and fourth verses in which acknowledgement two things are to be noted first a cause in the third verse secondly an effect in the fourth verse For the former we are to note first the power of the giuer according to his diuine power Secondly the bountifulnesse of the gift all things which belong to life and godlinesse Thirdly the meanes of obtaining this gift by the knowledge of him who hath called vs vnto glory and vertue According to his diuine power This is spoken of Christ and hath relation to the end of the former verse Whence we are to note Doctrine That Iesus hath in him not an humane power onely but also a diuine not the power of a man onely but also the power of a God For this cause he is termed in Esay 9.6 The mighty God And in Tit. 2.13 The great God For this cause is made mention of his mighty power Phil. 3. the last Yea for this cause he is said to haue all power both in heauen and in earth Mathew 28.18 And it is further manifest that Christ had diuine power First because he was able to create the world Iohn 1.3 Secondly because he is able with his word to beare vp the world Hebr. 1.3 Thirdly because he knowes the thoughts of mē Mat. 9.4 Fourthly because he wrought miracles by his owne power Iohn 15.24 Fiftly because he vanquished Satan Hebrews 2.14 dissolued sinne 1. Iohn 3.8 and ouercame the world Iohn 16.33 which workes he could neuer haue turned his hand to if he had not had a diuine power Vse This makes against Arrians and other cursed heretikes which disable Christ affirming him to be meere man and not God Secondly it makes also against the blasphemous Papists which subiect Christ to the command of the virgin Marie derogating thereby from his diuine power Thirdly it may be terrour to the wicked and namely to Antichrist for it sheweth how able Christ is to consume him with the spirit of his mouth and to destroy him with the brightnesse of his coming 2. Thessalonians 2.8 Fourthly it may minister comfort to the faithfull for be their dangers neuer so desperate and their enemies neuer so malicious yet Christ by his diuine power is able to deliuer them and to protect them If a finite power be against them yet an infinite power is for them 2. Chron. 32.7.8 All things which pertaine to life and c. Whence note we Doctrine That whatsoeuer tendeth to saluation or sanctification we receiue it all from Christ For by life here is meant glorie and by godlinesse is meant vertue as it is expounded in the end of the verse The doctrine may be proued by instance For from whom haue we the Gospel but frō Christ The Gospel of the kingdome is Christs Gospel as it is termed 2. Corinthians 10.14 And God speakes vnto his Church in these last dayes by his Sonne Hebrews 1.1 Againe from whom receiue we the Spirit but from Christ Iohn 16.7 Thirdly whence receiue we gifts of the Spirit but from Christ which ascended vp on high Ephes 4.8 that he might giue gifts to men Of whose fulnesse do we receiue grace for grace but of Christs fulnesse Iohn 1.16 Lastly how are we kept in the state of grace vnto glory but by Christ who is the Shepheard and Bishop of our soules 1. Pet. 2.25 Furthermore whence are the Sacraments but from Christ He ordained Baptisme Mat. 28.19 He also instituted the Lords Supper Matt. 26.26 Lastly who is it that sends Ministers but the same Christ which gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. Ephes 4. So that it is apparent by instance that whatsoeuer tendeth to saluation or sanctification it is from Christ Obiection Yea but do we not receiue these things as well from God the Father and from God the holy Ghost as from Christ I answer Yes Farre be it from vs to exclude the Father or the holy Ghost But this we affirme that as all things pertaining to life and godlinesse are of the Father and the holy Ghost so they are also from Christ For as the Father hath life in himselfe so he hath giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe Iohn 5.26 Vse The vse of this point may be to teach vs to be thankfull for Christ for by his meanes we receiue life and all things tending thereunto Yea it should teach vs to depend vpon Christ for life and for all the meanes thereof Of his diuine power we receiue all things which belong to life and godlinesse Secondly this should teach vs to take notice of Christs bounty He giues life and all things that belong thereunto He is the good Shepheard in Psalme 23. which supplieth all things necessary to his flocke Christs flocke may want many things which they desire but they shall neuer want those things which shall be good for them Hath giuen vnto vs. The word in the originall is passiue and signifieth hath bene giuen but we must know that with the Greekes the passiue voice is sometimes put for the actiue An example for this we haue Hebr. 12.26 where you haue it translated hath promised but it properly signifieth hath bene promised the passiue voice being put for the actiue But the doctrine hence is this viz. Doctrine That whatsoeuer pertaineth to life and godlinesse it is not of merit but of free gift Saluation is the free gift of God Rom. 6. the last The Gospell is the word of grace that is of free fauour Acts 20.32 To you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of God Luke 8.10 Paul obtained mercie not merit 1. Tim. 1.16 By all which it is manifest that saluation and all the means thereof is of free gift and so by vs is to be accounted But we will not insist vpon this point Life Hence we are to note Doctrine That there is a life prepared for the elect after this life ended And that this is so it is manifest out of Psalme 21.4 He asked life of thee and thou gauest him a long life for euer and euer And Psalme 133. For there the Lord commanded the blessing euen life for euer And Matth. 25.46 And they shall go away into euerlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall Vnto this also accordeth that in Iohn 11.25 Iesus said vnto her I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue And that in Matthew 22.32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing And that in Colloss 3.3 You are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God By all which testimonies it is proued that there is a life prepared for Gods elect after this life ended Now if you desire to know what kinde of life it is which is prepared I confesse I am not able to expresse it if I
wished also that we Ministers should be men of experience and that we should in some measure speake the word of God experimentally and not by bare relation only He receiued from God the Father honour and glory In this seuenteenth verse and in the next verse following the Apostle declareth that he was an eare-witnesse of Christ his Maiestie and greatnesse as hauing beene with him in the holy mountaine when he receiued honour and glory from God the Father c. Three points are here to be obserued First the honor that was done to Christ He receiued honor Secondly the meanes of that honour it was by a voice from heauen Thirdly the witnesses of it And this voice which came from heauen we heard that is I Peter and Iames and Iohn He receiued from God the Father Doth not this derogate from the glory of Christ being very God in that it is said that he receiued honour and glory from God the Father For what necessitie had he to receiue honor and glory from another which was very God himselfe Doctrine The truth is Christ as God receiued nothing from God the Father but his subsistence or personalitie but as he was man so he receiued all things from the Father And this he confessed himselfe in diuers places as in Mat. 11.27 All things are deliuered to me of my Father and in Math. 28.18 All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth As the Father hath life in himselfe so he hath giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe Iohn 5.36 Yea whatsoeuer Christ had he had it from the Father as he was man He had his humane nature from him A bodie hast thou made me Hebr. 10.5 He had his preseruation from him I was cast vpon thee from the wombe thou hast bene my God from my mothers bellie Psal 22.10 He had his power to worke miracles from him If I cast out diuels with the Spirit of God Math. 12 28. From him he had his great authoritie The Father iudgeth no man he hath committed all iudgement to the Sonne Iohn 5.22 Yea from him he had his Kingdome or glorification I bequeathe vnto you a kingdome as my Father hath bequeathed vnto me Luke 22 29. From him he had his honour and glorie as in this Text. Vse 1. Let this teach vs to admire Christs humilitie and to blesse him for his singular loue to mankinde who willing for our good was content to put himselfe into such an estate as wherein he was rather to receiue then to giue to pray to entreate to be beholden and the like This was Christs portion in his humbled estate rather then to command The time was when Christ thought it no robberie to be equall with God Phil. 2. but now he must be inferiour in respect of suffering death to the Angels Heb. 2.9 The time was when our Sauiour said It is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue Acts 20 35. but now he must be content himselfe to receiue though it were neuer so contrary to his owne royal disposition O the admirable loue of a Sauiour Vse 2. Let it teach vs in like manner to be content and patient if for Christ we shall at any time be brought to a meane estate Thou hast in former times beene able to relieue others and art now come to stand in need of reliefe thy selfe thou hast in former times made others beholden to thee for thy gifts but now for Christ thou art become a receiuer Be not amazed at this change but rather remember that Christ himselfe who before was able to giue honour and glorie is here said to receiue it he that before was a giuer must now be a receiuer He receiued honour Hence we may see the truth of that in 1. Sam. 2.30 Doctrine Them that honour me I will honour Christ did greatly honour the Father and the Father gaue both honour and glory vnto Christ as appeareth in this Text. The like may be said of the holy Prophets and Apostles They sought not themselues but Gods glorie and the Lord hath made them famous to the end of the world The like may be said of the good Kings of Iuda they sought Gods glorie and God hath made them glorious by their histories in the Bible The like may be said of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and innumerable other Saints they glorified God and God hath made their memoriall blessed Reason Now what is the reason that God will giue honour and glory vnto such as seeke to glorifie him Surely first because he hath promised to honour such and his promise cannot faile Secondly to shew that it is no vaine practise for any to seeke to glorifie God Thirdly it is to encourage all men to affect Gods glorie Vse This shewes that it is in vaine for ill disposed persons to goe about to defame Gods children God will cast honour vpon his seruants in despite of Satan himselfe Secondly let vs learne here what is the direct way to honour and reputation and that is to set our selues sincerely to seeke Gods glorie Let vs honour God and let him alone to honour vs. Thirdly let vs hence be moued to be thankefull to God first for that he gaue such honour and glorie to Christ our head and secondly for that he offereth also to honour vs the members if according to the example of our head we shall sincerely affect his glorie Fourthly let this teach vs not to feare the reproaches of the wicked or their slanders God is able to put more honour vpon vs if we seeke his glorie then all the world is able to put disgrace Honour and glorie This is meant of that honour and glorie which Christ receiued at his transfiguration as appeareth by the words immediatly following in the Text. He receiued from God the Father honour and glorie when the voice came from the excellent glorie Now if any shal demand what honor or glory Christ receiued at his transfiguration I answer He receiued great honour at that time first because God the father spake by an audible voice from heauen and acknowledged him to be his beloued Sonne Matth. 17.5 Secondly because the Church was commanded to heare him Marke 9.7 Thirdly because God sent two men Moses and Elias from the dead and that in their glorie to speake with him of his deceasse which he should accomplish at Hierusalem Luke 9.31 All these things were matter of great honour Secondly Christ receiued glorie as well as honour at his transfiguration For first the fashion of his countenance was changed Lu. 9.29 Yea his face did shine as the Sunne Math. 17.2 which was matter of great glorie Againe his raiment was white and glistering Luke 9.29 White as the snow so as no Fuller could white them Marke 9.3 Yea white as the light Matth. 17.2 Thirdly a bright cloud ouershadowed Christ and Moses and Elias whilest they talked together as a rich Canope Math. 17.5 which did adde to
very God for as a man begets a man like vnto his owne kind so God in like manner must needs beget a God for else we should make God more impotent then man yea then any other creature for euery like begets his like Secondly let it teach vs to admire Gods Philanthropie or loue to man in that he vouchsafed to giue his Sonne his beloued Sonne his onely begotten Sonne to the death yea to the execrable death of the crosse and that for his enemies O vnspeakeable loue O admirable mercy Thirdly let it encourage vs to pray vnto the Father in the name of Christ What will God deny vs if we preferre our petitions in his Sonnes name Surely nothing Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he wil giue it you so saith our blessed Sauiour himselfe Iohn 16.23 That beloued one Whence we may note that Doctrine Christ is beloued of God after an especiall manner He is that beloued one God loueth the world and he loueth all his workes as they are his workes he loueth the elect Angels and he loueth his elect amongst men But he loueth Christ aboue all and that for iust cause Christ is best worthy to be beloued first because of his excellency he is the brightnesse of Gods glorie and the expresse image of his person Hebr. 1.3 Secondly he is most innocent he neuer ttansgressed the will of his Father at any time he finished the worke which was giuen him to do Iohn 17.4 Thirdly he layd downe his life that he might take it vp againe therefore the Father loued him Iohn chap. 10. verse 17. Many other reasons might be alledged to proue that Christ is chiefly beloued of the Father but we will not insist vpon them Wee will rather answer to the obiections which may be made to the contrary Some may obiect possibly that in Iohn 17.23 where it is said that God hath loued his people with the same loue wherewith he hath loued Christ himselfe I answere It is meant of the same kinde of loue but not of the same degree Againe if any shall obiect further that God gaue his Sonne Christ for the redemption of the elect world and therefore that hee loued the elect world better then Christ I answere It followeth not For God did not so giue his Sonne as vtterly to part with him he gaue him indeede to suffer death but he gaue him not absolutely away Thirdly if any shall obiect that the Father did not so tenderly loue Christ as this text may seeme to imply because he suffered him to liue so poore in the world so despisedly because he suffered him to be so wronged to die such a death yea because he stood not by him in his afflictions but forsooke him I answere We must not iudge of the loue of God or of his hatred by these outward things The Sunne doth not alwaies shine to vs but it alwaies shines in the firmament So the loue of God doth not alwaies appeare but it is alwaies feruent in him Vse Let this teach vs the more to admire Gods loue towards vs in that he would giue his Sonne whom he loued so deerely for our redemption yea it must teach vs to be content to part with whatsoeuer we loue best for Gods cause Secondly let it be matter of comfort to the children of God For certainly if God hath not spared his Sonne whom he loued so deerely but hath giuen him to death for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all things also As the Apostle speakes Rom. 8.32 Doctrine In whom I am well pleased These words imply or denote vnto vs two points First that God the Father is and euer was well pleased with Christ and secondly in him well pleased with the Church For the first point viz. that God the Father is and euer was well pleased with Christ himselfe it is euident First because he is the Sonne of his loue and can any one hate his sonne whom he loueth Secondly because he neuer transgressed the will of his Father at any time and what father is there but he must needes be well pleased with such a Sonne Thirdly it is manifest that Christ was highly in the Fathers fauour at all times in that the Father did so mightily preserue him in his infancy in that he assisted him to doe so great workes in that he heard him at all times Iohn 11.42 and in that he graced him by an audible voice from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Obiection But here some may possibly obiect Did not Gods wrath smoake against Christ for our sinnes Did not Christ treade the wine-presse of the Fathers wrath Yea did he not cry my God my God why hast thou forsaken me vpon the crosse And if so how then is it true that Christ was alwaies in fauour with God Answ I answere Christ endured indeede the wrath of God for sinne namely for the sinnes of the Church and thus Gods wrath did smoake against him and did not spare him but the lord was able to distinguish betwixt Christs person and our sinnes and to expresse his wrath against sinne but yet to be well pleased with his Sonne Vse Let this teach vs not to iudge of the fauour or hatred of God meerely by outward sence God was well pleased with Christ when Christ in the meane time endured persecution and pouerty a shamefull death yea the pangs of hell in his soule in the Garden and vpon the crosse God hid his countenance from Christ in his greatest extreamitie and yet Christ was in great fauour with him And so I say to poore deiected Christians though they may be in great extremitie for a time as though God had vtterly forsaken them yet let them not despaire they may be in base estate for the present and yet be highly fauoured of God with the virgin Mary Luke 1.48.28 They may possibly cry out with Christ my God my God why hast thou forsaken me and yet indeede be in great fauour with God as we see in this text But to come to the second point As God was alwaies well pleased with his Sonne so in him he is well pleased with his Church And the same point is also implyed in these words In whom I am well pleased For the proofe of the point I referre the reader to that in Ephes 2.16 where it is said that Christ hath reconciled both Iewes and Gentiles to God in one body by the crosse And to that in Coll. 1.20 where it is said of Christ that hee made peace through the blood of his crosse and reconciled all things in heauen and earth Obiection If any shall obiect that in Psal 106.40 that Gods wrath was kindled against his people in so much that he abhorred his owne inheritance and therefore that God is not fully reconciled to his Church or throughly well pleased with it Answer I answere God indeede is
not onely to heare but also to obey We were with him That is we three Peter and Iames and Iohn for these were the three which Christ led along with him when he went into the mountaine where he was transfigured as appeareth in Marke 9.2 And it is a thing to be obserued that Christ admitted these three aboue the rest of the Apostles vnto diuers businesses as when he raised Iairus his daughter he suffered no man to goe in with him saue Peter and Iames and Iohn and the father and mother of the maide Luke 8.57 Also when he went apart to pray he tooke Peter and Iames and Iohn with him commanding the rest of his Disciples to stay behind in a place which he appointed them Marke 14.33 And so here when Christ went to be transfigured he tooke with him Peter and Iames and Iohn And the reason may be first because Iames Cephas and Iohn seemed to be Pillars as we reade Galat. 2.9 Secondly it was out of Christs owne freedome it was lawfull for Christ freely to vouchsafe certaine priuiledges vnto these three which he would not vouchsafe the rest of the Apostles We were with him Whence obserue that Doctrine It is an especiall priuiledge to be conuersant with Christ So it is pleaded here we were with him when others were not admitted We see by experience that it is a priuiledge to be familiar with great men for great personages will not be familiar with euerie one neither is it fit they should How much more then is it a priuiledge to haue familiaritie with God Secondly the benefits receiued by familiaritie with God do proue it to be an especiall priuiledge For first by being familiar or conuersant with Christ we learne many things according to that in Prou. 13.20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise Secondly by being conuersant with Christ we receiue contentment and ioy as it is said Ioh. 3.20 But the friend of the Bridegroome which standeth and heareth him reioyceth greatly because of the Bridegroomes voice Thirdly by being conuersant with Christ we are in safety This Ieremy acknowledgeth in his twentieth chapter and eleuenth verse The Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one therefore my persecuters shall stumble and they shall not preuaile Obiection But some may possibly obiect Yea but if any be continually in Christs presence he must walke very accurately he must not speake an idle word nor haue a wanton looke And this degree of precisenesse may seeme rather to be a bondage then a priuiledge Answ It is indeed a bondage to the wicked and gracelesse to be exercised in true holinesse but vnto the childe of God it is the sweetest freedome in the world Vse Let it therefore teach vs to labour for this priuiledge to wit to walke with God and to be conuersant with him and that we may attaine thereunto obserue we these directions First we must be conuersant in the word 1. Iohn 1.3 That which we haue seene and heard declare we vnto you that yee also may haue fellowship with vs and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ Secondly we must beware of sinne for God will haue no fellowship with the stoole of wickednesse and If we say that we haue fellowship with him and walke in darkenesse we lie and do not the truth 1. Iohn 1.6 Thirdly we must be very conuersant in works of holinesse For where two or three are gathered together in Christs name there is he in the midst of them Math. 18.20 Vse Let it also teach Christians which are partakers of this priuiledge of hauing fellowship with God to be thankfull As Henock was much bound to God for this fellowship and Abraham and Moses and Peter and Iames and Iohn euen so art thou which enioyest this fellowship though it be in an inferior degree If a King should admit thee into great familiaritie with him and thou shouldest despise it and make light of it were it not most iust for him to cashiere thee out of his presence and to depriue thee of his princely familiarity Euen so if God vouchsafe to be familiar with thee and thou prize it not how iust is it for him to hide his countenance from thee and to depriue thee of his familiaritie Vse Lastly this sheweth the miserie of the wicked for they are not partakers of this priuiledge of hauing fellowship with Christ but their fellowship is with the diuels with them they conuerse with them they consult of them they are taught and them they obey In the holy mount Here it may be demanded Why Christ was transfigured rather in a mountaine then in a valley This might be for this reason namely that the eminency of the place might put the Apostles in minde to lift their hearts vp vnto God and to haue their mindes aboue in this holy businesse For what was the reason that the Temple was built vpon an hill but for the same cause And what was the cause that Abraham went vp into the mountaine to offer his sonne Isaac but for the same reason Vse Let this teach vs in heauenly matters to haue our hearts aboue Heauenly actions should be performed with an heauenly minde and that we may doe so obserue we these rules First we must empty our mindes of worldly occasions before we come into Gods house we must leaue these as seruants at the foote of the hill as Abraham did 2. We must vndertake holy businesses with preparation 3. We must beware of such obiects as disperse our thoughts in the time of Gods ordinance Holy mount Why was this mountaine called holy more then another mountaine Surely not in respect of the earth or matter whereof it consisted but because of Gods presence The point hence to be obserued is this viz. that Doctrine Euery place during the time of Gods especiall presence and holy ordinance is holy Yea the very open fields and mountains are holy vpon this occasion as we reade Exod. 3.5 Moses come not nigh put off thy shoes the place where thou standest is holy ground Hence it is that Gods temple is tearmed an holy Temple in Psal 5.7 and in diuers other places of the Psalmes Vse This makes against them which carry themselues vnreuerently in the house of God and that in the very time of Gods ordinances either by sleeping or gazing or by pride or by stealing c. Of these it may truly bee said Thine holy Temple haue they defiled and My Fathers house is the house of prayer but you haue made it a denne of theeues Secondly this must teach vs to reuerence Gods Sanctuary as we are taught Leuit. 19.30 Whilest we labour to shunne the superstitious opinions which idolaters haue of their Temples we must take heede that we fall not into the other extremitie to wit to haue a base opinion of Gods house We haue a more sure word of Prophecy Or as it is
but a little light at the first yet it brings great ioy both to man and beast so effectuall illumination though it be weake as the first yet being in truth it bringeth ioy to the Angels for the very Angels reioyce of the conuersion of a sinner Luke 15. It bringeth ioy to the friends of a conuert for what true friend is there but he reioyceth to see his friend conuerted It bringeth ioy to God himselfe for the father of the prodigall reioyceth to see the returne of his prodigall and gracelesse sonne It bringeth ioy to the Church of God for what true member is there but he reioyceth to see the body of Christ to be more and more perfected Lastly it bringeth comfort or at the least matter of comfort to the party himselfe which is enlightened Doth not a man reioyce to see the light shine in at the window after a darke and dismall night how much more hath he cause to reioyce in that he himselfe who was darknesse is now made light in the Lord Thirdly as the dawning though it be but a small light at the first yet it groweth greater and greater vntill the perfect day So it is with true illumination It is a growing light Prou. 4.18 But the path of the iust is as a shining light which shineth more and more till the perfect day Fourthly as the dawning is procured by the light of the Sunne euen so true illumination floweth from Christ as from the Sunne of Righteousnesse The day-spring which visiteth vs is from on high that is from Christ Lu. 1.78 And God which caused light to shine out of darkenesse hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 4.6 Thus we see in some measure the reasons why true illumination is compared to the dawning Againe we are to note further that as it is here compared to the dawning so it is likewise to the morning Starre and that for these reasons first because as the morning Starre is a beautifull creature so is grace much more glorious Secondly as the morning Starre is the fore-runner of the Sunne or of a greater light then it selfe so grace is the fore-runner of glory Thirdly as the morning Starre vanisheth when the Sunne appeareth so faith which is one of the first graces it vanisheth away when Christ shall appeare and when we shall receiue that which we beleeued or hoped for Quest May not the reprobate haue this dawning and day starre arise in their hearts Answer No verily For though they haue some kinde of enlightening yet they cannot attaine effectuall illumination their enlightning is as the light of some vapour or exhalation streaming in the aire which sometimes causeth men to thinke that it is breake of the day when it is not or it is like vnto a blazing starre which seemeth to be a starre when it is nothing lesse And there is a manifest difference betwixt the light of the elect and the light of the reprobate 1. Because the light of the elect is an effectuall light the light of the reprobate vneffectuall 1. Thessalonians 2.13 2. Because the light of the elect is a growing light the light of the reprobate not so 2. Tim. 3.13 3. Because the light of the elect is a transforming light making them better but the light of the reprobate neither transformeth nor maketh better Romans 1.32 verse Vntill the day dawne Whence obserue Doctrine How long we ought to giue heed to the word of God to wit vntill we receiue benefit by the same yea vntill we be effectually enlightned thereby vntill the day dawne in our hearts and the day Starre of Christs spirit arise in vs. And it is necessary that we should continue in diligence in this kinde vnto this time I meane vntill we receiue profit for otherwise our labour would proue to be in vaine If a man knocke at a doore vnlesse he haue patience to stay vntill some come to the doore to giue him an answer his knocking is in vaine Or if a Scholler come to this or that Schoole if he be not content to remayne in the Schoole vntill such time as he may be taught and perfected his coming to the Schoole is in vaine euen so if any shall come for a time to heare Gods word and will not be content to waite vntill it shall please God to worke effectually vpon them their coming is meerely vaine Obiection But some possibly will say I haue beene an hearer of the word these many yeares and yet I cannot see that euer I receiued any benefit by my hearing to what end should I heare any longer Answ Yes there is reason thou shouldest be constant in hearing for thou knowest not at what houre thou shalt be called into the Vine-yard whether at the ninth houre or at the eleuenth Obiection If any shall obiect further and say Are we bound therefore onely to heare Gods word vntill we be effectually wrought vpon and may we then lawfully cast it off Not so but the Spirit of God laboureth especially to strengthen vs to hold out till we be effectually wrought vpon because we are in the greatest danger to cast off the word in our carnall estate when we finde no relish in it For a Christian that is effectually wrought vpon indeede we need not almost bid him giue diligence to the word for he hungereth and thirsteth after it as after his appointed food The like place we haue 1. Timothie 4.11 Till I come giue attendance to reading c. it is not meant he should cast it off then Obiection But suppose a man heare the word all his lifetime or at the least a great part of his life and still the day dawne not in his heart Is he bound still to attend Answ Yes verily he is bound to reade in the word of God all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord Deut. 17.19 Vse This serues iustly to reproue the peeuishnesse of many which if they receiue not benefit by the word at the first or second or third hearing they will presently cast off all and heare no longer These are like vnto him in 2. Kings 6.33 which cried This euill is of the Lord what should I waite for the Lord any longer O wicked persons how long hath the Lord waited your leisure how long hath he expected your repentance and you repented not And are you not content to stay his leisure for mercy and for your owne good Of priuate interpretation By priuate interpretation we are to vnderstand such interpretation as any by their naturall wit or naturall gifts shall giue vpon the Scriptures without the helpe of the Spirit of God The point hence to be noted is that Doctrine None is able to interpret Scriptures by their owne naturall vnderstanding or naturall helpes without the Spirit of God For the proofe of this