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
8. 1. Gal. 3. 13. as from the first so far forth as its a punishment and piece of the curse and the nature of it is changed to believers for whom Christ hath dyed it s become a Serpent without a sting yea a blessing as being hereby freed from sin and not before Hereby the soul is let out of the prison of this body into the liberty of Gods Servants and put into the possession of life Hereby also the body is freed from all toils labors infirmities and pains waiting in the Grave for an happy and glorious resurrection In which respect death is termed a sleep an advantage to the Saints and is better in the day wherein they were born So from all forerunners hereof which are curses plagues and punishments in body minde goods and name all which Christ hath born what crosses we meet withal they are to further our Sanctification and Salvation but not punishments for sin or parts of Gods judgement as they be to the wicked 2. We are hereby made partakers of all good God is reconciled to us which is more then to have our sins and punishments quite removed yea and sheweth us the light of his countenance not as David who though he staid his wrath from Absolom at his return home to Jerusalem yet was not fully reconciled to him of two years The Creatures also are at peace with us The Angels become Servants and ministring Spirits for our good in life to direct us protect us comfort us c. and at death to carry our souls to Heaven so all other Creatures the very Devils and wicked men shall do us no hurt we have also right and title to this life we lost it in Adam but have it restored in Christ. 3. Hereby he conveyeth power into the hearts of all that believe in him to enable them to dye unto sin and to mortifie their lusts more and more This is a singular comfort to all that believe in Christ who onely partake of the benefits of his death we need not fear Hell condemnation nor any enemy of our Salvation nor any curse or punishment in this life all shall be for our good we need not fear the first death but rather have cause to desire it O the happiness of such God is at peace with them all Creatures in Heaven and Earth are their friends they have right to whatsoever they have little or much therefore may they rejoyce O happy that ever we were born what pains soever we have taken to come to the knowledge of Christ Jesus by whom we obtain such unspeakable things whatsoever the world esteemeth of believers they are the onely happy persons in the world yea we shall have power to mortifie our strongest corruptions and lusts fear it not beg it and use the means if all these be put together O how happy is a Christian who can value his riches On the contrary they that have not their part in Christs death are most miserable their sins are not removed they lye under them so under the curse of God in this world and the world to come so in danger of the first death which will rend the soul and body asunder that the soul may be cast out into Hell so also of the second O that such would labor for their part in Christ Christ came into the world Christ is now Preached and offered unto us men be in a woful case and are told of it and yet how few regard to embrace Christ how few customers hath Christ one would think that all that hear of Christ should be heartily glad of him and embrace and flye unto him but alas most men for profits pleasures or love of their vile lusts are content to let go Christ and he lies as a dead commodity and they that bring him to the world be unwelcom and so indeed few have part in Christ. The consideration hereof might make us mourn for our sins the cause of Christs death might be a corrasive to eat our sin and make it odious to us might make us serve God zealously and faithfully all our days yea to suffer for his sake and rather to dye with the Martyrs then any way to dishonor him and besides to labor to finde the vertue of Christs death working mightily in us the death of sin and sinful lusts Thus of his death But quickned by the Spirit Now of his Resurrection His body and soul that had been sundred were by the power of his Godhead reunited and he made alive so continuing with his Disciples until his ascension into Heaven Touching it consider that it was so the Reasons thereof the place maner and time with the benefits flowing from thence and the duties thereupon to be performed That Christ rose again is so plain that none needs doubt thereof The Angels that rolled away the stone the Soldiers that watched the Sepulchre Mary Magdalene and the other Mary that came to see the Sepulchre the two Disciples going to Emmaus the eleven Disciples being together c. all were witnesses hereof So his appearances were many as to Mary Magdalene then to her and that other Mary then to two Disciples going to Emmaus then to them all save Thomas then both to Thomas and the others another time to Cephas another time to seven of them at the Sea of Tiberias as at another to Five hundred Brethren at once so when he was to ascend he was taken up in the sight of all those there present all which are so many evidences of his Resurrection Reasons 1. That it might appear he had fully discharged our debt 2. Because being the Son of God and Author and Lord of life it had been unmeet nay it was impossible he should be held under of Death 3. By reason of the second part of his Priesthood which was yet to fulfil One part was to offer himself a Sacrifice Propitiatory to God for the sins of his people this he did by his death now the other is to make intercession for his Church and to apply the vertue of his death to those for whom he dyed This he could not have done if he had not risen again The maner When they had rolled a great stone to the door of the Sepulchre sealed it set Soldiers to watch yet he rose They could as well have hindered the rising of the Sun in the Firmament as his rising An Angel was sent that caused a great earthquake and rolled away the stone c. No counsel or strength can hinder the work of the Lord. Place The same where he was laid which was by Gods providence to avoid cavils in a new Sepulchre hewen out of a rock wherein never man had been laid Time It was the third day early in the morning on the first day of the week the third day as was foretold by Christ himself for he was buried the evening before the Sabbath and rose
and be well accounted of and reverenced yet when they come before God then they must hide themselves as the Stars and Moon shew a goodly light in the night but when the Sun appears they appear not The Nazarets vow was pleasing to God yet the time thereof being expired there was a sacrifice appointed for the sin of such a one what of such a one as had lived and served God in that strict order yea even they must acknowledge no desert but as they stand in need of mercy earnestly call upon God for it Who will shew mercy to thousands of them that love him and keep his commandments our works then or any thing that we can do cannot bring us sound peace and joy as being imperfect and unable to abide the justice of God but Faith that layeth hold on the all sufficient merit and satisfaction of Christ and his most perfect Righteousness whereby they are made ours brings us great joy as whereby we dare come before God with boldness and confidence Unspeakable and full of glory What maner of joy is that of believers Unspeakable such as cannot be uttered with the tongue why because it is for glory and happiness which is unspeakable for such things as neither eye hath seen nor ear heard therefore such as the glory is such is the joy it s an everlasting weight of glory a wise man joys according to the object of his joy but a fool reioyeth in a trifle of nothing unspeakable things are believed therefore it must needs be an unspeakable joy Full of glory Not a vain carnal or flitting joy that will fail and shame them that have had it but a glorious joy in the glorious Lord Jesus Christ and everlasting glory glorious things believed bring a glorious joy What was Davids when he said Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name c. and What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me What the Virgin Maries when she said My spirit rejoyceth in God my Savior and cannot many a Christian say that after long and heavy seeking after God and Christ Jesus God hath sent down such glimpses of joy into their hearts as they could not express and would think O if this would always last it were a little heaven and so it were indeed for its the same joy for quality that we shall have in heaven though the quantity be but small in comparison Here then see the happy estate of a Christian above all other men and the difference between the joy of all rich worldings that fat themselves in their rich comings in and richly furnisht tables and coastly attire and the godlies for do these bring unspeakable joy O no! there 's indeed small joy in them besides much vexation that accompany them and what a torment is it for such to think that they must be snatcht from this in a moment and are provided for no better neither is their joy glorious but base and childish that turns into shame in a few days their joy is in vain things and not in things that abide they rejoyce in the Creature not in the Creator yea their glory is their shame Verse 9. Receiving the end of your Faith even the salvation of your souls HEre 's the ground of their joy the end and reward of their Faith the salvation of their souls Salvation of their souls why was there any danger of the contrary O yes By nature and through sin we have deserved the utter damnation both of our souls and bodies but through Christ we escape it and obtain the salvation of both every man is in this danger neither is there any help to be had but in and through Christ apprehended by Faith How then doth it behoove every man to bestir himself about this so weighty a matter For what shall it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his own soul yet the most makes small account hereof but rather set themselves altogether about their profits and pleasures O madness to be condemned nay if they see any earnest about this they wonder what they mean what they mean they seek salvation if thou wonder at that wonder still but the time will come when thou wilt wonder at thine own folly that sought'st not after this though thou hadst missed of whatsoever else when thou seest any grieve and mourn wondrest thou what they ail It s for the want of salvation as thou art when thou wantest money if thou thinkest their grief and heaviness to be but melancholly dumps of foolish weak folks which they may shake off at their pleasure and be merry as formerly they were wont thou art much deceived Receiving He saith not you shall receive but receiving in the present tense Whence note that The Servants of God by faith do even here enjoy Salvation and Eternal life even presently we have glory though not in the fulness thereof 1. Because we are as sure of it as if we had it as who have Gods Hand for it even his Word his Seal his Sacrament 2. Because even here we have the earnest of it which is his Spirit when earnest is given between honest men there 's no going back and shall God say and not do it shall he promise and not perform He is not a man that he should lye or repent He that believeth on the Son saith the Son himself hath everlasting life 3. Because by faith we are already entred into the first degree of it being knit to Christ and so perfectly justified we are come to the suburbs of our glory and are as it were at the gate lacking nothing but to be let in by death As we say to our friends having come a long way to a City and are but at the walls thereof and not entred therein Now we are at it ye are welcom to this place so having received the first-fruits of the Spirit we may thereupon affirm that we are in Heaven This sheweth the happy estate of true believers that are so sure of their happiness and as it were entred upon it already Thou therefore that believest be of good comfort thou art even as sure of Heaven as if thou wert there already Rejoyce always serve God chearfully and bear afflictions patiently Being at the suburbs thou wantest but letting in when Death as the Porter shall open the gate Thou hast paid the price and hast good Evidence to shew for it which by thy learned Councel is judged sound and good God hath given thee his own Writings and thou hast sure under his Hand and Seal onely thou wantest Livery and Seisin which thou shalt have in good time which in the mean time is never the farther from thee The end of your Faith Or the reward which God hath promised so often who would not take any
a good Subject or say he is a mans servant and yet doth nothing that he is bidden but is drunken quarrels with his fellow-servants beats his Master children breaks down his windows rails upon him should this be counted a good servant or the other a good subject so the Lord defies that such should call him Father and counts it a disgrace to him to be call'd Father of such miscreants that live like bastards that have no care to please God no fear of offending him nor delight to be in his presence We should take it as a disgrace to have some base and filthy person come in a market to us and call us father yet this may and doth befal men yea good too who have lewd children and such be like them neither in favor nor condition yea there 's scarce one childe like the Father or one like another but it s nor so with God he hath never a childe but is like him and hath his image in him like hearted and like handed to him innocent hands and a pure heart holy as he is holy hating sin as he he doth loving his Word People Righteousness c. as he doth He that is born of God sinneth not Those are true properties of a childe of God yet even others have a father too Christ hath pointed him out Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father you will do Such as care for no goodness nor for Gods children but are Lyars Deceivers Oppressors and the like they are like the Devil God is not their Father but their Enemy with such all the Angels and Creatures are at defiance and wait for their destruction all the judgements of God hang over their heads their death will be a passage to their endless wo and misery Therefore never call God Father till thou change thy maners nor look for any priviledge of a childe from him as either protection or maintenance no nor so much as good look But shall I thus leave these God forbid for though we finde them children of the Devil yet we would be glad to bring them to be Gods Therefore humble your selves confess your sins as the Publican and the Prodigal entreat and sue for Pardon change thy behaviour and when thou canst feel thy heart effected like a Childe or truly desirous so to be then call him Father In the mean time if thou wouldest mourn for thy sins and labor for a contrite heart and abstain from every unclean thing thou shouldest be received thy sins pardoned and God would be a Father unto thee But if thou goest on in this graceless course as thou workest so shall thy wages be 2. But dost thou unfeignedly desire to fear God 1. In thy general calling as a Christian to walk holily righteously and soberly Fearest thou to offend God thy self or to see him dishonored by others carest thou to please him lovest thou to be in his presence dost thou conscionably hear his Word and patiently bare his Corrections 2. In thy special calling art thou careful to glorifie God as a Parent Childe Master Servant c. not onely in ceasing to do evil but in doing good yea and laboring to do it well Thou mayest comfortably and with good leave call God Father and make account of him so to be which is the greatest priviledge in the world Christ is thy Brother thou art Heir with him of all good things in this world and Salvation in the Kingdom of Glory hereafter Angels guard thee nay are thy Servants Afflictions Corrections Death no Death but a passage to Life O let us be perswaded to increase more and more in this care and every time we call God Father we may be put in minde and provoked to labor for the affections of dutiful Children We can readily look that God should be a Father to us that we want nothing but we for our parts can be content to be wanting in our duties many ways we neglect this and that duty yea in those we perform how cold are we little differing from Hypocrites how often do we break out into gross evils how little grieved when we offend or see others offend for these the Lord is often driven to afflict us As it s between natural Parents and Children we see that love descends but seldom ascends They look for all maintenance from their Parents but care little how small reverence or obedience they give them So we deal with God our head must not ake a little but he must presently give ease but we can be slack enough in the performance of our parts Who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man works Here 's the second Reason He whom we call Father is also a Judge and that a very sharp-fighted one that will not be carried away with shows and false glosses of good works but will look into the inside and judge accordingly If they proceed from an honest heart he will surely reward them if not they shall not onely miss the reward they look for but have for all their gay shows their reward with Hypocrites Therefore it stands us in hand not onely to renounce evil and to do good but to do the same with a right affection Here I might speak how God judgeth and will judge mens actions as 1. In this life he approveth the ways of his Servants by his Word and by his blessings upon them outward and inward and disalloweth the wicked actions of the World and their courses by his Word and by his judgements sometimes 2. In the end of this life by receiving the soul of the one into glory and by casting down the other to confusion 3. And especially at the last day by receiving the one into everlasting glory and throwing the other into endless misery Which may 1. Make us all look to our ways to walk in reverence and fear all our days To this purpose peruse Ecles 12. 13 14. Act. 24. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 9. 2 Pet. 3. 11. 2. Be a strong bit to hold back the wicked from running on nay to bring them on their faces for that which is past that it may be here pardoned that they meet not with all their abominations at that day For we must all appear before the Judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Even they that have been judges of others they that have ben quit yea they that have had their sentence here too shall appear before a wise Judge that cannot be deceived a Just one that will not be bribed from whom they cannot flee as being Infinite But because this is not the main drift of the Apostle I pass it over the more briefly the chief force lying in this That God judgeth according to mans works without respect of persons The person
c. on the contrary consider the woful estate of the wicked For what be they be they Kings Priests or Prophets no such matter Believers be so They be Kings Priests and Prophets but the wicked are the slaves of sin and Satan slaves to the flesh to their own lusts to the world What though they be rich yea though they be Emperors and not Believers they are the vassels of Satan and have nothing but their drudgery in sin and Hell for their own place as their desert Neither are they Priests but prophane ones let them stand off for the holy God cannot abide unholy persons they and their Sacrifice are abomination to the Lord They offer no Sacrifices at all of Prayer Praise or Alms or if they do its abominable because they offer not themselves soul and body to God first but they offer themselves to the Devil and him they serve with body and soul might and main Neither are they Prophets but dumb beasts not savoring of the mysteries of Gods Kingdom or if uttering any thing thereof yet their ill lives disgrace it again O that such considering their own base and the others happy estate would have an holy emulation to be as they and indeed nothing in this world is worthy to be envied but a Christian Humble therefore thy self for thy sin past turn to God for thy pardon in Christ and labor to have thy part in him and by him and by Faith in him thou shalt attain to be a Christian and so consequently a King Priest and Prophet and be enabled to the duties of the same An holy nation Here 's a third priviledge not meant of all the Jews but of the elect among them and of all believing Gentiles as Acts 2. 38 39. so called 1. Because they had the Oracles of God the Word and Sacraments which no other had This belonged to all the Jews True but it might be said that they onely had them which had the power of them to the conversion of their souls and Salvation and others had them not which had no fruit and benefit by them 2. Because they were sanctified and set aside by special grace to be holy ones to the Lords use Note then That All that be the Lords are holy persons that is Not onely having Christs holiness imputed to them but in whom God worketh inherent Righteousness and Holiness by his Spirit conveying vertue from Christs death to kill sin and from his Resurrection to raise them to newness of life to alter and change them throughout in soul spirit and body This though not perfect in any yet is sound and upright in them all therefore he gives them his holy Word and holy Spirit to work this and holy Sacraments to encrease it and its requisite that as God is holy so also all his should so be and these be they shall see his face with comfort no other and for these onely is Heaven prepared O let every man examine himself whether he be a sanctified person or not if yea Then 1. To thy comfort know hereby thou art one of the Lords number a greater priviledge then to be written among the Potentates of the earth There 's Consolation to thee thou wert elected and shalt be glorified 2. Seeing thou art set aside for the Lords use and sanctified in body and soul never defile thy self again or put any part of thy body and soul to any common or unholy use of sin or Satan In the Law it was ever most fearful to take any Consecrated thing as the Holy Oyl Shew-bread or Vessels and put them to any common use so is it that we should put Hand Foot or Tongue to any use of sin or corruption for any part of our souls or lives Oh many contrarily can let loose their tongue to impatient proud and most unseemly speeches yea and their bodies and mindes some to excessive following the world as they were wont and as worldlings do and some after their pleasures and vanities O that we would grow and abound in Sanctification that here having our fruit in holiness we may have the end everlasting life If not but contrarily you either live in prophaneness the open breach of some of the Commandments or be only superstitiously holy in some odde devotions and loose in other things as Papists and a number of old Folks or such as have a counterfeit holiness in the first Table and make no conscience of the duties of the second or contrarily civil persons that seem very just in the second Table but savor nothing of the duties of the first Table Know you are yet unsanctified persons and therefore out of Gods number you may be members of the visible Church where good and bad chaff and corn are but not of the invisible who onely are sanctified ones Let such be what they will be having Wit Learning Wealth Wisdom Civility all skill of Languages yea if they could measure the Heavens number the Stars c. and be not sanctified they are of the Devils rabble and shall perish everlastingly O that you would awake out of your courses What fruit have ye had or look ye to have therein The end of these things is death Come to the Word crave the Holy Spirit desire Pardon and Sanctification till this be you are not out of the state of Damnation and all things are impure to you Word Sacraments yea your Meat Drink Apparel c. A peculiar people That is a people proper to the Lord which he himself hath purchased and which he now takes as his own and sets great store by called therefore his secret ones whom he keeps under his protection to whom also he reveals his secrets his Beloved ones his Spouse his Love his undefiled as the Apple of his eye the Signet on his right hand whom he cannot forget In the flood he saved his Church when all others were drowned he saved Lot when Sodom was destroyed he makes more account of one Christian then of thousands of others If one of them pray it s so forcible that he says Let me alone and if thousands of wicked it s but as the howling of Dogs an abomination They are his glory all the world are dross to them vile persons and base The wicked though never so many are but servants to the Church as the seven Nations were to make the Land of Canaan fit for the people of God yea even then when they seem to dominier most over them they are but their drudges They as a wisp scour the Church to make it bright in the eyes of God but the wisp is to be cast into the fire they are Gods rod to bring it to obedience when that 's effected the rod is to be flung into the fire And No marvel though the Lord set such store by his Church seeing he hath been at such cost therewith as
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
and consider well and tarry till they have a calling and let them not intend to live at ease to follow their pleasures to gather riches c. but let them make their reckoning to prove Laborers Soldiers Watchmen c. else no coming here Thus in general The elders which are among you I exhort c. This verse containeth the first Reason of the following Exhortation which is taken from his own person being one every way fit to exhort them namely 1. An Elder and Minister as well as they for the name Elder is of dignity and office here and not of age who therefore knew what belong'd to his place and did what he required of them to do 2. A witness of Christs sufferings and so well acquainted with his minde 3. A partaker of the glory that shall be revealed who therefore would not exhort you unto any thing whereby either I my self may be deprived hereof or you hindred from attaining hereunto 1. In that he an Elder exhorts them Elders note That Ministers are fittest to teach Ministers and to judge of their actions True people may and ought try our Doctrine modestly and humbly they may also dislike and speak against foul things in our life and conversation but of things not so apparent people must not be ready to censure much less think to teach their Ministers For the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets This rebuketh the too much rashness and pride of some this way ready to control every course of a Minister that is not pleasing to them yea their maner of teaching prophanely calling it railing and that they should have spoke thus and thus when such dislike any thing in a Minister it were their wisdom to ask the judgement of some godly Minister before they censure or give judgement against him 2. In that he requireth nothing at their hands but what he himself did note That The most forcible and profitable way of teaching whether private or publique is first to do that in our own persons which we require of others Jesus did and taught Parents may not rebuke swearing in their children and swear themselves Housholders bid their Servants go to Church and stay at home themselves having no necessary occasion to keep them from thence Abraham was circumcised with his Houshold Joshua and his Houshold served God the Jayler and his Houshold were baptized He is not the best Husband that puts over his work to be done by others saying Go but who puts his hand thereto saying Go we c. He is an ill Captain that bids his Soldiers go fight himself in the mean time tarrying behinde It s woful teaching by Ministers that do quite contrary Shall we not condemn our selves while we call for that in another which we our selves do not observe Neither is there likelyhood that in such a case any will give ear unto us 3. In that he besseecheth Note as his modesty and humility So that Peter was no Pope had no Supremacy was not Christs Vicar as the Pope of Rome affirmeth of him and challengeth of him by succession Had it been so there had been no fitter time wherein to have shewed it then this Howsoever what had it been to the Pope who hath wofully degenerated He calls himself a Pastor yet challengeth authority over all the Church not Kings themselves excepted He is an hideous Beast and Monster If he send any commands it s not I that am a fellow-Minister and that take pains in the same calling do beseech you but he proudly thundereth and threatneth c. A witness of the sufferings of Christ So be we it s an Article of our Faith and we look thereby to be saved but we are witnesses onely of that we have heard he of that he saw he was with him when he was apprehended when he was brought before the High Priest c. he was a witness by seeing them preaching them imitating them Now in that he urgeth this as a reason to back his Exhortation we may note 1. That if we have any Credit Honor Favor Dignity we ought to improve the same to the benefit of the Church and furthering of Gods cause 2. That Ministers must use all Spiritual wisdom and skill to perswade unto obedience as cunning Chapmen they must use many reasons to perswade Customers to buy their Commodities 3. That the troubles of Gods Ministers are so far from disgracing them as they honor them and make their persons and counsel the more to be regarded for their sufferings are a seal to their Ministery and shew their faithfulness for those we should respect them the more not think the worse of them And also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed Here note briefly 1. That we should much regard those and their counsels whom we see much graced of God and like to be heirs of glory 2. That such as are Partners with Christ in suffering shall also partake with him in glory 3. That God hath prepared glory for his Saints in Heaven 4. That a man may come to know in this life that he shall be partaker of the glory of Heaven whereof whosoever is as yet ignorant he must endeavor by all means to make it sure Q. How shall we come to know this A. If here we partake of grace we shall hereafter partake of glory on the contrary no grace no glory Lassure you This knowledge is that which doth here uphold us amidst our many troubles it 's Mount Nebo whence we see the Land of Canaan all the Grapes we have to comfort us in the wilderness of this world 5. That Faith makes things invisible to be seen things absent as the glory here spoken of to be present Through this a childe of God hath Heaven already in possession whereinto his Soul shall enter immediately after his death as his body also being coupled to his Soul on the day of Judgement He that believeth saith the Scripture hath eternal life and Whom he justified them he also glorified Verse 2. Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde THe first duty required of Ministers is laid down in these words Feed the flock of God which is among you Feed namely by preaching the word soundly and diligently The flock of God namely The whole company which is under your charge which is not yours but Gods and that whether by creation as all are or by redemption as some are Which is among you or dependeth on you for Instruction Comfort and Direction Feed This implies divers things as 1. That Ministers must preach the Word of God Now preaching is an opening of the Scriptures wherein as many things be dark and hard to be understood which God hath done in his great wisdom
most part of old folks are so silly and ignorant that they have no good counsel in them nay are blockish and unteachable they spent their own time badly and never made conscience thereof therefore do not they call on others not being converted how can they strengthen others Many also are so far from rebuking them for disorder and making the wicked afraid as they will sit still on their benches and look upon youths rioting dancing c. and laugh at them aud so they strengthen them in their naughtiness and if a yonger man reprove them whether Officer or other they do not make any reckoning thereof for why such an ancient old man will stand and look on us and when they see such coming they are so far from fleeing as were meet as they are the more emboldned because they know they shall be countenanced by them yea these do in effect as Saul who held the garments of those that stoned Stephen others there are who though they will not stand looking on them yet will pass by and say nothing to them but rather bid them God speed and so are partakers of their evil These also should give good example be paterns of piety godliness hatred of sin zeal for Gods glory love to the house of God c. as those that have had much time many means and now have but a while to live If their example be good it may do much good if ill then no hoe Abraham Isaac Jacob were godly old men so Noah Job Samuel Simeon their example did much good But Oh how vain frothy and unsavory are the words of some being so prophane as youths might rather open their mouth to reprove them then give any attention to hear them Some talk as filthily as if they had never repented of the whoredom of their youth some talk and tell to youths and laugh at the lewd pranks of their youth so reading their Lectures of evil they shew themselves zealous to do evil that not onely will do so themselves as long as they can but would that others should after them the contrary is a good sign Some also even aged are Swearers Sabbath breakers Alâ—househaunters c. some also though for the time they might have been Teachers though not publique ones yet of the youths had need to be taught even the easiest Principles of Religion they can onely tell you of old Stories they can remember since King Henry went to Bulloign and can remember the old learning and that they helpt the Priest say Mass many a time If they could remember that they had repented of it it were well or could remember of any good they did forty years ago or that they were greatly moved at a Sermon and ever since have made conscience of their ways took such and such pains to hear such delight to read in the Scriptures and other good Books have sate up half nights in doing good O this were well If they could talk of our Saviors birth life miracles death of his Apostles their acts of the Israelites carrying into captivity coming out of Egypt so of the Flood of the Creation c. these things indeed would become them as they can tel you how old they are and in what Kings Reign they were born so if they could tell you when they were born again and how old they are in Christ it were happy But alas in such things they have no more skill then Nicodemus had when he first came to our Savior They are dumb when they are put from their old Stories I knew his Grand-father his great Grand-father c. the older a man is the worse he is if he be not godly O that such would consider why they came into the world how near death is what good counsel or good example they have given whom they have kept from evil or furthered in good what good they have done for their own Souls how they should have served God in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life and that they have not thus served him for which they have a fearful answer to make Though there be no great hope in respect of your dullness as also that God will not accept such a lame Sacrifice and the Devils leavings who requireth the firstlings and lest the Devil will not be put out nor sin accustomed unto be done away yet nothing is impossible to God therefore despair not onely ply you with exceeding haste lest you be shut out and that you may turn to God get some assurance of his love redeem the time make some amends do some good ere you dye as the good Thief that rebuked his fellow If old folks would not live without being desired nor be a burthen nor dye without being mourned for let them live to good use and do good so shall their age be honorable and honored There be some good old ancient men but alas their â—umber is but small and they not so zealous as they should be old men also in Towns must use their power and place to the good of the yonger and Church wherein they live and not to ease their own bodies or purses laying the burthen on their inferiors and as old men so are old women also here meant who must give good instruction and do good also by example they must speak graciously and to good purpose not given to Tale-telling Malice idle Talking c. as most are 2. For youths it rebuketh the notorious pride and malepart boldness of the youths of our times in their gesture carriage speech to their elders whether in publique or private what a universal complaint do men make of their children what a complaint especially of Servants that there were never the like for pride idleness untrustiness c. never looking for more maintenance never less duty In former times when they had not the tythe of the means they now enjoy servants were plain diligent trusty careful to please painful c. What a shame is this Hereupon they that be ill minded blame us and the Gospel never good servants since so much preaching O woful mouth is our preaching or the Word of God in the fault Is there one word in the Bible or doth any one come from us at any time that teacheth them so to do Do not we teach them the quite contrary and do not you give God a good mends for the Gospel There are some which do even profess Religion that yet suffer civil servants to go beyond them in diligence and trustiness and gentleness and good behavior Oh what may we not fear upon the Land for the ungraciousness of this generation seeing they will not bear the easie yoke of Government of their Elders they may look for some heavy yoke or other God will set up houses of Correction for such How few youths make any account that it belongs to them to be Religious or that their youth should be otherwise spent then
we mean to raign with him we must be Baptized with the Baptism wherewith he was Baptized It is true that godliness hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come but of this only so much as God shall see meet Therefore let us dream of no tranquility here but expect that in Heaven where we shall be happier then can be uttered Ready to be revealed in the last time When shall we have it It was prepared before the world we shall have a measure of it in death but the fulness thereof is deferred till the day of Judgement Christs second coming which is called the time of refreshing and our full redemption By the last time may be understood in divers places of Scripture all the time from Christs coming in the flesh till the end of the world so called in respect of the former times and because they go directly and immediately before the end and because God hath perfected his will and the revelation thereof to his Church in his Son and no more is to be added They under the Law waited for a cleerer and fuller manifestation thereof but now we have all we shall ever have but by the last time here the worlds end is meant for then shall there be no more time as there was none before the creation the Sun Moon and Stars were made for signs and season Winter and Summer to measure days moneths years c. but then shall they cease in Hell the wicked shall have none in Heaven the godly shall need none so there shall be no more time no more day in Hell but all night no night in Heaven but all day Well our full Salvation we shall have at the last day and not before then shall our bodies whatsoever in the mean time becometh of them as they have been companions with our souls in well-doing and have been redeemed by Christ as well as they be raised up and set on the right Hand when both joyntly shall hear this comfortable sentence Come ye blessed of my Father c. then shall we be ever with the Lord in Heaven both in body and soul Now our life is hid with Christ in God But when Christ which is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory We must therefore wait patiently not making too much haste in the fulness of time we shall have our hearts desire Christ was promised in the beginning of the world but came not till long after even when the fulness of time came so shall our happiness in the appointed time We are taught to pray Thy Kingdom come and in the Revelation it s mentioned that the souls under the Alter cried How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth True but yet patiently awaiting Gods good time that he hath appointed Hereby also we may stop the mouths of mockers that shall come to us and say Where is the promise of his coming we may answer it is coming and it will be here too soon for you and God is not slack as you think but therefore deferreth as willing that all men should come to Salvation even all such as he hath elected who being once all born and called the end shall quickly come And as this may stop their mouths so it may make us patient to tarry for our fellow brethren When we therefore make too much haste what is it but that we would have our full happiness and leave out some of the elect to be quite put off as if we should desire to be over a water and then draw the bridge that the rest shall not come over And the rather let us be patient not onely because of the greatness of the reward when it cometh but also because it hasteneth we have the vantage of our Forefathers which lay long in the earth waiting for that day but now it s at hand we hasten to it and it hastens to us we shall meet ere long and as our Apostle saith The damnation of the wicked sleepeth not so neither the Salvation of the godly now ready to be revealed Last time Some gather hence That we shall have no part in glory at all till the day of Judgement but that the souls of the Saints go to a middle place c. confuted by our Saviors speech to the thief Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paridise the Angels carrying Lazarus of soul into Abrahams bosom See also Eccle. 12. 7. Phil. 3. 13. Rev. 6. 10. This should make us labor for pure and holy souls seeing they must be in Heaven as soon as ever they depart from our bodies which we know not how soon it may be They must be carried up above the Starry Heaven into the most solemn appearance that ever was Verse 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be yeare in heaviness through manifold temptations HAving shewed the Inheritance at large here he sheweth by what way God will bring us thither namely by weeping-cross by the rough way of affliction which yet shall not be to our hurt or consuming but to the trial of our Faith that it may be being purified to our honor at Christs coming Therefore though our afflictions breed heaviness yet not such but that the assurance of our Salvation makes us in the same to rejoyce Wherein that is In which Election Sanctification Lively hope and happy Inheritance ye rejoyce Here he setteth down another benefit bestowed upon us by the Gospel namely Spiritual joy and rejoycing proceeding from Faith and Hope yea and that in adversity He knew they rejoyced in the assurance of their happiness he knew it by himself he did so and therefore they could do no other for the same Spirit worketh alike in the elect which makes that they can the better tell how to speak to advise counsel and understand one another But in commending them he exorteth them namely That they would do so still for being now in persecution he requires them to reioyce yet in the assurance of their eternal happiness as Paul of himself in another case Hence note that Its the duty of all those that be assured of their Salvation to rejoyce in it which being attained unto breeds joy and no marvel For Is liberty joyful to the captive health to the sick sight to the blinde life to the dead Then must Salvation needs be so to them that have felt themselves condemned for them to be the children of God that were the slaves of Satan heirs of Heaven that were firebrands of Hell Who can but rejoyce that knoweth that there 's no condemnation to him Though thousands perish God loves him he shall want nothing such need not fear though Heaven and Earth should
always keep a good Conscience Wood is not more necessary and apt to nourish fire then good works and well doing to nourish Faith Also observe the dealings of God and grow by your own experience Many that have believed and were very earnest in their beginning till they got it after growing secure and worldly and withal neglecting the means have with David fallen into some one sin or other thereby losing the peace and comfort they formerly enjoyed A great loss indeed more then if a man were stript of all to his shirt O le ts take heed of this loss as we are to be wise as Serpents so let us shew our Serpentine wisdom in this one thing especially The Serpent will be sure so much as in her lies to save her head so must we our Faith for on this hangs all and if by any means we have fallen therefrom recover we our selves by all means possible 3. That which they are to hope for or trust on is Grace that is Salvation Every benefit is grace but to be delivered out of our lost and undone state and brought again into the favor of God and saved is a most special grace Our Election is of grace so our Redemption so our effectual Calling 1. This condemns the Papists that teach partly Grace partly Works No these cannot be mingled either all or none they be as contrary as light and darkness honey and gall else were grace no more grace To joyn any thing with Christ is to pervert the Gospel They now begin to be ashamed and mince this Opinion saying We be saved most by Grace yet partly by Works and that these Works be died in the Blood of Christ and that it is most safe to rest on his merits alone Well God make them so ashamed as altogether to renounce it and so let us in the mean time 2. Let us serve the Lord with a chearful and constant love and service for his free favor to us all the days of our life 3. Shew we grace and favor to others not to such as have deserved well of us but even to such as have not nay ill as we had of God Grace That is Salvation See he calls their mindes from looking for earthly preferment by Christ whereunto they had a lingring minde and calls them to look for Spiritual riches even Salvation by him What are we then to expect by Christ and by professing the Gospel zealously not Wealth Honor Peace Credit in the world but pardon of our sins freedom from Hell and Gods wrath peace of Conscience joy in the holy Ghost that our persons and works shall please God Angels to be our guard our Prayers to be heard our Souls at death to be carried into heaven both our Bodies Souls to be glorified at the great day Will this satisfie us Hereof we may be assured if we believe in Christ and zealously embrace the Gospel As for other things his Kingdom is not of this world he promiseth not plenty peace ease c. He had them not himself but contrarily troubles as all shall have that live godly in him This teacheth us to lay our hand upon our heart when we go about to profess we know what we shall finde but it may be sorrow withal if we can be content so then may we go forward else not Many having gone on in profession not so advisedly and after having found the wind and tide against profession and reproach trouble and danger for the same have shrunk away and with Demas have forsaken Paul and embraced the present world Others seeing how hardly such be dealt with though in their conscience they think best of such yet keep in their heads thinking that its best sleeping in a whole skin But alas they make but a weak choyce were they not better have these heavenly comforts and priviledges here and be acknowledged of Christ and saved at the great day though with some sorrows here then to make the world their friend and God their enemy and to have him ashamed of them at that day as he will for we cannot have it go on our side now and then too That is to be brought unto you God tarried not till they sought Salvation but he of his goodness brought it them which he useth here as an Argument to perswade them to trust stedfastly to this Salvation and look accordingly for it because God would bring them to the Faith of it when they thought not thereof Note here That Salvation is not of our own procuring or seeking Alas what could Adam and we in him do we could fall but what then towards our Salvation we could run and hide our selves and excuse our sin and encrease our danger but God was fain to bring him the seed of the woman he could not make himself an help a wife for God made and brought her to him much less a Savior So what 's the reason he hath given us the Gospel in this Land and not to our Forefathers not to many other Lands we sought it not but when Idolaters in darkness God brought it So have we not been brought by marriage or by Service into Towns where we have had the Word when we purposed no such thing So to our hearts what were any of us when God called us Did we seek him Alas no we ran from him rather long ere we yielded but he followed us and overcame us See it in Saul did he seek Salvation he was going to Damascus to persecute God brought it him so to Zacheus the Goaler c. so we This teacheth us 1. To be humble 2. To be exceeding thankful all the days of our life 3. To rest confidently on him for the time to come in the experience of that we have had as thus That he that brought us Salvation the Word to us or us to it and gave us to see our misery long after Christ have some taste of his love and some desire to please him that were far from these he will continue this and will never leave us Thus the Apostle reasons But God commendeth his love towards us c. So Jacob in danger of Esau He came over Jordan with his staff and God had given him two bands therefore he was perswaded to relie on God for present deliverance for why might he say I am perswaded thou hast not done all this for me to be lost in an instant as an ox should lick up a flower or a candle be put out at once We use not Gods mercies well when we grow not stronger by them for time to come 4. Comfort to a fearful heart that fears he shall not hold out or that God will cast him away O its impossible did he bring thee Salvation that regarded it not and now hath given thee an heart to prize it above the world and to walk
businesses and le ts be over nay thou mayest be dead or meet with more ere they be gone 6. Voluntarily not be haled onely by pain and misery as Pharaoh God loves a chearful servant 7. Constantly not for a while as Joash but as Caleb and Joshua followed the Lord to the end yea when most revolted See the contrary punished in the Prophet that came from Bethel We must not be weary in well doing Reasons hereof may be these 1. Gods Soveraignty over us we Clay he our Maker 2. His Will a rule of Righteousness 3. His great mercies every way even to the worst but to his children wonderful ones 1. This condemns them that are so far from obeying and that in all things and after this maner that they will obey in nothing but as if they were set to cross the Lord what he forbids they love what he enjoyns they cannot away withal They live like masterless men as if they ought nothing to any were beholding to none What art thou not a piece of Clay the Lord thy Maker even he that threw Angels out of Heaven Adam out of Paradice opened the Earth rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom c. If his Soveraignty move thee not consider I beseech thee his Goodness Who hath nourished thee up given thee a comely body a reasonable Soul and so long kept thee that thou art not now in Hell What 's all this for that thou shouldst flie in his face that gives thee bread He lets thee hear his Word calls thee to Repentance c. Is it that thou shouldst tread these things under thy feet Oh thou art of thy father the Devil whose works thou dost and except thou fall down at the Lords footstool and humble thy self before him he will confound thee O consider this all ye that now forget God 2. It condemns such also as obey God to halves and in what they list in the mean time lying still in some beloved lust So Pharaoh obeyed so Herod and Saul But as Moses would not part with one hoof so will not God have us cast off any one Commandment God will have no parting Stakes The Devil like the Harlot would be contented with the one half but God like the true Mother will have all or none If God were so revenged of half-obedience under the Law what then now This halving is an Argument of no true Faith for that purifieth the heart also of no Repentance for he that repents truly of one sin repents truly of all Whosoever therefore thou art that dost thus thou art in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity thou art in the state of damnation If thou livest in the practice and love of one known sin profitable or pleasing this one shall be enough to sink thee down to destruction as one leak in a Ship may endanger the whole and one gate in a City open let in the Enemy 3. This rebukes the servants of God that yet walk not in that obedience that were meet but leave undone this and that duty slighting over others and letting loose their affections and lusts O this is not the chearful and constant obedience that we ought to perform in all things If neither his Authority nor his outward Benefits will move us consider we his love towards us in Jesus Christ that of children of wrath he hath made us his children that by giving his Son he hath freed us from Damnation and means to save us Oh the Name of Children calls for much obedience as the Name of Brethren should still all Controversie And this is the Argument which the Apostle here useth to perswade to obedience Oh we be Gods Children Children ought to obey their Parents there 's nothing more uncomely then the contrary much more we the Father of our Spirits Christ the natural Son was obedient to the death How obedient then must we be being but adopted ones Again That he hath called us to the hope of such an Inheritance what obedience doth this challenge For this is the force of the coherence of Verse 13. with those that go before Wherefore gird up the loyns of your minde c. That is Seeing God hath done such and such things for us let us trust perfectly on that grace that is brought unto us and walk obediently Yea the more we profit in obedience the more comfort we may have that we be the Lords and have true Faith the more will our comfort be also in our death So many of us therefore as can prove our selves the Lords do we labor to walk worthy hereof in all due obedience and for others that know not they are the Lords let them try it by obedience Many Covetous Usurers Oppressors Swearers c. will say they believe no be tryed by this rule If your heart stand to obey all Gods commandments it is so but while you live in any thing you know is sin you are voyd of Faith Other poor humble Christians that hate sin deadly and unfeignedly desire to please God in all things yet say they cannot believe Why who hath wrought these things in you Not flesh and blood they are the gifts of Gods sanctifying Spirit therefore they come from Faith as if we see a Sun-beam we say the Sun is risen if an Apple that is good we say there is a good Tree Except therefore you will say that men can gather Figs of Thistles or Grapes of Thorns you cannot deny but that you have Faith wheresoever Sanctification is there Faith went before O but I finde it but weak yet as long as it is in truth with desire of increase it presupposes Faith as if we see a Sun-beam though but dimly yet we say the Sun is up after it will shine out more clearly So we say it s a good Tree though the fruit be small at first so long as it is good If any shall say I feel in me no such thing now therefore I have no Faith what shall become of me Was it ever so with thee Look to the time past and thou must not deny the mercy of God shewed thee Thou canst not deny but it hath been so then thou hast had Faith then hast thou Faith still though it seem raked up in the ashes when thou with the bellows of Prayer and the Word and God with his Spirit shall blow away these ashes it will uncover it self and burn out again Not fashioning your selves c. There are two parts of Obedience or Repentance a dying unto sin and a living unto righteousness a renouncing of lusts and imbracing holiness a ceasing to do evil and a learning to do well an abhorring of that which is evil and cleaving to that which is good a putting off of the old man and putting on of the new he that hath the one hath also the other they
can neither take it away nor pay for it we ought to be the more careful but O Lord men commit sin as if an half peny would satisfie for it nay a straw under their feet Thus do many rap out oathes others talk ribaldry others lye others rail curse backbite c. The devil thinks nay he knows he doth us a greater spight to make us sin then to pluck away all that we have see this in his dealing with Job he desired to spoil him of his goods Why because he hoped thereby to bring him to blaspheme God and its true he doth us more mischief by bringing us to commit one sin then by stripping us of all the estate we have O do not that which when done all the world cannot make amends for But what are these things what 's their nature and quality they are corruptible things vain uncertain of no continuance fire consumeth houses water wares death cattel land is subject to barrenness to bad titles wranglings enemies all these outward things sick of a consumption They may hold out for a time but at length perish nay our selves and our own lives as frail as any thing a bubble a shadow a vapor as we heard larely yea the very heavens shall pass away 1. Therefore be not proud of these things alas they be gifts of Gods left hand common to the bad and good also they have eagles wings and are uncertain And yet how do these things lift up mens mindes and make them contemn their brethren and so lordly that they are not fit to be spoke too froward contentious c. there 's little cause they should so do but rather make them the more humble for the more a man hath the greater account he is to make If of any thing be proud of grace yet not of that and disdain not a poor Christian for though he have no wealth yet if he have more grace then thou hast he is the better man I mean in the sight of God who therefore is not to be contemned for his poverty 2. Trust not in them let them not be thy strong city hereof Job particularly acquits himself and so should we 3. Esteem of riches accordingly and seek them in their place To this purpose peruse Matth. 6. 19 20 33. John 2. 15 16 17 6. 27. 4. This condemns the common sort that seek after nothing else as if there were no other heaven nor other end of mans being here Multitudes seek after them by right and wrong yea the most unlawful and vile courses Others not so openly evil yet so seek these things as regarding them more then that one thing that is needful being so addicted hereto that in the whole day they cannot spare one quarter of an hour for prayer in their family so in the whole week no leisure to break off and hear a Sermon nay Sabbath and all onely coming to Church and some scarcely that but will lose as little time as they can for they will talk of the world till they come to the Church door and in many places in the very Church and as soon as they are out again to it again With them every little time for God and the Soul is too much no time for the world enough every small measure of knowledge a shadow of any thing in that kinde is much but much of the world seems yet small Mammon is much beholding to them God and their Soul but a little therein they are wise and have tongue enough in such things none at all in heavenly matters and so they bring up their children and so match them Thus they set the cart before the horse and speed in their souls accordingly yet is one dram of Faith Repentance Knowledge worth all the silver and gold in the world Yea it s not onely the fault of the common sort that they see no better things but even of Gods children that have the substance and yet will be catching at the shadow so did not Abraham Isaac and Jacob they dwelt in Tents and counted themselves Pilgrims neither regarded Moses the pleasures of Egypt But with the precious blood of Christ Here 's the true price of our Redemption It s true we are redeemed by the whole course of Christs obedience which he performed from his birth to his death but it s ascribed here particularly to his death and suffering being the principal part of his obedience whereby he satisfied Gods justice for our sins by his blood is here meant all his sufferings from his beginning and that not onely visible from men in his body but the inward terrors of God upon his Soul yea and death it self and no less payment would serve the turn for us for by our sin we had deserved death of body and Soul the first and second Therefore blood must be shed death must be paid else Gods justice cannot be satisfied well be it so Would not then the death of some Saints have done the turn All men are inwrapped in one and the same Condemnation unable to help themselves much less others Neither could the very Angels help us for having sinned against an infinite God we deserved an infinite punishment which being finite we could never overcome therefore it must be blood of Jesus Christ his that was both man that he might suffer and as mans nature had offended therein give satisfaction and God that he might make his sufferings of infinite worth and value and that he might overcome the same therefore it is called Precious by reason of the hypostatical union of the Divine Nature therewith and so was the blood of that man that was God and so after a sort the blood of God Hence he is called The Lord of life and glory and said to have purchased the Church with his blood No less would have served the turn so precious is the work of our Redemption and our estate before so miserably woful This was plainly prophesied Other way of Redemption there was none in the world neither is there Salvation in any other He is the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world He is the same yesterday and to day and for ever This was signified by the Sacrifices of the old Law which were types hereof and this indeed is an All-sufficient way He is the surety that hath paid our debt satisfied the creditor and freed us by whom we are discharged from all the wrath of God that we had deserved But how could he in so short a time dispatch that which was infinite and we should have lien under for ever Because he was God It was more that he should suffer for a moment then all men and Angels for ever As a rich man is able to pay that debt in an instant that a poor man can never be able to winde out of
the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever THis duty of love is of such use and we so untoward to it and so hard a thing for us to love as we ought that it s urged with a Reason True it is so and no more then needs for the spirit that is in us lusteth after envy The Reason is taken from the grace of Regeneration bestowed upon them They were born again and therefore were to shew the fruits thereof as in other things so in this of love Where might be noted 1. That such as are not born again cannot love no more then men can gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles or pour Wine out of a Bottle full of Vinegar but as Grapes are gathered of the Vine so must love come from a Regenerate man not otherwise 2. That the Regenerate man must needs love therefore they that declare no love but hate their Brethren the people of God especially shew they be not born again nor of God But I proceed to the words Being born again Here 's occasion offered to speak of the grace of Regeneration Touching it consider briefly these particulars 1. What it is to be born again It s to be made new creatures to be cast in a new mold to have the corrupt Image of Sin which we have by Nature and wherein we were conceived and born put off throughout and the contrary good one wherein we were at the first created put on to have the understanding enlightned with distinct knowledge of God the heart bowed to the obedience of God c. new thoughts desires speeches actions In the new Creature all things must become new Thus it s done to all that were elect before the foundation of the world They are changed up and down from a good state by Creation to a bad in Adam from thence to a good one in Christ by grace here in expectation of glory hereafter For the wicked they are changed from good to bad and there remain the same but still worse and worse for ever we should give God thanks that made us so good at first be humbled to see our base and woful state now and seeing there is help never to be quiet till we recover our first condition 2. That the Lord is the Author hereof he takes away the stony heart and gives a new heart an heart of flesh It s his work onely nor Man or Angel can change the heart to work a deadly hatred of that which by nature we love as our lives and to love and take delight in those courses duties companies which sometimes were as a Prison Alas the best Paul and Apollos cannot often even of their Children or very Friends not a few remain unconverted though haply in the mean time God bless their labors to convert many others Yea if an Angel should take a man and carry him to Heaven and shew him the Joys thereof and thence to Hell and shew him the Torments thereof yet this would not convert him neither all Mercies Afflictions or Plagues of Egypt It s a great work of God and so great as if all things were not possible to him he could not do it It s a greater work then the Creation of the World In that there was no opposition in this much we have not onely no aptness to good or to be wrought to goodness but a violent opposition against it there but to make the things here both to put out the corrupt nature and to put in the contrary good then he made all of nothing now he makes good of nought As its easier making a thousand glasses then the setting together one that is broke so it was easier to speak quo ad nos for all things are alike easie to God to make the world then to repair the broken Image of God in man It s a miraculous work of God greater then any miracles that Christ or his Apostles wrought our Saviors several miracles upon the bodies of men are all done in the conversation of a sinner sight restored to them that were blinde and darkness it self hearing to the deaf speech to the dumb feet to the lame Devils cast out yea many for the Devil possesseth us and all our Parts and Members Hearts Hands Eyes Tongues Feet c. as any Captain holds a Castle and hath it at command Thus it s a wonderful work of God to see a mans Soul and Life his wit will desires affections and all altered from black to white It was a wonder to see the Criple go and for him that was born blinde to see but it s more marvel to see a man converted for whereas God gave power to work all these miracles the raising of the dead not excepted to men this of regenerating is his own onely If we finde it ascribed to Ministers as Paul is said to have begot Onesimus and as a Father the Corinthians we must not conceive as if it were not proper to God onely but know that it is for that God would keep them the instruments by whom he works from contempt A good Husband or Wife may be a good means each to other but have no power of themselves Adam could easily cast away himself but none could restore him but God onely as a Childe of half a year old may break a glass which all the men in the Town cannot set together again It s wrought of God by uniting us to Christ by Faith through his holy Spirit which works this alteration when pardoning our sins past he taketh away the guiltiness and punishment thereof in his death Let all that can prove it give all glory to God for so unspeakable a mercy even that when they were going headlong to destruction when as vile as any he yet called them passing by thousands which yet lie in their sins And for them that can prove no such thing let them not delay nor put off to the last as the fashion is as though it could be dispatcht in a trice or with a wet finger but seek it both earnestly and quickly in the means appointed Why do men think they shall repent on their death bed rather then now Is it because the pain or fear of death will make them Alas all the Plagues in the world cannot change a man without God and will God be near to work then Nay he that was rejected in health and life will more likely cast off in death and if he will not bless his Word will he work in the end by other means This is little better then Sauls practise to go to the Devil when God would not help him 3. That the Lords own will is the moving cause hereof As he Elected freely and gave Christ of his love so this Nothing in us could move him hereto but whom he elected before the world those doth he of the
in them and onely lean upon Christ Jesus for Salvation and so become happy indeed They also hold that Peter is the head of the Church and Foundation thereof who would not wonder at their wickedness when as Peter himself saith it here of Christ and attributes nothing to himself But is it not confirmed by that of our Savior Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church The Question propounded by our Savior was moved to all the rest as well as Peter and answered of all though by the mouth of Peter Christs meaning is That on himself whom he had confessed he would build his Church Would he build it on Peter then either on his Person or on his Faith not on his Person and how weak was his Faith which was so sore shaken by the speech of a Maid that could be no meat foundation to build on 4. Those fools among our selves who though they acknowledge no other foundation yet build not upon him but on their civil life their bare hearing of the Word which yet they do because it s commanded by Law and stands most with their safety and as the Papists but for their purse so they would not come to Church but for shame or punishment their doing as others do c. foolish Builders that build on the sand their house as every other that is not built on Christ by true Faith how fair soever in their own eyes will fall on their heads if any storm of trouble arise for the Gospel they will quckly yield and change as oft as Religion changeth and if no such change be yet at death they shall drop into Hell for want of a foundation as the five foolish Virgins were shut out of Heaven for that they had no oyl for their Lamps no stock of Faith to feed or back their outward Profession They that content themselves with any thing with any gift before they have got a true justifying Faith will fall away will perish may prove Persecutors or any thing They that so hear the Word as they never give over till it hath humbled them and brought them to Christ and they have found sure foundation on him and footing and grace to be changed these build upon the rock Therefore content not your selves with hearing the Word nay hearing it with joy and reforming many things nay that you have been troubled for your sins as some have wept for their sins at a Sermon but let it go over and wear away ere they came at Christ so bearing your selves in hand that ye are converted persons for afterward by your falling away or at your death it will prove nothing so and all for want of a foundation There be even now thousands in hell that have heard as many Sermons as ever you heard or ever shall 2. That Christ is a foundation and the onely foundation of his Church is no small comfort to all that believe on him They may quiet themselves amidst the multitude of contrary Opinions in the world or temptations of Satan to make them waver they may answer If Christ be not sufficient to save me I am content to be damned I 'le never seek other foundation you may well enough Again being built on Christ there be many enemies will lay Battery against you to beat you off but be of good comfort they may shake you indeed but to overcome you or pull you off the foundation it s not possible All the gates of Hell shall not prevail against you all their power shall not quail you As in a City the strength is placed at the gates as the Port-cullis and the Canon to keep from entrance so if Hell should plant all its force against a Christian yea the poorest Christian it shall never be able to prevail against him he is so surely joyned to the foundation by the Spirit of God that lies so fast Will Christ suffer his Building to be defaced or one member or the least joynt to be pulled out of his body Christ that prayed that his Disciples might be kept prayed also for all that should believe Living Christ is a living foundation not onely because he hath life in himself as he is the Living Bread the Truth and the Life but because he giveth life to others even all that believe in him Hence percieve 1. That Christ differs from all other foundations he gives life to his but whoso trusteth on any other shall dye eternally 2. An encouragement for all to come to Christ He is not such a one as can do them no pleasure but as he can and will save them so he will also put life into them that whereas before they were as dead as a stock to any thing concerning the glory of God or their own good no Wit Will Memory Affection no Hand Foot Tongue but all were stiff and stark lame to any good yea dead being joyned to him he will make them alive give them Wit Will and a Heart to that which is good so a Hand Foot and Tongue yea so change them that they shall be nothing the same but new Creatures Hence it is that some that were as very wretches as could be to their lusts that loved a Sermon Sabbath or good Exercise as a Bear doth the stake have yet by the preaching of the Word been brought to Christ the case is so altered with them that now they loath what they loved love what they loathed It is not a strange thing to see a man that loved money as his life and had no savor in any good to set as light by it as his shoes and to love the word that wrought this dislike in him So for a man that loved a pair of Cards and Tables and to ramble abroad on the Lords Day and who could not abide to take a book in his hand or to be in any Religious persons company now to abandon the one and to be earnestly affected with the other yet this Christ worketh in those that be joyned to him O come to this Christ Jesus humble thy self believe in him and give over thy self to him and though thou beest as bad as the worst he will so alter thee as thou mayest prove a worthy Christian. 3. This serves to uncase a number of Hypocrites that think themselves stones of this Building and hope to be saved by Christ and to be Believers and yet have no Spiritual life in them If you can shew me that Spiritual life that you have got from Christ to dye to sin and live to righteousness then you say something but there be no dead stones in this Building but living answerable to the foundation Therefore they that remain dead in their sins and old lusts or any of them Christ and they are assuredly as yet two and not one Shew your Christianity by renouncing all ill and by your love to good Prayer good duties in your Families and
hold on In his death he shall not be comfortless but finde enough in Christ to carry him to heaven though through the gates of death He knoweth whom he hath believed At the day of Judgement he shall not be ashamed but lift up his head with great joy when he shall see Christ coming in great glory and power to save all them that have embraced him and to receive them into the glory which he hath prepared for them then shall he be our Judge who hath been our Surety and Savior Contrarily they that believe not in Christ are never in quiet as the Papists that hope to be saved partly by Christ and partly by Works are often even the wisest of them distracted and cannot tell when they have done enough to rest in and so are ever suspitious and doubtful tost to and fro as one upon a ship mast So the wicked among our selves that believe not in Christ though some securely flatter themselves are for the most part doubtful having ever and anon thoughts that all is not well and so not knowing what shall become of them and though they love their lusts so well that they will not part from them for Christ yet often do their thoughts accuse them of their Whoredoms Deceits wicked Courses their hearts misgive them and so indeed their lives be as if one should lie in a bed too strait and the clothes too short and so they cannot sleep whereas he that is assured of his happiness and his heart witnesses his upright care to obey Gods will his bed and clothes be large enough he sleeps quietly and rests on a soft pillow his good conscience In the hour of death they are fearful disquieted and in death they are confounded when they see the Devil ready to carry their souls to hell At the day of Judgement how will the Jews and Turks that altogether reject Christ be ashamed and confounded when they shall finde that their imagined Christ and Mahomet hath deceived them and led them into a false hope O what a case will they be in when they shall see the true Christ whom they have rejected come to judge them O what wailing will there be how will they run up and down and what would they not do if they knew any way to help themselves then shall they finde it too late to sue to him Then will they sue to the hills to fall upon them and the mountains to cover them a poor request which yet shall not be granted them So all wicked men among us that have not kissed the Son but broke his bands and cast his cords from them that have had him offered to them but have not embraced him nor believed in him chusing rather to continue in their lusts then to have their part in him their condition is fearful O that all would embrace Christ whilst they may who else shall have sorrow and shame for their portion This phrase also implyeth That Believers can never fall away wholly nor finally as the Papists teach for then they might come to be ashamed They may be shaken for the tryal and strengthening of their Faith but overcomed they cannot be by all the gates of Hell Verse 7. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious but unto them which be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner Verse 8. And a stone of stumbling and rock of offence even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed NOw that which the Apostle had cited out of the Prophet and was indefinitely spoken of all and every one he comes to apply particularly to the Jews that he wrote unto both believers and unbelievers shewing the happy state of the one and the miserable condition of the other one and the same Christ being to them diverse To Believers precious and fruitful to Salvation and all good but to the unbelievers and disobedient a stone to stumble at c. though not of his own Nature yet through their infidelity so that they should not onely have no benefit by him but destruction stumbling at the word that foretold of him and now testified of him But least any should wonder at this madness in men the cause is set down that as God ordained some to life and so to embrace Christ unto Salvation so some others to stumble against him to their ruine Besides this he also removes a common and great scandal and log out of the weak and common peoples way and that was that whereas he had spoken so much of Christ they could not see him to be such a one and their learned Doctors and Rabbies Scribes and Pharisees High Priests and Elders they could no way think well of him they judged him a deceiver and pursued him also which they would never have done if he had been the Savior and corner stone as you speak c. But for this faith the Apostle If it were a new thing that you never had had warning of it were somewhat but this is no other then was foretold in Davids time so long ago therefore it needs not seem strange to you yet their strugling was in vain for in despite of them he was made the head stone of the corner This had been indeed a great temptation if they had been to consult onely with reason For what should they have thought but as they were taught and learned of their gave Teachers of whom that People had a very great and high opinion But considering Gods decree and that he had foretold it should be thus and that God would save his Church by such a way that worldly wise men thought not of and would effect his purpose not onely without the help but even against the will of the great men of the world it could not much trouble them And in that the Apostle doth apply that which was indifinitely said of all to particular persons we may learn how to use the promises of God laid down in Scripture even to endeavor to apply them to our selves particularly This is the nature of true Faith It s but a cold and dead thing to believe those things in general to be true which Hypocrites yea Devils do but this to make them ours as David My Lord My Castle My Refuge and Job My Redeemer and Thomas My Lord and my God and Paul Who loved me and gave himself for me is that we must labor for This particular Faith is that which is to Salvation signified by eating and drinking and Faith is compared to an hand and in our Creed every one of us is particularly bound from our hearts to say I believe How may we come to this particular perswasion A person humbled and seeking earnestly God sends his Spirit to witness to his of the same wherewith that it may appear that it s no presumption nor deceiveable
with our sins as the Jews dealt with Christ kill them bury them lay a great stone upon them set a watch over them Should live unto righteousness It s not enough to be dead to sin but we must be alive to God and to his Commandments in doing all good By righteousness is meant the whole duty of man in all godliness throughout his whole conversation to God and Men When it s joyned with holiness then it stands for the duties of the second Table but alone it stands for all as in that of the Apostle Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness and to this end hath Christ dyed for us even that we should not live after the lusts of the flesh but after the will of God serving him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life And what should we else do how else express our thankfulness we ought to be exceeding thankful even for earthly benefits how much more for this Christ dying for us O happy change We that were sometimes the slaves of sin and drudges of Satan doing base work for woful wages are now become the Servants of God employed in holy works whereof here the fruits are peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost and the end everlasting life We ought therefore to give our selves to an holy life in all things shewing hereby whose we are and to whom we belong as it s said of the Merindolians That they were known by their godly behavior wheresoever they became It was a custom among the Romans that every one should carry some note of his Trade or Profession as he went in the streets a Carpenter his Rule a Taylor his Yard or Measure c. So ought we to carry a badge of our Profession every where about us whether we go to Church be at home in our Families go to Market to our Shops or Workfolks c. even holiness throughout our whole conversation In prosperity we must shew forth sobriety in adversity patience at all times the fruits of love faithfulness uprightness c. Are we in company our speeches must be gracious and godly if alone holy and heavenly minded And this we ought not to do a little by fits in a good mood and when we list but we must walk in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life we must be continually ready to every good work we must be a peculiar people zealous of good works If these things be in us and abound great profit will redound unto us and hereunto must we employ all our endeavors By whose stripes ye were healed Now he returns again to Servants applying the benefit of Christ to them By stripes or wales of the stripes he means not onely the stripes he had of men but all his sufferings he useth the word stripes in respect of Servants because they suffered stripes of their Masters and that for their especial comfort as who did not suffer alone and whose stripes were healed through the stripes which Christ suffered All that Christ suffered for us was wholesome and saving his shame our glory his condemnation our absolution his curse our blessing his strokes our peace his death our life The most grievous stripes that he suffered have healed the most ugly and deadly sores of our sins which otherwise had been incurable We ought therefore to be content to suffer some stripes for him and for his sake and for the profession of his Name he was mockt and reviled for us may not we then be content to suffer the like for him What are we to him He became poor to make us rich if we be cut short for his sake shall we not endure it Dost thou suffer any thing for Christ bear the same patiently and great reason Christ suffered much for thee Note further that Christ dyed even for poor Servants and that therefore the meanest are to labor after their part in Christ and yet who are more negligent then the poor are for the most part and those poor that have their part in him are to be highly thankful and bear their outward wants patiently and think that God hath dealt wonderfully for them having passed by so many great wise and learned ones In the words also these particulars are implied 1. That sin is a wound or disease as a disease weakens the body so doth sin every faculty of the soul As the former also brings deformity on the body causeth pain and thereupon followeth death so doth the latter on the soul. 2. That our bodies are subject to many sicknesses and the diseases thereof are oftentimes very grievous and if those be such what are the diseases and pains of the soul the one may put us in minde of the other 3. That Christ is our Physician both for body and soul He hath both skill will compassion healeth us freely and is ever near us he hath by his Passion purchased all good for us he wrought many cures and miracles in the days of his flesh now he worketh by means and his blessing thereon 4. That sin is hateful to God as for which Christ suffered stripes Seek we therefore help in Christ we are sick of many diseases we cannot help our selves by any Medicine we can devise Christ onely can cure us This Faith apprehends for that the wounding of one should heal another is above Nature Oh! how will men being sick in body bestir themselves that they may be cured but being inwardly diseased through sin how slack are they how do they defer it to the last when it s too late There be but certain seasons to be cured in as the man at the Pool of Bethesda observed miss we not our opportunity lest we perish altogether And that we may speed at the hands of this our Physician 1. We must feel our disease and be humbled confess also and bewail the same to him 2. Earnestly beg of him to heal us 3. Hurt our selves no more as near as we can 4. Believe he will heal us 5. Suffer the words of Exhortation the preaching of the Word being the means to cure our sinful Nature 6. Take heed of dawbers that cry Peace peace 7. Take heed of all false cures as by our selves Masses Pilgrimages Indulgencies c. 8. Abide the Lords leisure in the use of the means though we should be cured by threatnings of the Word or by afflictions yea being once cured do we acknowledge the same to his glory and be we thankful for it s he alone that hath satisfied for our sins he alone through whom our sinful Nature is cured Verse 25. For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the great Shepherd and Bishop of your souls THese words are a confirmation of those immediately going before that they were healed by Christ by comparing their former state wherein they were with their
can any thing cover them from the sight of God but the white raiment of Christs Righteousness if we put on this then shall not our filthy nakedness appear then shall we abound in knowledge wisdom zeal humility patience This is Royal apparel this will keep us from the Storms and Tempests of Gods heavy wrath and displeasure that will break out like a whirlwind against the ungodly who will be found naked The more we have of this we shall appear the more comely and beautiful before God his Angels and all good men This is the most costly apparel that can be of Gods own making and which none but his children wear This is apparel for all Sexes ages degrees and callings whatsoever and which doth well become and fit each of them neither are great ones to despise it for that mean ones wear it for this doth not derogate from its worth onely they that are Gods people wearing it This is never out of season as serving both for Summer and Winter never out of fashion It fits in Youth in Age in Life in Death and is to be worn as well by night as by day in sickness as in health yea is then in great account when other apparel is laid aside and not regarded yea this apparel we carry with us out of this world when we leave our gay Robes behinde us and this apparel lasts ever being the better for the wearing 1. This rebuketh those that though they go plain enough outwardly yet have no care of their soul their mindes being altogether led away with covetousness there be moe ways to Hell then one even these shall no less perish then those which are wholly addicted to costly apparel This will not serve their turn Oh we be not proud we go plainly What then if thou beest covetous if thou art not careful for the decking of thy soul what art thou the better It rebuketh also those that are very curious and careful for outward attire but are altogether careless of this inward How many wear brave clothes which have no inward adorning They savour not of this they have no leisure for it it s the inside and so not seen but God seeth it men also see it by the outward and it will be seen and found naked when God shall come to Judgement such though outwardly brave be inwardly base their souls are not onely void of good but filled with all evil and noysom lusts they are like a dead Corps stuck with flowers and like painted Sepulchres yea like the Heathen Temples especially the Egyptians whose Proches were curiously carved painted and engraven with gold and all the bravery that might by but within nothing but the base Picture of a Cat Crocadile or some ugly Serpent How gorgeous soever they are outwardly they have not inwardly in their souls the image of God shining in Spiritual graces but rather Crocadiles and ugly Serpents even noysom and beastly lusts and so are like a dunghil covered over with Snow They wanting the inward beauty of grace to commend them set out themselves as gorgeously as they can in apparel as the Painters servant who being set to make the Picture of a very beautiful woman and wanting skil to make the face beautiful dawbed on a great deal of gold on her clothes Those howsoever they please themselves herewith in their prosperity yet in sickness their deep Ruffs must be laid aside and all their costly toys and then what shall comfort them O their misery at death but especially on the day of Judgement Then shall they for ever be clothed with shame and confusion as not being here clothed with grace 2. Let all therefore be wise and moderate themselves for outward apparel if it be comely and according to our degree it s well Herein le ts be careful even to advance and enrich the soul This becomes us well and will assuredly afford comfort in sickness in trouble in death and on the day of Judgement In that which is not corruptible Grace is of an incorruptible nature and abides for ever and is not taken away from any that is possessed thereof it abides in sickness tarries with us at death and we shall carry it with us into Heaven and wear it there for ever and ever This he lays down by way of opposition to outward apparel that is vain transitory subject to Moths to be stollen lost burnt worn out worn by them that are corruptible who know not whether shall last longer themselves or their clothes so vain a thing is man Such as prefer Grace take hold of the substance as they that prefer costly attire thereunto embrace the shadow take hold of vanity The ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit This is a particular vertue most fit for wives The very proper ornament of a good wife is a meek and quiet Spirit This is the mean to comfort any husband and to draw on those that be backward to a love both of their persons and profession Oh! what a comely thing is it in a wife not onely not to provoke her husband but not to be easily provoked by him winking at small unkindenesses and bearing with their natural infirmities passing by some occasions of grief with silence as others with a soft answer O how pleasing is it for an husband to have such a wise how comely is it also for them to be quiet with their neighbors no meddlers no tale-bearers or talehearers void of contention gentle peaceable so with their family and servants not to be always chiding and complaining to their husbands but governing them in as milde and peaceable a maner as may be and especially to be peaceable and quiet with them in their husbands hearing They that are thus by grace for some are of a soft and still disposition by nature and so slow to wrath are of great wisdom They are endued with that wisdom which is from above and their meekness is out of the fruits of the Spirit Then this nothing becomes them better if they were clothed with beaten gold and pearls it were nothing to this This reproveth those that be curst cruel and vexatious to their husbands through their continual unquietness Such are fit to keep Bridewel or be Dames of some house of correction there were fit objects for their chiding and fighting Some there are who having no children or servants to bait at work their teen upon their husbands and weary them not onely out of their houses but out of their lives Wives were appointed helpers but these help their husbands no way except to their grave These certainly have no goodness in them not refraining their tongue their Religion is vain They are right fools for anger resteth in the bosom of fools Let them therefore fight against this vice mourn under it and endeavor to be of a meak and quiet spirit Which is in the sight of God of
which is That thus to put up wrongs were the way indeed still to have more and more wrongs put upon us as if they should precisely follow the Rule of the Word in their dealings poverty and beggery could not but quickly come upon them both which are and have been found contrary 2. Whoso desires to live and that peaceably let him take this course hating and avoiding trouble and vexation so much as in him lieth Let us learn to be wise and thus provide for a quiet life that we may be the fitter to serve God and do good to our selves and others if we do not believe and practice the same we shall do him less honor then we do a Physician whose prescripts we use for procuring health and when trouble comes upon us we may justly blame our selves for the same O be guided by the Word how else shall you live a comfortable and quiet life David and Peter who here urge the same knew this by experience What is herein required of us hath been throughout all ages long taught though not much learn'd Thus in general For he that will love life Life and long life are blessings of God to be desired and delighted in of Gods children See to this purpose Gen. 25. 8. Exod. 20. 12. Job 5. 26. 1 Chron. 29. 28. Psal. 128. 6. Prov. 3. 16. yea the Apostle counts it a mercy of God that Epaphroditus was restored to health To be taken away untimely is as an apple pulled from the Tree before it be ripe by living long we shall get to our souls an assurance of Gods love with more and more evidences thereof to the encrease of our joys hereby also we have time and means to grow in grace and sanctification and to have the image of God restored in us more clearly and fully hereby also we shall do God much service in Church and Commonwealth and that better at the last then at the first as being bettered through experience and hence it is that Gods servants have sometimes prayed against death and desired still to live as David and Hezekiah Quest. How is this to be counted a blessing seeing many of Gods dear servants go without it and are taken away betimes R. It s but a Temporal blessing and so Gods people may be debarred thereof as of health wealth and such like and that sometimes for correction of sin howsoever God saveth their souls as on the Corinthians for their unworthy receiving of the Sacrament so good Josiah going to war without Gods command was killed in the battel so many a Minister is taken from his people for their making no better use of him as many a husband from his wife for not regarding him or trusting too much on him the like might be instanced in other sometimes in mercy that they may not see the evils to come and thus also amends is made them they are paid weight in gold for weight in silver in stead of long life in this world they have longer time in Heaven Q. How is long life a blessing seeing even many of the wicked enjoy it R. Though it be in it self a blessing as whereby they enjoy many good comforts in this life and are not so soon in Hell as they deserve and besides have space and time to repent yet as they handle the matter it s no blessing but contrarily proves a means of the encrease of their sin and so of their condemnation Quest. How is life and the continuance thereof to be desired as a blessing seeing it hath been the desire of Gods people to be dissolved and to be with Christ R. We must not desire to live because we would live but because we would live to Gods glory our own and the good of others neither must we desire to dye for it self for that is against nature nor because of our crosses and troubles but that we may cease to sin and be with God in his heavenly Kingdom perfectly both holy and happy We must desire to be with God but yet we must not be so importunate as though we would prevent the Lord and make away our selves wittingly or negligently shorten our lives Again we must not so love our life as that we should be unwilling to yield it up if God will or to redeem the continuance thereof with an ill Conscience and denying God for he that so loves his life shall lose it and his soul too Both then may be desired but because we know not what is best we must not be our own carvers but commend our selves to God to be disposed of It s a base thing to desire life to be great enjoy pleasures be revenged of our enemies and the like Q. Whence is it that most men are strongly carried after long life R. 1. Through the corruption of nature To love life is natural but to love it so exceedingly is of corruption 2. Through ignorance and unbelief of the things of a better life 3. Through the love of worldly profits pleasures and prefermentss That such fail herein may thus appear we should not love the world nor the things thereof The whole world cannot satisfie the soul our life is but a breath a blast our days are determined beyond which we cannot pass we are here but strangers and pilgrims So long as we live we are lyable as well to sin as crosses by reason thereof Of the things here wherein we place happiness what certainty is there friends may forsake us fail us remove from us dye wealth also and honor are uncertain There 's no small labor both in getting and keeping them as there cannot but be grief in parting with them yea for the most part they prove hurtful and drown men in perdition In a word the commodities of a better life are infinitely beyond all those in this life 1. Seeing long life is a blessing we ought to be heartily thankful to God that we have lived thus long and do yet live 2. When we crave of God the continuance thereof we must so use it as that it may be a blessing to us wherein we may get the assurance of our Salvation grow in grace and do good They that do thus may account their life a blessing for those that do otherwise it had been good they had dyed long ago 3. We must take heed that we do not shorten our lives and so deprive out selves of this blessing through Whoring Drinking Gaming too too many thus do as if they should not be ni Hell time enough 4. We ought to use all good means for the continuance of their lives that be dear to us be careful especially not to provoke God to deprive us of them so should Subjects of their Prince and godly Magistrates People of their faithful Pastors Husbands and Wives each of other c. And see good days That is enjoy here in this world
comes not after humiliation nor proceeds from apprehension of Gods love but from a false imagination having no true reformation of life accompanying it Now that the consciences of such may be awakened here whilest there is help though usually most shun the same they must 1. Labor to be acquainted with Gods Law wherein they shall as well see the smallest as the greatest sins Therein they shall perceive their own error as who thought that they did love God above all and their neighbors as themselves that they did ever serve God and put their whole trust in him that it was lawful for them to swear so it were true that it was lawful to go to wizards that on the Lords day they might walk about their fields and do their other businesses and yet serve God as well as they that went to Church that they might do with their own what they list c. 2. Labor to know and believe that the least sin is damnation yet do most bless themselves in their evil courses and are not a whit moved by all the threatnings of Gods Word that thereupon they may be humbled and terrified and flie out of themselves to God for mercy which is the onely way to come to good To this end let them make use of the most stirring sermons meditate of Gods judgements go to such as are afflicted or lie on their death beds consider that there be thousands in Hell which have not committed the tithe of their sins and that if they themselves should dye suddenly this night their condition were miserable If any shall say My conscience hath been quiet all this while I do not mean to call my estate into question let such know that many go snorting to Hell and that a troubled conscience is better then a drowsie secure conscience for that may come to good the other is out of all possibility of mercy Indeed to stay in terror of conscience is fearful yet not worse then to have a benumb'd conscience there 's hope of them that be troubled of the others but a little Physitians prescribe their Patients sometimes to go to sea to be sea sick and that to purge away some ill humors for the health of the body no less needful is it to be soul sick for the welfare of our souls yet is it a common speech of most at the visitation of the sick Oh I pray do not trouble him he is in a very good minde c. but the Prodigals condition though he had ragged cloaths and a rent heart was better then his elder brothers and the Publican justified not the Pharisee Thus of the quiet ill conscience The stirring ill conscience is either when it stirs by excusing or by accusing Excusing upon the doing of some evil whereof John 16. 2. or the omission of some duty as the hearing of the Word Prayer and the liâ—e Thus was it with Saul when he was questioned by Samuel for not obeying Gods Commandment thus hath it been with some Papists when they have practiced Treason against their Prince and Countrey A good conscience doth excuse indeed but rightly not amiss in all things not in some onely for the maner as well as the thing it self Accusing and that 1. When it should not as an Idolator is troubled in conscience for leaving undone some piece of idolatrous service 2. For trifles and not for matters of weight as the Pharisees made great conscience of going to meat with unwashen hands but not of murthering Christ as Papists make great conscience of eating flesh on a fasting day who yet make no conscience of Whoredom Swearing so Civil persons would be much troubled if they should be but accused for wronging their neighbors who yet are no whit moved for prophaning the Lords day not coming to the Sacrament neglect of Prayer and the like 3. When it is forcible and violent causing horror and fear gastliness terror in the dark or at the sight of any of Gods Judgements trembling at the ratling of a leaf yea and desperation it self This though it be not good of it self yet turns to the good of the godly God brings them this way onely he leaves them not here but by the voyce of the Gospel doth relieve their mindes and perswades them to seek mercy upholding them with the hope thereof Some have checks of conscience but so as they can bear them out some again so as they cannot endure them Who so finde their consciences accusing them for their sins and know no pardon but their consciences still tell them of their sins and that their course is bad let such know that they have evil consciences which being let alone will accuse them worse If their consciences accuse them God is greater and knows more Therefore let them seek to pacifie God and their consciences too To this end consider That God hath provided in his infinite mercy an all-sufficient remedy in the death and bloodshed of Jesus Christ then which there is no other way to satisfie Gods displeasure nor to stanch the terrors of conscience let such bewail and lament their state to Almighty God confessing their sins and judging themselves as the Prodigal for the same thereupon craving of him with strong cryes and humble prayers the pardon and forgiveness thereof To such as thus come in the truth of their hearts God hath made many gracious promises Thus suing to him he will in his own good time send down a comfortable answer This is the onely course to come to good to still conscience with forgetting our sins and mirth is but to deceive our selves to wear it out by head and shoulders it s but as the putting away of the tooth-ake with cold water which will still it for a little but after it reboundeth more violently this is the way to get peace After this will our consciences begin to be quiet and thereupon excuse and comfort Then will Faith purifie the heart and work an hatred of all sin with a continual care to please God in all things Then shall we be quite altered and changed from that we were I cannot but wonder at a number of men whose consciences witness against them who yet seek not to pacifie them by assurance of pardon but adde more daily unto their sins whose consciences bear witness That they have no care to please God but their way and works be naught assuredly their consciences will one day cry louder O lay up no new matter of accusation all the profit and pleasure that comes of it will be dear bought It s as to drink pleasing poyson it goes down pleasantly but afterward wounds the bowels If a man had never so much wealth yet if he have an ill conscience what shall it profit him It were as if a man had a costly banket rich apparel and attendance c. and one with a sword drawn were standing ready by
The just He is the just one as God holiness it self as man filled therewith above Men and Angels Just not as Job Zachary and Elizabeth They were Righteous by his Righteousness imputed to them as Abraham also but he by his own they by Sanctification imperfectly Holy and Righteous he most perfectly nor as Adam who though perfectly Holy and Righteous by his own Righteousness yet was mutable therein and lost it not so in Christ but immutably so There was no guile found in him none could accuse him of sin nay he was the light and glory of the world yet suffered he gross things We then though never so just and innocent must not think much if we suffer altogether without cause It s the better it s but as Christ did But alas we are very faulty before God and deserve far greater things then we meet with yea cannot be innocent towards men how much less towards God The meditation of this point will much help us in our sufferings For the unjust That is for us wretched and miserable sinners and his enemies who could do nothing for him to deserve such kindeness How much rather ought we to suffer for him that just one and for his sake especially considering our sufferings are nothing to his The meditation of this also will much help us in suffering For sins that he might bring us unto God Christs sufferings were altogether for our good and if it had not been for them we had been utterly lost But for ours they be nothing to him he is never the better for them neither be they for his benefit but for our own even the purging of our souls the tryal and proof of our faith and patience and the preparing of us to the greater glory in Heaven Let 's think of this also and it will make us suffer the more willingly and patiently Lastly as he after his sufferings and death rose again and entred into glory and sits at the right hand of God So if we shall sow in tears we shall reap in joy having fought the good fight we shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory 1. This reproveth our notable tender daintiness that can endure nothing for Christ but as if we were too good to suffer though in company we should hear never so much spoken against Gods Servants and sincerity of Religion we can be silent and pass by the same and there are many that would be forwarder but for fear of being counted Puritans O cowardly fearfulness No wonder if such be never called to that honor to suffer for Christ What if to please the world we be luke-warm and God vomit us out of his mouth What if for our zeal the world hate us and God approves of us what do we lose Shall we make friendship with the world Know we not that its enmity with God He is praised that is allowed of God 2. Let us take heed of all preposterous zeal and rash unwarrantable causes whereinto some runâ—under colour of zeal and be zealous for God we cannot hate sin too much nor love goodness too much nor the Word too much nor keep the Sabbath too carefully nor govern our families too religiously Let us go on in a zealous godly life and if this offend any let them pardon us we would do no other then God requires and for this we must pray our Landlord or whosoever to give us leave we have served the Devil a great while tell them Its time now to begin to serve God and to look about us for our souls good thus in suffering for wellâ—doing we may be comforted and by these reasons kept from being discouraged Now of Christ sufferings death and resurrection particularly Christ hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God In handling the sufferings of Christ observe 1. The circumstance of time or how often he suffered once 2. Who he was or the quality of the person suffering Christ the just 3. For whom he suffered for the unjust 4. Why he suffered even for sins and 5. To what end that he might bring us to God and hereinto our Apostle is again willing to fall as we should be to hear and often meditate thereof as hath been already shewed in the end of the last Chapter namely from verse 21. to verse 24. Much profit follows on it For 1. It sets out a notable mixture of justice and mercy 2. It shews what a mighty Savior we have in whom we may trust and to whom we may have recourse 3. It may wound our hearts for sins past and make us hate sin for the time to come 4. It sets out Gods infinite love and accordingly of all that have assurance of their part therein requireth unspeakable love 5. It s a comfort to all that mourn in Sion 6. It shews that all that miss of Christ must bear their own burthen 7. It provokes us to labor to know whether Christ hath dyed for us or not and for our assurance thereof to finde that we are truly humbled hunger after Christ and are ready to take up his yoke O that all ignorant persons which do not in any measure know the grounds of Religion that all civil persons which trust to their own righteousness that all worldlings whose hearts are altogether glewed to the things which are here below and do not so much as minde those things which are above the same being out of their element that all prophane persons which go on in open notorious lewd courses and that all Hypocrites not to speak of Turks Jews and Papists which content themselves with shews and common gifts would but duly meditate on Christs sufferings that so they might have part in Christ Assuredly all they that believe not shall be condemned but of all others they that have lived under the Gospel shall have greatest judgement and to make up all it will increase their torment to think that they had offer made of Christ and yet had not the grace to apprehend it that they were so near and yet missed and that some that sate with them were converted and are now in Heaven and they careless or wilful are now in irrecoverable damnation This will make them gnash their teeth gnaw their tongues curse themselves and the day wherein they were born Let such see feel confess and fly to Christ there being no other way of Salvation besides him I come to the particulars propounded The first concerneth the time how often he suffered Once It s true Christ suffered throughout his whole life and that diversly but all make up one perfect suffering and he suffered so as at once he finished al never to suffer again wherein his suffering is opposed to the sacrifices of the Law which were continually renewed because of their imperfection whereas he suffered once for all for being God
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
lie there frying But he knows well what he doth if he should make it too common or let out too many then would the people care the less and say Though I go to Purgatory yet the Pope of his clemency will deliver me and so I mean to give my goods and lands to my children and not beggar my posterity by giving them for Pardons or Masses c. Thus indeed their trade would go down 1. This may stir us up to give thanks to God for his mercy in delivering us from those cousenages and revealing unto us his truth We ought to be so much the forwarder in every duty towards the worship of God the Ministers maintenance the poor c. you save it an hundred times over through the preaching of the Gospel truly It s a foul fault in people that they cannot be content thus to enjoy their goods lands and leave them to their children which they could not do but pull and rake from the Minister care not how little they allow him yea and are so miserable as they will scarce allow their part to keep the house of God upright or in decent sort neither give the poor without grudging or upon necessity It may comfort the godly There is no delaying place by the way to keep them from the joys of Heaven 3. It may teach men in any wise to look to themselves how they live for as soon as the breath is out of them they go presently to the place where they shall abide for ever as the Tree falls so it shall lie Neither went he down to Hell to preach to the Reprobates for as its absurd for one soul to preach to another so preaching is to do some good and thereby onely to do hurt is against the end thereof But say they he onely went and preached experimentally by his presence and shewed himself to them to convict them but they were already sufficiently convicted condemned and put in their place of torment if Christ should have gone thither to convict them again they were not sufficiently convicted before But if they say he went to triumph over the Reprobate there c. it may be answered That he triumphed on the Cross and shall triumph over the Reprobates mightily on the day of Judgement I proceed unto the Doctrines of the Text. By which also he went and Preached Here note 1. That when Gods faithful Ministers Preach it s the Spirit of God that preacheth in them Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost He that heareth you saith our Savior heareth me 1. Therefore Ministers must endeavor so to preach that it may appear unto all that its the Spirit of God which Preacheth in them their matter must be sound and wholly agreeable to the will of God and for the maner it must not be with enticing words of man wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power we must not seek our selves but Gods glory in the Salvation of our people Such as for their matter Preach contrary to the Word it s not the Spirit of God which Preacheth in them but the Spirit of Error and for the maner such as use a dark kinde of Preaching or curious and quaint terms or in such sort as the people cannot understand or profit do they woo for Christ or rather do they not speak for themselves Such kinde of Preaching is blasted and cursed of God and the Preachers thereof shall have their reward accordingly 2. Let people know that when they come to the Word they come not to hear such a man whosoever he be but to hear what the Spirit of God saith to them a great priviledge we must therefore prepare our selves rich accordingly with all reverence and fear as having to do with God himself laying the same to heart and endeavoring to be profited thereby in yielding obedience thereto O how many come hand over head sit sleeping at Church and are no whit moved with whatsoever is said Did we but believe that it were Gods Spirit that did Preach to us we would give better heed If we speak according to the Word in rebuking you for your sins you are not to fret and say O some body hath told him hereof or he doth this of ill will but acknowledge that its Gods Spirit which rebukes you and that God is there indeed 3. Gods people may be comforted by the promises delivered in the Word as the wicked may be terrified by the threatnings thereof They shall come to pass for that the Spirit of truth hath uttered them 2. That God will finde a time to right things when they be disordered Though the wicked may prevail for a time and iniquity abound and overflow yet will the Lord in his due time come to visit and reform all Thus did the Lord deal with this people Let the godly have patience and wait Gods leisure and for the wicked let them be never the lustier for that the Lord is patient and defers for a time for he will come to give every one his due and will come too soon for their turn In prison That is Hell the place appointed for the souls of the wicked a fearful place of Gods own preparing and whereof the Devil is the Jaylor For the wicked 1. They shall be separate and cast from God in whose presence stands happiness that as they regarded not his presence here so hereafter they shall not enjoy it 2. They shall be cast into the society of Devils and Reprobates whom they have served and whose society they have loved Yet 3. Not in their company to be with them in jollity and merriment c. as here but in torments howling and wailing c. those are both intollerable and eternal their souls are presently after death cast hereinto as both their bodies and souls which have been companions together in sin shall be on the day of Judgement And for that though many be called few be chosen and in the parable of the four kindes of seeds onely one of them was good as most of the old world perished so shall and have most of every age of the world Though Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet but a remnant shall be saved O how might this cool the wicked the proudest that live in jollity and set all others at nought Now they are lusty and swear and curse and do what they list poor woful creatures There is a prison prepared for them that will pull down the proudest of them sour sauce to their sweet meat but most live as if there were no such matter O what fools be they that for a few short profits ill gotten or onely sought after or some transitory pleasure or honor sell themselves to this woful place These count themselves wise and Gods servants fools but the contrary will be seen one day and that they themselves
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
their work God will not put it up but defend even the meanest Servant in his Family 4. It may be for direction let us prove our selves his true Servants Covenant-Servants and no hang-by's for as about Princes and great Mens Houses be many that be not in Covenant for wages nor are setled Servants of whom any charge is taken So in the Church the Lords House there are a number that work not the Lords work but the Devils and are of his Family for he hath two Families one of reprobate souls in Hell the other of unbelievers and wicked here on Earth These work earnestly for the Devil yet they will come into Gods House and the Devil is content they should so long as they keep their heart and life to him yea they will put over their leg and sit down at the table to eat of the bread prepared for the Lords Family but he will come in and view them and finding them without a wedding Garment and such as be not in Covenant with him he will cause them to be bound hand and foot and cast into utter darkness These shall have their wages where they have done their work Hast thou been such a one humble thy self before God bid adieu to thy old master and come in good earnest and enter Covenant and purpose to be a true and dutiful Servant to God and he will have mercy on thee and take thee into his Service and then mayest thou have comfort and challenge the priviledge of the Family If it first begin at us c. Here note 1. That the Apostle puts himself in the number of such as were of Gods House So that its possible for us to come to be assured that we are of the Lords Family Labor we therefore to attain hereunto else what joy can we have of our lives we are bid make our calling and election sure and why do we it not wouldst thou know to what family thou dost belong thou mayest by the works thou doest If we work the works of God of Holiness and Righteousness in our general callings and be faithful in our special callings then are we of Gods Family if the works of sin then are we of our Father the Devil You may come into Gods House as many an hypocrite and Beast doth but of his house you be not try whose work thou doest Thou doest some work of Gods and some of the Devils no if we do any work willingly for the Devil we do none for God aright nor that he accepts Again if thou dost not believe nor repent thou art none of Gods Family if thou art an unrighteous person thou art none of his yea if we be of Gods house we cannot abide to hear our Master ill spoken of nor any of our fellow-servants for their goodness but our hearts will rise against it contrarily if we be such as dishonor God reproach the sincerity of the Gospel and power of Religion with them that desire so to walk yea or can hear them ill spoken of and are not grieved thereat it s a sign we be none of Gods Family but the Devils 2. That there 's no small difference between the state of Gods children and the wicked even the state of the godly notwithstanding the many troubles wherewith their life is filled is to be preferred before the state of the wicked notwithstanding their present jollity The state of the godly is infinitely better then the wicked's both in this life in death and at the day of Judgement Those are freed from the curse and wrath of God and all evil are reconciled and made the children of God and are covered with Christs righteousness These are in danger of all condemnation remain children of the Devil Enemies to God altogether in their own filthiness all Creatures both in Heaven and Earth are at Peace with those but all at odds with these Angels guard the one the other are a prey to the Devil the one working the works of holiness are acceptable to God and shall have eternal life the other the filthy scullery of the Devil shall have Hell the one are beloved of God the other hated the person and prayers of the one are acceptable to God the others abominable in his sight of the one all things their afflictions yea their sins turn to their good to the other the mercies of God yea his holiest Ordinances turn to their hurt Those are called the glory these dross those are as a tree planted by the rivers of waters c. these as the chaff which the wind driveth away those are as wheat for the garner these cockle and tares to be bundled up for the fire the wicked seem more excellent outwardly but they are like painted Sepulchres like rotten wood shining in a dark night the godly are like a plain leather Casket with a precious Pearl therein of unspeakable worth Turn them which way you will if both in prosperity infinite odds one being the childe of God the other of the Devil the godly hath more joy and peace in well-doing then the wicked of all their jollity the ones prosperity is a pledge of better things in Heaven the others is sent in wrath to fat them to their destruction If both in adversity alike yet infinite odds the one chastened of God as a Father doth his children for their great good the other pursued in vengeance by a just Judge as fore-goers of greater plagues for the one Gods arrows are dipt in poyson for the other the poyson is taken away in Christs Sufferings On the one God hath promised to lay no more then they are able to bear the other have no such promise the one have Gods promise to comfort and uphold them in them as also assurance as of good by it so of a good and happy end and after this life their joys to begin that never shall end but the other have no such promises nay when this life ends then shall begin their Torments which shall never end nay put the godly in the greatest misery that can be and the ungodly in the greatest jollity like Dives and Lazarus or if ye will chain the one in a Dungeon about his feet middle and neck and let the other ride in all pomp and with all the attendance and honor that the world can afford yet the one is infinitely more happy then the other In death the Righteous have hope the wicked none but are either full of horror or blockish After death these go to Hell those to Heaven the children are taken up into the Chambers of Christ the Dogs and ungodly are cast out of doors At the day of Judgement the one shall stand with comfort on the right hand the other with terror on the left both being raised up The wicked shall have the wound that death gave them healed up as Traytors be healed of their hurts that they may come to execution and
God were not Almighty or had made no promises or at least were not faithful O let us rebuke our unbelief and gather up our selves and Gods promises and examples of his goodness to his and rest upon them as on an unmoveable foundation In well-doing While we continue in a good course without turning out of the way we may comfortably commend our selves to God but not otherwise If we falter and shift for our selves and put our our hands to unlawful means then God takes no charge of us then have we cut off our selves from all hope and comfortable commending our selves to him with what face can we so do and what promise have we when we have broken our faithfulness 1. Therefore be we perswaded that our greatest comfort in our trouble must be to stick close to God and so long God hath tyed himself to us but if we shall do otherwise we defeat our selves of this Therefore in what danger soever we be let us never put out our hands to unlawful means as to run to wizards in poverty to steal in any danger to forfeit a good conscience Our comfort is then gone and Gods promise belongs no further to us at least till we humble our selves and be reconciled upon our repentance for it 2. No ungodly man in any strait can have any warrant or comfort to commend his soul or case to God where hath God made any such promise to such nor can they in their death A bad man cannot say Lord receive my soul upon what acquaintance God knows not this soul It s not redeemed washed It hath not used to serve him no such unclean souls ever came or shall come to Heaven No they go to him whom they have served they that have given their souls to God in believing and obeying here may with comfort yield up their souls and say Lord The soul thou gavest me and hast redeemed sanctified preserved and with which I have unfainedly served thee or which now in suffering I have sacrificed for thee I do now commend it to thy keeping This soul God will most readily take it s more his then thine he loves it well But for a wicked man either he cannot have the face to commend his soul to God as wherewith he hath at no time served him but the Devil his Enemy or if he be so impudent God will take no knowledge thereof In well-doing This may be taken particularly for patience and freeness from revenging our selves of them that persecute us for should we so do God would not take charge of us but if we pray for them love them wish their good we may the more confidently commend our selves to God O then rely we on God and in all constancy in well-doing commend we our selves to him in much assurance as unto a faithful Creator CHAP. V. THe Apostle proceedeth in holy Exhortations to sundry excellent and necessary duties and vertues from the begining of this Chapter to the tenth verse from which to the end there 's the conclusion of the Epistle The Exhortations be either Special or General Special to some special kindes of persons as to Ministers and to the yonger sort Ministers from the beginning to the fifth verse yong folks in the fifth and sixth The General belongs to all being to Faith to rely on God to sobriety watchfulness c. of which in particular when we shall come unto them Verse 1. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed THe Apostle knowing that there are three vices incident and very hurtful to the Ministery and Ministers of the Word of God namely Idleness Covetousness and Pride seeketh to prevent these in all Ministers by exhorting them to the diligent and faithful performance of their duties belonging to them namely 1. To feed the flock of God that is to Preach the wholsome Word of God diligently to them 2. To take the oversight thereof that is to have a special care of them and regard of all their lives and behavior applying themselves to them accordingly 3. To be examples to them of pure humble and godly conversation nor doth he onely exhort to the doing of these but to the right maner of performing the same They must be done 1. Not by constraint that is out of fear of Gods wrath or force of mens Laws but willingly 2. Not for filthy lucre but of a ready and free minde seeking Gods glory and the peoples Salvation 3. Not being lordly or haughty in their carriage but examples of humility and godliness The Reasons whereby he urgeth the same are diverse The 1. taken from his own person verse 1. where are three motives to perswade them to obey his counsel even for that he was a Minister as they were a witness of the sufferings of Christ and a partaker of the glory to come in Heaven The 2. For that the people were Gods flock and his heritage The 3. For that they did depend on them for instruction and means of Salvation The 4. For that hereupon they should receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away Speak we first of those duties in general then in particular In general Ministers being here instructed in their duty as people elsewhere Note 1. That the Scripture is not partial binding some to duty and leaving others at liberty but indifferently teacheth all yea the greater place that any is in the more duty it requireth every honor carrying a burthen of duty and the more need have such to do their duties for the example of others Above all others Ministers have most need both to be instructed in their's and also to perform the same for on theirs depends the well-doing of the people both in their general and special callings for how shall the people have these things if they receive them not from the Ministers of God put apart for that end how shall they else be either good Christians or good Magistrates Husbands Housholders c. If the great wheel of the clock that should turn all the rest do stand still so also must all the rest 1. When people are informed of their duties and amongst others of their duties towards their Ministers as of love honor reverence obedience maintenance c. they must yield thereto not think much hereof for God hath laid as great a burthen on their Ministers which they are charged with yea they must be thankful to God that hath had such a special care of their souls as so weightily to charge Ministers therewith as it s no small comfort to the poor that God hath taken such order for them by so many commandments so many promises also and threats to the rich People also ought in any wise to be careful of their own souls and joyn with the Lord in care who is so careful of them Heavy
uttered nor conceived what it is It s described according to our weak conceit by a feast a marriage feast of a Kings Son a City whose Walls and Streets are Gold and Gates Pearls c. It s a State free from all evil whereas here there 's nothing but crying and complaining one of his head lungs back c. another of his unruly children losses by sea by Bankrupts c. There all tears are wiped away there also there 's no want of any thing no need of any thing whether for body or soul but a perfect enjoying of all good for we shall enjoy God himself the fountain of all goodness we shall also enjoy the society and fellowship of the Lord Jesus who hath so loved us and who is the joy of our hearts So of the holy Ghost the Comforter so of the Angels of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs of our godly Friends Children Ministers that begat us to God c. where we shall be so filled with all comfort as we shall joy continually for we shall sing night and day the place also adds unto our happiness Needs must Heaven be excellent as being prepared by God for himself to set forth his magnificence what it s within appears by its glorious outside and the glory thereof by the fairness of the world given to dogs and Gods Enemies this also is eternal The glory of this world as it s not worthy to be so called so it s inconstant and fickle see it in Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar Herod one day yea one hour knows us often both happy as the world accounts and miserable but such is not the glory of Heaven it endures for ever This is here as elsewhere promised to faithful Ministers they shall enter into their Masters joy 1. This may exceedingly encourage Ministers to take all the pains that possibly they can in their calling we serve a good Master O how men strive for a corruptible Crown how much more should we for an incorruptible how careful should we be in Studying Preaching living well c 2. It may serve to uphold us in the midst and against all discouragements our office is not onely painful but oftentimes fruitless thankless and perilous A Minister shall have to do with such dull ones as he must teach them as a childe new weaned with line upon line precept upon precept others are so wretched as that by no means they will be reclaimed yea oftentimes they may receive unkindeness where they least expect it people count our labors nothing which yet we finde such as we are scarce able to undergo others grudge at our maintenance otherwhile we shall having delivered things never so carefully be taxed by some of ignorance by others of malice others will raise up lyes and slanders against us and so requite our pains others will persecute us as Demetrius and Alexander the Copper-Smith did the Apostles yea the more painful we are the harder we shall be dealt with Now against all those and the like hath not a Minister need to have something to comfort and hearten him This will do it fully the incorruptible Crown will pay for all we must look up to that Contrarily what will be the reward and end of all unfaithful Ministers that starve and mislead their Flock that live in jollity and at ease c Oh their reward will be with the unfaithful Servant to be taken and bound hand and foot and thrown into utter darkness Then shall they pay for all the wages taken without doing any work so for all their ease which will be turned into pain and wo They shall then give an account for all the souls that they have caused to perish Q. But when shall Gods Ministers have their Crown Answ. When Christ shall appear and come to Judgement O then if he never come we shall never have our Crown O doubt not once hereof He shall certainly come to Judgement It s an Article of our faith and which is often mentioned in Scripture See Matth. 25. 31. Acts 2. 11. 1 Thess. 4. 14. 2 Thess. 1. 10. Rev. 1. 7. Therefore let neither the good doubt hereof to become slack or faint nor the wicked to continue careless Obj. But when will it be It will be long first Answ. It cannot be long ere it be for we be in the latter end of the last times but if it were our life is not long and in the end thereof we shall have one half of our Crown and our bodies shall rest for the other until the day of Judgement therefore live by Faith and wait and be not short breathed If one part tarry a while it will be so wonderful when it comes as that it will abundantly pay for all 3. For People If they be good sheep brought from their wandring turn'd from goats to sheep and be ruled by the government of their godly Pastors they shall also have this incorruptible Crown of glory For the stubborn and disobedient that will retain their goatish qualities that wil not be brought home by any means that can be used their condition will be fearful but in death when their souls shall be carried into Hell and on the day of Judgement when they shall stand on the left hand they which here would not hear that voice that called them so often to him shall then be charged to depart from him As this day will be joyful to the godly so shal it be terrible to the wicked Verse 5. Likewise ye yonger submit your selves unto the elder yea all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble THe Apostle proceeds to the duty of another special sort of people namely the yonger ones shewing what duty they owed to their elders and then goes to Exhortations to sundry particular duties Likewise ye yonger submit your selves unto the elder Although I use to trouble you little with divers interpretations or mens judgements taking it that my duty is to shew you rather what God saith then what men say yet at this time it will not be amiss to propound fome Elders may be taken as in the preceding uses not for elders in years but by office and so by the yonger may be meant not the yong in years but inferior in place namely the people or if yong in years are to be understood then a part for the whole is meant All the people must submit themselves to their Ministers whereof a great part are yong ones and they commonly the most unruly and so the duty of people towards their Ministers is here taught as the word likewise seemeth to imply Or Elders may well be taken for Elders in age properly and so the yonger in like sort for the yong sort of people and so the duty of youth towards them that are aged be here taught as it may well be and the more likely
go no further But God bids us use the means and look for good success and cast our selves on him I grant indeed if we should look upon the world the Devil our selves we might fear as also considering that many great ones have faln but its like either they trusted to themselves or neglected the means which if we do not God will keep us If we should use the means and yet torture our selves with care how miserable were our lives Another saith he shall never be able to abide persecution and the fire let such labor for faith and love and yield to God in what he calls for bearing present afflictions patiently whom God will enable to greater if he shall call them thereto So some are afraid they shall dye a raving death some that they shall be bedrid and lame some that if they should have the Stone or such a grievous torment they were never able to endure it c. It s good in some sort to hove some such forethought to quicken our care but not distrustfully to discourage our selves Again if a man should be so careful for his soul as to neglect his Calling and think he should not follow it this were excessive care Excessive care for the body it s either for fear of evils or for obtaining good things For the 1. O what if I should lose all I have and come to misery by Bankrupts fire c What if I should fall into such a cruel mans hands he would undo me Also what if I should for my well doing and profession have my Landlords displeasure be put into Courts brought into trouble c. we must labor for grace to bear us out in such things and for heaven doing our duty wisely and godly as Daniel and leaving the issue to God on whom we must cast our selves and our care For the 1. It s either when we take care for the successes of things which is Gods part or when we use excessive care that makes us sin by neglecting some duty or committing some evil For successes as when we have made a bargain and used the means then we fall to take thought for the success too but Oh if it should not prove well I should be hindred or undone but we must use the means and leave the success to God when we have used the outward means and prayed and so sanctified our labors then ought we to live by faith and be assured that we shall have that success that God shall see best If it shall fall out to my desire I shall desire to be thankful if otherwise I know God will dispose it to the best as Esther If I perish I perish For excessive care for worldly things when men will for these neglect good duties to God their own Souls Families Poor Word Sacraments Prayer c. or shall commit evil by stealing oppressing dissembling defrauding breaking the Sabbath c. This is wicked Would God have us provide for our selves with his dishonor with the wounding of our own souls and hurting our brethren or cannot he provide for us sufficiently without these When we follow our Callings all duties discharged and be provident and thrifty that nothing be lost this is as far as we must go further we must not any further is too far 1. This rebukes the universal sin in this Land Poor people take such thought what they shall eat c. that they lye steal c. The richer sort use all unconscionable courses dare not come to the Word for fear of wanting nor read nor pray in their Families but dare do any evil or at least be so excessively careful as that thereupon they use lying deceit oppression racking rents c. and this is not the fault of the bad onely but even of Gods servants who be tainted with too much care under the the colour of lawful care going too too far They are careful oftentimes about the successes of things when they might by faith rest quietly on God They do often neglect good or post it over and do evil with more care The root of this in the men of the world is want of Faith for had they any perswasion of Gods love and care they would not be thus careful so also the want of prizing seeking and regarding Heaven and Spiritual things In Gods children the weakness of Faith is the ground hereof as also their too little esteeming of heaven and heavenly things For if we were assured of Gods particular caring for us aud that heaven so excellent a place is ours and did more highly esteem of Spiritual graces with the means thereof we would spend much time in them and so be kept from so much worldly care 2. Let us therefore labor to be purged of this distrustful care or being free to keep our selves so To this end we must labor for faith and to encrease therein and highly to prize grace and the rather must we thus do because as this vice hath so ill roots so the fruits are as bad Excessive care for the world hurts the body brings gray hairs distracts and rends the minde asunder makes a man unfit for any good unfit to be a good Magistrate as who will never tend or regard the publique good so to be a good Minister nay to be a good housholder as which will justle out or hinder Reading Prayer good Duties c. It hinders a man from the Word or if he doth come thereto he is already so full as all runs beside or falls asleep and so cannot meditate thereon or receive any comfort thereby it choaks the Word yea in time makes a man mock at it It makes him unfit to pray or perform any other duty yea unfit to dye and for Christs coming but fit for all evil for its the root of all evil and easily leads a man to the breach of any Commandment The Devil can fasten any temptation on such a one Let us therefore take heed of it and the rather for that 1. These things be good in a very mean degree cannot breed contentment nor make a man happy 2. They are base bones for Dogs such as Reprobates have more in plenty then Gods Children more meet as wages for slaves then portions for Children even the wicked have these but the godly have spiritual graces here and hereafter eternal life 3. They be very vain subject to many losses and changes yea and we are as vain as they which if we should never lose yet might be taken from them not twenty or forty years hence but ere to morrow and whether we shall leave them to our children we cannot tell haply it may be to strangers yea enemies if to our children we know not how they will spend them If some miserable men that have robbed God stoln from the poor sold themselves to the Devil had but leave to look out of their graves a little and see who dwells in their houses and have
not as they conceive so bad as others though to neglect all duties in their families and towards their souls and to pass the Sabbath in worldly talk and to be little at the Sacrament or without any preparation be frequent with them 3. Hypocrites who though they resist him in some things yet in others yield which is enough to their destruction 4. Backsliders that resisted him a while and seemed to be wel minded to be sorry for time past were fully purposed to take a new course and seemed so to do for a time that yet afterward returned to their old vomit and yielded to his wil and temptations as they did before This resisting was nothing unless they had so continued to the end and until they had overcome for not they that make a flourish and strike a few blows and then flie or yield themselves to the Enemy shall be crowned O let all such repent of their baseness and yielding themselves into the Devils hands and to his temptations as also of their breach of promise in Baptism and for the time to come let them learn to know what is the will of God and which be Satans temptations and resist the same and that constantly and in all things so shall the second death have no power over them but they shall conquer here and be crowned eternally hereafter 2. This reproveth weak Christians yea sometimes even them who have well profited and yet will shew themselves weak in this that if the Devil have any temptations against them telling them they be hypocrites and that they shall not be pardoned their sins being so great and their hearts to sinful what do they but consent and say as he saith against themselves and so yield what a folly is this Is not the Devil adversary enough but that you must also be an enemy to your selves and do you know its the Devil who is a lyar and yet suffer your selves to be carried away by him and say as he saith a murtherer and yet yield to him fie upon it you ought to resist have recourse to your friends for aid even seek unto God by prayer search the promises laid down in the Word listen to good counsel c. yea when a man hath spent a good time in laboring to comfort them by the Word they yet are at the same stay and yield more to a temptation which is a lye then to all that can be said against it also many and most Christians alas how little do they resist how often do they yield If he tempt them to lay aside prayer for trifles or to keep them from the Word there being this or that to do how quickly do they yield Many also are so filly that they see not one of ten of Satans temptations and are so careless that they fear them not Thus sometimes they omit good duties sometimes marre a good duty in the doing are sometimes overcome in small things What if they be not great things The least sins be against God hurt our souls hinder our peace make our comfort the less If Satan come with some great thing we fear and look about us he would wound us at the heart but would we be willing to be hurt in the leg or arm we must not yield at any time in any thing how small soever but manfully and constantly stand in opposition Stedfast in the faith Faith is a principal piece of our Christian Armor Gods Armor is Spiritual not Carnal and though here one part be prescribed yet we must not content our selves therewith But put on the whole armor of God for so we shall overcome The Armor of Gods making shall prevail 1. If none can resist nor overcome but they that have these weapons What shall become of most who have not so much as one of them not Faith nor Hope nor Righteousness nor Truth c They must needs be a prey to the Devil as unarmed Creatures They have been told of this Enemy and that there was a compleat Armor of Proof which they might have if they would take pains they neglecting the same their condemnation will be of themselves 2. It rebukes Christians that put on their Armor to halves leaving off and neglecting this or that piece and so are often overcome we must get it all and buckle it well and close to us every morning yea never lay off any part of it we may do any thing in it work ride lie down sleep do any good c. More particularly faith is a principal piece of this Armor Above all put on the shield of faith that will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one This is also the Victory that overcomes the world even our Faith This takes hold of the promises laid down in the Scriptures of Providence Provision Preservation Salvation and is found by experience to be a notable means to resist all temptations in any kinde as worldliness fearfulness c. They then that are void of faith cannot resist the Devil and how rare is true faith among men The world imagine that its easie to believe but Gods Servants finde the contrary Stedfast It s not a small or weak faith but a strong and stedfast faith that must resist and overcome the Devils Temptations especially great ones Such Christians then are to be blamed which content themselves almost with a shew of faith so that when they come to lie on their death beds after long profession their hope is so faint and their perswasion so weak as that it s to be wondred at who then might have been triumphing in assurance So in their lives their faith is so weak as that every temptation shakes them as the Disciples at a little Tempest O that Christians can hold the hope of their Salvation so slenderly and have such poor evidence when as they should be able to prove it by many infallible Arguments Obj. But the least measure of true faith will save Answ. True but poorly A weak tattered ship may come safe to Land but with how many dangers and fears whereas a strong and well rigg'd Ship comes with more assurance and content to the Passengers Knowing that the same affliction c. A Reason to perswade us to resist the Devil and not to be discouraged because it s not our case alone to be tempted and molested by Satan and his Instruments but of all the Servants of God every where Satan spiteth not some few though he doth them most which most oppose him but he hateth and seeketh to mischief all the Servants of God whatsoever As Pharaoh pursued not some few of the Israelites but all of them to fetch them back again so doth the Devil set himself against all the Israel of God There 's enmity between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent He set upon David resisted Jeshua c. tempteth all spares
To send his holy Spirit into our hearts 5. To make intercession for us And is on the right hand of God In general 1. He gathers his Church by raising up Christian Kings and Governors where he hath any Elect. 2. He governs and keeps the same defeating all subtile plots of his Enemies and confounding all their devices Thus did he on the behalf of the Church in Egypt Thus also by overthrowing Hamans conspiracy Thus did he by dissipating the Spanish Armado and defeating the Gunpowder Plot. 3. Exerciseth his Church with crosses to scour off the rust which usually long Prosperity brings thereon In Particular for the Members of his Church that shall be saved he gathers them guides them and exerciseth them to obedience by crosses and represseth a great part of the rage of their Spiritual Enemies strengthening them against the same and for the Enemies of his Church he brings confusion upon them as on Pharaoh Senacherib Haman Herod c. Thus do we also see many Enemies of Christs Church daily cut off what else would become of the Church Angels and authorities and powers c. That is both good and bad the good willingly the others against their will are subject unto Christ. 1. For the good Angels If such glorious Creatures be subject to Christ then 1. How great a one is he and how glorious is his Kingdom He that hath Kings and Princes under him is an Emperor What 's he then to whom angels and authorities and powers are subject 2. The greater honor and dignity our head hath the more joy and comfort may we have which are his members Again In that he appoints them to watch and guard us then 1. What a great honor is this to us as if a plain Countrey man should dine at a Noble mans Table and have great Gentlemen with gold Chains to attend him 2. How may we hereby be comforted and encouraged against Satans malice 3. We must keep within compass and walk carefully in Gods ways we must take heed we do no uncomely thing lest thereby we make the Angels loath to attend on us or to carry ill tidings of us to God or be Messengers of some displeasure against us They themselves are very zealous for God and accordingly look that we should so be 2. For the evil Angels I shall not need to speak of their number power subtilty malice watchfulness to do hurt as neither of their office and work which is to hinder all good and further all evil Note we onely 1. That all these are subject Christ and he hath triumphed over them 2. That as it s no small honor to him our head to have all these under him so the meditation hereof cannot but be comfortable to us both in regard of him and our selves 3. That those evil Angels cannot do that evil they would and if they cannot much less can their instruments If even the Devils be subject to him that they cannot do what they would much more can he repress the rage of wicked men notwithstanding both of their malice and power But of these points I have spoken at large by way of Catechism CHAP. IV. THis Chapter consists of three parts 1. An Exhortation to Sanctification in general being the common duty of all Christians and belonging to all that shall be saved from Verse 1. to Verse 7. 2. An Exhortation to some particular duties of Sanctification from Verse 7. to Verse 12. 3. A comfort against persecution or an encouragement to the suffering of affliction for Christs and Righteousness sake from thence to the end of the Chapter Verse 1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same minde for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin Verse 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God HEre is 1. An Exhortation and 2. A motive to perswade thereto The Exhortation is to resolve to mortifie and subdue the lusts of our corrupt nature and to cease from sin namely living in any sin which is both explained and amplified explained by setting forth the parts of Sanctification severally where 's shewed 1. What must be laid away the lusts of men these we must not follow nor walk in 2. What we must do even walk according to Gods will amplified by the circumstance of time even so much time as remaineth in this life behinde The motive to perswade hereto is For that Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh namely in his humane nature both in body and soul for that are we to understand by flesh in the first place as thereby in the second the mortifying of our corrupt nature or that sinful disposition which is in us called flesh which spreadeth it self both over our bodies and souls and in the third this natural life of ours while the soul lives in this body of ours for us not for himself but our sins for us not angels who are reserved undereverlasting chains of darkness but for us men for us even me and thee whosoever thou art that believest for us the Apostle himself being one for every man must labor to know it to be for him and the rest of Gods elect Forasmuch then I say as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh we must arm our selves with the same minde even not onely to bear afflictions patiently and if it were to suffer persecution for his cause but also to dye unto sin not living any more to the lusts of men but to the will of God As Christ hath dyed for sin so should we dye to sin and not live in that for which Christ paid so dearly and God so hated and from which we are freed but rather in token of our thankfulness for our deliverance we must labor by all possible means to mortifie these our wicked lusts and to lead an holy life to the glory of our Redeemer Our Note may be this That The passion of our Savior Christ ought to be a mean to mortifie our lusts and to kill sin in us for who can love the knife that killed his dearest friend or that would have been his own certain destruction neither can any man have any perswasion upon good grounds of his part in Christ death except he dye to sin for as one end of Christs death was to free us from condemnation so another was to kill sin in us for he purgeth those whom he redeemeth He is a perfect Savior and Redeemer not setting us free from some but out of the tyranny of all our enemies therefore of sin as well as wrath again would Christ dye for a company and have no use of them but leave them still to live in sin As therefore we would not live in sin let us often meditate
on Christs passion O it s a fruitful mother of many children To know that sin is enmity against God fights against the soul brings death with it is not so available to kill sin as to know and meditate on this That Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh From the necessity of Christs sufferings whereof I have already spoken in the foregoing Chapter Note 1. Our woful and miserable condition as we are of our selves 2. The ugliness and hainousness of sin in Gods account 3. The admirable mixture of Justice and Mercy with the unspeakable love of God and Christ Jesus The Jews said He loved Lazarus well because he wept for him much more may we say That he loved us because he hath dyed for us David loved Absolom well who wished that he might have dyed for him how much then hath Christ loved us having indeed dyed for us O what love do we owe for this so great love 4. The happiness of such as do truly believe and repent their debt is fully discharged and having right unto Christ there 's nothing that the Lord will deny them 5. That we are to renounce all false ways of Salvation the Jews the Turks and the Papists way all other ways besides this 6. That we are to labor to know we have part in this yea Christ having suffered we must also bear afflictions patiently Arm your selves likewise c. The duty whereunto we are exhorted is to suffer in the flesh to mortifie our flesh that is our corrupt and sinful nature and the lusts and sins thereof both inward and outward But 1. Most are so far from mortifying their lusts that they follow them with greediness and cannot endure any to speak against them These be fools indeed to destroy their own souls by living in enmity and opposition against God 2. Some it may be refrain some lusts but others they live in and yield to and yet these will claim part in the death of Christ hope to be saved by Christ but so long as it s thus with them its impossible that they should have any part in Christ. Do we therefore labor for mortification applying the edge of the Word of God to the throat of our lusts That we may not give way hereto le ts often call to minde the threatnings of the Word the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper what God offers us there and what we convenanted with him for the crosses which our lusts have drawn on us Gods manifold mercies unto us but especially meditate on Christs death and passion which is indeed a strong corrasive to eat out sin for our corruptions remain too rank and through want of care and too much yielding thereto be not subdued as they ought Let us know that he is the best Christian not that hears most or knows most or can utter most but he that hath most power over his affections and heart Note further from hence That as our lusts fight against us so we must furnish our selves like Soldiers that we may prevail against them It s no easie thing to get out of sin or to get the Mastery thereof it s to mortifie our members to pluck out our right eyes and cut off our right hands It s easier to take any pains in offering sacrifice nay fast extraordinarily and to part with our goods with thousands of Rams and ten thousand rivers of oyl yea with our first born then to part with one beloved sin They that would overcome their lust must not stand still or be without weapons we have that within us which rebelleth against the Law of God and would lead us captive to the Law of sin which is in our members Hereunto the Devil addes his power the world also joyns herewith by ill examples bad counsels mockings revilings c. and therefore we must be resolute and play the Soldiers if we would get out of our bad course Through want hereof some even under a powerful ministery be never converted some get a little way but hang behinde in sin some are a great while ere they can get out whom the Word having called and awakened the world the Devil and their own lusts do again freshly assault nay some being truly converted yet fall back again into foul security and have yet strong corruptions and many odde qualities c. 1. This rebukes most of the world who do indeed joyn with these enemies few fight against them but fewer resolutely and therefore are led captive of them to their destruction 2. This may provoke us to put on the whole armor of God to arm our selves on all occasions and in all temptations with good thoughts and meditations of the ugliness of sin danger of it its hatefulness to God with the passion of our Savior Christ O how few arm themselves or when they do it s but to halves O this must be put on and kept on continually night and day we shall sleep never the worse there can be no truce between us and our enemies This must be kept even in the times of greatest prosperity Ships usually are cast away in storms but Christians may miscarry when its calm Thus was it with David he abode constant in all Sauls storms but in the time of peace was carried away with Bathsheba's beauty It must be kept on even in our old age and till death for then will the Devil set himself most against us and both Noah Moses and others did then catch worse foils then ever before Suffered in the flesh To mortifie our corrupt nature is called suffering in the flesh and the truth is its hard to say whether is harder to suffer bodily torments and pains or to mortifie a mans lust O it s a death to part with them yea when in a man after long strife between the grace of God and his corrupt nature in the work of his conversion grace prevails it s even as the pangs of death as when the Devil went out of the childe he threw him down and he lay foaming as if he had been dead O it s not so easie a matter as the blinde and prophane world imagine Hath ceased from sin That is living in any sin For he that is born of God sinneth not and He that committeth sin is of the Devil That he no longer c. The whole time of our life that remains after we are called to repentance ought to be spent in the service of God and practice of Repentance and a new life We owe all our life to him all the days of our life the whole time we owe all to him who hath made and preserved us nothing to any other What time therefore we have spent in sin we have robb'd God of it and so ought willingly to give him the remainder redeeming that is past with all diligence The time past we know but
thereupon both in body and soul shall be cast into Hell fire though the one begin with joy yet they end with wo and though the other begin heavily here yet they end with joy in Heaven and this life is nothing to that 's to come Could we discern this we would reverence the one highly and no less pity the others yea should the ones troubles here infinitely exceed the others jollities or the troubles of the godly be here greater then they are as also the jollity of the wicked we would not change with them 1. This confuteth the blinde world that esteemeth basely of Gods servants and of their state but let us never think the worse of our estate for them as a plain rich man doth not when a vain bragging fellow in brave apparel goes swaggering scornfully by him 2. This may and ought wonderfully to comfort Gods servants that hath advanced them to this high dignity passing by so many others O that we would walk worthy hereof in an holy and pure conversation 3. This may be a choak to the wicked notwithstanding all their jollity and make them weary of their condition laboring to become godly and of Gods house that so they may be truly happy What shall the end of them be that obey not the Gospel of God Here 's implyed 1. That though the afflictions of Gods people be many and great yet they are nothing in respect of the miseries which shall befal the ungodly The Lord is Judge of all the world and he will deal justly and equally even give every one according to their works If therefore he afflict his children with rods he will plague his enemies with scourges if he will not bear with sin in his own servants that are careful to please him and stand in awe and yet be overtaken then he will be dreadfully revenged of those that make a trade of sin if his children in their conversion and often afterward upon any sin committed have gripes of Conscience and suffer the terrors of God then shall the wicked have a gnawing Worm that shall never dye if those be brought as it were along by Hell these shall be left and swallowed up of Hell The Lord began with the Israelites in Captivity but ended with the Egyptians in drowning them in the Red-sea the three Children were put into the fiery Fornace not burnt but fire seized on them that put them in Daniel was put into the Lyons Den but his Enemies and Accusers were devoured Israel was carried Captive but Ashur destroyed the children are beaten with the rod thereafter it s burnt God chastens his for a few days here to their amendment but the wicked shall be cast into eternal fire In reading hearing and seeing what grievous things the Lord hath laid on his own children the wicked may see as in a glass the woful state that abides them 2. That the torments prepared for the ungodly in death and at the day of Judgement are such as cannot be expressed The Apostle knew that they should have a fearful end but utter the further end of it and lay it out to the full he could not therefore is forced to say What shall be the end It s a wonderful love of God that he hath made us his Children but yet it s not manifest what we shall be that is it cannot be exprest what happiness is prepared for us Eye hath not seen nor ear hath not heard what God hath prepared for his children So cannot any decypher the fearfulness of the wo prepared for the ungodly Such shall be separated from God and from his Saints and have their portion with the Devil and damned O the universality of their torments both in respect of their bodies and souls O the greatness of their pangs tormented with fire and brimstone O the eternity of them They shall be world without end If a man in pain should shed a tear or drop of water from his eye once in a thousand years and no more yet sooner should he make a whole Sea before this time will end 1. O what an iron scourge should this be to drive the wicked to repentance not resting till they know they be freed from this woful lake O let them never glory in their prosperity as long as they are in danger hereof If any will not break off their sins and fear they will prove costly profits and pleasures and they that will not believe and fear here shall feel them to eternal destruction hereafter 2. How should this glad the hearts of all Gods people that know themselves freed from this fearful lake and make them walk chearfully and obediently all their days to the honor of him that by his sufferings hath freed them therefrom yea should we not bear our few afflictions patiently being freed from these endles and easeles ones and not to envy at the prosperity of the wicked seeing it shall have such an end let their beginning be what it will be if this be their end God keep us from having any part therein That obey not the Gospel of God The wicked are described by their disobedience to the Gospel and these are indeed the most wicked and and have the fearfullest answer to make and the lowest or worst place in Hell they shall speed worst for their sin is greatest For what a favor of God is it not onely to give Christ to the world but then to publish him by the Gospel being the glad tidings of Salvation to all of what sort soever though never so mean never so great sinners there is mercy upon their unfained humiliation and such God sends his Ministers to beseech men to be reconciled O this is an unspeakable fâ—vor as that the contempt thereof must needs deserve a fearful damnaton That men should continue yet in their sins and have no minde â— Christ as a King and Savior is fearful If a company of Rebelsâ—ad a pardon proclaimed and sent out to so many as would come in fany would stand out and refuse the Kings grace and favor were he â—t worthy to be cut-off It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in â—e day of Judgement then for these people If they that despised theâ—aw were not unpunished how shall they be dealt withal that despâ— the Gospel The higher they are lift up the lower they shall be casdown 1. This rebuts the most part Howsoever they talk of the Gospel and comeâ—t Church and cry The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord yet â—ey yield not obedience thereto but continue in their sins There are â—w that come to see any such need of Christ as highly to prize him aâ— most earnestly to seek him though some would have Christ the Savior and will have Jesus Christ in their mouths yet few will stoâ— to his yoke to renounce all their lusts and yield up themselves in abbedience to his