sorts of sinnes 3. If it preuayle it may come by some speciall iudgement of God who being prouoked by other sinnes doth leaue men to a spirit of slumber or eternally reiecting them doth leaue them to a reprobate sence or in the power of the sinne against the holy Ghost 4 That we may know God and increase in it we must view his workes search his Booke obey the motions of his Spirit humble our selues to seeke the signes of his presence and for the better successe in all labour for a pure heart Hitherto of the Obiect Parts and End of Knowledge the Cause followeth in these words Verse 11. Strengthened in all might according to the power of his glory IN the words I note 1. The thing it selfe Strengthened 2. The manner of it in all might 3. The ground of it according to the power of his glory or glorious power From the Coherence I obserue that we must be strengthened in Grace before wee can be filled with Knowledge till Grace preuayle euill motions and temptations grow many times too hard for the seedes of Knowledge and the Diuell steales away much of the seede Strengthened There are two sorts of Christians fearing God some are strengthened with all might some are feeble in the Knowledge and Grace of God There are strong Christians and weake infants and men of riper age It is profitable more exactly to consider of both and in the weake Christian I consider 1. Who are weake 2. What helpes to make them strong in the might of God For the better vnderstanding of the first I propound three things 1 What the Infant or weake Christian wanteth by which hee discouers his weakenesse 2. What he hath notwithstanding his wants 3. The happinesse of his estate though he be weake They are but Babes and Infants in Grace 1. That know not the loue of Christ with particular distinct and full assurance 2. That are not able to practise the more strong purging duties of mortification 3. That serue any passion and vnruly affection 4. That are vnsetled in the way of life and tost with the winde of contrary doctrine 5. That sticke at acknowledgement and dare not stand out to the profession of the truth 6. That cannot digest some truths of God as being strong meate and in their account hard sayings 7. That are inexpert and vnskilfull in the word of righteousnesse especially if they be ignorant in the principles other signes may be gathered from the contrary estate of the strong Christian afterwards 2 Yet the weakest Christian whatsoeuer hee wants hath these things 1. Hee discernes the season of Grace and the day of his peace and redemption which the wise-men of the world doe not 2. Though in his owne account hee can doe but little for the truth yet hee will be sure to doe nothing against the truth if hee may know it 3. Hee is not in the flesh hee is more then a naturall man hee is borne againe 4. Hee hath an earnest appetite and constant desire after the sincere milke of the Word 5. He beleeues whiles hee struggles with vnbeliefe 6. The strong man armed which is the Diuell is so cast out by Christ that hee preuayles not as he was wont 7 He can deny his reason pleasures profits and beloued sinnes and take vp his crosse in sâ—me measure Lastly such a dore may be opened to them that haue little strength as no man can shut and such courage they may haue that they will sticke to the word and keepe it as their best treasure whatsoeuer they lose and by no meanes be induced to deny Christ and his Name 3 His case is happy though weake for hee hath such a High Priest and Sauiour as knowes how to haue compassion on the ignorant and is touched with a feeling of his inâ—irmities and hath wrought the reconciliation of all his brethren and was tempted himselfe and therefore will succour the weake when hee is tempted and will see to it that more shall not be laid vpon him then he is able to beare it being his charge and office to prouide that the bruised Reede be not broken or the smoaking Flaxe quenched till iudgement be brought forth vnto victory And at all times the weakest Christian may goe bolâ—ly to the throne of Grace and obtaine mercy to helpe in time of neede The helpes for strenâ—â—ening of the weake are of two sorts some without vs some to be vsâ—d by vs. Without vs there are many things that may strengthen and incourage and animate the weake 1. There is proposed a glorious inheritance to them that ouercome 2. We haue the example of all the Saints 3. We haue a strong and sure foundation 4. We haue a strong God and his power is engaged to exercise it selfe in our weaknesse and to keepe vs vnto saluation without falling till hee present vs faultlesse before the presence of his glory 5. Wee haue a strong word of God able to build vs vp and make vs wise and saue our soules as being Gods Arme and mightie instrument of his power 6. The spirit of God is a Spirit as of Grace so of Power and helpeth the weake as in Prayer so in euery Dutie and grace 7. Wee haue a strong Sauiour Christ doth strengthen and incourage the Christian three wayes first by his owne example becomming a patterne to vs to follow secondly by application for vnto all that lay hold on him by Faith â—ee is a Priest after the power of endlesse life the Wiâ—edome of God and the Power of God thirdly by operation for hee hath borne our infirmities by his owne offering hee hath and doth consecrate and make perfect our persons and workes in Gods sight he doth vnite vs to the Father hee giues vs his Fathers glory both in that he giues vs such Graces as will bring to glory and in that he giues vs credit where himselfe and the Father are in credit Thus of the helpes without vs. If any aske in the second place what we must doe that wee may be strengthened I answere 1. Wee must pray for Knowledge and Faith to discerne and beleeue Gods power and promise Ephes. 1. â— 8. c. Aâ—d in the fourth of that Epistle there are fiue things more to be done â—hat wee may attayne to a ripe age in Christ first wee must subiect our selues to be taught and wrought vpon by such Teachers as are set ouer vs by Christ. 2. We must resolue and settle our selues in the doctrine of the foundation and the Principles of truth that wee be not tossed to and fro with euery winde 3. Wee must so be satisfied with the voyce of Christ in our Teachers that wee cast aside all respects of the voyce of strangers not opening our eares willingly to the sleights
Sacraments The holy Apostle Saint Paul blesseth GOD for the Philippians that they did not onely make conscience of receiuing the Gospell but also of fellowship in the gospell and that from the very first beginning of their entrance into Religion This was the comfort of their loue and fellowship of the Spirit The last duty of loue is Clemencie and this stands in the right framing of our selues in respect of others and vnto the practise of clemency diuers things are required of vs. First to couer the faults of others Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Secondly to auoyde the occasions of stirring the infirmities of others And heere we are bound to forbeare our liberty in indifferent things rather than we should offend our brother If thy brother be grieued for thy meate now walkest thou not charitably It is to be obserued that he saith thy brother for it matters not for the cauells and reproaches of idolatrous and superstitious persons that neuer regarded the sincerity of the gospell Thirdly to take things in the best part Loue belieueth all things it hopeth all things Fourthly in our anger both to be short Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath and also to be more grieued for their sinne with whom we are angry than kindled against their persons as it is said of our Sauiour Hee looked round about vpon them angerly mourning for the hardnesse of their hearts Fiftly to appease the anger of others and that eyther by soft answeres or by parting with our owne right or by ouercomming euill with goodnesse Lastly clemency stands in the forgiuing of trespasses done against vs Be tender hearted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christ his sake forgaue you So that vnto Christian loue is requisit a peaceable curteous and tender carriage hospitality and a liberall distributing to their wants both in temporall and spirituall things a couering of their faults auoyding of occasions of scandall a louing composing of our selues in matters of wrong and a daily and cheerefull association with them Thus farre of the gratious branches of Christian Loue. Now the manner how wee should loue Gods children is to be considered first in generall we should loue them as our selues and therefore in all our dealings to doe as we would be done by we are to loue man in measure viz. as our selues but God aboue measure But to consider of the manner of our loue more specially the particulars may be referred to the foure heads mentioned 1 Pet. 2.22 First we must loue brotherly that is not as we loue our beasts or as wee loue strangers or as we loue our enemies but as we would loue our dearest naturall brother with all tendernesse and naturalnesse of our affection Secondly wee must loue without fayning without hypocrisie and this is explicated to be not in word and tongue out in deedes and in the truth not onely truely for it cannot be a true loue vnlesse it arise from a holy agreement in the trueth Thirdly it must be with a pure heart and then we loue with a pure heart first when our affection is grounded vpon knowledge and iudgement secondly when it is expressed in a Spirit of meekenesse Thirdly when it is free from wrath or aptnesse to be offended from enuie from pride and swelling and boasting from selfe-loue when men seeke not their owne things and from euill suspicions Fourthly when it is exercised in holy things so as no affection can make vs reioyce in the wickednesse of them wee loue Fiftly when it is manifested in long-suffering and all-suffering when wee beleeue all things and hope all things Lastly wee must loue feruently and this hath in it Speedinesse Dilligence called Labour in loue Cheerefulnesse Earnestnesse and heate of affection and this is to follow after Loue and to the end it is without interruption Now because these are the last dayes wherein the most haue no Christian Loue at all and many haue lost the affection they had so as their Loue is growne colde and the most euen of the children of GOD in all places are exceedingly wanting to their owne comfort and spirituall content in the neglect of the duties of Loue one to another but especially in the duties of a holy fellowship and mutuall societie in the GOSPEL and the rules of Clemencie and that men might be kindled with some sparkes of desire to redeeme the time and gaine the comforts they haue lost and seeke the blessings of GOD in a holy Societie I haue thought good in the second place to propound out of the Scriptures Motiues as they lie heere and there scattered in the holy Writings to incite and perswade all sorts of men especially Professours to a more conscionable respect of this mutuall loue The first Motiue may be taken from Example and that both of God and CHRIST God made his infinite Loue apparant to vs in that hee sent his onely begotten Sonne into the world that wee might beleeue in him and hee might be a reconciliation for our sinnes and therefore ought wee to loue one another yea so to loue one another Shall the most high GOD fasten his loue vpon vs that are so many thousand degrees below him and shall not wee loue them that are our equalls both in Creation and Regeneration Shall the Lord be contented to respect with an appearing loue and shall we think it enough to carry good affections to our brethren without manifestation of the outward signes and pledges of it Was there nothing so deare vnto GOD as his Sonne and did hee giue vs his Sonne also to assure vs of his loue and shall the loue of the Saints be euer by vs any more accounted a burthensome and costly loue Hath God sent his Sonne out of heauen into the world and shall we stie our selues vp and not daily runne into the company of the members of CHRIST Was CHRIST sent that we might haue the life of grace in holy and heauenly and mysticall vnion and shall not we as fellow-members in all the duties of a Christian societie stirre vp nourish and increase that life so giuen As Sincerity is the life of Religion so Societie is the life of Sincerity Was Christ giuen a reconciliation for our sinnes and shall not wee striue to ouercome one another in the religious temper of our affections and the free and willing couering or forgiuing of trespasses and wrongs Our Head our Sauiour our Lord our Prophet our Priest our King that wee might perceiue his loue layd downe his life for vs and should not wee immitate so incomparable an example though it were to lay downe our liues one for another The second Motiue is from Commandement it is not a thing arbitrary for vs to loue our brethren as is before expressed Curtesie peaceablenes liberality society and clemency are not things we may shew or not
is that wonderfully commends whatsoeuer it is in There is a kinde of seed of order sowen in the creatures This order in man is their eutaxie or well disposing of themselues The Apostle might commend their order generally both in relation to the common-wealth and to the Church and in their families as also in their particular conuersation That there might be order in Common-wealths God hath set man in auâ—thoritie for by him Kings raigne and haue their power and hath communiâ—cated a part of the honour of his owne diuine lawes to their ciuill lawes viz. That they should binde mens consciences so farre as they are not disagreeing from his word Besides hee hath recorded threatnings against the disobedient and acknowledgeth Magistrates to beare his image to be as it were Gods by representation and hee guides them by his spirit for the time many times qualifying them with gifts and guiding their mouthes in iudgement for a â—â—uine sentence in the mouth of a King yea hee himselfe drew a plat-forme of rules for Common-weales to giue them a taste of gouernment Now that men may attaine to this Eutaxie and good order in Common-weales they must reade the law of God and let that be a generall guide to them and they must propound sanctitie as well as felicitie as the end of their gouernment and in calling to office they must be carefull not to set the feet where the head should be but to chuse men that feare God and hate couetousnesse and are men of courage The feare of God and courage is wonderfully wanting in all sorts of Magistrates And as for courage in respect of the people what are they the better if they haue a good man that will doe no good then if they had euill men that would doe no euill Yet in truth Magistrates whether good or euill men doe much euill by suffering euill to be vnpunished But to returne to the point Magistrates that would preserue order must giue good example themselues and mend the disorders of their own housholds and bring such a sympathie and loue of the people as they should both preserue their authoritie and yet remember that they rule their brethren And in their gouernment they cannot obserue order vnlesse they punish vice as well as command or prouide for vertue and wealth Besides they must take away the persons or places that are occasions of disorder and they must charge and remunerate as well as punish Finally the people out of the obligation of conscience must striue to liue in order with reuerence and feare yeelding ready obedience and furtherance to those that are placed in authoritie ouer them There is order also in the Church and thus there is order in doctrine for milke must be propounded before strong meat or with sufficient reference to the parties to be taught There is order also to be obserued in the time places and manner of celebration of Gods worship There is order also to be respected in the vse of things ecclesiastically indifferent There is order in the subordination of persons in the ministerie some to rule some to teach some to exhort some to distribute There is order also to be obserued in the discipline of the Church proceeding by degrees with offenders so long as they are cureable Neither may our families be without order order I say not only in the duties that concerne the maintenance of the familie but also in the exercises that concerne religion and the seruice of God in the familie In families there must be a care also of reformation especially that openly profane persons only for temporall aduantage be not retained or admitted there In the familie also there must be a daily exercise of patience humilitie knowledge and all other Christian graces that concerne mutual edification What should I say There is a mutuall relation in all the members of the familie one to another and the discharge of their seuerall duties one to another is charged with a daily care of order But I thinke the Apostle commends the order of holy life vnto which euery Christian is bound It is certaine we can neuer soundly proceed in godlinesse without a care of a settled frame and order of liuing Wee may not liue at a venture in religion T is not enough to doe good now or then by flashes There is an order in holy conuersation We must walke by rule There is an holy disposing of our waies required It is required of vs that we should ponder the pathes of our feet We must order our affaires with discretion This is called the way of prudence or vnderstanding There is a guiding of our feet vnto the waies of peace T is a wonderfull curse to be left to our securitie to walke in darke and vncertaine waies and contrariwise the vision of the saluation of God is promised to such as dispose of their waies aright And to be carefull oâ— an orderly course of life is to keepe our soules and peace shall be vnto such But alas men haue corrupted their waies and their vnderstandings are darkened and they are strangers from the life of God neither will men cease from their rebellious waies The ciuillest men walke after the way of their owne hearts yea the most men hate those that are right in their waies and are like Dan that would bite the heeles of such as endeuour to walke in sinceritie Some hypocrites there are that will know the way of the Lord and aske of him the ordinance of iustice as if they would be carefull to please God but alas they were neuer washed from their old sinnes and they quickly returne with the dogge to their vomit and corrupt their waies being of purpose set on by the deuill to make a clamorous profession that so their fall might more dishonour the glorie of an exact and circumspect conuersation Alas what should I say There is wonderfull want of order in the very liues of Gods children Scarce the tithe of professors of sinceritie of the Gospell that haue gathered a catalogue of holy duties and obserued out of the word that frame and order of settled holy conuersation There are 10. helpes of order in holy life 1. knowledge 2. vprightnesse that is an vnfained resolution to shew respect to all Gods Commandements 3. constant diligence 4. watchfulnesse 5. contemplation or meditation 6. praier 7. reading the word daily 8. frequent hearing of the Gospell preached in the power of it 9. a tender conscience 10. societie and fellowship with gracious Christians in the Gospell There are many impediments of an orderly conuersation 1. Men are not reconciled to God and so not being in Christ they receiue not influence of grace from Christ to enable them to walke in an holy course 2. In others t is negligent mortification the staine of former sinnes being not washed away there remaines in them an ill disposition to sinne 3. Many are
it implies that people are for the most part slow hearted herein and hardly drawne to the vnfained and diligent labour after the establishing of their faith and assurance 2. That all this stedfastnes of assurance is not the worke of a day a great tree is not growne or rooted but successiuely a great house is not built all at once we must be euery day adding something to Gods worke that the building of grace may be in due time finished none are so established but they may grow in faith none haue such great rootes but they may take roote yet more many men striue hard to make their trees shew in branches leaues I meane in outward profession in the world but alas what should this great bulke and so many branches and leaues doe vnlesse there were more rootes within yea many deare children of God mistake wonderfully they euery day carrie together heapes of precepts for life but alas poore soules so great a building will not stand vnlesse they lay their foundation sure I meane that they get their faith in Christ the only sure foundation more confirmed and established As ye haue been taught Note here the Apostles candor he doth not arrogate the glory of their establishment to himselfe but sendeth them to their Minister and teacheth them to depend vpon him to waite vpon the blessing of God vpon his labour and to acknowledge the good they haue to haue receiued by his ministerie Here diuers things may be noted 1. That the people should labour for a reuerend estimation of the doctrine they receiue from their faithfull teachers 2. That as faith commeth by hearing so doth the establishment of faith also 3. That it is wonderfull dangerous to neglect either the charge of our teachers when they vrge vs to assurance or the rules by which they guide vs out of the word of God for the attainment of it if we would goe about it when our teachers call vpon vs the Lord would be with his ordinance to blesse it to vs we should be afraid to delay when we are taught how to confirm our soules in faith and grace 4. The faithfull Ministers do greatly labour to establish their hearers in the assurance of Gods fauour and the duties of holy life Abounding therein with thanks-giuing In these words the Apostle shuts vp all wherein his intent is to stirre them vp to thankfulnes that as they did thriue in the meanes or matter of faith and holy life so they should glorifie God by all possible thankfulnesse for it as he would haue them abound in faith and holinesse so also in thankfulnes to God This may wonderfully smite our hearts for if we obserue our wretched euill dispositions we may finde that we are wonderfully bent to the very habit of vnthankfulnesse and therefore it is iust with God many times that we doe no more thriue in victorie ouer our corruptions or in the power of diuers graces or in the progresse of duties because we doe not more tenderly and constantly acknowledge the goodnesse of God we haue had experience of Oh that it were written vpon our hearts and grauen deepe in our memories that nothing becomes vs more then to abound in thankfulnesse no fairer sight then to see the Altar of the Lord couered with the calues of our lips neuer can the estate of a child of God be such but he hath exceeding great cause of thankfulnes for his happinesse in Christ. VERS 8. Beware lest there be any man that spoile you through philosophie and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. Hitherto of the exhortation From this verse to the end of this chapter is conteined the dehortation wherein the Apostle labours to disswade the Colossians from receiuing any corrupt doctrine or any vaine obseruations either borrowed from philosophie or from humane traditions or from the abrogated law of Moses The dehortation hath three parts 1. He setteth downe the matter from which he doth dehort vers 8. 2. He giues 7. reasons to strengthen the dehortation to v. 16. 3. He concludes against the things from which he dehorts and that seuerally from v. 16. to the end In this verse he dehorts from three things 1. From Philosophie that is doctrines taken out of the bookes of Philosophers not agreeing to the word of God which though it had a shew of wisdome yet indeed was but very deceit 2. From traditions .i. obseruations and externall rites and vaine superstions concerning either ordinarie life or else Gods seruice deuised by men whether learned or vnlearned and imposed as necessarie vpon the consciences of men 3. From the elements of the world .i. from the ceremonies of Moses now abrogated and so from Iudaisme In generall we see in the Church of God men must beare the words of dehortation as well as of exhortation men are in a strange case that loue to eat poyson and yet cannot abide to receiue any antidot Againe from the coherence we may note that the best way to be sound against the hurt of corrupt doctrines or traditions is so to cleaue to the doctrine of the Gospell as we grow setled in the assurance of faith and experienced in the way of a holy life he cannot be hurt that mindes holinesse and assurance Beware When wee finde these caueats in the Scripture wee must thinke of them as more then bare notes of attention for they shew some great euill or deceiuings and withall it imports that we of our selues are inclinable to fall as in this place this Beware imports that men naturally are inclined to falshood more then truth to euill more then good to wise men more then the wise God to traditions more then the written word to their owne deuises more then Gods precepts to false teachers more then the true Apostles to ceremonies more then the weightie things of the Law Any man See here the vanitie and leuitie of mans nature many men either by word or example cannot reduce vnto order or vnto truth yet any man may seduce vnto sinne and error All sorts of men may be fountaines of euill but in case of returning an obstinate sinner or superstitious person is vsually wiser then seuen men that can giue a reason Spoile you This word is various in signification it signifieth as some take it to make bare or to prey vpon or to circumuent or to deceiue or to driue away as a prey or to lead away bond and captiue or as here to spoile it is so to seduce or to carrie away as a spoile for the matter expressed in this word we may note 1. That a Christian stands in danger of a combat and if he looke not to himselfe may be spoiled and caried captiue for the word seemes to be a militarie word and so imports a battell 2. That there are worse losses may befall vs then the losse of goods or children a man is neuer worse spoiled
attaine to it to beleeue that baptisme doth signifie and assure these things to vs Answ. 1. Labor to expresse that which on thy part is required that is set vp the confession of thy sinnes and amendment of thy life 2. Then go vnto God and let thy conscience make request for the answere of the spirit of adoption by which the Lord may assure thee that in the mediation of Iesus Christ thy baptisme is giuen to thee as a particular seale of Gods couenant and grace Quest. But how may I doe to be assured that my sinnes shall be subdued and that I shall be raised vp in holy graces and duties Answ 1. Acquaint thy selfe with Gods promises of this kinde and grow skilfull in them 2. Cry strongly to God for the testimonie of Iesus in thy heart that by his spirit hee would settle thee in this perswasion 3. Waite vpon the word and prayer till God doe effect it 4. Strengthen thy selfe both by the experience of others as also with due obseruation of successe in the subduing of any sinne or the exercise of any graces or duties The vses may be diuers First for information we may here see how vaine the common faith of the common Protestant is shew me thy faith by thy fruits how canst thou beleeue aright and yet thy sinnes not mortified and thy heart and life vnsanctified Againe we see we haue not comfort of our baptisme till the power of holinesse in some measure appeare in our liues Secondly for instruction we should all examine our selues whether wee haue faith or no and whiles we haue meanes of assurance make vse of all aduantages to settle our hearts in the faith and to this end we should deliuer vp our soules to be nursed vp in the words of faith and wholesome doctrine Lastly we might here be greatly comforted if we had true faith wee see God can denie nothing vnto faith it should be to vs in the sacraments in mortification and in graces and duties according to our faith Of the operation of God The doctrine of Gods power and working is of singular vse in the Church great is the interest of Gods seruants in his power and therefore great cause they haue to rest vpon it The elect onely can reason for Gods power to the effect he is able to doe it therefore he will doe it but then these three things must be noted 1. They must be beleeuers that looke for this priuiledge 2. They must bring a particular faith to draw out this power of God into operation 3. It will not be set a worke about euerything but such things for which there is promise or meet examples in the scriptures Now it is a matter of singular weight to know in what things we may haue warrant to beare our selues vpon the power of God The power of God is engaged for operation in foure things for the benefit of the faithfull First in their afflictions Secondly in their temptations Thirdly in the difficulties of holy life Fourthly in his ordinances In afflictions God hath bound himselfe to shew his power 1. In giuing strength to endure them 2. In moderating the afflictions to their strength 3. In guiding them to the right ends 4. In deliuerance out of them If we looke vpon the enemieâ— of the godly in particular God shewes his power 1. In restraining or disappointing them 2. In rewarding and ouerthrowing them So likewise in temptations the power of God though it be secret yet it is wonderfull in dissoluing the works of the deuill and in vpholding his seruants and destroying the strong holds and fortifications of Satan Thirdly in the difficulties of holy life the Lord vseth his power 1. In making his seruants able to walke in his waies both by giuing them power and strength and by relieuing and reuiuing their strength daily and renewing it 2. In keeping them from euill 3. In establishing them that they may perseuere and hold out Lastly Gods operation is wonderfull in the vse of his ordinances and this is that is meant in this place In respect of this the Psalmist faith God is greatly to be reuerenced in the assembly by all them that are round about him O Lord God of hostes who is a strong God like vnto thee Thus the Lord is mightie through the ministerie of his seruants Thus the Lord performeth the counsell of his messengers his word returneth not to him in vaine yea his ordinances are his power vnto saluation they are all mightie through God Thus it is in particular in the sacraments though for their outward shew they doe not promise much yet by the maruellouâ— operation of God they are auaileable in effect for all that is promised in them only if we could get this faith in this operation of God here mentioned The vse of all is First for information we may here take notice of the difference between hypocrites and the godly in matter of godlinesse they can know know nothing but the forme of it the other haue experience of the singular power of God in all the passages of holy life both in the vse of the meanes and in his preseruation Secondly for instruction we should obserue and seeke out the working of the Lord and daily ascribe power vnto God and pray for the experience of it and that he would establish that which he hath wrought in vs Againe it may teach vs not to despise the weake Christian for the Lord is able through his operation to make him stand And it should incourage vs all to the works of righteousnes seeing Gods operation is so ready to be found and for hereafter in the vse of all the meanes our faith should be in the power of God Thus of the operation of God Through the resurrection of Iesus Christ Many are the benefits which wee reape from the resurrection of Iesus Christ. As first the resurrection of our bodies Secondly the accomplishment of the promises made vnto the Fathers Thirdly iustification and forgiuenesse of sinnes Fourthly a secret vertue vnto the ordinances of God Fifthly regeneration Sixtly liuely hope of an immortall inheritance Seuenthly the power of viuification and raising of vs vp to new obedience And this last is acknowledged in this place VERS 13. And you being dead in your sinnes and the vncircumcision of the flesh hath he quickned together with him forgiuing you all your trespasses The sixt reason of the dehortation is conteined in this verse and it stands thus That which cannot helpe vs when we are in miserie nor further vs to happinesse when we want it is not to be followed nor rested vpon but such things are philosophie traditions and ceremonies they cannot heale the corruption of our natures nor raise vs out of the graues of sinne nor any way procure vs the pardon of our transgressions or
because he imprinteth a secret kinde of heauenly mindednesse the Christian in someweake measure liuing as Christ did in the interim betweene his resurrection and ascension waiting alwayes for his exaltation into heauen Now the consideration of this worke is heere vsed by the Apostle to perswade vnto the meditation of heauenly things and that fitly for if wee be risen as Christ was then we must be minded as hee was now we know that after he was risen againe he was not incumbred with this world nor did he conuerse with the men of this world but liued with the Lord as it were immediately in a heauenly manner waiting for Heauen so should a Christian doe he should euery day be striuing to get vp his heart by faith and prayer and meditation and voluntary abnegation by all meanes begging and seeking the vertue of Christs resurrection that being enabled to forsake the world the vnnecessary society with worldly men he might haue his heart and conuersation in heauen euery day waiting when the time of his changing should come Q. How may a man know whether he be risen with Christ Ans. This question may be resolued both negatiuely and affirmatiuely For first they are not risen with Christ that are in bondage to traditions as the coherence with the latter end of the former chapter shews nor they that are drowned and made sencelesse with the cares of this life or the pleasures of voluptuous liuing nor they that confirming themselues in a dead presumptuous common hope plead the abounding of Gods grace to auouch their continuance in sinne for the Apostle in the epistle to the Romans vseth a reason taken from our conformity to the resurrection of Christ to confute this vicious and prophane plea of carelesse men Further they that worship the Beast the great Antichrist of Rome and receiue his marke vpon their foreheads or their hands are reckoned among the dead men that haue not their part in this first resurrection Also the Prophet Esay seemes to say that such men as will not see Gods high hand of Iudgement nor will learne to doe vprightly in the land of vprightnesse nor can be allured to godlinesse though mercy be shewed them are to be accounted among the dead men that shall not liue Lastly they are not risen with Christ that doe not beleeue in Christ Now for the affirmatiue They may haue comfort in the first resurection that haue felt a diuine power in the voice of Christ quickening their hearts with effectuall desire and endeauor to rise out of the graues of sinne and to stand vp from the world of the dead 2 That are constantly affected with a holy estimation of the knowledge of Christ crucified and risen againe an effectuall knowledge I meane valuing the meanes and signes of it aboue all earthly thinges 3 That finde their hearts changed from the cares and delights of this life to a constant desire of the second comming of Christ to translate them to the presence of glory in heauen 4 That shew a daily care to walke in newnes of life yeelding their members as weapons of righteousnesse striuing to crucifie the old man and destroy the bodie of sinne as they that are aliue vnto God 2 Againe in that the Apostle sayth if ye be risen againe with Christ seeke those things that are aboue we may note that it is as hard a thing to get vp the heart of men to the study of heauenly things as to lift vp a massie corps out of the graue and to inspire it with the desire of life there is neede of the spirit and power of Iesus to doe it And therefore we should not wonder to see naturall men so heartlesse nor should we attribute it to any inefficacy in the meanes if carnall men be not perswaded for a man may long perswade a dead man to rise be fore he will get vp and it should touch vs with all thankfulnesse to acknowledge Gods mercy if he haue giuen vs a minde to heauenly things to desire them and delight in them Thirdly in that he sayth if ye be risen speaking not onely conditionally but doubtfully it imports that one should bee exceeding carefull to search and trie whether they haue their part as yet in this first resurrection and withall implies that many a man may seeme to himselfe and others to bee deliuered from the kingdome of darkenesse and yet lie buried still in the graues of sinne Seeke those things which are aboue Heere the Apostle enters vpon the proposition of the first maine exhortation or rule of new life Now before I bring in the Apostle vrging this duty imagine with thy selfe how farre the Christian thus now to be instructed for order of life hath already proceeded by faith for before a man can be truely capable of direction of life there be diuers things requisite in the preparations of faith And these things are necessarily to be presupposed 1 That faith hath plucked him out of the world of sinners or dead men so that hee is alreadie withdrawen from the society of the wicked 2 It hath shewed him Gods fauour and ioyned him to Christ. 3 It hath shewed how in some measure such things in the Kingdome of Christ as his naturall eare neuer heard nor his naturall eye neuer sawe nor his naturall heart neuer conceiued 4 It hath ioyned him to the liuing Saints so as he now with great desire delight conuerseth with them 5 It hath made him to suffer in the flesh for his sins and withall hath refreshed his spirit and cured him of his distrustfull and solitary sorrowes 6 It hath garnished his soule with newe budding graces and opened for him a fountaine and spring of grace within him euen in his bowels 7 It hath raised in him a true and constant desire of new obedience of life with a secret resolution not to depart from any thing the Lord shall command all the dayes of his life Now presupposing the Christian to be thus farre proceeded the Apostle comes in and to beginne his institutions of manners he first chargeth him with this rule Seeke those that are aboue teaching vs that the first maine thing to be laboured after in the reducing of our liues into a holy order is to striue by all meanes to get vp our hearts to a constant seeking and minding of heauenly things according to that serious charge of our Sauiour Christ first seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Thus this rule may be more cleerely vnderstood and more carefully practised it will be profitable to consider distinctly what things are aboue and how they are to be sought And so the things that are aboue may be distinguished into eight sorts First God is aboue for he dwelles in the high and holy place and he must be sought and if you aske what we must seeke in God I answer we must
beare the image of his true humane nature and his very body is present sacramentallie he is present by the imputation of righteousnesse and by mysticall vnion The right hand of God hath diuerse signification in scripture sometimes it signifieth the power and help of God Sometimes the place of eternall rest in heauen Sometimes it notes the maiesty and authority and soueraignty of God To sit signifieth to abide or dwell and to gouerne Here to sit at Gods right hand comprehends three things First an exceeding glory aboue all creatures euen the very Angels Secondly full power of gouernment Thirdly an equality in maiesty and soueraignty euen with God the father in his person Ob. But Stephen saith he saw him standing at Gods right hand Sol. Diuerse gestures for our capacity are attributed for diuerse ends First he stands to shew his watchfull eagernes and readinesse to take notice of wrongs to his members to come to their succors Secondly He sits to note maiesty and soueraignty Ob. But to sit at Gods right hand seems to import the reall communication of diuine attributes to the humane nature so as in his very body he is euery where c. Sol. It doth not Christs human nature is here reckoned vnder the name of things aboue And besides in the Epistle to the Ephesians the Apostle saith expresly he sits at Gods right hand in heauenly places The vse of Christs sitting at Gods right hand follow And first it may be a notable terror to wicked men if they doe but consider that he whom they daily pierce by their sinnes and dispise by contemning his ordinances by which he would rule them is exalted to such glory that he hath all power to subdue his enemies vnder his feet but sure it is if they will not now feare and repent the time shall come when all they that said this man shall not rule ouer vs shall see him sitting at the right hand of the power of God and comming in the clouds to render vengeance on all those his aduersaries that would not obey his Gospell but striue to breake his yoake and cast his cords from them Secondly it may serue for singular comfort to all God seruants For from his session at Gods right hand flow vnto them many singular blessings as the places of Scripture quoted in the margent will shew First the casting out of all accusations of sathan Secondly the filling of the Church with all needfull fulnesse of grace and blessings Thirdly the seruice of Angells ministring to the heires of saluation Fourthly speed in all suits Fiftly the prouiding of a place for vs Sixtly Intercession Seuenthly power to subdue our enemies As the consideration of the seuerall places of scipture alleadged will manifestly shew Yea his exaltation may be our comfort because in a sort we sit together with him not only because this honor is done to our nature in his flesh but also because by our mysticall vnion it is done to our head and moreouer he doth in part communicate this honor to vs for as Christ is at the right hand of the father so is the Church at the right hand of Christ Finally in the second comming of Christ this glory shall be more fully and openly communicated when all the faithull shall be set on his right hand to heare that most gratious sentence Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world Thirdly the session of Christ at Gods right hand may teach vs first to mind a spirituall worship seeing he hath taken his body out of the way Secondly to goe boldly to the throne of grace to seeke helpe in time of need seeing we haue so sure a friend to procure both audience acceptance and successe thirdly to waite with patience vnder all sorts of wrongs for it is sure that he that shall come will come in his due time and will not tarry and then he will make all his enemies to be his foot stoolâ— Lastly the Apostle here vseth the consideration of this doctrine as a motiue to stir vs vp to mind heauenly things And surely if we doe seriouslie waigh it it should continuallie draw vp our thoughts to thinke of heauen whither so louing and so glorious a Sauiour is gone before Yea it should doe vs good to look vp towards these visible heauens remembring that one day we shall be carried to that blessed place of rest and holy ioyes that is aboue them euen to the heauen of heauens to raigne with Christ for euermore And thus of the proposition Vers. 2. Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth The exhortation in the former verse propounded is in this verse illustrated and expounded first by repetition secondly by the contrary The repetition is in these words Set your affections on things which are aboue The contrary from which he doth dehort is in these words and not on things which are on earth Repetitions in scripture are not without their vse For thereby the holy ghost vsually imports our slownesse and dulnesse of capacity in conceiuing and backwardnesse in practise and besides thereby inforceth both the necessity and the excellency of the matter so repeated And surely all three may be applied to this repetition For the contemplation and desire after heauenly things is a most gratious ornament to a religious life and without some measure of holy affections it is vnpossible to get rid of the power of sinne or to practise with any successe or acceptation the duty of a renued life and if in any thing we are backward or wanting or decaying or languishing it is in this rule here giuen by the Apostle Set your affections The originall word varieth in signification Sometimes it is rendered to studie and it is out of question our dutie to study and contemplate of heauenly things Sometimes it signifieth to trie by tasting and it is sure that if carnall people had but once tasted of the sweetnesse of godlinesse and religious duties they would not so securely neglect the prouision for eternity but especially they would see that they haue spoken euill of what they knew not Sometimes it is translated to be wise about a thing and certainly a Christian should be wise in the matters of his religion and profession and shew it by forecast and diligence to compasse what may be gotten of this true treasure and by serpentine discretion in the manner and circumstances of weldoing and by staydnesse in a Christian course voyd of passion rash zeale and fickle inconstancie growing more and more skilfull and cunning in the soundnesse of knowledge how with more power and spirituall aduantage to practise euery duty or exercise euery grace Sometimes it signifieth to sauour of a thing and
God the Father hath prepared and laid vp in Heauen And the more are wee confirmed in this resolution constantly to prayse GOD for these excellent Graces because they are not sodaine Fancies or presumptuous Conceits raised out of the Forge of your owne braine or conceiued for some corrupt or carnall ends but were indeede begotten in you by the mighty working of the most sweet Doctrine of Reconciliation proued in it selfe and by effect to be a Word of Truth euen that word of the LORD long foretolde now truely reuealed and accomplished also begetting the true forme of pietie in you with constancie and true vprightnesse both of heart and life This is the word of Reconciliation which is come vnto you as by incredible power and swiftnesse it is now to the greatest part of the world euen to people of all sorts and Nations causing them to shew the soundnesse of their Coâ—uersion by the daily fruâ—â—s of amenâ—ment of life and this increaseth continually in all places as it doth and hath done with you since the very first day that you truely heard and effectually beleeued this rich Doctrine of the grace of GOD. And this very Doctrine which you haue heard of Epaphras is the selfe same diuine truth that is gone all abroad the world of Epaphras I say whom wee all reuerence as our deare fellow-Seruant being assured that hee is for your best good a faithfull and most humble Minister of Iesus Christ. Hee hath with great contentment boasted of you in reporting to vs your spirituall and heauenly affection to God and godlinesse and one towards another and for the same cause since the first time we heard of your prayses in the Gospell wee haue beene importunate without ceasing praying for you and beseeching God to increase in you and make compleate your knowledge of his reuealed will not onely for contemplation but for practise also with a gracious experience of the working of the Spirit That yee might carry your selues in a holy eminency of godly conuersation striuing to proportion your Obedience in a greater degree then ordinary as might become the great measure of Gods Mercies of all sorts towards you expressing a liuely kinde of pleasingnesse both in carriage towards God and man being refreshed with the sweetnesse of acceptation in your seruices and that you might extend your carefulnesse to beare fruit not in one kinde or some few but in all kindes and sorts of good workes daily increasing in a holy acquaintance with the sacred nature of God which is both the effect and cause of all comfortable progresse in holy life That so growing vp to a ripe age in CHRIST in the sanctification both of soule and body and spirit in all the Graces and Duties of CHRIST and Christian life through the assisâ—ance of the glorious power of GOD in the vse of all meanes and helpes appoynted of GOD yee might accomplish your most holy profession with singular comfort and contentment being able chearefully and with all patience and Long-suffering to beare the Crosses Tentations Infirmities Persecutions and whatsoeuer Wrongs or Indignities might befall you wayting for the Promise of GOD being neuer weary of well-doing And as wee haue thought good thus to let you vnderstand our loue towards you and our reioycing for the prosperitie of your soules so wee thought good to write vnto you both to put you in minde of the most holy Doctrine of CHRIST as also to exhort and beseech you to be constant in the Faith and Hope you haue receiued without listening to the entising speeches of false Teachers which as wicked Seducers would beguile your soules of that high prise of your most holy Calling What thankes can wee euer sufficiently giue vnto GOD the Father of CHRIST and Christians that of his meere Grace and free Loue hath by a holy Calling made vs in his account meete to haue a Lot in that heauenly Canaan in that sweet and eternall fellowship with the Spirits of the iust not onely reuealed vnto vs in this light of the Gospell but to be inioyed by vs in the light of Heauen And hath also already deliuered vs from that wofull estate in which the darkenesse of Gentilisme and Sinne and Ignorance and Aduersitie and Death and Damnation had power ouer vs and hath translated vs into the Kingdome of Iesus Christ the Sonne of his loue inrolling our names among the liuing and accounting vs as Subiects of this Kingdome of Grace and Heyres euen Coheyres with Christ of the glory to be reuealed And howsoeuer our Sanctification be as yet vnperfect yet are wee not onely bought with a price but effectually and truely redeemed and in some sort fully to for in our Iustification wee are perfectly reconciled and all our sinnes absolutely forgiuen vs as if they had neuer beene committed through his merits that shed his bloud for vs. Who is a most liuely and perfect Image of the inuisible God not onely as hee workes Gods Image in man or because hee appeared for God the Father to the Fathers in the old Law or because as man hee had in him the likenesse of God in perfect holinesse and righteousnesse or because hee did by his Miracles as it were make God visible in his flesh but as he was from euerlasting the very essentiall naturall Image of God most absolutely in his diuine person resembling infinitely the whole nature of his Father and therefore is to be acknowledged as the begotten of God by an eternall generation so the first begotten of euery Creature as he was before them so is he therefore the principall heyre of all things by whom and in whose right all the Saints doe inherite what they haue or looke for For by him all things in heauen or earth whether visible or inuisible were created yea the very Angels themselues of what Order or Office soeuer whether Thrones or Dominions Principalities or Powers were all made by him of nothing and therefore hee and not they are to be worshipped in short all things were created by him yea and for him to And hee was from euerlasting with GOD the Father before all Angels or other Creature was made and still all things are preserued and continued as consisting in him yea the very Angels haue their confirmation from him And hee is that glorious and alone Mysticall head of the Church which in an holy order and relation by the admirable worke of the Spirit as a bond vniting together is a true body vnto CHRIST and worthily is hee to be acknowledged a head vnto the Church for three great Reasons first in respect of Dignitie for hee alone hath the primacy and ought to be acknowledged to haue preheminence in all things for if we respect the estate of Grace hee is the beginning of all goodnesse and if wee respect the estate of Glory hee is the first borne of the dead not onely because hee is risen
might be grounded and stablished 147 What a free spirit is 147 Why many after so long profession are so vnsetled 147.148 Concerning Hope 1. what Hope is not true Hope 2. what persons haue no Hope 3. what are the effects and properties of true Hope 149 How the Gospell is preached to euery creature 151 Why godly men are so chearefull in affliction 153 How Paul was said to fulfill the rest of the affliction of Christ. 154 How our afflictions are the afflictions of Christ. 155 Twelue Arguments against the Crosse. 157 How we may know wee are of Gods houshold 158 What good men get by their Ministers 159 How many wayes the Gospell is hidden 161. and how reuealed 165 What a ciuill honest man wants 165.166 What we must doe to preserue affection to the word 167 The Gospell is a glorious Mysterie 168 Nine Vses of the Doctrine of the calling of the Gentiles ibid. How Christ is conceiued in the soule of the faithfull 170.171.172 How we may know that Christ is in our hearts 170.171.172 The Benefits that come by the inhabitation of Christ. 170.171.172 What entertainment we ought to giue him 170.171.172 Who haue not Christ in them 170.171.172 The honour dutie and reproofe of Ministers 173 Reasons to perswade vs to suffer admonition 174 How wee are perfect in this life 176 The chiefest Typographicall Errours ERRATA IN the Epistle to the Reader line 6. for counsell reade consent l. 21. for Dedicatory r. Dedication p. 3. l. 41. for Iothanan Iebar r. Iochanan Iehan p. 10. l. 4. for order r. ardor ibid l. 28. for all r. at p. 25. l. 13. for definitions r. definitiues p. 35. l. 47. as loue for all loue p. 41. l. 47. holy life for holy loue ibid. l. 49. loue for Lord. p. 51. l. 27. straying for strange p. 60. l. 23. salutiferans for salutiferous p. 62. l. 48. guilefull for gaulefull p. 63. l. 1. modest and for modest and. l. 6. this for his p. 69. sent forth for send forth p. 73. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 88. l. 13. any for and. p. 92. l. 53 our for one p. 113. l. 13. of God for sonne of God l. 20. and the very bottome for out of the very bosome p. 114. l. 46. decree for decreed p. 122. l. 49. seruice for Sauiour p. 129. l. 27. repayes for repayres p. 140. l. 39. it is not for is it not AN EXPOSITION VPON THE WHOLE Epistle to the COLOSSIANS COLOS. 1.1.2 Verse 1. Paul an Apostle of IESVS CHRIST by the will of God and Timotheus a Brother 2. To them which are at Colosse Saints and faithfull Brethren in CHRIST Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and the Lord IESVS CHRIST TWO things are worthy our consideration in this EPISTLE the Author and the Matter the Author was PAVL concerning whom memorable things are recorded hee was an Hebrew of the Hebrewes of the Tribe of Beniamin a Pharise the Sonne of a Pharise borne in Tharsus of Cilicia circumcised the eight day brought vp in the knowledge of the Law and Pharisaicall institutions by Gamaliel a great Doctor among the Iewes acquainted also with the Languages of forraine Nations as his quoting of the authorities of Greeke Poets shewes and in his youth for the righteousnesse externall which was after the Law he was vnrebukeablâ— and full of zeale but withall a violent and blasphemous persecuter His Calling was exceeding glorious his Office vnto which he was called was great and honourable viz. to be the Legate of CHRIST the Doctor of the Gentiles the Minister of God of Christ of the Spirit of the new Testament of the Gospell of reconciliation and of righteousnesse Hee was famous for his labour in the Word by which hee caused the Gospell to runne from Hierusalem to Illiricum with admirable swiftnesse as also for his faithfulnesse of minde for his pure conscience for his affection to the faithfull for his humanitie and curtesie for his continencie for his humilitie for his care for the Churches for his honest conuersation innocencie and constancie hee was of nature earnest acute and heroicall Adde vnto these the praises of his sufferings what reproach what stripes what imprisonments what beating with rods and such like wrongs did he endure fiue times of the Iewes receiued hee fortie stripes saue one once was he stoned thrice hee suffered shipwracke night and day was hee in the deepe Sea in iourneying often in perils of waters of robbers of his owne Nation of the Gentiles in the Citie in the Wildernes in the Sea and among false brethren how hee was daily pressed with wearinesse painefulnesse watchings hunger thirst fastings cold and nakednesse besides the incombrances and cares for the businesse of the Churches Finally we may consider the testimony giuen to his doctrine to proue it to be without all mixture of error And this Testimony stands of foure branches 1. His immediate calling 2. His immediate instruction and information 3. The visible donation of the holy Ghost which was not onely giuen to himselfe but he also conferred it by imposition of hands to others 4. His working of Miracles for so he saith of himselfe The signes of an Apostle were wrought among you with all patience with wonders and great workes hee raised a man from the dead Neyther could the miracles wrought by him be small when Handkerchiefes were brought from his body to the sicke and their diseases departed from them yea Diuels went out of them Lastly this noble Iew more famous among the Apostles then euer the great Saul was among the Prophets was beheaded by the Emperour Nero the 29. of Iune in the 70. yeere of the Lord. And all this should cause vs with all reuerence both to teach and learne the Celestiall doctrine deliuered in writing to the Churches by him Thus of the Author the Mâ—tter followeth I meane not to search after the defâ—ants and conceits that some obserue concerning the workes of this Worthy as that he should write ten Epistles to the Churches to answere the number of ten Commandement and foure Epistles to particular persons to expresse his agreement with the foure Euangelists onely this in generall for his hearers or Auditorie hee had the Romanes the greatest in the earth for power the Grecians the most famous for wit and learning and the Iewes or Hebrewes of greatest note for diuine vnderstanding of the Law of God But to leaue this I come to the Matter of the Epistle and obserue three things 1 To whom he writeth 2 Vpon what occasion 3 The Treatise it selfe For the first Colosse was a Citie in Phrigia in Asia the lesse neere to Laodicea and Hierapolis The Church in this Citie was not first gathered by Paul but as some thinke by Epaphras whom they take to haue been one of the seauenty Disciples and an Euangelist Some say they were first conuerted by Archippus
the Saints and their faith in Christ. The good tydings of the faith and loue in the Thessalonians was a great consolation to Paul in his affliction and all his necessities No better newes can be brought him and therefore hee prayes the Lord to increase them not in riches and the pleasures of this life but to make them abound in loue one to an other Fiftly whosoeuer doth actually beleeue doth actually loue they are inseperable companions Faith worketh by loue Hence he wisheth the people not barely loue but loue with faith so as commonly they are together in the same degrees also If no faith no loue if a shew of faith but a shew of loue if a purpose of faith but a purpose of loue if a weake faith a weake loue if an interrupted faith an interrupted loue if often at oddes with God often at iarres with men they are begotten by the same seed giuen by the same God receiued by the same Saints and lodged in the same heart Sixtly there is no hope of heauen if no loue to the brethren Hee that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkenesse vntill this time And Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a man-slayer And we know that no man-slayer hath eternall life Seuenthly and lastly he that loues one Saint truly loues any Saint and therefore the Apostle in the praise of their loue commendeth it for that it was towards all the Saints to haue Gods children in respect of persons is not to respect them at all aright he that cannot loue grace any where loues not any for grace The vses of al these obseruations briefly follow first heere is reproofe that first of such wicked wretches as can loue any but the Saints these are in a wofull damnable case whatsoeuer their estate be in the world secondly of such as allow themselues liberty to hold Gods children in suspence they do not hate them but yet they will be better aduised before they be too forwards to ioyne themselues with them But let these be assured that till they be loued God will not be loued Secondly heere we may make triall by our Loue to Gods children both of our faith and hope as also of our loue to God and lastly the maner of our affection viz. for what wee loue others For naturall affection hath his naturall rewards Lastly the doctrine of loue is a comfort two wayes first if thou beginne to loue Gods children it is a comfortable signe thou art not without loue to God and faith in Christ secondly it is a comfort against slanders reproches and molestations from wicked men thou hast as much credit with them as God if they loued God they would loue thee It is a great comfort when a mans enemies be enemies to Religion sinceritie and holines of life Thus farre of Loue in generall In particular I propound foure things to be further considered first the nature of this grace secondly the reasons to perswade vs to the conscionable exercise of it thirdly the helps to further vs and lastly what defects are in the loue the world commonly boasteth of For the first that the Nature of this sacred grace may be the better conceiued two things would be weighed first what things ought to be found in our loue secondly in what manner loue is to be expressed And for the former of these two true Christian loue hath in all these seuen graces or duties first Vprightnesse in our owne things both in respect of Right and Truth secondly Peaceablenes in the quiet order of our conuersation thirdly Curtesie in needefull and louing complements fourthly tendernes in the things that befall others so as wee can reioyce for them as for our selues fiftly Liberality sixtly Society seuenthly Clemencie Concerning these three last dueties or branches of Loue it will be expedient to adde something for further explication of them Liberality is required and it standeth of two maine branches first Hospitalitie and then the workes of mercie Hospitalitie is required in these places Rom. 12.13 1 Tim. 3.2 1 Pet. 4.9 Hebr. 13.2 But this duety stands not in the entertainment of drunkards and vicious persons or in keeping open house for gaming and such lewd sports and disorders or in feasting of carnall men for this is so far from being the praise of great men as it is a most shamefull abuse and one of the crying sinnes of a Land able to pull downe the curse of God vpon such houses and such house-keeping but Hospitalitie stands in the kind entertainment of strangers that are in want Heb. 13.2 and in welcomming of the poore that are in distresses and lastly in the friendly and Christian and mutuall exercise of Loue in inuiting of Gods children to our houses or tables Workes of mercy are the second branch and those are required of vs as the needfull duties of our Loue and these workes are eyther in temporall things and so are Almes-deedes or in spirituall things Loue must shew it selfe in Almes-deeds that is in distributing to the necessities of the Saints in relieuing those that are impouerished and fallen into decay by giuing or lending though they should not be paid againe vpon the hope of a reward in heauen and this to be done both to our power and without compulsion for that will shew the naturalnesse of our Loue. Thus being ready to distribute and communicate men may lay vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come and that that is well giuen will be a greater helpe in time of neede then that that is spared and kept There are workes of mercy also in spirituall compassion ouer the soules of men and thus the poore may be mercifull to the rich to wit in labouring to winne them to religion and sinceritie in praying admonition incouragements and such like needfull duties and these are the best workes of mercie that we can doe for others whom we loue or pittie Thus of Liberality another thing required vnto the exercise of Christian Loue is Societie It is not enough to wish well to the Saints or salute them kindely or relieue them according to their occasions but we must conuerse louingly and daily with them make them our delight company with them and in all the mutuall duties of fellowship in the Gospell to solace them and our selues with them This is that that Peter requires when hee chargeth that we should loue brotherly fellowship we should not liue like Stoikes without all society nor like prophane men in wicked society but we should both intertaine a brotherly fellowship that is society with the brethren and loue it to This was their praise in the primitiue times that they continued in the Apostles doctrine and in fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers making conscience aswell of Christian society as of hearing praying and receiuing the
inherit eternall life Thirdly till we loue Gods children we can neuer know what the length breadth and depth of the loue of God and Christ is to vs. God shews not his loue to vs till we shew our loue to the Saints Lastly for want of loue in the hart and the duties of loue in conuersation the mysticall body of Christ is exceedingly hindered from growing both in the beauty and glory which otherwise would be found in the church of Christ. Lastly to incite vs yet more to the exercise of loue I propound three places of Scripture more The first place is Ephe 4.12 to 17. where may be obserued 4. things gotten by a holy vnion with the members of Christ and Christian societie and affection It furthers our gathering into the bodie It is an exceeding great helpe in the beginning of our effectuall vocation Secondly it furthers our edification in the building and fits vs for our roome among the Saints Godly society doth frame vs and square vs and many wayes fit vs for our place in this building Thirdly louing affection to the members of Christ and mutuall society doth much profit vs in respect of our growth in the body and that till we become perfect men and attaine to the age of the fulnesse of Christ Fourthly this holy loue is a great fence to the iudgement against false and deceitfull doctrine he is not easily carried with euery winde of doctrine nor vnsetled with the vaine deceits of men that can follow the truth and the meanes thereof in a setled and well grounded loue to Gods children But on the other side how easily are such men deluded and throwne off from their purposes and comforts that did neuer ioyne themselues to Gods children The second place is 1 Peter 4.7.8 where the Apostle exhorteth to sobrietie in the vse of the profits and delights of the world in meates and drinkes riches recreations and apparell and withall to spend their time heere in spirituall duties especially Prayer watching thereunto both to obserue all occasions and opportunities to pray as also noting the mercies of God wee finde in Prayer with our owne corruptions in the maner and the glorious successe of prayer in preuayling with God But aboue all things he wills them to haue feruent loue and yeeldeth two reasons or motiues first the end of all things is at hand and therefore it is best louing and making much of those that after the dissolution shall be great heires of heauen and earth secondly Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes it hideth the blemishes of our natures and fitteth vs for the comforts of Society Notwithstanding the infirmities accompany euen the Saints while they are in this vale of misery The third place is 2 Pet. 1.7 c. where he largely perswadeth men to get holy graces into their hearts and to expresse holy duties in their liues among these as chiefe he instanceth in brotherly kindnes and loue to this end he bringeth diuers reasons first it will set our knowledge a worke which else would be idle and vnfruitfull and where should we vnloade our selues of the fruits of knowledge which men get in Gods house better then in the houses of the people of God secondly he that hath not these things is blinde or if he haue sight and wit enough for this world yet he is purre-blinde so as he can see nothing that is farre off as eternall things are but onely things neare such as are carnall things the want of loue to Gods people is a palpable signe of a pur-blind carnall man thirdly the want of loue and the other graces there named is a signe of a spirituall lethargie euen that a man is fallen into a forgetfulnesse of the purging of his old sinnes that is it is a signe that a man lieth vnder the guilt and filth of all his former sinnes and neuer feeles the weight of them or considers the danger of them Fourthly Loue with the fruits of it doe make our calling and election sure Fiftly louing society and brotherly kindnes is a great means of perseuerance if ye doe these things ye shal neuer fall Lastly by this means an entrance shall be ministred vnto vs aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ both because it mightily furthereth faith and hope As also because by these meanes eternall life is begunne on earth in respect of communion both with God and the Saints Thus farre of the Motiues Helps follow These helpes are such as serue both for the begetting nourishing of a holy loue to with Gods people There are eight things that are great furtherances of holy life First the conscionable hearing of the word of God for in Gods house doth the Loue fire the heart and holy affections and teach the right ordering of them How came those Colossians by their loue to the Saints no otherwise but by hearing the word of truth which discouered vnto them who were Gods children and did daily fence them against the scornes and reproches which the world laded them withall Secondly we must get faith and hope as the coherence shewes for till we be soundly humbled to seeke Gods fauor and find our harts possessed with the care for hope of a better life we cannot receiue Gods children aright into our hearts But no man was euer truly touched in conscience and had vnfained desires of remission of his sinnes Neither did euer a man seriously seeke after the things of a better life but he did loue Gods children aboue all the people of the earth and it is true of the measure that as we grow in faith and hope so we should grow in loue and in the comforts of Gods fauour Thirdly would we loue brotherly without faining and feruently then we must get our soules purified through the spirit in obeying the truth .i. we must make conscience of the duties of mortification as of so many purges to clense our thoughts affections of dwelling and raigning lusts euils for secret sins intertained and delighted in within the affections and thoughts do exceedingly poyson affection both to God and man this is that the Apostle meaneth where he saith Loue must come out of a pure heart Fourthly we must stirre vp the spirit of loue The spirit of God is a spirit of loue and we must stir it vp by nourishing the motions of the same putting courses or wayes of expressing loue into our minds and by praier meditation or any other meanes that may inflame our hearts to a holy affection Fiftly it profiteth much hereunto to get and keep in our minds a patterne of faith and loue euen a draught of the things that concerne faith in God loue to the Saints that we might alwaies haue a frame of all holy duties that concerne this holy affection this was their care in the Primitiue times as appeareth 2 Tim. 1.13 Sixtly to be sound in
is righteousnesse and this is gotten by the knowledge of the word Secondly that that most an end impouerisheth men is the hand of God or of men and sinne vsually and disorder is the originall cause of all losses or pouertie Now Wisedome causeth a man to walke in the wayes of righteousnesse and so to inherit substance and as God sees it meete for them to fill their treasures Obiect But a man can neuer obserue the rules of holinesse required in the word and vrged vpon men by preaching Sol. The word doth not onely shew men what they should doe but it giues power to doe it It causeth men to walke in the way of righteousnesse Vers. 21. Lastly to put all out of doubt Knowledge Why It is the very glory of Christ and dwelt vvith God in the very beginning of the world yea it was begotten from euerlasting when there was no depths nor the mountaines setled nor the earth framed c. from Vers. 22. to 32. The exhortation is in the end of the Chapter that as men would assure themselues to be Gods Children or to be blessed in their wayes they should heare instruction in this poynt and be wise and daily watch at the gates of Knowledge so should they get the life of grace and obtaine the fauour of God when others that despise knowledge and the meanes of it shall be so wounded in soule that they shall certainely dye eternally Vers. 32.33.34.35 Thus of Contemplatiue Knowledge Wisedome or Actiue Knowledge followes the consideration hereof is exceeding difficult for it lyeth in the prescribing of the discretion in practise I take it that Wisedome in practise stands principally in two things first in Order of practise secondly in the Specialties of good behauiour Wisedomes Order lieth in the prescribing of Rules concerning the prioritie and precedencie of things in practise shee tels what must be first done and chiefely and thus shee giues seauen Rules 1 That Heauen be sought for before the earth and remission of sinnes in Christ before any other thing 2 That men choose present affliction rather then future rather suffer now with hope of reward in another world then take pleasure now to endure the paynes to come 3 That God 〈…〉 before man whether it be other men or thy selfe thus it is wisedom◠〈◊〉 let God haue the first place in the morning before thou serue thy selfe in thy calling thus it is wisedome to obey God rather then man when the Commandement of God and the commandement of man lyeth before thee and are contrary one to another thus also the duties of the first Table are to be done before the duties of the second Table in equall comparison 4 That death be prouided for before life first learne to dye and then it is easie to learne to liue 5 That opportunitie be preferred before time Worke in haruest walke while ye haue the light delay not whilst thou hast the meanes seeke God whilst he may be found 6 That the first place in dignitie ouer any be accounted the greatest place of seruice vnto all 7 That in duties to men wee first regard to practise the duties of the fift Commandement Secondly concerning behauiour Wisedome bindes the Heart the Tongue the Conuersation First in binding the heart to good behauiour she chargeth fiue things 1 That in the dearenesse of affections and clearenesse of knowledge in the puritie of our thoughts God be loued aboue all 2 That wee draw weapon vpon euery imagination or what else exalts it selfe against Contemplation and the obedience of Christ neuer ceasing till those inward sinnes be led away captiue 3 That wee grow in Meeknesse as wee grow in knowledge and that we be wise to sobrietie desiring the knowledge onely that can profit vs 4 That wee rest not till wee be clearely resolued in Religion Gods Loue and our owne Saluation 5 That the feare of God throughout all our whole life be our chiefe treasure Secondly in binding the Tongue to the good behauiour she chargeth 1 That our words be few when we speake eyther to God or men 2 That wee doe not so much as whisper against the Lords Annoynted 3 That we presume not to come neare the sacred Name of God to take it vp in vaine 4 That we censure not the iust nor iustifie and defend the wicked It is not safe for the Prince to smite with the tongue the meanest seruant of God 5 That wee answere not a matter before we heare it 6 That we iudge nothing before the time and speake euill of no man but be soft shewing all meekenesse to all men 7 That wee seeke a due season for good words Thirdly in binding the conuersation to the good behauiour she chargeth 1 That men walke exactly accurately precisely it is translated circumspectly 2 That with all delight men set their hearts to keepe Gods Commandements and doe them and by good conuersation men shew their workes 3 That men meddle with their owne businesse 4 That profit and pleasure giue place to godlinesse 5 That men trust not faire pretences but haue some sure triall before wee commit our selues to any 6 That wee feare and depart from euill before the crosse come it is euery bodies course to talke of repenting when misery is vpon them but a wise man will redeeme his owne sorrowes and feare GOD vvhiles the curse hangs in the threatning though it come not yet into execution 7 There is a speciall wisedome in knowing how to giue place to the time so farre as may stand with keeping of Faith and a good Conscience Thus Paul forbeares to speake directly against Diana of the Ephesians for three yeeres 8 That temporall things be ordered to conformitie with God Hitherto of the Parts of sauing Knowledge Verse 10. That yee might walke worthy of the Lord in all pleasing being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of God IN these words the end of Knowledge is at large set downe to this end wee should fill our selues with the knowledge of Gods will that our conuersations might be rightly ordered to the glory of God the profitable pleasing of others and the stirring vp of good fruits vnto eternall life in the saluation of our owne soules Neyther doth hee thinke it enough for those that haue by the Gospell gayned much knowledge to doe good or liue well but they must rayse their endeauours to an eminencie and this he expresseth in three formes of speech First they must walke worthy of the Lord. Secondly they must walke in all pleasing Thirdly they must be fruitfull in all good workes And if any should aske how all this can be attayned hee answeres in the end of the Verse when hee saith increasing in the knowledge of God The Doctrine out of the whole Verse is
to get holinesse into our hearts for if grace be within duties will be without if corruption be mortified in the Soule which is the fountaine it will haue no great sinne in the life which is the streame which flowes from the heart first we should guide our hearts into the way for thereout commeth life 6 Wee must submit our selues to Gods corrections learne obedience by the things we suffer obey the checkes of our conscience and be contented to eate the bread of affliction beare the words of rebuke and admonition for he that refuseth correction will certainely goe out of the way of life Lastly we should commit our way to God and by constant and daily prayer beseech him that hee would shew vs the way and lead vs forth and then that hee would stay our steps in his pathes that our feete doe not slide and to this end that he would remoue out of our way all impediments and euery lying way and that he would daily quicken vs in the way against the sluggishnesse of our owne Natures and bend our hearts to his holy feare but especially euery morning we should beseech God so to assist vs and guide and strengthen vs to doe the duties of the day and that he would see to and defend the thing of the day in his day by the vertue of Christs intercession and his words which are neare vnto God day and night Fourthly thus doing and endeauouring our selues to know and doe Gods will 1 The Lord would know vs by name and take notice of our wayes euen with the knowledge of approbation 2 Our liues would be full of Ioy and chearfulnesse yea they that haue tasted of the ioyes of a Crowne shall leaue the Throne and Pallace to seeke the sweet delights of the faithfull and to sing their songs 3 God would walke in the middest of vs 4 Yea hee would keepe his Couenant and Mercy with vs 5 Wee should be protected against all hurtfull troubles being eyther preserued from them or in them if wee walke in the day we shall not stumble yea though we went through fire and water yet Gods holy presence and strong arme would be with vs yea wee might dwell with euerlasting burnings that is within the knowledge of Gods terrible presence and sight of his great iudgements when the hypocrites of the world would be afraid 6 Or if there were sorrowes and griefes vpon vs in this world yet heauen shall come and wee shall rest in the beds of eternall ease whatsoeuer betides vs wee shall not lye downe in sorrow 7 Thus to liue is to rule with God and to be faithfull with his Saints 8 Thus shall wee scape the vigor of the Law and the flames of Hell Lastly if we continue faithfull to the death there is laid vp for vs a crowne of life Thus of walking or holy conuersation in the generall now in particular that wee might walke in an holy eminencie three things as is before noted are here vrged First that wee should walke worthy of the Lord. That is so to know and consider the singular mercies of God in Christ as to endeauour to expresse our thankefulnesse in the obedience of our liues in such a measure as might become the mercies of God Before I open the words further I consider in the generall two things 1 That the obedience of the faithfull is raysed by the contemplation of the mercies of God which should teach vs as we desire more to abound in good fruits so to be more in the assurance and often meditation of Gods loue to vs more knowledge of this kinde would worke more obedience and a confused knowledge of Gods mercy is vsually accompanied with an vnconstant obedience Besides this reproues the dangerous and sinfull abuse of Gods mercies in the common people that vse to pleade their safetie notwithstanding their sinnes by the alledging of the mercy of God to sinners whereas it is most certaine that the right knowledge of Gods mercy would make men afraid to sinne There is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared saith the Psalmist and it is the infallible signe of a true conuert that hee doth feare God and his goodnesse euery man can feare God and his Iustice especially in some kindes of iudgements but a childe of God doth neuer more tenderly feare God then when he hath greatest taste of Gods mercies 2 The Papists would finde merit of workes in this Verse both because holinesse of life is so much vrged as also because here is the word worthy vsed as if the Apostle should grant that they might be worthy of and merit the blessings of God My answere is First that merit cannot be founded vpon Scripture and secondly it cannot be founded vpon this Scripture For the first we cannot merit for many reasons in Scripture first we are not our owne men we are so tyed vnto God that gaue vs beeing in Nature and Grace that when wee haue done all wee can doe our owne mouthes must say wee are but vnprofitable Seruants Secondly all our sufficiencie to doe any good is of God not from our selues Thirdly God gaines nothing by vs If thou be righteous what giuest thou to him or what receiueth he at thy hands Fourthly men talke of their well-doing but what shall become of their sinnes If the Papists will first goe to hell for their sinnes and stay all that eternitie there then afterwards if God create another eternitie they may haue hearing to relate what good they haue done the curse of the Law will be first serued the punishment of Adams one sinne barred the plea for any reward for former righteousnesse Fiftly what comparison can there be betweene the glory of heauen and our workes on earth Sixtly it is worthy to be obserued that it is mercy in God to set his loue vpon them that keepe his Commandements Ezod 20. Command 2. Seauenthly we are so farre from meriting that wee are taught to pray God to giue vs our daily bread we haue not a bit of bread of our owne earning Eightly the Sanctification of the most righteous is but begunne in this life Lastly vnto all these Reasons adde the further Testimonie of these Scriptures Dan. 9 9. Rom. 4.5 and 11.9 1 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.8.9 Secondly this place hath no colour for merit for to passe ouer that reason that the Scripture requireth good workes therefore our workes merit as a most false and absurd argument the words worthy of the Lord cannot be applyed to merit by any meanes for in as much as the Lord had bestowed many of his fauours already vpon them and giuing his hand and writing and seale for the rest they cannot by any workes afterwards be said in any colour to merit what is past They are vrged Mat. 3. to bring forth fruits worthy
of cunning men that will lie in waite to deceiue vs. 4. We must take heede of personall discords with any that feare God following the truth in loue 5. We must mutually striue to yeeld and seeke helpe to and of one another that euery ioynt in this mysticall body according to the measure of the part may supply and make vp the increase of the body by vertue of vnion with the Head and communion with the Members Besides if we would increase in strength wee must let Patience haue his perfect worke making conscience to mortifie corrupt passions as worldly griefe anger fretting c. And lastly wee must be carefull to keepe what God hath giuen vs that no man take away our crowne Neglect of grace receiued is a great hinderance of strength and increase Thus of the weake Christian. A strong Christian discouers himselfe by diuers things First hee is spirituall that is such a one as not onely hath a taste and desire after spirituall things but is also ruled by the Word and Spirit of God that hee restraines the euils of the flesh both in heart and life so as hee giues not occasion eyther of scandall to the weake or of scorne to them that are without Secondly hee is able to be baptised with the baptisme that Christ was baptised with and to drinke of the cup that Christ dranke of he is not onely willing to beare ordinary wrongs and crosses but is prepared for the worst the world or Sathan may doe to him 3. Hee can beare the infirmities of the weake and in conuersing deny himselfe and please his Brother in that that is good to edification 4. Hee is full of goodnesse and knowledge and is able to admonish and comfort others with the comforts hee hath found himselfe 5. Hee sinnes not in word that is hee is able to gouerne his tongue with Wisedome Meekenesse Grace and Truth the ordinary faults of speech are not found in his Tongue 6. He is not carefull for life to take thought for what hee shall eate or what hee shall drinke nor doth hee disquiet his heart about his body what hee shall put on for these outward things hee can easily trust his heauenly Father 7. He can loue his enemies endure wrongs without resistance or reuenge or if hee vse the helpe of the Magistrate he can seeke it without malice or crueltie hee can blesse them that curse him and pray for them that despight him and doe good to them that hate him Lastly in Faith he is strong like Abraham Rom. 4.16 to the end Hee can beleeue things to come as well as if they were present Vers. 17 hee can beleeue aboue hope and vnder hope Vers. 18. hee looketh not to the meanes but to the promise Vers. 19. he vanquisheth doubts Vers. 20. hee is as thankefull for promises as others would be for performances Vers. 20.21 for these things were not onely true of Abraham but may be true in vs also Vers. 23.24 who may haue as great helpe from Christ as euer hee had Vers. 25. Thus of the strong Christian. In all might Note how the Apostle presseth to perfection before in all knowledge all pleasing all good workes now in all might And wee had neede to be strengthened with all might because not one part of the soule onely is to be looked to but the whole soule spirit and life throughout nor haue we one Grace to tend but all sorts of Graces from God nor doth there abide vs one trouble but calamities indignities and temptations of all sorts We haue not one aduersary to encounter but many and of many sorts inward outward visible invisible publike priuate at home and abroad Neyther doe wee stand vpon our guard at one time but must looke to our selues in all these respects at all times It must be all might that we should labour after in foure respects First it must be a Might that extends to the strengthening of all the faculties of the soule powers of the body and duties of the life our Mindes must be strengthened in the approuing of truth and goodnesse and in reprobating of euill and falshood our Memories must be strengthened in retayning and recording the secrets and hid things of GOD which are committed to it the Will must be strengthened in the Election of good and reiection of euill and our Affections neede strength also thus wee were to be strengthened in Patience Ioy Loue Mercy Hope and Confidence Desires in Reuerence in Hatred of Sinne Contempt of the World So doe wee neede strength to euery dutie of holy life Secondly it must be a Might that is gotten from the vse of all the meanes wee must be strengthened in the power of euery ordinance of God and supported with the vse of euery helpe to make vs strong Thirdly it must be a Might shewed in the vse of all the Armour of God Wee must strengthen our selues with euery piece of Armour whether it be Armour of Defence as the Girdle of Truth the Brest-plate of Righteousnesse the Shooes of the Gospell of Peace the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Hope or Armour of Offence as the Sword of the Spirit Gods Word and the Darts of Prayers Fourthly it should be a Might extended to all possible degrees and power of euery Grace and Dutie thus in mercy wee should communicate in all good things our seruice should be an heartie Seruice we must loue the Lord with all our hearts with all our soules with all our might According to the power of his glory In the handling of these words I consider them first apart secondly as they are ioyned together and thirdly the Doctrines out of them Here are two things laid to pawne for the strengthening of the weake Christian Gods Power and Gods Glory Power is one of the Attributes they call in Schooles relate the Power of God is infinite both in respect of Essence for it is as large as the Essence yea it is the Essence it selfe and in respect of Obiects hee hath not done so much but farre beyond our capacities hee could doe infinitely more and so is it infinite in respect of continuance Yet to speake of it according to our capacities it is restrayned 1. By his Will hee cannot doe what his Will is against 2. By his Glory hee can doe nothing against his owne Glory 3. By his Nature hee cannot lye c. because it is against his Nature 4. In some respects by the nature of the Creature so as whatsoeuer destroyes the essentiall definition of the Creature God cannot doe as God cannot make a man vnreasonable and yet hee remaine a man hee cannot make a body infinite and it remayne a body still 5. Sometimes by the condition and qualities of the Creature as Be it vnto thee according to thy Faith 6. By impossibilitie I say by
heires of the Kingdome They are truly rich men though they be neuer so meane in the world 2. Let vs all looke to our selues that we despise not this riches of the bountifulnesse of God when in the Gospell it is offered vnto vs though wee may goe on with the hardnesse of our not repenting hearts yet if by speedy repentance wee preuent not our ruine we shall heape vp wrath against the day of wrath euen the day of the declaration of the iust vengeance of God vpon such obstinate and secure sinners 3. Let not worldly rich men glory in their riches but rather vse their outward riches as helpes to further them vnto this true treasure else their riches shall not shelter them in the day of Gods wrath against the woes denounced against them Lastly would any man know some sure way how to thriue with great successe in these spirituall riches let him then amongst other things especially remember to pray hard for the Lord is rich to all them that call vpon him Thirdly CHRIST is in the faithfull hee liues in them hee dwels in them but that this doctrine may be more fully vnderstood I propound fiue things 1. How Christ is conceiued into the soule of the faithfull 2. By what effects he discouereth himselfe to be there 3. What they get by his comming 4. What intertainement they ought to giue him 5. Who haue not Christ in them For the first there is this order First God secretly giues Christ to the beleeuer and the beleeuer to Christ then Christ begins to manifest himselfe riding in the Chariot of the word The word that before was a dead letter receiueth life by the presence of Christ and that both in the Law and the Gospell The law being made aliue attacheth the particular sinner and playeth vpon him the part of a Sergeant accuser Iaylor or Iudge And the sinner putting in baile the Law brings him to Christ and will not let him goe to another then the Gospell gets aliue and crucifies Christ before his eyes and propounds varietie of sweet promises The sinner being beaten and wounded almost to death before hee would yeeld to the arrest of the Law seeing now whither he is brought laments with vnspeakeable groanes his owne sinnes and the horrible torments hee sees the Sonne of God put to for his sake and at the same time the spirit of the Sonne working faith a wide dore is opened Christ enters in with vnvaluable ioyes wrought in the heart of the sinner Now if you aske by what effects Christ discouers himselfe to be there I answere there is a light when Christ comes in that giues the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ And being rauished they behold as in a mirrour the glory of God and are transformed into the same Image the spirit of God making them suddenly new Creatures 2. The conuert now findes a sauour of the things of the spirit and his heart is bowed to be subiect to the law of God 3. Hee is baptized with the fire of zeale and holy affections and desires 4. There appeares a battell and combat in the soule and much Iusting on eyther side the spirit resisting with teares and strong cries 5. In this combat Christ vndertaking the battell sends out by his ordinances his arrests and apprehends one by one euery imagination that rebelliously puts it selfe forward in the opposition and exalts it selfe and will not leaue till it be brought in subiection so as the obedience of Christ may haue the vpper hand 6. The spirit of the Sonne discouers himselfe as a spirit of supplications by which the tender infant beginnes to learne with holy desires and secret incouragements to speake in Gods language and by prayer to make knowne his griefes and wants in the best manner vttering his affiance in God as a Father 7. The loue of God and of Christ and of Gods Word and Gods people is shed abroad in his heart and it now constraineth him to holy duties 8. The body growes dead in respect of sinne and the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake resolution more and more increasing both for reformation of sinne and new obedience 9. Hee findes himselfe proclaimed free the prison doore set open his fetters knocked off his wounds made by the law healing apace his debts paid and himselfe in a new world inioying a true lubile 10. Hee liues thence-forward by the faith of the Sonne of God for Saluation for Iustificaâ—ion and for preseruation 11. The heauenly dewes of spirituall ioyes often water and refresh his heart in the vse of the meanes with delightfull peace and tranquilitie in his heart and conscience Lastly in a holy couenanting with God his daily purposes and desires are to cleaue vnto God deuoting and consecrating himselfe and his vowed sacrifices vnto God in the mediation of Christ. Thirdly the benefits he hath by the inhabitation of CHRIST are such as these 1. GOD is in Christ reconciling him not imputing his sinnes 2. Christ is made vnto him Wisedome Sanctification Righteousnesse and Redemption 3. All the promises of Christ are to him Yea and Amen hauing the earnest giuen in the spirit and the same sealed by the same spirit 4. Hee is not destitute of any heauenly gifts but hath the seeds and beginnings of all sauing graces 5. The grace of Christ shall be sufficient against all temptations by the power of Christ that dwels in him and as his outward afflictions doe abound so shall the consolations of Christ abound also 6. Paul is his and Apollo is his yea all things are his as he is Christs hath his interest in all the means of saluation 7. God hath giuen him Christ how shall hee not with him giue him all other things also Finally eternall life is the gift of God in and with Iesus Christ For the fourth if you aske what you must doe when you finde Christ in your hearts I answere if you liue in the spirit walke in the spirit let olde things passe and all things be new for if you be in Christ Iesus you must be new Creatures the olde conuersation in times past will not now serue turne but the olde man with his deceiueable Iusts must be cast off Now thou must learne also to liue by faith and not by sence and carnall hopes as thou hast done For CHRIST keepes his residence in our hearts by faith for in that wee henceforth liue in the flesh wee must resolue to liue by the faith of the Sonne of God that liueth in vs being assured that in him are all the treasures of holinesse and happinesse And to this end thou must pray constantly to God that thou mayst be able to discerne the length bredth depth height of this loue and louing
offensiuely 7. With such as openly refuse to obey the sayings and censures of Gods seruants As the knitting together of Gods people is wonderfull comfortable and a gracious effect of the Gospell so to disturbe the loue and vnitie of the Church and people of God is most execrable and abominable It is a grieuous sinne to disquiet and disioine Gods seruants Now if we obserue in our owne times who they are that are disturbers of the Church and the holy vnitie amongst true Christians wee shall finde foure sorts of men may be iustly taxed with this grieuous fault 1. Papists and halfe-Papists these in all places labour to hinder the progresse of the Gospell and the vnitie of the Church 2. Ambitious temporizers Diotrephes had his hand deepe in this sinne Too many there are that scarce know any readier way to couer their damned Simoniacall practises and to aduance their owne aspiring ends then to blaze and enlarge and with bitter exaspirations to proclaime that heauie rent and dissent of opinion that hath diuided the sonnes of the same mother 3. Men of flagitious and wicked life for wicked men disturbe Gods Church both by their sinnes vexing the righteous and by their railing opposing the truth and cause God by his iudgement to afflict his owne Israel 4. Sectaries and humorous persons that out of their hellish pride despise all the assemblies of Gods people because they fauour not their fantasticall proiects These many of them diuide from vs both in Church and habitation Thus of the affection it selfe But I must more specially yet consider of the manner in the word knit together Knit together The originall word when it is taken properly it signifies to set in a frame of building but vsually it is taken in the new Testament in a borrowed sense sometimes it is to demonstrate a thing by euident testimonie sometimes to assure sometimes to instruct but most frequently to knit together as the members are knit in a bodie and so it may well be taken heere and so wee are considered as ioined together in the mysticall bodie of Christ. And wee may hence obserue 1. That our vnion one with another must be sanctified in one head if we be not ioined to Christ we doe in vaine pleade our loue to men 2. Our affections must carrie vs to a thirst and constant desire to procure the good of the bodie the bodie of Christ must bee dearer to vs then our particular good 3. That wee must respect all that feare God and not contemne the meanest Christian. We are knit to the whole bodie and not to some one member only Thus of the second reason viz. from the effect of the Gospell And vnto all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding The third and last reason is taken from the adiuncts of the Gospell which doe more and more appeare by the power of it in the paines of Gods faithfull seruants and these are three 1. certaintie 2. sublimitie 3. perfection The first is in these words The Gospell is certaine two waies 1. in it selfe 2. in the infallibilitie and stedfastnesse of the perswasion of the elect In it selfe the Apostle had good reason to say so for it was no new deuice lately broached but long before from the beginning propounded to Gods seruants and confirmed in all ages by the Prophets c. But in this place it is considered in the certaintie of the perswasion of the godly by faith laying hold vpon it and beleeuing it Thiâ— he expresseth in the word full assurance or plerophorie The fulnesse of a Christian is either generall or speciall the generall is that fulnesse which euery member hath in Christ their head and by influence from him The speciall is that fulnesse wherein some members excell Thus some are full of the spirit of loue of ioy some in obedience and goodworkes some in faith and knowâ—ledge So Rom. 15.14 So heere Quest. But is full assurance essentiall vnto true faith Answ. Some seeme to say so but I see no reason so to thinke And experience shewes vs many worthâ—e in the praises of the Gospell and yet haue not gotten full assurance Full assurance is in the greatest faith but faith may be true in the least measure though it be not so confirmed it is essentiall to a strong faith not to a little faith Quest. May this plerophorie or full assurance be had in this life Answ. It may without all doubt as these Scriptures euidently proue 1. Thessal 1.5 Heb. 6.11 and 10.22 Rom. 4.21 Quest. But are we bound to labour for this full assurance Answ. We are Heb. 10. he saith let vs draw neere in the full assurance of faith and in the sixth chapter they are exhorted to shew their diligence vnto the full assurance of hope to the end We make no question but we ought to make sure our houses and lands c. and shall life and happinesse lie vnassured There are 7. things wherein this assurance hath beene imploied 1. There is a full assurance of the things done by Christ mentioned Luk. 1.1 2. There is a full assurance required in the knowledge of our libertie in things indifferent 3. There is a full assurance requisite vnto the perswasion of the truth of their ministeries to whom we subiect our soules as the originall word imports 2. Tim. 4.5.17 4. Wee must be fully assured of the doctrine of the Religion that we professe 5. There is a full assurance of the hope of a better life 6. There is a full assurance sometimes in speciall and particular persons as that to Abraham about his sonne Rom. 4.21 Lastly there is a full assurance of faith in Gods fauour vpon the warrant of Gods word and spirit This is chiefly to be laboured for Now there are seuen properties or signes of a plerophorie or full assurance of faith 1. It will receiue the word in affliction with much ioy 2. It will not bee carried about with euery winde of doctrine 3. It is industrious and laborious in the duties of loue to Gods children 4. It is vnrebukeable and full of innocencie and integritie of life it cannot possibly stand with any presumptuous sinne 5. It will giue glorie to God against all sense and reason 6. It mortifies and extinguisheth all headstrong affections 7. It is carried with full sailes vnto holy duties for so the word signifies and is fruitfull in good workes 8. It is able to admonish If wee would obtaine this plerophorie wee must bee much in hearing and praier for they doe both exceedingly settle faith especially wee must attend much vnto the promises of God and the testimonie of the spirit of adoption and we must get calme and quiet affections we must grow in grace and striue to be strengthened in the inner man But especially we must begge it often of God by
insnared with euill opinions either in doctrine and so errour of life is the scourge of errour in opinion or else about practise as that such strictnesse is not required or it is impossible or none doe liue so 4. Many know not what order to appoint vnto themselues 5. Many are confirmed in a heart accustomed to euill and they loue some one sinne wherein they especially breake order 6. Satan striues aboue all things to keepe men in a dead sleepe that they might not awake to liue righteously or expresse the power of godlinesse 7. Many are so set in the way of the vngodly that their very euill societie chains them downe to a necessitie of dissolutenesse 8. Many are put out of all order by their daily distempers and disorders in their families Lastly some faile and fall through very discouragement receiued either from opposition or contempt or scandall Now if any be desirous to know in generall what he should doe to bring his life into order I shall profitably aduise fiue things First that hee doe resolutely withdraw himselfe from the sinnes of the times and keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world in respect of them Now the sinnes of the times are apparant pride of life contempt of the Gospell coldnesse in faith and religion swearing profanation of the holy Sabbath domesticall irreligiousnesse contention vsurie whordome drunkennesse and drinkings oppression and speaking euill of the good way Secondly that hee obserue the more vsuall corruptions of the calling of life he liues in and with all heedfulnesse shunne them whether he be Magistrate Minister or priuate person Thirdly that he especially striue against and subdue the euils that by nature he is most prone vnto Fourthly he shall doe wonderfully profitably if hee would get a catalogue of duties out of the whole law that directly concerne himselfe in particular which is very easie especially by the helpe of some that are experienced to bedistinctly gathered labouring to shew all good faithfulnesse in duties of pietie as well as righteousnesse and to striue for inward pietie as well as outward resoluing to continue as well as once to begin Hence it is if wee marke it that the holy Ghost in diuers Scriptures drawes for the people of those times diuers catalogues either of grace which specially tended to their praise or of duties that most fitted their state or of sinnes that they must most carefully auoid as being most commonly committed yea it could not but be of excellent vse if we did taske our selues to the more strict obseruation of some of those catalogues either of grace or sinnes or duties as wee might perceiue they most fitted vs. But if euer we would goe about the order of our liues wee must in generall 1. labour to weaken the loue of earthly things 2. We must resolue to keepe our hearts with all diligence I meane we must with all care and conscience striue against inward sinnes 3. We must put on a minde to liue by faith whatsoeuer befall vs. 4. If we fall we would speedily recouer our selues by confession and praier and not accustome our selues to sinnes either of omission or commission Vpon the consideration of all this what should we doe but euen pray the Lord that he would make his way plaine before our face and direct the workes of our hands and hold vp our goings in his pathes that our steps doe not slide And to this end we should euery one be peecing and amending his waies making his paths straight being ashamed and confounded for all the disorder of our liues past But if thou goe about this bee not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man that hath two hearts for then thou wilt be vnstable in all thy waies either goe about it with all thy heart or else let it alone What shall I say but this let vs all learne the way of God more perfectly Thus of order The second thing hee commends is their faith which hee praiseth for the stedfastnesse of it The stedfastnesse of their faith Concerning stedfastnesse of faith I propound fiue things to be considered of 1. That it may be had and ought to be sought 2. What the nature and properties of it are 3. What is the cause why the faith of many is not stedfast 4. What we must doe to attaine it And lastly concerning vnstedfast faith For the first that it may be had is manifest for God that giueth the earnest of his spirit and sealeth and anointeth vs in Christ doth stablish vs in him There is a sure foundation of God vpon which we may found our affiance And God willing more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the immutabilitie of his counsell interposed himselfe by an oath to confirme his promise that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might haue strong consolation which slie for refuge to lay hold vpon the hope set before vs which hope we haue as an anchour of the soule both sure and stedfast And wee are commanded to resist stedfast in the faith And wauering is secretly threatned and disgraced by the Apostle Iames after he had charged that wee should pray in faith without wauering Now for the second there are many excellent properties and praises in a stedfast faith for a man that is indeed settled and stedfast in his faith knowes both the truth and the worth of the loue of Christ hee is able to contemne and denie the allurements examples customes and glorie of this world hee can beare aduersitie with singular firmnesse of heart without hasting to euill meanes or limiting God for the manner or time or instruments of deliuerance he can stand in the combat against frequent and fierie tentations and goe away without preuailing infection he can beleeue without feelings The promises of God are not yea and nay but alwaies a sure word and vndoubted He hath a kinde of habituall peace and contentation in his conscience with easefull delights and refreshings in the ioyes of Gods fauour Hee hath a kinde of spirituall boldnesse and confidence when he approacheth to God and the throne of his grace Lastly he can looke vpon death and iudgement with desire to be dissolued And for the third thing the reasons why many men shew not this vnmoueablenesse and stedfastnesse are diuers some haue not faith at all some haue not a true iustifying faith but either rest vpon common hope or an historicall or temporarie faith In many the presumption of certaintie doth hinder stedfastnesse it selfe Some want powerfull meanes that should establish them and some hauing the publike meanes are iustly blasted in their faith because of their daily neglect of the priuate meanes And this reason may be giuen also why some of the better sort are not yet stablished namely because they are so hardly excited and perswaded seriously to trie their owne estates
sure attonement hid Manna eternall graces yea the very spirit of Christ to make him know the things giuen of God to set the soule at liberty to mortifie the deeds of the flesh to be a spirit of prayer to giue answer concerning our adoption to furnish the soule with gifts to seale vs vp to the day of redemption to be an eternall comforter to be life for righteousnesse sake to helpe our infirmities and to raise vp our dead bodies at the last day Lastly he that receiueth Christ receiueth with him the promise of an eternall inheritance into which hee is presently acknowledged an heire yea a Co-heire with Christ Iesus 2. The second doctrine It is not enough to receiue Christ but wee must walke in him to walke in Christ is not only so to liue as we be sure that Christ liueth in vs or to walke after the appointment of his will expressed in his word but it is chiefely to continue a daily care of holy perseuerance in the graces and duties of holy life holding fast our communion with Christ this the Apostle thinks wonderfull needfull to be often vrged and pressed by all meanes vpon vs so shamefully doe many fall away and so cursedly is the sincerity that is in Christ Iesus pursued by the Diuell and the flesh and the world and so necessary is the endeauour to preserue the glory of perseuerance in all well doing to the end Oh this perseuerance it is a wonderfull thing and where is the man that doth not lose something of what he had Oh that wee could be soundly awakened to the care of it or that wee had mindes that would bee willing to doe any thing wee could to further it but alasse there is not a heart in vs there are diuers excellent directions in the word to confirme vs heerein if we were not ouercome with sluggishnesse There are diuers things which if they were looked to at our first setting out we were sure to hold out and continue walking in Christ. As If men did at first put their hearts to these questions of abnegation so as they would bee throughly aduised if thou haddest asked thine owne heart these questions Canst thou take vp thy crosse and follow Christ Canst thou suffer aduesity with the righteous Canst thou professe Christ amidst the different opinions of multitudes of men Canst thou bee content to deny profit and reason and thy desires and pleasures and credit and all for Christs sake if not thou wilt certainely fall away and therefore better neuer beginne 2. At mens first setting out they must take heede they bee not sleightly in their reformation and mortification but doe it throughly not sparing to afflict their Soules with sensible and sound godly sorrow for else they will afterward repent of their repentance whereas if it were done with sound aduice and serious humiliation this would be an vnmooueable foundation of rest and encouragement to faith and wel-doing It is a great question whether such will hold out that come in without sorrow for sinnes 3. Men must at first looke to their kinde of faith we see many are grossely deceiued temporary faith maketh such a shew that vnlesse it be throughly tried it will deceiue many and there is a maruellous loathnesse in our nature to abide the triall though we know it be plainely heere required whereas if wee did get a continuing faith at first wee might haue the more assurance of holding out 4. It would much further perseuerance if wee did at first endeauour that knowledge and affection might bee inseparable twinnes not to bee much proud of knowledge without affection nor to trust much to zeale without knowledge either of these may be alone in men that will fal away shamefully 5. When men goe about reformation they should doe it throughly and be sure their hearts are renewed for the old heart will not hold out long to endure the hardship of a reformed life and if some sinnes haue beene fauoured and spared though they lie still for a time yet afterwards they will reuiue and shew themselues We see in some what a doe there is to leaue some corruptions and faults they are seauen yeeres many times before they can bee perswaded to forgoe them resting in the reformation of other faults wheras there is no assurance that they walke with a right foot in the Gospell till they make conscience of a ready reformation of euery knowen sinne and till they reforme throughly they are like to fall away whatsoeuer faire shew of zeale and forwardnesse they make 6. In particular diuers men are to be warned of passion and violent affections if thou meane to prosper in thy perswasion of reformation then speedily cease from anger and leaue of wrath else there will bee little hope that thou wilt not returne to doe euill the promise of constant protection is with such as are sheep and are so far humbled as they haue left their wooluish qualities and passions 7. To make thy standing more sure acquaint thy selfe with such as feare God and ioyne thy selfe to them by all engagements of a profitable fellowship in the Gospell there is a secret tie vnto constancy in the communion of Saints he is not like to walke long that walketh alone especially if hee might walke with good company and this is a cleere marke of a temporary faith in such as for many things goe farre when men see they shunne society with the godly 8. It is an excellent helpe also at first to striue by all meanes to get the testimony of Iesus confirmed in vs Christ giues testimony especially three wayes 1. By the promise of the word 2. By the graces of his spirit 3. By the witnesse of the spirit of adoption Now if we did study the promises diligently especially recording such as we had interest in vpon our conuersion to God and did withall trie our selues diligently and particularly concerning those sauing graces which are markes and signes of regeneration and saluation and did also begge the witnesse of the spirit waiting for those vnspeakable and glorious ioyes of the holy Ghost and with all thankefulnesse acknowledging Gods seale for our confirmation when he is pleased so to set it to mee thinks this threefold coard could neuer be broken Oh the heauy slumber and sluggishnesse of our natures how wonderfull rich is God in compassion how ready is he to forgiue and multiply pardon how willingly doth he lift vp the light of his countenance vpon vs and yet men haue not the heart answerably to waite vpon him or to be at the labour of this confirmation How are many that set me somewhat vnto many how are they I say bewitched with security so as they cannot be fired out of it but liue at a venture and neither seeke nor esteeme the testimony of Iesus 9 Would we be set in a safe
feete or palme of sinne But certainely though â—his kinde of buriall be somewhat difficult yet it is the true buriall place of Kings the most noble funerall that can be Thus of the first effect The second is in the next words In whom ye are raised vp together Christ is said to raise men vp diuers waies 1. When he awaketh men out of their naturall Lithargie or spirituall sleepinesse and securitie in matters of religion thus Ephes. 5.14 2. When hee brings forth the minde of man out of the dungeons of ignorance and shewes â—hem the light Esay 60.1.2 3. When he cures men of discouragements and â—iscomforts vnder their crosses Psal. 41.10.6 4. When he recouers the Church from securitie or relapses either ordinary or extraordinarie Cant. 2.10.11 c. and 5.3.5 Pro. 24.15.16 5. When he incourageth men to holy duties Cant. 7.12 but principally there is a fourefold resurrection The first is out of desperate crosses Esay 26.19 The second is the lifting of men vp to some speciall callings in the Church Math. 11. The third is the resurrection of our bodies at the last day And the last is the resurrection of the soule vnto holy graces and duties this is called the first resurrection and is meant here in this place and Rom. 6.4 but most vsuallie wee say there is a twofold resurrection the one from the corruption of the flesh the other from the corruption of sinne this latter is here ment and this belongeth to viuification Now this first resurrection must be considered either in it selfe or in the vnion or relation of it In it selfe and so there is a double resurrection First the resurrection of graces secondly the resurrection of duties For the first there are certaine graces which are not in the heart of man by nature which by the mightie power of Christ are wrought in the hearts of such as are trulie conuerted and are actuallie the members of Christ As first a holy inquirie after God Hos. 3.5 Ier. 50.4 Secondly a holy wisedome in spirituall things Iam. 3.17 Thirdly a liuely 〈◊〉 in the fauour of God in Christ. Fourthly a holy delight and meditation in the word of God Psal. 119.10.11.128 and 27.4 Fiftly a liuely hope of an eternall inheritance 1. Pet. 1.3 Sixtly a holy loue of Gods children 1. Ioh. 3.14 such as is required Rom. 12.9.10.11 Seuenthly godly sorrow for sinne 2. Cor. 7.10 Eightly vnspeakable and glorious ioy euen in affliction Rom. 5.2 1. Pet. 1.7.8 Ninthly a holy contempt of the world and sinne and sinnefull persons Psal. 15.4 1. Ioh. 2.19 Tenthly a holy reuerence and feare of God and his goodnesse Hos. 3.5 Eleuenthly a holy zeale and feruencie of affections especially in the seruice and worship of God Twelfthly a holy loue euen of enemies And lastly a holy desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Now for the effecting of these the spirit of Christ is called in respect of his wonderfull working the spirit of God and of glory the spirit of power of loue and of a sound minde The spirit of praier or deprecations And the spirit of reuelation Thus of resurrection of graces Now concerning resurrection of duties We must know that there are diuers duties which the naturall man will neuer be brought vnto in which lieth the very power of godlinesse and the experience of all sound and sauing consolation Now these duties may bee three waies considered 1. As they respect holy life in generall 2. As they respect pietie to God 3. As they respect righteousnesse to men For the first there are foure things wherein the liues of Gods children differ from all others 1. In the manner 2. In the matter 3. In the meanes 4. In the ends of holy life For the manner 3. Things are eminent 1. That they aâ—e deuoted and consecrated to holinesse 2. That they delight and loue to be Gods seruants 3. That they haue their conuersation in simplicitie and godly purenesse For the matter they haue respect to all Gods commandements and do indeuour after inward holinesse as well as outward besides they liue by faith in some measure which is a way of holinesse altogether vnknowne in the practise of wicked men And for the meanes of holinesse the godly haue a recourse to athreefold fountaine of sanctitie with such a sinceritie and constancie as no wicked man can attaine it viz. the Word Praier and the Sabbath And for the end of their obedience their praise is of God and not of men hauing a maine respect alwaies to exercise themselues so as they may haue a conscience voide of offence towards God or towards men Thus of holinesse of life in generall Now in respect of pietie to God it is a very resurrection through the power of Christ to bring a man to acknowledge God and his truth and glory against reason profite or pleasure to make a man walke with God setting the Lord alwaies before him to bring the will of man to a holy subiection to Gods will in crosses temptations wants c. But especially to create in man that sinceritie of worshipping God in spirit and truth without hipocrisie And as for righteousnesse in that part of it that concernes either mens owne soules or the soules of others how is all the vnregenerate mankinde dead it is the worke of a godly man only to serue the brethren by loue Only the members of Christ can in their calling denie profit and pleasure and make the particular calling serue the generall but especially in the combat against concupiscence only the godlie doe make conscience of it And howsoeuer in the matter of holy duties there are strange imperfections in the very godly yet their desire prayer purpose and indeuour is to approue themselues to God herein and they do attaine to it in some comfortable beginnings and they go on with a holy increase both of strength and desire Whereas it is euident by diuers Scriptures that wicked men are dead men in the former respects as would appeare if we should examine particularly for they seeke not God They respect not the word of God aright Nor can they loue the brethren Though they be smitten yet they will not sorrow after God And for the most part they are lukewarme without true zeale Their mindes are couered with a vaile They are without hope Neither haue all these men faith And for the want of holy duties It vsually seems euill vnto them to serue the Lord. They are strangers from the life of God They call not vpon the name of God with a pure heart neither take they heede of Gods sabbaths But it were too long to runne to particulars in matters of dutie seeing the scripture euery where paints out the ill liues of all wicked men In whom Doctr. The vertue by which Christians are raised is from Christ.
Quest. But what is there in Christ which distinctly causeth this resurrection in the Christian or plucketh vp his heart to the care of holy graces or duties Answ. 1. The vertue of Christ. 2. The spirit of Christ. 3. The example of Christ. 4. The intercession of Christ. 5. The louing inuitations and allurements of Christ. And 6. The resurrection of Christ. And lastly the second comming of Christ is like a loadstone to plucke vp the desires and affections of Christians vnto the studie of heauenly things Thus of the Doctrine of the Christians resurrection 1. Hence may presumptuous secure wilfull sinners gather secret terror and anguish where is thy spirituall buriall in this life where is the first resurrection It is most certaine if this worke this strange worke bee not wrought in thee thou art in the power of the second death without God without Christ without hope And here thou maist see the vanitie of all thy shifts for dost thou say thou seest no such wretchednesse in thy sinnefull course why this doctrine tels thou art dead whiles thou liuest and how canst thou discerne thine owne wretchednesse dost thou thinke that this will serue thy turne that thou intendest to mend hereafter consider what is here implied the worke of true amendment is a true but spirituall resurrection T is then like that resurrection that shall be of our bodies and thou knowest when God shall raise our bodies at the last day when the trump shall blow it will bee a sillie pretence to say Oh let me alone now I will rise hereafter So is it with thee the trumpet of grace now bloweth Christ is now comming in the spirit the dead in sinne must now be raised Christs voice still reacheth vnto thee now if thou confirme thy selfe in that spirituall graue of sinne dost thou thinke thou hast reason to beleeue that Christ will tary thy leasure and to put off till thou appoint the time 2. Here is singular comfort for such of Gods children as are afflicted in spirit especially about the greatnesse of the power of sinne and the difficulties of well doing they should here consider not onely that it is Christs worke to make them holy but that he is pleased to resemble it to the resurrection of the bodie and can it be a harder thing to put downe thy sinne or to quicken thee in all well doing then to raise thy bodie out of the dust of the earth Neither ought their terrors to amaze them for it is Christs manner to bring vs downe to the graue that he may raise vs vp the feare of hell now afflicteth thee that thou maist not be hurt hereafter Besides sinne doth so cleaue to vs that it will almost kill vs before we kill it Obiect But I do not see either the graces or duties mentioned to be wrought in this resurrection Answ. 1. There may be grace though thou see it not 2. If one sauing grace be in a mans heart it is a signe the rest be there though not so easily discerned 3. The spirituall age of a Christian must be distinguished thou must not think that the graces of Gods spirit or the power of holy duties will appeare so freshly or so strongly in thee whiles thou art but an infant in grace as they will do when thou commest to be of riper yeares Lastly thy indeuour in Christ and desire is accepted and taken for the deede what graces thou vnfeinedly desirest and constantly vsest the meanes to attaine thou hast so the sinne thou striuest against thou hast not Thus of these effects as they are in themselues now as they are in their signe which is here called baptisme By baptisme Baptisme is a holy memoriall of Christ baptised in the seas of Gods wrath for vs. It is a badge of distinction from vnbeleeuers It is a certaine initiating rite by which we enter into the visible Church It is a seale of the righteousnes of faith It is a signe to teach vs by representation both our deliuerance and sanctification Quest. But what hath baptisme to doe here with our mortification and viuification or spirituall buriall and resurrection Answ. Baptisme standes in a threefold relation or respect vnto them 1. In signification baptisme doth represent them vnto vs setting out our dying to sinne and rising to newnesse of life 2. By seale for baptisme is a seale of Gods couenant assuring vs that in Christ we shall be buried to our sinnes and raised vp with him 3. It is a band it ties vs to the desires and indeuours after the beginning and finishing of these There are many other benefites signified and assured vnto vs by baptisme then these here mentioned for baptisme doth signifie and seale vnto vs 1. Our deliuerance from the seas of Gods wrath 2. The resurrection of our bodies 3. Our communion with the whole Trinitie 4. Our adoption 5. Our communion with the Saints 6. Remission of all sinnes Baptisme is auaileable for these respects when we amend our liues and confesse our sinnes and gladly receiue the word and lay hold vpon the promises of grace especially when the conscience maketh request vnto God for the application and fruition of the things signified by baptisme Hitherto of the effects The causes follow 1. Faith 2. The operation of God 3. Christs resurrection Through the faith of the operation of God The faith that is mightie through God to make baptisme effectuall and to raise vs vp after the buriall of sinne is neither historicall nor temporary nor of miracles but that which is in scriptures called the faith of Gods elect and by Diuines iustifying faith Nor is it ynough to bring hither the perswasion of Gods mercy in Christ which is the first and chiefe act of iustifying faith but we must beleeue the power of God in the particular successe of the meanes for effecting both of mortification and viuification which as I suppose is here meant where he calleth it the faith of the operation of God Quest. But shew vs how faith hath to doe in baptisme or in sanctification Answ. In baptisme faith is needfull not only the faith of explication but also the faith of appllication for wee are bound not only to beleeue that those things there shadowed out are so as they import but that also they are fulfilled not only to the faithfull in generall but to my owne soule in particular And for sanctification faith must needs be of great vse for without faith nothing we do can please God And by faith Christ liues in vs It quencheth the sierie darts of the Deuill It lightneth our darkenesse It purifieth the heart It ouercomes the world It breedes ioy and consolation And loue to Gods children It maketh the Scripture auaileable to saluation And lastly our praiers to be such as God cannot denie Quest. How may we
seeke the true knowledge of his nature We must seeke his fauour and the pacification of his iust anger for our sinnes We must seeke his face and presence We must seeke his honour and glory And we must seeke his saluation and if you aske how wee must seeke God I answer wee must seeke God with acknowlegdement of our faults with weeping and repentance for our sinnes with the desire of our hearts with prayer and supplication with feare of his mercies with meekenesse and in the way of holy life Secondly Christ is aboue for so he sayth to the Iewes ye are from beneath I am from aboue ye are of this world I am not of this world and he is the Lord whom euery Christian ought to seeke now Christ is two wayes sought principally First in the sincere and constant vse of all his ordinances both publike and priuate that by them we might find his presence of grace on earth And thus the Church sought him in the Canticles Secondly in the desires prayers and preparations for our owne dissolution and his appearing Thirdly the new Ierusalem is aboue for so the Apostle to the Galathians expressely sayth Euen that heauenly society of glorious spirits in illustrious splendor And these are to be sought two wayes 1 By the constant desire of their presence and to be gathered to them 2 By the imitation of their graces and vertues which they shewed when they were on earth Fourthly Heauen is aboue For it is the price of our calling that is aboue and the glory of that eternall and immortall honour is to be sought and that fiue wayes 1 By prayer for preparation and that daily for so our Sauiour hath taught vs in the second petition of his prayer 2 By seeking the assurance of faith and hope and the pledges and earnest of it 3 By meditation and contemplation striuing to expresse our desires and sighes after it 4 By carrying our selues as strangers and pilgrimes in this world weaning our hearts and retiring our liues from the world confessing and professing our trauailes towards a better countrie that is aboue 5 By continuing in wel-doing striuing to liue a Citizen like life heere in all things prouident to send our workes and prayers to Heauen before vs as our prouision and treasure Fiftly holy graces are aboue for S. Iames sayth Euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights And it is apparent that they are a part of the Kingdome of Heauen and they tend to Heauen and therefore the Prophet Esay cals grace by the name of glory and they come downe from Heauen which will also appeare in the particulars Wisdome is from aboue so is zeale for it is the zeale of Gods house so is lowlinesse so is faith so is peace and ioy and all the rest And that these are to bee sought many Scriptures euidently proue if you aske how they are to be sought it is shortly answered by prayer and the vse of the meanes which the Lord hath appointed as holy vessels and instruments and as it were wombes to conceiue conuey and deriue grace vnto vs. Sixtly the meanes of saluation themselues are things aboue for they are called the Kingdome of Heauen and the Kingdome of Heauen is sayd to be taken away when the meanes is taken away and these we must seeke though it cost vs much trauaile if there be a famine or much cost if the Lord giue vs to finde such pearles of instruction or comfort in the field of any Church or congregation Seuenthly holy duties are many of them from aboue for the Wise man sayth the way of life is on high to the prudent to auoyde from hell beneath and that because both the will that enioynes them and the power to doe them and the succes or effects of them are all from God aboue And therfore the Author to the Hebrews when he would discourse of doing of Gods wil quoting the place in the Psalmes seemes to intimate that the true speech of such duties is to speake from aboue and these good things are to be sought wee must seeke the old and good way we must seeke Iudgement and Righteousnesse Eightly many of the priuiledges of Christians are from aboue as the righteousnesse of Gods Kingdome forgiuenesse of sinnes deliuerance from this present euill world both in respect of the contagions and punishments of the same all spirituall blessings in heauenly things the reuelation of hid mysteries the spirit of the sonne the influence of Christs death and resurrection the word with all the treasure of it and the honour which is aboue and all these are to bee sought Thus of the particular things that are aboue and we must seeke The consideration of all this may much abase and humble vs for our deadnesse of spirit and egregious slownesse of heart in these things that so greatly concerne vs. The Diuell takes more paines in seeking to destroy vs then we either doe take or are willing to take to saue our owne soules by seeking these things all of them so worthy to be sought The worldly man is more industrious to seek riches and the ambitious man more to seek honor and the luxurious man to seeke his sport lust or pleasure then Christians are to seeke those things that are aboue though neuer any truly sought but did find and neuer lesse was found then either the euidence or the possession of a kingdome and that of God Nay nay how haue euery one of vs sought out all wayes and all inuentions while we liued in the seruice of the flesh and had no fruit or wages but that of which we are now ashamed and yet are seldome or neuer weary of such vnprofitable and shamefull labour But I referre the vrging of motiues till I come to the next verse it followeth Where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God These words containe the later reasons and comprehend a principal part of Christs exaltation the meditation whereof is here vsed to excite vs to the loue of heauenly things seeing our Sauiour Christ that so intirely loues vs not only is in heauen but is there in great fauour and honor and maiesty and power There is a foure fold presence of Christ For first he is euery where as God Secondly he is in the hearts of the faithfull only by his spirit of grace and regeneration Thirdly he is by representation in the sacrament Fourthly he is bodily in heauen Que. But is not Christ with his Church on earth still Ans. he is as God but not as man I say not as man locally for else he is present in his members that
it is true that all the cariage and dealings of Christians should sauour of the things aboue but I take it as it is heere rendered Set your affections and so it manifestly teacheth vs that wee must get not mindes or thoughts onely but sound affections to heauenly things which may both serue for reproofe and comfort for reproofe I say both of the loathsome lukewarmenesse of the most and of the dangerous losse of first loue in the better sort For comfort for it is certaine if thou canst finde thy heart vpright in affections and constant desire after heauenly things thou mayst be assured of three things 1 That God will accept thy will for the deed He will beare with many wants and weakenesses where he sees a man or woman come to his seruice with hearts desirous to doe their best and tenderly affected 2 That thou art not in danger of falling away for Apostasie neuer discouers it selfe to hurt vs or endanger vs till it hath stollen away our hearts and the care of affections in holy duties 3 That to that thou hast more is and shall be giuen as thy affections grow and continue so doth true knowledge grace and godlinesse grow also And thus of the repetition And not on the things that are on earth from the coherence and generall consideration of these words three things may be obserued 1 That a man cannot both at once seeke and affect earth and heauen for they are here disioyned and opposed a man cannot serue God and mammon the loue of the world is the enmitie of God but this is thus to be vnderstood if the world be sought in the first place and with cheefe affection and care 2 Nay more this dehortation implies that it is hard for a man to deale with the world but a mans affection will too much runne after it it is hard to be much employed about profits and recreations but a man shall loue them too much Not that it is simply vnlawfull to vse the world but that we should be very iealous of our selues to watch our owne hearts that our affections be not set on the world 3 To be crucified vnto the world able to neglect and contemne the glory and pleasure of it is a notable signe that one is risen with Christ. Thus in generall The things on earth The things on earth here meant by the Apostle are either traditions mentioned in the former Chapter or worldly things in themselues lawfull or the workes of the flesh simply in themselues vnlawfull Traditions mans inuentions which the Apostle hath before taxed may well be called things on earth 1 Because they spring from the earth and earthly minded men they were neuer inspired from God nor deuised by heauenly minded men 2 Because they hinder them that are deuoted to them from looking vp or attaining any insight in things that are aboue 3 Because these by effect make men more earthly and sensuall but of these in the former chapter The workes of the flesh and the corruptions of life to bee auoyded and not affected are the third sort of things on earth but of that also afterwards in the second part of the generall duties especially in the fifth verse So that the second sort of things on earth remaineth to be more largely considered those are profits honours pleasures friends health and long life There be eight reasons to perswade not to affect earthly things The first may be taken from the condition of man on earth For we are heere but pilgrims and strangers and therefore being but in a strange place to what purpose should we trouble our selues with more then what will serue our present need and the rather knowing that when we come into our own country these things will serue vs for no vse Besides our present lot lieth not in those things but the Kingdome of God and righteousnesse is our portion euen in this life all other things are but cast vppon vs as additaments The second may be taken from the disability of earthly things For first they cannot so much as fill or satisfie a mans heart 2 They cannot fence a man against any of the trials of God when the houre of tentation comes 3 they cannot all of them redeeme on soule The third reason may be taken from the inconueniences that follow the loue of earthly things For first the cares of the world choake the word that it can neuer prosper 2 They breede excuses and shifts in mans mindes and alienate by degrees a mans heart from the vse of the meanes 3 To seeke after the world is to sorrow after the world for to the most the world is a cause of much sorrow and vexation 4 The amity of the world as the Apostle sayth is the enmity of God and that both actiuely and passiuely for it both makes vs hate God and it makes God hate vs. Fiftly the lust after worldly things fills the world with corruptions and sinnes Sixtly these earthly things thus sinisterly affected may one day witnesse against vs Seuenthly many a man is damned and gone to hell for minding earthly things The fourth reason may be taken from the soueraignty that God hath ouer all earthly things and the power hee hath giuen to Christ ouer them now why should we turmoile our selues with care about these seeing they are in Gods hand in Christ to haue them and dispose of them as may be for his glory and our good The fifth reason may be taken from the basenes of the nature of all these things for they are not onely on the earth but of the earth and if they bee compared vnto the soule of man for which wee ought chiefly to prouide the whole world is not worth one soule which may appeare both by the price of a soule and the disproportion between the gaines of the world and the losse of one soule it is no profit to winne the whole world and lose a mans own soule and besides if the whole world layd on one heape would haue beene a sufficient sacrifice for the redemption of the soule the Lord Iesus would neuer haue abased himselfe to such a suretiship But because there could not be found neither in heauen nor earth any other name or nature by which wee could be saued therefore he humbled himselfe and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant and was obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse The sixt reason may be taken from the example of the Lords worthies who in all ages haue beene tried with all kinde of trials and wandered vp and downe in sheepeskinnes and goatskinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented wandering vp and downe in wildernesses mountaines and dennes and caues of the earth whom the world was not worthy of all these seeking another country and willingly professing that they expected no abiding place
the thought of this glory should win vs to a care to be such as may be capable of it Qu. What must we doe that we may haue comfort that we are the men shall partake of this glory and speed well in the day of Iesus Christ Ans. First Euery one that would haue this hope must purge himselfe as Christ is pure we must be much in the duties of mortification For no vncleane person can enter into the kingdome â—f glory And vncleane we are all till we be washed in the blood of Christ by iustification and bathed in teares of true repentance by mortification It hath been obserued before that if we would not haue the Lord to iudge vs we must iudge our selues And if we would not haue Christ to take vnto him words against our soules we must take vnto vs words against our sinnes to confesse and bewaile them in secret Secondly we must labour for the assurance of faith T is faith that is the euidence of the things not seene T is faith that shall be found to honor and praise in the reuelation of Iesus Christ It is faith to which the promise of eternall life is made Thirdly we should labour to get vnto our selues the benefit of a powerfull preaching ministery for thereby our hearts may be wonderfully stirred vp to see the glory of sincerity on earth and it will open a wide dore to behold as in a mirror the glory to come with an open face changing vs into the same image from glory to glory by the spirit of God I say not that this is of absolute necessity as the former are but it is of wonderful expediency Fourthly we must be circumspect and watchfull in speciall manner attending to our owne hearts that we be not at any time oppressed with the cares of this life or voluptuous liuing if euer we would be able to stand in the day of iudgement and escape the fearefull things that are to come especially we must looke to our selues in these things least that day come vpon vs at vnawares Fiftly Doe we looke for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ into eternall life then we must as the Apostle Iude sheweth edifie our selues in our most holy faith praiyng in the holy Ghost and keepe our selues in the loue of God we must be afraid of whatsoeuer may estrange the Lord from vs or any way darken the sence of his loue For we may be assured if we haue his fauour and walke before him in the sence of it we shall haue glory when we die Likewise praying in the holy Ghost with constancy and frequency doth maruellouslie enrich a Christian both with the first fruits of glory euen glorious ioy on earth and with the assurance of fulnesse of glory in heauen Sixtly the Apostle Iohn seemes to say if loue be perfect in vs we shall haue boldnesse in the day of iudgement As if he would import that to be inwardly and affectionately acquainted with Christians on earth is a notable meanes to procure vs gracious entertainment with Christ in heauen especially if we perfect our loue and grow to some Christian ripenesse in the practise of the duties of loue in a profitable fellowship in the Gospell It is good discretion to grow as great as we can with Christians that so we may winne the fauour of Christ. Lastly the Apostle Paul shewes in the second to the Romanes that they that seek glory and honor and immortality and euerlasting life must be patient in well doing For they shall be rewarded according to their works And to euery man that doth good shall be honor and glory and power to the Iew first and also to the Grecian For all that haue any tydings of saluation in the Gospell or looke for that blessed hope and appearing of that glory of the mighty God must liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world Without holinesse no man shall see God And therefore wee should be abundant in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as we know that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord And thus far of the glorious appearance both of Christ and Christians And thus also of the first rule of life namely the meditation of heauenly things Verse 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are on earth fornication vncleannesse the inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is idolatrie Thâ—se words with those that follow to the tenth verse containe the second principall rule of holy life and that is the mortification of euill These euills to be mortified are of two sorts for either they are vices that concerne our selues most or else they are iniuries that concerne the hurt of others also Of the mortification of vices he intreats v. 5.6.7 of the mortification of iniuries he entreats v. 8.9 In the first part viz. the exhortation to the mortifying of vices I consider first the matter about which he deales and the reasons The matter is in verse 5. and the reasons v. 6.7 In the fift verse there are two things First the preposition of mortification in these words mortifie therefore your members that are on earth Secondly a catalogue of vices to be mortified or the enumeration of certaine speciall sinnes a Christian should be carefull to keep himselfe from viz. fornication vncleannes c. The generall consideration of the whole exhortation to mortification should imprint this deeply in our hearts that vnlesse we doe repent of those sinnes haue been in our natures and liues and be carefull to flee from the corruptions that are in the world we shall neuer haue comfort that we are accepted with God We should bring to the particular opening of all the verses a mind resolued of the generall And to quicken vs a little the more to the respect of this doctrine and to enforce the care of parting with our sinnes I will briefly touch by the way some few reasons why we should be willing to entertaine all counsell that might shew vs any course to get rid of sinne First our vices are the fruits of our corrupted nature They arise not from any noble or diuine instinct but are the effects of base flesh in vs. And we should carry the thoughts of it in our minds when we are inclined or tempted to vice we should say within our selues this euill proceeds not from any thing that might declare greatnesse or true spirit in a man what is passion or lust or couetousnesse but the base worke of the filthy degenerated flesh Secondly our vices are the only things that defile vs and make vs loathsome before God and men T is not meane cloathes or a deformed body or a poore house or homely fare or any such thing that makes a man truly contemptible no no it is only sinne can defile and bring that which is true contempt Thirdly the bond and forfeiture of the law
dote on it with his heart Thirdly the nature of couetousnesse it will neuer be satisfied and how should it for the desire of the couetous is not naturall but against nature Naturall desires are finite but vnnaturall desires find no end And therefore cannot be filled with the finite things of the world Besides earthly things are vaine and empty Now the vessell that is only full of wind is empty still for all that So is the mind of the couetous His heart will be no more filled or satisfied with gold then his body with wind Hereupon it is that a couetous man is alwaies poore and hath not what he hath But hath his wealth as the prisoner hath his fetters viz. to inthrall him Fourthly the nature promise and prouidence of God He is a heauenly father is he a father why then do we doubt of his willingnesse to helpe vs and is he a heauenly father why then doe we question his all sufficiency to prouide what we need besides hath he giuen vs life and and will he not giue vs food to preserue life doth he daily prouide for thousand thousands of foules that are base creatures and will he not prouide for man whom he created after his owne image and made him Lord of all creatures doth he cloath the grasse of the field which is to day and to morrow is cut downe and will he not cloath man oh the weaknesse of our faith Besides is not the Lord engaged by promise neuer to leaue vs nor forsake vs Fiftly the condition of the couetous All his care cannot adde a cubit to his stature And besides the poore and the vsurer meet together in many things One God made them both One sunne lights them both One heauen couers them both and one graue of earth shall hold them both Sixtly the gaine of godlinesse it is betâ—er thrist to couet after godlinesse For it hath the promises of this life and the life to come And who can count the gaine of godlinesse seeing God is the godly mans portion and his exceeding great reward The third preseruatiue is the daily practise of piety If we would seeke the kingdome of God first both in the first part of our life and in the first part of euery day of our life as well in our houses as in Gods house these religious duties constantly performed would be a great and continuall helpe against worldly cares they would cleanse our hearts of them and daily prepare our hearts against them But how can it be otherwise with a man then it is they must neeeds liue and die the drudges of the world seeing they haue no more care of holy duties at home or abroad they liue like swine without all care of any thing but rooting in the earth The fourth preseruatiue is the due preparation for Christs second comming For when our sauiour Christ had dehorted men from the cares of this life he adioines this exhortation let your loines be girded about and your lights burning and ye your selues like vnto them that waite for their master when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediately blessed are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall find waking c. One great reason why couetous men doe so securely continue in the immoderate cares for this world is because they do so little think of death and iudgement Whereas on the other side Christians doe with some ease withdraw their hearts from the world when they haue inured themselues to die daily by the constant remembrance of their latter end and by holding fast the euidence of faith and hope waiting when Christ will call for them The fift preseruatiue is to shunne the meanes and occasions of couetousnes And to this end it is good not to conuerse much with couetous persons or to get our selues liberty to conceiue the hope of any long prosperity and rest in the world and generally we should labour to obserue our owne hearts and other mens liues and what we find to be a meanes to kindle or inflame couetous desires that we should auoide and betimes set against it or mortifie it And thus farre of couetousnesse and thus also of the catalogue of sinnes from which he doth disswade The reasons follow Ver. 6. For the which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the the children of disobedience Ver. 7. Wherein ye also walked once when he liued in them These words containe two reasons to enforce the exhortation in the former verse Th one is taken from the euill effects of the former sinnes ver 6. The other is taken from their owne experience while they liued in the estate of corruption ver 7. in laying downe the reason from the effect two things are to be noted First what sinne brings viz. the wrath of God Secondly vpon whom viz. vpon the children of disobedience Before I come to intreat of the wrath of God a part I consider of it as it stands in coherence with the former reason For in these words we are assured that man liuing and continuing in filthinesse and couetousnesse shall not escape Gods wrath For they incurre both his hatred and his plagues both which are signified by the word wrath And if any aske what plagues filthy persons and couetous persons shall feele I answer briefly and distinctly that neither of them shall scape Gods wrath as the Scriptures plentifully shew The filthy person brings vpon himselfe Gods curse temporall corporall spirituall and eternall temporall for whoredome and any kinde of vncleanenesse brings vpon men many temporall plagues in their estate the fire of Gods iudgements consuming many times their whole increase as hath beene shewed before Corporall for God many times meetes with the sinnes of the bodie by iudgements vpon the body so that many filthie persons after they haue consumed their flesh and their body by loathsome diseases which follow this sinne in the end say with the foolish young man Oh how haue I hated instruction and despised correction now I am brought almost into all euill in the middest of the assembly Spirituall for vncleanenesse breeds in many a reprobate sence and finall impenitency Many also for their filthinesse are pursued with secret and fearefull terrours of conscience and sometimes frensie and desperate perturbations Eternall for the adulterer destroyes his owne soule and is shut out of the Kingdome of Heauen As hath beene also before declared Neither let the couetous person thinke he shall speed any better For God hates him wonderfully and therefore the Prophet Ezechiel sayth that the Lord smites his fists at the couetous which is a borrowed phrase to expresse most bitter and sharpe threatnings Now least the people should obiect that those were but great words the Lord would not do so they would deale well enough with the Lord. He preuenteth it and sayth can thy heart endure or can
onely a signe of wrath but that the wrath encreaseth this is the rod of indignation Fiftly if a man liue in some sinnes they are manifest signes of wrath as persecution whoredome hatred of the brethren with holding the truth in vnrighteousnesse couetousnesse and vncleannesse and generally all sinnes contained in any of the catalogues against which the Lord denounceth his Iudgements in seuerall Scriptures Lastly sometimes Gods anger is felt in the terrours and paine of the conscience the Lord making some men to feele the edge of his axe and fighting against them with his terrours Now wheresoeuer these are felt by a soule that hath not beene truely humbled for sinne they are assured pledges and beginnings of Gods wrath from Heauen Hitherto of the greatnesse meanes and signes of Gods anger Now of the way to pacifie Gods anger when it is perceiued Gods Publike anger is pacified and stayed First by the prayers and fastings of the righteous And therefore it is the Prophet Ioels counsell that if they would haue the Lord repent him of the euill and returne and leaue a blessing behinde him they must sanctifie a fast and call a solemne assembly Secondly by the seuere execution of Iustice by Magistrates vpon notorious offendours and thus Phinehas stayd the plague Thirdly by the generall repentance of the people and thus Gods anger towards Nineuie was pacified Fourthly and especially by the intercession of Christ intreating for a citie or nation So was Ierusalem deliuered out of captiuity as the Prophet Zacharie declares Zach. 1.12 Concerning the pacifying of Gods anger to particular persons I will first consider what will not pacifie it and then what will pacifie it For the first no multitude of gifts can deliuer thee and the most mighty helpes cannot cause the the Lord to withdraw his anger it will not auaile thee to come before the Lord with burnt offerings and with calues of a yeere old The Lord will not be pleased with thousands of rammes or with ten thousand riuers of oyle Nor will the sonne of thy body make an atonement from the sinnes of thy soule to cry Lord Lord at home or the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord abroad will not a whit abate of his fierce anger and as little will it auaile to build Churches mend high wayes erect tombes for dead Prophets or the like workes of labour or cost Now for the affirmatiue if we speake properly nothing will quench Gods anger but the bloud of Christ. For hee is the propitiation for our sinne Yet in some respects and as meanes the Lord doth appoint vnto vs that we might be capable of reconciliation these things are auailable First the duties of mortification as confession of sinne and iudging of our selues and examining of our hearts and liues If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faythfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and if we iudge our selues the Lord will giue ouer iudging vs if disobedient Israel will returne and know his iniquities the Lord will not let his wrath fall vpon him godly sorrow also is verie auailable to quench wrath If Ierusalem will wash her heart she shall be saued the Lord will heare the voyce of our weeping prayer also is of great vse and force for the Lord is a God that heareth prayer and the Prophet Zephanie sheweth that if the people can learne a language once to call vpon the name of the Lord in the sincerity of their hearts he will not poure vpon them that fierce wrath which shall certeinely fall vpon all the families that call not vpon his name Secondly faith in the bloud of Christ procureth reconciliation and forgiuenesse of the sinnes that are past through the patience of God especially the worke of faith whereby a Christian perceiuing Gods anger and encouraged with the support of Gods couenant and promise in Christ doth in all tendernesse of heart importune Gods free mercy and wrestle and striue with importunity casting himselfe vpon Christ for shelter and seriously setting himselfe against euery iniquity euen because there is hope Finally we may discerne that God is pacified diuerse wayes First by induction from the practise of the former rules for if we doe what God requires we may conclude and inferre we shall receiue what God promiseth Secondly it may be perceiued by Gods presence in the meanes If we finde our hearts vnloosed and the passages of the meanes againe opened that is a comfortatable testimony that the Lord is returned Thirdly it may bee perceiued by the witnesse of the spirit of Adoption speaking peace to our consciences and with vnutterable ioyes quieâ—ing and satisfying our hearts The vse followeth And first the doctrine of Gods wrath may greatly humble and astonish impenitent sinners Is the anger of the Lord kindled against thee how long then wilt thou be without innocency be not a mocker least thy bonds encrease art thou an vncleane person a railer a drunkard an vsurer a swearer a lier a profaner of Gods Saboaâ—hes a voluptuous epicure a carnall worldling or the like be not deceiued nor let any deceiue thee with vaine words crying peace peace dawbing with vntempered morter for assuredly the wrath of God for these things commeth vpon the children of disobedience And who knowes the power of his wrath Secondly seeing Gods wrath is so exceeding terrible and fierce blessed are all they that are deliuered from it in Iesus Christ. Wee should bee stirred vp to constant thankfulnesse because the Lord hath forgiuen vs the punishment of our sinnes so as now there is no condemnation to vs being in Christ Iesus Lastly seeing the Lords anger is so dreadfull we should all learne to walke before him in all vprightnesse and feare and trembling fencing our selues with the breast-plate of faith and the helmet of hope being in all things sober and watchfull taking heed to our selues that we be not hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne And thus of the wrath of God The second maine thing in this verse to be considered of is the persons vpon whom it fals viz. the children of disobedience And by children of disobedience he meaneth generally wicked and vnregenerate men Now wicked men are of two sorts Some are cleerely out of the Church and haue beene branded in seuerall ages with seuerall tearmes of distinction as now the infidels and before all the vncircumcised Gentiles Before the floud they were called sonnes of men Now others are in the Church and are children of God by creation generall vocation and externall profession but indeede are wicked and prophane Esaus The former sort were disobedient men and the later are disobedient children And these disobient children in the Church are of two sorts For some will not bee tied to liue in their fathers house but that they may the more
should suffer long in hope of the conuersion of the wicked and in expecting the reformation of infirmities in Gods children whom wee loue and admonish And this is the praise of Christian loue that it doth suffer long This long-suffering is an excellent grace and a worthy ornament meet to be put on aswell as any of the rest and would wonderfully grace the liues of Christians And the rather should wee loue it and long after it because it is so eminent a praise in God himselfe and in Christ yea as any haue excelled in the Church so haue they beene approued in the triall of this grace as were the Apostles But it is enough to commend it it is an excellent fruit of the sanctifying spirit Onely we must know there is great difference between enduring long and long-suffering for true Christian long-suffering is accompanied not only with patience but with diligence and ioyfulnesse and watching in all things but especially with the renewing of faith in Gods promise and prouidence Vers. 13 Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doe yee There are 2. vertues in conuersing that concerne aduersitie 1. Long-suffering vnder crosses and clemencie vnder iniuries Of Long-suffering before 1. Of Clemencie in this verse where two things may be noted 1. the duty required 2. the reason rendred for the vrging of the duty The duty is propounded in the two principall parts of it viz. to forbeare and to forgiue and amplified by the supposition of a case If any man haue a quarrell to another The reason is from the example of Christ forgiuing vs Forbearing The originall word is rendred sometimes to maintaine sometimes to suffer to endure sometimes not onely to endure but forbeare also sometimes to support In the two last senses it may bee well taken heere Now if wee would distinctly know what it is to forbeare one another as it here imports a maine part of Christian clemency we must vnderstand that it is not an omission of holy duties to others nor a refusing to satisfie others in their griefs or offences nor a shunning of their company nor yet a swallowing downe of all sorts of iniuries committed with an high hand without acknowledgement or satisfaction But out of clemency to forbeare others hath in it such things as these 1. A freedome from the thirst of reuenge 2 A bearing with the infirmities of others which may be performed two waies First by couering them and not blazing them abroad if they bee secret And secondly by silence in not reprouing them when they faile meerely in frailty Thirdly it hath in it not onely a bearing with them but a bearing of them and that I thinke may be two waies also First in not stirring or prouoking their infirmities Secondly by pleasing our neighbours humor in that which is good to edification Fourthly there is a forbearance in matters of wrong to vs and thus to forbeare is not to prosecute euery wrong either by answers or by suits And this forbearance is to be practised when we are able to reuenge else it is no thankes to vs to forbeare when we want either power or oportunity to to doe it 2. tis forbearance not to meete wrong with wrong Or thus there is a threefold forbearance First in iudgement when in doubtfull cases wee suspend our opinions or censures Secondly in words which consists either in not answering or in giuing soft answers Thirdly in deedes when we render not euill for euill Againe forbearance is varied from the consideration of time for in some things we must forbeare euer neuer taking notice of the infirmities or wrongs as in some weakenesse that are by meere ouersight or ignorance and in some things we must forbeare for a time that is till there bee a â—it opportunity to admonish or correct c. The consideration thereof serues greatly for the reproofe of that wretched distemper in many that professe the same faith and hope prouoking one another and consuming one another and by frowardnesse disquieting the rest and content of others Is it not heere an expresse charge that wee should forbeare one another Haue we not heere the example of Christ who did so who might haue had a 1000. fold more iust reason to vpbraid censure or find fault then we haue or can haue Besides this distempered peeuishnesse and froward misconceiuing and censuring it is bred of ill causes for it comes eiof malice or ignorance Of malice for loue couereth a multitude of sinnes especially it suspendeth doubtfull actions Of ignorance for it is certaine a wise man will keepe in till afterwards or holde it his glory to be able to passe by an offence Further this sinne may be aggrauated by the relations that are mutually betweene Christians Are they not fellow-members coheires fellow-citizens partakers of the same afflictions are they not brethren c. Besides is not this also a constant iustice that they that iudge are iudged they that censure are censured and doth not this enuying and iangling giue occasion of reioicing to aduersaries Doth it not many times so transforme Christians that it makes them very like wicked men when they grow so distempered that they reuile their owne mothers sonnes In the fifth to the Galathians the Apostle vrgeth this reproofe by diuers reasons such as this A little of the leauen of these distempers will sowre the whole lumpe and those courses tend not to any good but to the disquieting of Gods people and it is not a small matter to trouble and vexe them Besides inasmuch as Christians haue trouble enough otherwaies it doth not become their brethren to trouble them and we should be so farre from troubling our brethren as we should rather serue them by loue and if men will needes bite one another let them take heede lest they be deuoured one of another Lastly if men will not be warned then let them know the Iudge standeth at the doore Now that we may attaine this forbearing euen to bee rightly ordered towards the infirmities or wrongs of others we must labour to get more Christian loue of others for that will endure all things and beleeue all things and make vs able to beare and it will driue out suspition which like a wretched Beldame is the mother and nurse of all murmurings and vaine ianglings and besides wee must get a greater knowledge of our owne selues and our owne ignorance and corruptions for when we seeme to our selues to be something deceiuing our selues we are ready with intemperaÌ„ce to apprehend supposed indignities when none are offered Or if thou must needs speake then speake the words of admonition euen Gods words if thou be sure they haue sinned insteade of thine owne vaine and passionate vpbraidings or reproches or censures One another Obserue that vsually where there is any
But my Parents require base things and such as cast a kinde of discredit vpon me in the world Answ Consider not the things required but Gods ordination besides God the Father required of Christ to beare the Crosse spitting in the face c. yet he willingly obeied Obiect But my Parents are disordered persons and foolish c. Answ Pray for them but despise them nor besides God knowes what is good for thee and therefore hath caused them to come out of the loines of such Parents and required subiection of thee Obiect They are not my naturall Parents but my step-father or step-mother Answ Yet they must be obeied so Ruth obeyed Naomi and Moses Iethro Exod. 18.19 Obiect They are not Parents at all but my kindred onely as my vncle aunt c. with whom I am left in trust Answ Thou must be ruled by them so was Hester by Mordechai Vse This condemnes the doctrine and practise of Papists that defend the vowes of solitarie and single life of children without consent of parents and it meets with the doctrine of the Pharisies that would dispense with childrens releeuing of their Parents so they would bestow it vpon them Mat. 15. 2 This may serue for reproofe of stubborne and vngracious children that forsake their Parents instruction Prou. 1.8 but especially such monsters as despise their Parents when they are old or mocke them or curse them or chase them or robbe them c. the cursed estate of such children is set down in these Scriptures Prou. 15.20 and 19.26 and 23.22 and 20.20 and 28.24 and 30.11.17 Thus of the dutie the reason followes There are many reasons why they should obey 1 Children haue their substance from them euen their life and their education their Parents then tooke care of them when they had no ragge to couer their nakednesse no morsell to put into their mouthes and what can children render equiualent heereunto 2 Christ himselfe was obedient to his Parents Luk. 2.51 3 This is the purity and vprightnesse of children and hereby they must be tried and tried whether their worke be pure Prou. 20.11 4 The consideration of Gods iudgements vpon wicked children should much moue such as were Cham Esau Absolon Abimelech c. 5 If thou obey not thy Parents thou maiest liue to bee requited by thy children 6 In the sixth of Ephes. 1.2.3.4 There are many reasons why children should obey First it is in the Lord that is their obedience is both commanded by God and it is for God and besides it is no further vrged then as may stand with faith and pietie to the Lord. Secondly this is right it is children iustice Thirdly this commandement that requires this is the first commandement with promise for this had a promise in the verie first promulgation of it in the Tables written by the finger of God whereas all the rest had their promises annexed afterwards by the ministrie of Moses Obiect But the second Commandement had promise in the first promulgation of the Law Answ Some answer the words of the second Commandement are a proposition not a promise but this answer satisfieth not Some say the promises mentioned in that commandement belong to the whole Law and not to that Commandement alone but I thinke the plainest answere is the fift Commandement is the first Commandement with promise viz in the second Table A fourth reason is children must obey for so it shall goe well with them they shall get good and contentment and Gods grace and blessing by so doing Fifthly they shall liue long on earth to enioy the blessing of God Obiect Wicked children liue long Answ Their life is a death and it is not well with them Esay 65.20 Obiect Gods children doe not liue long Answ For the most part they doe 2 I say if God performe not this promise absolutely in the letter yet he performes this blessing by commutation into a better as when he giues them eternall life for long life But the reason why children should obey is heere mentioned in the Text. It is well pleasing to the Lord Some leaue out to the Lord and so the argument is more generall for obedience is exceeding pleasing to their Parents Prou. 10.1 and 15.20 and 19.13 and 13.16 and besides it is pleasing to God but I see no reason to leaue out the words Some render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lord and so heere is First a limitation they must obey but in the Lord. Secondly they must obey not because nature and ciuilitie requires it but for conscience sake as Gods institution But I take it as it is heere rendered to the Lord. Well-pleasing to the Lord From the consideration of these words I obserue foure things First that it is not enough to serue God but we must so serue as wee please him Heb. 12.28 Secondly that there is a way how to please God euen in Family duties and these externall and ordinarie things at home and this serues First to shew Gods great loue to man in that hee frames himselfe to mens condition and likes what may like them will be pleased himselfe with what pleaseth them obedience and seruice to men he accounts a seruice to himselfe Secondly it is a great incouragement to diligence and conscience in these Familie duties in as much as they will not onely please man but God Thirdly it reproues hypocrites that care to be good no where but in Gods house but God will haue obedience and not sacrifice yea heere he will be serued with obedience to men Thirdly that euen children are bound to make conscience of their waies and to learne to please God in their youth First God requires it Eccle. 12.1 Psal. 148.12 There is Scripture for babes and yong men as well as old men Secondly there are worthy examples to excite them recorded in Scripture as the examples of Ioseph Samuel Dauid Iosiah Ieremie Daniel and Timothie yea this was a great praise in Ierobohams yong and dying sonne 1 King 14.3 Thirdly a conscionable care in children to please God is much praised in Scripture they are blessed that beare the yoke in their youth and the workemanship of grace and obedience in the hearts and liues of children is like the grauing of a Kings Pallace Psalm 144.12 A happy thing when the yong men see visions as well as old men dreame dreames Ioel 2. Then doth the Church flourish when the Sonne marrieth the mother Isai. 62.5 Vse 1 This should teach parents to beginne betimes to teach their children the trade of their way Prou. 22.6 and to bring them vp in the instruction and admonition of the Lord Ephes. 6.4 2 Parents should learne also to be content that their children serue and please God as well as them some Parents are so bad that they neither will instruct their children themselues nor abide it that they should heare Sermons reade the Scriptures seeke the company of such as feare God or Sanctifie Gods Sabbaths 4 This
God vpon the word Sacraments reading c. for pardon of sinne saluation of our soules euer stretching out our desires to all the opportunities and callings to praier 3 We must be instant in praier set all aside for praier wait vpon it for so the word is rendred to wait Act. 10.7 Vse Is first for reproofe of such wretched men as pray not at all Iob 21.14 Secondly for reproofe of such as make apostacie from the affections and practice of praier and this is a fault in carnall men that fall from temporarie faith or in Gods children that by the deceitfulnesse of sinne and Sathan giue ouer their affections and carefull diligence in praier For the first sort we must know that when such men lose their ioy and delight in the word they lose also their care in praier but they must know they doe it not without singular danger for now that hearing and praier are laid aside seuen deuils worse than that one cast out by acknowledgement may enter in yea that they may fall from these affections into a reprobate sense yea which is worst they are in danger of the sinne against the holy Ghost and the more if they grow to hate praier and despight Gods grace in his children and therefore they should be aduised with all speed to repent with sound sorrow and beseech God to forgiue them if it be possible the thoughts of their hearts And as for such of Gods children as are decaied and fallen away from the power and practise of praier they should be wakened and remember themselues both by considering the hurt they bring vpon themselues and the remedies for their recouerie The hurts befallen them by this apostacie are such as these 1. The losse of the comforts of the sweet presence of God 2. They put on a kinde of image of the old Adam againe they looke as if they were no better than carnall people they returne in many things to the filthinesse they had forsaken they forme themselues to the courses of carnall wisdome and too much like the world and the sinfull profits and pleasures of it 3. Faith and loue are more and more enfeebled lesse sense of Gods presence and lesse loue to Gods children 4. They bring vpon themselues a tedious dislike of the meanes of saluation besides the danger of many temporall iudgements For remedie of this great inconuenience they must doe three things 1 They must purge by godly sorrow and fasting 2. They must labour to reduce themselues vnto an holy order of liuing both by a daily course of examination by the Law and also by the consecration of themselues to the constant and orderly practise of all Christian duties 3. They must by daily importunitie beseech God to giue them againe the words and affection of praier and all this they should doe the more speedily because if by long dwelling in apostacie they prouoke God though by repentance they recouer themselues againe yet the ioies of Gods spirit or the great measure of them may be lost so as they shall neuer recouer the ioy of their saluation all their daies 3. This Doctrine may serue for incouragement to many of Gods poore seruants against all the doubts and feares of their owne hearts these neede only better information for their discouragements arise from mistakings as may appeare by their obiections Obiect I haue much hardnesse of heart before I go to praier Sol. 1. So had Dauid in the entrance into many of his Psalmes yet he recouereth and exulteth exceedingly before the end 2. Hardnesse of heart that is felt and mourned for is no hindrance to the successe of praier 3. Therefore thou hast more neede to pray for praier is as a fire that melts the leaden hearts of men Obiect I want words when I come to pray Sol. 1. Go to Christ and beseech him to teach thee to pray and pray God to giue thee words that hath commanded thee to take vnto thee words 2. Be more in the examination of thy heart and life by the law 3. The Spirit helps our infirmities when for words wee know not how to pray as we ought 4 The foundation of God remaineth sure and is sealed if thou but name the name of the Lord with vprightnesse desiring and resoluing to depart from iniquitie he may haue an infallible seale of saluation that but nameth the name of God in praier as the word is in the originall Obiect But I doubt of audience Sol. 1. Consider Gods nature commandement promise his nature he is a God that heareth praiers his commandement for he as peremptorily giues his commandements to pray as he doth any of the tenne Commandements and therefore will certainly accept of what he so earnestly commands his promises also are to be collected and considered as they lie scattered in seuerall Scriptures He will be neere vnto all that call vpon him in truth And his eares are open to the praiers of the righteous c. Onely be thou carefull that thou lie not in any presumptuous sinne and that thou turne not away thine eare from hearing the law and that thou alowe not thine owne heart in wrath oâ— doubting for these and such like are great lets of Audience Obiect I haue praied long and often and yet I am not heard Sol. 1. God sometimes doth of purpose deferre to graunt that so hee might compell them to continue to pray 2. Consider the things thou praiest for whether they be such thingâ— as God will euer graunt For if we aske amisse or onely for fleshly things or to spend vpon their lusts God will neuer heare 3. God heares diuers waies for sometimes he granteth not what is asked but giueth what is answerable to it or better so he heard Christ Heb. 5.7 Thus of continuance in Praier Watching in the same D. Watching is needfull vnto praier for explication whereof wee must know that watching is taken 2. waies either litterally or metaphorically Litterally and so is either a Iudgement or a Dutie watching as a iudgement is when God brings vpon wicked men the terrors of the night or for chastisement of his seruants holds their eyes waking as a dutie watching is a voluntary restraining of our eies from sleepe and spending of the whole or part of the night in holy imploiments Thus the Church kept the night of the Passouer holy Exod. 12.42 Thus Christ watched Math. 14.23.25 Thus Paul 2. Cor. 11.23 Thus Dauid Psal. 139.18 And this watching vsed by Gods Children was either ordinarie or extraordinarie Ordinarie watching is nothing but a sober vse of sleepe in which we ought to be moderate aswell as in eating and drinking Extraordinarily Gods Children haue beene vsed to watch either vpon occasion of great Iudgements or for preparation to some great businesse Thus Christ would spend whole nights in praier thus hee watched before his passion Or when they haue lost the benefit of Christs presence Cant.
because the 400. Prophets did Lastly to walke wisely is not to walke craftily and deceitfully for such wisdome of serpents is required as may stand with the innocencie of Doues Redeeme the time To redeeme signifies either to recouer what is lost or to buy what is wanting It is vsually a metaphor borrowed from Merchants buying and selling of commodities Time signifies either space of time or the opportunitie of time both may be heere retained In generall as time is taken for space of time there are diuers things may be obserued 1. That time is a commoditie 2. That a Christian is a Merchant by calling 3. That as any are more wise the more they know the worth of time Eph. 5.15.16 4. That a Christian findes the want of time 5. That if he were prouident time for holy duties might be bought 6. Not to trade for time is a great fault and yet an vsuall fault and comes to passe because men haue no stocke of grace to imploy or they haue neuer serued a prentiship to learne how to vse time or else they haue had such extraordinarie losses they cannot set vp againe they haue so often made shipwracke of time by misse spending it that they cannot now well set themselues in a course to vse it well Againe if time be taken for opportunitie we may obserue 1 That there is a season an opportunitie a due time God hath his haruest for iudgement Matth. 13.30 his season for temporall blessings as for the dew of heauen and the fruits of the earth Act. 14.17 so hee hath for the manifesting of his will by preaching Tit. 1.3 for iustification Rom. 3.26 fo◠the testification of our iustification 1. Tim. 2.6 for mercie and deliuerance and the helpe of Sion Psal. 102.13 and for saluation spirituall and eternall 2. Cor. 6.2 Finally there is a season both for man to doe good Psal. 1.3 and to receiue good Isa. 55.8 2 That this opportunitie is not obuious not ordinarie nor easie and euery where to be had Euery day in the yeare is not the Faire day nor euery day in the weeke the Market day 3 When opportunitie is offered we must not neglect it or lose it Ministers must preach while the doore is open the people must walke while they haue the light so we must all pray in euery opportunitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.18 Luk. 21.36 4 We must aduantage our selues by spirituall opportunities though it be with our losse and paines We should not thinke much to be at some losse for Gods wares as well as mens and wee must be content to trauell as well to the market of our soules as of our bodies In particular concerning redeeming of time consider 1. what time is lost 2. how time is to be redeemed 3. how it must be vsed when it is redeemed 4. the vses For the first all time is lost that is spent idly or in the superfluous feeding of nature either by food or sleepe or in ill companie or in the seruice of sinne and the lusts of the flesh or in the seruice of the world or superfluous cares about profits or icies about pleasures yea the time is lost that is spent in Gods worship where it is done idolatrously superstitiously ignorantly carelesly hypocritically c. For the second wee must distinguish of times and the persons that haue time to sell and the kindes of redeeming There is time past this cannot be brought backe againe by any price but yet wee may contract with time present for some allowance towards the losse of time past There is also time to come And heere is first a time of glory to come and a great bargaine to be made and for the buying of this heauen must suffer violence and we should throng and crowde into the market to procure it by praier hearing faith almesdeeds c. For though it be onely Christs merits that deserues it yet these things we must doe for the assurance of it Besides there is a time of sorrowes to come as sure as we haue had our daies of sinne wee shall haue daies of sorrow and torment This time is to be bought out with repentance watching fasting praying strong cries by all meanes endeuouring to make our peace and flie from the anger to come But time present is the commoditie we are with all carefulnesse to redeeme The deuill and the world haue time our callings haue time and God is a great Lord of time Time out of the deuils hands and the worlds must be redeemed by violent ablation time from our callings wee must redeeme by permutation only making an exchange and allowing time for godlinesse In the first and chiefe place time of God we must buy both the space of time to repent in and the opportunitie of time both for the giuing and the efficacie of the meanes and for this we must both offer and tender the sacrifice of Christ to pacifie for time lost and procure acceptation and also wee must offer vp our selues soules and bodies vpon the seruice of opportunities humbling our soules to walke with our God 3 When wee haue bought time wee must be carefull to vse it well and heerein a principall respect is to be had vnto the soule for all this merchandise is for the vse of the soule especially and for religious ends And thus we must spend some time in mortification 1. Pet. 4.1.2 and some part in searching the Scriptures lest that be said of vs which was said of the Iewes that whereas concerning the time they might haue beene teachers they did need againe to be taught the very principles they were so in expert in the word of righteousnesse Heb. 5.12 Much time should be spent in the workes of pietie abounding in the worke of the Lord as wee abound in time Some time should be spent in workes of mercie both spirituall instructing comforting exhorting admonishing c. and corporall in feeding clothing visiting c. Generally our time should be spent in well doing Gal. 6.9 And as for time for worldly businesses we should obserue the Apostles rule They that haue wiues should be as they that haue none and they that weepe as though they wept not and they that reioice as though they reioiced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that vse the world as though they vsed it not for the fashion of the world goeth away 1. Cor. 7.29.30 The vse of all is for reproofe of the most of vs for some of vs sinne against the seasons and opportunities of Gods grace some against the very space of time Men transgresse against opportunitie two waies first by ignorance of the signes of the seasons Matth. 16.3 secondly by a wilfull neglect of the opportunitie of grace when we haue them There are many things might mooue vs to redeeme the time in this respect 1. We haue our times appointed and the bounds of our habitation assigned