labor so much for knowledge as for the power of it Therefore when we have heard a Sermon let 's not content our selves that we can repeat it have a good memory and utterance but by our selves pray earnestly and travel upon our hearts that it may effectually work in us A little well learned of an humble Soul craving to be ruled by it is better then much that a vain bragger can repeat that will be ruled in nothing but when he list But he would not have them live now they had Knowledge as they did in Ignorance and now God having wrought in them the hope of eternal life he would have them walk far otherwise then they did ere they had this being called out of the world they were not to live after the corrupt maners thereof Men and women would be loath to be seen abroad in such attire as they go in on nights were it not a gross thing for any to do their work as badly by day light as in the dark night People therefore that live under the Word must not do as they did before they heard it Why may we not do this or that will some say we do but as we have done and as other Towns do well is it not enough if upon your true humiliation God pardon the time of your ignorance though he now expect obedience and so must you now obey else your sin will be great and ye must be beaten with the more stripes will God look that your work should be done no better then theirs that have no light when he allows you candle our conversation must be such as becometh the Gospel So for Christians that have received assurance of Gods love and entred covenant with God they must not yield to their lusts as others to whom God hath not shewed such mercy or as themselves did before they knew God in Christ Jesus they must not be as worldly now as before they knew God to be their Father and that there was a better inheritance for them as proud now of apparel following every fangle as before they knew the true apparel of Christs righteousness to be deckt with grace to be the best attire as froward as before they had the Spirit to refuse these corruptions they must not backbite slander talk of other mens faults rejoyce in their infirmities as they did in the time of their ignorance they must not talk of worldly matters on the Lords day as they were wont ere they knew the holiness thereof and what a strict rest observation God requireth nor follow gaming as before when they knew no better mirth nor be so vain in talk as before they knew it to be a fault as carnal persons be Then what singular thing do we We must be now as much altered in our behavior as our case we hope is altered from top to toe as from being heirs of wrath to be heirs of heaven Kings sons and daughters must not live as every ordinary base person nor Gods Chrildren as Worldlings Let us therefore so many as have given our names to Christ indeed and know our selves delivered out of this evil world and are assured that God is our Father and we his children walk as it becometh children of such a Father and such an hope of so glorious an inheritance not avoiding gross and outward ungodliness onely but resisting our own lusts for Christians must make an account they have themselves their own very hearts to strive against Our adversary is in our bosom and bowels no marvel then if our strife be somewhat hard for our crown after our victory is wonderful great Verse 15. But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all maner of conversation Verse 16. Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy HEre 's the other part of Sanctification namely The affirmative which sheweth what we must do this must necessarily be added to the former so that it s not enough that we fashion not our selves to our former lusts but we must also be holy Our Savior Christ cursed not the fig-tree because it bare bad fruit to poison them that came by but because it bare none as that also for which the dresser of the vineyard pleaded Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down The bad servant bound hand and foot not for rioting out his talent but for not well employing it so on the day of judgement shall it be said Go ye cursed c. not for casting me into prison but not visiting me therein c. This is the more to be urged because a great many as long as they be not hurtful think themselves in a very good case as can be though in the mean while they do no good They do hurt to none alas this is but half God forbidding an evil commands a contrary good what if one do not that which is forbidden and yet leave the duty commanded what obedience is this Let a number that think they have repented and a number of civil persons try themselves by this You have left or do keep no ill company but do you care for and delight in good company alas a number have no savor nor minde to such You do not prophane the Lords Day but do you carefully sanctifie it publiquely and privately You have banisht Cards and Dice out of your house or never had any but have you entertained Reading and Prayer in their stead banisht the Devil and entertained God in his room you are peaceable and not boistrous and spritish in your Family but do you any good So it s not sufficient that we drive none from God and his Word and well doing by mocking or any other discouragement but provoke one another to goodness the Husband the Wife Parents their Children Masters their Servants and so on the contrary Wives their Husbands c. It s not sufficient to say I hinder them not this shews onely thou art not so bad as some but proves not that thou art indeed good So many in a Town think it enough if they do no hurt in it but they will sleep in a whole skin But they must not onely haunt no Alehouses or be disordered but seek to suppress such as be else if they gather not with Christ they scatter if not with him then against him for this Meroz was cursed How a number of rich men in Towns can shift this curse I know not O what evil is this that ye do Too many are content to let goodness go by they are no enemies to good Ministers or people c. but they will do nothing to procure the Gospel to a Town or to hold it where it is but if we have any truth in us we will though we meet with hard measure for our labor Christ hath done more for us So much have
above all others Oh! it rebukes our cold serving him which will scarce lay down our lusts at his request who yet laid down his life for us our proud lusts revenging lusts covetous and worldly lusts unclean lusts c. O fearful unthankfulness And how hardly are we brought to do duties No forwardness therein negligence every way and when we do them how cold and careless are we O lamentable Is a cold drowsie service suitable to such a love as this we may be even ashamed herein And for suffering alas we have no will no not to endure a mock a frown of a great person we will make friendship with the world rather then to endure the least disgrace we will forbear many duties nay to keep company with Gods servants onely lest we should be counted Puritans How shall we then be able to go to Prison and death for the cause of Christ 3. To all that mourn in Sion to all that are heavy laden hungring after Christ Jesus and willing to take up his yoke and to all other Believers this is matter of most unspeakable consolation Their sins be gone and all the punishment due to them no punishment shall befal them here as on the ungodly no wrath or condemnation hereafter Their afflictions are merciful corrections to further their Salvation To them death is no death but a passage to life that whereupon their Souls are received into Heaven their bodies committed to the earth both which at the Resurrection shall be joyfully reunited O how should we walk worthy of this in all holiness and honesty But to all that shall not have part in Christ there remains unspeakable misery it had been good for them they had never been born they must bear their own burthen and sink to Hell there to be for ever and ever This will be the portion of most because so few receive Christ so few are humbled so many through pride and profaneness refuse to be guided by him O how few will cast away their lusts and yield up themselves to be ruled by him and his Word It will be most woful to the Turks Jews and Pagans that shall perish without Christ but yet of all others their judgement will be most fearful which have had him preached daily and by the Ministers of God have been so often besought to embrace him and yet have despised him would none of him Oh it will encrease their torment to consider that they had offer of Christ and many believed in him and were converted by the same Sermons whereat they themselves were no whit moved O this will fret hearts O le ts consider this we that live in this happy time One would think every man should receive and imbrace Christ Jesus but alas how few do this for them that do not it will be their undoing O give no rest unto your selves till you can get a discharge in and by Christ confess bewail crave pardon cry to God and resolve to turn to him The water is now stirring step into this Pool of Bethesda 4. This condemneth all false ways for Salvation for other then Christ never was any neither is or shall be therefore all that reject him as Jews and Turks or embrace him onely to halves as the Papists are in a fearful case as all among our selves that trust to any thing else besides him That we being dead to sin c. Another main end of Christs death and another great benefit redounding unto us thereby namely That he dyed for us not onely to free us from sins and wrath and damnation deserved thereby but also to kill sins in us to deliver us from the power thereof and to dissolve the works of the Devil in us that being dead unto sin we might live unto righteousness Of the words first in general then in particular In general note we thus much that For whomsoever Christ dyed he dyed to kill sin in them for he dyed not to free us of half our misery and leave us in the other half nor to be at a great deal of cost with us and for us and yet leave us in a case fit to do him no service as if one should ransom a man out of the Turks galleys and leave him in the midway but hath done all this that we might be fit to do him service thereupon giving us his Word and Spirit to humble us and so to change us that sin may be mortified in us and we made live He is not onely made of God unto us Redemption but also our Sanctification as he hath redeemed us so hath he purged us to be a peculiar people unto himself Christ affords both and from him we may as well look for the one as the other yea whosoever hath indeed his part in the one cannot be without the other and in token of our thankfulness we ought to labor by all means to shew forth this latter 1. This confutes that wicked slander of the Church of Rome We talk say they that we must be saved by Christs death and by Faith in him onely and not by any thing we can do and therefore that we set men at liberty to do what they list and open a gap to all licentiousness but as the Gospel is not a Doctrine of liberty so neither do we by preaching give way unto licentiousness The Gospel requires as strict obedience as the Law doth to every of Gods Commandments though not in extremity neither freeth it us from any duty to God or men yea teacheth us That denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and that none have nor can have part in Christ which give not themselves to good works 2. This setteth forth the wonderful goodness of Christ Jesus that hath not onely freed us from Gods wrath and the punishment of our sins which is unspeakable goodness but hath appointed to give us his Spirit to free us from sin for if we should all our life here have lived after our own lusts or under the power of Satan what a base and woful life had this been that we might both in heart and body serve him in the works of holiness and a godly life 3. This condemneth all those that lay claim to the death of Christ and yet live in their sins and old lusts Numbers in these days have got this by the end They hope to be saved by Jesus Christ They be no Papists that look to be saved by their works but they believe in Jesus Christ with all their hearts and yet they are not washed from their old filthiness but abide still in security in all or some of their lusts But let such know they speak impossible things God hath joyned these two ends of Christs death and they divide them yea blasphemous things that Christ dyed to set men at liberty to live as they list O woful
opposites 1. Prophaneness when men dare live as they list and their lust is their Law 2. Security when men live carnally and wretchedly contenting themselves that they be none of the worst they be not such and such kinde of persons yet go on without regard either to God or his Word The evil they abstain from as it is not from the fear of God so if good come in their way they do it after their fashion and evil also as comes to hand they dare commit sin in hope of mercy and think they shall do well enough 3. Hypocrisie which hath more shew of Religion but resteth in the outward ceremonious performance of duties and looks not to do them in the right maner and so are not guided by the fear of God in their lives 4. Slavishness when men fear indeed but never but under or in expectation of the rod they then will flie to a book have good words golden promises c. at other times they care not what they do or at least be as before Contrarily the true fear of God is known by these notes 1. To hate evil and not leave it off onely for some sinister respects 2. Not onely gross and open evils of the hand but inward corruptions of the heart as Pride Arrogancy Hypocrisie Hardness Frowardness Wordliness of the heart c. spying them out mourning for them and striving against them as being seen to God as well as gross sins to men 3. All evil the evil way every evil way 4. Such evils as a man may go closely away withal as Joseph might with uncleanness with his Mistress but would not as fearing God 5. Such as a man may carry out by strong hand by might and authority and no body to control him yet dares not do it because there 's an higher who hath forbidden it 6. It will make a man watchful to avoid evil as the Hare hath an eye to passengers as she sits 7. It will make men avoid the occasions of evil 8. It is ever joyned with the fear of his Word and as is the one in us so is the other If it be thus then I may too truly and plainly conclude That there is but a little fear of God in this Land for how few hate evil secret corruptions all evil such as they can go cleanly away with such as they can carry away by might and colour of Law How many live prophanely as if there were no God no Law no Judgement day no reckoning to be made but do what their lust leads them too and that which some would not nor durst do for a world they make no bones of Another sort live securely and carelesly not so bad as the former but such as look not to God nor set him before their eyes in their deeds Others perform more duties to God but so as they regard not why nor in what maner but rest in the work wrought not casting with themselves how they may do them aright and thereby taking notice as well of their own weakness as Satans malice Others slavishly fear in their misery but in their prosperity regard nothing but their own will These being called out a few there be remaining that truly fear God for which he may justly have an heavy controversie with this Land that after so many happy means so few should be found that truly fear him though many think they do How few keep Gods commandments all alway with delight let every man examine himself carefully by these notes If any be loth and would have a wider sieve truly I can give no wider God hath given me no wider to let Hypocrites Prophane Persons c. scape through I try you but by the Word and by it you must be judged at the last day But for those that do indeed fear God there 's abundant comfort for them they have that which is better then all the world yea Gods mouth pronounceth them blessed Both the quoted Psalms are a storehouses of promises made to such there are others also in Psal. 25 12 14. 34. 9 10. 84. 11. Mal. 3. 16 17. which are duly to be weighed Such as fear God need fear neither Man Death Devils Hell Day of Judgement c. which are indeed the terror of the world only let them be provok'd to fear him more and more for even of Gods children not a few have but a small measure hereof whereby it comes to pass that they hate not sin so heartily in themselves and others as they should neither are such enemies to privy corruptions but that they break out often and so pull many a sorrow and gripe of Conscience upon themselves which more fear of God would have prevented Our often falls argue too little fear as may appear by our small zeal to duties and our little trembling at the Word of God therefore labor we for more that it may be said of us as of Obadiah That we fear God greatly that so we may be preserved from evil Oh this is the keeper of all vertues holding all in good order a watchman indeed to look to our heart if it be there and temptation comes up starts it and says Nay This will keep the heart clean hold out ill set us on to good Means to attain hereunto may be these Let us often set before our eyes our own baseness Gods greatness power and justice with the effects thereof on Adam the old world and others especially do we consider what God hath done for us that so our care and resolution may grow how to please God If this religious awe be in us O how it will keep our lives from innumerable evils and replenish them with all goodness that having finished them well we may come to the Lord in peace at our latter end O if we did consider the unspeakable mercies of God towards us we should see cause enough though there were no hell yet to fear more then death it self to offend God but because our nature is so exceeding lewd and prone to sin its good to think often that that God under whose power we live hates all sin and will not let any go unpunished What cause have we then to grow in the fear of God that have seen his greatness and just displeasure against sin so much every year one punishment or other What cause have we also to fear God that have such experiences of his goodness in 88. when he delivered us from the Spanish Armado and after from the Gun-powder Treason and now of late hath begun to relent towards us and gives us some showers of rain But alas if we will prove our selves by the notes before mentioned it will be evident that most have not the fear of God which is a fearful thing As no better testimony can be given of a man then this that he feareth God as Job and Obadiah so none more
Chron. 36. 16. Isa. 1. 5. Hos. 5. 4. Mat. 23. 23. This may serve to awaken this woful world that is set upon disobedience Most men do what they list and follow their own lusts as if there were no Law nor any had to do with them yea though God call upon them and send his Ministers unto them yet they will not give their mindes to repentance but harden their hearts Oh those carry a badge of their destruction and a mark whither they are going a certain forerunner of judgement here or to be sure of eternal destruction hereafter He that lives in a flat disobedience of any Commandment and in any known sin is in the state of damnation He that committeth sin is of the Devil If thou livest in impenitency under the Word know that thy judgement sleepeth not For their particular disobediences their licentious living their security and carelesness their following of their lusts their intemperancy in eating and drinking their oppression and cruelty one towards another c. they be the common sins of our times and therefore we may justly fear some heavy judgement which in likelihood for those few sakes amongst us which fear God hath been all this while kept off us What marrying now onely for beauty there being no regard had of Religions and whence this Gyantly generation not in stature but lewdness springeth How are some set onely upon pleasures some upon their profits and what wrestling and clambering is there to get preferment most care not whom they tread under so they be aloft When once the long suffering of God waited This aggravates their sin that they continued disobedient notwithstanding God did both wait for their repentance and set them a time of One hundred and twenty years but nothing would do them good Thus did he to them thus to this Nation thus to every particular person of us 1. They that have received grace and are converted should be thankful to God for his great patience towards them before their calling Oh every one of us have much cause of thankfulness this way Oh if God had cut us off in our sins and days of our vanity yea after many a warning that we despised we had now been howling without hope with the damned spirits in Hell yea if God had taken away his Gospel and Peace from us but within these few years nay haply within this twelve moneths in which time God hath shined into our hearts and hath had mercy on us how miserable had been our condition 2. Others that are not as yet converted must make use of this patience through their timely repentance But alas most do abuse it to the quite contrary O how fearful will their case be which having had experience of Gods long suffering these twenty thirty forty fifty years yet abide in their old sins If their judgement was the greater by the abuse of this patience then what shall those amongst us which have had longer patience and a thousand times more means The time allotted them an hundred and twenty years was not above the third part of the life of a man then which being compared with that hath been allotted us and the usual time wherein men now live it will appear that by way of proportion we have had far more and besides the sermons of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles we have had faithful sermons from the faithful Ministers of God Those of the old world shall rise up in judgement against us as also Sodom and Gomorrah and shall speed far better then we O therefore le ts abuse the patience of God no more but to day whilest it is called to day not to harden our hearts c. Oh do we this the rather because God hath set the time how long he will bear with us which if it should once be out it would be then too late for us he would bear with us no longer but would either snatch the Gospel from us or us from it by death or give us over to hardness of heart never to be moved or to feel our misery but when it is too late as it befel Esau and the foolish Virgins Therefore it is said here Once the long suffering of God c. That is it being out there was no longer time to be granted nor though they had cryed would God have heard and so we may suspect that there were but a few if any at all which either repented when they saw the flood come or whom though they cryed the Lord regarded for that the time set was then expired In the days of Noah Here Noahs name remaining up record honorably registred He saith not in the days of any of the Gyants whose names are all buried but in the days of Noah God vouchsafes not so much as to name them In the Scriptures the godly are spoken of to their honor but the wicked are either not named at all or else to their disgrace and their brand Jeroboam that made Israel to sin Ahab that sold himself to work wickedness wicked Athaliah that cursed woman Jezabel Judas that betrayed him c. or with their sins at large to their eternal reproach But how sweet is the memorial of the godly mentioned in Scripture as of Mary Magdalene Lazarus c. In Stories also we have the names not onely of famous Ridley Latimer Cranmer c. but even of meaner men and not onely of men but of women also yea and of those even of poor ones who are worthily reported of whereas the names of their persecutors are either altogether unknown or if they be spoken of as Bonner Gardiner and others its with stopping the nose c. How may the servants of God be comforted though haply they are mean in the world yet their names be written in Heaven and shall abide when the names of the wicked shall rot Labor then to be Religious and godly that ye may be well reported of alive and dead else if ye be wicked ye shall have an ill report in the Church of God whilst ye live and leave a stinking memorial behinde you when ye are dead both which are fearful While the Ark was a preparing Another thing whereby their disobedience is aggravated that it was even then while they saw Noah busie in making an Ark which might have admonished them of the flood for he in Faith made it obeying the Commandment of God He believed what God had threatned but so did not they 1. Note here That if Noah because of the flood threatened made an Ark to save himself from it as God had commanded it s our duty much more as I may say to prepare an Ark and use the means to save our selves from drowning in Hell the pit of perdition There is a certain flood of destruction whereinto all such shall fall as have not before got into the Ark as all that were out of
good work 117 Verse 18 19. 1. THe third reason of the foregoing Exhortation 118 2. A man may know himselfe redeemed 119 3. Redemption presupposeth bondage and slavery ibid. 4. There 's a way whereby to come out of our bondage 120 5. The whole life of an unregenerate man is vain 121 6. Children readily follow the evil example of their Parents ibid. 7. Whom we are here to understand by fathers ibid. 8. Popish Religion stands in patches 122 9. Parents must give their children good example ibid. 10. To follow the example of our Ancestors is no sure rule 123 11. The things of this world are insufficient to redeem any out of his spiritual bondage ibid. 12. The things of this world are corruptible vain and uncertain 125 13. Christs blood the true price of mans redemption 126 14. In what respects Christ is compared to a Lamb 129 15. We are not to listen to either believe all we hear 131 Verse 20 21. 1. THe prevention of an Objection 132 2. Christ was ordained before the world 133 3. The world shall not always continue 135 4. Christ how manifested ibid. 5. God is constant and unchangeable ibid. 6. Gods promises are unchangeable 136 7. Christ was then exhibited when God decreed he should so be ibid. 8. What God hath decreed shall be in dwe time accomplished 136 9. Three differences of times and why this called the last 137 10. God will no otherwise reveal his will then he hath already done ibid. 11. We now live in the latter end of the last times ibid. 12. Why Christ came towards the latter end of the world 138 13. What we are to do that others may think well of us ibid. 14. We cannot believe in God but by the Son ibid. 15. In Christs Resurrection the whole Trinity had a hand 139 16. The benefits which they reap that believe in Christ ibid. Verse 22. 1. VVHere there 's no love nor fear of God there can be no true brotherly love 140 2. Where there 's the true fear or love of God there 's also brotherly love ibid. 3. There 's uncleanness in us both in soul and body 142 4. Where there is sanctification of the soul there is also sanctification of the body 143 5. The Word of God is the outward instrument of our cleansing ibid. 6. Why the Word is called Truth ibid. 7. The Spirit is the inward worker of Sanctification 144 8. Till we be cleansed by the Spirit we are unfit for any duty ibid. 9. The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works ibid. 10. What love is ibid. 11. The properties of love 146 12. Two caveats to be observed of them that for redressing of wrongs make use of the Magigrate 147 13. There 's little love in the world 148 14. The causes of the want of love 150 15. The effects of the want of love 151 16. Reasons inciting to the duty of love 152 19. The fruits of love must accompany the profession thereof 153 20. Brotherly offices must proceed from brotherly affections ibid. 21. Love must reach to all ibid. 22. How we ought to love the wicked 155 23. Love must be without faining ibid. 24. Love must be mutual 156 25. The properties of pure love 157 26. A Christians love must be earnest 158 27. Love must be constant ibid. Verse 23. 1. NO unregenerate person can truly love 159 2. Such as are born again must needs love ibid. 3. What Regeneration is ibid. 4. The Lord the Author thereof 160 5. The Lords will the cause thereof 161 6. Without Regeneration all things else we have are nothing ibid. 7. Regeneration of absolute necessity 162 8. The effects of Regeneration 163 9. A regenerate man is not the same he was before ibid. 10. A regenerate man groweth by degrees 164 11. Why men grow no faster in goodness ibid. 12. A caveat for such as complain they do not grow 165 13. There 's no perfection here in this life ibid. 14. Regeneration cometh not by nature 167 15. Gods Spirit by the Word changeth mans heart ibid. 16. Gods Word is the instrumental cause of our conversion 168 17. God doth not always tye himself thereunto ibid. 18. The Ministers of the Word are appointed of God the instruments to convert souls 169 19. Whence it cometh to pass that the Word worketh Regeneration 170 Verse 24 25. 1. VVHerein mans life may be compared to grass 171 2. How to be prepared for death 172 3. The glory of a carnal man but a vain thing 174 4. Nothing in an unregenerate man can abide the Lords examination 175 5. Gods Word the means whereby to live for ever ibid. 6. The Word by preaching made the instrument of Regeneration 176 7. The Word ought to be preached in every Congregation 177 8. The Word must be so preached as that it may be avouched to be indeed the Word of God ibid. CHAP. II. THe Coherence of this Chapter with the former with the sum thereof and of the first three Verses 179 Verse 1 2 3. 1. REgeneration and the love of sin cannot stand together 180 2. There 's no perfection to be attained unto here ibid. 3. To be is a Christian a work of great difficulty 181 4. Under those here named all other corruptions are included ibid. 5. Most of the corruptions here named are inward 182 6. That 's nought which is forbidden in Gods Word ibid. 7. What malice is with the difference between it and anger 183 8. What we are to understand by guile ibid. 9. Guile is to be avoided as well in smal as great matters 184 10. What Hypocrisie is 185 11. What Envy ibid. 12. What evil speaking ibid. 13. The Word of God cannot thrive in an unsanctified heart 186 14. Our desire toward the Word must be earnest ibid. 15. Our desire toward the Word must be constant 187 16. Our desire toward the Word must be impartial 188 17. Ministers must have store of milk for their spiritual children and store of love and much patience ibid. 18. The Word why compared to milk 189 19. Nothing sweeter to Gods children then the Word 189 20. The Word is the common food of all Christians ibid. 21. The Word why called sincere ibid. 22. Why Christians are to desire after the Word 191 23. Christians must daily grow in grace ibid. 24. Such as finde the Word powerful for their Salvation do the more desire it and affect it 192 25. Christ is sweet to a Christian and sweetens all that he hath 193 26. Christ is every way bountiful to his ibid. Verse 4 5. 1. VVHerein Christs bounty doth appear 194 2. A comparison between the Temple of Jerusalem and that which Christ maketh of all that believe in him ibid. 3. Christ why compared to a stone ibid. 4. To believe in Christ which is to come to him is a great priviledge ibid. 5. Christians must come to Christ 195 6. Christ the foundation that bears up his Church 198
pains to get faith being so rewarded The world wondreth at them that take pains to hear the word yet this is the means of faith which is the instrument of Salvation yet wonder they not at themselves and others that travel weekly as much and more for worldly trash who for faith would scarce stir their foot over the threshold But do not we rest our selves either upon our gifts of Knowledge Utterance Profession shew of Zeal outward Civility and the like for nothing will save us but faith and Salvation is the end hereof If a man had lived in the days of Christ and both heard him conversed with him and seen his miracles yet without faith he might be damned as Judas Were one the kinsman of Christ should he handle him in his arms nay were one his mother what would the same avail without faith Therefore refuse no pain to get faith for though its beginning be bitter yet its end is happy If the Apostle had said End or reward of your works the Papists would have had their mouthes made up and run away with a full cry Lo here whether our Works merit not Heaven and Salvation or no Alas there 's no such matter Can they not distinguish between Merit and a Reward freely given True the Scripture calleth Heaven a Reward and promiseth the same to them that hold out in well-doing but doth it not also call in an Inheritance and who knows not that that is free There are two kindes of debt one of desert and another of promise Herod made conscience to keep his rash Oath to the daughter of Herodias she deserved it not but he promised it And when God promiseth Eternal life to constancy in well-doing is it to puff us up as if we did deserve it no such matter its onely to help our weakness He calls us to deny our selves to wean our selves from the pleasures of this world to suffer Reproach Persecution and the like now these be harsh to our nature therefore to encourage us God makes these Promises and accordingly at the end of our work we shall have the thing promised not because we have earned it but because Christ hath purchased it and God hath promised it to us That we cannot merit heaven may thus appear 1. Because our best works be stained with many imperfections and what 's good in them is Gods gift not our goodness 2. Because there must be some proportion between the thing merited and that wherewith but here there 's none as a man cannot buy a great Manor for a trifle so the things we can do or suffer here are not worthy the glory to be revealed 3. Because that whereby we must merit must be free and that which we are not bound to do but we are bound to do all that we can and having so done we have done but our duty and consequently not merited As if we had a lame servant and assoon as he did a little service he would think he merited of us when if he could do much more by the state of a servant he owes us more David said Seemeth it a small thing to you to be son in Law of a King yet hereby should not he have had the Kingdom howsoever by his Victories he deserved well what then should we in respect of God But as the whole Scripture labors to beat down our Pride Arrogancy and any Conceit that we might have of any thing in our selves so this place saith The Salvation of our Souls is the end and reward of Faith not of Works and yet not the reward of Faith as if it merited any such thing as it is a Grace in us no but onely it apprehends it an instrument that whereby we are justified and saved and that which meriteth our Salvation The Salvation of your souls Not but that the servants of God shall have Salvation of their bodies also as being made by God redeâ—râ—ed by Christ and shall be glorified after the Resurrection and therefore Christ took not onely a soul but an humane body also but he speaketh of the soul as of the principal part which first entreth into Glory and for the bodies of Gods servants wherewith they endeavor to praise and glorifie God they shall be glorified as well as their souls Be we therefore encouraged even in our bodies to take pains in Gods service never a member that honors him but shall be filled with honor at the last day and for ever But what 's that we have and our Faith findes in Christ Jesus not Ease Health Worldly Honor and Preferment but Salvation CHRIST was not made these unto us but Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption We have by him also right unto outward things and possession of as much as shall be meet but so as we may have and must expect to drink of the same cup that our Master did even to meet with Reproaches Afflictions and Trouble Whe must therefore when we follow Christ or embrace him and his ways not expect all Prosperity here and Ease and Contentment outwardly but rather think of the contrary that it may appear that we follow him not for any by-respect but Salvation we shall have and he that thinks not that sufficient though it be joyned with troubles knoweth not its worth The favor of God the Kingdom of Heaven is great riches though not accompanied with outward either pleasure or profit Many profess Religion for advantage and many will profess so long as no hurt comes of it but if any trouble arise then they give over Verse 10. Of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you HAving spoken of Salvation by Christ laid hold upon by Faith which they had obtained He now commends and sets forth this Salvation and the means thereof to be the onely true way and the Gospel revealing it to be the most blessed and excellent Doctrine that ever was for 1. It s no new device of any or first preached by the Apostles but that which the holy Prophets that have lived in all ages men endued with the Spirit of God have studied and enquired into and found and have in their writings prophesied of the same enquiring also to know the time when our Savior Christ should be exhibited into the world who understanding by the Spirit that he was not to be born in their days but in the last ages of the world yet seeing him afar off were glad and took it thankfully and so believing in him were saved by him 2. That the Gospel and Salvation by Christ was preached by the holy Apostles men set apart by God for that business endued with his Spirit that came on them from Heaven and so it s the same that was known to our Forefathers and Patriarks and Prophets not varied but the same Doctrine and constant way of Salvation 3. That
the very Angels as they wondred at the wonderful mystery of Christs Incarnation and learned as is very probable something by the Apostles Ministery which they knew not before so into the fulness of this Salvation they desired to see So we have a commendation of the Gospel or the way of Salvation therein preached 1. By its antiquity the Prophets knew and embraced it 2. The Apostles not of their own heads but by the Spirit extraordinarily sent upon them preached it 3. The Angels desire further to see into it In the Prophets search we are to observe 1. The substance they sought 2. The circumstance of time for the substance it was privately for their own benefit who therefore enquired into it and searched it our diligently and publiquely for the benefit of the Church who therefore prophesied of it Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired c. In that the Apostle to prove that this was the true way of salvation produceth the writings of the Prophets in the Old Testament learn That for all matters of faith that we reach the people and would have them receive we must ground them on no other proof but the Word of God no point ought to be admitted touching salvation whereof God is not the author and author he is of nothing but of that which is in his written Word which is a perfect Rule able to teach all truth and confute all error 1. This confutes the Papists who lean so much on Councels as they banish the Scripture as a dumb Judge Of those howsoever the more ancient of them are to be reverenced and did worthily oppose conclude against the Heresies of their Times yet even in them some things are left rawly whether those worthy men intending the greatest less regarded smaller matters or whether they erred as men that we might not put too much confidence in them or give too much to them But for many latter ones they are patcht by the Pope and his Adherents which will be sure to do nothing against him and the greater part overcomes the better part Therefore we are not to rest in these but go to that Law and to that Testimony which alone must Judge and bear Rule in the Church For though Christ hath promised that where two or three be gathered together he will be amongst them yet they must be mâ—t in his Name which is when they all submit themselves to the Word of God and suffer Christ to be President of their Assembly by his Word and not when they will set up Conceits of their own devising 2. Ministers must learn in all matters of faith to bring forth the written Word of God and not mens Judgements which are of no force to stablish the Conscience neither Popish Traditions by them termed Apostolical and unwritten Verities 3. People also for their part must receive nothing but that which they see grounded hereupon To this end they are to search the Scriptures and with the Bereaâ—s to confer place with place to finde out the truth If an Angel from heaven should bring any Doctrine contrary to this we are to hold him accursed Assuredly for want of Catechizing publikely and reading the Scripture privately if a cunning Heretique should in most Congregations open his pack of Wares they would go for currant few or none being able to control him Enquired and searched The words imply the great pains they used herein as Daniel by prayer fasting and meditation They had a little hint from God and they found the savor of it so as they followed it most earnestly to get out more and plodded upon it to see further and further What then are all of us to beat our heads and to set our hearts upon even upon the mystery of our Salvation by Christ that we may 1. Know it and every part thereof 2. Give full assent thereto 3. Labor for a particular perswasion thereof by faith These things belong to us whom it much concerneth to know this by an effectual knowledge feeling the power of Christ in us causing us to dye to sin and live to righteousness and this we should do 1. For that its the chiefest thing in the world Its life eternal to know him and all is dung to this yea we should desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified 2. Because in seeking we may finde more in one day then all the Prophets and Fathers could finde by all their diligence all the days of their life This condemns the monstrous Unthankfulness of our days that make no reckoning of this so blessed Gospel of those glad tidings that should be the glory of the world without which the world is dead in sin and comes to confusion O how few regard to hear the Word Many run to Sports and Pastimes others to Markets and Fairs but in many places what thin Churches their Oxen and Farms draw them away Others hear yet it is without any regard any life Israel never loathed Manna more then most do the preaching of the Gospel O they have had Sermons in many Congregations until they have even loathed them O how few can be brought to see their own misery how few to prize Christ and to whom he is indeed welcom how few that will stoop to his yoke Sundry in shew would have him their Savior and talk that they hope to be saved by Christ but that 's but a Bawd for their sins whereby they may go on the more freely in them yea are not the truest and painfullest Preachers and Professors of the Gospel hated what this will come to is easie to see assuredly being like Châ—raziâ— and Bethsaida we may justly fear some iudgement at hand Time was when Christ was welcom amongst us and the kingdom of heaven suffered violence as haply it doth still in some parts of the land but O dead hearts and unthankful in most places Those under the Law saw but a little yet took it thankfully we have much revealed yet little regard it To prize the Gospel and seek after Christ will be our wisdom and welfare then to enquire for Salvation by Christ there can be no greater thing it becomes us well if for this we be counted fools well we be such fools as the Prophets were who enquired and searched after Christ God be thanked for our so doing let us continue in Gods name this shall bring us comfort living and dying when carnal Wordlings shall perish for want of comfort and go to hell But did they onely enquire after Salvation and the way to it and found it not Yes as they foretold Christ to others so did they finde that in him they sought for and were saved by him The Prophets and old Fathers were saved by Christ as well as we This confutes two pestilent Opinions 1. That of the Anabaptists That the Fathers had no other but earthly Promises and Rewards and
if Preachers alleage Fathers Councels School-men c. O how they applaud them but if any shall alleage Scripture properly and plainly Oh he is a plain homespun Preacher he may do well in a Countrey Town but Christs sheep do otherwise they reverence and adore above all the Word of God This condemns the Papists that deal most treacherously and will not have the scriptures to be judge but Fathers Councels the Church And who is the Church but themselves and the Head of Councels but the Pope and so upon the point the Pope is the Church and so its like enough to go well on their sides And in their Councels who is any thing but the Pope and his Consistory as he will have every thing so it shal be as in their last Councel of Trent which they so magnifie as the most sacred Assembly that ever was which indeed was nothing else but a conspiracy of Traitors against the Crown and Dignity of Christ Jesus and his Truth there such were pickt as were fast to the Pope and the Religion of Rome and such as were sworn to be true thereto and when some few spake somewhat more boldly in some things then was well liked of they were quickly packt out and this charge they had after they had sate a while That they should interpret no Scripture but such as might stand with the Doctrine of Rome this was good stuff that whereas they should have brought their Doctrine to the rule of Scripture they must bring Scripture to their Doctrine as if the Carpenter should cut his rule according to the piece and not the piece according to his rule And howsoever they sate there at Trent disputing for a fashion yet nothing was concluded but such as the Pope and his Consistory at Rome devised which being set to them they were to publish and thus the parties become Judges and they that should stand at the Bar to be judged sit on the Bench to judge their own cause therefore it must needs go well on their side They cannot away that the Scripture should be the Judge because they then know how it would go with them and their Doctrine but we must receive it and try all Doctrine by it and stand to the sentence thereof as being the onely Judge So here the Apostle enjoyning holiness takes this as a sufficient proof It is written though that was against their nature and disposition though by following after it they might be counted Puritans Singular Proud Hypocrites c. yet they must not stand reasoning the case with flesh and blood they must be holy for so it was written If then we know any thing once proved by the Word of God we must make no more ado if the Word command a thing we must yield and obey if forbid a thing as vile we must dare no more meddle therewith then to eat poison For the Word of God is the Royal Law that Rule of Righteousness that must command all the world Prince and people must stoop hereunto This is the Law of his Kingdom whereby all we his Subjects must be ruled If the Lyon roar the Beasts tremble and if the Lord speak who is our Soveraign is it not meet that we should take knowledge hereof and yield obedience thereto this was ever Preface enough to the Prophets in their Sermons Thus saith the Lord The Word of the Lord c. and his Word not being left us in vain to shake it off at our pleasures the same may command obedience 1. This condemns the prophane and dissolute world do men go by any such rule and try ere they do any thing what God saith of it in his Word O that were too much preciseness But by what rules then If it stand with my pleasure with my profit with my ease with my credit most do so I shall be accounted a fool if I do not so O cursed rules What shall Profit Pleasure Mammon and our Lusts become now as it were our God dare we cast the word of God behinde us do we provoke the Lord to anger are we stronger then he Oh let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall It s written we must be holy therefore we must be so why then it s written we may not swear therefore we must not swear so oppress deceive commit uncleanness c. because the contrary is prescribed in the Word And yet how dare men live in those very sins against the Scriptures Hath not the world smarted sufficiently yet whereat to take warning What threw Adam out of Paradise drown'd the old World brought such variety of Judgements upon the Jews from time to time if not their disobedience have there drunkards enough swearers prophaners of the Lords-day Usurers c. been plagued and sent to Hell already This rebelling against the Word of God hath made all the racket and havock in the world and hath brought to confusion the Proudest and Mightiest If we had not the Word but were left to the light of nature God might condemn us for our sins how much more when by the Word he hath told us all his minde Well let us look to it if the Word may not be a light to guide us it will be a fire to consume us If it be not strong enough to make us yield obedience it will be strong enough to throw us headlong to confusion as whereby we shall be judged at the latter day If when God smites any one part of us with pain in extemity we be weary of our selves when yet we have many comforts and many to pity us and hope also of an end thereof what shall their care be that are smitten and plagued in all parts of Body and Soul there being no eye to pity them nor hope of an end which yet ensueth upon the disobedience to Gods Word Then will they fret and vex themselves O beast that I was that took not warning at such and such a time c. 2. For as many as are willing the Word should guide them and be it with or in appearance against them are willing to be ruled let these be of good comfort It s a good mark of Christs sheep they hear his voyce and follow him and he is of God that heareth and obeyeth his word Again in that it s said It is written we note That the Word of God is the rule of all Truth and Doctrine This condemneth the Papists which as if the written Word of God were insufficient and imperfect and the Prophets and Apostles either would not or could not or might not leave a perfect direction for us divide the word into written and unwritten Thereupon imposing a great number of Traditions Degrees and old received Opinions and Customs upon the people as matters whereon to ground their Faith and binde their Conscience as much as any of the written Word and that upon
fearful then this There 's no fear of God before his eyes none in his heart God hath threatned to be a swift witness against such and such may justly fear all things even the tiles of their houses their tools every stile they go over every crow that flies over their heads all creatures from the angels to worms they have cause to fear the bread they eat the hair of their own face lest it choke them yea the thought of their own minde lest it turn to their ruine And though haply they do not fear yet they have cause so to do epecially lest the Devil pursue them in every corner and lest God should give him commission to haunt them and theirs They have cause to fear every thing as Cain doubtless that every thing would kill him a fearful state yet none so bold as blinde Bayard none fear so little as they who should fear most well they that fear Gods judgements least shall feel them most Let them therefore labor to get out of this case and seek to be reconciled to God else they shall fear him in spite of their hearts at the dreadful day when they shall stand quaking like Belshazzar when the Lord shall come from heaven in flaming fire c. when he shall come armed against them Pass the time That is the whole time for he names no part of time he will have all as who made all who is worthy of all if it were more and a great deal better and we owe nothing to any but to him we owe the World Flesh and Devil nothing What fruit and joy shall we have to do that which we must again undo or unsay and vomit up our sweet morsels Is there any service to the Kings service Can we spend our time better then in Gods There is no part of it that God allows to spend in vanity even our youth must be employed for God which is the best time of all when wit is freshest and the memory best yea the whole man every way fittest to serve God 1. This condemns the common sort which though they minde to serve God afterward think their youth too good and too soon for Gods service yea think themselves hardly dealt with if any perswade them to leave their tricks of youth and turn to God nay they think it unseemly so vile is the World grown to be Religious in youth and that its never spent in the kinde except it be in Swaggering Vanity Ruffianlike hair and Fashions Riot company Drinking c. They think its time enough to repent afterward when they have been married a while and they be groan somewhat ancient Thus vile wretches dally with God and their souls giving the wine to the Devil reserving the lees and Cask for God But is thy Youth too good for God thinkest thou and is not too good for the Devil and thy lusts Who is the better Master Who pays the better wages which is the better work the Devils Kennel stuff or Gods service in righteousness and holiness that which thou must afterward unsay and be ashamed of or this that is pleasing to God and Angels Fond Youth that promises to thy self repentance afterward see thy folly knowest thou that thou shalt live canst thou boast of to morrow hath not God cut off many as likely to live as thy self and prevented their Repenrance Nay what if thou knewest thou shouldest live hast thou power to Repent do not many after they are grown ancient finde as great a let of the world as in Youth they did of their pleasures and have become so worldly that they have been as far from Repenâ—ance as before and this is just with God because they will take upon them to be carvers of his gifts at their pleasure And what if thou knewest thou shouldest both live and repent yet were it not better for thee to turn to God now then to follow thy lusts till then and so to be long out of the service of righteousness This were as for one to feed on draff and Hogs meat which might have Angels food And besides thou treasurest up a great deal of sorrow for thy self and it may be fasten some punishment upon thee such as thou shalt never get out of in this life though thy soul be saved Therefore follow the Lords counsel who knows what 's best for thee Begin betimes come into the Lords work with the first before the Devil hath trained thy wit tongue c. so will it be easie to thee and never depart from thee and though there be a divelish proverb A yong Saint an old Devil yet if thou be truly turned to God in thy youth thou shalt never fall off Contrarily they that take liberty to be yong Devils in hope to be old Saints if God snatch them away while they be such they will never prove either yong or old Saints 2. This condemns those that can afford no part of their time to the fear of God but still it s too soon They have spent their time lewdly and vainly as the Prodigal as their middle age in extreme hunting for the world and yet in old age it s too soon till their death-bed How many wicked prophane covetous old men are there of fifty or sixty years and yet as far from God as ever They smell of the Spade but savor not of God nor any goodness these be unreasonable persons and see what truth is in the Devil He makes men believe he will hold them but a while yet when the time is more then come he will hold them still not let them go what a fearful answer have such men to make that should spend all the time of their life in Gods service and spend none when God shall call them to an account for their time how they have spent their youth how their middle and old age and finde that none was for himself all for the Devil then shall they certainly have their wages with whom they have wrought 3. This condemns also those that having come in late into the vineyard yet work lazily do not throughly imploy themselves in this great work 4. This may stir up Gods servants to afford God their whole time for that he requires Alas none of us have done so but spent a great deal in vanity and lewdness grievous to be spoken of some more some less every one of us have come short of that we should have done what then This cannot be called back it must be redeemed and seeing we came not so early to the Lords work as we should we must now work the harder The longer it was ere we came the more painful we must be and employ us the faster and now be as earnest in goodness as we have heretofore in vanity we must now speak as much for God as heretofore for Baal and for goodness against the enemies thereof as herefore in defence of Sin As
old time but rather being good and warrantable we are to follow it because Antiquity hath reverence joyned with truth yet we must not follow a thing simply because ancient evil is almost as ancient in the world as good better a new truth that is truth newly revealed then an old error This condemns the Papists most of them have no other reason for their Religion but Thus did our Forefathers So long and so long it hath been and shall we be wiser then they My Father and my Grandfather God rest their souls they did thus c. a poor blinde rule They walked in darkness and so went out of the way will you do so that have the light It s no more a rule for Doctrine or Maners to say Thus did our Forefathers they were of this minde and why am not I so to be then if any should Swear Rail Lye Curse and say I do but as I heard and saw my Father do will this go for payment trow ye Not with corruptible things as silver and gold The things whereby we are not Redeemed are silver and gold These he names in stead of all other worldly things as which answer all and by them Houses Lands yea the most costly things and most precious Pearls are bought By these men may be ransomed and redeemed out of bodily Thraldom but all the silver and gold in the world is insufficient to redeem even one man out of his Spiritual bondage See Mat. 16. 26. The Reasons hereof may be these 1. God hath no need of any of these things and they are his already The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof The gold of Ophir and Havilah as are the beasts on a thousand mountains 2. Our soul is an immortal and incorruptible being a Creature that had a beginning but never shall have end Now gold and silver are things corruptible and vanishing therefore are not of worth or value to redeem or countervail the soul for there must be some proportion between the thing bought and the price given so is there not between the world and the soul of a man one soul is more excellent then the whole world 3. Sin is a transgression against an Infinite God and so deserveth an infinite punishment a death and that eternal and infinite now a death must be paid Gods justice hath set it down no such price therefore will be taken neither are these things infinite all the world is not 4. Many times even for a Trespass committed against men these things will not be taken for a recompence 5. These often when God sends some bodily judgement are unable to do men any pleasure nor can at all pacifie God 6. These cannot redeem a mans bodily life and save it from death for many would give much to procure that nor can they prolong a mans ones own brothers life an hour beyond his appointed time much less can they redeem his soul. 7. These cannot purchase Wit Learning Eloquence for those that want them much less Sanctification and Grace as also if a man were born Blinde Lame Deformed they cannot purchase Sight Strength or Beauty 1. This condemns those gross Absurdities nay Blasphemies of the Church of Rome they by Pardons and Indulgences sold for Money take upon them to forgive sins yea they give those to houses of Gentlemen for many years to come perswading also that by their Masses which they must purchase with their Money they shall be freed from Purgatory and sent to Heaven Among them belike the rich are in a good case they may sin freely but the poor are in an hard taking O cursed Blasphemy None can forgive sins but God onely yea whereas all the Silver and Gold of the world cannot satisfie for one sin yet will they set it at such and such a rate of Money It may be said to them as Peter said to Simon Magus Your Money perish with you because you think that the gift of God such a special gift as is the Remission of sins may be bought with Money 2. We must learn by any means not to hazard or sell our souls for Silver or Gold not for the whole world If a man should sell his soul for the whole world would the same price redeem it again no not if there were ten thousand worlds Then is it a very hard bargain to sel any commodity at such a rate as a man would give a thousand times as much for it again and yet must go without it what shall I say of the common sort which so basely esteem of their souls that they sell them away to destruction for toys of this world How many sell themselves to hell some by Robbery Bribery Oppression Simony Sacriledge Cousenage Lying Swearing c. others for a bare living and maintenance O poor woful Creatures They know not what they do They are like yong Heirs that know not the worth of their Inheritance and so part with all to some couzening companion for a Horse Dog or Hawk nothing to the true worth of it and then fret to think that they had such a living whereby they might have lived in good fashion all their life and now it s gone and they have nothing but like prophane Esau's have lost their birth-right O if men knew the worth of their souls they would then despise the whole world if it were offered for them but an Omnia Dabo pulls most of the world upon their knees to worship the Devil Many Shop-keepers say they would not give their lying for Forty pounds a year but poor blinde Creatures yong Heirs if they gate Forty thousand pounds a year they were great losers for if they would give it and as much more to it it would not recover their souls again from Damnation thereby deserved Oh the soul lives for ever and sin casts it into everlasting Wo and Torment And for enjoying a few short pleasures of sin shall we throw our selves into everlasting torment Moses would not thus do but left Pharoahs court and the delights thereof which he could not hold without sin O le ts be wise at last and royally set such a price on our souls as if the Devil would say as he did to Christ All this will I give thee we may tell him he bids like an higler and if he would give us seven worlds we would not part with our Souls 3. We wust be more afraid of sin then of any thing else seeing the price is so great that must satisfie for it even more then the loss of all that we have If we should commit sin to save all we have we lose But how little account do men make of sin whereas nothing but Christs blood can satisfie for it If we were set to pay Twenty shillings for every sin we commit how shie would we be but considering that the very greatest sum
2. It teacheth us also to be constant in all our good purposes Hell is full of purposes Heaven of performances How many good purposes in sickness after the Word before the Sacrament c. have we which prove as blossoms without fruit 2. The constancy of Gods promises they be Yea and Amen no length of time can make him break a promise as this of sending Christ into the world as neither the unworthiness of men The Israelites as wretched as might be yet they could not make him break promise with Abraham to give them Canaan one would think he should cut them off in the mid-way but he had respect to his Name This was the cause that Gods Servants were always glad of a promise as Nehemiah So are his threatnings as that with Adam and Eve though then there were no more upon the earth So even with our Lord Jesus himself that innocent Lamb of God yet standing as our Surety God spared him not but according to the threatning of death gave him to dye notwithstanding of his prayers and strong cryes he abated nothing but laid it on him to the uttermost 1. Here 's a comfort to Gods people finde out apply and hold fast the promises in all our necessities Stand upon them on any one one of them as upon an unmoveable foundation God cannot fail who ever trusted in him and was confounded Happy is the man that trusteth in him 2. Let the wicked know how small account soever they make now of the Lords threatnings they shall finde them too true for them And if the Lord Jesus the innocent Son of God the Surety found it shall those horrible monsters that shake off all care of God and goodness think to scape free and finde his Word loose No though they bare themselves upon late repentance In these last times Christ was not exhibited till after Four thousand years of the world and why not before or all this while because God decreed it to be no sooner why decreed he it to be no sooner because he would not If any go yet further and ask why he would not this is Presumption and curious Pride we must not ask a reason further then the will of God where none is revealed God determined as we shall see after to bestow a greater priviledge on the last age of the world then on the former and who should question him for the same This then was the time which God in his counsel had appointed which is called by the Apostle the fulness of time when all time was run out that was to be before then he came so that he could not possibly have comed any sooner nor tarried any longer If we respect the Power of God simply he could have sent him sooner but if Gods Decree he could come no sooner even as Christs bones could not be broken in respect of Gods Decree though the nature of them was as other mens subject to be broken Nor could Christ have lived longer in the world in respect of Gods Decree though he might by the course of nature and strength of body continued many years Note we then from hence that What God hath decreed as he will effect so will he do in the due and appointed time whomsoever he hath chosen he will call every one in their time yet after Peter writes to the Christians scattered in those places what is this but that the time of their calling was not yet come which afterward was fulfilled At the first sending out of the Apostles they were forbid to go into the way of the Gentiles but afterwards and that upon the forementioned ground bid to Preach to all Nations So the Jews shall be called but when when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be come in Some were called into the Vineyard to work at one hour some at another 1. This may teach us being truly called and our time come highly to praise God 2. And for those that yet be behinde be not out of hope wait still use the means c. and when God sends the means hope the time is coming who knoweth whether God hath not some Elect among the Indians that he will send means unto which they have hitherto wanted and so call them to the knowledge of Christ Jesus The like may be said of particular persons But let none hence cast off care and say my time is not yet come wherein I shall be called and so neglect the Word and live badly but let such use the means with all speed to day while it s called to day The longer any goeth on uncalled it s the more dangerous sign of no Election of God 3. Here see the reason why many a good Prayer and good Enterprize taketh not effect by and by but the wicked prevail even because the time is not yet come Further observe three differences of times Before the Law Under the Law and After the Law or after the manifestation of Christ Why is this last called The last times A. They be so in comparison of former times and these from Christ onward are the next before the end of the world when there shall be no more time God will never speak to his Church after any other maner he will make no new Covenant no new Gospel Religion maner of Worship Sacraments Faith but hath revealed all his will to us in his Son Christ Jesus he will never alter his course we have all that ever we may look for here on earth nothing can be more clear This condemneth the Turks which look for their Mahomet and the Jews which look for I know not what Messiah and Lordly Savior The Papists also being belike ashamed of what God hath revealed in his Gospel patch together an infinite number of mens inventions so that their Religion is as a beggars cloak full of pieces of divers colours set on at divers times These being termed the last times because they be the immediate times before the Worlds end it followeth that having been so ever since the Apostles we live in the latter end of the last times 1. Here 's comfort to Gods people that the last day is so near which therefore they may wait for with patience 2. Terror to the wicked that think it will not come because defer'd and so many hundred years it hath been called the last time but God is not slack but patient for his Elects sake that yet are behinde If it had come one hundred years ago we had been prevented But a thousand years are but as one day with the Lord and it will surely come and that too soon to the wicked who shall feel the terror thereof For you The Reason of Christs coming thus towards the end of the world because God had appointed to do a greater favor to the last age not but that those
so shall our reward be great above others if we be unfaithful we must look for greater damnation as being treacherous in so weighty a work 2. For people how ought they to regard Gods faithful Ministers that watch over their Souls Alas how little are they regarded how poorly maintained every thing too much every little enough for them whereas Lawyers Physicians c. live wealthily are much sought to It s a plain sign men love their Bodies better then their Souls and the Earthly Inheritance better then the Heavenly Which liveth and abideth for ever These words spoken of God are to shew how it comes to pass that the Word is able to Regenerate and beget us to a new and immortal life namely because it is the Word of him who liveth and giveth life to all and endureth for ever If it were not the Word of such a one it could not for as for the word of man it can do no such matter All the wisdom of all the men of the world put together and used to perswade a sinner are not able to change his heart The word of a man can but stir up that in a man which is in him already but to put any thing into him that was not in him it cannot 1. This teacheth us to preach the pure Word of God purely and not our own Devices for what is the chaff to the wheat not any word of man this or that how wise or ancient soever can put life into a man So nor to mingle mans word with Gods it hath no need of help from mans testimony let it alone it shall be able to perform that which its appointed for The Word of God is sharp enough to divide between the joynts and the marrow though it be not whetted on this or that mans Grindstone As Pearls need no painting so that which is of incomparable power and is pronounced to be mighty hath no need of the help of weak man 2. Let him that is born anew by the preaching of the Word be well assured he shall live and endure for ever as God so liveth and endureth as every one that is not begotten thereby shall through Gods judgement live after a sort and abide for ever but it shall be in everlasting wo and misery Verse 24. For all flesh is as grass and all the glory of man as the flower of grass the grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away Verse 25. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you THe Apostle now laboreth to make men labor for their part in this Regeneration whereof he had spoken and that is by shewing the miserable state of a carnal and unregenerate man and that a man without this hath nothing that good is nothing that can please God that can stand him in stead and bring him to Salvation for whatsoever is in man besides this is flesh is corrupt and sinful and so consequently vain and vanishing as grass yea the best thing that is or can be in an unregenerate man is but as a flower that fadeth soon away and cannot abide the heat of the Sun no more can any thing in an unregenerate man abide the censure and judgement of Almighty God and this he doth to drive as well carnal men out of themselves and make them labor for this grace of Regeneration as to stir up them that were Regenerate to be thankful to God for this marvellous work and labor to walk worthy of it in all fruits of holiness and obedience Now having laid out the misery of a carnal men yet he leaves him not so but tells him that there is a means to help this and to bring him to an happy state and to live for ever namely The Word of God which endureth for ever whereby the Soul is converted Faith wrought we united to Christ and fetch from him as pardon of sin by his death and favor by his obedience so ability to live the life of grace here and the life of glory hereafter But lest any should say But where is this Word that is able to do thus wonderfully for us and how must it be dealt with to make it thus effectual for our Regeneration He tells them that its among them and being sincerely preached and humbly heard believed and obeyed would become effectual to their Salvation In the words we have both the Law and the Gospel 1. The miserable state of all unregenerate men 2. The mean to make us live for ever Both these are set down in two Propositions The first concerning the base estate of a carnal man hath two branches one a degree above another The first that all flesh that is whosoever is carnal and unregenerate is grass that is frail brittle fickle perishing which is not onely in respect of his bodily estate but any thing else in him The second that the glory of man that is the best things that be or can be in him are as the flower of grass vain and vanishing The second concerns the Word of the Lord that it endureth for ever and that to make us live for ever by uniting us to Christ the Fountain of life The words are taken out of Isa. 40. 6 7 8. where note by the way that no text is ever cited out of the Apocrypha the Apostle being guided by the same Spirit that the Prophet was looking upon the same sense not standing precisely upon the very words All flesh is as grass Though it be not chiefly meant of the frailty and brittleness of our bodily condition yet it is also included of which a little This our life is often compared to grass and that fitly for as grass is subject to come to an end many ways so we It may be blasted with the East-wind as soon as ever it peers out of the ground if not that yet in the spring the beasts will crop and bite it off if it miss both these yet the mower will cut it down with his sithe if it escape all these yet there is one thing coming that it cannot escape namely the cold frosty winter whereby it must needs wither away So we may be blasted as soon as we be born how many have dyed the same day they have been born or shortly after if we scape then yet some disease may bite us in our youth or if we miss both these death with his sithe may cut us down in our middle age but if yet we scape the winter notwithstanding of old age will wither us away and we cannot shift it Alas we are as a bubble a vapor of no continuance so vain a thing is man lighter then vanity A little too much heat or cold * a little blow with a Horse foot a bad savour or the like can quickly make an end of us Alas we carry the matter of many diseases daily about us in
poverty should be a spur hereunto Is there not the same way of Salvation to them that is unto others They had need hear the Word to get knowledge and faith that they may go through their Temptations comfortably And first for the Sabbath let them and all others take heed they meddle not with it to their worldly uses God hath sanctified it to himself and the matters of Salvation This ought every one to spend conscionably which if we would do we might get a competency of saving knowledge wo be to them that dare prophane this God hath said we shall do all our works on the six days that which we cannot God will supply without breach of his Sabbath and for the poor that live in the same Town or near a Sermon on the week-day I make no doubt it s their duty without some great let to attend on it and God will recompence it if they do it conscionably let them thus do and thereupon return to their work and follow their calling with diligence and see what they shall miss by the weeks end Neglect of Religion indeed hath brought want but I never knew any that heard conscionably and thirstily that were put to the more want by their hearing or any such so miserably poor as careless persons If any shall under colour of hearing neglect their business whole days and so bring poverty on themselves they are exceedingly faulty 4. Others plead no want for they are troubled with nothing but too much and they have so much business and so many servants to look after and so many occasions as for their part they cannot spare the time A. Have they so much to do for themselves as God can have nothing done of them and so much for the body and this world as that they have no leisure for the soul or the world to come Remember the end of them who being invited to the great Supper came not but preferred their Oxen and Farms thereto they were shut out and had no part in that blessed Feast Others might also pretend it as well if they knew not that one thing to be needful What are all they idle persons and have nothing to do that attend on the word diligently No but such as both have business and in like maner a Christian care thereof yea and those that dispatch it well enough and finde Gods blessing thereon no less nay much more then they that have care of nothing else If they wanted something of that they get yet it shall be better with them in the winding up when they shal have that which will stand by them whereas all that the others have got shall be taken away else as they had no leisure and could finde no time to serve God so God will finde no time to save them 5. Others be not Book-learned therefore they hope they shall be held excused though they have no great knowledge A. You had need take the more pains in hearing as also learn and labor to be book-learned It s possible if you will give your minde and endeavor thereto If not yet many that never knew letter in the Book have attained to good knowledge and been most excellent Christians and laid down their lives for the Truth and others to competent saving knowledge and lived well as the servants of God But this may be a warning for Parents to bring up their Children in Reading as in many other respects so that they may not have this block to hinder them from goodness and rich men should do well to bestow Learning upon poor mens children it s a mercy indeed to their Souls 6. Others say They be so dull and its such an hard thing to learn Religion as they shall never attain it A. The slothful man saith There 's a Lyon in the way but it s as easie to learn as many other things are You can learn to play at Cards you can conceive your own business and are wise enough to save your selves from being beguiled if you would willingly in humility come to learn knowledge is easie to him that will understand And though you get no great measure yet if you get knowledge of the main points and Faith and desire more and be willing to be ruled by that which you know God will accept of the will 7. Others say If they should follow Sermons c. they should be so hated mockt and nick-named as they should not be able to endure it their Land-lords would fall out with them and turn them out of doors c. A. 1. Blessed are ye when ye shall thus suffer you may exceedingly rejoyce thereat 2. When a mans ways please God even his foes shall become his friends 8. The yonger sort say It s too soon and wealthy ones That they think they have more liberty then others A. 1. For the yonger sort they must remember their Creator in the days of their youth 2. For the rich and wealthy they are no more exempted from serving God then the meanest nay are more bound and tyed thereto by reason of the means afforded them to do good 9. Others think they do well and please God though they be not so precise as some be for they thrive they thank God and have as few crosses as the best of them all and if God did not love them he would not so bless and prosper them as he doth A. This is an ill argument seeing God afflicts those whom he loves and suffers his sun to shine and his rain to fall even on the unjust This is but the wicked mans portion Ishmael had the fat of the Earth Esau the dew of Heaven Our Savior suffered Judas to carry the bag but Peter and the rest carried away the grace Jacob had many crosses Esau many blessings yet was Jacob loved of God Esau hated There can be no worse sign then to live in a careless prophane course and yet to meet with no crosses but to have all prosperity the forgiveness of sins and a little Faith and Sanctification is more worth then all the world But the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction c. 10. Some say They have a Minister of their own though he cannot Preach yet he is an honest man and quiet and means well and doth his good will and what can one desire more of a man A. These be notable persons If Salvation were put in their mouthes they could be content to take it but to seek after it they see no such cause It will serve no mans turn to excuse himself by another mans fault If the Minister do not his duty to Preach people must seek after the light being its come into the world compassing even sea and land to obtain it Neither would they be so simple in other things as to put their Suit for Goods and Lands into ones hands that hath no skill at all in Law and being so told make answer
hath not But if it be unchangeable then what shall I do I le never stir and trouble my self but take my pleasure c. for if I shall be damned I shall so be whatsoever I do I le never hear Sermon more while I live for all the Sermons of the world will not help me if I be ordained to Damnation O the folly and falshood of this blinde and desperate rage It s not possible for him that is ordained to life to live as he list If thou give thy self so to do thou hast then indeed a mark to thy self of thy Damnation yea what a desperate wretch is he to resolve himself to live like a reprobate before he know whether he be one or no as if one should run to the gallows and put the rope about his neck before he know whether the Judge hath any purpose to condemn him Again know you not that whom God ordains to the end he ordains also to the means Therefore these must be used As for Gods decree towards you the Preacher knoweth not therefore he must preach and call all to Repentance neither do you know therefore must you hear and follow the revealed will of God and by obeying that you shall in time come to know his secret will We must not live by the secret but by the revealed will of God and we must not stand upon that desperately and blindely at first If I be ordained c. but meekly hear the will of God in his Word which being followed of us it will be in time an Argument that we not are onely no Reprobates but such as are ordained to Salvation But if thou wilt desperately shake off the revealed will and onely run upon the secret and cast off all means that should do thee good and run into sin and means of destruction then thou hast a bad sign of Reprobation Whoso stumbleth at Christ and at the Word and live in disobedience and so continue to the end its certain they are Reprobate and so long as any continueth in that state they can have no other knowledge of themselves Thus of the fourth Verse 9. But ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light NOw he returns to the Believers again and having spoken grievous things of the wicked that they stumbled at Christ and the Word and should perish lest they should be dismaid as if this also might be their case some of them having been very grievous sinners he now endeavors to prevent this their fear But ye saith he are a chosen generation as if he should have said They stumbled because they were ordained to it but you shall stand because you are elected of God Thus he comforts them and reckons up a number of priviledges whereof Gods election was the ground as that they were a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people in all which he opposeth them to the Unbelievers You are a chosen generation they a reprobate rout You a royal priesthood they a prophane and base company You an holy nation they whether Gentiles or Jews an unholy company You a peculiar people they the servants of sin and Satan Then sets down the end of all In general observe we two things 1. That the Apostle not onely divides the people into good and bad and sends the Sheep to their fold the Fox to his den but he speaks exceeding comfortably to the good exceeding terribly to the wicked setting forth the ones happiness and the others misery and so must the Ministers of God do 2. That he delivers the Word so warily that the godly might not be dismaid at the threatnings against the wicked Hence may Ministers learn wisdom to give every one their portion and this is to divide the Word aright to cut and part it not to rend it Thus the Prophets having vehemently threatned by and by lest the godly should be cast down adde comforts and promises When they deliver comforts they must bid the wicked stand off so when they speak of judgements they must so speak that the afflicted in Conscience may not be troubled for people are ready to misapply that they hear Wicked men when they catch hold of the Doctrine of Gods mercy they snatch that which no way belongs to them and for humble ones in affliction of Conscience Oh all terrible things they can apply and they work on them but the promises and comforts they cannot fasten on In particular consider we the priviledges here mentioned and the end of them A chosen generation This is the first priviledge Election is the decree of God whereby in himself and for his own glory he hath unchangeably ordained some men to Salvation and life Eternal Where consider 1. That God before the world hath ordained some men to Salvation This is plain from these Scriptures Luke 10. 20. Eph. 1. 4. Phil. 2. 12. 1 Thess. 5. 9. 2 Thess. 2. 13. His election is compared to a Book and the Lord to a General that books his Soldiers names or a Corporation where they book all the Freemens names Again we see some men be saved therefore were it so decreed for whatsoever is was eternally decreed of God 1. This sets out the infinite love of God to mankinde who might have been glorified in the Damnation of us all 2. This confutes that Opinion That God elected none before the World but that he generally appointed all to be saved alike and therefore gave Christ to dye for all and when any receive grace then God elects them Doth every wise man set down certainly his end before he begin his work and onely the God of Wisdom go uncertainly to work And did Christ lay down his life for any other but his sheep vouchsafeth he intercession for any other nay excludeth he not all others If Christ had dyed for them then they should have been saved for his death is infinitely meritorious If he dyed for any and they not be saved he should miss of his purpose Adam and Christ are two common persons and roots therefore as Adam lost all so Christ restored all They are indeed alike in many respects as namely in this That they communicate to others that which was in themselves Adam sin and death Christ righteousness and life but not to both alike Adam lost all Christ recovered but some Then Adams sin was of more force then Christs death and obedience Not so for its easier to destroy then to build If Christ had saved but one it had argued more force then Adams sin to destroy all A childe can break a glass which all the men in the Town cannot make up again yet the childe hath not more force then they Why then is Christ preached to them Christ must be offered to all
drink at every Alehouse they come at It s grace that puts excellency in a man without which he is worse then a Beast for he is degenerate from his Creation hath understanding but serveth not his Creator but rebelleth against him and his end will be a thousand times worse then a Beast A wicked man is called in Latine Nequam which signifieth no body and so he is indeed in Gods account No body and happy were it with him if he were indeed no body but he hath a being here to sin and hereafter to be tormented Do not we therefore rest contented with our natural state but labor for grace in our hearts But are now the people of God Though scattered yet became they the people of God So that no outward affliction doth nullifie Gods Church as no outward pomp nor living together in wealth make a Church Gods Church scattered is yet one Houshold one Sheepfold Further in that he reckons it for a great priviledge and blessing that they were the people of God Note That It s the greatest blessing in the world for a Nation to be the people of God even to enjoy the Word and Sacraments and other Ordinances of God the means of Salvation so for a particular person to be one of Gods true people for as for all outward things they are common to the wicked yea the Beasts partake of many of them but the means of Salvation they are happy things It s the fearfullest thing in the world not to be the people of God for if we be in Poverty Trouble Captivity under Tyrants yet it s nothing so we enjoy the means of Salvation and if a Nation have all Plenty and Peace yet want the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus it s nothing So for a particular person if he be never so Poor Sick Imprisoned Hated yet if the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus be in his heart and true holiness he is not misrable and if all Wealth Honor Health whatsoever can be put upon a man if he be not the childe of God it s nothing St. James bids the poor Christian rejoyce because he is made a Christian exalted and the rich man to rejoyce because he is by the grace of God made lowly not because rich 1. This may stir up in us thankfulness to God that hath vouchsafed to make us his people in this Land for which we cannot be sufficiently thankful But most regard not that which makes the Land happy namely the Gospel This is that which makes this Land the people of God and nothing else 2. It teacheth us particularly to labor to be of his true people effectually Called Justified Sanctified Zealous of good Works loving the Word affecting it and finding it sweeter then the honey and the honey comb more precious then gold and silver delighting in the Sacraments and Prayer walking in true Holiness c. thus shall we be happier then Kings without it He that is one of Gods true people is dear to God he will protect him provide for him that he shall want no good thing here and be glorified with him hereafter every one will be challenging this to himself the worst of all will take the best names to themselves and be termed Christians but let them win it and wear it Which had not obtained mercy What then were under Gods Wrath and Justice and why not under Mercy because of their sins So that Sins especially unrepented of are a wall of brass to keep Gods mercy from us Therefore repent of them for without Gods mercy we are utterly undone for ever But now have obtained mercy This is the same for substance with the former words and there remain no several Doctrines our of these besides those there handled excepting this Namely that What God did for them in making them his people was of his meer mercy He had no need of them they deserved no such matter Learn then that All that we have or have had is of meer grace That we Gentiles are called to be the people of God That this Land hath the Gospel That our selves particularly were Elected was of meer mercy So were we redeemed so effectually called Nothing in us to move him to shew any mercy first or last nay all to move him to the contrary nay it was not onely mercy but abundant and wonderful mercy 1. This confuteth Popish arrogancy that teach mans Merits to be in part the cause hereof 2. It teacheth us to walk so much the more thankfully and obediently in all things as we especially take kindely the good turns of a Stranger O say we I am exceedingly beholding to him thus and thus he did I never saw him before I shall never forget it What thankfulness then owe we to God for his love towards us who were altogether ignorant of him The less desert Mephiâ—â—â—heth found in himself the more he found himself bound to David so may we to God 3. We must learn to imitate the Lord to be merciful as he is and to do good to those that never deserved ought of us nay to do good to those that have deserved ill of us and this men can hardly be brought to O say some and those not of the worst I could be content to yield and to do any thing but he hath thus and thus abused me with his tongue But have not we done so by the Lord Verse 11. Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. HAving laid Doctrine for his ground he follows now with Exhortation both these go necessarily together to the doing of good and may not be sundred The Doctrine was about the great things that God had done for them and therefore hereupon he Exhorts them to holiness and purity of heart and life before he shewed what God had done for them now he shews their work before he shewed that the end of those priviledges was that they should shew forth Gods vertues now he shews how that should be done namely in laboring to be pure in heart and life in token of thankfulness and so that being advanced to such dignities they were not to be idle but work for God and walk according to the benefits bestowed In this verse he exhorts to purity of heart in the next to holiness in conversation and these he joyns together Holiness in general is and must be the life of Gods people These two parts of it in heart and conversation must go together one as the Mother the other the Offspring that as the Root this as the Branches like two Twins that are born and dye weep and laugh together In vain doth any man boast of purity of heart whiles his conversation is naught In vain doth any man strive to have a good conversation whiles his heart is suffered to
Minister hath power to command the people being in the person of God and for their own good to flie from things hurtful and follow things profitable for themselves Paul might have commanded Philemon but being perswaded of his forwardness he rather entreated so must we as they that set in a joynt in a tender body stroke and stroke softly and anoint the place and so put it in the place ere the party be aware yet upon occasion we may both command and threaten as the same Apostle elsewhere and John the Baptist and our Savior himself as when we have to deal with stubborn and disobedient persons or such as have fallen into foul sins or are secure and dead-hearted or are revolters and backsliders then I say are we to deal more roundly and severely knotty logs must have many and hard strokes as a rough horse an hard rider when we have to deal with toward and well disposed tender hearted ones or afflicted then are we to deal otherwise and here is required the wisdom of the Spirit of God to discern what is meer and this must be considered of before hand Abstain from fleshly lusts Now of the matter of the Exhortation By fleshly lusts are meant not onely acts of sin breaking out in the body but the inward lusts that are in the heart though they should never break out for even the heart and soul is flesh as well as the body and fleshly even corrupt and sinful as the sinful lusts of unbelief impatience hardness of heart hypocrisie rebelling against that which is good weariness in well doing pride anger envy self-love covetousness uncleanness uncharitableness and the like These we must abstain from even labor against that they prevail not in us yea to subdue them quite Now in that he gives his Exhortation to such as they were whom he before described We may learn That There are remnants of sin abiding in the best of Gods Servants and will be while they be here They shall not lay down sin wholly till they lay down this flesh They are sanctified but in part through out but not perfectly corruption is not in one part and grace in another but grace and corruption joyned in every part and faculty of body and soul and thus it hath ever been Hence it is that we scarce read of any in Scripture but taxed for some infirmity and weakness as Abraham with some little shifting for himself when he said Sarah was his sister Sarah for her unbelief Moses for speaking unadvisedly Job for cursing his day Paul and Barnabas for being stirred the one against the other And this the wise and good providence of God hath so appointed for he could sanctifie us perfectly at the first but it s not meet for then righteousness should not come onely by Christ for if we were not onely perfectly justified by Christ as we are but also perfectly sanctified by his grace then might we stand before God with confidence and boldness in our own righteousness and need not to have the righteousness of Christ continually imputed to us Besides the Lord would hereby humble us that we should not be proud of any gifts or graces that he bestoweth on us more then we had or others have but be kept still humble when we see these corrupt lusts sticking in our nature which may more justly provoke wrath against us then our good actions procure favor as Paul lest he should be lifted up through the abundance of revelations had a prick in the flesh even Satan working upon his corruption and strongly tempting and as it were boxing him to humble him Therefore no man hath cause to be proud of any grace not only because he hath nothing but the meer mercy of God but also because if he consider he hath such remainders of sin still in him as if they be laid in the Ballance with his graces might be of more force to condemn him then all his graces to procure favor to him Further hereby we are held continually in exercise and made see our need of the Word Sacraments Prayer and the help we have one of another while we live 1. We are not to expect the perfection of any here though Gods Ministers are still to call on the people to grow towards it yet they must rejoyce even in their proceedings to it and bear with some weakness and wants and people must not think their Ministers can be perfect without blemish either knowing or suspecting some infirmity in them to esteem meanly of them or their Ministery or gifts so drowning all their graces God forbid It s well 1. We know no sin our Minister lives in 2. No corruption he yields to but that he is in strife with his corruption and counts it his burthen this we should cover with the lap of our love The contrary is in the world If a Minister have any imperfection though strived against by him and seldom or never shewing it self and have never so many good graces yet the same shall still be cast in his face and tost from one to another and all his gifts neglected and that oftentimes of those that live in soul sins or are an hundred times more foully overtaken of the same or some other Husbands look not for perfection in your Wives nor Wives in your Husbands thank God they be godly hating all foul sins and striving against corruptions look for these and cover them else lovingly help to cure them in time convenient but look on their graces some man that is himself carnal and hath a professing wife so narrowly views her as if he spy the least imperfection it s cast in her teeth as if she should be perfect though he be never so far off from perfection Let none look for Christians that profess the Gospel that they can be altogether without blame yet let none take up this as a good excuse and shelter for them yea say they It s true as the Preacher said to day which I liked well that we are all sinners some make themselves so holy and profess such zeal as if they were without sin or wiser then all their neighbors when they be no less sinners then others Well let not these carnal or prophane and civil persons think to scape away with this or be hid in the number of sinners and scape as well as others God will finde two sorts of sinners such as live and lie in sin indeed workers of iniquity and such as having been unfeignedly humbled and obtained pardon of sin and truly repented have yet corruptions which they hate and strive against and are heartily sorry when they have been at any time overtaken thereby and yet the world bless themselves herein What are not all sinners I pray yea and you shall have them that will dilate of any infirmity that a Christian hath and stretch it on the tenters when themselves are polluted with foul sins 2.
set up their Inferiors in them yet are they to use them kindely and with respect Yea a man is bound to honor himself for he is the workmanship of God he may not therefore defile or abuse himself at his pleasure He must therefore keep his hands free from cruelty and oppression his tongue from lying swearing railing mocking as his whole body from evil and filthiness Its Gods will that we should possess our vessels in holiness and honor we must not disgrace or deface the work of the Lord they that thus do shall not enter into Heaven for no unclean thing shall come there And as we desire to procure honor unto our selves we must labor in all things to honor God and in all our doings aym at his glory them that thus do God will honor Contrarily they that seek themselves and not God in that that they do living even openly to his dishonor and not regarding at all to glorifie him disgrace and shame shall be cast on them the honor they seek flies furthest from them yea such have often fearful and shameful ends Dishonoring God he dishonoreth them and as we are to labor to be approved of God so also to have good report in the Church of God for a good name is greatly to be respected is of much worth and an especial blessing of God Thus as men are to us As they are in themselves they are either good oâ— bad both which we are to honor Honor all men saith the Apostle good bad Jews Gentiles Believers Unbelievers Regenerate Unregenerate Christians Pagans c. for the good there is no doubt and that is to be spoken of in the next Exhortation but the doubt and difficulty is of the bad how and why we must honor them We must have a good respect to all though not to all alike and there are none so bad but there is something in them to be regarded some scratch of Gods image if ancient men an image of Gods eternity reverence that and speak to them as to aged men if wealthy an image of Gods infinite abundance if wise to manage matters of the world reverence Gods wisdom if a Father or Master an image of Gods Fatherhood and Authority Besides they have many active parts of good use for Peace or War by Sea and Land are skilful in the Tongues in Arts and Sciences are Civil Kinde Courteous Pitiful and the like for every of which we are to honor them to reverence them to give them their due so much as in us lies living peaceably with them In their prosperity we must use them friendly in all points of Neighborhood Lending Borrowing Commercing Dealing Justly and Righteously with them to bring them to the love of Religion in their adversity we must be helpful to them if hungry give them meat if thirsty drink if naked raiment at all times give them a good example pray for them and give them their due for any thing that 's in them that they may see themselves regarded not despised and so keep peace holding out contention which is the floodgate of all evil Thus dealing well with them and walking wisely towards them we may bring them in time to a liking and love of Religion 1. Therefore for Christians let them not reject men altogether whom they see to be bad but give them their due we know not what good may come by our amiable and wise carriage towards them but if we shall despise them we do thereby harden them against us and Religion too 2. For them that be yet carnal let them labor for grace which deserves true and large honor If God will have you regarded for your natural parts how will both he himself honor you and cause you also to be honored of others having grace ye see Christians use you kindely and respectively for your common and natural gifts O how should they embrace you if they saw the lively image of God in you Love the Brotherhood More especially he now teacheth our duties to godly men to the true servants of God These we must embrace with an intire and hearty affection we must love all and do good unto all but especially unto the Brotherhood brotherly kindeness which is a very natural and intire inward affection is due to the children of God Speak we first of love to their persons then to their fellowship and Company For their persons We must love them with a more then ordinary affection The more lively we observe Gods image to be in any the more we must love such others we are not bound to love with the like affections Those did David love in such did he delight a fit patern for our imitation We must love such 1. Because of their nearness to us if we belong to God They are our Brethren we have the same Father God the same Mother the Church of God born of the same immortal seed nourished up with the same sincere milk of the Word have the same Sacraments the same Savior our eldest Brother Christ Jesus and look also for the same Inheritance in Heaven and is not this very near They are also members of the same body that we be fellow-members with us and of the same Houshold and Family even the Houshold of Faith 2. In respect of their excellency They are washed in Christs Blood covered with his righteousness are more glorious then the Sun endued with the sanctifying Spirit have Angels to their attendants all the Creatures theirs they live under the hope of eternal glory the world was made for them and abides for their sakes If a man saw the honor of a Christian and Childe of God he would fall down before him and kiss the ground he stands on 3. For that they are in great favor with God He loves them dearly and hath rebuked even Kings for their sakes He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Now those whom God loves we should also love yea whatsoever is done to them good or ill he counts it as done to himself 1. This rebuketh those that are so far from thus affecting them as that of all persons they cannot away with them but mock them as Ishmael did Isaac and Michol David but rail on them as Shimei tell Tales of them as Doeg persecute them as Saul seek to entrap them as the Scribes Pharisees and Herodians yea and like Judas betray them of this sort all places are full neither is there any so base in a Town or so ignorant that he cannot say the Lords-Prayer but he can mock and rail on them that make conscience of their ways yea the Devil is such a cunning School-master as that though we can beat nothing into some mens heads they be so blockish yet the Devil can teach them to be very expert to jest at them that fear God and this hath ever been the fashion of the world
any thing better becoming us then to please God with all our might Hath he not made us and chosen us to life before the world given his Son to dye for us and save us given us his Gospel and Spirit hath prepared a Kingdom for us and will we not please him yea if a thing stand with our profit though we know it will displease him can we be content to do it O that we should offend so good a God and so merciful a Father as he hath been unto us O do we endeavor to please him whosoever be thereat displeased whatsoever we lose or whatsoever trouble we bring upon us But O the monstrous course of this world that of all things cannot abide what pleaseth God! that so live as if God had nothing to do with them as if they were neither in his debt nor danger as if they were not afraid of them or he could do them no hurt Are you not woful creatures that thus abuse God Are you not in his debt Who gave you these Bodies and Souls who fashioned them whence was it that you were not Toads Monsters mad persons and fools who hath maintained your lives who hath kept you that you have not been ere this consumed or are not now in hell Art thou not in his debt who hath let thee live under the Gospel the means of saving thee denyed to most of the world Should you not then please him Art thou not in his danger Cannot he make the earth to swallow thee the worms to eat thee up Can he not smite thee with an incurable disease in thy bowels Can he not strike thee with madness cast thee upon thy bed and there forsake thee and give thee up to a desperate minde Is he not able to send thee to Hell ere night Can he not make every joynt of thy body every tooth of thy head so to torment thee that thou shalt be weary of thy life Canst thou promise thy meat shall nourish thee or that when thou lyest down thou shalt have one wink of sleep for pain of body or vexation of minde or shalt ever rise again When there is the greatest hope of fruit cannot he in one night by a Frost destroy it all Do we not stand at his courtesie for every shower of Rain for the Bread we eat and every thing else and should we not then please him If he smile on us whose frown need we regard If he frown whose smiles can do us good Who can stand before him when he is angry He rendeth the rocks and maketh the mountains to tremble O that any through fear or to procure the favor of any or for any other by-respects should displease him For this is thank-worthy or acceptable Whence note that The actions of Gods Children done as they ought and may be done are pleasing to God howsoever they are not as the Papists from this and the like places affirm Meritorious They are pleasing to God as being done by such as are justified by Faith in Christ the weaknesses of their actions being covered in his Death and Obedience 1. This is a great comfort unto all such as can prove themselves Gods Children and strive to do their duty in the best maner they can though the same be done weakly yet being done in truth is pleasing to God then which what greater joy comfort and encouragement unto any duty can be wished 2. This may be a terror to all that cannot prove themselves justified persons they never did that thing throughout their whole lives that pleased God A carnal man can no more make a good action then a Painter or Carver can make a living man The actions of unregenerate men want a soul. Till a mans person please God which is not till he be justified through Christ his actions cannot but displease him Even the sacrifice and prayer of the wicked is abomination before him What joy can a man have when being old and full of years he cannot truly approve that ever he spake thought or did that which was good Did men believe this they would endeavor with all speed to come out of their unregenerate condition If a man for conscience towards God endure grief c. Here he shews the maner how servants must do their duty to such unconscionable Masters even for conscience towards God because God so requires the same for if servants should bear quietly with such a Master and do their duty because they know no remedy know not how to help themselves or know that though he be wondrous hasty and boisterous yet to them that can bear with him and let him alone he will be good and bountiful whoso do their duties I say for such respects please not God neither shall have any reward with him what we do for conscience towards God is pleasing to him not otherwise whoso looketh asquint at profit pleasure honor credit favor of this or that man or the like is far from pleasing God whoso doth for conscience sake may with comfort look up to God in life and in death This rebuketh the common sort which do many duties and abstain from many sins but not in a right maner for carnal and sinister respects and not for conscience towards God Such hypocrites shall have their portion with the hypocrites Q. How may we know whether we do our duties for conscience sake or not A. By these Notes 1. If we make most conscience of the greatest things first and then of less in their place and so of the greatest sins for God hates greatest sins most as in Dâ—â—id of whom it s said He walked in uprightness all his days saving in the matter of Uriah He had other faults rashness towards Nabal pride in numbring the people rashness to believe Zibah yet that against Uriah was the worst of all Greatest sins rob God most of his glory do most disgrace the Gospel make greatest wounds in our souls procure most numbness and hardness of heart and greatest outward punishment we must make conscience of all but especially of the greatest Such as seem very earnest against some small things and make no account of greater are Hypocrites like the Scribes and Pharisees which strained at a gâ—at but swallowed a Camel Such were the high Priests they made conscience of putting the thirty pieces of silver into the treasury which Judas returned to them but made no conscience of putting Christ to death They made Conscience of going to the Common-Hall least they should be defiled and made unfit for the Passover who yet made no conscience of shedding innocent blood So the Papists stands altogether upon meats days and such trifles of their own devising making no conscience of Gods great Commandments of the 2 3 4 c. So many among our selves will speak very hardly of some small blemishes in a Professor and Oh! is this agreeable to Gods Word c. who
and with ill speaking as it were with revenging our selves but in meekness commend our selves and the cause to God It s a fault in some Christians that being hated at some hands for their profession and forwardness and yet some need not be so much if they would walk more wisely and discreetly they then fall to taunting of them again calling them byâ— names and thus use this carnal weapon of the world this becomes not Christians what would they do if they should suffer great matters The Martyrs gave no ill language Christ and Steven prayed for their Enemies we must abating our rancoâ— imitate them neither must we write bitter enveighing things against them in a carnal scoffing or railing maner as Martin Mar-Prelate but behave our selves patiently yea joyfully we are Gods witnesses an high honor few called thereto Is not the Gospel the truth Is not the Word of God the onely true Religion we must then testifie the same to the world and set our seal to it yea to dye for it O it s a great advancement and so have Gods children acknowledged it It s a token of Salvation to them that thus suffer Great is their reward in heaven The souls of them that are slain lie under the altar The holy Martyrs went singing to the stake and thought that there they were as in a sweet bed of roses and St. Paul boasted of his Chain and of the marks of the Lord Jesus Verse 21. For even hereunto were we called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps FOr even hereunto were ye called Another Reason taken from the Ordinance and wise disposition of the Lord who hath so ordained that all his shall suffer troubles therefore we are to look for them and bear them patiently Through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven here in this world we must undergo manifold troubles and sorrows All Gods Servants finde the truth hereof as the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles did in their days less or more some one way some another God knoweth how ill we can bear prosperity but are ready to surfeit thereof as Children do of sweet-meats Who can long enjoy prosperity and not be the worse David that in all his troubles spent his time so holily and made many Psalms in his prosperity foully forgat himself so Solomon Standing waters gather mud as the Israelites in their journey to Canaan suffered much so must we in this wilderness before we come to Heaven thus is God pleased to exercise us for his own glory and our good Therefore 1. We must not think the worse of any because of their afflictions or conclude them to be bad men and hypocrites which was the fault of Jobs friends and of the Disciples of Christ. 2. We must not think the better of our selves for prosperity God can afford the dogs the bones the things of this world Of hated Esau came twelve Dukes the fatness of the Earth and the dew of Heaven is but a Reprobates portion the Legacy of Ishmael nay no worse sign then to prosper in an ill course 3. We must not dislike our selves for our afflictions It s an argument of Gods love and not of his hatred Whom he loves he chastens and they are Bastards that be without affliction to have afflictions and to profit thereby is the sign of an happy man 4. We must prepare for afflictions not dreaming for ease or continuance of Peace but looking for troubles in this valley of Tears they are the better born when they be lookt for and be the more grievous when they come unexpected In the midst of prosperity its good to think of affliction as in health how we shall do if sore or long sickness or pain come upon us so in wealth of poverty whilest we enjoy our liberties of Imprisonment and banishment yea after our affliction we are to look for another If we be spared for a while we must take it for an advantage and labor to be better prepared against it comes 5. We must bear them patiently as being of God They come not onely from him that hath Soveraignty over us but from the hand of a merciful father for our good They are far less then our deserts or then others have had and we have many comforts mingled therewith 6. We must bear them thankfully as whereby we are furthered in holiness Hereby we are wasâ—ed and purged the Cross is physick though not toothsom yet wholsom We thank and reward the Physitian for loathsom pills and potions that have even for the time made us sick at the heart as being the means of our recovery Our fault is that we look upon our troubles not to the benefit that comes thereby our greatest losses are oftentimes our greatest gains 7. We must bear them joyfully in respect of the eternal happiness and immortal glory we shall be shortly brought to Because we look not at this end we are so unwilling to undergo troubles as one that would go over a water without fear must fasten his eyes on the shore over against him so must we in affliction fix our eyes on Heaven 8. If the children of God get not to Heaven but through many sorrows and are often so grievously afflicted in this life what shall then become of the wicked and ungodly Have those been chastened with rods and shall not these be tormented with scourges Those have been afflicted for a time that they might live for ever and not dye eternally These shall perish eternally in Hell torments If they that serve God night and day with all carefulness and are zealous in his service and yet are grieved that they can do no better nor as they would what shall become of those that blaspheme him daily without ceasing and their grief is that they cannot dishonor him more and rejoyce when they most despite him More particularly and most specially in this place the Apostle meaneth of sufferings that are for well-doing and for a good conscience of the men of this world Hereunto hath God called us He that will be his Disciple must take up his cross All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution They shall be hated of all men for his name sake In the world we shall have trouble If we be not of the world the world will hate us This way hath the Lord sanctified as the way to glory and herein have the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs gone before us It s impossible it should be otherwise considering the implacable malice of Satan and of the seed of the Serpent God also will have it so 1. That his true servants may be distinguished from hypocrites and time servers Every body will serve God in prosperity a man is not tryed till affliction comes as a Soldier in the
wretches that can say They hope to be saved by Christ and that he dyed for them and yet can follow every vain pleasure and wicked lust to redeem them from which it cost even the blood of Christ more worth then a thousand worlds what is this but to set light by Christs death which none can do who hath his part therein yea what is it but to crucifie him again and to make a mock of his death what beastly unthankfulness is it for any to say Christ dyed for me and yet to live in sin nay whosoever have faith to believe their pardon in Christ it purifieth their hearts and the assurance of such a love to us must needs work love again in us and that love will constrain us yet who useth not this shift who flyeth not hereunto as Joab unto the horns of the Altar but as there he found no shelter from the Sword of Benaiah so they that flie to Christ as their refuge having nothing to do with him they shall be cut off and cast down into Hell for ever O that the death of Christ which ought to be the greatest corrasive to eat out sin out of our hearts as which cost such a wonderful price should be made a boâ—ster for sin As beggers go with their licences boldly from place to place so do worldlings sin boldly because they can say O they believe in Jesus Christ and he hath dyed for them c. but as most of their licences being found counterfeit and made under a Bush are taken from them and they themselves cast into Prison So when God shall come to examine those this shall not free them or serve their turn but they shall be cast into utter darkness If you live in your lusts or have the love of any one â—in in you as yet ye have no part in Christs death 4. This may be a great comfort to those that can finde and feel sin dying in them and themselves dead to all sin and the love of any one and that they are renewed to live the life of God and yield obedience to all his Commandments Though this be not as they would yet if their hearts can bear witness with them that this in truth let them be assured they have their part in Christs death Having their part in the latter benefit thereof it s an argument of the former For how come they to be now so changed into an hatred of all the sins which before they loved and such a true and earnest care to please God Flesh and blood hath not so taught them but Gods Spirit and that 's an argument we are his even his Spirit that he hath given us But many that would not willingly offend God for any thing and having failed in the least thing are more troubled then most be at great matters yea and study and strive for nothing so much as to please God yet cannot be perswaded that Christ dyed for them Oh! I fear that Christ dyed not for me will such a one say because I feel such a corrupt and rebellious nature within me and I am often overcome of sin and Satan It s not the mark of such as Christ dyed for that they are freed from sin altogether but that they hate all sin that they resist it and often prevail against the same whereof if at any time they be overcome yet they rise again by unfained repentance and stand up upon their watch for in the best of Gods Servants there will some of the Canaanilist brood remain as pricks in our sides but so long as we keep them Tributaries we must not be discouraged though our corruptions salley out upon us sometimes yet if we make war upon them and chase them home and so weaken them they shall not prevail over us The Church is not in this world without spot except it be by imputation of Christs righteousness for in respect of Sanctification it s but begun to be cleansed and shall be perfected in the world to come Thus in general In particular the two clauses here mentioned contain the two parts of Repentance or Sanctification namely Mortification and Vivification or dying unto sin and living unto righteousness Dead unto sin It s the duty of every Christian in token of his thankfulness to God that hath delivered him from this most woful state to set himself to mortifie his lusts and all maner of evil and that every day more and more Though we cannot be dead to sin at once it being a work of our whole life yet must we be dead to the love of all sin open or secret outward or inward and so dye daily as Christ dyed so should we labor and be more and more dead to our lusts as he was crucified so should we crucifie them c. And can we live in sin that cost the price of the blood of Christ Who would not abhor and cast from him the knife that killed his dearest friend Thus did sin to our Savior Christ it was that which brought him to his death 1. The thing then that best beseems a Christian is to mortifie his vile lusts to finde them out to hate and pursue them to the death to apply all means to the weakning and killing thereof ever hacking at the roots thereof by continual Prayer and Meditation applying the Word Mercies Corrections all to the throat of our Corruptions for as nothing is more unbeseeming a Christian then to be carried away of any lust so this should be our continual exercise to be continually weakning our Corruptions This is true Religion it stands not in hearing Sermons but in mortifying our lusts and bringing our rebellious hearts in subjection to the will of God And as we are to labor for the subduing of all so are we especially of our strongest corruptions that have most foiled us most broke our peace most dishonored God and have been of worst example 2. This rebuketh a wonderful fault in most Christians that howsoever they have general purposes to resist sin and to do well yet think that they are not continually to labor for the mortifying thereof wherein failing they do sometimes yield and give way to their lusts to break out into open evils vain speeches slight oathes worldly talking on the Lords day gaming and the like So for their inward lusts of pride covetousness frowardness security dulness to duties unbelief coldness and customariness in the service of God Alas these they look not after but almost lay the reign on the neck of them so that if they reign not in them yet they break out at every turn and are very rank in them and shew forth themselves grosly to Gods dishonor their own discomfort and the continual breach of their peace with much evil example to others As we would prove our selves Christs let us labor to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof let us deal
present state They were once in a poor case in a piteous taking in a miserable and dangerous case but now through Gods mercy they were come home to Christ who most carefully did and would protect them to their Salvation Before they came to Christ their case was woful and dangerous as is the state of all unregenerate persons but now having taken hold of Christ their condition was safe happy as it s with all believers and penitent persons For ye were as sheep going astray Speak we first of the miserable state of all unregenerate men of all men without Christ they are as sheep going astray 1. Every Natural man is like a beast who is therefore in Scripture compared to several sorts of beasts for one ill quality or another as to Dogs for their malicious barking and biting at them they live with to Wolves for their greedy devouring of the poor to Lyons for their cruel tyranny to fat fat Bulls for their proud abuse of their prosperity to Hogs for their rude and unreverent base esteeming of Spiritual things as the Word and Sacraments and Gods Ministers to Foxes as Herod for their craft so to Horses and Mules for their ignorance and unruliness yea sometimes the beasts are preferred before them to shame them and sometimes they are sent to school to them nay all Gods Creatures are more serviceable then Man they obey God in their kind and abide in their first estate the Sun Moon and Stars obey God in their courses the huge Sea rageth and is calm at his bidding if he command it to stand as a wall it doth so to let Israel go through and will return again upon the same warrant and drown Pharaoh if God bid the Whale swallow Jonah and cast him up again it obeys him in both if he forbid the Lyons to touch Daniel they stir not though very hungry as the fire did not burn the three Children c. But man that should be best of all and for whom all were made as he for God yet walk stubbornly and rebelliously omitting what 's required of him and doing what 's again and again prohibited therefore God calls all Creatures to witness against man yea they are many times to set themselves against us as when the heavens become as brass and the earth as iron c. and to groan because of us as being weary of doing any further service to such as we are O how ought this to humble all that be such that know no mark of conversion or change in themselves from their unregenerate condition small cause hast thou to be proud the Horse thou ridest on is far better then thou art it doth that for which God did ordain it but thou doest not that which the Lord requireth of thee nay the Dog that keeps thy Yard and ears bones under thy table is in a better case then thou art its serves God in its kinde thou never didst any thing that God set thee here for O humble thy self before God crave of him to work an alteration in thee for he onely can do it and that by the Ministery of his word Thus can he bring it to pass delivering thee from thy brutish nature turning thee into a Christian man renewing in thee his image and working of grace that so thou mayest serve him in a better maner then other creatures either do or can do so shalt thou be more happy then they for they as they have no pain so they shal have no glory but thou shalt go from hence to everlasting glory in the Kingdom of Heaven But as for all that continue in their Rebellion as they are worse then beasts in their life so shall they be in their end for their death is but a beginning to eternal misery O how happy were it for every man that shall dye in his sins if he were turned this day into a Dog or Toad and no further account to be taken of him 2. As a Sheep that wandereth is out of his way so is every natural and unregenerate man quite out of his way out of the way to Peace and Happiness We were created in the right way but in Adam all went astray we have no minde but of wandering and roaming further and further the longer we live till God take us into the right way so that whosoever dyes in the way he was born in and lived in first must needs perish it s the way of ignorance of sin the broad way to destruction Some go out of the way by ignorance some by superstition some by prophaneness by hypocrisie by trusting to civility c. naturally we do all go from God and Peace to Hell and the Devil Abraham was out of his way whilest he was an Idolater so Paul whilest he was a Persecutor The wicked they go astray even from the womb they wander from every good work and do nothing well or pleasing to God They delight to wander and take pleasure in their sins yea that they thus wander may appear by these signs They refuse instruction and reproof whether publike or private whereas the regenerate account those to love them indeed which tell them of their faults they live even in known sins they are altogether for the world having no communion with God in holy duties they have no love to good company but associate themselves with others like themselves and of their own stamp If they do good duties it s for sinister respects not out of conscience Thus the Devil misleads some Antichrist seduceth thousands by false Doctrine and miracles as wicked Ministers by seldom or erroneous teaching and bad lives So is the world a great deceiver by bad examples by false reports of the servants of God and by the profits and pleasures thereof yea a mans own heart is a great deceiver as whereby many think they are in the way to Heaven when they be in the way to destruction Ignorance also of the Scriptures is a great cause of being deceived Ye erre saith our Savior not knowing the Scriptures nay God in justice gives some over to believe lyes as Ahab was seduced by false Prophets to his destruction they may provoke God so long by their wandering that he will never reclaim or bring them home but swear in his wrath they shall never enter into his rest they may despise the means so long as no Sermon shall do them good These are in a fearful state marked to destruction as Trees to be felled This also should humble men for what are they but stragling creatures and make them desire to get into the right way But how few will take knowledge they be out of their way thinking still their case to be good enough as the Lord complained by Jeremiah I hearkened and heard but none spake aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying What have I done c. There
nothing so bad as else they would be or at least they shall procure their own liberty to hear read pray c. when their Husbands shall observe that no hurt comes thereby but rather that all things prosper well O therfore let wives labor to be humble and meek that as David was renowned for delivering Israel out of Goliah's hand they may be much more by delivering their Husbands through their godly conversation out of the hands of Satan and Hell O this is the happiest gains to gain men unto God! Thus to put out our talents will be to our Masters greatest advantage and turn most to our glory some Christians scatter away from God through whose ill and undiscreet carriage God and the Gospel lose much Assuredly such can have but little joy of themselves And for Husbands that have such good and godly Wives let them be careful to be bettered by them and won to God else they shall be brought against them as their Judges yea and against such also as live near them and yet are not bettered by them They shall condemn them as Noah did the old world Verse 2. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear THis Verse is an exposition and opening of the former shewing how their Husbands should be won even by beholding their behavior and life to be pure holy honest and good and that not at some times nor in some things onely but at all times and in all things the neglect whereof doth occasion that their Husbands do often despise their forwardness and profession of Religion even because they do not observe them alike conscionably in every thing and at all times as also that they are of them reverenced and regarded and that there is in them a loathness at any time to displease them These things considered do much prevail with them So then our Apostle requireth two things of Wives Chastity and Reverence and that for that their Husbands would look into these things and that diligently While they behold A good reason to perswade wives to those vertues they professing Religion may be sure their Husbands which do not profess the same will look narrowly into their behavior measuring their Religion thereby Thus they that be of diverse Religions look into the lives one of another as the Papists do into ours and we into theirs we disliking their Religion because they make no conscience of an Oath of the Sabbath day of soundness in any duty c. as they ours for that they see many that profess our Religion to be dissolute and notoriously wicked yet have there been at all times some professors which have denyed the power of godliness so the common sort among our selves pry into the conversation of those which seem more forward and eminent in duties then others 1. Therefore It behoves us all to look well to our selves We are as a city set on an hill many eyes be open upon us the eyes of all the Canaanites and Perizzites in the Land when such observe our conversation not to be answerable unto our profession it sets them quite off from the love of Religion which though it be their fault yet we give the occasion 2. Let Wives that have ill Husbands look to themselves Their Husbands observe them at an inch and pry into their conversation to take them tardy for want of subjection and reverence for want of patience or of careful looking to houshold affairs c. that so they may reproach them for Profession and cut them short of their liberty But when after long looking they finde them sound and careful every way it overcomes their hearts and makes them have a reverent opinion of them and thereupon by little and little they are wrought upon and come to the Word and through Gods blessing grow unto a love thereof Happy are those Wives thrice happy those Husbands that have such Your chaste conversation Chastity is a part of temperance whereby we keep our bodies and souls pure and undefiled Temples of the Holy Ghost and Members of Christ Jesus This is to be observed through our whole life whether in single or married estate In single estate there must be abstaining from all uncleanness not onely of the outward act natural or unnatural but from all uncleanness of the ear delighting to hear beastly speech of the tongue to utter it of the eye so to behold any object as to lust after it as also a diligent use of all good means to preserve from these till God call to Marriage and then to embrace that holy and honorable remedy which God hath appointed for many good uses and ends In married estate Chastity must also be preserved Wives must be chaste not onely avoyding all outward and detestable acts of uncleanness with strange men but even of tongue or heart and all the least shews and appearances of immodesty in Countenance Gesture Apparel Speech Company or the like which might cause suspition or jealousie This condemns as all immodest behavior in Wives rowling eyes naked breasts laying out the hair painting the face wanton talk and delighting to be in company of strangers at home or abroad c. so especially that foul and odious sin of Adultery when the Wife breaking the Covenant of God and forsaking the guide of her youth gives her self to Strangers O how do such wrong God Gods Church their Husbands their own Souls O the Judgements whereunto such are lyable here and which shall be inflicted on them if they repent not hereafter As they have burnt in vile lusts against God and his Commandments so they shall burn in Hell for ever and ever Their paths tend to death their houses to Hell and destruction Coupled with fear Not a base fear as to do what she doth for fear of his anger who else would do as she list and cross him if she durst this is forbid in the end of the sixth Verse but a reverend regard of her husband as being her Head and from the love she bears to him being loath to grieve him in any thing but willing and careful to please him every way This rebukes those wives that set lightly by their husbands neither regarding how much they themselves do grieve them nor how much their servants do affording as it were continual matter of grief and unquietness unto them Well be the husband rich or poor wise or unwise the wife should so carry her self as whereby he may receive most content Verse 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold or putting on of apparel Verse 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price INasmuch as those that be given to pride and excess in apparel be none of the most dutiful
special Reason and that not too suddenly and then to hold it so constantly as to make it our own by continuance what new-fangledness is there now the French is in request within one quarter the Italian not long after the Spanish Dutch Polonian c. so that one were as good make a garment for the Moon as for our Countrey women How garish also and gawdy are most in their attire thereby declaring the vanity of their mindes How immodest are some going so mannishly that they can scarce be discerned from men as others by their naked necks and breasts do as it were set their own honesty to sale And whereas costly apparel should be used but seldom with most its made their every days wearing And thus hath our plenty and peace bred a great deal of pride and wantonness and that is the recompence which the Lord hath at our hands which may justly make us fear some heavy hand of God against us this being one of the sins of Sodom as every one that thus sinneth in particular may fear Beggery Deformity or some grievous sickness Let us therefore repent of that is past and labor to reform our selves herein and for those that be as yet free let them so keep themselves For 1. God hath forbidden garishness and excess in apparel and therefore except we will shew our selves not to regard his word we must take heed of it A grievous thing it is that people can come into the very house of God and there sit and hear what is said against it and yet are not moved but still continue in this vice which is as if they should say We will do it whatsoever is said against it They come to be reformed but will admit no Reformation 2. If we consider the coming in of apparel we shall have little cause to be proud of it for we had none in the state of innocency nor none needed neither hear nor cold could annoy us but now by reason of sin both do Besides we were naked and not ashamed when apparel would have been to mans body as a cloud to the Sun not to deck but to darken it for the beauty of Gods workmanship had been better then the Taylors workmanship but when we by sin had wounded our selves God was fain to cover it with a plaister our apparel then is a badge of our sin and ought to humble us in the remembrance of sin It s as a plaister that shews there 's a sore underneath now who is proud of a plaister but rather humbled upon the sight of it A grievous thing it is to turn that into sin that is given us to put us in minde and humble us for sin If any were adjudged to wear a halter all the days of his life would he be proud of it thought it were of silk or boast if he were to wear a silver or gold shackle Apparel is a badge of sin small cause have we to wax proud thereof how gorgeous soever They that thus do are proud in their own shame 3. It s a most unseemly thing for Christians to put excellency in apparel and to be so careful in these outward toys It becomes the the world well enough that know no better clothing neither looking for grace here nor glory hereafter but for Christians thus to do its base The other have their portion here and know no better thing therefore no marvel though they be very careful about this and as the Gentiles seek after the same and the like but Christians should think themselves best when they are modestly and lowly attired attired with grace We professing our selves Pilgrims here ought to live as Pilgrims and not follow the fashion of this or that Countrey in every fangle or garish apparel and so live as Citizens or Courtiers of this world We professing our selves to be travelling to Heaven must be humble and stoop low for the gate is straight we must not load our bodies and mindes with these things for they will hinder us in our journey 4. It s absurd to place excellency in such a thing as apparel for we borrow it of poor creatures which be far inferior to our selves The best silk is the excrement of crawling Worms the finest cloath but of the fleece of the silly Sheep so we borrow the skin of one the bones of another the hair or fleece of another Will any Nobleman borrow apparel of a mean Yeoman or if he were put to such a shift would he be proud of it or not rather be ashamed seeing we be put to borrow of the creatures so far our inferiors for our clothing having nothing of our own but nakedness we should not be proud of it Besides when we have done all we can there be sundry Heathens have better then we and many Players Dancers and Strumpets have as good and better yea there 's put upon Horses velvet gold c. and when all is done we are not so fine as the lilly of the field 5. When the outside is so much decked commonly the inside is neglected lightly both are not well lookt to but the soul the inside should be best cloathed the body is but the case of the soul and the apparel but the case of the body we never make the case of a thing so good as that we put up therein Presents of good worth are often lapt up in papers and so sent They that give themselves most to gay clothes have no leisure nor care to deck themselves inwardly therefore are like painted vessels having a fair outside but an empty and mean inside like a Jade with a velvet saddle and gilded trappings Will any man esteem the Horse because of them or will he not rather pull these off him and then try what mettal he is of In many men and women their outside is fairest but if an house were neatly painted without and like an Hogsty within who would not mislike it 6. Whereas such as set their minde so much on brave apparel look to be hereupon highly esteemed regarded and reverenced God notably crosseth their pride so as they miss their aym some laugh at them some envy them some are angry at them some speak against them O there 's a notable proud woman yea those that crouch to them yet in heart mislike them and the poor say Since gay clothing came up they could get but little relieve So whereas hereby they thought to please all they please none neither God nor man 7. It betters not them that wear it whether they be beautiful in body or deformed vertuous in minde or vicious If beautiful what needs such a deal of stir which doth indeed hinder their natural beauty If deformed hereby their deformity is not hid but rather made more known then else it would If vertuous it s not gay cloaths but their vertues that sets them out no more then a candle light gives
good we must endeavor to live under the Ministery of the Word where we may know the will of God and be thereby directed unto Salvation This condemneth the most unmerciful hard-heartedness of the world that have no pity on themselves for their Spiritual miseries nay will not take knowledge of them but hate those that would help them out of them or knowing them yet are content either to abide in the same without any regard or bless themselves in their condition as if either it were not so bad as it is or they might come out of it when they would Would we not pity our selves if we were blinde lame naked diseased in our bodies Such are we in soul but where 's our pity Who would live in a place where there were no bread or in a Town besieged by Enemies wherein there were no Watchmen to give warning but not a few live where there are neither Preaching nor Preachers As Peter bade Christ favor himself so may we bid these pity themselves O consider of the worth of your souls and of the misery wherein they now are and if not now prevented hereafter shall be How do we take on if our finger be but a little burnt with a Candle Should we not therefore stand in fear of the everlasting burning in Hell Who will pity you if you pity not your own souls or who will commit unto you their souls to be cared for that have no pity of your own If God cast you into eternal torments without pity yet you must needs blame your selves as those who had no pity of your selves O pity your selves though it be with some pains to your bodies If your bodies do your souls a good turn as by bringing them to the Word being profited thereby they will requite them a thousand fold Pity towards others is either in respect of their souls or their bodies In respect of their souls It must be our care and labor to help them out of such miseries and bondage as they lie under Thus must Princes be careful of their subjects souls be unto them as nursing fathers and nursing mothers feed them guide them and with Asa Hezekiah Josiah Jehoshaphat c. provide that they may be instructed in their duties Thus must Magistrates of the people among whom they live encouraging the good and punishing the bad Thus Ministers as Watchmen tell people of any danger as Shepherds feed them and as guides lead them They must preach to the capacity of the meanest going in and out before them by an holy example Thus Patrons must have a care in bestowing their livings in pity of the peoples souls Thus Parents of their Children bringing them up in the narture and fear of the Lord Thus Husbands of their wives souls Masters of their Servants all of us each of others Help them that live in ignorance out of it in what you can bring home the impenitent comfort them that are afflicted yea we are even to pity those that are further off or dwell in other Countries who are yet without the knowledge of God and Christ as also to pity their souls who do not yet pity themselves What may not enduce us hereunto God is full of compassion and mercy Such an account made he of our souls as to save them he gave the blood of his own Son Christ Jesus so pitied us as he was content to abase himself to the state of man taking upon him the form of a Servant yea to undergo the ignominous death of the Cross O how he wept over Jerusalem How moved he was with pity when he saw the people scattered as Sheep wanting a shepherd and as he himself Preached most diligently so as the Doctor and Prophet of his Church he furnisht the same with able men as the twelve Apostles and seventy Disciples Adde hereunto that the soul is of more worth then the whole world and that if the soul be lost it must lie in unspeakable and endless torments and thither also will it draw the body This condemneth the unmercifulness of the world towards souls as of those which establish false Religion and binde their people thereto as Jeroboam who made the people sin such poyson and murther the soul So of ungodly Magistrates who hinder the preaching of the Word in what they can So of ignorant Heretical corrupt Teachers ravening Wolves such starve or poyson souls They cloath themselves with the fleece but care not for the flock So of wicked and unconscionable Patrons that for kindred favor or money put in such as God never called being no way fit for that weighty calling utterly unapt to teach having neither ability nor willingness thereto being such as seek their ease and pleasures So of wicked Fathers that buy livings for their Sons though never so unsufficient So of careless and ungodly Parents that have no care of the education of their Children providing for them food gay cloaths and great Portions but no good instruction If they were taken Captives of the Turk they will mourn but are no whit moved with pity though they be indeed Slaves unto Satan If but their finger ake they are grieved what should they then be seeing so many ugly sores of deadly sins running upon them So of Neighbors that little regard those they live by though ignorant impenitent c. they are not troubled at it shew little mercy this way So if any be afflicted in conscience few take the same to heart few do either regard or pity them Assuredly such as shew no mercy to the souls of others especially them that be under their charge shall have of God no mercy shewed on their souls but as it was said Eye for eye tooth for tooth so will he make them pay soul for soul their blood shall be required of them There shall be judgement without mercy to them that shew no mercy yea God will especially unconscionable and unmerciful Ministers not only in themselves and their goods so gotten but also in their children Contrarily to those that have pitied souls God will shew mercy Godly Kings and Magistrates with Jehoshaphat Hezekiah and Nehemiah God will bless and remember them in goodness Also godly painful and merciful Ministers shall both save themselves and them that hear them They shall shine as the Stars and receive an incorruptible Crown of glory Being careful in their places they are what effect soever their labors have a sweet savor to God The like may be said of Parents who are careful in their childrens education and of godly Neighbors which seek the good of their souls with whom they live God will requite it into their bosoms as having done a great work O let us be provoked to have more regard and pity of the miseries of souls then ever If we be careful of our own we will also be
when he is angry 3. God hates it and such as commit the same 4. It brought misery into the world with shame and confusion upon us all and hath always been the cause of all evils For this the Angels were cast out of Heaven Adam out of Paradice the old world drowned and Sodom burnt c. yea it wounds the Conscience which God hath set in us as a Monitor Notary Accuser Judge and Tormentor 5. It bringeth eternal destruction both of body and soul O who would not hate that Mother which brings forth no better children Besides we shun lesser things therefore should shun this much more we shun crosses exceedingly which yet are so far from hindring our Salvation as that they further the same but sin is the destruction of our souls That sins is worse then all crosses appears by the Devils practice who is that subtile one he had rather draw Job to commit sin against God by impatiency then have power to take away all his goods he did this to bring him to that and its true if a man should break an Arm or Leg or lose all he hath it were not so bad or so much to be shunned as is sin To eschew this is the note of a man that loves God of a man that fears him for eschewing this are Gods Servants commended in Scripture as on the contrary the wicked branded for committing the same We are to Eschew all evil even the least we must not give way unto any one no not the least idle thought or word even one is able to destroy us yea and he that breaks one is guilty of all Yea and All persons are to eschew the same not the greatest excepted Gods Law bindes them be they Princes Magistrates Ministers Householders c. They should eschew it most for by their example they do most hurt and as no mans greatness will bear him out so will not any mans meanness excuse him in doing of evil And as all persons are to eschew it so must they shun it At all times Amonst all the times which the Preacher setteth down there 's none for sin we must serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life Some things be in season at one time some at another but sin is never in season Many make the Lords days the times of disorder and they that will be orderly all the year yet at Christide they take liberty to ryot gaming drinking c. as if those times were not to be as well if not better employed then others We must also eschew it In all places God is the God of all places neither can any place change the nature of sin thou must eschew sin as well abroad as at home in thy House Chamber Shop as well as at Church All kindes of sin are also to be avoided Error in judgement and wickedness in Conversation evil against God our Neighbors or our selves We must also shun and avoid evil under what colour or pretence soever it comes as Usury is pretended to be lawful on the behalf of Orphans to kill ones self to preserve Chastity to separate from the Church lest they partake with the wicked c. whosoever doth command it as appears by the examples of the three Children Daniel Peter and John whose example soever we have for it for we are not to follow even a multitude though of great learned men in evil though it be never so gainful What got Achan Gehazi Judas by their booties Our Savior would not listen to the Devils proffer that of fered him All the Kingdoms of the world and we should be losers if we did gain the whole world with the loss of our souls never so pleasannt for though it be sweet in the mouth it will be gall afterward bite like a Serpent and sting like a Cockatrice for a vain short pleasure to sell our souls to everlasting pain were folly indeed yea though we could bring to pass some good thereby we must not do evil that good may come thereof better that good be left undone then that it should be purchased with Gods dishonor as to steal or take usury that we may do good to the poor c. nay we must so hate and eschew evil as we may eschew the very appearance thereof as to go to a place that is of ill report though having no ill purpose c. and must avoid the occasions leading thereunto as going in the twylight by the Harlots house anger multitude of businesses the company of angry persons multiplying of words c. yea if even things good and lawful in themselves be an occasion of evil and cause us to offend we must forbear them as some in using their recreations break out into impatience and anger and others cannot leave the same in any time better for such to pluck out this their eye cut off this their right hand and to eschew this we must eschew the persons and places where in likelyhood we are to be drawn thereunto as the company of bad persons and private familiarity with wicked doers and that not for any sinister respect but because its evil though haply we may be hated for our labor eschewing especially those sins that be most incident to our nature complexion and calling and whereunto we have been most accustomed 1. This condemns them that be so far from hating and eschewing evil though it be as poyson as the Plague that they love it with their hearts live in the continual practice thereof drink it down like water running thereunto as the horse rusheth into the Battel This is the state of most they are workers of iniquity the whole world lieth in wickedness they love not the means nor persons whereby they may be pulled out of their sins but eschew them and goodness as much as they can What Rebels be these against God their Maker Preserver and Soveraign Being made to honor him will they do nothing but dishonor him and so requite all his blessings will nothing serve those to play with but swords and fire-brands and mortal things nothing please them but to cross God and nothing like them but their own poyson Have they sped so well formerly that have done thus Do they provoke the Lord and not themselves to the confusion of their faces If they have vowed they will have their pleasures and lusts whatsoever comes of it then it must be so what remedy These have no love of God neither is there any fear of God in them They are prophane and godless persons which may look for wages answerable to their work shame and the wrath of God in this world and eternal destruction in the world to come For life is in the way of righteousness but death is in the way of sin and the paths thereof tend to Hell O that these persons would hear the
counsel of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar even that they would break off their sins by repentance O turn ye why will ye dye acknowledge I beseech you all your rebellions and treacheries against God and that you have deserved hereby to be cut off entreating yet for pardon and mercy through Jesus Christ Turn to God with your whole hearts and learn to know that sin is odious bringing dishonor to God and destruction upon your selves O shun all evil little and great shun it at all times in all places how gainful or pleasing so ever and whosoever commands it or whomsoever you see practice it together with all the appurtenances and occasions of the same Means to evil may be these 1. Labor to understand the ten Commandments and so what is good and what is evil 2. Labor for faith which purifieth the heart from evil even the assurance of Gods love to us which may work in us love to his Majesty and so an hatred of all evil 3. A sanctified heart the inseperable companion of true faith 4. Attend on Gods ordinances publikely the Word and Sacraments and in private use meditation conference prayer c. 5. Watch and pray that we enter not neither be led into temptation 6. Make we a Covenant against evil as Job and David 7. Call to minde the fearful wrath of God and the wages of sin and the examples thereof on many both in Scripture and our own experience as also the hour of death when it will trouble us and lie heavy on our conscience and the day of Judgement when and where we would be loath to meet with it 2. This also rebukes them that eschew some evil but not all nor at all times or in all places Being commanded what will they not do What not for profit pleasure preferment The sins of their complexion and trade they will in no wise leave they run upon things because lawful though they cannot use them lawfully If they can sin secretly they make no conscience thereof 3. This may serve for instruction with rebuke to most Christians and to us that be most ancient professors that though we have a general purpose against evil yet we neither hate it so deeply nor shun it so carefully as we ought nor are so much humbled when we have been overtaken and have fallen thereinto as we ought we complain of our crosses but grieve not so much that we have fallen into sin If one should threaten to run at us with a naked sword or shoot at us whensoever he could finde an opportunity we would be wary and watchful upon our going abroad having an eye in every corner c. O do we thus against sin which watcheth but an opportunity to do us mischief If we would thus do we should not be so often overtaken as we are we should see better days scape numbers of crosses have more peace to our consciences more joy in our death and a freer passage to Heaven But alas we judge even that which is a great evil to be but a little one it pleaseth us if we have any colour for the same as that we have but once committed it that others do so and so c. Thus do we prophane the Lords-day despise his Ministers and run upon all sorts of evils 4. This affords consolation to all such as do indeed eschew evil and that out of an unfained hatred thereof rejoycing in nothing more then when they prevail against it grieving at nothing more then when they are overcome thereby such do indeed love God such fear him in truth and so are beloved of God and shall be everlastingly blessed these shall live happily here in joy and bliss hereafter O go on in this Christian course though the world hate you because ye do not as they do though they call you precise fools because ye dare not swallow such goblets as they do yea though hereupon ye pull danger upon your selves yet must ye eschew evil and so let us It s no matter though we have the worlds frown as long as we have Gods favor and what if we shall miss many a sweet morsel of profit pleasure and promotion if we be free from the gripes and vexations of conscience and the wrath of Almighty God they that now have their sweet meat would one day vomit up their morsels if they could as Judas did who though he rid himself of the money yet could not be rid of his wound of Conscience nor of the Judgement of God upon him were they ever the worse or had they any cause to grieve that they had not a share with him in the thirty pieces And do good This necessarily followeth on the other No man can have his heart truly nor aright set to do good whose heart is not first purged of the love of all evil for they cannot stand in one heart and at once and that man that lives and bears himself in the practice one sin never did good aright in his life neither ever pleased he God Who can serve God in one thing that serves the Devil in another This may serve to rouse up some that fain would do well and many good things they do but some one old accustomed sin which they know is a sin they cannot leave Well there 's no hating sin it will not do well the end will not be good it s but to be almost Christians Some will say Such a Preacher hath prevailed much with me and done me much good but as long as one known sin is lived in all is nothing worth to Salvation It s true a childe of God through strong temptations may be overcome of the same evil which he hates but he both covenants against it is careful that he may not fall into it having fallen he is much grieved He that is not grieved but doth again upon the next occasion fall to it is indeed in a grievous condition Thus from the order To do good is sometimes taken in a strict sence for the performance of the works of mercy whether for body or soul or both Here more largely for that good we are to do to our neighbor enemies that do us hurt or yet more largely for whatsoever God hath commanded in his Word Whose will is a perfect rule of Righteousness and makes that good which he requireth Whosoever would see good days here and hereafter must set himself in body and soul to the obedience of Gods will in doing good No other shall be saved good is the way leading to this end To come to this end we must walk in this way Reasons 1. It s good and amiable of it self as the Lord is 2. God commands it who is our Soveraign Lord and King Thou shalt do thus and thus saith he often throughout the Scriptures for I am the Lord thy God 3. All promises in Scripture of good things here or
forward in profession more then before then we should live answerably that they may boldly converse with us but the common sort of the world also they expect it for though they will take liberty themselves yet they look that we Ministers and Professors of Religion should lead a strict life in all things If we do otherwise we shall hear of it and surely we are beholding to them for this though they do it of no good minde and may make good use thereof to look to our selves as questionless Abraham did when in the matter of variance which arose between him and Lot For that the Canaanite and Perizzite were then in the Land 4. It s an honor to our profession when with Job we dare bid our adversary write a book against us and the contrary is a disgrace not to our selves onely but to our profession yea our Religion it self in the account of the wicked whereat they blaspheme yet ought not they to judge ill of all for the fault of some but especially of Religion it self though the professors thereof were naught No man blames the Trade for the fault of the Tradesman nor all for the fault of some yet here they do it when they see men make a shew of Religion but denying the power thereof If professors differ not in their lives from others it makes the world think that there 's nothing in profession and yet they may perceive some few walk without exception 1. This rebuketh some that having good knowledge and are very ready to speak yea and to censure and blame that that is not good and are very forward in profession yet halt foully in their lives as the Brownists that are very hot and so holy as they not onely censure others but condemn the Church it self not onely as impure but as no Church and yet themselves besides that they are Proud Scornful and Obstinate not to speak of their living out of any Church and their spending their Sabbath they foully sin against the second Table they borrow what they can not caring to pay again are breakers of their Word and Promise think to live of other mens labors and yet that herein they should be born with as being extraordinary persons they would say in being idle and negligent in their callings yea there are some of them which will swear steal and break the Sabath A woful Generation 2. It reproveth such among our selves which place all Religion in hearing Sermons and talking as some servants do which yet perform not the duties of their calling are idle untrusty lazy stubborn disobedient as if all should be born with because of their hearing sermons whereas on that very ground more is to be lookt for at their hands And this is grown to such a pass that many of the common sort of people say of all they will not meddle with these Bible-wenches of which before Is not this a good report you have brought upon the Word yea many godly Christians are weary of such not but that I know there be godly servants of both Sexes that have learned to shew the fruit of their hearing by all good carriage in their particular calling and are as jewels to them they be with but these be rare Do these things agree as well as Harp and Harrow Doth God take pleasure in this that you should hear his Word and yet not minde to be guided thereby How can you approve that there 's any more in you then in Hypocrites and Reprobates can you shew your Faith by your works Dare you bid your adversary write a Book against you Do you not set men off from Religion and make them speak ill You all that usually resort hither to the Word I bescech to shew the fruits of it when you come home your neighbors look for it your lives be pryed into it may do you good we see your faces onely and think well that you will hear but your neighbors they see your lives and God seeth your hearts and if your faces were like Angels and your hearts corrupt and lives unreformed you shall have your portion with Devils And here I think it requisite to speak of an abuse amongst us that they which bring in here because of the concourse of people their commodities to sell raise the prizes and sell dearer then in any of the Market Towns round about us whereby they wrong the poor here and raise the prizes elsewhere for if a price be up it s a president straight yea and also raise an evil name on the Gospel I do not mean yet that Christians going to Market are bound to sell at lower rates then the ordinary though I take them so bound at home in dear times to their own poor Neighbors yet is it not the part of a Christian to be the raiser of prizes especially in dear times It s indeed a note of a wicked worldling 3. This rebuketh even good Christians that walk not so wisely towards them that be without as they ought nor yet so strictly in their lives but are too forward hasty strict in their dealing slack in paying their work-folks are careless of their words c. O let all such professing themselves the Servants of God shew forth the same by all good conversation in their particular Callings Thou must not be a zealous woman and yet an unquiet wife a zealous man and yet a cruel husband a zealous yong man or maid and yet an unfaithful Servant a zealous man and yet a false dealer in your Shops and Trades Good This is fitly added and well required for one of wicked life will never stand to the truth but fall from it for Heresie is the punishment usually of foul sins but a godly man will stand most to the truth They that speak evil of you as of evil doers Here note That The wicked are very apt and much bent to speak ill of Gods Servants Thus Elias was said to trouble Israel Elisha termed a mad fellow and called bald-head Micaiah said that he never prophesied good and Jeremiah that he raved so Steven was said to have blasphemed as Paul to be a pestilent fellow nay the perfection of innocency Christ himself was most foully spoken of termed a Samaritan a friend of publicans and sinners one that had a Devil c. Thus was it in the Primitive Church thus is it still If the godly do any thing amiss how do they toss and encrease it If they do but groan under an infirmity they will be sure to set that abroach against them if they know nothing they will devise some evil of them or if they hear of any from others though never so unlikely or on never so a bad ground yet shall it go for payment and currant yea though they can make their own vices go under the name of vertues yet they will call their vertues by the name of vices If zealous then hot and rash if
what he calls the power of God our Apostle calls the Spirit both which are in effect one 2. Hereby cannot be meant the Fathers and godly for he speaks onely of the disobedient and Reprobate ones 3. He speaks onely of those that lived in Noah's time and no other age of the world 4. This Prison was an unhappy and miserable place and not Abrahams bosom nor the place of the Fathers 5. Even after our Saviors Resurrection when our Apostle wrote this they were then still in Prison therefore Christ had not delivered them nor fetcht them out but they that had been there were there still And where they say he went to Preach to the Reprobates this will not stand neither for he speaks here onely of the Reprobates of Noah's time and why should Christ in his soul go unto them rather then unto any other Besides to Preach to them and do them no good nor intend any is against the nature end of preaching But that there are any such places as Limbus patrum Limbus puerorum or Purgatory the Scripture gives not any inkling 1. That the Fathers went to no such place is certain but that their souls loosed by death went to Heaven Jesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for ever They had the same benefit by Christ as we after their death 2. They also believed in Christ as well as we Abraham saw my day and rejoyced They ate the same Spiritual meat and drank the same Spiritual drink and so were partakers of the same benefits of Christ. 3. Their Spirits went to God that gave them they enter into peace and so not into the Prison 4. Abrahams bosom into which Lazarus was carried by the Angels was above not beneath an happy not a miserable place Christ therefore went not to fetch them out thence there being no such place For Purgatory they say there 's such a place in the brim of Hell where the pains be almost as bad as Hell pains and the fire as hot into which are sent the souls of the godly that dye in faith and repentance but yet have not suffered the punishment of their sins in this world therefore must make up their sufferings in Purgatory for they teach that for our sins and punishments both committed before Baptism Christ suffered but for those after Baptism though Christ takes away the sins yet the punishment must be suffered by our selves and that partly in this life by penances c. and the rest by suffering in Purgatory that for every sin is due seven years of payment in Purgatory and therefore the Pope gives Pardons sometimes for fifty sometimes for an hundred years c. and therefore they say Masses for the souls of them that have been dead many 100 years and when they have suffered for all their sins paid the utmost farthing then come the souls out after they have been a while refreshed in a fair green field ful of pleasant flowers which is hard by Purgatory then they go up to Heaven notwithstanding oftentimes through the mercy of the Popes those pains are mitigated We say 1. That as they themselves do not agree about the place c. So neither is it otherwise grounded but on unwritten verities The Scriptures mention but two places whereinto the souls go immediately after death Heaven which is for the godly and Hell which is for the ungodly for the godly that they do immediately go into an happy place all the Scriptures sound with Simeon they depart in peace go not to Purgatory scorching pains Christ is to them as in life so in death advantage Having finished their course henceforth there 's laid up for them a crown of righteousness They have after the dissolution of their earthly Tabernacle a building of God an house not made with hand eternal in the Heavens Christ hath prayed for them that they may be where he is even in Heaven The thief on the right hand had as much need to have gone to Purgatory as any other yet on that day wherein he dyed he was with Christ in Paradice Blessed are they which dye in the Lord saith the Spirit for they rest from their labors After death presently comes the judgement that every man shall stick to Among all those things which God spake to Moses there 's not a word of this among all the Sacrifices that God ordained there were none appointed for souls in Purgatory and amongst all the cleansings and purifyings of all kinde of impurities of Leprosie and Issues c. there 's not a word of this What was God so unmindeful of his Church and people then Neither is there in all the new Testament any word for it 2. What a wretched thing is it to hold that our sufferings should satisfie the wrath of God and punishment of our sins when the least sin deserves eternal destruction both of soul and body And for their distinction that Christs death gives power to the pains of Purgatory to satisfie is an idle and ridiculous conceit 3. To say that Christ should satisfie for our sins and take them away but not our punishment is it not a wicked abuse of Gods justice where he forgives the sin doth he not also forgive the punishment True he chastens his servants but they are no part of satisfaction of his justice onely a means to prevent sin to come and humble for that which is past as if I had a quarrel against a man I might forgive him and yet if I see him in an Appoplexy or Swoon I may hit him a blow to fetch him again The truth is Purgatory was devised partly of a blinde and curious devotion of some Monks that thought that they that had some beginnings as they thought of goodness and so dyed it were no reason they should be damned c. who were therefore to be purged in Purgatory and so come to Heaven and that seeing most men have much sin in them even when they dye it were unreasonable they should go straight to Heaven for no unclean person shall come there and therefore they must suffer and be cleansed in Purgatory Who doth not see the absurdity of these conceits when the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth in him shal not be condemned that whosoever dyeth in the Faith all their sins and corruptions are done away and they received into Heaven But principally the Pope and his Clergy out of covetousness were chief founders hereof for hereby they did infinitely enrich themselves and every where enjoyed the very fat in the Land It was devised for the pampering of the living not the punishing or purging of the dead Through their covetousness meeting with the peoples ignorance Purgatory was hatched But what a cruelty is this of the Pope who hath power as he saith to deliver as many as he lists out of Purgatory yet will suffer so many so long to
God to come and yet they feared nothing Note that wicked men fear not Gods judgements Thus was it with the Sodomites with Lots sons in law with the Israelites This is indeed a token of a wicked man as being an argument of unbelief Atheism and hardness of heart and that they are mad on their sins These are sure to fall into destruction This condemns the common unbelief and impenitency of most men for though they hear Gods judgements denounced against sinners and that they hang over the pit of Hell and that he will judge Whoremongers and Adulterers c. and that no such shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and that they are thieves for every bit of bread they eat that if they come to the Sacrament without their wedding Garment they shall be bound hand and foot c. yet they fear no colours but go on like blinde Bayard People were of old afraid of Purgatory but these are not whatsoever can be said of Hell or the day of Gods dreadful judgement But they that now fear them least shall one day feel them most whereas Gods Servants which tremble and humble themselves with David Habakkuk and Josiah hiding themselves with God shall escape and they that fear them least before they come and are boldest in sin they are most stricken with horror and most cowardly when they come as Ahaz Saul Belshazzar c. Wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water Here 's the proper use and end of the Ark The preservation of Noah and his Family from drowning By souls we are to understand men and women and by being saved their temporal deliverance 1. In that the Ark preserved them and was not overturned with the raging of the waters and that Noah with his were not choaked being so long there with beasts Note That What God will have a thing to do though it seem never so weak or unlikely yet it shall be sufficient to effect it as Sampsons jaw-bone the compassing of Jericho Daniels pulse which he eat the Whales belly for Jonah Jordan to cleanse Naaman so by the foolishness of Preaching by the Ministery of a few mean men to speak of in comparison to convert the Gentiles c. If God shut up Noah in the Ark he shall be safe enough yea and how many poor live and prosper with a short and bare allowance and many of them in sickness get up with poor help and means O the happy condition of Gods Servants what means soever they have if God bless the same they shall suffice to do them good Hereof how often in time of danger when means have failed or weak means onely were to be had have we had experience 2. In that Noah with six other righteous persons besides himself were preserved Note Both the reward of righteousness though not for merit but Gods mercy and what a dignity and priviledge it is to be righteous one such is more worth then ten thousand others As they are the glory the wicked are the dross so do they finde that godliness hath the promises both of this life and that which is to come O what a provocation and encouragement ought this to be unto us to labor to approve our selves to God to be righteous in Gods sight and to walk with him Such shall be preserved from all evil of body and soul for those that be otherwise they lie open to all judgements here and to eternal destruction hereafter O that men could believe the odds between the one and the other Cham being with his Father in the Ark was preserved from the Flood but after was cursed and condemned for his sin and is in Hell Note both that Its good to be near the godly The place and they that be with them fare the better for their sake as Laban for Jacobs and Potiphar for Josephs wicked Jehoram for Jehoshaphats all in the Ship for Pauls and here Cham for Noahs and none can be saved by any other bodies goodness The soul that sinneth shall dye and every one shall be saved by his own Faith C ham perished though he had Noah to his Father who was such a good man Note further That Though the wicked both may and do often escape bodily dangers as Cham did yea live wax old and grow in wealth c. yet they shall not escape the everlasting judgement of God for their sins While they continue their sins whatsoever their prosperity be their judgement sleepeth not neither doth their damnation slumber 4. In that of those which were saved from drowning being but few yet one was not saved eternally Note That It ever hath been is and will be that a very few have been or shall be saved thus you see it was in the old world So was it under the Law when all the Nations lived without God in the world onely God was known in Jury yea though Israel was as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of those were saved How few in the wilderness but were disobedient how few under the Prophets but were idolatrous and stiff-necked In the days of Christ where was faith to be found and now not to speak of the Jews Turks and Pagans even among Christians doth not the love of most wax cold Narrow is the way to Heaven and there be few that finde it Many are called but few are chosen Gods people are a little Flock Faith and Repentance without which none can be saved be so difficult things as few attain them An Hypocrite and civil man may go far but come far short If indeed to speak two or three good words at ones death were a sign of repentance as numbers hold or Heaven were so easily come by in vain did Gods Servants humble themselves and labor to cleanse themselves in innocency I would never care for coming into Heaven if it were so easily obtained as the Arrian at Norwich about to be Executed said to one standing by Do you think Christ would forgive me if I did confess and believe in him and acknowledge him O saith the party without all doubt he would To whom the Arrian If your Christ be so easily to be entreated I 'le never believe in him But not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Faith and Repentance with the change of a man is the greatest work in the world Though we cannot judge the precise number of those which shall be saved neither yet who they are yet generally this is true That in the visible Church but a few shall be saved We must not therefore content our selves to do as most do or the rest of our Neighbors do but rather as the fewest do else we can never enter into Heaven or be saved we must crowd and strive hard and labor to be of the number of those few which shall be saved we must give all
time of Popery they wondred at the Martyrs that they would not at some times yield a little as to speak a few words c. Thus it is now for the world lives still and is like it self If any dare not play or riot or talk of the world on the Lords Day they are thought to be mopish fools who had rather be poring on a book then doing as others If any care not to get by Lying Deceiving and the common ways of the world they are wondered at as fools so if any now and then omit some of their businesses and go to hear the Word they are accounted idle as Pharaoh said to the Israelites and such as have little to do If any be humbled for their sins they think them melancholy and that they will be out of their wits and they would not be in their case for no good and would have them be merry and play it away If any at the hearing of the Word perceiving it to be high time to forsake his old wont and take a better course now dare not do as he hath formerly they wonder at him What! art thou turned Puritan will they say Wiltst thou forsake thy sports and merriments which they think a little heaven cast off thine old companions and sworn brethren c. What wondrest thou at them for thus doing What for coming out of the fire for taking pains to save their souls for not daring to wound poyson or destroy themselves by provoking God for taking pains to do that which must keep them by Gods appointment with all needful graces for being troubled about their sins and the danger thereof for longing to be in the favor of God c Assuredly thou hast small reason so to do but it s for that they savor not the things of the Spirit of God for that they perceive not the things that are of God are blinde and cannot see afar off If we should see one of a strange Country come through our Town we would wonder at their strange attire nothing like ours The children of God be not of this world but chosen out of the world and may not fashion themselves like the world but be of the fashion of Heaven the world therefore wonders at them 1. Therefore let none think that if they turn to God and take a good course that they shall be generally beloved and well thought of of God Angels and good men they shall but of the world they shall be wondered at and hated ere you begin make account hereof even to have the ill will of those which have loved you yea it may be the displeasure and frown of Father Mother c. yet let not this hold you off nor keep you still in your old course as long as God and good men love you what need you care Wo be to you when all men speak well of you better be wondered at and hated of the world for well-doing then condemned of God for ill-doing 2. For those that are entred into a good course already and finde it thus let them not be discouraged it s no new thing the worthy servants of God have been counted fools and madmen for well-doing We must have an Heroical courage not to be daunted herewith we must not think the worse of our selves because the world thinks basely of us who know us not nor our course which of them that be very fools indeed is counted foolishness we may wonder as much and much more at them that be so desperate to go on in their sins and take no thought for death or day of Judgement that hang over a pit and yet can be merry that run on in the score and never think of reckoning that dare buy a few short profits and pleasures at so dear a rate at the loss of their souls that deprive themselves of the inward and true comfort and peace they might have in God and spiritual things as the Word and Sacraments for the short and vain pleasures of honor and deceiveable riches that prefer Hogs meat before Angels food We have cause I say to wonder at their folly and madness and to pity them thanking God that hath not left us in their woful blindeness and miserable estate If thus by wondering at them we can do them any good so it is but let not their wondering hurt us 3. For those that think strange of Gods servants for not doing ill or for well doing they bewray themselves to be of the world and so to be carnal They that mislike the fashion of Gods children it s a sign they be of another Countrey not of Heaven and that they be none of wisdoms children for all they justifie wisdom wheresoever they see her and in whomsoever Labor therefore not onely not to think their course strange but to acknowledge it the best course in the world and accordingly to follow it That you run not with them This sheweth that Though we be dull and dead and slow to that that is good yet our proneness and eagerness to that that is naught is exceeding great We can run to Play-sports Vanities and Follies please us but we come to the Word Prayers and good Duties with a leaden heel at this we are drowsie but at the other watchful enough Many run so fast in the ways of sin and make such haste that they run themselves quite out of state and credit with God and man and out of their health too and have brought untimely destruction upon themselves they have made such haste that it seemeth they thought long till they were in hell Too too many also are now a running but it s in the broad way wherein the faster they run the sooner they come to destruction if it were well considered they can see small cause to make such haste O that they could be perswaded to turn head and enter into the way of good men and then let them run as fast as they will run the race set before them so run that they may obtain and as before we rejected all counsel that might do us good so now let us shake off all impediments whether within or without us that would hinder us in our Christian course or from running the way of Gods Commandments The faster we have heretofore run in vanity run we now the faster in the right way we could then take great pains think the time short spend our money in vanity now after the same maner le ts do the contrary it s our great fault that we did run apace after the world with the profits and pleasure thereof but now our fault is that we go a foot pace nay a Snails pace in goodness To the same excess of riot When men give way to sin and their hearts are set on evil there is no hoe but they will run over head and ears As the Sea if it break over a bank it can scarcely
such a destruction and desolation as hath been of some particular Cities and Nations nor a destruction of some Creatures in all places as was in the Flood but the end of all things that is All things shall come to that end that God hath appointed them to come to many and most Creatures to an utter end the heavens and earth to be purged by fire men and women not to come to an utter end but to live immortally in joy or wo but to be at an â—nd for living here so that as the world had a beginning it shall have an end the same God that created it shall destroy it Is at hand That is draweth near therefore these are called the last times and the Apostle saith Time is short and That upon them the ends of the world were come Obj. How could this be true that it was near when now 1600 years are past since and yet it is not come did the Apostle speak as he thought or onely to scare the people Answ. He spake as he was perswaded and that truly 1. Either in respect of the times before Christ it was nearer then to those under the Law or 2. In respect of God to whom 1000 years are but as one day or 3. In respect of eternity a thousand years are nothing to the time to come which is for ever it s as little as a drop of water to the whole ocean Sea Obj. But did the Apostle think that it was thus far off and should last thus many years as it hath since he spake this A. It s likely he thought it nearer for Christ Jesus being come and all the Prophesies of him fulfilled the Gentiles called and the mystery of iniquity begun already to work why might he not think this and though some things were yet to be accomplished touching the calling of the Jews yet might he think that that might quickly be dispatched Howsoever that that time was the last time they knew and that God would never speak after any new maner to his Church as he had done before from time to time and the Apostle Paul though he would often signifie the end to be approaching yet he knew it was not to be by and by but that some things must first fall out though haply he conceived that the same might have been dispatched in lesser time then it hath been But we have the advantage of them because we have the Book of the Revelation left to the Church by the Ministery of John the last living Apostle containing things to come from that time till the worlds end whereof many things be already accomplished which makes the Book more lightsom other things are yet to come touching the ruine of Antichrist calling of the Iews destruction of the Turks but in what time the Lord will finish these things we know not What if the day be yet some scores of years off yea some few hundreds as we may well think that is the utmost is it not then near by It was near in the Apostles time much nearer now then began the last time now is the end thereof But that is not so much the force of the Reason as this That we live in the last times nearer the worlds end then our Forefathers before Christ therefore ought to minde earthly things less and seek more after heavenly and lead an holy and godly life But say the day of Judgement were not so near as it is yet every of our particular ends is at hand we know not how soon when where how to day or to morrow and that is to us as if the world were at an end for any use thereof and for our state it shall be with us at the last day as when we dye 1. This may provoke us to Sanctification and a godly life seeing we live in the clearest times when the last day draweth near They that lived long ago were to live godly much more we having so short a time we must so live that when our Master cometh he may finde us so doing If death or judgement take us in our sins how miserable is our condition 2. It may reprove such as so live here as if here they were to live for ever eating and drinking and beating their fellow-servants c. others also that go on carelesly either making no profession or contenting themselves with a shew thereof as the five foolish Virgins every one must prepare himself that he may be found in peace at Gods coming 3. It may comfort the godly in bearing the Cross patiently yet a little while and we shall be in heaven from the same yea that day draweth near wherein God will be glorified in the sight of all his enemies See Phil. 4. 5. Heb. 10. 36. James 5. 8. 4. We should not set our mindes on these transitory things but on them that endure for ever The things of this world are vain uncertain perishing the world it self shall be consumed and our selves be most frail of all we must therefore be sober in seeking these earthly things laboring after grace life everlasting and the means thereof Be ye therefore sober Now of particular duties one helps another The former reason strongly enforceth these duties From the coherence note 1. That as before he exhorted to Sanctification in general so he doth now in particular for we are subject to deceive our selves Many be good in the gross not so in particulars they think they love God above all and their neighbors too and that they live holily but come to particulars it s nothing so 2. That as he forbade the forementioned lusts and vices so he now exhorts to the contrary duties the one must not be without the other see Acts 26. 18. In particular we are to be sober both in the use of riches and in the use of pleasures but of this last with the appurtenances thereof Meat Drink Apparel Recreations we shall speak afterward For sobriety in Riches Riches as Gods creatures be good in themselves and promised by God to his servants as blessings nay given to some of them as blessings as to Abraham Isaac Jacob Job c. They are encouragements to duty and well-doing and may be great helps and furtherances to us in and unto many good duties and that both towards our selves for we may spend the more time and have more freedom about matters of our soul and to others in shewing liberality and mercy and to the children of God that use them well they are as pledges of better and everlasting good things as Canaan was to the godly Jews a type of heaven But it may seem needless to speak of the goodness of riches seeing most men count them the onely good but the truth must be taught we speak of the things themselves yea some have utterly hated them as evil as Crates and among the Papists there be some that profess voluntary poverty
they are so toiled by the world that they sleep thereat or if they do hearken they do but mock at least go not away much the better their mindes being all the while ranging and they hearing onely as one in a dream Hereby also they neglect prayer and are either kept from the Sacrament or come prophanely hereby also do they infinitely break the Sabbath as in buying selling riding talking of worldly matters c. Thus also many Parents through niggardliness spoil their children for want of education Migistrates take bribes to prevent Justice Ministers ingross livings people pull away their Ministers maintenance servants deceive their Masters Princes pole their Subjects and Subjects withdraw their taxes and dues from them Through this many lose their lives as Naboth There 's much contention both within doors and without for trifles so many women prostitute themselves and their husbands wink thereat because of advantage and many to avoid charge which as they think would come by marriage live in uncleanness From hence also what cousenages and deceivings do arise in buying selling letting hiring borrowing lending partnership c. what simony sacriledge bribery usury c how also are lyes multiplyed hereby and how many Tale-carriers are there meerly for this respect yea there 's no villany in this world so odious to God and man which through covetousness men will not commit and therefore it was no wonder that David prayed that his heart might not be enclined hereto O what a folly and madness is it for men to seek so greedily after these things which yet oftentimes are the further from them but admit thou obtainest them are they able to purchase for thee a pardon of thy sins Can they pacifie Gods wrath Can they prolong thy days one hour Doth thy Salvation stand in these mayest thou not soon be deprived thereof Shalt thou tarry long with them Is there not vexation in them If thou shouldest long enjoy them yet having no grace in thy heart no assurance of Gods favor no hope of a better life wo unto thee and yet this is the state of thousands They only minde earthly things having no regard of Heavenly or Spiritual Grace and so living here basely for a while without enjoying the benefit of that they have they are at the length snatched away and then the world strives for their goods and the Devil for their souls As an Ass that caries Plate all day at night is turn'd into a foul stable or bare Pasture to nob on Thistles and that with a galled back so are they turn'd out with a galled and guilty conscience and a soul laden with innumerable sins and so sink down to Hell there to be for ever and ever Art thou guilty hereof Repent endeavor to see thy folly confess cry to God make restitution of that which thou hast taken unjustly seek for pardon for grace for sanctification O that it might be said to thee as to Zacheus This day is salvation come to thy house Art thou free of this poyson beware thou beest not tainted herewith of all evils its the most dangerous and damnable and most hardly rooted out Esteem of these things as they ought but chiefly labor for your part in those true riches which shall never be taken away It s the fault of Christians that they seek the world too eagerly and neglect many good duties for it run into unwarrantable courses are unquiet contentious c. whereby they make themselves and their Profession to be ill spoken of O how ill doth this beseem Christians which have God to be their Father and Heaven for their inheritance and portion Fye upon it Is this to behave our selves Pilgrim-like we should carry our selves so moderately in these things that we may make the world see and say we have riches that they know not of as our Savior said He had meat his Disciples knew not of we must labor to grow in grace and covet the best things For the second part of sobriety which is in the use of riches when we have them it hath relation either to our minde when we esteem of them or our practice when we employ them as God requires 1. We must esteem of them but as they are and not set our mindes overdeeply on them as if the having of them were our happiness the want of them our utter misery Neither must we think the more highly of our selves because of them for goodness is that onely which makes us of account with God and good men when we go down to the grave we be all fellows nor ought we to trust in them as though they could be a Castle and Tower against whatsoever may come upon us Plague War Famine c. This is the common sin of the world yea even Gods Servants may partly perceive that their hearts rise as their wealth encreaseth O its hard for a man to keep down his heart that it swell not Nor must we be excessively loath to part with them when God sees it good nor cast down when we have any loss as if we had lost happiness O how many are thus grieved which were never grieved for their sins nor wept for fear of Gods wrath and condemnation we should grieve indeed for our sins or if we do not feel Gods favor or observe any decay in our love to God and goodness but not as worldly losses especially enjoying Gods favor and having through Christ an assured hope of a better life 2. We must employ them as God requires and that both on our selves and others our selves and ours For he that provides not for himself and his family is worse then an infidel and Solomon saith It s a good and comely thing for a man to take part of that God hath given him Jacob after he had served Laban many years began at the length to think of his own house But what base misers are they that cannot afford themselves or theirs necessaries in food and raiment They are diseased with an evil sickness They are Thieves to their backs bellies families neither are those prodigal rioters in a better case which waste and consume all in sports company keeping and belly-cheer they rob their wives their children their friends the poor and usually dye in the Goal leaving their children to misery Others as upon the worship and service of God and maintainance of the Gospel and Ministers thereof for the good of our own souls So upon the King and Commonwealth under whom we enjoy Peace and the Gospel as also upon the Poor especially the Saints See Deut. 15. 10. Psal. 37. 25 26. Psal. 112. Prov. 11. 23. Matth. 5. Luke 14. Heb. 13. And this we must do not onely of our superfluity but in some cases even of our necessity of our very Lands we are not Lords of our goods but Stewards for which we must be countable to our master This rebuketh those
that are all for themselves as for any other either they will not bestow any thing at all or no more then needs must and most Christians are too nigardly For the worship of God some think that any thing bestowed this way is too much that this is the worst and idlest money bestowed this may be they could be content with a blinde Sir that would live of crusts and if they can pull away the Tithes and make a bargain with a Minister half for nought they think it well gotten and many that might procure the Preaching of the Word to them onely the want is their hearts are so glued to the world they had rather have their Hogs then Christs company among them The blinde devotion in times of Popery to build Churches and Religious Houses will condemn the wretchedness of our times If a Church be but decayed in our days there must be a Collection all over the Countrey if not many Shires for the reparation hereof And how do men hide and conceal their Estates that they may be freed from the paying of Subsidies and Taxes and so deceive the King of his due And what wincing is there for the payment of the poor the true poor If it were not out of the fear of Law and Justice they would pay nothing or as good as nothing Hath not God made many promises what unbelievers are these that will not take Gods word Their goods thus spared prosper not long for God will be true hence come so many changes of owners even because men get and keep their goods unlawfully Thus many instead of wealth leave their children an heap of chaff that blows away God will rifle in such goods and besides at the last day what account and bills will these be able to bring in that they spent all on themselves or wasted all in riot or spared all from those good uses they should Their bills will not be taken they shall hear this sentence O evil and unfaithful servant thou hast been untrusty in a little who shall trust thee with more take him hence binde him hand and foot c. but to those that have employed them well it shall be said Come ye blessed of my Father Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in a little enter into thy Masters joy O then let us learn this sobriety We have an enemy to resist who if we be drunk with the love of the world will assuredly have his will of us and is not the end of all things at hand If we be drunk when our Lord and Master cometh what shall be our portion we must dye we dye daily in our neighbors And watch unto prayer This is not to be understood of the bodily waking of the eye from sleep though the Papists so transfer it and therefore keep certain Vigils and Watches for Saints certain nights of the year though upon occasion we ought with David to keep our eyes waking in the night that we may praise God and pray unto him but it s meant of a spiritual watchfulness whereby we have an eye to our hearts and ways that we do nothing against the will of God but may ever be doing that which is good and acceptable in his fight which is a notable help to further a man in a godly life to the kingdom of heaven and this is performed by those onely who having obtained mercy of God and assurance of pardon see cause why they should turn to him serve him and give themselves wholly to him This watchfulness is well put after sobriety as sobriety is set before it to make way for the same for as a man drunk with wine cannot keep awake but sleeps like a Hog so he that is drunk with the cares of this life cannot watch spiritually This watching is a looking to our hearts and all our ways that we may be always kept from evil and ever in a good course Therefore as Watchmen use to examine all Passengers and accordingly deal with them so ought we to watch against all enemies which are evil thoughts evil words and evil deeds which do either directly proceed from our own ill heart or by the temptation of Satan and the world To prevent evil thoughts we must keep the heart with all diligence This is the fountain that sends forth such streams the furnace from whence comes such sparks If our thoughts be wicked impatient unclean proud c. we must suppress them and beat them down but if good holy and pure let them pass for true men so we must take heed to our ways that we sin not with our tongues Our tongue is a slippery member an unruly evil able as little as it is to do much hurt and he is a perfect man and able to rule all his body that can rule his tongue we must therefore set a watch before the door of our lips and examine all our words And for evil actions we must also beware of them we must take heed to our ways watch all parts and members of our bodies that no ill action break forth and accordingly as Job Covenanted with his eyes we must with every member We must examine every action at our going about it if any evil one pass from us and break as it were through the watch we must be grieved and repent and thereafter be more watchful As the eye-sight and eye-lid are necessary in the body so is watchfulness in the soul we are continually in danger of falling the Devil the world and our own lusts be our enemies if we suffer them to break in upon us we dishonor God and spoil our selves of our peace and comfort And as we must watch against all evil so must we especially against those we be most subject to as wise and careful Watchmen will have most care of the weakest parts of their City And as we must watch to keep out evil so must we to do good and that both privately and publikely towards God our selves and our brethren And not this onely but watch that we do good as we ought to do in a right maner we must look to our hearts in our callings and in our best duties for even then they will beguile us and the right maner of performance is all in all Thus in prayer we must watch against private pride hypocrisie wandering thoughts c. so in the Word against Infidelity prejudicate Opinions c. this must be all the day through and in our particular actions for it s not enough to have a general purpose of well-doing or of a godly life but we must look to every particular action through the day we must not be good by wholesale but by retale not in the sum and gross but even in particulars there must not at any time be an evil heart in us we must be in the fear of the Lord continually As in journeying suppose to York we
man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God OUr Apostle yet proceedeth in the argument of love and because it were too long to exhort particularly to every duty of love he puts here all together in one requiring that every one do communicate what gifts soever he hath and in what kinde or measure soever He must not keep it to himself but distribute it to the good of his brethren the Church and Commonwealth and seeing God hath given us those gifts for this end and made us not owners but stewards and dispensers of them and such as must give account of the same which well followeth upon the former Exhortation That nothing be done with grudging we have no cause to grudge at what we do This Exhortation is general to all sorts of men whatsoever though in the next place he instanceth in some particular duties of Church-Officers as Ministers and Overseers of the Poor Here we have 1. An Exhortation to minister to be doing service 2. The maner according to our gift whatsoever it be which is described by the author of it or means how we have it we have received it 3. The generallity of persons which are thus to minister every man 4. A Reason because we are but Stewards As every man hath received the gift Here note 1. That every one hath some gift or other to do good with and whereby he may be profitable as authority wisdom wealth knowledge and the like as there is no member in the body but hath his gift fit to do good in the body not a finger or toe nay the least joynt of the least toe serves for the more steady walking without which the body were lame we could not go so firmly As every one of the Servants had some of the talents and he that had least had one So though one may have a more excellent gift or greater measure thereof then another yet every man hath some or other Let none then be discouraged as some be O I do no good there is no use of my being in the world I am a poor man or woman have neither Wealth Wisdom Knowledge nor Authority and so live like an unprofitable burthen Deceive not thy self if thou wert even a carnal person yet there were use of thee but of every one that feareth God there is special use and thou doest and mayst do good many ways Thou doest good in following thy Calling whatsoever it is Also thou hast some Children or a little family if thou bring them up in the fear of God that they may prove profitable instruments in the Church or Commonwealth herein thou art of good use Besides a poor man may give as good a lift at Prayer as the rich Thou mayest also do much good by thy good example patience iâ— adversity diligence in thy calling contentedness in thine Estate and the like so by counselling admonishing exhorting comforting and visiting thy poor and sick Neighbors Be not discouraged then but lay out the gift thou hast and thou shalt please God as highly as they that have more There are indeed some prophane minded men that say For these poor folks what use are they of they do no good if there were a thousand of them out of the way it were a good turn they do nothing but spend that other folks get Thus will some miserable minded men say But if they were carnal yet are they of use have skill one way or other neither shouldst thou grudge at their life but rather wish that they may live and mend If they be godly they do more good then thou dost notwithstanding of all thy riches therefore let none despise any as the eye despiseth not the hand or foot 2. That every one hath a several and diverse gift as it were some for Magistracy as Courage Wisdom Policy some for the Ministery as Knowledge Interpretation of Scripture the gift of utterance Exhortation Love Zeal c. Some to be housholders some skill in Physick Husbandry Law Merchandizing c. Every one hath not the same neither hath one man all As a General of a Field disposeth of his men all be Soldiers but not all of one kinde some be Horsemen some be Footmen and of these some Pikemen some Musketiers so hath God disposed of men severally And this God hath done for the knitting us together in love that none might be lifted up above all others nor despise any each being of use in his place None can live of himself none without the help of others The Prince not without the Subject nor the Subject without the Prince Ministers have their maintenance from the people people through their preaching attain Faith to the salvation of their souls The rich wants skill neither are able to do their own work therefore employ the poor about it and relieve them The Lawyer cannot be without the Clyent nor the Physician live without Patients The Merchant cannot be without the Clothier nor the Husbandman without the Tradesman each must partake of the others gift As therefore we should praise God for such variety of his gifts and for his wisdom in distributing the same so we should not be lifted up or wax insolent to the despising one of another If thou hast some gift that others have not they have also some that thou hast not If they need thee thou also standest in need of them say not of thy Minister He liveth of us if thou beest as thou oughtest thou livest by him so as the poor cannot be without thee thou canst not well be without them 3. That whatsoever we have fit to do good with it s a free gift of God we came naked into the world without any goodness even the least good is of God any thing that may be called good They were all freely given Adam much more now since our rebellion and sin if it be honor and authority its God that gives it if gifts to rule and govern that 's also of God if of the Ministery Christ ascended and gave gifts to men Is it wealth Job tells you That he had his from God yea to have a heart to distribute it well is Gods gift So to be skilful in any Trade as about gold silver brass wood stone as were Bazaleel and Aholiab is the gift of God Let us not then stand in Gods light by arrogating any thing to our selves as if the poor man should say or any other I have nothing but what I have got with my fingers end never any friend I had gave me a peny c. what thou hast is Gods gift many a one hath taken as much care and pains as thou hast who yet have mist of that thou hast got So if any Gentleman shall say My Lands have been in one stock since the Conquest I am beholding to no Prince for
paterns and means to confirm us in our sufferings for Christ The Apostle Paul used this as an argument to move Philemon to grant his request for that he was aged and a prisoner for Christ. Hereof this our Apostle informs them even that notwithstanding all their troubles whereof haply some might have conceived him careless they were dear unto him This rebuketh those that make account of men while they be in prosperity and the world smiles on them but when the times frown and they be discountenanced and in disgrace and trouble then cast them off or shrink from them shewing them no countenance nor kindeness a sign either of mungâ—els or at last of dastardly Christians Think it not strange concerning the fiery tryal Here 's the matter exhorted to By fiery tryal is meant All kinde of persecution in what degree soever compared to the fire for that as the fire tryes the gold so persecution tryes men Think it not strange wonder not at it as at some strange think come out of a far Countrey whereof the like was never either seen or heard of it behoved you to have prepared for it before and now make a reckoning of it that so you flinch not from it when it comes Here note that The want of fore-thinking of trouble makes it the harder to be born and the stranger when it comes When a man hath time to put on his armor or draw his Sword ere the Thief come he is more safe then if a Thief should rush upon him on the sudden As those which are not used to sickness bear it worst so such are most cast down in the time of trouble which in the time of prosperity do not so much as think thereof 1. This teacheth us even in the time of prosperity to think of troubles in the midst of health we must think of sickness and how we shall bear it and accordingly provide for it so in the time of wealth of poverty so having Children if God should take them from us of our Friends if they should hate us how would we behave our selves How could we do as such and such a Christian c So in life we must think of death and when any one dyes think that we may be the next and thereupon finde out how we are prepared for it These thoughts are profitable they will make us use our prosperity the more soberly and thankfully while we have it and walk more humbly and be better prepared for troubles if God shall lay them upon us Neither will they come the sooner for thinking of them howsoever we shall be the better enabled to bear them when ever they come What 's written of the Basilisk that if it see us before we see it we dye for it but if we see it first we live is true of troubles If we see them ere they come we be much better but if they come on us unlooked for they prove the more dangerous Now every man sits under his own vine and under his own figtree Now we go to the house of God in peace Now we profess Religion with good liking But what if the case alter ere I dye shouldst thou say What if I be haled to prison lose my goods be convented condemned tortured banished c. what shall I then do 2. This rebuketh most that seldom or never have any such thoughts May not we have changes why do we not then think of them Oh such sad thoughts do not well le ts be merry while we may sadness will come time enough Thou wrongest thy self thy case will be the worse thy condition the more fearful if either sickness poverty pain or any other calamity should take thee unprovided For persecution who is there that now thinketh of any such matter most think that they shall never be moved and that they shall dye in their nest whereas alas it may fall out far otherwise Have we not many enemies and what doth not our sins deserve God hath indeed wrought for us many deliverances as from the Spanish Invasion and Gunpowder Treason c. but are we sure he will do so still Hath not our grievous unthankfulness deserved the contrary Do we think that our enemies do not now plot mischief against us No doubt they make use of peace to prepare for war and they will plot now towards their latter end to uphold their tottering Babel and do as fishes feeling the water almost gone from them flush and make a stir and when death draws near men they have strong pains So what now at the last the Lord may suffer them to do against us we know not It s the more likely there wil be some judgement because all men cry Peace and Safety and are so sensless if there should be any such alas how unprovided are we nay what were all our provision strength multitude of men c. if God should set himself against us On the contrary if we have God on our side as he was with Gideon and his three hundred with Jonathan and his Armor bearer we need not fear them though never so many so strong Now if any such judgement should come on the Land which the Lord turn away for his mercies sake wherein multitudes should be slain with the Sword others made Slaves and carried away our Wives and Daughters abused before our faces our houses and chests rifled the godly imprisoned and brought forth to torment except they would forsake their Religion O Lord how far are we unfit for any such matter and the rather for that we never think of it Never would any Land think trouble and misery more strange then we which have been used so delicately O then let us think and provide for this before that if it should come it may not be strange unto us If we look to our selves have not we cause enough to be humbled and purged from our dross and for the world shall we wonder if they hate and persecute us Haply we think because we be honorable persons the Sons of God they should not so deal with us It s true but alas they know not our Father much less know they us his Children Haply we think because we be now godly and make conscience of all our ways and love God and live with our brethren Christianly and desire nothing so much as to please God that therefore all should make much of us True God Angels and good Men will do so and that must content us but the world is the world and will hate us the more for our goodness which hath been thus ever since Cain hated Abel we need not think it strange for may not the Lord justly after long schooling us now call us out to try what we have profited Again hereby he would have the wickedness of the wicked break out that he might get glory in confounding them Also he will hereby confirm the hearts of the weak
not be dismaid but bear these things patiently yea joyfully for should we not rejoyce in that that makes us blessed If therefore we shrink at the least of these things and pull in our heads where 's our faith labor that if we should be mockt and railed on it may not be for nothing but for true grace faith wrought in us by the Word c. If we have these things no matter though we have some mocks withal 2. See that wicked persecuters make Gods Servants happy yea more happy then they should be so that in seeking their hurt they do them good many ways They purge and try them make them the more dear to God and set the greater Crown upon their heads what a priviledge have the Servants of God that all things even their persecuters should work together for their good It s not so with others yet are not we to thank the wicked for this who intend no such thing The Caldeans and Sabeans were an occasion that Job had twice as much goods given him as he had before but no thank to them for they took from him what they could It s God who blesseth the more those whom the wicked curse 5. That the judgement of the world is contrary to Gods They think not any blessedness to be in being railed on for Christs sake but that blessedness stands in Health Wealth Honor favor of Princes c. Alas poor vanishing vanities to be lost every day but blessedness is in being a Christian and suffering for the same Gods thoughts are not as mans The blinde world cannot judge of colours and Carnal men savor not of things Spiritual 1. Therefore look that we never esteem nor be carried with the judgement of the world no not of the wise men of the world which is a crooked rule to go by They say it s not good to be too forward is matters of Religion but go so far as they may come back when they will and save themselves from danger and have two strings to their bow but let us know this to be cursed policy this amity with the world to be enmity with God 2. If we think troubles for a good conscience base vile and accursed and so shun them though with an ill conscience we are then of the world and either wholly carnal or in great part Shall we account that cursed which the Lord calls blessed True we must not bring troubles on our selves nor desire persecution yet if God call us to them we must not count them base but glorious not cursed but blessed So if we think basely of them that suffer or are in persecution and shun them then are we carnal and of the world nay we ought to esteem highly of them and think them glorious persons because they be honored of God and greatly graced of him For the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you He proves what he affirmed If ye suffer for Christs sake it s an argument ye have the Spirit of God in you which is a glorious Spirit and makes you glorious notwithstanding the ignominy and reproach the world casts upon you as though you were of all others the vilest whereupon you must needs be blessed which Spirit is on their part ill spoken of but on yours that suffer is glorified So that as the Spirit makes you glorious you glorifie it by your constant and joyful suffering Hence Note 1. That to suffer for Christs sake is a sign that we have the Spirit of God in us for 1. The world would not hate us except they saw some work of Gods Spirit in us for if we lived after the maner of the world they would let us alone 2. Such have the Spirit of Adoption assuring them of Gods love of pardon and Salvation which makes them willing to suffer 3. It s the Spirit that comforts and heartens to such weighty things flesh and blood will endure nothing for Religion neither can it but through the Spirit we are enabled Steven a comfortable Martyr Why It s said He was full of the Holy Ghost It was by the Spirit of God onely that the Martyrs endured so constantly not a few of them being weak sick tender feeble of nature and fearful It was of the Spirit that Mr. Glover spake when he came to the Stake to be burnt He is come Austin he is come having been very heavy and comfortless the night before In ill I confess some may be as stiff as the best can be in the truth but they cannot suffer so joyfully as the Servants of God for it s through the Spirit of God that they suffer 1. Therefore if we have had or finde any power to endure persecution we may know that we have Gods Spirit and thereupon ought to be both thankful and joyful 2. As we would suffer with comfort and joy let us labor for the Spirit and for a greater measure thereof daily 3. As for those that neither can nor will endure any thing it s a sign they are carnal and without the Spirit And indeed none can suffer much or joyfully but such as have the Spirit and therefore so few having the Spirit there would be but a few to stand for the truth if there should come a time of tryal 2. That such as are endued with Gods Spirit be blessed for such as have and are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and they yea they onely which be sanctified here shall be glorified hereafter The Spirit is given to the Elect not to the world it s the earnest of our salvation and seals us up to the day of Redemption Again such are freed from the bondage of sin to serve God such also have God abiding in them yea and hereby the Word the Sacraments Prayer Afflictions all things are profitable to us Hereby we are enabled to every duty and armed against temptations 1. This may comfort those that can prove they have the Spirit of God in them they are comforted sanctified and guided thereby This is the earnest and pledge of eternal life they are blessed though but mean they may come into Gods presence boldly they shall want nothing that is good 2. It may be a terror to those that live after the flesh They have no mark whereby to free them from being reprobates for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Christ never dyed for such they are yet under the bondage of sin 3. This should teach us having the Spirit to beware of doing any thing whereby to grieve or weary such a guest sin is a filthy thing and that wherewithal the Spirit cannot away yea to use all means to cherish it daily suffering our selves to be guided thereby as that which will not be there where it may not rule 3. That the Spirit is glorious in it self and makes them
glorious before God and man that be endued therewith it makes them shine more gloriously then the Sun And this the Apostle opposeth to the ignominies and reproaches wherewith the world doth besmear them It s as if he should say Though the world reproach you as vile yet know that you are glorious in Gods account because of his Spirit that dwells in you 1. Therefore be not dismaid though the world stain us and accounts us vile yet are we glorious to God 2. We must esteem of the Servants of God in whom we see the Spirit of God as of glorious persons yea though the world disgrace them and count them as off-scourings and not worthy to live we must count them as Gods worthies and Warriers as his principal Servants we must count them such as the world is not worthy of They that esteem basely of them do not consider that Gods Spirit is in them and resteth on them Contrarily they that have not the Spirit of God in them are base and vile let the world make what reckoning of them it will 4. That there 's no small difference between the common gifts of the Spirit that the Reprobates have and the Spirit of Sanctification which is bestowed on Gods Elect those may be lost this cannot it resteth on them yea abideth and continueth with them On their part he is ill spoken of Here note that They that rail upon and revile the Servants of God for their well-doing they speak ill of the Spirit of God they think they have but to do with the men and them they will be bold with to speak their pleasure of but they deceive themselves in speaking ill of Gods Servants they speak ill of the Spirit of God as the Israelites when they murmured against Moses and Aaron murmured against God He that despiseth you saith our Savior despiseth me Therefore when TURKS and JEWS mock and reproach us for believing in CHRIST they reproach both the Word that so teacheth us and the Spirit that thus guideth us and assureth our hearts herein as he that reproacheth a Servant for doing that his Master commands or a Schollar for speaking as he is taught reproacheth the Master and Teacher So when the Papists call the Doctrine which we preach and profess Heresie and us Heretiques do they not reproach the Word that so teacheth and the Spirit that so assureth us So they among our selves that rail on men for their zeal and forwardness in hearing the Word keeping the Sabbath shunning some sins and corruptions that the world swallow up c. What do these but reproach Gods Spirit We do not these things of our selves but by the warrant of the Spirit Take heed therefore that that be evil which thou speakest against else whilest thou reproachest goodness in thy Servant Childe Neighbor Tenant c. thou art a caviller against God The common sort that cannot abide the true obedience of Gods Commandments nor that any should be more precise then they list to be despise the Word and Spirit they be like Ahab to Micaiah Wouldst thou have God to make new Scriptures more loose to serve thy turn or to be like thy self No know these Scriptures shall stand firm as to the comfort and salvation of all that are willing to be guided thereby so to the confusion of all that kick against the same or hate to be reformed If therefore you list not to be ruled by the Word and Spirit yet speak not against the same for so you shall encrease your sin and make your judgement greater which howsoever will be great enough If you will not walk in obedience to Gods Laws yet suffer others that would On your part he is glorified Another Reason to move us to joyfulness in persecution Thereby we glorifie God we honor the Spirit when undaunted we stand constantly against all our enemies Hereby we shew that the Spirit of God is of puissance and force to make the weak strong We glorifie him also when we so love him as we will suffer for his sake so we give glory to him when we trust him of his word who hath promised eternal life to them that hold out so when we obey him and do that willingly he calls us to so many praise God for our constancy whereby they be strengthened and God is honored that they cannot prevail against us but though they take away our lives yet they cannot make us yield to them We should therefore willingly and joyfully suffer that so we may glorifie God we may think our selves happy if by any means whether in life or death we may effect this Verse 15. But let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busie body in other mens matters Verse 16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalf LEst any should think that he commended suffering in respect of it self so that all suffering should be blessed and were to be rejoyced in he tells us That there 's another kinde of suffering then that he hath been speaking of which is not to be rejoyced in namely when men suffer reproach and punishment or whatsoever else for evil doing for their just deserts Those sufferings are base and shameful whereof Christians must beware but for the sufferings which are for Christ for Righteousness sake for a good Conscience there 's no shame belonging to them but rather glory and rejoycing Here then are two kindes of sufferings laid down the one forbidden whereto shame belongs namely to suffer for ill-doing which is to be avoided the other enjoyned and wherein we are to rejoyce namely in suffering for well doing But let none of you suffer as a murtherer c. Not that if any be a murtherer or thief c. he should not suffer the punishment due thereto but flie from it for that herein he resists the Magistrates Sentence on his deserts sets himself against God but he would not have men do any such evil as to procure or deserve any such sufferings Obj. But none can walk so circumspectly but that he may and shall do evil and so deserve punishment at the hand of the Lord. A. True but he speaks of foul vices and punishable by men which Christians should be far from and for the frailties of Gods Servants he will not impute them to them The words afford this Doctrine that Sufferings for ill-doing are not glorious but shameful Sufferings are good onely in respect of the cause if that be good then they be good if that be evil then they be shameful The same sufferings for kinde and measure may be to one person glorious to another infamous the one may have cause of joy the other to hang down their heads Both Abel and Jezabel were killed but he for his goodness she for her badness both Joseph
is the state and will be the answer of many people who though they see this care in God to command his Ministers to preach diligently to care for them to give them good example which according to their charge they do yet they minde nothing nor are ever the better by feeding care or example 2. For Ministers they must take heed that having gotten into this calling and a living on their backs they do not think themselves at liberty to do what they will something or nothing or but a little and that when they list and look for much reverence obedience and maintenance and care not to do their part and to procure this and deserve it from the people but to know that they are as much tyed to their duty and shall be countable to God It s an easie matter to look for much but it s more worthy of a Minister to perform much It s a more blessed thing to give then to receive Let us therefore know we stand charged deeply by our office and by how much our calling is more excellent and the trust more that hath been laid upon us so much the stricter account we must make 2. That the calling of the Ministry is a very painful calling The duties here exhorted unto imply the same Hence it is that it s called a work a worthy work a laboring in the Word and Doctrine yea it s a most high and honorable calling Hence it is that Ministers are called Stars the light of the World the salt of the Earth Angels Ambassadors such as are employed about the highest things the Word Sacraments Prayer c. for the gaining of mens souls whereas Phisitians take care of their bodies and Lawyers of their Estates They are appointed of God as instruments to open the eyes of the blinde and to translate them out of the power of darkness to the power of God and of children of wrath to make them the children of God Here 's honor indeed but not without labor Their titles of Builders Husbandmen Soldiers Watchmen Shepherds c. do also imply the same This burthen of the Ministery was after a sort prefigured by the burthen of the Ark which was imposed upon the Priests wherein was the golden Pot with Manna Aarons budding Rod the two Tables of the Covenant and upon the Ark the propitiatory overshadowed with the glorious Cherubims By the Manna we may understand the Sacraments By the Rod Ecclesiastical Discipline By the budding and fruitfulness of it their fruitful conversation By the Tables the Preaching of the Law The Propitiatory signified Christ understood the ministery of reconciliation committed to the Ministers of God both in respect of Prayer and also of Preaching Again to Preach painfully what preparation is required hereto what Reading Meditation Prayer Labor of the minde c and for the delivery thereof it spends not onely the outward but the vital parts and wastes the Spirit which being hurt is hardliest holpen Again to teach the ignorant convince the gainsayer comfort the heavy admonish the disobedient exhort them that be in a good way pray for all publikely and privately watch to withstand all the Devils assaults rebuke the stubborn have an eye to hereticks and deceivers that creep in to beguil and lead away especially new converts that be in their first heart of love perswading them as some Brownists have out of a proud discontented Spirit that we are no Church and that Christ doth not reign among us as King c. who will not accouut this a laborious hard and difficult task 1. This rebuketh the common and base opinion of the world that the Ministers calling is an idle calling and that they do nothing for their living and that of all others they might best be spared A. This is true indeed of those which fleer but feed not the flock being meer drones and ciphers who should not eat because they labor not whose account shall be fearful in respect of their idleness and the taking of wages for which they work not at all But because some are such are all so Is the calling it self an idle calling have not men souls as well as bodies and as much need of help for the good of the one as of the other Is there need of Physitians and Lawyers and not of Ministers Hath God ordained any other means whereby men may come to Knowledge Faith and Repentance And is there not a labor of the minde as well as of the body Do the Prince Councellors Magistrates c. nothing because they work not with their hands Their work is great in foreseeing and preventing dangers in ordering things well It s in vain to pump the Ship or for the Mariners to run up and down the hatches unless there be one that sits at the helm to guide it aright And if it be thus painful then according to our Saviors testimony The laborer is worthy of his hire who goeth on warfare at his own charge Maintenance indeed is the thing the world grudgeth at they could be as well content with the Sexton or some base person to read a little for five or ten pounds a year as a godly Preacher who say they must have such a deal 2. It rebuketh them that live idlely in this calling evil beasts slow bellies meer idols having eyes they see not c. blinde guides Wo be to them that live at ease in this painful work it will be turned to endles wo when the laborers shall rest in Heaven as having been good and faithful Servants the evil and unfaithful shall be bound hand and foot and thrown into utter darkness 3. It teacheth Parents what children to dedicate to God for the service of the Ministery even the best and fittest not the weak and lame Herein God is little beholding to them Abel offered of the best in sacrifice In this calling there will be use of all the parts and strength of body and minde whoso taketh notice of this great work finding his own inability to Study Preach c. through weakness sickliness c. if he have a good conscience it cannot but be a great grief and trouble to him And if they intend their sons for the Ministery let it be with this minde onely even that they may prove painful and profitable laborers herein there are too many which have carnal ayms that therein they may grow rich live at their ease as Gentlemen c. O woful Parents to bring up one to be a drone a deceiver a robber a murtherer of souls a ravening wolf c. Better thou hadst brought him up to the basest lawful trade in the world better thou hadst followed him to the grave being yong for then though he had gone to Hell he should not have been the means of many others ruine to the increase of his damnation 4. For those that would enter into the Ministery let them beware what they do
got that they left it would encrease their torment to see they were such fools Therefore to be excessively careful is neither good for our selves nor our children we must follow our calling and be thrifty and go as far as we may lawfully and no further We must give our children good education and if we can do that by good means all duties discharged then there 's great hope of Gods blessing and if they fear God it shall be blessed and that shall be sufficient and if they fear not God the more we leave them it s the worse and the more hurt they will do how happy would it have been for many a youth if he had been left at a trade hard at work c. he should not have run into many sins that his abundance hath led him into If we leave them the poors part the Ministers part c. God will rifle in their pack and have so many quarrels against them so that a little by lawful means gotten shall do them more good then a great heap of Lambs grease when the heat of Gods wrath begins to beat upon it A mans house cannot be established by iniquity In all these respects let us take heed of distrustful and excessive care O how sweetly might a Christian live if he would follow his Calling diligently and thriftily and go no further but leave the rest to God Thus might we be freed from a world nay rather an Hell of cares that now distract us and make us unfit for good For he careth for you A main Reason we may spare all our care any more then the lawful use of the means for why if God care for us we are well enough He is infinite in power therefore nothing impossible to him nothing can hinder him He is infinite in love and mercy therefore ready enough to do us good so in wisdom therefore knows what we need and is good for us It s not so with the children of any earthly Parents for they sometimes would care and do for them and cannot some can and will not some both can and would if they knew but through distance of place and such like lets they know not their state Now that God doth care for his appears for he chose us before the Foundation of the world In Adam He created us happy and fully furnished us with all things needful for us In our own Creation he gave us our shape in our mothers womb and kept us that we were not stifled So in our birth infancy wanton youth and wilde time when we cared not for him nor our selves he provided for us as ever since by his Spiritual goodness He hath provided us a peaceable Land Magistrates to rule us Ministers to teach us given us his Son revealed in the Gospel He chose us ere we were therefore will not forsake us being his gave us his Son therefore with him will give us all good things called us of his own free grace without our desire and will he not fulfil his good works now we desire it above all things he gave us life therefore wil give us food and raiment for the preservation thereof He gave us those without our either care help or pains and will he not give us the lesser with our pains He feeds the fowls of the air and clothes the Lillies of the field and are not we much better then they and can use means more then they 1. For so many of us as know God to be our God and Father let us rest our selves on this promise and help our selves against this world of cares which through the want of faith doth so much distract us O the state of Gods Children is a safe happy state if they knew it which through faith they might 2. For the world no marvel though they caâ—k and use all unlawful means seeing they have no Father to care for them and are poor Orphans If a poor fatherless boy should run up and down toil and moil and be careful to please every body every one would say Alas it s a fatherless childe c. but if a rich mans Son should so do and whine and drudge and pilfer geting into one bodies cupboard and stealing a loaf into anothers cellar and stealing drink into anothers field and stealing his hedges would not every one cry out on such a one and would it not be an horrible disgrace both to the Son and Father So it is with the godly and ungodly about these worldly things c. Verse 8. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring Lyon walking about seeketh whom he may devour HEre follow two other most necessary Exhortations the one to sobriety the other to watchfulnes and that from the danger that else we must needs fall into by reason of a most dangerous adversary that seeks by all subtilty and diligence our destruction fitly are these joyned together that before this for as a drunken man cannot hold open his eyes so cannot an intemperate man in these things keep a Spiritual watch Be sober Sobriety is a moderation and right use of our lawful liberties which are given us of God not to be used as we will but as may stand with these three main ends the glory of God our own good and the Salvation of our Brethren Our lawful liberties are meat drink apparel recreation mirth use of marriage and riches all which may be reduced to these two heads namely Pleasure and Profit But of this heretofore Be vigilant He means not of the bodily sleep that 's not prohibited so it be in fit time the night not the day so it be in fit place our Chambers not the Church in fit measure to enable us the more for the duties of our Calling but of the sleep of the soul for there be many that be awake in body rising early and go late to bed which yet are in a spiritual sleep in respect of their souls fast asleep in their sins and lie snorting in deep security of sin Watchfulness is a diligent and continual looking to our selves that both in thought word and deed we may resist evil and do the good we ought This is the work onely of a good Christian who being awakened out of his sins hath obtained the pardon of them and assurance thereof and therefore hath set his heart to lead a godly life and to please God in all things It s requisite then that a man be awakened before he can watch as we bid not a man fast asleep look to this or that but first to wake and then look to it we bid not a man that is down run but first to get up on his feet and then run By nature we are asleep in sin yea dead therein For 1. As in the bodily sleep all the sences are bound up So in the Spiritual a natural man hears not the voice of God hears not
blood and destruction both of body and soul therefore called Satan An Adversary The Envyous man The Accuser of the Brethren A Murtherer from the beginning and because there is no man so vile but hath some reliques of humanity in him he is compared to the Beasts without reason and so termed here A roaring Lyon as elsewhere A red Dragon c. he it is that first tempts and then accuseth us to God and ready to be the executioner Let him suck the blood of never so many yet is not his malice the more satisfied he hath been so from the beginning but now more by much because his time is but short Strength He was strong by Creation which though it be diminished yet continueth it exceeding great He can do marvellous things though no true miracles Through Gods permission he were able to do infinite mischief see in Job what havock he soon made his names declare it The strong armed man A Lyon yea A roaring Lyon his strength being doubled with hunger A great red Dragon Principalities Powers c. Prince of this world bearing a great sway and having many at his command The God of this world yea that doth almost what he list and who in respect of mans power to resist hath as it were an Omnipotent strength to do what he list And as he is wonderful in strength so he knows it well enough and is audacious and bold to put it out to the outmost when he may as to Job he wil set upon any the greatest and worthiest servants of God and sometimes foil them He set upon David a man according to Gods own heart and foiled him twice shamefully and again got him to number the people He winnowed Peter that was so couragious he buffered Paul that valiant Champion yea he set upon our first Parents in their innocency when he had no great likelihood of prevailing yea upon our Savior Christ himself having no likelihood at all and that again and again and again and when he had been so often foiled yet he departed from him but for a season who no doubt was busie with him in his passion in the garden Subtilty He was made exceeding wise by Creation which is not lost but perverted and turned to evil much hath been revealed to him and wonderful much he hath gotten by his almost 6000 years experience which would make a simple body wise yet he hath not an absolute knowledge He knows not our thoughts and hearts perfectly nor things to come but he can guess very shrewdly and nearly at them by signs and comparing things past with present as at our thoughts by observing our speeches actions and desires So at future things by knowing and seeing further into the nature of things and of mens bodies then men can but he is exceeding cunning to do evil and compass his purpose He was so at first much more now therefore called not a Tempter but the Tempter by way of excellency he that hath the Art and Trade of Tempting that is the Master thereof all others learning of him So the old Serpent which was subtile at first but now much more How cunningly dealt he with Eve 1. He goes to her not to Adam 2. When she was alone 3. Pretends great good will 4. Takes away the fear of all danger 5. Tells her of great benefits which would come by eating of the forbidden fruit yea such a benefit as she most desired and was most fit to tempt her she wanted nothing but to be as God c. 6. He shews her the beauty of the fruit and how like it was to be good meat and so perverted her So dealt he with our Savior Christ when he had fasted forty days and was alone in the wilderness then he tempts him to trust and not prevailing therein to presume wherein failing he propounds wealth and honor So now he tempts some to be Atheists and of no Religion if not so then to be of a false Religion if not so then to be careless and idle professors of the true if not so but that men will be somewhat careful to read hear get knowledge be forward then he labors to lift them up with pride and blow them out of the Church to Amsterdam make them too forward c. yea some he will not leave there but provoke them further to be Anabaptists nay Sebaptists as Mr. Smith who Baptized himself If he cannot tempt men to keep from Church then will he go with them to hinder them from receiving any good there and there bring them asleep if they be inclined that way or if not then fill their heads with worldly thoughts if not so then he brings in good thoughts of some good things that at another time were good but now out of season as thoughts of some other Sermon so in Prayer he fills the head with odde and strange thoughts or else with thoughts of the Sermon to keep them from lifting up their hearts wholly to God If he cannot keep men in presumption but that they be troubled about their estate then he seeks to drown them in dispair Bad men he will incite to those evils they be most apt to Civil men he will keep in a coldness in Religion and carelesness in the matters of Salvation as about the Word Sacraments Sabbath Prayer Good men he will incite to do good things but to ill ends or if they propound good ends to themselves to compass them by unwarrantable means Thus is he a cunning fisher and fowler He hath baits and nets for all kindes high and low rich and poor learned and unlearned men women yong old he will spread them and so lay them that he will not lightly miss He hath for every sex age constitution complexion state and condition he will make his shraps of profits or pleasures or honors and then get in some especially of the fairest marks and set them up as a stall and by both together tills in many Diligence He will spare for no pains he rests neither night nor day but goeth about continually His occupation is to compass the Earth If he prevail not at one time he will come again and again yea he will not leave a man as long as he lives and though there be such an infinite number alive at once in the world yet what with the multitude of Devils and with their most exceeding diligence and unwearied pains no man is free So that he is armed on all sides to do mischief If he were malicious and had no power we might despise him if power and no malice or but a little we might the less fear him or if malice and strength yet if he had no wit nor cunning there were much less danger for he were as a Gyant without eyes one might keep out of his hands or if he were all those and yet were lazy and could take no pains we might be free most what but
what ground they know not there can be no reason rendred why Peter should hide the name or dissemble it But this is that they might get some place of Scripture proving Peter to have been at Rome but if they can get no plainer then this the Pope may sit besides his Chair They have no place to prove it by and yet they say he sate there as Bishop five and twenty years which that it was not the Learned have proved by divers Reasons But thus the Pope comes by his Supremacy Peter had it and he left it to his Successors the Bishops of Rome But neither had Peter any such Supremacy or if he had it was not tyed to place but to Truth and Religion now the Popes is clean contrary to Peters hating and persecuting the same But where by Babylon Rome indeed is meant as Rev. 14. 17 18. so called mystically for the likeness to Babylon in Idolatry and vexing the Church and Servants of God that they cannot away therewith See Dent on this Question Thus Hereticks wrest Scripture at their will to their own purpose where it may make for them though it have no such meaning it shall yet be used where it s against them though it be never so plain yet it may not be allowed This is a vile taking of Gods name in vain and it will be to their own destruction 1. Therefore we must not believe that is confirmed by Scripture of their or any Hereticks alledging but try their allegations 2. That we never dare to bring a sence of our own to the Scripture but fetch the sence thereof out of the Scripture by humble and diligent search Elect together with you A Church chosen of God as you are out of the world to bestow his Gospel upon and reveal his truth unto Election is taken largely or strictly Largely for choosing a People or Nation out of the world to bestow his favors upon and make Covenant with as Israel from all other Nations You onely have I chosen So to choose to an Office as our Savior Christ saith I have chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devil Strictly for the Election of any to Salvation before the world When God chooseth out a Church and bestoweth his mercy upon it though no doubt there be numbers of Gods Elect in it as in the Church of England yet many may be Reprobates especially in such a Church where Religion is enjoyned by authority in such a company as this of the Jews where they were voluntary there was likelyhood of the more and yet even among such were Hypocrites that voluntarily joyned themselves to the Church as Ananias and Sapphira 1. Know we that its a great mercy to live in an Elect Church as the Church of England is when most of the world sit in darkness and be Synagogues of Satan 2. Yet must not we content our selves herewith but be able to prove our own particular Election which is an unspeakable favor and for which we ought to be exceedingly thankful Now in that the Apostle calls them an Elect company it was because he knew there was a number of Gods chosen among them as he saw by their fruits but who they were particularly and who were not that he could not justly tell because its unknown what the heart of the one is and what God may do in time for the other We must not take upon us precisely to determine of other mens Election or Reprobation but judge modestly and charitable thanking God for being sure of our own and laboring more and more for assurance herein Saluteth you wisheth all good unto you What would the Apostle trouble himself or his Epistle with such a trifling matter as sending of commendations It s no idle or small matter but of very good use So that as it hath been an ancient custom in the Church of God so being Christianly performed its worthily continued and is of great use For 1. It testifieth to our selves that we are of the number of Gods faithful ones that we not onely love the brethren with us but even those which are absent yea not onely no kindred but not known by face onely heard of that we so love God that we love his grace wheresoever 2. It s no small encouragement to the Servants of God that be thus saluted against the many unkindnesses yea hatred they meet with from the world that yet they see themselves regarded loved and prayed for of Gods people 1. This should provoke us to perform this Christian duty to the Servants of God for our own discharge and both their and our comfort we must not be all to our selves nor to those we be with but even have our hearts with the Church of God elsewhere rejoycing to hear of the free passage of the Gospel the zeal of any embracing it and that we help them forward the best we can 2. If we have salutations sent us by any of Gods Servants we should make special account thereof and be much comforted thereby and set the same against all the scoffs ill will and hard measure that the world affordeth and if we be in any heaviness that we stir up our selves and be thankful to God that we are remembred of him and his Servants and make more account of commendations from a mean Christian then from a great Knight or Noble man that 's not in Christ. 3. They that are Messengers hereof must not forget nor deal carelesly herein even civil and courteous Salutations onely of friends or kindred each to other are of use and not to be omitted but much more such as those here who knoweth how seasonably they may come what good they may do what heaviness they may remove They must not count so lightly of them being sent as to forget them or let them as they say flye away by the way but as a token wherewith they were entrusted and which it were no honesty to keep back Marcus my son It s like its that Mark spoken of Col. 4. 10. who was Cozen to Barnabas about whom there was a breach between Paul and Barnabas He calls him his Son not in the flesh but in the faith as having begotten him thereto by his Ministery as the Apostle Paul useth the same word on the same ground See Tit. 1. 4. 1. Tim. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 4. 14. Philem. v. 10. Here note that The Preaching of the Word is the instrument of Regeneration to beget men again to God 1. This rebuketh those that disgrace either simply or under colour of magnifying praying and reading so also those that withdraw themselves from this and staying at home say They read good Books c. They do as the Israelites who having Manna allowed them by God which should have been unto them in stead of all the food in the world yet would have Quails but they had leanness sent into
of our Ancestors is no sure rule Use. Pro. 10. 19. Doct. The things of this world are insufficient to redeem any out of his spiritual bondage Reas. 1. Psal. 24. 1. Psal. 50. 10. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Prov. 6. 35. Reas. 5. Pro. 11. 4. Ezek. 7. 19. Zeph. 1. 18. Reas. 6. Psal. 49. 7. Reas. 7. Use 1. Acts 8. 20. Use 2. Mat. 4. 9 10. Heb. 11. 25. Use 3. Iob 1. 11. Doctr. The things of this world are corruptible vain and uncertain 2 Pet. 3. 10. Use 1. Pro. 23. 5. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Iames 2. 5. Use 2. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Prov. 10. 15. Iob 31. 24. Use 3. Use 4. Doctr. Christs blood the true price of mans Redemption Rom. 5. 19. Phil. 2. 8. Acts 3. 15. 20. 28. Isa. 53. 5. Acts 4. 12. Rev. 13. 8. Heb. 13. 8. 10. 14. See Rom. 3. 25. Eph. 1. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 1 Iohn 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. Object Sol. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. Heb. 10. 29. Use 5. Simile Iohn 3. 16. Use 6. 1 Cor. 6. 2â— Simile Use 7. In what respects Christ is compared to a Lamb. Iohn 1. 29. Isa. 53 7. Isa. 53. 9. Iohn 8. 46. Mat. 27. 4 24. Luke 23. 41. See Heb. 7. 26 27. Object Sol. Isa. 53. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Use 1. Use 2. Iohn 21. 15 16 17. Eph. 5. 15. Iob 31. 35 36. Luke 1. 6. Dan. 6. 5. 1 Sam. 12. 3. Use 3. Rom. 8. 17. Mat. 18. 15 21. Object Sol. Obser. We are not to listen to either believe all we hear Ier. 26. 20. Acts 24. 5. The prevention of an Objection Acts. 1. 4. Doctr. Christ was ordained before the world Gen. 12. 3. 3. 15. Rev. 13 8. Iohn 6. 27. Eph. 1. 4. Object Sol. Object Sol. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Ioh. 3. 16. Use 4. Rev. 13. 8. Ioh. 8. 56. Rom 9. 33. Use 5. Mat. 6. 33. Ioh. 6. 27. Obs. The world shall not always continue 2 Pet. 3. 10. Use. Christ how manifested Heb. 9. 26. Doctr. God is constant and unchangeable Acts 13. 48. Use. 1. Use 2. Acts 11. 29 30 Psal. 76. 11. Gods promises are unchangeable Neh. 1. 9. Use 1. Use 2. Obser. Christ was then exhibit it when God decreed that he should so be Gal. 4. 4. Doctr. What God hath decreed shall be in due time accomplished Acts 16. 6 7. Mat. 10. 5. Mat 28. 19. Rom. 11. 25. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Three differences of times Why this called the last time Obser. God will no otherwise reveal his will then he hath already done Heb. 1. 1. Use. Doctr. We now live in the latter end of the last times Use 1. Use 2. Why Christ came towards the latter end of the world Use. What we are to do and how to carry our selves that others may think well of us Doctr. We cannot believe in God but by the Son Reas. 1. 2 Cor. 4. 4. Heb. 13. Reas. 2. Iohn 14. 6. Eph. 3. 12. Heb. 10. 19 Iohn 17. 3. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. Obs. In Christs Resurrection the whole Trinity had a hand Phil. 2. 9. The benefits which those reap that believe in Christ Doct. Where there 's no love nor fear of God there can be no true brotherly love Use 1. 1 Cor. 13. 6. Iudges 9. 23. Use 2. Prov. 16. 7. Acts 14. 15 16 19. Doct. Where there 's the true fear or love of God there 's also brotherly love 1 Ioh. 1. 1 Ioh. 4. 12. Use 1. Use 2. 1 Ioh. 5. 1. Psal. 15. 4. Psal. 16. 3. 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Use 3. Obser. There 's uncleanness in us both in Soul and Body Gen. 6. 5. Matth. 15. Isa. 1. 16. Iam. 4. 8. Rev. 3. 17 18. Use. Iohn 3. 5. Mat. 5. 8. Heb. 12. 14. Psal. 15. 2. Obs. Where there 's sanctification of the soul there 's also sanctification of the body Doct. The Word of God is the outward instrument of our cleansing Ioh. 15. 3. 17. 17. Iohn 15. 5. Acts 15. 9. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. 1 Sam. 15. 22. Ier. 25. 12 1â— 2 Thess. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 4. 17. Why the Word is called Truth Iohn 17. 17. Iames 1. 18. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. Heb. 13. 4. Doct. The Spirit is the inward worker of Sanctification Acts 11. 21. and 16. 14. Use. Rom. 8. 7. 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. Obs. Till we be cleansed by the Spirit we are unfit for any duty Use. Obs. The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works Eph. 2. 20. Iam. 1. 18. Use. What Love is Gal. 5. 22. 1 Tim. 1. 5. See Psal. 41. 9. 55. 13. Mat. 10. 21. See 1 Ioh. 3. â—7 Iames 2. 14 15 16. Rom. 13. 10. Luke 10. 34. â— Tim. 5. 4 8 16. Gal. 6. 10. Rom. 12. 10. and 13. 8. Col. 3. 14. Rom. 13. 8. Gal. 5. 13 14. Psal. 133. 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. The properties of love 1 Cor. 13. 4. Gen. 45. 5. Mat. 17. 27. Gen. 13. 8. See M. Perkins Christian Equity Rom. 13. 10. See Mr. Perkins cases of Cons. 1. 3. cap. 3. pag. 135. 1 Cor. 13. 5. Mat. 6. 12. Two Caveats to be observed of them that for redressing of wrongs make use of the Magistrate 1 Cor. 6. 7. Simile Mat. 5. 42. Deut. 15. 10. Acts 4. 37. 2 Cor. 9. 7. Prov. 3. 28. Obs. There 's little love in the world 1 Sam. â— 14. Iohn 2. 20. Exod. 10. 9. Mat. 24. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 2. The causes of the want of love Luke 17. 4 5. Prov. 13. 10. Eph. 4 2. The effects of the want of love Use. Mat. 18. 26 28 Pro. 19. 19. 11. Mic. 7. 18. Prov. 10. 12. Pro. 11. 24 25. Reasons inciting us to this duty of love Isa. 58. 2. Gen. 13. 8. 1 Cor. 6. 6. Ioh. 13. 34 35. 1 Ioh. 3. 14. See Pro. 10. Acts 9. 39. Rom. 12. 16 17. Obser. The fruits of love towards our brethren must accompany the profession thereof Obs. The doing of brotherly offices must proceed from brotherly affections Love must reach to all Object Sol. Object Sol. Luke 10. 33. Object Sol. Object Sol. Matt. 5. 44. Rom. 5. 10. Note 1 Ioh. 5. 1. 3. 14. Zech. 2. 8. Use 1. Gal. 6. 10. Use 2. 1 Iohn 3. 14. ibid. 10. Psal. 15. 4. 16. 3. Gen. 27. 29. Num. 23. 8. How we ought to love the Wicked Gen. 13. 8. See 1 Cor. 6. 8. Iohn 15. 19. Doctr. Love must be without fainng Rom. 12. 9. 1 Iohn 3. 18. Use 1. Psal. 28. 3. Gen. 3. 5. Mat. 4. 3. Use 2. Iames 5. 17. Obs. Love must be mutual Acts 20. 35. Obser. In love there must be a community Iames 2. 1. Prov. 22. 2. Iames 2. 5. Gal. 5. 22. 1 Tim. 1. 1. The properties of pure love 1 Cor. 13. 6. Gen. 25. 28. Mat. 5. 46. Use. Lev. 19. 17. Prov. 13. 24. Simil. Mat. 16. 22. Obs. A Christians love must be earnest 2 Cor. 9. 6. 1 Pet. 4. 8.
that serve to leave us without excuse as That there is a God That he must be served but what and who he is and how to be served alas here we dote Hence have risen so many thousand Inventions Images Idols so many kindes of Services in all Nations Turning the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man calf creeping thing c. In the second Table God for the preservation of civil society hath left a little more light to discern between right and wrong just and unjust good and evil as appears by the Laws of the Heathens against vices and for vertues yet herein how blinde is carnal man In the general he holds adultery murther c. to be evil but in particular lust and anger practised by himself not so or but a little but for concupiscence original sin the root of them alas this is quite hidden So for our will it s altogether corrupt and rebellious it ought to be guided by Reason yet often when Reason speaks and would guide right it will not onely not be ruled but will over-rule Reason as the horses draw Coach and Coachman over hills and dales whither they list yea all that is in us is onely evil Our Righteousness is like a filthy clout we are not able to think a good thought In me that is in my flesh saith the Apostle dwelleth no good thing The wisdom of the flesh is not onely an enemy but enmity against God and our own conversion and Salvation and we are dead in sins and trespasses and so cannot stand before God our sins must be taken away in Christ and Christs righteousness imputed to us and put upon us we must also be purged and renewed Either must our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees who yet were very strict and civil or we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven What if a man could rule Towns Countreys and Commonwealths as long as he hath no true rule over his own heart according to Gods Word What though a man could compound all the controversies between man and man in a Countrey and were reputed the wisest man therein yet if he know not the great controversie that sin hath made between God and himself and seek and know that compounded in Christ what would it avail him What if a man were never such a skilful Lawyer and could help every man to his inheritance if he knew not that hell were his inheritance by nature and labored for a better and for the same shew good evidence What if a man were so skilful in Physick as he knew the cases and cures of all diseases if he know not the Spiritual diseases of his soul and how they must be cured in the blood of Jesus Christ. This may stir up all men to examine themselves in what state they stand If thou hast not felt an Almighty work of God in thee to renew and alter thee throughout then art thou yet but a carnal and unregenerate man then thou art in a woful case thou hast nothing that can please God what shall become of thee rest not in this state O that people could be perswaded of their woful and wretched miserable state then were it easie to perswade them to seek to have it bettered The Lord ferret you out of your holes and muses that you have to lurk in Alas they will not all hide you fâ—om the All-seeing eye and justice of God O pitty thy soul This is the first step to Heaven to know thy naked case Take out this first Lesson Thou canst never learn any other till this be learned Thou that hast not learned this as most have not thou hast learned nothing to do thee good by all the Sermons which thou hast at any time heard The grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away Even so whatsoever is or can be in a meer unregenerate man when it comes to the Lords examination it will not abide but vanisheth away as snow on the Sun-fide of the house and Butter before the fire But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever Having told them of their misery without Regeneration he leaves them not there but tells them of a remedy To what purpose were it to tell one of his nakedness unless he were also told how to come by clothing that he is sick unless he be told how he may be cured to rake in the wound and sore unless a Playster be applyed This were but to encrease a mans grief so to Preach mans misery and there leave were to drive a man to dispair were either to make men blockishly careless what they did or desperately to rage and run into the Gulf of all impiety seeing there is no remedy The Apostle therefore doth both teaching Ministers wisely to joyn Law and Gospel together we must not onely tell people of a remedy in general so leaving them to seâ—k it themselves but prescribe them the way by dutiful attendance to the Word of God else they are like to do as sick folks that having no counsel from the Physician take things of their own head which rather increase the disease then otherwise even by some blinde courses of their devising seek a remedy which will do them no good The Word of the Lord is the means appointed of him to make us live that be dead to convert the Soul to work Faith whereby we are united to Christ the fountain of life It s the Conduit pipe whereby God conveyeth the life that is in him into us without the Word we are staâ—k dead where that fails the people perish without the Word I say we are but dead men and we must dye and perish eternally if it help us not But if it be carefully heard believed and obeyed it will bring us to everlasting life to an enduring state in Grace and Glory 1. O then wherewith shall this Word be prized If even a Soul be more worthy then all the world what is it worth that saves Souls O no marvel though David said it was better then gold and silver and sweeter then honey O how thankful should we be to God for this rich treasure hidden from most part of the world he hath given his Statutes to Jacob he hath not dealt so with other Nations what if we had this whole worlds wealth amongst us if we had not the Word of God O what are we that we should be preferr'd before so many great Countreys and innumerable people O how great is the unthankfulness of this Land that set so little by it why are the people so shie and so hardly drawn to the preaching of the Word Is it not some great hurt it would do them It s even this It would make them of sinners converted persons bringing Salvation to their house of dead make them alive and to live for ever without it we are sure
to dye and that eternally 2. To answer the prophane world that wonders at people that take pains winter and summer to travel and take such journeys to the Word they think they be fools and laugh at them What do they mean say they What mean they they seek to have their Souls saved if you have any greater business in hand then that or know a better way to effect it then the preaching of the Word you should do well to set about it But if ye do neither of these as I know ye do not then cease marvelling at them and give them leave rather to marvel at you that can be so careful for toys and so careless of your Souls for the time to come 3. If we have the Word of God which is sufficient and appointed to save our Souls then how dare the Brownists separate themselves from us Peter would not from Christ when being asked of him whether he would go away Master saith he whether shall I go thou hast the words of eternal life yea though there may be some things amiss and where at they are offended yet seeing there is sufficient to the Salvation of our Souls we ought to take heed of departing from those places where such means are they will go farther and speed worse Again whereas they call our Ministers Antichristian and Bâ—alitical Priests c. what gross wrong is this will God bless the labors of such to the winning of Souls Have not sundry Ministers among us through Gods goodness been the instruments of converting many to God Paul took that as a good Seal of his Apostleship that he had been so blessed Of the Lord This is to exclude all mens Traditions false Scriptures c. which have no such power and to stop the mouthes of Enthusiasts that depend upon immediate Revelations from God as though the Scriptures were insufficient And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you Where is the Word might they say and how must it be handled to make it thus effectual He answereth If it be effectually preached as it is among you this is the means it s not in heaven but among you and by preaching its made the instrument of Regeneration For How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe The Eunuch having that by preaching opened and applied to him which he read was thereupon converted that which could not be done by bare reading was done by preaching It s true the Word read and preached are both alike apt to convert in respect of themselves but not in respect of us as whole loaves and bread cut in pieces and made small have like nature and aptness to nourish in respect of themselves but not in respect of us for whole loaves will not enter into the mouth nor into the stomack or if they could be there so fit to digest as when cut small yea and chewed for then its fit So a sentence of Scripture must be broken and divided into Doctrine and Use then its fit and not till then to nourish us so that the cause why the Word read is not so apt to Regenerate and nourish us as the Word preached is not in the Word it self but in us in respect of our weakness that cannot conceive it nor yet apply it to our selves Therefore they that would have bare reading in Congregations and that as sufficient for the Salvation of a Congregation they are Enemies to the Souls of Gods people True it is the reading of the Word as well privately as publikely in the Congregation is an exercise both holy and profitable and hath ever been used in the Church of God and is to this day but yet not as sufficient as the other to Salvation Preached This he addeth that they might not look that God should speak to them from Heaven or by an Angel he hath thought good to speak unto us by men whom he sends to preach unto us Unto you In that it was preached as to others so also to them note That the Word ought to be preached in every particular Congregation They that have it not must seek it elsewhere for it will not avail them that its preached in the same Land Countrey or corner except they also have it preached nor yet will this serve for their excuse We had it not in our Town If light be come into the world we must seek after it as men go from Market to Market for provision And if the Word be truly preached in any Congregation the people ought in any wise to attend there and wait for a blessing thereon They must not discourage their Ministers through their absence but rather by their presence and prayers for them in preaching and themselves in hearing help them forward And this is the word c. Peter boldly avoucheth it was the Word of God that was preached among them and therefore that they which resisted it resisted not him but God So must we preach that we may boldly say thus and avouch it Those Ministers that broach Errors and corrupt Opinions or that plead for Baal for this and that Disorder or they that bend the edge of their Ministery against the forward and better sort and so weaken their knees and strengthen the hands of the wicked these cannot thus say This is the Word of God that is preached unto you God would not have said thus neither saith Gods Word thus and they that resist not God but man nay the Devil that moves him to utter these things We ought to take heed not daring to utter any thing but that whereof we may boldly avouch Thus saith the Lord He that speaketh let him speak as the Oracles of God But if we speak nothing but the Truth and as God would let all take heed how they shall dare to resist or gainsay it or not yield obedience thereto for he that resisteth it despiseth his own Salvation and resisteth not a mean man but Almighty God whose Word and Ordinance it is to save the Elect and be sure if it save you not it will condemn you For as the rain cometh down and the snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth saith the Lord it shall not return unto me void but shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it CHAP. II. WE have finished the former Chapter through Gods goodness many that heard the beginning thereof dyed ere we came to the end many dead since We set now upon this second hoping for the same assistance and I pray le ts all attend to the beginning with carefulness for no doubt sundry