather because God will aggravate against them their disobedience Now there are many wayes by which a sinner may take notice of the aggravations of his disobedience as First by the number of his offences if hee consider that he hath made his sins like the haires of his head To be guilty of treason but in one particular should occasion
Christian may somewhat be helped against the testimony of those wise men of the world if hee mark but their lives for usually by their fruits they may be known Mat. 7. For commonly such as oppose Christ and the Gospel or the sincerity of the Gospel are men that may be apparantly detected of profanenesse as our Saviour Christ shews by divers instances in the Pharises Mat. 23. But because sometimes the messengers of Satan can transform themselves into Angels of light therefore I answer secondly that all the godly have the sure word of the Prophets and Apostles which may by the touch-stone to try the opinions of men by which in the points absolutely necessary to salvation is evident and plaine and infallible to the Law and to the Testimonies if they speak not according to these it is because there is no light in them Esay 8.20 And that they may be sure let them pray to God to teach them for hee hath promised to teach the humble his way if a man come to God with an humble mind and with desire of reformation of his life in that hee knows God hath bound himself to shew him his will Psal. 25.9 Iohn 7.17 Besides every childe of God hath the Spirit of God in his heart who knoweth the things of God which indited the Scriptures and is the onely supreme Judge of all controversies Hee that beleeveth hath a witnesse in himselfe the Spirit working much assurance in his heart and anointing him with eye-salve and leading him into all truth And by this help the entrance into the Scriptures gives light to the simple Vse The use of the point then is First to informe us concerning that great justice of God in hiding his truth from the wise and revealing it to babes and children or infants which our Saviour and Saint Paul take notice of Secondly to confirme us against the sinister judgement of wordly-wise and learned men and in matter of religion not to be swayed by that inducement since it is thus plainly told and foretold Thirdly to confute the Papists that plead unto the ignorant that their religion is the right because it is and hath been maintained by such a number of Popes and Cardinals which have excelled in leaâ—â—ing and greatnesse of place for here we see the builders reject the head stone of the corner Fourthly to shew us that whatsoever wicked wise great men pretend yet their quartell is against Christ and his Kingdome Fiftly to teach us therefore to pray for our teachers and governors that God would guide theÌ„ by his good Spirit and assist them in their callings c. Sixtly to be more thankfull to God when the Lord gives us builders not in name onely but in deed that settle about Gods work with all their hearts and labour with all faithfulnesse to promote the Kingdome of Christ. Hitherto of the persons The cause of their punishment is their refusing of Christ. Refused They refused Christ they disallowed him as unfit for the support of the building They cast him away as rubbish they rejected him or accounted him as a reprobate Christ is refused or disallowed many waies First when the Gospel of Christ is contemned or neglected that is when men neglect or contemne the doctrine of salvation by Christ and live still in their sin without repentance and seek not reconciliation with God through the bloud of Christ. Secondly when men goe about to establish their own righteousnesse and neglect the righteousnesse of Christ and so when men fly to the intercession of Saints or Angels and use not the intercession of Christ. Thirdly when men follow wicked company and leave the care of the service of Christ this is to choose Barabbas to be given unto them rather than Christ. Fourthly we may be guilty of this sinne in the time of the use of Christs ordinances as in the Sacraments when we discerne not the Lords body or in hearing or any other ordinances when we entertaine contemplative wickednesse and so commit spirituall dalliance with strangers before the face of Christ. Fiftly when men fall away from the grace of Christ and so joy with the Jews as it were to crucifie the Son of God afresh Heb. 6. and 10. And so he is also refused when in time of persecution he is denied before men Thus Peter refused him when he denied him Sixtly when his servants are rejected and so either in general when Christians are exposed to publique scorn and made as it were the off-scouring of all things or in particular when his Ministers are despised For he that despiseth them despiseth him c. Quest. But how doe the builders that is Church-men refuse Christ Answ. I answer many waies First when they will not preach in his name when they preach not at all For this is to let Christ live as it were in the rubbish still and not to separate him out for the building c. Secondly when in preaching they preach themselves and not Christ crucified leaving the word of Christ to shew their own wit and learning c. Thirdly when they oppose the sincerity of the Gospell in the conversion of the soules of mâ—n or in the practice of godly Christians Fourthly when they teach the doctrine of merit of works or prefer the traditions of men before the commandements of God as did the Pharises Vse The use of this doctrine concerning the refusing of Christ may be divers for First it may teach us patience when we are refused in the world it is no other thing then what did befall Christ himselfe especially it should confirme us against the scandall arising from the discountenancing of godly men which are crucified by all sorts of people in the world If Christ himself were no better used why should we wonder at it to see godly Christians so neglected And if the most powerfull doctrine of Christ were so securely despised what wonder is it if the good way of God be now evill spoken of Secondly it may much comfort us and that especially two manner of waies First by reasoning for the contrary For if it be a signe of a notorious wicked man to let Christ lie like rubbish or refuâ—e stufâ—e then is it an excellent sign of a godly mind to love the Lord Jesus and to account all things but dung in comparison of Christ and his merits and righteousnesse Secondly by considering the effect of Christs refusall For he was refused as our surety that we might be received to favour He was cast off by men as a reprobate that wee might enjoy the admirable priviledges of the Elect of God and besides by enduring this contempt of men he bare the punishment of all our neglect and contempt of God his holy Commandements Thus of the cause The punishment it selfe followes Is made the Head of the corner Two things are here intended as punishment to these builders First the one implied Secondly the other exprest First that which is
implied is that God will passe by these workmen and reject their service This I gather from hence that whereas these builders would not make use of Christ in the building it is here repeated that the building doth goe on and Christ is laid as the Head of the corner which imports that God had rejected them Now God rejects wicked Ministers two waies First one when he curseth or blasteth their gifts and refuseth to be glorified by them when he causeth the night to come upon their divination and puts out their right eyes Secondly the other is when he roots them out by death and makes their places spue them out The first is here chiefly intended and so it notes that it is a great curse of God upon learned men in the Ministery when God will not imploy them or make use of their gifts A learned man that either laboureth not or proposeth not in his labours Gods glory is a publike and standing Monument of Gods displeasure for men to stand and gaze at as it is a great argument of disgrace done to a Carpenter or Mason to stand by while the house is builded and they not intreated or suffered to work and yet have their tooles readie Oh it is a marvellous justice of God to see learned but not godly men passe by so as they have not the honour to doe any work in the Church for the salvation of the souls of men and contrariwise it should rejoyce the hearts of godly Ministers that God as Paul saith of himselfe will account them faithfull to put them into his service and to give their labours any successe Secondly the exprest punishment is the preferment of Christ and the promoting of his Kingdome Hee is made the Head of the corner which words must be considered either in relation to the builders or in themselves as they concerne the exaltation of Christ. First in relation to the builders it imports that it is a punishment to wicked Ministers that love not the Lord Jesus that Christ and his Kingdome should flourish As it fretted the Pharises so it doth and will fret the heart of wicked men till the day of Christ and it is a punishment because of their envie at it and because they finde that they have no part in Christ or the happinesse of his Kingdome their consciences accusing them and besides because they are openly crossed in their oppositions and so ashamed before men Which observation may serve for triall For it is a certaine note of a wicked man who loves not the Lord Jesus that he is crossed and accounts himselfe afflicted or ashamed because the Kingdome of Christ prospers The words in themselves concern the exaltation of Christ and shew how God raised him out of the heap of rubbish as it were and carried him up to heaven and made him their Head and King Head I say over all things giving him power over all things and in particular in respect of the Angels head of principalities and powers and in respect of men head of the Church Nor is it barely said he is head but head of the corner which is a Metaphor borrowed from the building where the holy Ghost intends to shew that he is the onely foundation of the Church as hath been shewed in the first verse of this Chapter And he is well said to be Head of the corner because upon Christ meet as the two sides meet in the corner stone both Angels and men and amongst men both the Saints in heaven and the godly on earth and amongst men on earth both Jewes and Gentiles even all the Elect of all nations ages and conditions in the world The uses of the exaltation of Christ briefly follow First it should teach us to strive by all means to get into his service that is so powerfull and able to doe so much for his servants Secondly It shews us the end of the oppositions of all wicked men Christ shall increase and prosper and they shall be confounded and perish Thirdly it should especially enforce the necessity of beleeving in Christ wee should lie upon him with all our waight as the building doth on the foundation Fourthly it should comfort us in all distresses considering what end God gave to the sufferings of Christ and so it is urged Heb. 12.2 The consideration of the manner and the time followes Is become or is made He doth not tell how but leaves that as granted to be effected without hands even by the speciall providence of God which gives us occasion to take speciall notice of the truth that in things of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ God is pleased to make his worke or to worke sometimes without using any of the meanes which the world takes notice of hee neglects all those meanes which fall within the expectation Psal. 118.20 21. as here for the proclaiming of the Messias there was not any one order or rank of men eminent in the world which God made use of But by a way altogether strange to the world erected the Christian Monarchie which should teach us not to limit God to the meanes which is likeliest to us but to live in all things by faith and where means seeme to faile then with Abraham above hope and under hope to give glory to God and cast our selves and all our care upon God Thus of the manner The time followes In that he said It is become Christ was Head of the corner according to the present time First if we consider the type of it Christ was become head of the corner in that David was made King of Israel as a type of Christs Kingdome over the Church Secondly Christ was head in that in the Apostles time he had received power after his Ascension over all things though as yet the Gentiles were not so fully converted Thirdly that hee is become the head may be taken prophetically For the Prophets to expresse the certainty of a thing to come utter it in the words of the present tense It is so because it shall as surely be so as if it were already done VERSE 8. And a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence even to them which stumble at the Word being disobedient unto the which thing they were even ordained HItherto of the punishments upon the builders The punishment upon the whole body of unbeleevers is contained in this verse Wherein note first the kindes of punishment Christ is a rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling Secondly the causes both in themselves and in God in the words that follow A rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling Since wicked men have refused Christ and will not beleeve in him hee that may not be a stone of foundation will prove a stone of stumbling and a rocke for them to dash on till they be dashed to pieces which words import the fearefull judgements of God spiritually afflicted upon unbeleevers which is two-fold First they shall be given up to
scandall and then secondly to despaire Before I open the words particularly divers things may bee noted in generall First that the punishments that light upon particular wicked men are to be accounted the punishments of the whole body of unbeleevers as here despaire and taking offence at Christ it may light upon some particular offenders onely yet they are punishments belonging to all First because there is no judgement but all wicked men have deserved it Secondly because when God plagues some hee meanes all he threatens all Thirdly because no wicked man can be sure for the time to come that he shall not fall into them Fourthly because the afflictions of this life are typicall to wicked men as despaire is a typicall hell and so all other judgements are but little hells And this doctrine should much amaze impenitent sinners if they consider that any fearefull judgment they see fall upon others may fall upon them and that God is as well displeased with their sinnes as with the sins of those he so plagued as Christ shewes Luk. 13.1 to 6. Secondly that from one and the same cause may arise divers and contrary effects as Christ that is a stone of foundation to the beleever is a stone of stumbling to the unbeleever Thus in Luke 2. hee was appointed for the rising and falling of many in Israel Thus the Gospell of peace is to wicked men a fire a sword a fanne It is a savour of life to the godly and a savour of death to the wicked 2 Cor. 2. as the Sunne melteth the wax and hardneth the clay This comes to passe by accident and by the corruption that is in the hearts of wicked men and by the fearefull judgements of God Use. The use should be to teach us therefore not to rest in the having of the meanes of salvation as the preaching of the Word c. for through thy corruption it may be a meanes of greater damnation Thirdly that of all judgements in this life spirituall judgements are the worst which appeares from hence in this that when the Lord would declare his speciall displeasure upon wicked men hee threatens these in this place as the most fearfull Now for explication of this point All judgements in this life are either spirituall or temporall By temporall judgements I meane such as have their proper effects on the outward man such as are poverty disgrace sicknesse imprisonment losses in mens estates and the like By spirituall judgements I meane such as have their proper effects upon the soule as for example Hardnesse of heart the spirit of slumber desertion or the absence of God the taking away of the gifts of the minde the with-holding of the Gospel the delivering of men up to the power of Satan or to the love of lies terrours of despaire or taking of offence of which latter in this place Now these spirituall judgements are much worse than any of the former temporall crosses first because these judgements light vpon the best part of man which is the soule and by how much the soule is better than the body by so much it is worse to be distressed in soule than in body Secondly because they with-hold from us the best good which is God or Christ now that which straightens us in the best things must needs be the worst kinde of restraint Thirdly because these crosses are more hardly cured it is much easier to heale a sicknesse in the body than a disease in the soule Fourthly because these judgements for the most part are inflicted upon the worst offenders I say for the most part for sometimes the godly themselves may bee scourged for a time and for just reasons with some kindes of spirituall judgements Use The use may bee first for reproofe of the madnesse of multitudes of people in the world that can bee extreamly vexed and grieved for worldly crosses yet have no sense or care of spirituall judgements they howâ—e upon their beds if God take from them corne or wine or the fruits of the field but never grieve if God take the Gospel from them they are much troubled if they lose the favour of their greatest friends but never mourne because God hath forsaken them they are very impatient if their bodies be sicke and yet very quiet if their soules be sicke they would thinke themselves undone if they were carried to prison who yet are not much moved at it that God should deliver them up to Satan And yet I would not be mistaken I do not meane to say that wicked men should not mourne for wordly or outward crosses It is true godly men should not or not with great sorrowes but for wicked men they ought to be extremely grieved for every outward affliction because it comes in wrath from God and is but the beginning of evils But then two things must be noted first that their sorrow should be godly viz. for their sins that brought those judgments not for the crosse it selfe secondly that they ought to be more troubled for spirituall judgements than for temporall Secondly this should much comfort godly men and women in all their afflictions and it should make them patient because though God afflicts them in their bodies or estates yet he spareth their soules and doth not execute those outward crosses but with much compassion Thirdly it should teach us how to pray in the case of afflictions if they be spirituall judgements we may pray directly for the removeall of them but for temporall judgements we must pray with condition And thus of the generall oâ—servations Before I enter upon the particular breaking open of the doctrine of this verse it will not be amisse â—o shew that this and such doctrine as this is not unprofitable Quest. For some one might say To what end serves this doctrine of Gods dealing with unbeleevers Answ. I answer it is profitable both for godly men and wicked men For wicked men may hence heare and feare and doe no more wickedly seeing hence they may discerne what they may come to if they prevent it not by repentance And for godly men they may hence be the more inflamed with the admiration of Gods goodnesse when they shall heare of their owne priviledges by 〈◊〉 Such Scriptures as this containe the arraignment and triall of the ungodly Now it is very profitable for us to stand by and heare the triall Wee know multitudes of innocent men flocke to the Assises to heare the arraignment of malefactors which breeds in them first contentment in the observation of the solemnity and manner of administration of justice secondly a feare to offend the terrour of their sentence frights the heart for many dayes after thirdly a love of innocency it makes men love innocency much the better for a long while after fourthly compassion to malefactors it softens the heart and makes men fit to shew mercy to these poore condemned men The like to all this is bred by the consideration of such
one truth will not sinke yet into our heads Wee are told that this is a point unsearchable Rom. 11.32 33. and the rather because weake Christians are not tied to eate strong meat they may safely let this doctrine alone Thirdly that no man can know his owne reprobation nor ought to beleeve so of himselfe but is called upon to use the meanes by which he may be saved Fourthly we have this oath of God for it That he desires not the death of the sinner but would have all men to repent and be saved Fifthly that whereas Divines make two parts of the decree of reprobation Preterition and Predamnation all Divines are agreed for the latter that God did never determine to damne any man for his owne pleasure but the cause of his perdition was his owne sinne And here is reason for it for God may to shew his soveraignty annihilate his creature but to appoint a reasonable creature to an estate of endlesse paine without respect of his desert cannot agree to the unspotted justice of God And for the other part of passing over and forsaking a great part of men for the glory of his justice the exactest Divines doe not attribute that to the mere will of God but hold that God did first looke upon those men as sinners at least in the generall corruption brought in by the fall For all men have sinned in Adam and are guilty of high treason against God Sixthly that sinne is no effect of reprobation but onely a consequent Gods decree doth not force any man to sinne c. Seventhly that whatsoever God hath decreed yet all grant that God is no way any authour of sinne hee doth not cause sinne in any but onely permits it and endureth it and whereas the most that can be objected is that God hardneth whom he will Rom. 9. it is agreed upon in the answer of all sound Divines that God doth not infuse any wickednesse from without in mens hearts but whereas their hearts are in themselves by custome in sinne hardned as a just Judge he gives them over to Sathan and his power who is as it were the Jayler but doth never restraine them from good and the meanes of it Eighthly now may men say that sinne came upon men by reason of the rigour of Gods Law for it was impossible to be kept For this there is a cleere answer When God gave his Law at first man was able to keepe it and it came by his owne default that hee was not able to keepe it afterwards A man that sends his servant to the market and gives him charge to doe such and such businesse for him if that servant make himselfe drunken and so bee unfit to doe his masters businesse he is worthy to be punished because hee was fit to doe it when hee was first sent about it Ninthly it is plaine in this verse that those men of whom he here speakes are indited of grievous sinne against Christ and the Gospell Tenthly that things may be just though the reasons of them do not appear unto us if it bee true of some cases of justice among men much more in this case of God's justice Lastly it should much satisfie us that in the day of Jesus Christ those mysteries of Religion shall be broken open and all then shall bee made cleer unto us as cleer as the shining of the Sun at noon-day Thus of the punishment of unbeleevers and so also of the first argument taken from testimony of Scripture Verses 9 and 10. But yee are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light Which in times past were not a people yet are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy THese words containe the second argument to perswade Christians to make their constant recourse unto Christ and from him to procure vertue to enable them for holinesse of conversation and it is taken from the consideration of the excellency of that estate unto which they were brought by Christ. For the description whereof the Apostle singles out two places of Scripture with which he makes up a compleat narration of their great prerogatives above all other people and above that they themselves were in former times The places of Scripture he makes use of are Exod. 9. and Hos. 1. But before I open the words two things may be here noted First the Apostles care to prove what he saith from the Scripture whether it bee against wicked men or for godly men which shewes that wee should much more take heed to Gods Word being lesse than Apostles especially such an Apostle Secondly wee may hence note that the promises or prayses given to the godly in the old Testament are not envied to Christians in the new Testament God is no respecter of persons but wee have free liberty to search the bookes of God and to chuse out of all the examples of the suites of godly men or the preferments what we will and if we make a suite of it to God he will not deny it but shew us their mercy Now for the particular opening of these words we must observe that it is the purpose of the Apostle to shew briefly the priviledges of the godly above all others or what themselves were before their conversion And the priviledge of their estate may be considered either positively in it self or comparatively It is described positively vers 9. comparatively vers 10. In the ninth verse there he reckons up a number of prerogatives belonging to the godly and withall shewes the use they should make of them or the end why they were conferred upon them The godly excell in divers respects if we consider First their election they are chosen of God Secondly their alliance or kinred they are a chosen kinred Thirdly their dignity above other men they are royall Kings Fourthly their function or private imployment before God Priests Fifthly their behaviour or outward conversation they are holy Sixthly their number they are a Nation Seventhly their acceptation with God they are a peculiar people First for Election The Apostle looking upon the words in Exodus 19.5 6 and seeing that they described the happinesse of Christians in this life doth in the Fore-front put to this priviledge of their election as the foundation of all the rest and would have Christians much affected with the consideration of this prerogative It is one of the chiefe and prime comforts of a Christian to consider that he is elect of God Psal. 106.4 5. 2 Pet. 1.9 elect I say both before time and in time Before time in Gods decree and in time when the godly are singled and called out of the word and picked out one of a city and two of a tribe in all the ages of the world and distinguished from other men by beleeving in Jesus
Christ. As the Israelites were chosen out of all the nations of the world so now the Elect out of all the ages of the world Quest. But what is there in the election of a Christian that should so much affect him as to account himselfe so wonderfull happy in that respect Answ. There are many things in our election which should much ravish us as to consider First when we were chosen viz. before the foundation of the world from all eternity Oh what a favour it is to thinke that God had such thought of us be fore ever wee had any beeing Eph. 1.4 Secondly by whom wee were chosen viz. by God Men are wont to be affected if any of any degree almost doe point out them above others unto any condition of praise or preferment To be beloved and in request with any is a contentment but especially if Kings or great persons should chuse us out to set their love upon us how would wee be moved with that Oh! what comparison can there be betweene the greatest men on earth and the great God in heaven Thirdly to what we were chosen viz. to a Kingdome and great glory For meaner persons to be chosen to any preferment it would prove a great contentment but especially to be advanced to the highest honours why God hath chosen and called us to no lesse an happiness than a Kingdome and glory yea his Kingdome and glory in heaven Mat. 25.34 2 Thess. 2.13 14. Fourthly for how long this choice must last viz. for ever To be chosen to a great office though it were but for a yeare is a great honour in the account of some men but especially to enjoy a Kingdome if it may be for divers yeares as twenty thirty forty or the like how would men rejoyce that could attaine to such an election But behold our happinesse is greater For we have by our Election an entrance into the everlasting Kingdome of Jesus Christ. Fifthly upon what reason we were chosen viz. upon Gods free and meere grace and goodnesse hee chooseth whom he will It was his good pleasure to chuse us to such a Kingdome we had it not by descent or desert Rom. 9.18.21 Ephes. 1.11 Sixthly in what manner he chose us viz. unchangeably To be chosen to so great an estate though it had beene but during pleasure and that pleasure to such as might change had beene a great advancement but Gods purpose remaines according to his choice Rom. 9. and whom he elected he calls and whom hee calls he justifies and whom he justifies he glorifies Rom. 8.30 The foundation of God remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 Lastly to consider whom he chose which hath a double incitation in it For first the Scripture tels us Many are called but few are chosen Now this increaseth our honour that but a few onely can be admitted to the participation of it If many had enjoyed it the commonnesse of it might have had in it some occasion of lessening the value of it Deut. 7.6 7. Mat. 20.16 Secondly God chose us that were most vile creatures polluted in blood covered with filthinesse fallen from him by vile Apostasie and our rebellion in our first parents and being guilty of many treasons in our owne actions And this should much move us that God should set his heart upon such vile wretches as we every day are proved to bee Uses The use of this may be divers But I will onely stand upon two uses First the consideration hereof should enforce upon us a care to make our election sure 2 Pet. 1.9 Quest. Now if any aske By what signes I may know that I am elected of God Answ. I answer There bee divers infallible signes of election As for example First separation from the world when God singles us out from the world it doth manifest that he hath chosen us from all eternity Now that this separation may be proved sure and infallible we must know First that it is wrought in us by the Gospell 2 Thess. 2.14 Secondly That it containes in it a contempt of earthly things so as our hearts doe unfainedly disclaime all happinesse in the things of this world as out of true judgement resolving that all is vanity and vexation of spirit The love of God and the love of the world cannot stand together 1 Ioh. 2.14 Thirdly that it with-drawes us from needlesse society or delight in the men of this world who follow the lusts of life and mind onely earthly things Psalm 26. Fourthly an estimation of spirituall things above all the world Secondly a relying upon Jesus Christ and the covenants of grace in him so as we trust wholly upon him for righteousnesse and happinesse Hence it is that faith is called the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1.1 Thirdly the sanctification of the spirit 2 Thess. 2.13 which hath in it both the reformations of those evills which were wont to prevaile over us and were most beloved of us as also the qualifying the heart with such graces as are supernaturall such as those mentioned in the Catalogue 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 9. and such are those graces heretofore mentioned in the sight of salvation Fourthly the testimony of the spirit of Adoption For every godly man hath a witnesse in himselfe 1 Ioh. 5.10 Rom. 8.15 Gods Spirit doth assure Gods Elect that they are elect and that it doth principally by sealing up unto them the promises of Gods Word Ephes. 1.13 14. Fiftly by the conformity of Christians unto Christ in affliction for the Elect are predestinate to be made like unto Christ in sufferings Now because this signe must be warily explicated we must understand that barely to bee afflicted is not a signe of Election For so may and are wicked men as well as godly men but to become like Christ in the suffering is the signe which that it may bee more infallible and cleare wee must observe in these sufferings First the kindes as for example to be hated and scorned of the world and reviled and persecuted is a token that we are not of the world because the world would love his owne Ioh. 25.18 19. Secondly the causes as if we be hated for goodnesse and do not suffer as evill doers Ioh. 15.8 21. Psal. 38.20 when our afflictions are the afflictions of the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.8 9. Mat. 5.12 Thirdly the effects that we love obedience by our sufferings Heb. 5.8 and be made more holy and fruitfull and quiet and meeke and humble by them Heb. 15.11 so as wee can say It was good for mee that I was afflicted Psal. 119. Fourthly by the manner that wee be like Christ in silence Esa. 13.7 patience and despising the shame of the crosse Heb. 12.1 2. 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. prayers to God and submission to Gods will with strong cryes and fervencie Heb. 5.7 Fifthly by the issue when God giveth a like end to the triall of his servants as he did unto the passion of Christ making
all worke together for the best Rom. 8.28 Sixthly the entertainment which God gives unto his servants in the meanes of communion with God For when we meet with God familiarly and continue in his ordinances that is an infallible signe and note of Election as when a man findes constantly the pleasures of Gods house Psal. 65.4 power and much assurance in hearing the Word 1 Thess. 1.4 5. an inward sealing up of the comforts of the covenant in receiving of the Sacraments testified by the secret and sweet refreshing of the heart in the time of receiving the conscience being comforted in the forgivenesse of sinnes past Matth. 26.28 an answer and assurance that God hath heard our prayers and beene with us in his service Ioh. 15.15 16. and the like Use 2. The second use should be to worke in us a care to live so as may become the knowledge remembrance and assurance of our Election and so wee shall doe First if we stirre up our hearts to a continuall praising of God for his rich and free grace herein Ephes. 1.3 6. Secondly if we strive to joy and glory in it continually Psal. 106.5 6. Thirdly if we love one another Ioh. 15.17 and chuse as God chuseth Eph. 1.4 not despising the poorest Christian Iam. 2.5 Fourthly if we set up the Lord to be our God to love him with all our heart and to serve him and in all things to shew our selves desirous to please him and to be resolved to please him and his truth and to his glory c. Deut. 26. Esay 44.1 5. Fifthly if we confirme our selves in a resolution to have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darkenesse nor to suffer our selves to be unequally yoaked but since God hath chosen us out of the world to keepe our selves from needlesse society with wicked men Sixthly if we continue in the Word and be patient in afflictions and shew contentations in all estates as knowing that it is our Fathers pleasure to give us a Kingdome Luk. 12.32 and that all shall worke together for the best Rom. 8.28 and that the very haires of our heads are numbred Matt. 10. and that nothing can be laid to our charge to condemne us Rom. 8.33 and that God will never cast away his people whom before he knew Rom. 11.2 because his foundation remaineth sure and hee knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Seventhly if we strive to live without blame and offence that God may no way suffer dishonour for our sakes Eph. 1.4 Thus of the election The next thing by which they are commended is their kinred and generation This word generation signifies sometimes an age or succession of men or so many men as live in the world in the age of one man so one generation passeth and another commeth c. Eccles. 1. Sometimes it signifies a progeny or off-spring that is so many as doe descend out of the loines of such a one as the generation from Abraham to David Mat. 1. Sometimes it signifies a kinred or stocke and so not onely carnall but spirituall and thus wicked men are said to be an adulterous and untoward generation Mat. 12.39 faithlesse and perverse Mat. 17.17 so it is no priviledge to be one of that generation but we are called upon to save our selves from this untoward generation Mat. 12.40 so that it is a priviledge to be one of this sort or kinred They are the generation of vipers Mat. 3. Now there is another kind of spirituall alliance and that is it whereby all Christians are a-kin one to another through the blood of Christ as they all descend of the second Adam and of this it is that the Prophet speaketh Esay 53.8 when admiredly he faith of Christ Who can tell his generation And thus the godly are begotten of the best blood in the world because they are begotten of the blood of Christ Ioh. 1.13 The doctrine then is That godly men are the happiest men in the world in respect of their kinred and alliance None come of so good a kinred as godly Christians which may appeare by divers reasons First because they descend of the best blood being the generation of Christ the second Adam and so are better borne than they that can tell of their great Nobility and Blood both by the fathers and mothers side Ioh. 1.13 Secondly because they are a chosen picked chilren or kinred all the kinred culled out of all mankind and so is no kinred in the world For in all other kinreds are all sorts of persons to be found good and bad vertuous and vicious but of this kinred are none but good Thirdly because the whole kinred is royall they enjoy all great preferments whereas there be few kinreds in the world but there are some poore in it but this generation hath not one poore man in it all the kinred are Kings Fourthly because all are fit for imployment all the kinred are Priests and can sacrifice which was not true of the very Tribe of Levi. There is not one Christian but he can perform the worke of the Priesthood doth in his order Fifthly because there are so many of the kinred The meanest Christian is a-kinne to all the Saints in heaven and to all the godly in earth or on earth and there is no kinred in the flesh that can attaine to the like number of kinsfolkes in any degree of comparison worth the speaking of Sixthly because they are all accepted into high favour with the King of Kings Though a King on earth out of his love to one person would do much for many of his kinred yet it is never seen that all the kinred universally are preferred and entertained into speciall favour with the King yet so it is with all the godly it is true of all of every one that they are his peculiar treasure Seventhly because all our kinred will doe for us there is none of them but are able to pleasure us whereas in carnall kinred one may bee a-kinne to so great persons that they will do nothing for them Eightly because other kinred may and will die and leave us but all this generation lives for ever Uses The consideration whereof may serve for divers reasons First hence godly Christians may gather comfort against the best of their kinred in the flesh whether they be lost by displeasure or by death for God here makes a supply of better kinred It should not therefore be grievous to the godly to forsake their fathers house Psal. 45. Secondly hence we should learne how to esteeme of godly Ministers for hereby is implyed that they are the Fathers and Princes of the Tribes in this holy Nation Thirdly it should teach us many duties concerning the godly to whom we are allied First to study our genealogie and get the knowledge of as many of our kinred as we can Secondly to glory in our kinred to joy in our happinesse herein Thirdly to do all good we
can to our kinred even to the houshold of faith for this very reason because they are our kinsmen in the spirit and in particular we should be ready to do all that for them which the law of kinred bindeth us unto viz. First we should acknowledge them and not hide our selves from any that is godly Secondly wee should receive one another heartily and willingly without grudging or murmuring Thirdly we should defend one another and be ready in all oppositions to stand for the godly Fourthly we should shew all bowels of mercy and tender kindnesse and pity and sympathize in their necessities and miseries Fourthly we should hence learne to be provident to preserve our owne reputation that we be no way a dishonour and shame to our kinred but learne of the wise steward by lawfull meanes to preserve our credits and provide for our selves though hee did it by unlawfull for our Saviour noted this defect when he said The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of the light Luk. 16.8 Thus much of their kinred or generation A royall Priest-hood These words containe the two next prerogatives which have so much connexion one with another that they are joyned together as inseparable The Apostle makes a comely and effectuall inversion of the words recorded in Exodus 19. for there they are said to be a Kingdome of Priests which the Apostle more plainly expresses in the words A royall Priest-hood They are both Kings and Priests but both with difference from other men of either of those callings They are Kings not profane or civill onely but sacred Kings they are Priests not common or typicall Priests but royall The one word tels their dignity to which they are ordained the other their office in respect of God These words with those that follow are in Exodus expounded or rather propounded indefinitely to the Israelites but in this place limited to the elect onely which shewes that promises and priviledges of right belong onely to the elect and chosen of God c. Royall Christians may be said to be Royall in foure respects First comparatively with wicked men for whatsoever their condition bee yet if their estate be compared with the miserable condition of all impenitent sinners it is a Royall estate they are like Kings in respect of them Secondly as they are united to his body who is the greatest King as members of Jesus Christ who is King of Kings Revel 19. Thirdly because they looke for a Kingdome It is their Fathers pleasure to give them a Kingdome they shall one day raigne and therefore are Royall Fourthly because for the very present in this life they have the state of Kings They have the state of Kings in this life I say For first they appeare clad in purple The Romans knew who was King when they saw the man clad in purple Robes Christians have royall garments garments of Salvation the righteousnesse of Christ doth cover them which so soone as they put on they are saluted for Kings in heaven Secondly they have the attendance of Kings a great traine and guard about them no King like any of them that is not one of them for they have the Angells for their guard and as ministring Spirits to them Psalm 34. and 91. Heb. 1.14 Thirdly they have the dominion of Kings and soveraignty and power of Kings and so first the whole world is their Kingdome in which they raigne they are heires of the world Rom. 4 and so our Saviour faith They inherit the earth Matth. 5. Fourthly their owne hearts are as a large Kingdome in which they sit and raigne governing and ruling over the innumerable thoughts of their mindes and affections and passions of their hearts among which they doe justice by daily subduing their unruly passions and wicked thoughts which like so many Rebels exalt themselves against the obedience should be yeelded to Christ the supreme Lord and Emperour as also by promoting the weale of all those saving graces which are placed in their hearts nourishing and lifting up all good thoughts and cherishing all holy desires and good affections conscience being by commission the chiefe Judge for their affaires of this whole Kingdome Fifthly it is something royall and which proves them to bee Kings they have a regall supremacie A King is hee that judgeth all and is judged of none such a one also is every spirituall man said to be 1 Cor. 2. ult Sixthly they prove themselves Kings by the many conquests they make over the world and sathan sometimes in lesser skirmishes sometimes in some maine and whole battels Ob. Might some one say Is this all the Kingdome of a Christian This is infinitely below the magnificence and honour of an earthly Kingdome c. Sol. God hath done more for the naturall man or for the nature of men for providing meanes for this spirituall Kingdome than in opening a way for earthly Kingdomes which may appeare by divers differences For First none but great men and of great meanes can attaine to the Kingdome of this world but here the poore may have a Kingdome as well as the rich Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Secondly while the father lives the little child cannot raigne whereas in this Kingdome little ones attaine to the Kingdome and safely hold it Matth. 18. Thirdly this Kingdome is of heaven wheras the others are only of the earth Fourthly these Kings are all just there is none unrighteous can possesse these thrones they are all washed justified and sanctified there is not a drunkard a railer a buggerer and adulterer a murtherer or any the like amongst them which is no priviledge belonging to the Kingdome of this world Rom. 14.17 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Gal. 5.21 The godly are Kings such as Melchisedech was somewhat obâ—cure in the world but they raigne in righteousnesse in peace none like them Heb. 7. Fifthly the godly have received a Kingdome that cannot be shaken Their Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome Heb. 12.28 but all the Kingdomes of the world may be and have beene shaken and will be ruined and end whereas the godly that set out in soveraignty over lesser dominions and with lesse pompe yet increase so fast till at length they attaine the most glorious Kingdome in the new heavens and new earth The use of all this may be divers Uses First for singular comfort to the godly what account soever the world makes of them yet here they see what God hath ordained them unto it matters not for the worlds neglect of them for Gods Kingdome comes not by observation and in particular it should comfort them into two causes First in matter of service when they come to stand before the Lord they must know that they are honourable in Gods sight He respects them as so many Kings in his presence Secondly in the mortification of vices they have received power and authority as Kings and
therefore no rebellious conversation can so exalt it selfe but it may be subdued The oyle of God is upon them and what can the greatest Rebels doe against the power of the King But secondly withall here is terror to wicked men For this is the priviledge onely of the godly and it is certaine that wicked men are in Gods account as base as the godly are honourable they are thrust besides these thrones And so are both sorts of wicked men for not only openly profane men are to be smitten with this terrour but also hypocrites It is true indeed that hypocrites act the parts of Kings but they are onely such Kings as Players are upon a stage they speake of the words or the words of Kings but are not so indeed For they are by the wiser and better sort accounted as Rogues and the scum of the people even so are wicked men in Gods account neither will their outward shewes helpe them For the Kingdome of God is tried not by words but by the power of it 1 Cor. 4.20 And withall unruly Christians may be hence checked such as will not be ruled by their teachers such were the Corinthians they reigned without Paul and their godly teachers But the Apostle wisheth they were indeed Kings or did indeed reigne Why bearest thou the name of a King and canst not rule thy passions Thirdly divers uses for instructions may be hence gathered for First we should hence learne to honour poore Christians they are spirituall Kings as well as the kings of the earth And we know what a stirre we would make to entertaine the Kings of this world Iam. 2.5 Secondly we should hence bee stirred up in desire after this Kingdome to pray for it that it may come and that God would count us worthy of such a Kingdome Matth. 6. 2 Thess. 1.5 And to this end we should looke to two things First that we seeke this Kingdome first above all other things Mat. 6. Secondly that we should refuse no paines nor hardship for the entertainment of true godlinesse This Kingdome of Heaven should suffer violence and the violent onely will take it by force Mat. 11.12 It is an easie thing for Iohn to be a partner in the patience of the brethren when hee is a partner with them in the Kingdome of Jesus Christ Revel 1.9 It is no great thing men can suffer if we consider it is for a Kingdome and the want of outward things should the lesse trouble us if God make us so rich in spirituall things Thirdly we should hence especially learne to live in this world like Kings and this Christians should shew First by declaring their conquest over the passions and desires of their own hearts It is a royall quality in a Christian to be able to shew all meeknesse of minde and temper and sobriety in being able to deny unto himselfe what may not be had without sinne or offence Hee that winnes the conquest over his owne heart is greater than he that winnes a City Secondly putting on the Lord Jesus The righteousnesse of Christ is the robe of a Christian and since all the life of a Christian is a high feast hee should alwaies put on his robe to distinguish him from all other men and this righteousnesse is both the impured righteousnesse of Christ as also the inherent vertues of Christ. Thirdly by serving the publike Kings are the common treasure of the subjects they are appointed for the good of many Christians and should shew that they remember that they are Kings by devoting themselves to all possible profitablenesse of conversation Fourthly by their contentation What should they feare or what should discontent them Hath noâ— God given them a Kingdome and great glory Fifthly by subduing carnall and servile feares of men Why should Christians feare the faces of great men on earth are they not spirituall Kings themselves and is not the breath in the nostrils of the greatest men on earth why art thou then afraid to come before them c. Priest-hood The fourth thing for which Christians are commended is their Priest-hood which notes the honour of their imployment in things that concerne God and his service Esâ— 61.6 Rev. 1.6 c. Now the Priest-hood of Christians is a singular priviledge if we first either consider the kindes of Priest-hood or secondly the specialties of their calling and imployment First for the kinde The Priest-hood of Christians is better than the Priest-hood of the Levites the sonnes of Aaron because it is a royall Priest-hood they are Priests after the order of Melchizedeck as Christ himselfe was in which order every Priest was a King so were none of the sonnes or house of Aaron Secondly and for the specialties of favour imported in the Priest-hood of Christians divers prerogatives are included in it For first the Priest-hood of a Christian imports separation and consecration to God The godly of all the people in the world are the only people that are devoted to God chosen out of all the world as his portion as the Levites were out of all Israel Secondly it imports neernesse constancie of communion with God The Priests lived in Gods house and stood alwaies before the Lord dwelt in his presence and did approach neerer to him than all the people else so do the godly spiritually They onely dwell in his sight and enjoy his speciall presence and see the glory of his presence and have their soules satiated with fatnesse arising from the comfort of Gods favourable presence Ier. 31.14 Uses Now the consideration of this excellent Priest-hood of Christians should serve first for consolation secondly for instruction and thirdly for great reproofe First it should much comfort godly and carefull Christians to consider how neere God hath placed them to himselfe even in his chamber of presence as it were and how meanly soever the world doth account of their service yet they hence know that their Priest-hood is a royall Priest-hood and the godly imployments of religious men are more honourable than the greatest imployments of the greatest Monarchs of the earth and withall it may specially comfort fearfull Christians against one scrupâ—e They sometimes are afraid to goe into Gods presence or they doubt their accesse they are so unworthy to come before the Lord. Why this word Priest-hood should satisfie them For it imports that they are priviledged by their calling to come before God The Priests might enter into the house of the Lord yea they must doe it it was required of them it was a sinne if they did it not and they did not sinne by doing it Secondly the Priest-hood of Christians should put them in mind of divers duties as First it should worke in them a care of knowledge the Priests should preserve knowledge and they should seeke the Law at his mouth A godly Christian should bee able to direct others and hold forth the light of the Word for the profit of others and as dumbe Ministers
whom God will shew mercy not for what cause Secondly when he saith he will shew mercy it evidently excludes merit For it is mercy that God will bestow such great things upon men for their workes for there is no proportion betweene our workes and the goodnesse we receive from God When we have done all we should account our selves unprofitable servants Ob. But it seemes Gods mercy is caused by merit for God shewes us mercy for the merits of Christ If Christ deserve it then it seemes it is not free Sol. First mercy excludes merit in us though not in Christ. Secondly it was mercy that God gave us Christ to merit for us And thus of the third property of Gods mercy Fourthly Gods mercy is the more admirable yet in that it is eternall God will not change his Word Hee keepeth his covenant and mercy with his servants 1 King 8.23 Gods mercies have beene from all eternity Psal. 25.6 and he will not take away his mercy from his servants Psalm 89.34 but his mercy and loving kindnesse shall follow them all the dayes of their life Psal. 23. ult His mercies are new every morning hee hath never done shewing of mercy Lament 3.23 Isaiah 33.3 He is still building up his mercies and will never leave till he have finished them in an everlasting frame of unspeakable glory Psalm 89.2 His mercy is everlasting and endureth for ever Psalm 103.3 and 136. from everlasting to everlasting Psalm 103.17 God may forsake his people for a moment to their thinking in a little wrath he may hide his face but with everlasting mercies he will receive them As he hath sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more cover the earth so hath hee sworne hee will no more be wrath with his people The hills may be removed and the mountaines may depart but Gods covenant of peace shall not bee removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Isaiah 54.7 to 11. If Gods covenant be not with day and night and if he have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth then may he cast away his servants and their â—eed Ierem. 33.25 26. But we see the course of nature is firme and therefore ought to be more assured of the firmenesse of the covenant of Gods mercy to his people The effects of mercy follow To obtaine mercy is to obtaine those benefits which God hath promised to his people as the fruits of his mercy Where God shewes mercy First he will heare their prayers graciously this is promised Esa. 30.18 19. and pleaded by David Psal. 4.1 Secondly he sanctifies all afflictions so as whatsoever befalls the godly proceeds from mercy and not justice in God and shall worke for the best Rom. 8.28 It is Gods love that maketh him correct Heb. 12.6 7. Thirdly he heales their natures from the diseases of their mindes for to shew mercy is likewise to cure us and sanctifie us and God promiseth it Hos. 14.3 Fourthly he multiplies pardon Isa. 55.7 It is not grievous to forgive sâ—n daily when they seeke to him for forgivenesse Fifthly he delivers the soule absolutely from the pit they are free from condemnation Iob 33.27 Psal. 86.13 c. Sixthly in all dangers and weaknesses his mercy holds them up even when the godly say their foot slippeth Psal. 94.18 Seventhly he guides them in all their waies He that hath mercy on them saith the Prophet shall leade them even by the springs of water shall hee guide them Esa. 49.10 The World is like a wildernesse the wicked are like wild beasts in a desart Gods children are so provided for that God preserves them yea and himselfe findes them out meanes of singular refreshing all their dayes Eighthly he crownes them with blessings Psal. 103.4 Ninthly he gives them assurance of an immortall inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. The consideration of this marvellous mercy which the godly have obtained may teach us divers things First with all thankfulnesse to acknowledge the mercy of God we should alwayes mention the loving kindnesse of God in all the experiences we have of the truth of his mercies toward us Esa. 63.7 Wee should frame our selves to an easie discourse of the glory of Gods Kingdome and talke of his power Psal. 145.8 9 10. We should bee so perswaded of this truth as freely to say that we know that the Lord is gracious and very mercifull Psal. 116.5 It is a great sinne not to remember the multitudes of Gods mercies Psal. 106.7 Oh that men would therefore indeed praise the Lord for his goodnesse c. Psal. 107. foure times repeated in that Psalme Christians should glory in it not in their riches strength wisdome c. but in this that they know God that exerciseth mercy Ier. 9.24 Secondly in all our wayes heartily to disclaime merits of workes or opinion of our worthinesse or deserts say still with the Prophet in the Psalme Not unto us not unto us Lord but to thy Name give the glory for thy mercy and truths sake Psal. 115.1 The whole frame of our salvation depends upon Gods grace not on workes Eph. 2. Tit. 3.5 Thirdly let us with David resolve to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever since our happinesse lieth in mercy and since we have the tidings of mercy in Gods house there the fountaine of this grace is daily opened unto us and we may draw water still with joy out of this Well of salvation in the Gospel Psal. â— 7 and 23. ult Fourthly wee should learne of God to be mercifull let us strive to comfort others with shewing them mercy as wee have received merâ—y from the Lord. Oh let us be mercifull as our heavenly Father is mercifull Luk. 6. Fifthly we should hence bee incouraged and resolved since we know our priviledges to goe boldly unto the throne of Grace upon all occasions to seeke mercy to helpe in the time of need We have obtained mercy of the Lord and therefore may and ought to make use of our priviledge Heb. 4.16 Secondly this doctrine of Gods mercy may serve for singular comfort to the godly and that both in the case of sinne and in the case of afflictions 1 Against the disquietnesse of the heart for sinne it should much refresh them to remember that they have obtained mercy yea though innumerable evils have compassed them about Psal. 40.11 12. and though our offences are exceeding grievous Psal. 51.1 Exod. 34.6 7. 2 Secondly in the case of afflictions many things should hence comfort us 1 That howsoever it goe with our bodies yet God hath mercy on our soules 2 That it is mercy that our afflictions are not worse that wee are not consumed Lam. 7.22 3 That in the worst afflictions God doth many waies shew mercy his mercies are new every morning Lam. 3.23 4 That though God cause griefe yet hee will have compassion to regard us according to our strength he will deale with us in measure Lament 3.32 Isaiah 27.7
2.8 Now this love of God of Christ of the Angels of godly men and Ministers should serve to support us against the contempt and hatred of the world Wee have a love that is much better than the love of worldly men can be to us First because it is of better persons and secondly because it is of a better kinde for it is more servent and it is more pure and more constant Worldly men can shew no love that hath comparison to the love of God or Christ or any of those for the servencie of it And if worldly men love us it is to draw us unto one evill or other and besides it will not last for wicked men will agree with themselves no longer than so many Curres will agree they are alwaies contending hatefull and hating one another Secondly this point should much checke the unbeliefe of Christians and their unthankfulnesse for many times they are affected as if they were not beloved of any whereby they much dishonour the love of God and of Christ and of Christians towards them also and thereby they flatly contradict the Text which saith They are beloved Thirdly impenitent sinners should bee moved hereby to become true Christians because till then they are monstrous hatefull creatures God loathes them and their workes Ioh. 3.36 Esa. 1.11 c. And such vile persons are vile and odious in the eyes of the godly Psal. 24.4 Psalm 15. Fourthly Christians should labour to preserve this love unto themselves with increase of the comfort of it and so divers things would much advantage them in this love as 1 Faith To live by faith commends them wonderfully to Gods love as being the condition mentioned when he sent his Sonne into the world Ioh. 3.16 For without it it is impossible to please God 2 Humility would much commend them to the love of the Angels who rejoyce more in one sinner that is penitent than in ninety nine just men that need no repentance 3 The fruits of wisedome mentioned Iam. 3.17 have a marvellous force to win love among men To be pure in respect of sincere Religion to be gentle and peaceable free from passion and contention to be easie to be intreated to be also full of mercy and good workes and all this without judging or hypocrisie to be no censurers nor counterfeits Oh this is exceeding amiable if these things were carefully expressed 4 And for their Ministers two things would much increase their love to them First obedience to their doctrine for this will prevaile more than all the bounty in the world 1 Thess. 2.13 Heb. 13.18 Secondly to converse without back-biting or uncharitable judging of them By these two the Philippians and Thessalonians were highly advanced in the affection of the Apostle and through the want of these the Corinthians lost much in the love of the Apostle Thus of the persons dehorted The manner of the dehortation followes I beseech yee In that the Apostle in the name of God doth beseech them divers things are imported as First the marvellous gentlenesse and love of God to men hee that may command threaten punish yea cast off yet is pleased to beseech men Secondly the dignity and excellencie of a cleane heart and honest life It is a thing which God by his servants doth vehemently begge at our hands Thirdly the honour of a Christian hee is spoken to as to a great Prince as the two former reasons shew him to be Fourthly a rule of direction how to carry our selves towards others in the case of reformation wee must learne of the Apostle to expresse a Spirit of meeknesse and love and humility Passion and pride worke unspeakeable prejudice and hurt in the care of other mens faults Fifthly with what reverentnesse and earnestnesse we should speake to God when he speakes thus to us Thus of the manner of propounding the dehortation The matter to be avoided is lusts Abstaine from fleshly lusts By lusts are sometimes meant grosse sinnes and disorders which are the fruits of lust and so the sinnes mentioned chapter 4.4 of this Epistle are called lusts of the Gentiles By lust is sometimes meant corruption of nature But I thinke it is taken neither of these wayes here By lust is sometimes meant the filthy desire of the heart after bodily uncleannesse and so called the lusts of uncleannesse Col. 3.5 Rom. 1.24 But by lusts here I take it is meant all sorts of evill desires in the heart of man and so called worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 And in speciall these sorts of lusts are named in Scripture which Christians should especially avoid First the lusts of uncleannesse filthy desires Secondly the lusts of covetousnesse and worldly cares Thirdly the lusts of vain-glory whether of envie conceitednesse or desire of applause Fourthly the lusts of Epicurisme those desires after delicious or excessive fare or vaine apparell Fifthly the lusts of malice and revenge These and such like are the lusts which Christians must forsake The use is divers Uses First for information and so it may shew us 1 That outward honesty will not serve the turne It is not enough to bee free from grosse sinnes What case then are civill honest men in 2 That in reformation it is not enough to forsake the evils we have no desire after but we must leave our owne lusts Secondly for consolation Here is imported an excellent comfort to the godly in the case of inward and hatefull temptations When vile things come ento the mind of the godly if they dislike them and do not lust after theâ— nor entertaine them with spirituall dalliance they may be assured that those evils shall not be charged upon them For before a temptation can be a sin it must have somewhat of coveting in it Christ was tempted as wee are and yet hee sinned not because he liked them not but rejected them Abstaine from them The manner how they are to be avoided is contained in this word abstaine which doth import divers things First that without departing from iniquity we cannot have comfort of our repentance To come into the company of the godly to make shew of Religion to come to Church or use private meanes or barely to confesse sinne or to feele terrours for sinne is not enough unlesse wee leave sinne Iudas Demas Cain and the wicked Israelites could doe the former yet never repented Secondly that the occasions of lusts will be daily offered to us from the world or the divell or our owne corrupted nature Now it is not an argument of our misery to have them but to entertaine them Uses The use may bee 1 For information The true abstinence is to abstaine from sinne the other abstinence from meat or the like is but circumstantiall and not in it selfe acceptable to God Esa. 58. 2 For triall Those are sound Christians indeed that abstaine from fleshly lusts Quest. But are there not lusts in godly men as well as in wicked men Answ. There may be
but with great difference for 1 The godly man may be intangled with evill desires but the wicked man is more For he burnes in lust yeelds himselfe over to his hearts lusts Hee is given up to his lusts he takes care for the lusts of the flesh to fulfill them He serves his lusts c. Rom. 13.13 and 1.24 Tit. 3.3 Ephes. 2.3 2 The godly man if he be overcome of his lusts for a time yet he humbleth himselfe and judgeth himselfe for them and grieves for them whereas the wicked boasteth himselfe of his hearts lusts and placeth his contentment in them Psal. 10.3 3 The godly man if he be yet overcome he will breake off his iniquity by repentance whereas the wicked in his lusts is like the divell Hee is incorrigible no ill successe or judgement or reproofe can breake off his desire of transgression yea his lusts are called The lusts of his father the divell Ioh. 8.44 Thirdly all godly Christians should learne from hence to be seriously bent to preserve themselves in the purity of Christian Religion and to keepe their hearts from these soule annoiances Quest. But what should we do to be preserved from lusts Answ. First thou must avoid the occasions of lusts such as are 1 Evill company and therein evill example and evill counsell Psal. 1.1 2 Idlenesse and solitarinesse 3 Excessive desire after and delight in riches 1 Tim. 6.9 4 Ignorance 1 Pet. 1.14 5 Intemperance drunkennesse and fulnesse of bread and deliciousnesse of fare and apparell 6 Hardnesse of heart Eph. 4.17 18. Secondly we must walke in the Spirit cherishing all good motions and pure imaginations yeelding our hearts over to the government of Gods Spirit doing all duties with the powers of our soule Gal. 1.16 Thirdly wee must crucifie them if they arise among our selves with the same mind was in Christ and resolve to suffer in the flesh by the sound practise of mortification Fourthly we must strive after contentation 1 Tim. 6. Fifthly we must get knowledge for as ignorance brings them in so knowledge fils the heart and dares them out Thus of the manner of avoiding them The motives follow and the first of them is Yee are strangers and pilgrims A stranger is hee that lives in a place that is not his owne Country or Kingdome or Nation whither by right he belongs so Abraham was a stranger Gen. 21.23 and the Israelites in Egypt Exod. 2.12 Now a pilgrim is he that resteth not in a place but travelleth onward from place to place Godly men are said to be strangers and not strangers in divers respects It is said they are not strangers in respect of freedome to the City of God and the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes. 2.29 They are strangers in respect of their absence from the heavenly Canaan which is their owne home to which they were borne by regeneration In this world then all the godly are but strangers and pilgrims which may serve First for reproofe even of divers godly men and that in divers respects 1 For their too much minding of earthly things Why do our hearts carry us away after the world considering it is but an Inne to be in for a little time 2 For their meddling with other folkes businesse A stranger onely thinkes of his owne affaires and doth not interpose himselfe in the affaires of others so should we study to be quiet and meddle with our owne businesses 3 For discouragement of heart under the sense of our owne weaknesses and wearinesse in spirituall things we must expect in such travell much weaknesse and wearinesse 4 For impatience either under the crosses of life cast on us by God whereas strangers arme themselves to beare all weathers or under the scornes and contempt of the world whereas we should looke for it that the world should gaze at us and deride us as usually men doe at strangers Nor should Christians be at leasure to stay their journey by seeking revenge for their wrongs or be troubled if they cannot get preferment in the world Secondly for instruction It should wholly impose upon us the care of carrying our selves like strangers and pilgrims 1 By having our conversation without covetousnesse 2 By our language speaking alwayes as may become the people of God and heires of heaven that the men of this world may perceive by our speech that we are not of this world 3 By our circumspection and desire to live without offence as a stranger is very heedfull of his wayes in all places where he comes 4 By our daily enquiring after the particular way to heaven 5 By our thankfulnesse for the favours we finde while we are in the world seeing it is a place we are not to looke for much in 6 By our apparell If â—â—rangers be knowne by their garments then is it a great fault for Christians to be found in the fashions of this world 7 By our delight in good company we should be glad of any that would goe with us to heaven 8 By our affection homeward our mindes should still be in heaven Nor should godly men be overmuch troubled that they are strangers here in this world and pilgrims in the condition of travellers for First they are not strangers in the Common-wealth of Israel and in the Kingdome of Christ though at the same time they are strangers in respect of their condition in this world Secondly they are well provided for at their Innes God provides their resting places and no good thing will hee with-hold from them That God which commands men to regard strangers and shew them mercy will himselfe much more be carefull for his strangers Thirdly their pilgrimage will not be long Fourthly they have good company all the godly travell their way Fifthly God hath appointed them guides yea Christ himselfe will bee their way Sixthly by prayers they may send home continually Seventhly it should much comfort them to thinke what a glorious condition they shall be in when they come home in the new Jerusalem Thus of the first reason Secondly the lusts must be avoided because they are fleshly Fleshly These lusts are fleshly in divers respects First because they please after the flesh which is the corrupt nature of man they hold no delight or shew of profit but to the flesh they are exceeding noisome and grievous and foolish to the Spirit Secondly because they raigne onely in fleshly persons they be the lusts of Gentiles and such as are strangers from the life of God Godly men complaine of them as an extreame misery Rom. 7.1 Pet. 4.3 Thirdly because they arise most from the body which is but a servant to the soule and it is an extreame unmanlinesse for the soule to be at the command of her servant the body which concludes against the lusts of uncleannesse riotousnesse drunkennesse vanity of apparell c. Fourthly because they proceed from the old man or corruption of nature or the flesh considered as the enemy to
Jesus standing at his right hand Act. 7.55 Thus we are said to appeare before the presence of his glory Iude 24. Sixthly in his Word and so the Word of God is the glory of God either in generall as it describes the excellence of Gods nature in his properties or attributes Psalm 26.8 Or in speciall the Gospel is called his glory as it sets out the goodnesse of God after a matchlesse manner relieving for lorne mankind Esa. 6.1 And thus that part of the Word of God that doth describe Gods mercy is called his glory Exod. 33.18 19.22 Ephes. 2.16 Thus also that way of shewing mercy by bringing in the infinite righteousnesse of his owne Sonne is called the glory of the Lord Esa. 40.5 Thus God glorifieth himselfe Secondly God is said to be glorified by us Man may make God glorious but that he cannot do by adding any glory to Gods nature and therefore we must search out to finde by the Scripture what waies man may glorifie God and so wee may bee said to glorifie God or to make God glorious three waies First by knowledge when wee conceive of God after a glorious manner thus we make him glorious in our owne hearts and this is a chiefe way of making God glorious and this is one way by which the Gentiles glorifie God and this God stands upon so as he accounts not himselfe to be knowne aright till we conceive of him at least as more excellent than all things Seeing we can adde no glory to Gods nature wee should strive to make him glorious in our owne mindes and hearts And we may by the way see what cause we have to be smitten with shame and horrour to thinke of it how we have dishonoured God by meane thoughts of him And hereby we may also see how farre man can bee said to have the true knowledge of God in him yea there is some comfort in it too to a Christian that humbleth himselfe to walke with his God for though at the best he come farre short of conceiving of God as he is yet God accounts himselfe to be made glorious by us when wee get so farre as to conceive of him above all creatures and that is when he comes into our hearts as a King of glory farre above all that glory can bee found in earthly Princes Psal. 14.7 9. And thus we make him glorious not when we barely judge him to be more excellent than all things but when our hearts are carried after the apprehension of him so as we love him above all and feare him above all c. And thus we make God glorious in our hearts by knowing him Secondly by acknowledgment when in words or workes wee do ascribe excellencie unto God and to glorifie him is to acknowledge his glory or as the phrase in Scripture is To give him glory and so there bee divers speciall waies by which we are said in Scripture to glorifie God as First when in words we magnifie God and speake of his praises and confesse that he is worthy to receive honour and glory and might and majestie so Rev. 4.11 Psal. 29. 86.9 Secondly when men confesse that all the glory they have above other men in gifts or dignitie was given them by God So David glorifies God 1 Chron. 29.11 12. And thus we make God the father of glory as he is called Eph. 1.17 Thirdly when men that are guilty of sinnes that cannot be proved against them yet feeling themselves to be pursued by God do confesse to Gods glory their own shame their secret offences Thus Achan gave glory to God Iosh. 7.19 And thus the penitent sinner glorifies God when he cares not to abase himselfe in the acknowledgement of his owne vilenesse that God may bee magnified in any of his attributes or ordinances by it Ier. 13.16 Mal. 2.2 Fourthly when the praise of God or the advancement of his Kingdome is made the end of all our actions This is to doe all to his glory 1 Cor. 10.31 Fifthly when we beleeve Gods promises and wait for the performance of them though we see no meanes likely for their accomplishment Thus Abraham gave glory to God Rom. 4. Sixthly when wee publikely acknowledge true religion or any speciall truth of God when it is generally opposed by the most men Thus the Centurion gave glory to God Luk. 23.47 Seventhly when men suffer in the quarrell of Gods truth and true Religion So 1 Pet. 4.16 Eighthly when on the Sabbath men devote themselves onely to Gods worke doing it with more joy and care than they should do their owne worke on the weeke dayes refusing to profane the Sabbath of the Lord by speaking their owne words or doing their owne wills Thus Esa. 58.13 Ninthly when men doe in particular give thankes to God for benefits or deliverances acknowledging Gods speciall hand therein Thus the Leper gave glory to God Luk. 17.18 so Psal. 113.4 Tenthly by loving praising admiring and esteeming of Jesus Christ above all men for when we glorifie the Sonne wee glorifie the Father Ioh. 1.14 and 11.4 Eleventhly when wee account of and honour godly men above all other sorts of men in the world and so these Gentiles doe glorifie God in that they praise the Christians above all men whom before they reviled This is one way by which the Gentiles glorified God Thus of the second way of glorifying God which is by acknowledging his glory The third way of glorifying God is by effect when men make others to glorifie God conceiving more gloriously of him or in praising God and his wayes Thus the professed subjection of Christians to the Gospel makes other men glorifie God 2 Cor. 9.13 So the fruits of righteousnesse are to the glory of God Phil. 1.10 So here the good workes of Christians do make new Converts glorifie God so every Christian that is Gods planting is a tree of righteousnesse that God may be glorified Esa. 61.3 So are all Christians to the praise of the glory of Gods grace as they are either qualified or priviledged by Jesus Christ Ephes. 1.7 Use. The uses of all should be especially for instruction and humiliation it should humble us if we marke the former doctrine in that it discovereth many deficiences in us for besides that it sheweth that the whole world of unregenerate men lieth in wickednesse and that as they have all sinned so they are all deprived of the glory of God and altogether delinquent in each part of making God glorious I say that besides the discovery of the generall and extreame corruption of wicked men it doth touch to the quicke upon divers persons even the godly themselves To give instance In the first way of making God glorious How meanly and dully doe wee for the most part conceive of God! How farre short are our hearts of those descriptions of God made in his Word What strange thoughts come into our mindes at some times Oh how have we dishonoured the most
fashions in him the Image of Jesus Christ and so reveales Christ in him Colos. 3.10 Galat. 2.20 Sixtly in that day he gives him the holy Ghost never to depart out of his heart Gal. 4.7 Seventhly in that day he makes him free so as hee is inrolled amongst the living and acknowledged particularly of God amongst the Saints Hee is written in the writing of the house of Israel and is free from all the miserie and bondage he was in before or was in danger of and hee is henceforwards free of the house and presence of God Hee may feede at his Table and eate the food of life He hath accesse with boldnesse at all times into the presence of God with any suites He is also free to the Communion of Saints and is restored to the free and lawfull use of the creatures in generall Psal. 87.5 Esa. 4.4 Rom. 8.1 Gal. 1.6 Esa. 25.8 Mark 11.24 Eph. 2.20 21. Mat. 5.5 Eighthly he sets a guard of Angels about him to attend him all the dayes of his life Heb. 1.14 Psal. 34. Ninthly in that day he is received into Gods protection in respect of afflictions which protection containes in it foure things First the withholding of many crosses which doe fall upon others God spares him as a man would spare his onely sonne Mal. 3.17 Secondly the bounding of the crosse so as God appoints the measure which is ever with the respect of the strength of the party Esay 27.7 8. Thirdly the sanctification of the crosse so as all shall work for the best Rom. 8.28 Fourthly deliverance out of trouble in due time Psal. 34.17 Tenthly he assures and estates upon him the evidence of an inheritance that is immortall undefiled that withers not reserved for him in heaven 1 Pet. 1.3 The use should bee chiefly to move godly men to the exact study of those things and to all possible thankfulnesse for Gods visitation and they should with much joy remember the very time if it may be when God did so visit them and if the men of this world keepe commemoration yearely of the dayes of their birth or marriage how much more cause hath a Christian to preserve in himselfe and to speake of it to the praise of God the very day and season when God did first reveale his grace unto him Let none mistake me I meane it not of all Christians for many Christians did never observe or know distinctly the very first day of their conversion being not called either by ordinary meanes or not in such a sensible manner as some others were or stood for a time in temporary grace yet unto all the counsell is profitable that taking a day in the sense as it is here they should often thinke of with gladnes the season of their conversion or at least magnifie God for the thing it selfe that they are converted And besides all such as enjoy the meanes of grace and yet have not felt this visitation of God should be much allured to the care of attending upon the meanes and be made desirous to receive the grace of God and that effectually it should much move them that God hath now sent them the means and keepes his publique visitation and that God stands not upon desert nor doth he make exception of them but offers his grace unto all and desireth not the death of any sinner yea beseecheth them to be reconciled and to that end hath committed the Word of reconciliation to his servants with expresse commandement that they should be instant and with all patience instruct men and call upon them and perswade them to save their soules Doct. 7. We may yet further from hence observe That before calling the very Elect of God may be as bad as any other as here till God visited those elect Gentiles they were railers as well as others so were the former sinnes mentioned 1 Cor. 6.9 found in the very Elect as the eleventh verse sheweth This appeares by the example of Manasses Mary Magdalene Paul and the theife on the Crosse see further Tit. 3.3 And the reasons may be easily assigned For first the very Elect before calling have the same corruption of nature that other men have and so all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God so as there is not one of them doth good no not one Secondly they have the same occasions to sin from the Devill and the world Thirdly and were their natures somewhat better than other mens yet they would have bin leavened as they were a part of the lump of infected mankind This may both informe us and teach us in divers things It may informe us in three things viz. about our election and our justification and about the Gospell as the meanes of our vocation For election this point proves it must be free seeing there was no goodnesse in the very elect more than in the reprobate in the estate of nature And for Justification the Apostle Paul useth the consideration of this doctrine in the third Chapter to the Romans to prove it cannot be by workes And for the Gospell wee may here see the mighty power of it it may well be called the Arme of the Lord and his power to salvation that can thus mightily and suddenly change men And it should teach us also divers things as it concernes either ourselves or other men or God 1. For our selves it should teach us to walke both more humbly all our dayes seeing wee have beene vile as well as others and also more watchfully seeing wee carry about us a nature that hath beene so rebellious against God and besides wee should resist the beginnings of sinne in us as having knowne by experience whither sinne will lead us if wee give way to it and dally with it 2 For others not yet called it should teach us both compassion of their miserie it having beene our owne case and a care to shew all meekenesse to all men in waiting for their conversion and patience in bearing their wrongs 3 For God how can we ever sufficiently love him that hath shewed such love to us even when we were his enemies Yea wicked men that are smitten with terrors for the hainousnesse of their sinnes should hence confirme themselves against despaire seeing they may hence learne that as great offendors as they have beene converted and saved 2 Tim. 1.15 There is one thing that from hence men must take heed that they doe not learne that is that they abuse not these examples to confirme themselves in sinne for there is matter to daunt them and fright them from this presumption For first not all that have lived licentiously but some few onely have beene saved the rest perished in their owne wickednesse Secondly of those that were saved none were saved without amendment of life and regeneration and therefore so long as thou livest in thy sinne so long their example fits thee not The last Doctrine that may from hence bee made is
The words are Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Now these wordâ— have beene interpreted either properly thus He was a hunter of beasts before the Lord that is which beasts hee would sacrifice before the Lord or metaâ—horically that hee was the first that set up Monarchies of the thraldome appointing Lawes and a forme of Government and this hee did by instinct from God for the protection of the Church and Common-wealth against the injuries of those that dwelt neere them Secondly say that hee is in these words condemned as a hunter that is a tyrant as the word is taken Lament 3.5 Ierem. 16.16 Ezech. 32.30 c. and that it is added Before the Lord to note that he did oppresse men by manifest violence openly shaking off all feare even of God himselfe yet it followes not that his power was not of God the manner of getting it was evill but the power was good Thirdly it will not follow that Magistracy is evill or not of God because it had an ill beginning if it were granted that it did begin in Nimrod For so the translation of Ioseph into Aegypt and the Kingdome of Saul and Ieroboam c. should be evill and not of God for they had ill beginnings But lastly I answer that Nimrod was not the first beginner of authority or power or government though hee were of that kinde of Governours for there was a hunter both Ecclesiasticall and Civill before yea and there were Cities in the world before therefore there must needs bee government and Governours Cain built a City yea and God himselfe ordained Magistracy after the floud when he said By man shall his bloud be shed Genes 9.6 In short Nimrod was the author of the Babylonicall tyrannicall Monarchy not the authour of the Magistracy or civill authority over others Object Many Kingdomes and Officers are gotten by evill meanes Solut. So many men get goods by usury or robbery yet the things are of God Object But we see that Magistrates are chiefe and set up by men Solut. So the fruits of the earth are gotten in by the labour and care of men are they not therefore of God Ministers are chosen of men is not their calling therefore of God Second causes doe not exclude the first To conclude the Magistracy is the ordinance of men subjectively as it is enjoyed or borne by men and objectively as it is imployed amongst men and in respect of the end as it is for the good of men But the true word Creation or Ordinance shewes it is Gods worke or institution or appointment Secondly it is to be noted that we are bound to submit our selves to the ordinances that is to the office or calling or authority hee doth not mention the persons so much as the calling because oftentimes there is found in the persons vices and some causes of not obeying but in such againe wee must not consider the person but the ordinance or calling it selfe Thirdly we must submit our selves to their ordinances that is to all sorts of Magistrates Now all Magistrates may be distinguished either in respect of 1 Iurisdiction 2 or Religion 3 or Objects 4 or Affaires 5 or Office 6 or Adjuncts 7 or Dignitie First in respect of Iurisdiction some are superiour that they have none above them but God as Emperor King Dictator Senate c. or inferiour which is appointed by the superiour as are all inferiour Governours and Officers Secondly in respect of Religion some are beleevers as David some infidels and so are either such as persecute Religion as Herod Iulian or tolerate it as Trajane Thirdly in respect of Objects some are Togati Governours some are Armati Marshall men Fourthly in respect of Businesse some are Councellours some Senatours some Judges c. Fifthly in respect of Office some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law-givers some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law-keepers as Justices and the like Sixthly in respect of Adjuncts some are lawfull and just and good Magistrates who come by their power by lawfull election or succession and doe exercise it well others are are unlawfull or bad Magistrates as having in respect of the manner attained their places by unlawfull meanes or doe exercise their authoritie with cruelty or partiality or the like Seventhly in respect of Dignitie some have dignity and not authority as such as enjoy the titles of Dukes Earles Lords Knights Esquires or Gentlemen some have dignity and authority also as such of any of the former kinde or the like as are likewise called to any office of rule and goveâ—nment or service Now wee must bee subject not alone to the King or Superiour but to governours under them as the Text shewes We must be subject to Prince that are Infidels as well as to Christian Princes for such were the Magistrates for the most part when the Apostles writ So we must be subject to unworthy or vicious or tyrannous Princes as well as to godly and vertuous and loving Princes which the word here translated Ordinance imports for it signifies creation And so Magistracie is a creation in divers respects First because God was the author of it as he was of the world Secondly because Magistrates are raised beyond expectation Thirdly because many times God as a righteous Judge suffers many mâ—n to get into high places of honour and authority that have no worthinesse or fitnesse or stuffe in them more than hee would have to rule or furnish it selfe even to such Magistrates also must we submit Onely for the last distinction there is a difference for such as excell onely for titles of dignitie and have not authoritie wee must reverence and shew as civill respect unto them as belongs to their places but we are not bound to submit our selves to them by way of obedience for that is due only to such as have authoritie as well as dignitie Thus of subjection to Magistrates subjection to the lawes of Magistrates followes Concerning the lawes and ordinances of Magistrates two things may hence be gathered First that we must subject our selves to such lawes and ordinances as men that are in authority doe make wee are bound to this subjection even to mens lawes that we are bound the very words of the Text prove howsoever or in what respect wee are bound is to bee distinctly considered For mans lawes doe not binde as God's lawes doe for God's lawes doe binde not onely the outward man but the inward man also even the very consciences more distinctly and particularly The lawes of men binde onely the outward man properly for God reserveth the conscience of man onely to his owne command Now whereas the Apostle saith Rom. 13.5 Wee must obey Magistrates not onely for feare but for conscience it is thus to bee understood First that men are not onely driven to obedience of Magistrates for feare of punishment but even by their owne conscience ever testifying that they ought to obey them Secondly
unregenerate men to apply their hearts to wisdome and imbrace the counsell of God that offers them knowledge and grace as is urged in many places as Prov. 1.20 24. and 8.5 and 9.4 and the rather because if they bee willfull and reject knowledge God may be provoked to forsake them for ever Prov. 1.24 and 28.31 and 26.10 Iob 5.3 Thirdly it shewes the wonderfull mercy of God in saving sinners for what were we all by nature but a generation of fooles and mad men And therefore it shewes the riches of his mercy and the freenesse of it the riches in that he glorifies such unworthy creatures and the freenesse of it in that they are utterly disabled for deserving any thing at his hands For what can fooles and mad men doe that they should merit any thing at Gods hands Fourthly it should teach godly men both with patience to beare their wrongs seeing they are distracted and with discretion to avoid them and to have as little to doe with them as may be For what should the sonnes of God doe with the sonnes of Belial And if they abuse them in words to learne not to answer a foole in his folly Prov. 26.4 Fifthly all this description of folly and madnesse may strike some kinde of amazement and sorrow into the hearts of godly men For as they are unregenerate in part there are left some dregs of this phrenzie and folly here in them And hence it is that we finde in Scripture folly charged upon them It is true that sometimes they are said to be fooles by the world for things they doe wisely in and so the Apostles were fooles for Christs sake 1 Cor. 4.10 and Paul ironically cals himselfe a foole 2 Cor. 11.1 Sometimes they are called fooles not because they are so but because that they doe hate some kinde of likenesse to folly 2 Cor. 11.17 but yet withall it is true that seriously godly men are said to bee abased in themselves for very folly and madnesse which they see in themselves and so wee shall finde every godly man called beasts by themselves and sometimes by God himselfe and so it is folly and madnesse in any 1. To hate reproofe Proverbs 12.1 It is there said to be a brutish thing 2. To bee censurers of their friends rashly so Iobs friends are charged with folly Iob 42.8 3. To be pertinacious in defending their iâ—â—ocâ—ncy striving to make themâ—elves seeme juster than they are this was Iobs madnesse cap. 42.3 and 34.35 4. To neglect knowledge and to be carelesse to use the meanes for instruction and the understanding of holy things Pro. 30.2.3 This made Agur say that he was more brutish than any man and that he had not the understanding of a man in him So much of ignorance as is left in us so much of folly and madnesse is in us 5. To fret and be unadvisedly angry and froward for anger rests in the bosome of fooles only Eccles. 7.10 Pro. 24.29 Teasty and hasty persons not only have folly but exalt it 6. To be indiscreet in words or insufficient to speake with God or men as becomes the matter or to carry our selves indiscreetly this made David loath himselfe so Psal. 38.5 7. To be vexed and impatient and full of fretting in adversity Godly men play many mad trickes this way one while fretting at the prosperity of their adversaries and another while murmuring in their hearts at their owne condition or plotting courses how to conforme themselves to the world and so to report of their repentance This made David call himselfe a beast Psal. 73.3 13 14 15 21 22. 8. After one hath had experience of Gods gracious providence and protection of God to fall to trust upon outward things Thus it was madnesse in David after so many trials of Gods power for him to stand about to number the people and to rest upon the strength and multitude of his subjects 2 Sam 24.10 9. To be slow of heart to beleeve and treasure up the promises of God and the proofes of Scripture that should comfort us and warrant the â—â—â—th of our salvation in Christ Luke 24.25 10. To speake proudly or wickedly and with provocation to others especially to wicked men or if they themselves be wicked men Pro. 30.32 33. 11. All dotages about earthly things are in a great degree madnesse For godly men that are heires of the promises and of the kingdome of heaven to yeeld themselves over to the inticements and lusts after worldly things is marvellous folly and madnesse especially in them who have tasted and known better things to neglect their glory which is their soules for so David calleth his soule Psal. 3â— ult and to serve the sensuall desires of their flesh is miserable folly 12. All sinfull courses are foolish courses and to deale sinfully is to deale madly Psal. 69.5 The last use of this doctrine may be to shew the vanity and insufficiency of all humane wit and learning and morall indowments in comparison of heavenly and spirituall knowledge and understanding For if all unregeneratemen be foolish men then it will follow that a man may bee a great wise man in this world and indued with all the ornaments of humane learning c. and yet at the â—ame time in Gods fight be accounted but as a naturall foole or a mad man in respect of his want of the true wisdome from above to discerne things that are excellent that is spirituall things Thus of the fourth doctrine Doct. 5. It is a hard taske to overcome and cure ignorance Ignorant men especially those that are bent against godlinesse are wonderfully unteachable God himselfe is faine here to devise a strange way to silence them Salomon observed that these men are wiser than any man that can give a reason And if a foole be brayed in a mortar yet his folly will not depart from him and a reproofe will enter more into a wise man than 100. stripes into a foole yea it is here to be noted that it is hard to silence them from their reproaches and follies The reasons are First because it is naturall to them to be hatefull and hating others and it is a hard task to overcome a naturall disposition in man Titus 3.3 Secondly because the unregenerate minde of man is full of objections and the Divell suffers many heads of purpose he prompts them and supplies them with cavils Thirdly because many with-hold the truth in unrighteousnesse they doe willingly misprison the truth they desire not information they love darknesse and lies and therefore are loth to have what might satisfie them and resist the power of the truth and willingly strive to neglect doctrine in publike and Apologies in private Fourthly because they incourage one another in an evill way they observe that the great men of the world and many that are in reputation for wisedome and learning are scorners as well as they yea it mightily confirmes them to heare many times
evill of godly men as a dog or an oxe is when he is muzzled Doct. 9. That the good life of godly men may silence wicked men and yet not make them leave their wickednesse He doth not say that by well-doing they may win ignorant and foolish men It is true that sometimes a good conversation may win them as 1 Pet. 3.1 2. and before verse â—2 yet ordinarily they will doe wickedly even in the land of uprightnesse Esay 26.10 Verse 16. As free and not using your liberty for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God IN the two former verses hee confirmes the exhortation by reasons in this he answers an objection The objection seemes to bee that Christians are made free by Christ and therefore are not to bee tied with the bonds of humane ordinances or subjection to men The Apostle answereth that it is true that Christians are made free-men but so as they must not use their freedome as a cloake of maliciousnesse and the liberty of sinning either against God or men for they are still Gods servants and bound to doe what hee would have them to doe and so consequently to obey Magistrates since God requires them so to doe So that in this verse he intreats of Christian liberty And so first he grants the use of it or the right of it in these words As free Secondly â—ee removes the abuse of it in these words Not using your liberty as a cloake of maliciousnesse And thirdly he gives a reason of his removall Because they are the servants of God still In the first part you must consider what hee granteth viz. that they are free Secondly how far he grants it viz. that they are as free Free Freedome is either civill or spirituall Civill freedome is when a servant is manumitted or made free that was an apprentice or bond-slave before so when a stranger is admitted to the right of a City or a Common-wealth or the like The spirituall freedome is that estate which Christians doe enjoy by Gods favour in Christ after their calling It is a spirituall manumission or freedome that is here meant and this is called Christian liberty partly because it is a freedome that wee have onely by Christ and partly because it is a freedome now onely enjoyed by Christians and no other men in the world Christian liberty is one of the great gifts or endowments bestowed upon the Church by Christ. It is not amisse to reckon up all the gifts in order that the relation which this gift hath to the rest may appeare The gifts then that Christ hath bestowed upon Christians are these First their ransome paid unto God for their redemption Secondly their vocation by the Gospell calling them out of the world into the Church Thirdly the holy Ghost which he sends into their hearts Fourthly their justification imputing his owne righteousnesse and procuring forgivenesse of all their sins Fifthly their sanctification by which he gives them new natures Sixthly their adoption by which they are made the sons of God Seventhly their Christian liberty by which they are freed from all former bondage and enjoy great priviledges this is a fruit of their adoption Eighthly consolation refreshing their hearts in all estates especially by the comforts of his Word Ninthly the gift of perseverance by which they are kept from falling away Lastly an immortall and undefiled inheritance in heaven after they are dead Christian liberty is either the liberty of grace in this life or the liberty of glory after this life The liberty of glory concernes either the soule or the body The glory or liberty of the soule is the freeing of it from all sinne and misery and the setting of it in the possession of that blessed immortality in heaven The liberty of the body is the freeing of it from the bonds of death and bowels of the earth by enduing it with a glorious resurrection part of which freedome they enjoy even in the grave For though they bee buried yet they are not damned to hell there but rest in hope of their finall deliverance and with this liberty of glory both soule and body are made heires of heaven Rom. 8.21 It is the liberty of grace is here meant And that this part of the Christian happinesse may the better appeare I will consider first what he is freed from and secondly what he is freed to For the first there are divers things he is freed from as First from the rigour of the morall Law hee is delivered from the most rigid and severe execution of absolute and perfect obedience so as being now under grace he is not bound to fulfill the Law perfectly but may be accepted of God if he obey it in the uprightnesse and sincerity of his heart though he have many frailties and infirmities God hath now tempered that rigour of exaction which he justly stood upon in his first agreement with man in Paradise and did with terrour againe proclaime in giving his Law in Sinai so as now in Christ our yoke is easie and our burden light Matth. 11.29 Rom. 6.14 Christ our surety hath fulfilled that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or exact righteousnesse of the Law for us Rom. 8.3 Gal. 4.24 26. Heb. 12.18 Rom. 7.6 c. Secondly for the execution and condemnation into which the Law for our sinnes hath cast us our expiation being made in the bloud of Christ who was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a curse for us that wee might be justified from these things from which by the Law of Moses wee could never bee absolved Rom. 8.1 Gal. 3.13 Thirdly from the tyranny and damnation of sin that dwels in us the force of it being mortified by the spirit of Christ and so weakened that though it may rebell yet it cannot rage and rule as it did before Rom. 6.14 Ioh. 8.34 2 Cor. 3.17 Rom. 6.6 18. Fourthly from bondage under divels those spirituall wickednesses that had their strong holds in the hearts of every man by nature and ruled effectually in all the children of disobedience who had possession in our hearts and kept us in their power as most cruell Jaylers Ephes. 2.2 4. by Christ they are throwne out of possession they may tempt still but the gates of hell shall never prevaile againe over the godly Col. 2.15 Fifthly from the Lawes of Moses The ceremoniall and judiciall Lawes which Lawes were a yoke that neither the Jewes nor their fathers were ever able to beare Acts 15.10 The ceremoniall Lawes were a very seale of our condemnation a hand-writing against us wherein men many wayes acknowledge their guiltinesse besides they were extremely burthensome in respect of the rules of them and the strict observation required from them Our deliverance from these lawes these places prove Acts 15.1 Cor. 9.1 19. 2 Cor. 3.17 Heb. 9.10 Col. 2.17 There were foure respects which the ceremoniall Law had or foure uses First these ceremonies as I said
freed to and the rather because our freedome proceeds from the reader mercy of God Luke 1.78 and was purchased at a dear rate by Christ 1. Pet. 1.18 and the Patent of it is sealed by the holy Ghost Eph. 1. 13. and also because it is granted to none but to the sons of God As free These words restraine the graâ—t of our liberty and shew that though we bee made truely free by God yet in divers respects we are but as free rather like freemen then so indeed and so we are but as free First in respect of others for by the judgement of others no freeman can be knowne infallibly but only in the conjecture of charity Secondly in respect of our selves and so we are but as free 1. In respect of the rigour of the Law For most Christians through ignorance unbelief live under the bondage of Legall perfection and so discerne not that uprightnesse in the Gospell is accepted in stead of perfection 2. In respect of the malediction of the Law and so many Christians are but as free First because they doubt of Gods savour Secondly because though the curse be removed yet the things that are cursed are not removed for the matter of affliction is still the same in respect of which our life may be said to be hid with God Col. 3.3 3. In respect of the power of sin For though the dominion of sin bee taken off yet sinne rebells in the most godly and many times prevailes in a great degree through their security or infirmities Rom. 7. Fourthly in respect of things indifferent whether we respect God or our selves God hath freed us in respect of right but restrained us in respect of use by a threefold commandement viz. of faith of charitie and of obedience to Magistrates The commandement of faith binds us not to use our liberty unlesse we be fully perswaded of our right that is in things we may either do or omit at our owne pleasures Rom. 14.6 The commandement of charity in things we may either do or omit at our pleasure bind us not to use our liberty when the weake brother will be offended The commandement of obedience binds us to submit the use of things indifferent to the commandement of the Magistrate so as if the Magistate make ordinances about the use or restraint of things indifferent God hath bid us to obey those ordinances and so though wee be free still in respect of our right yet we are not now free in respect of the uses of them Againe many Christians binde themselves where God bindeth not sometimes by thinking things indifferent to be unlawfull and sometimes by thinking themselves free to leave them but not to use them Lastly servile fears do much darken the glory of Christian liberty in the hearts of many Christians whilst through ignorance or wilfull unbelief they trouble themselves with conceits that God doth not accept their service or when they admit too much respect and feare of the displeasure of men or when they use not the meanes to beare the fear of death in themselves Use. And therefore the Use should be to teach Christians so to study the Doctrine of Christian liberty and so to attend the informing and reforming of their owne hearts that they may no longer restraine their own liberty in any part of it and withall since in some things we are not fully freed in this life they should the more earnestly stir up themselves to hope for and long for that glorious and perfect liberty in heaven purchased by Jesus Christ. Not using your liberty as a cloake of maliciousnesse In these words the Apostle removes the abuse of their liberty The word rendred maliciousnesse signifies usually any wickednes generally or in generall His drift is to warn them that they should not any way abuse their liberty make it any way a pretence cover coloâ—r or means of sinne or malice Men may use their liberty and the doctrine of it as a cloake of wickednesse taking the word in the generall sense five wayes First when men reject their liberty and spurne at it and trample it under feete as if it were a doctrine of sinning or made a meanes of sin Thus hee that would not eat did reject those ceremoniall meats as very badges of wickednesse and did by that signe judge of such as did use them to be hypocrites Rom. 14.3 as we see now many Christians do reject and spurne at the ceremonies imposed and doe judge all that use them to be but formall Christians and hypocrites and such as perswade to the use of them to use such perswasions but as cloakes for their ambition and hope of preferment how godly soever they be or how sure soever they bee of their lawfull use of their Christian liberty therein and so this is one way of abusing our liberty when we throw it away as if it were a very cloake of maliciousnesse Secondly when men make a shew that they are freemen and yet are in bondage to sin and the world still and thus doe all hypocrites sin that have a forme of godlinesse but deny the power of it that seeme as if they were godly and devout to Jesus and yet have never repented of their sins nor forsaken the world such are they 1. That seeme outwardly godly and yet live in some horrible secret abomination as either whoredome or the sins of deceit or any vile affections Matth. 23.27 28. 2. That do professe Religion and yet live as unreformed in the course of their conversation such are they Isaiah 1. verses 13.16 3. That though they are not scandalous or injurious to others yet they are in bondage to the world and are intangled either with the cares or losses of life as the conforming themselves to the vanities and excesses and fashions of the time make apparent Thirdly when men rest in the outward shew of liberty and thinke it is enough but this will turne to wickednesse It was the manner when servants were manumitted and made free they went with hats whereas before while they were bond-men and prentices they were bare-headed Some thinke the Apostle alludes to this and then the sense were that hee would not have them rest in the bare shew of free men as if it were enough to weare a free mans hat but they must fall to their trades and so set up in godlinesse as they that did imploy all their labour and stocke and credit to grow wealthy in spirituall treasures else if men rested in the outward signe of free men and were idle and unprofitable this would bee occasion of much wickednesse for 1. To shew our selves in the habit of free men is not that which God requires if we employ not the portion of gifts he hath given us nay God will require this unfruitfulnesse at our hands as a great offence the shew without substance is painted wickednesse 2. This resting in the outward forme of godlinesse may
abusing him but the truth is it was thy sinnes and my sinnes that brought him to suffer for them our debt was laid upon him We that are principals are escaped and he that was our surety hath paid for it even to the uttermost faâ—thing And if there were no other reason to shew how little reason Christ had no suffer for us even this were sufficient that our hearts are so hard as we cannot be grieved to remember his sorrows for our sinnes Thirdly it should especially worke in us a hatred of our sinnes and a fall and finall resolution to sinne no more but to consecrate our whole life unto him and to his service that hath suffered for us and by suffering â—aid so dear a price Shall we not live to him that died for us Or doe wee so little care for his sorrow as by new sinnes we would as much as in us lieth crucifie againe the Son of God Take heed of despising the bloud of Christ lest you sinne so long till there be no more sacrifice for sinne 2 Cor. 5.15 Heb. 6. Fourthly we should strive to be disposed as the Apostle Paul was to glory in the crosse and sufferings of Christ above all things seeing his sufferings were for us to satisfie and merit for us It must needs be an estate of wonderfull safety and felicity that is purchased by such variety of sufferings of the Sonne of God As the world despiseth us so we should with singular and secret rejoycing despise and contemne the world having such interest in the crosse of Christ Gal. 6.14 Lastly it should worke in us a most hearty willingnesse to suffer any thing for Christ and the Gospel that hath suffered such extreame things for us it should not be grievous to us to forsake father or mother or wife or children or house or lands or our owne lives for his sake or for the Gospel Marke 10.29 Thus of the second thing in the doctrine of the passion of Christ. The third thing is the use of it and that is to be an example unto us that we might walk in his steps Leaving us an example The end then of the sufferings of Christ is to be an example to us to learn by The word rendred an example is a metaphor taken from Scriveners or Painters and signifies properly a copy or pattern or portraiture of a thing exactly drawne out We are then set to schoole to learne by example Christs suffrings are as a writing-schoole where the copies are most exactly drawne Before I come to the particulars we should beare for Christ in his suffering divers things may bee briefely noted out of the words especially about examples Doct. 1. God would have us learne by examples as well as by precept and thence it is the Scripture is so stored with all sorts of examples Doct. 2. Such as give good example of wel-doing are as a common treasure many may learne good by them Good examples are like common schooles and the better because they are free-schooles we may learne from example without cost Though thou couldst not shew all the meanes thou desirest yet to give a good example of sound life and holinesse is a great treasure in the Church It doth not only make Religion well spoken of but it profits many to teach their wel-doing and therefore such as shine by the light of good example should be much made of in every place and they sin fearfully that wrong them c. Doct. 3. It requires a speciall goodnesse to be fit to bee an example to others which the metaphor imports for every man that can write yet cannot set copies for other men to write by so every good Christian is not able to teach by example to the life but with great imperfection some had more need to be learners than to be teachers and therefore should not bee over-hasty to shew their gifts Doct. 4. Good examples are very scarce in the world and therefore Christ is faine to leave us one of his owne the skilfull practice of Gods Word is so rare that it is very hard to finde a man whom wee would set before us as a patterne to imitate Doct. 5. There was very great need of Christs example to teach us by The world is so generally fallen away from the care of obedience and the doctrine of well-doing is entertained so dully as a very matter of for me and for outward shew and the examples of the godly are so imperfect that it was necessary after so many hundreds of yeeres in which sound practice was neglected that the Christian world should be fired with the incitations of so exquisite a patterne of obedience as Christs was Doct. 6. Christs example is to bee imitated by degrees God doth not looke we should follow the copy exactly at the first which similitude imports a great deal of incouragement to the weake but willing Christian and withall shews the doubtfull estate of such Christians as in a short time and with little labour thinke they have learned the substance of all Christianity Doct. 7. In that he saith Leaving us an example it imports that many good workes tarry behinde the godly in the world For though it bee true that their workes follow them to heaven yet it is true also they are left behinde They follow them to heaven in respect of Gods remembrance and acknowledgement of them and they tarry behind them in respect of the example of them and the praisefull memory of them amongst men Well-doing cannot be lost which withall imports that it is a great honour and comfort when a man goes out of the world to leave the memory and patterne of good workes behind him and it is a fearefull thing for such men as goe out of the world to leave an ill report behind them and die an example of evill doers though those could leave a great estate in worldly things yet are they most accursed because they leave behind them such an ill sent and savour by reason of their filthy or vaine or worldly kind of living Doct. 8. It is more than a step to heaven we are here required to follow Christs steps importing it is a long journey and we are to make many steps Doct. 9. The more good any doth the neerer they come to heaven every good work is as it were a step neerer to heaven and therefore as we desire to be with the Lord so should we hasten and finish our work nothing will bring us sooner to heaven whereas if we be barren and unfruitfull either we shall never come there or it will be a great while first Doct. 10. The way to heaven is a very hard way to hit it is marked out by steps if we step awry we are in great danger either of fouling our selves or losing our way It is like to his way that is to passe over a brooke or through thornes or through miery wayes where are placed steps or a print of some footing
here rendred a Bishop was a tearme given to watch-men and spies and over-seers of works and sometimes to any sort of Rulers In the Apostles time it seemes the tearme was impropriated and given onely to Ministers that had charge of soules For the Apostles appointing certaine men to looke to the bodies of Christians which they tearmed Deacons they appointed other eminent men to looke to the soules of Christians whom they termed Bishops as appeares Phil. 1.1 Acts 20.28 In the time of the Apostles the terme suffered yet a more strict impropriation and was given to some especiall Ministers that had charge not onely of the people but also of the Clergy and in time in some Churches unto these choice men of the Ministery were added the titles of Barons jurisdiction and power of censures sole power of ordination and the like In this place the Apostle gives the terme of Bishop to Christ as the first and principall Overseer of our soules to whom the charge of their originall doth belong Secondly we must note that Christ is not said to be a Bishop of our soules but the Bishop of our soules which imports that he is such a Bishop as there is no other like unto him That charge that Christ hath of our soules he hath it alone There is no Bishop like to Christ our Bishop for 1. There is no good Bishop but he for he died for the soules he hath charge of and so doe not other Bishops And whereas other Bishops may bee unrebukeable in respect of men sometimes he is unrebukeable in respect of God and men too never any Bishop lived so well or did so much good or loved good men and promoted Gods cause so much as hee 2. No other Bishop can instruct the flocke as he doth For hee can make his people profit because he teacheth inwardly whereas they can teach onely outwardly and hee instructs all his flocke and makes them all to know God from the greatest to the lowest of them which no other Bishop can doe 3. He is the onely Bishop because all other Bishops mâ— give accounts to him 1. Pet. 5.3 4. Hee is the universall Bishop of all soules other Bishops â—â—ve their particular charges or Churches but he hath the charge of all the flockes under heaven all Parishes are within his charge 5. All other Bishops have their ordination from him they have no authority but what they receive from him Acts 20.28 6. Because no other Bishop can take the absolute charge of our soules they are not able to keepe us our soules have many diseases which they cannot cure and are assaulted with many adversaries which they cannot resist 7. Because hee is a heavenly Bishop they are but earthly and divers parts of his office he executes in heaven whereas other Bishops can doe nothing for us but on earth 8. Because hee is the onely Law-maker the onely Law-giver to our soules other Bishops can make no Lawes but by his authority Iam. 4.11 9. Because the other Bishops may require goodnesse in their flocks but cannot make them good he can make all his people righteous he is the Lord and their very righteousnesse Ier. 23.6 10. Other Bishops die and leave their flockes unprovided but hee lives ever and never forsakes his Church but is with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. ult Thirdly who are the charge of Christ Not all that are found in the charges of other Bishops he will not stand to our division of Parishes he counts by Election and righteousnesse all that the Father hath given him are his charge and none else The coherence shews they are onely penitent sinners Fourthly the happinesse of such as are under his charge which must needs be great O! It is a great comfort to a poore sinner to know that Christ hath a charge of his soule for he shall be sure that Christ will feed his soule and nourish it up by his Ordinances and will keep him to eternall life and use him with all tendernesse and compassion A bruised Reed he will not breake and the smoaking Flaxe he will not quench The particulars are metaphorically handled before in the consideration of the benefits we receive from Christ as a Shepheard Uses The Uses follow and so First for information and so first we may here take occasion to thinke of the preciousnesse of our soules for as they' are made of better stuffe than all this visible world being spirits and were redeemed with a greater price than would have beene laid downe to redeeme this whole world so it here appeareth because God sets his owne Son to tend our soules which should make us make more reckoning of them and not be so carelesse of them It were an ill bargaine to win the whole world and lose our owne soules Secondly in that he takes charge of our soules it imports that his Kingdome is not of this world and that he leaveth our bodies and outward estates to the charge of the Kings and Rulers of the earth he claimes himselfe chiefly the charge of our soules Thirdly in spirituall things it is imported that we are to be subjected to such as have the over-sight of us onely so far forth as they command us in the Lord and not otherwise Other Bishops have their power subordinate to Christ and must in all things see to it that they doe nothing against Christ. We are subject first and originally to Christ the charge of our soules properly belongs unto him Fourthly we may here see what need our soules have of looking to if they were not in great danger and subject to many diseases and necessities Christ had never taken such a peculiar charge of them Fiftly it imports the abject estate of all grosse offenders for if Christ be the Bishop of soules they cannot belong to his charge For wise and godly men as much as lieth in them cast out notorious offenders and protest against them and therefore will Christ much more cast off and refuse all such servants of the Divell and the World and Antichrist as will not beare his yoke Sixtly it imports that all Bishops must have ordination from him and therefore such as cannot shew their calling from Jesus Christ are plants which he will root out Use 2. Secondly for consolation to all the godly All that have committed their soules to him may rest upon it that he is able to keepe them till the day of his comming 1 Tim. 1.2 They shall never be lost none can take them out of his hand Iohn 10.29 It is the will of God that none of them should be lacking Iohn 6. And therefore they may comfort themselves with those words of the Apostle Nothing shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God Rom. 8. ult Use 3. Thirdly for instruction and so it should teach us to take chiefe care of our soules For from his office we may learne that he accounts our soules to be the chiefe
sake that he may see it comes from the force of religion in her a good wife discreet provident carefull to please meeke such an one as his heart may trust in her and delight in her Wives that be foolish wastfull idle froward or busie-bodies if they have never so much shew of religion yet they are not fit for this worke to win any body much lesse their husbands Secondly she must looke to her conversation in things of her religion that therein she behave her selfe as becommeth religion Tit. 2.3 and so she must take heed of conceitednesse and contempt of others or neglect of her calling upon pretence of duties of her religion and looke to it that she be not her selfe guilty of any knowne fault unreformed and withall she must strive to shew the power of her godlinesse in good fruits labouring to abound in good workes 1 Tim. 2.10 both at home and abroad being pitifull mercifull ready to help them that are in misery according to her power and in the things she hath liberty to dispose of Other things follow in the three next verses Verse 2. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with feare IN these words is contained the second thing the Apostle chargeth upon wives in his exposition viz. A chaste conversation with feare so ordered as their husbands may daily behold it and observe it in them Where the Apostle implies what the husbands will doe viz. they will observe the conversation of the wives and expresseth what the wives ought to doe viz. in conversation to shew chastitie coupled with feare First then we are to consider of that which is implied viz. what the husband will doe and this is imported in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While they behold While they behold The originall word signifies to observe and prie into a thing to finde out the secrets of it and so it notes That carnall men such as these husbands were doe watch and marke the conversation of such as be religious to observe all they can in them that professe true religion Thus they watched David and Christ and Daniel and so doe they all the godly and thus they imploy themselves in spying and marking the wayes of the godly sometimes out of the naughtinesse of their hearts supposing godly men to be like unto themselves and therefore hope to find out wickednesse in their practise sometimes out of malice lying in wait to find out any fault in their carriage of which they may accuse them and vilifie them in the world and sometimes they doe thus as compelled by the force of their naturall conscience which gives glory to the graces of God in the conversation of true Christians while they observe in them that holinesse which they find not in themselves or other carnall men And therefore the Use should be to teach all that professe religion to looke carefully to their waies and walke circumspectly that they give not occasion of offence but rather carry themselves so as to make proofe of their sincerity and good conversation by their workes Secondly from hence we may gather also That a Christian must looke to his justification before men as well as to his justification before God for as God beholds his waies so doe men and he is bound to seeke his justification from men as well as his justification from God And therefore as the Apostle Paul had taught the justification of a sinner before God so the Apostle Iames urgeth the justification of the godly man before men which this Apostle imports in this place when he requires such a conversation as may compell carnall men to say they are just men So our Saviour Mat. 5.16 Quest. What can carnall men see in the conversation of the godly to make them give glory to God or the truth Answ. By the good conversation of true Christians they gather the goodnesse of the law or religion which they professe And besides they thence gather that they are not hypocrites but are religious indeed whence they see what power their religion hath over them in all their waies And further the scandall of reproaches cast upon the godly is often by the observation of their conversation utterly removed in the hearts of such carnall men as set themselves throughly to observe and marke the course of the godly Your chaste conversation The word here translated Chaste in all other places of the New Testament is translated Pure and so shewes that it ought to be accepted here in a larger sense than the word chaste doth import yet so as chastity is a part of the purity of a Christian. Doct. A pure conversation is required in all true Christians yea even in women as well as men That purity is required is manifest by divers Scriptures yea to be examples in purity 1 Tim. 4.2 It is the chiefe fruit of the wisedome is from above Iam. 3.17 A pure heart is required 1 Tim. 1.5 and a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 and pure hands 1 Tim. 2.8 And that it may be had is apparent for our Saviour saith Yee are all pure Iohn 15.3 Quest. How can a man in this world be pure can any man be without sinne Answ. No there is no man that sinneth not In many things wee sinne all James 3.2 Who can say I have made my heart cleane and am pure from my sin Pro. 20.9 And If any man say he hath no sin he is a liar and the truth is not in him 1 John 1.10 And yet though in that sense no man is pure yet in other senses the godly man may be called pure and is bound even by the Gospel to purity as 1. In respect of some particular offence A godly man may be so pure as to abide the triall of God himselfe as David wills God to judge him according to his righteousnesse and the innocency of his hands meaning in that point of false or treacherous dealing against Saul which was charged upon him Psal. 3.4 5. 18.15 2. In respect of imputation every beleever is perfectly pure all his sins are as if they had never beene and Christs righteousnesse is his and in that righteousnesse of faith he is perfectly pure before God himselfe Rev. 19.8.14 3. In respect of men he may be pure in conversation though not in respect of God and so he is pure when he is unrebukeable and unblameable amongst men And this ought to be found in the conversation of every Christian to live without offence and without rebuke Phil. 2 15 16. 4. There is a pure conversation in respect of God not that we can converse without sin but God is pleased for Christ his sake to account our conversation pure when it hath divers prints and markes of his true grace in us And so Christian purity hath in it many things 1. Separation from impure men Psal. 1.1 2 Cor. 6.17 2. The desire of purity in the perfection of it God accounts his servants pure because
iniquity is found worthy to be hated Ps. 36.1 Ier. 44.10 Mal. 3.5 4. Such as goe on in vicious courses in the abuse of their liberty in things indifferent notwithstanding the frequent admonitions of godly and grave Divines and seeme rather willing to forsake their owne mercies than leave their foolish vanities Exod. 14.31 Iob 28.28 Pro. 13.13 14. 16. 1 29 30. 5. Such as take no notice of Gods great judgements which are in the world and will not declare his workes Psal. 64.9 6. Such as are carelesse of prayer and see not need to seeke unto God but restraine prayer Iob 15.4 And so it is of the constant and wilfull omission of all the service of God 7. By not pitying the aâ—flicted Iob 6.14 I omit to reckon up more particulars because by the contrary conversation to that which is required in the former rules men may see that they are farre out of the way Yet it is the more lamentable that this conversation with feare is not so usually found even amongst the godly themselves neither in their awefull reverence of behaviour and continuance in Gods service nor by their humble and carefull and mortified behaviour towards men Againe by the serious consideration of the former explication we may gather that there are divers feares ought not to be found in our conversations as the feare of crosses in our callings or of the reproaches and oppositions of men for well-doing or a superstitious feare of transgressing where there is no Law but meerely the wills of men and such as that feare which through unbeliefe is conceived in the hearts of many weake Christians and doth much oppresse them and that is the feare of Gods acceptation of their best workes so judging themselves as they withall judge of God unrighteously while they remember not his promises made to his servants concerning his acceptation of their desires and endeavours Lastly such as have attained to this conversation with feare should much rejoice and labour to preserve it with all care because it is a thing which is not only lovely in the sight of God but is very amiable and of a winning quality amongst men as this Text imports And thus of this conversation with feare as it concernes those women as they were Christians Now there is another kinde of feare which is required of them as they are wives for so it is expressely charged upon all wives that they should feare their husbands Eph. 5. ult And this feare they must shew 1. By giving reverent terms and titles as Sarah did to Abraham 2. By avoiding all things by wisedome she can ghesse or by experience she can find to be crosse to the nature or desire of her husband even striving to avoid what might provoke his very infirmities giving soft answers when he is angry and forbearing passion and unquietnesse even with others if he be present 3. By a care to shew all faithfulnesse diligence care and tender respect of him and his good in all things in their power and charge And so it appeareth in the negative what wives doe not feare their husbands viz. such as care not to be daily guilty of such faults as crosse or grieve or vexe their husbands such as give them unseemely titles out of the rudenesse of their familiarity or the distemper of their passions such whose feet will not keep their owne house to attend their callings such as blaze abroad their husbands infirmities whereas they should have beene the glory of the man such as are apt to make the worst constructions of the doubtfull actions of their husbands and such as are inquisitive and still desirous to have accounts given them of all their husbands doe Verse 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparell Verse 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price THese words containe the third thing charged upon wives by the Apostle in his exposition and that is their comely dressing of themselves which he sets downe negatively shewing how they must not be dressed ver 3. and affirmatively shewing what doth most adorne them ver 4. In the negative observe what is expressely prohibited and then what is impliedly allowed That which he expressely forbids he referres to three heads The first concernes the naturall abuse of the ornaments that by nature are upon the body and instanceth in the haire which God hath given to women for a covering And the abuse lieth in the plaiting of the haire by which he meanes not the tying up of the haire after a decent maner but the artificiall laying of it out in plaits or curles or lockes or the like Their devices about their haire are so many as we cannot reckon them by the names they give them The second concernes the excesse of cost about their dressing synecdochically exprest by the putting about of gold and pearles and such like rich jewels The third concernes the vanity of fashions in attire in the last words of putting on of apparell Now for the meaning of the Apostle in this negative prohibition I finde three opinions The one is of such as thinke the Apostle did absolutely forbid the things named but yet that it was a temporary prohibition intended to binde them of that time not to binde us that live now The other is of such as thinke that hee doth not simply forbid these things but onely comparatively meaning that in comparison of the inward dâ—essing wee should not have so much care of these outward ornaments or about dressing our care should not bee so much for the outward dressing as for the inward The third is of such as conceive that the Apostle doth simply and for ever forbid these things named and all of like sort and that for ever The opinion of the first sort of men is rejecâ—â—â— by all sorts of Divines as very foolish and erroneous The second opinion hath Cajetan a Papist for the author of it but is rejected by Divines of his owne sect for this reason because if that were the Apostles meaning his prohibition would teach the most sober and modest women in their apparell as well as the most licentious for ever the most modest are tied to respect the inward dressing above the outward which cannot bee the Apostles meaning The third opinion is the opinion almost of all the Ancient and modern Writers But because I will not take power to binde your consciences onely by the opinions of men therefore afterwards I will shew you by expresse Scripture when apparell or dressing becomes vicious but first I would consider of the doctrine in generall Doct. It seemes to be a cleare truth that Christian women should in the dressing of themselves take heed of ostentation costlinesse and vaine fashions and that
the â—ore they are hated of God Tertullian and Cyprian have written whole Treatises against the apparell of women Yea Cyprian and Augustine say that superfluous apparell is worse than whoredome and they give this reason because whoredome onely corrupts chastity but this corrupts nature What Ierome thinkes of it you shall heare afterwards What should I reckon more testimonies seeing in all ages of the Christian Church these things in the apparell of women have beene bitterly condemned yea the very Popish Writers doe bitterly inveigh against vaine and superfluous apparell and the very heathen men did so also 8. It should the more disswade women from following foolish vanities in adorning themselves because usually where these things are noted by way of description in Scripture the parties of whom it is written were notorious wicked persons and usually Whores as it is noted of Thamar and Iezabel and the Whore in the Revelation ch 17.3 and for notable wickednesse as the women Esay 3. and Dives Luke 16. 9. This care about the adorning of the body doth not agree to the simplicitie that is in Christ Jesus Godly Christians have their beauty within they are not such as will contend with the men of the world about finenesse or greatnesse or worldly praises or any outward ornaments Nor doe they walke with a right foot to the Gospel that are conformable to the men of this world there is great dissimulation to professe so strict a life as the Gospel doth require and yet take such liberty in the things of this world 10. About the abuâ—e of apparell many sins meet together as vanity pride evill concupiscence contempt of others immodesty and the like 11. There are many evill effects of vanity and excesse in apparell both in respect of God and themselves and others in respect of God and his service vaine and proud apparell breeds carelesnesse and abatement of that holy feare and zeale should be shewed in Gods service and it causeth the name of God to be blasphemed and the good way of God to be evill spoken of And for themselves by following foolish vanities they bring Gods visiting hand in judgement upon them Zeph. 1.8 and withall they forsake their owne mercies Ionah 2.8 And for the effects upon others they are divers For firâ—t by their example they do much hurt both in provoking others to the imitation of their vanity and by inflaming evill concupiscence and filthy desires and which is the more grievous parents many times by their examples infect the mindes of their owne children and corrupt their posteritie yea we see many daughters made worse than their mothers Againe excesse in apparell causeth in many the oppression of their Tenants and fraudulent courses that they may maintaine themselves in that wicked excesse and vanity Besides it destroies in divers all respect of the poore and hospitality Lastly doe we not see many families destroied and overthrowne by these courses so as their posterity is utterly defeated of their meanes and inheritances by the riot of their parents in their apparell Now it remaineth that I should shew out of the Scriptures when apparell or dressing or putting on of apparell becomes vicious And that will appeare to be many wayes 1. The dressing of the haire of the head is judged to be vicious out of this Text when it is plaited which is by Interpreters conceived to meane all that artificiall dressing of the head that imploies the haire beyond the naturall use of it onely for vaine shew The naturall use of the haire is to be a covering now when the haire is with curiosity and by vaine inventions turned into vaine formes by plaiting curling or other waies which wee cannot name or to fall into dangling-lockes like to the haire of Russians the dressing is then vicious For Baâ—il saith in generall of all apparell and dressing that whatsoever in these things is not for profit or necessity is vaine and superfluous And Ierome expressely condemnes thâ— hanging of the haire below the forehead Plutarch records that the Romans when a woman was to be dressed at a wedding used to separate and plaite the haire of her head with the point of a Speare to shew how much they hated curiosity in dressing Now if the plaiting of the haire be so ill how abominable is the use of strange haire that is haire that is not their own This is generally condemned and Nazianzen amongst the Ancients sharply reproves it 2. All apparell is vicious if it be strange Zeph. 1.8 Now strange apparell is not new apparell but such apparell as is not used in the Churches where we live and hath not an apparent comelinesse and utilitie in it some apparell though newly invented hath a manifest comelinesse and commodiousnesse stamped upon it so as it is approved of all both good and bad this is not strange though it be new Againe we may observe that other apparell when it first comes in it comes in like a monster the naturall conscience in all men detesting it this is out of question sinfull as for the reason here alledged so because it adornes not Such is yellow starch 3. All apparell and dressing is vicious when it is against shamefac'â—nesse and modesty and hath in it manifest provocation to lust 1 Tim. 2.9 10. such as is the leaving of the breasts naked in whole or in part and the short wearing of their cloathes in women The Prophet Hosea complaines of adultery betweene the breasts Hos. 2. Also against shamefac'tnesse is it when woman leave the dressing proper to their sexe and goe attired like men Deut. 22.5 A Father saith that they which dresse themselves with an intention and desire to please men or to provoke any they offer up their owne soules to the Divell And Hierome saith that if a man or a woman adorne themselves so as they provoke men to looke after them though no evill follow upon it yet the party shall suffer eternall damnation because they offered poyson to others though none would drinke of it Oh how many soules may be poisoned with lust by thee whose sins thou art therefore guilty of 4. All apparell that exceeds in cost the state or degree of the person that weares it is vicious and that the Apostle in this Text condemnes under the prohibition of gold 5. All apparell that is taken up from the fashion and example of the world and is not judged usefull by the most religious and sober minded Rom. 12.2 And though some that professe religion out of weakenesse or speciall corruption or because they are hypocrites doe follow such fashions yet that allowes them not so long as they are the proper characters of the men of this world 6. When apparell is not of good report Phil. 4.8 1 Cor. 10.38 when it either causeth wicked men to speake evill or reproach or godly men are grieved or offended or religion it selfe is reviled for their sakes 7. When it provoketh the partie to pride and haughtinesse
take oft our affections from all things that may offend as resolved if our right eye offend us to plucke it out and if our right hand offend us to cut it off that is to deny all sinfull things though they were as deare to us as our right hand or right eye Mat. 9.45 Secondly we must be such as yeeld our selves to obey the voice of Christ and to bee ruled by him Hee gives eternall life to his sheep we must bee sheepe then for hearing his voice and tractablenesse Iohn 10.29 Thirdly wee must give glory to God and rely upon his promise of grace in Jesus Christ wee must be beleevers Iohn 3.16 Fourthly wee must by patient continuing in well-doing still seeke immortality Rom. 2.7 Thus of the first use Use 2. Secondly seeing the portion of the godly lies in incorruptible things wee should not be much troubled for the wants or losses in corruptible things Wee have so large an inheritance in things that will last for ever that it should be no grievance to us though we should want those transitory things 〈…〉 world Use 3. Thirdly for this reason such as abound in earthly things should bee 〈◊〉 more willing to distribute them and give them for good uses seeing those things are not thâ—ir portion and therefore they need not be overcarefull for the keeping of such things Useâ— Fourthly hence wee may gather infallibly That the godly can never fall from grace for Gods mercies cannot corrupt or fall away and his giâ—ts are without repentance If they could be lost then they were corruptible as well as earthly things But this is a comfort that must not bee taken away that God will establish Sion for ever Psal. 48.8 and though the 〈◊〉 passe away and the lusts thereof yet he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 1 Iohn 2.17 and though the servant may be cast out of the house yet the sonne abideth for ever Iohn 8.35 Lastly we should the lesse feare deâ—th seeing hence we learne that we have many things that will last with us even after our bodies be rotten in the grave Thus of the third doctrine Doct. 4. Now a fourth point is also cleare and that is That incorruptible things doe wonderfully adorne and make men comely This is the maine scope aâ—d drift of the Text and therefore we should the more seeke after thâ—se things for if wee could see the beauty of the inward man as it is adorned with grace wee would bee wonderfully enamoured and in love with it No comelinesse of the body can so allure as would this inward beauty of the man of the hear and therefore againe we should hence learne to make the more account of poore Christians There are no persons in the world so comely as they if wee knew the worth and ornament of true grace And so in generall we should love the godly above all people because they are the fairest and best adorned of all the men and women in earth and in particular those husbands that have gracious wives should learne so much religion as to love them entirely even for the beauty of the man of the Heart though they wanted the outward ornaments of riches or extraordinary comelinesse of the outward man Women also should especially hence learne to get grace and knowledge and holinesse into their hearts for their best handsomnesse is in their qualities and gifts 'T is not their cloathes but their manners and disposition that becomes them or disgraces them A faire body doth commend little if the heart bee fowle it is a small praise to have a good face and an ill nature Some women are like Helen without and like Hecuba within Thus of the adorning of the man of the Heart in generall Now followes the particular ornament which the Apostle commends by name and that is a meeke and quiet spirit Of a meeke and quiet spirit Quietnesse is added to meeknesse lest by mistaking the definition of meeknesse they should not understand the Apostles meaning Now the doctrine hence to bee gathered is That amongst all the particular vertues required in Christians meeknesse and quietnesse of nature and spirit is a speciall vertue and carefully to bee sought and in particular by Christian wives as this and other Scriptures shew Eph. 4.2 Mat. 11.28 Zeph. 2.3 Col. 3.12 Before I make use of this point I must consider what is comprehended in those termes of a meeke and quiet spirit and first we must know before hand what it doth not comprehend It doth not require that women or men should be so quiet as not to be troubled for their sinnes or not to humble their soules for sinne or that they should bee carelesse of their callings either generall or particular or that they should not admonish or reprove sinne in others when they have a calling and fitnesse But unto the constituting of true meeknesse and quietnesse of spirit is requisite 1. Freedome from the evils that disquiet and molest the spirits of men such as are first anger frowardnesse fretting and peevishnesse secondly worldly sorrow crying and aptnesse to take unkindnesse and fullennesse thirdly distrustfull cares of life arising from covetousnesse 1 Tim. 6 10 11. fourthly rash zeale and fiercenesse or inordinate striving and wilfulnesse as may bee gathered in the case of a Minister 2 Tim. 2.24 25 26. fifthly contention and evill speaking or ill language as may bee gathered from Tit. 3.2 and stirring up contention or brawles sixtly all inordinate desires and raigning heart-sinnes whether sinnes of ambition lust malice or the like Iam. 1.21 seventhly unconstancy and levity of minde Especially it crosseth those evils which are noted to be most usuall in women such as are fretting crying taking unkindnesses unconstancie wilfulnesse complaining of their husbands or the like 2. A kind of peacefull contentment when Christians are habitually well pleased with their condition 3. A gentle behaviour in case of wrongs or faults from or in others so as to be first able to beare them secondly not to render evill for evill but rather to overcome evill with goodnesse thirdly ready to forgive fourthly not provoked to anger 4. A harmelesse and innocent behaviour Zeph. 2.3 5. The fixing of the heart by trusting upon God and living without care like a little child that beleeves his father will provide for him Mat. 18. 6. Lowlinesse of mind thinking no great thoughts of our selves and esteeming the gifts of God in others and accounting others better than our selves and therefore is lowlinesse so often added to the word meeknesse to explaine it 7. Silence from many words from vaine and rash speeches especially provoking termes 8. Retirednesse when a Christian is no busie-body in other mens matters and his feet will be kept out of his neighbours house and refuseth to have to doe with the strife that belongs not to him 9. Tractablenesse and easinesse to be directed or appointed and governed as in relation to God it is meeknesse to take
rule Gal. 6.16 and do all in faith Heb. 11.6 4. We must serve God in our spirits as well as in our outward man not as men-pleasers or with eye service or with outward worship but from the heart and with the spirit Rom. 2.28 29. Eph. 6.5 6 7. 5. We must make conscience of the least sins to avoide them and of the least Commandements to obey them if we would be great in heaven Mat. 5.19 Divers of these are exprest in one sentence Micah 6.8 Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe justly and to love mercy and to humble thy selfe to walk with thy God 6. We must avoide those sins that God especially hates such as are swearing Commandement 3. Deut. 28.58 lukewarmnesse in religion Rev. 3.15 16. persecuting such as feare God 1 Thes. 2.15 16. wilfull fashioning our selves after this world Rom. 12.1 2. to blesse our selves in our hearts against Gods curses Deut. 29.19 through impatience or unbeliefe to withdraw our selves in adversity Heb. 10 38. and in generall all grosse sins Rev. 22.15 Doct. 3. The best riches a Christian hath are his vertues and gifts of his mind and therefore he saith here they are rich in Gods sight Now they are his best riches in divers respects 1. Because they are riches in Gods sight whereas all worldly treasures commend not any man to God Gal. 3.28 He gives us naked into the world and takes us himselfe naked againe 2. Because they furnish the best part of man viz. his mind whâ—â—eas worldly riches doe only furnish mens houses or bodies 3. Because no violence can take these treasures away A man may be vertuous spight of the hearts of all the Divells in hell or divellish men on earth whereas worldly treasures may be many waies lost 4. Because those things doe make a man rich to immortality whereas worldly riches can serve at best but for a mortall life And therefore this point shewes that godly men that seeke vertue and grace have chosen the better part and that we should all covet spirituall gifts with more earnest affections than worldlings doe outward riches And it shewes the happy estate of poore Christians they may be very rich for all their poverty outward Rev. 2.8 Neither may hypocrites please themselves with saying they are rich Rev. 3.17 for God will discover their counterfeit wares And in generall we may hence gather that the richest men in the Parish are vertuous men Doct. 4. It is evident from hence that God sees the spirits of men our hearts are all open and manifest before him Ier. 17.9 1 Kings 8.39 1 Sam. 17. Heb. 4.13 And this must needs be so because God is omniscient all eye and sees all things The Sun may cease shining but God cannot cease seeing Secondly because God formed the hearts of all men and therefore must needs know them Psal. 33.15 Thirdly because God by his providence doth specially watch over the world of spirits add daily visits mens hearts Iob 7.18 Psal. 17.3 and receives presentments of all abuses He daily tries the hearts and reins and weighes the heart of man Pro. 21.2 And therefore the Use should be divers first to reach men to labour for inward and secret goodnesse as well as outward and open conformity and to be afraid of sin in secret for no darknesse can hide from God the day and night are all one to him and though no eye of man see thee yet art thou alwaies before the eye of God We should therefore keepe our hearts with all diligence Pro. 4.23 And it may be a great comfort to the godly against all the scornes and censures of the world that traduce them as hypocrites for God sees their hearts yea it may comfort them against the imperfections of their workes for God seeth the preparations and desires of their hearts and that they would faine doe better But especially this is terrible to wicked men for if God see the hearts of men in what case are they that have such evill hearts Ob. Why will some one say what fault can God find with our hearts Sol. God sees the deadnesse and dulnesse that is in thy heart in his service He sees thy directions and how far off thy heart is from him when thou drawest neere to him with thy lips he sees thy hypocrisie and securitie and thy double and divided heart he sees thy carnall cavils and the boiling risings of thy heart against him and his truth he sees thy fâ—â—â—fulnesse and unbeliefe and the uncircumcision of thy heart thy unreâ—â—hâ—blenesse and forgetfulnesse he sees all the vanities and errours of thy imaginations all thy lusts and passions and wicked desires and all thâ—â— framâ— of thy imaginations that are only evill continually he sees thy filthy nakednesse and all the Idols thou entertainest in thy heart and therefore if thou wilt not perish in the eternall abomination of God make haste to wash thine heart from wickednesse and seriously to repent of the sins of thy spirit Lastly the scope of this place teacheth us distinctly That God makes a great reckoning of such men and women as have meeke and quiet spirits There is reason for it because a quiet mind is like to Gods mind which is never stirred nor moved from everlasting to everlasting but is alwaies the same and because where the spirit is meeke and quiet there all sin is mortified and every good gift and grace doth prosper And this should be a great encouragement to all Christians and in particular to Christian wives that are meek and live quietly with their husbands for though their husbands should not love them the more or esteeme of this grace hence they may see that God will like them much the better for it and they are very comely and richly cloathed in Gods sight Ver. 5. Por even after this manâ—r in times past did the holy 〈◊〉 which trâ—sted in God 〈◊〉 themselves and were subject to their husbands Ver. 6. As Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord whose daughters ye are while ye doe well not being affraid of any terrour IN these two verses is contained the confirmation of the Proposition exhorting wives to be subject to their owne husbands ver 1. And this is made good by two reasons both taken from example the one in generall from the practice of holy women of ancient times that did so carry themselves towards their husbands ver 5. the other in particular from the practice of Sarah the mother of faithfull women ver 6. The example generally considered ver 5. is described and commended sixe wayes First for the maner of it it was in this maner that is just according to the precept now given by the Apostle Secondly for the anâ—iquitie of it it was so in old time Thirdly for the subject persons in whom it was found viz. not only women that did so but the holiest women Fourthly for the cause of it viz.
their trust in God Fiftly for the effect of it it adorned them Sixtly for the matter of it viz. they were obedient to their owne husbands Thus of the order of the words Before I enter upon the particulars divers things may be noted in generall about examples of goodnesse in others First we may hence evidently gather That it is not enough for us to doe good but we should strive so to doe it that we might be examples to others 1 Tim. 4.12 Mat. 5.16 Phil. 2.15 and that for divers reasons For first God is interessed in us and our workes and there is a glory due to God which must be collected from our workes doâ—â— before men Mat. 5.16 Secondly we must so act our parts in godlinesse upon the Stage of this world that we may thereby silence and convince wicked men that out of their hatred to the truth and frowardnesse of hearts would else take all occasions to speake evill of us and the good way of God Phil. 2.15 Thirdly our Teachers have a part in our workes and we should hold forth the patternes of sound practice that they might be comforted in our learning from them and graced in their Ministerie Phil. 2.16 Fourthly by this meanes we may doe much good in helping forwards weake Christians For as the wicked take fire from evill examples so doe the godly from good examples both in piety 1 Thes. 4.7 and mercie 2 Cor. 8.16 c. Which should worke aâ— effectuall care in all godly Christians to strive to expresse such conscience and power of godlinesse as may be profitable to others and so chiefly in such things as may most grace thâ— profession of religion or profit others as wisedome mercie meeknesse just dealing contempt of the world affectionatenesse in Gods service patience undauntednesse or the like especially those that be Parents Masters Magistrates Ministers that have charge of others And this greatly reproves such Christians as undoe the soules of those that belong to them as much as lies in them by their wicked examples as Ministers that are examples to their people of drunkennesse usury covetousnesse pride or the like and Masters of families or Parents that give such wretched examples to their children and servants in swearing vanitie of apparell filthinesse of life passion or the like Secondly we may hence note two singular vertues in a good example the first is That it may profit a world of people 1 Thes. 1.7 Rom. 16. It is like the fire you may light many candles at it and yet it is neither the worse nor the lesse Many that we know noâ— of may receive good from our good conversation and example in well-doing as was true in the case of those holy women And the reason is because men are more apt to understand things when they are practised than when they are taught And besides good examples are so rare that they shine as a Beacon on fire in a darke night Phil. 2.15 And therefore one Use should be to teach Christians by an humble acknowledgement of the praises of others to spread abroad the light of good examples â—s far as they can 1 Thes. 1.7 8. And withall he shewes the horrible sin of those wretches that strive to blemish the good conversation of the godly and so rob the world of the profit of their examples The second vertue in a good example is the lasting of it It may doe good for a long time after yea in some cases to the worlds end The sweet savour of it may be freshly sented many yeeres after which was never true of any perfume in the world It is a light that will not out of a long time as here the example of these holy women and Sarah in particular have a fresh power to doe good many hundred yeares after it was given and will still have to the worlds end The memoriall of the Just is blessed They that are to live hereafter may praise God for the good they receive from the examples of those that are long since dead in their graves Their workes live long after they are dead Which should be a wonderfull consolation to eminent Christians that excell in gifts and good workes and have held forth a good profession before many witnesses And in as much as God by his providence keeps burning so long the light of the good examples of his children it will make the more to encrease the condemnation of such persons as will not learne goodnesse from such examples Especially their case is fearefull that have had this light in such as have beene neere to them as in Parents Masters Ministers â—pâ—ciall acquaintance kindred or the like and yet make no good use of it Thirdly we may hence gather That a good example ought to be given and may be taken from women as well as men Pro. 31.28 29. Mat. 26.13 Tit. 2. 3 4. And the reason is because God is no respecter of persons but gives his gifts and graces to women as well as men as Scripture experience shews And besides as their ill example may make the word of God to be blasphemed Tit. 2.5 so why should not their good example become godlines profit others And this point should teach women if they will professe Religion to looke to their waies and strive to give good example especially aged women Tit. 2.3 And withall it may be a comfort to that Sexe that God should use their service to doe his worke and many times to teach men by their waies and works God hath raised up the glory and light of many worthy women and they have bin as eminent for holines good workes as men have bin Thus in generall In this manner The first thing in the description is the manner of the pattern about which we may note three things 1. That the patterns of well-doing or the rules of life have beene the same in all ages There is no more required of Christians now than was required of Gods servants in former time which should make us the more willing to beare Gods yoake and to doe the taske that God sets us 2. That an example is then of power to bind when it agrees to some precept as here the example of holy women is urged because it did agree to the doctrine of the exhortation before named This rule is of great use in ordering of conclusions taken from examples in Scripture examples have but the power of illustration of what was before in the precept And againe it should teach us not to esteeme of any men above what is written but to follow them as they follow Christ or as their actions are warranted by the Word of God 3. God did ever stand upon subjection and an amiable and meeke behaviour in women in all ages Which should much prevaile with Christian women to teach them to make more conscience of their carriage towards their husbands seeing God had ever required such a behaviour in all holy women of
not in judgement only acknowledge it as due but with wonderfull affection doth easily and with great love give that title to Abraham 2. That it is one part of the subjection of wives to carry themselves reverently towards their husbands and to give them such titles as may shew that they doe heartily honour them 3. Wee may here observe the wonderfull goodnesse of God towards his servants that in a great heape of sinne can see and accept of a little sparke of true grace The whole sentence of Sarah was vile and profane only that word was good God praiseth her for that was good and passeth by the great fault she committed Yea we may note that God is so well pleased with her loving subjection to her husband that he is content to forgive her great sinne of unbeliefe against him Yea it is probable that her great respect of her husband made her the more willingly to beleeve Gods promise afterwards for Heb. 11.11 she is commended judging God to be faithfull who had promised her a child though at first she laughed at it Whose daughters yee are Godly women may be said to be the daughters of Sarah three waies 1. If Sarah be taken mystically for the new Jerusalem as Gal. 4. 2. In respect of inheâ—iting the love and blessing of God which Sarah had they shall be her daughters that is they shall have the same portion from God as if they had come in Sarahs roome as in the case of Abraham is said Rom. 4.11 16. 3. In respect of spirituall kindred and alliance Christian women are as neere a kin to Sarah as if they were her owne daughters So that the maine doctrine from hence is That there is a spirituall kindred and consanguinitie betweene the godly about which from this place we may observe divers positions 1. That all the godly are a kinne and the reason is because they are all the children of one father that is God and all borne of the immortall seed of the Word 2. That they are neere a kin as neere as mothers and daughters or as brothers and sisters as Christ said of his kindred Mat. 12.49 50. Here are no cousins removed 3. That this kindred doth conferre a reall honour upon every Christian so as the Christian wives are as truely great as if they were immediately descended out of Sarahs womb 4. That God himselfe doth seriously acknowledge this kindred and looks upon the meanest Christian as truely allied to the greatest Worthies have ever beene in the world 5. That this neerenesse of consanguinitie is not a jot altered by the distance of hundred of yeeres as in the Apostles time the glory of alliance with Sarah did shine in Christian women the reason is because the root of this consanguinitie is ever alive which is Christ. 6. That Christians are not borne to this kindred but made so Godly women were not borne daughters of Sarah but became so after their new birth 7. That that which breeds this spirituall kindred is not being Gossips at the Fonâ— nor no carnall propagation Rom. 9.8 but faith Rom. 4.16 and well-doing as this Apostle saith in this Text. The Use may be first to comfort godly Christians against the want and losse of carnall kindred and to teach us all to honour suâ—h as are truely godly for they are the onely excellent ones and have the greatest and best kindred in the world Yea we should preferre our godly kindred before our carnall in the dearenesse of our love and the godly should shew all dueties of love one to another as they that are mothers and daughters brothers and sisters in the Lord and so should stand one for another as men would doe for their carnall kindred A second doctrine may be noted from hence That all Christians are not alike in gifts some are mothers â—ome are daughters as it is in the body of a man all the members are not of like honour or use though all serve for the good of the bodie 1 Cor. 12. Which should teach those of greater gifts not to despise those of lesser gifts and those of lesser gifts to honour those of greater gifts and both sorts to praise God for the gifts they have having nothing but what they have received and to be a daughter of Sarah being sufficient to get the blessing that Sarah had her selfe So long as you doe well Observe hence 1. That Christians obtaine not the proper priviledges of communion of Saints unlesse they doe well None but Christians that leade a holy life have the honour of true spirituall kindred with Christ and the Saints Mat. 12.49 50. Wicked Christians are a kin to the Divell 2. That we are bound only to imitate that which is good in the Saints not their sins They must follow Sarah in her well-doing they must not imitate her in her frowardnesse Gen. 16.5 nor in her bold adventuring of her chastitie though it were upon pretence of saving her husbands life Gen. 12.11 12. And this condemnes those women that so wilfully alledge the example of others to uphold them in such behaviour as their owne consciences tell is naught 3. It is imported here that some women may doe well for a time and yet prove very naught afterwards Some begin in the spirit and end in the flesh Some women are at first quiet sober loving to their husbands good housewives c. and yet after a time they grow froward excessive in apparell dyet and the like imperious such as sleight their husbands idle and wastfull and carelesse of the duties they should doe in the family They are condemned of themselves and shall rise in judgement against themselves their first works condemne their last 4. In generall we may here note That it is not enough to doe good but we must see to it that what we doe be well done Quest. What can come to a good action to make it ill Answ. Impenitencie in any sin will staine any action though it be in it selfe never so good Esay 1.13 16. 2. An ill end will defile a good action to doe it of purpose to be seene of men Mat. 6. or as men pleasers in the case of wives or servants or subjects c. 3. Unbeliefe makes all actions ill Whatsoever is not of faith is sin when we either know not the warrant of it or beleeve not Gods acceptation 4. Rashnesse and indiscretion mars good actions Pro. 19.2 when men have not respect to the circumstances of well-doing or the provision should goe to it when good duties are done rudely and without respect of due time and place c. We should be wise to doe good Rom. 16.19 5. Unwillingnesse defiles a good action when it seemes evill to us to serve God Iosh. 24.14 when our workes are dead workes Hebr. 9.14 Deut. 28.47 6. When the fruit men beare is not their owne fruit as if a King will offer sacrifice or women preach or the like And so when wives doe
yet it is so rich as the tongue of man cannot utter if it be in any measure true and sincere Besides how should this fire our desires after wisedome and spirituall understanding in the world of Christ seeing it is our life and in the same degree we encrease in eternall life that we encrease in acquaintance with God in Christ and therefore above all gettings we should be getting understanding And finally it shewes the wofull estate of ignorant persons that are carelesse of the studie of the Word of God and of hearing of the Gospel preached This is their death and will be their eternall death if they prevent it not by repentance and sound redeeming of the time for the service of the soule about this sacred knowledge Now for the fourth point the things that nourish life are greatly to be heeded both to shew us what we should apply our selves to and with what thankfulnesse to receive the meanes of our good herein 1. We must know that the principall cause of the nourishment and increase of spirituall life is the influence of vertue from Christ our mysticall head by the secret and unutterable working of the spirit of Christ which is therefore called the spirit of life because it both frees us by degrees from the feares of death and from the power and blots of sin Rom. 8.2 and withall it quickens and encreaseth life in us for the better exercise of righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 2. The contemplation of Gods favour and presence doth wonderfully extend and inflame life in us To marke God any where or by any experience to find effectually his love and to taste of the sweetnesse of his goodnesse this is life from the dead better than all things in naturall life it doth a godly mans heart more good than all things in the world can doe as these places shew Psal. 30.5 63.7 8. 36.3 16. ult with coherence 3. The entertainment God gives his people in his house is one speciall cause of encrease of this life in us as it encreaseth both knowledge and joy and all goodnesse and satisfies the heart of man especially amongst all the things that are without us the Word of God as it is powerfully preached in Gods house is the food of this life called the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.16 Christ words are the words of eternall life Iohn 6. see Psal. 36. 8. Iohn 12.50 Pro. 4.22 4. Fellowship with the godly is singular to quicken and excite the life of grace and joy and knowledge in us therefore it is an amiable thing for brethren to dwell together in unity because there God hath commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psal. 133. ult Pro. 2.20 The mouth of the righteous is a veine of life Pro. 10.11 Yea the very reproofes of instruction are the way of life Pro. 6.23 And therefore weake Christians should be instructed from hence with faith to rest upon the God of their lives who by the spirit of Christ can enable them to eternall life and with thankfulnesse to embrace all signes of Gods favour and presence and above all things in life to provide for themselves powerfull meanes in publike and good societie in private and not to be turned off from either of these by slight either objections or difficulties and to resolve to labour more for these than carnall persons would doe to have their naturall lives if they were in distresse or danger It is also excellent counsell which Saint Iude gives in this point concerning eternall life he would have us looke to foure things The first is to edifie our selves in our most holy faith striving to get in more store of Gods promises and divine knowledges and to strive to establish our hearts in our assurance of our right to them The second is to pray in the holy Ghost for he knew that powerfull prayer doth greatly further eternall life in us The third is to keepe our selves in the love of God avoiding all things might displease him chusing rather to live under the hatred of all the world than to anger God by working iniquity The fourth is to looke as often and as earnestly as we can after that highest degree of mercy and glory we shall have in the comming of Christ Iud. 1.19 20. I will conclude this point with that one counsell of Solomon Keepe thy heart with all diligence for thereout come the issues of life Christians that would prosper in spirituall life should be very carefull of the first beginnings of sin in their thoughts and desires and be very diligent in nourishing all good motions of the holy Ghost preserving their peace and joy in beleeving with all good consciences Pro. 4.23 Thus of the fourth point 5. Now for the differences of life in these degrees especially the first and last degree they are very great for though eternall life in the first degree be a treasure of singulaâ— value yet the glory of this life doth greatly excell as it is to be held in another world I intend not to compare life in heaven with naturall life here for that is not worthy to be mentioned in the ballance with that eternall life of glory but with eternall life it selfe as it is held by the godly only in this world And so the difference is very great 1. In respect of the place where the godly live in each degree 2. In respect of the meanes of preservation of life in each degree 3. In respect of the company with whom we live in each degree 4. In respect of the quality of life it selfe 5. In respect of the effects of life eternall in each degree For the first There is great difference betweene the life of grace and the life of glory in the very place of living Here we live in an earthly tabernacle in houses of clay there we shall live in eternall mansions buildings that God hath made without hands 2 Cor. 5.1 Here we live on earth there in heaven Here we are strangers and pilgrims far from home Hâ—b 11. there we shall live in our Fathers house Here we are in Egypt there we shall live in Canaan Here wee live where death sorrow and sin and Divels dwell there we shall live in a place where God and immortality and all holinesse dwels 2 Pet. 3.13 Here we are but banished men there we shall live in the celestiall Paradise Here we have no abiding City but there we shall abide in the new Jerâ—sâ—lem that is above The glory of the whole earth can but shadow out by similiâ—ude the very walls and gates of that Citie Rev. 21. Here wee can but enter into the holy place there we shall enter into the most holy place Heb. 10.19 To conclude there we shall enter into the heaven of heavens which for lightnesse largenesse purenesse delightfulnesse and all praises almost infinitely excells the heavens we enjoy in this visible world For the second In this life unto the
and religiously in this present world Tit. 2.11 12. Thus of the third point viz. the cause of inheriting The maner followes viz. They inherit together Together The godly are heires together their inheritance lies all together Which may appeare by reckoning up the particular priviledges of the godly in which they all meet and are joynt heires and fellow heires as the Apostle calls them Rom. 8.17 Eph. 3.6 Christians hold their inheritance in Gavelkind I thinke that is the terme the Lawyers give for that tenure where all the brethren have the same inheritance divided amongst them and all alike heires And as they are so in the matter they inherit so in the manner of comming to their right for they are all the children of God and children by adoption and not by naturall generation so Christ only is Gods heire Now that it may distinctly appeare that they are heires together I will number some particulars as 1. They have all the same Father Eph. 4.6 who is in them all 2. They are all of the same body viz. members of the mysticall bodie of Christ Eph. 3.6 3. They have all one spirit Eph. 4.3 4. 4. They weare all the same apparell being cloathed with the same righteousnesse of Christ Gal. 3.27 28. 5. They weare all the same livery and badge of distinction they have all one Baptisme Eph. 4.6 6. They are all fed with the same commons at the Lords Table the bread is the communion of the body of Christ and so the wine of his bloud I say communion because all partake of it 1 Cor. 10.16 17. 7. They have all the same gifts for though in outward administrations and callings there be difference and in naturall endowments and in common graces yet in the gifts of saving grace they have all a part of all gifts and differ onely in the measure as they have but one faith and one hope and so in all other saving graces Ephes. 4.4 5. 1 Cor. 12. Ephes. 5.7 Rom. 12. 8. They have all the same promises Eph. 3.6 9. They have all the same or the like attendants viz. the Angels of heaven Heb. 1.13 10. They are governed by the same lawes have all one Lord Eph. 4.5 and have all the same way to heaven which is by Christ and have all interest in the Teachers of the Word of Christ their Lord 1 Cor. 3.22 11. They shall have all the same glory after this life for the inheritance of them all is immortall and undefiled and without end 1 Pet. 1.4 12. They shall hold their glory in the same place after this life viz. in heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 The Use of this should be greatly for the comfort of weake and poore Christians for though they differ from other men in outward calling or the measure of gifts yet they are in the substance of the inheritance provided for as well as the greatest Kings or Prophets or Apostles And besides it should teach the brethren of higher degree to carry themselves with all humility towards their poore brethren and it should teach all Christians to love as brethren to be courteous and tender hearted one towards another as followes in the next verse of this Chapter Thus of the fourth point 5. The fift point is concerning the persons that doe inherit and so the coherence shewes That both sexes are capable of inheriting women as well as men wives as well as husbands God is no respecter of persons but in all conditions of people such as feare him and believe in Christ and worke righteousnesse are accepted and adopted of him as these places shew Act. 10.35 Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 And this should teach all Christians not to have the glorious faith of Christ in respect of persons Iam. 2.1 2. And in particular such husbands as have religious wives should make the more account of them though God hath made them inferiour to them in outward condition yet he hath made them equall in the inheritance of life Lest praier be interrupted Hitherto of the second reason to perswade husbands to make conscience of their dutie towards their wives The third reason is taken from the ill effect if it be not done and that is that Gods service and in particular praier will be hindred and that divers waies First if he dwell not with her praier in the family is like to be omitted it being his worke as the head of the family to performe that duty and to see that his houshold serve God with him Josh. 24.14 And if he carrie not himselfe as a man of knowledge there may arise such discord amongst them that they will have no minde either to pray together or one for another at least their passions will tempt them many times to omit prayer and if he give not honour but despise her he will have no heart to pray for her whom he contemnes There are many observations to be gathered out of these words as Doct. 1. Prayer is a part of Gods service that is necessarily required and not left arbitrary for men to doe or not to doe it Psal. 105.1 1 Thess. 5.17 Mat. 7.7 Rom. 12.12 Eph. 6.18 Col. 4.2 Doct. 2. The exercise of prayer is not only a part of Gods service but it is an excellent part a chiefe part that which much excels Which may appeare first by the nature of it It is an exercise in which a mortall creature talkes with the immortall Creator Secondly by the antiquitie of it It is an exercise that godly men have betaken themselves to with great devotion from the first times of the world Gen. 4.26 21.33 Thirdly by the efficient cause of it God poures out his owne Spirit upon his people of purpose to make them able to pray and therefore is called The Spirit of prayer Zech. 12.11 Ioel 2.28 Rom. 8.26 Fourthly because they are things so precious as Christ takes them and presents them to God covering our imperfections and making them acceptable Rev. 8.3 Fiftly by the great priviledges this exercise enjoyes For first God is greatly delighted in it Pro. 15.8 and therefore one of his titles is that he is a God that heareth prayer Psal. 65.1 and heares with great attention his eares are open Psal. 34.15 and will not despise prayer for the infirmities of his servants Psal. 102.17 nor reproach them Iames 1.5 Secondly any man of any condition that hath an honest heart may be regarded with God in prayer Marke 7.7 Luke 11.10 Thirdly whatsoever is asked is obtained which is an unspeakable benefit Marke 11.24 Psal. 85.5 Lastly God hath promised salvation to all them that call upon his name Ioel 2. ult And this point should be a great encouragement to all true Christians to be much in prayer and to resist all dulnesse in themselves or temptations and objections against the exercise of prayer Doct. 3. Prayer is a dutie required of private Christians as well as of learned men or Ministers Husbands and wives are supposed to practise
also in respect of their falling by infirmities when it proves a griefe and affliction to them Gal. 6.1 Iude 22. 2 Cor. 11.29 So likewise in the case of the prosperity of others we ought to rejoice with them that rejoice and be affected as if the blessing had beene ours Rom. 12.15 3. The reasons are manifest First because hereby we prove our selves to be fellow members in the mysticall bodie of Christ which is to be doubted if this sympathie be not in us in some measure 1 Cor. 12.12 25 26. Secondly because hereby we shew our selves conformable and like to Christ our Head who excelled in this vertue Heb. 4.15 Mat. 25.40 Thirdly because that which is the case of others now may be our case hereafter as the Apostle shewes in the case of temptation Gal. 6.1 Fourthly a reason may be drawn from the excellency of the grace it excells almes and outward workes of mercy for when a man gives an almes he gives somewhat without himselfe but when we shew compassion we relieve another by somewhat that is within our selves and from our selves And lastly the coherence shewes that this may be a meanes to keepe us from trouble our selves The Use may be first to import the miserie of living in this world This life must needs be a vale of teares when we have not only occasion of sorrow many wayes from our own estates but also such varietie of occasions of sorrow from the condition of others deere unto us Neither is our case the better but the worse if we doe not sorrow with others Secondly this may greatly humble all sorts of men for their Apathie or want of care or feeling or sympathie in the distresses of others and the rather now when whole Churches are in great distresse Amos 6.6 Thirdly this should greatly move true Christians to strive after this vertue and to expresse it lively and shew it forth in all the fruits of it as first by declaring our affection to the afflicted with all tendernesse of heart and words of comfort secondly by using all our meanes and power to relieve them and help them out of distresse thirdly by pouring out our soules before God for them Love as brethren This is the third dutie charged upon them viz. the exercise of brotherly love This is vehemently urged in many Scriptures Rom. 12.10 Heb. 13.1 Iohn 13.34 1 Iohn 2.7 4.21 Now for the explication of this doctrine foure things would be distinctly considered of viz. 1. Who are brethren 2. What priviledge they have by the brotherhood or by being brethren 3. For what reasons we should so love them 4. With what kind of love we should love them For the first Men become brethren one to another many wayes as first by propagation when they are borne of the same bloud and so the children of the same parents are brethren and in a remoter sense kinsmen of the same bloud are brethren Luke 8.19 Secondly by Nation When men are countreymen they are called brethren especially when they descend originally from the fountaine of the same ancient families and so the people of the twelve Tribes were brethren Exod. 2.11 Thirdly by profession especially the profession of religion makes all professors brethren Acts 11.1 1.16 And this was one of the first titles of love and relation in the Christian world Fourthly communion with Christ and so we become brethren either by his incarnation Heb. 2.16.17 or in respect of our mysticall union with him in his mysticall bodie Col. 1.2 Mat. 25.40 and so we are brethren with the Angels as they also are joined under this head Christ Jesus Rev. 19.10 22. So then if any aske who are the brethren here meant that we must so love I answer they are such as are professors with us of the same religion and fellow members of the body of Christ. But that we may more plainely see who are meant by brethren in the Scriptures it will be profitable to observe that they are described by their holinesse The brethren we must love are such as are partakers of the holy calling Heb. 3.1 such as are begotten of God 1 Iohn 5.1 such as will doe the will of God by sound practice Mat. 12.47 49. They are the holy brethren wee are here charged to love 1 Thes. 5.27 For the second Our relation to the godly as brethren ought not to be despised for as we are brethren by religion we enjoy many excellent prerogatives for thereby we partake of a heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 we stand all in relation to God as his owne children by adoption Eph. 4.6 and so peace and the blessing of God as a Father is upon us all Eph. 6.23 Gal. 6.16 and wee are greatly beloved of God Rom. 1.7 and brought up in the same familie Eph. 3.17 fed with the same diet and entertainment in Gods house and estated into an inheritance better than all the kingdomes of the world Rom. 9.17 And hereby also we enjoy the fruit of the love of all the godly in the world even those that know us not in the face For the third There are many reasons why we should love the godly as our brethren above all the people in the world For first if to be all the children of one father have such a power over the naturall affections of men then should it not be without power in religion Secondly this is charged upon us above many other things yea above all things we should put on love Col. 3.14 and yet he had reckoned many excellent vertues before This was the speciall and one of the last Commandements of our blessed Saviour which he gave in charge when he was going to his death 1 Iohn 3.23 Iohn 13.34 Thirdly because this love comes of God and is a signe that God is in us and dwells in us and that we doe indeed love God himselfe 1 Iohn 4.7 8 12 16 20 21. Fourthly we have the example of God himselfe and Christ his Son that love them as their peculiar treasure above all the world and he shewed them love by unspeakable benefits 1 Iohn 4.10 11. Fiftly because our soules will thrive and be edified as brotherly love is continued and encreased in us Eph. 4.16 Sixtly because the godly must be our everlasting companions in heaven 1 Pet. 4.8 1 Cor. 13.8 and if we cannot see so much it is because we are puâ—blinde 2 Pet. 1. For the fourth point If any aske with what kinde of love we should love them I answer that our love must have many properties in it 1. It must be a naturall love that is such a love as is not by constraint but ariseth out of our dispositions and inclinations as we are made new Creatures in Jesus Christ Cor. 8.8 2. It must be a sincere love a love without dissimulation Rom. 12.10 not in word but in deed 1 Iohn 3.18 3. It must be a fervent love we must love them earnestly and with great
by Christ 154 Excellent uses of the manifold descriptions of Christ 248 249 As he is a Lord how he excels other Lords 249 How said to be both a stone and a living stone 249 250. c. Christ is precious many wayes 254 How we may get an esteeme of Christ above all things 281 How we may manifest this esteeme ibid. How Christ is an honour to us 292 Christ many waies refused 298 In what respects Christ bare our sinne 531 Christian. A Christians life is a joyfull life 54 What they must doe to preserve that joy in their hearts 55 How farre he may rejoyce in earthly things 56 Priviledges of weake Christians 229 Encouragement for weak Christians 237 Christians have divers sacrifices 266 Only Christians come of the best generation 317 They are royall many wayes 318 The priesthood of a Christian is a singular priviledge 320 321 It should put us in minde of divers duties 321 Christians are holy many wayes 322 How Christians are said to be all of one Nation 325 Why called a peculiar people 326 327 A sound Christian shewes himselfe so by his conversation 388 For what reasons Christians should be much affected with the consideration of their Calling 689 The necessity of knowing our calling 690 How it may be knowne 691 Divers sorts of Christians ibid. Carnall Christians know not their Calling ibid. c. The reasons of it 692 Good Christians have a blessed estate above all men 693 True Christians inherit nothing but blessing 693. and that many wayes 694 Church Eleven prerogatives of the Christian Church 79 80 The Church like Mount Sion in many respects 276 277 The uses hereof ibid. The excellencie of the word above all other assemblies of the world besides 277 Cleane Cleanenesse Eight things to be done for the getting of a clean heart 175 Come We Come to Christ many mayes 256 Eight wayes to come to Christ 257 Encouragements thereto ibid. c. Compassion It was shewed by Christ five wayes 332 In man how 679 Motives to it ibid. What bowels of Compassion doth import 683 Confound Beleevers shall never be Confounded 284 The diverse acceptation of the word Confound ibid. How Confounded may be taken in a good sense 285 Meanes by which God keepes the Beleever from being confounded ibid. In what he shall not be confounded ibid. How farre he may be confounded 286 Conditions of such as will not be confounded 287 What sorts of men shall suffer shame and Confusion ibid. Conscience It ought to be adorned with nine things 18 Kindes of Conscience 503 Reasons why men ought to be instructed about Conscience 499 What Conscience is ibid. It s proper worke 500 How Conscience is imployed in us ibid. The law by which Consc. judgeth the maner of proceeding in judgment 502 Prerogatives of Conscience ibid. c. Divers kinds of Conscience 503 Differences of evills in mens Consciences 504 Signes of an evill Conscience that is still and stirred 505 Hurts of an ill Conscience with foure effects â—hereof 506 Aggravations of the miserie of an ill Conscience 507 What must be done to make an ill Conscience good 508 Two things for guiding the Conscience 509 Signes of a good Conscience ibid. Benefits of it 510 How farre Conscience may be bound 510 511 Conversation Our conversation said to be vaine in sixe respects 140 The sins which make it so ibid. There is vanitie in the Conversation of the Saints themselves ibid. Five degrees of our redemption from a vaine conversation 141 Seven signes of it ibid. Speciall rules for the right ordering of a holy Conversation 323 Meanes to â—ttainâ— it 324 Differences betweene a holy Conversation and a civill ibid. A sound Christian shewes himselfe so by his Conversation 388 Vide Honest. Sixe things which make an honest Conversation 389 An honest Conversation is the way either to convert or convince the Gentiles 392 By what meanes we may win wicked men in our Conversations 594 595 Reasons why a Christians Conversation should be coupled with feare 598 599 Conversion Nine signes to know whether we be effectually converted 585 Rules for it 586 Courtesie It containeth seven things 685 Creation The wonderfulnesse of our Creation shewed many waies 151 152 The use of it ibid. D DAy Many sorts of Dayes nâ—ted in Scripâ—â—â—â— 416 How the Day and season of grace may be knowne 417 Darknesse The acceptation of the word Darknesse 338 c. Degrees of it 339 Nine aggravations of the Darknesse that is in wicked men 340 The use of it ibid. c. Foure signs of spirituall Darknesse 341 There is some Darknesse even in the children of Light ibid. There are seven differences between the Darknesse of the godly and the darknesse of the ungodly 341 342 Death Vide Die 198 534 Deceit Vide Guile The miserie of Deceitfull persons 206 207 Of Deceitfull Servants 207 The iniquitie of our times herein 208 Signes of a man without Deceit 209 Despaire How many wayes wicked men may Despaire 307 Preservatives from Despaire 308 309 Speciall differences between the Despaire of the godly and wicked 309 310 Desire The necessitie utilitie and nature of this affection of Desire largely handled 221 The true Desire of the word hath foure distinct things in it first Estimation of it secondly Longing for it thirdly Content in it fourthly Constancie in the renewing of it 221 222 How we may discerne our affections to it 222 Signes both externall and internall of our Desire to the word 222 223 c. Impediments 223 Meanes of getting true Desire to the word 225 Rules for preserving these Desires 226 Motives thereto 227 How farre wicked men may desire the word 230 Die Vide Death Men Die many waies 534 The many inconveniences by forgetting to Die 198 How to prove willing to Die ibid. Disobedience How unbeleevers are guilty of Disobedience and their Disobedience aggravated 293 Drunkard Drunkennesse Reasons against it well applied 106 E EArth Earthly In what the vanity of Earthly things appeares 700 No reason to be in love with them ib. c. What daies are Evill in respect of wicked men 703 Wherein godly mens daies are Evill ibid. Great difference of the evill daies of good and evill men ibid. How farre Christians may rejoyce in Earthly things 56 Elect. The Elect have eight priviledges above all men in the world 7 8 Three sorts of Elect 150 Election A fourefold Election 7 How they may be knowne ibid. 315 Good use of the point 8 There are many things in our Election which may ravish us 314 Rules to live so as becommeth the assurance of Election 316 Envie It is a hatefull sin 214 Signes of a man free from Envie 215 Evill-doers Who are pointed out for such 446 Evill-speaking Vide Backe-biting Report the aggravation of it 213 Reasons against it 216 The effects of it foule 217 The use to be made of it with Rules against it 218 What to doe to avoid it 219 In what cases odious 395 Helpes to
is the temptations of unbeliefe 2. Against present affliction when wee consider what wee are borne to 3. Against the scornes of the world we are borne not of blouds but which is better of the bloud of Christ Ioh. 1.12 2. For Instruction for the remembrance of our new birth quickens us to a care to live as becomes our new birth which is the true reason why it is mentioned here The Use is first 1. First for Ministers to bend the whole course of their ministery hitherto what doe we profit them if we gain them not to God Yea hereby the glory of many Ministers is to be judged He is the excellentest teacher that can convert most to God Here God will be free 2. For all sorts of men as 1. For all godly men 1. If they be strong to build themselves up in the contentment of their birth 2. If they be weake to looke to the establishing of their hearts in the assurance of it 2. For unregenerate men it should awaken them to a care to shake off their lamentable security procrastination prejudice silence sinfulnesse or what else hinders them from this glorious worke To this end Think of death and the threatnings and anger of God seriously Judge thy selfe for thy sinnes Pray with David for a cleane heart beg a new heart Ezech. 36. Parable Get out of ill company Be warned to fly from the wrath to come Neglect not so great salvation Be not deceived Gal. 6.7 1 Cor. 6.9 Take heed lest God leave you with the very discourse of regeneration What shall it profit to be borne of great bloud c. if thy soule perish for ever I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God save your soules that you perish not in the condemnation of the world Consider God would not have you die c. The second thing that may be noted from hence is that our blessed immortality begins at our new birth for by the Gospell God brings immortality to life and light 2 Tim. 1.10 and by the Spirit of Christ we are then quickned Eph. 2.1 4. being by nature dead in respect of true immortality For from this moment of time Christ lives in us Gal. 2.20 we are alive to God though we be dead to the world The Use should be first to put vs in mind of the marvellous power and glory of the Gospell that brings this life light unto us 2 Tim. 1.10 2. We should be comforted against all our feares and doubts and against all the afflictions or temptations of our naturall life for immortality is begun in us already Those divine sparks are so kindled as they shall never be quenched God hath kindled the light of heaven in us This is very eternal life we have here on earth Ioh. 17.3 God hath made us immortall creatures already for though we have not yet attained to the full degree of the shining brightnesse of our immortall happinesse yet from degree to degree wee shall proceed till we be like the aâ—â—ient of dayes Immortality may be distinguished into foure degrees or states 1. The first iâ— the life of the infant in grace and then we live as babes two things being eminent companions of that estate viz. weaknesse and crying that is many frailties and much griefe for sinne and wants 2. The second is the life of young men in grace 1 Ioh. 2.14 Heb. 5.13 and here two things are eminent 1. affections and 2. strength or might or power of gifts 3. The third is the life of them of ripe age or of fathers in grace 1 Ioh. 2. 14. Heb. 5.13 Here likewise two things more shine 1. greatnesse of judgment or experience 2. an habituall conquest over all sorts of sinnes so as the very taste of them or temptations to them are enseebled and more seldome These three are on earth 4. The fourth estate is that wherein we shall be like the anâ—ient of dayes even God himselfe in the perfection of all gifts and possession of all happinesse Lastly this doctrine may shew the miserable estate of all such as will not be informed by the Gospell They faile of immortality and must die in their sinnes for if they be not borne againe they perish for ever Thus much of the fountaine of new birth The manner followes considered 1. negatively 2. affirmatively Not of corruptible seed Two things are here imported concerning the naturall birth and propagation of all men The first is that our naturall birth doth not advance our immortality and everlasting happinesse we hold not our happinesse by any title from our carnall birth Mat. 3. Rom. 9. We are not borne heires of heaven In our birth we receive the beginning of naturall life from the seed of our naturall parents but not of eternall life The second is that this naturall seed is corruptible we so live that we must die we cannot hold out even in that estate for men will die and they come of men that have dyed Hâ—b 9. Iob 10. Ps. 89. and therefore the Use should be 1. To abate the great thoughts that arise in great persons about the noblenesse of their birth 2. We should all be thereby the more quickned to the care of new birth 3. Therefore we should looke for death and prepare for it and patiently beare the infirmities accompany our mortall bodies till the time of our change come 4. Impenitent sinners should awake to live righteously seeing their perfections must come all to an end they cannot long abide in the greatest glory of the world they can attaine to 5. Here is a manifest difference betweene the children of the two Adams the children of the first Adam are borne corruptible the children of Christ are borne incorruptible 6. Lastly here is a singular consolation to the godly about their perseverance They are confirmed as the Angels of heaven they cannot fall away they are not borne of corruptible seed Thus of the manner negatively considered In the affirmative observe two things 1. what the meanes is 2. and by what it is Or thus The meanes is seed described by the properties It is incorruptible and by the cause or instrument of generation viz. the word of God Seed To omit the usuall acceptation of the word seed It is taken in Scripture in a restrained sense many wayes Sometimes for Christ Hee is that seed in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed Sometimes for the godly The children of the promise are the â—eed Rom. 9.8 Sometimes for the body of man within the grave which is cast into the earth as seed in the day of buriall 1 Cor. 15.43 Sometimes spirituall things in generall 1 Cor. 9.11 Sometimes the fruits of righteousnesse or mercy Iames 3.18 2 Cor. 9.6 So there is sowing to the Spirit Gal. 6.7 8. Sometimes for the word of God Mat. 10.13 Sometimes for saving graces conceived in the hearts of the godly and so I take it here And thus grace is like seed either
that is sowed in the field or in the wombe If it be taken in the first sense then the seed is grace the sower is Christ the field is the heart of man or the world the sowing time is the day of redemption and the harvest is the end of the world But I rather take it in the other sense and then the seed is grace the womb is the heart the Father or sower is Christ 1 Cor. 15.43 the instrument of generation is externally the word internally the Spirit of God the birth is the practice and exercise of the gifts of grace the nurse is the minister and the meanes of nursing are preaching and the Sacraments Saving grace is likened to seed in the wombe because first it is formed by an admirable coition of the Word and Spirit in the heart of man causing unspeakable delight in the soule Secondly because the gifts of grace doe thrive and grow up in the godly from small beginnings though at the first but as a graine of mustard seed yet after it is once conceived it will grow marvellously and speedily This doctrine may serve for a threefold use 1. It may comfort and that divers waies 1. Because it imports a marriage of the soule with Christ. It is God that gave the soule in marriage with Christ a great preferment 2. Because thou art cured of barrennes and therefore rejoyce oh thou soule that wast barren Christ hath made thee a mother of many children 3. It may comfort thee against the weaknesse of thy gifts and the grace received though thy faith joy feeling c. be but as a grain of mustard seed yet that God that giveth to every seed his body can make his grace to thrive and prosper in thee 4. From hence a godly man may know that he is truely borne againe for if thou have felt that sweet delight when the Word and Spirit of God did joyne with thy soule this delight is an infallible signe of thy regeneration and that Christ is formed in thee Ob. But the temporary faith feeleth joy Ans. There is great difference betweene the joy of the godly and the joy of the wicked in receiving the word for first in the wicked there is no grace left in the soule after hearing nor new gifts or dispositions the soul is empty and void of seed for all that joy Secondly if there were some seeds of grace yet it abideth not it is like the morning dew there is no true â—onceâ—tion Or thirdly if it did abide for a time yet it increaseth not as the fruit of the wombe doth the godly grow in grace 2. It may serve to teach us 1. highly to prize the graces of the soule they are the divine seed of Christ in us Christ in the same is formed in us The light love desires joyes humility c. in the heart have the true picture of Christ upon them 2. To be carefull to preserve the grace we have received seeing it is the seed of God in us 3. To carry a high opinion of all the godly seeing they are the beloved ones of Jesus Christ. 3. Lastly for great reproofe of the whorish affections of all wicked men that shutting the doores of their hearts against Christ suffer the devill and concupiscence to engender in them and to fill the soule with multitudes of bastardly births of sinne Iam. 1.14 Incorruptâ—ble The grace begotten in the hearts of the godly is incorruptible and so it is in divers respects 1. In respect of the matter of them For this grace consists of innocency and inâ—â—râ—uption so meeknesse is called incorruption 1 Pet. 3.3 2. In respect of the Author of it it proceeds from the incorruptible God 3. In respect of the continuance of it it never dieth 4. In respect of the end it tends to it is that faire fruit that will grow up to eternall life This may serve for consolation and instruction for consolation many wayes 1. This shewes that every godly person is an excellent one they are immortall creatures they have divinâ— sparkles in them How dare wicked men despise them when God hath thus honoured them His God King Crowne Inheritance gifts are all immortall 2. They may conceive comfortable hope that God will bee carefull to preserve and blesse his owne worke Gods blessing shall be upon thy seed and his Spirit will refresh thy buddes For upon all the glory must be a defence 3. It may comfort thee against death when thy corruption hath put on this incorruption of true grace thou being made thereby immortall thou maist triumph over death as 1 Cor. 15.54 Art thou an immortall one take heed of discontentment This was the first sâ—one even the devills sinne This may comfort thee in thy perseverance to the end the seed is immortall and therefore thou shalt never fall away Therefore hath God given thee his Spirit within thee to tend these little graces yea the Angels of God performe their service no doubt to the spirits of the godly That thou canst not fall from grace these Scriptures may establish thee 1 Ioh. 5.9 Mat. 12.20 Esay 65.22 23. Ier. 23.4 1 Cor. 1.8 9. 1 Pet. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.12 Ioh. 13.1 Ier. 32.40 41. Heb. 12.3 7.37 For instruction and so it may teach both godly men and wicked men Godly men should the more enforce their affections to the love of the Lord Iesus Christ in incorruption Eph. 6.24 and be carefull to avoid all the inticements of sinne and Sathan by which their hearts might be corrupted they should walke in the spirit Rom. 8.1 And keepe themselves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit desiring to know no other happinesse then Christ and him crucified And wicked men should take notice of it that corruption cannot inherit incorruption and unlesse they repent of their sinnes and set their hearts upon the word of Christ they can never be made immortall Hitherto of the property of the seed the instruments of the generation of it follow viz. the word of God which is fâ—rther praised 1. For the Author of it 2. For the vigor and effiacie of it it liveth 3. For the continuance of it it liveth for ever By the word of God Before I enter upon the particular observations of it we may observe the effectualnesse of the Apostles speech concerning the word Hee doth not mention it but with a lively praise of it and that hee doth not casually doe but with a great deale of reason For it is exceeding needfull to have the praises of the word often and lively exprest For it may be a means to heale that contempt of the Word that usually raignes in the most Besides the praise of it may lift up our hearts to consider the greatnesse of Gods mercy in bestowing his word upon us The word he gave to Iacob was a greater gift then he bestowed upon all the world besides And the praises of the word doe also raise up in the godly