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
a subiection to all the ordinances of CHRIST Thus of Presentation Sanctification followes Holy vnblameable and vnreproueable in his sight At the first sight I should encline to vnderstand these words eyther of Iustification or our consumate holinesse at the day of iudgement but that the sway of interpreters force me to expound them of Sanctification It is greatly to be weighed that a man in this life should be heresaid to be holy vnblameable and vnreproueable or as the other Translation hath it without fault in his sight For the better conceiuing of it wee must compare with these words other Scripture wherein is giuen vnto the godly that they haue cleane hands and a pure heart Psal. 24.4 that they are pure Prou. 21.8 vpright in heart Psal. 97.11 sanctified throughout 1 Thes. 5.23 perfect or vndefiled in their way Psal. 119.1 perfect 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 3.15 Matth. 5.48 faultlesse Iud. 24. without spot and blamelesse 1 Pet. 3.14 walking in all Gods wayes 1 King 8.58 and that they keepe Gods couenant Psal. 25.10 78.8.10 132.22 Thus Noah is said to be perfect Gen. 6.9 Ezekiah walked before God with a perfect heart Esa. 38. Dauids heart was perfect 1 King 11.4 Zachariah and Elizabeth were both righteous before God and walking in all the commandements of the Lord blamelesse Luke 1.6 The question is how those sayings should be true and in what sence they are ment And for the clearing of the doubt the way is not simply to reiect the propositions as impious and vntrue and hereticall as some ignorant and malicious persons doe but seeing they are the sacred words of Scripture to consider what it is may be attained and what God requires of vs. To thinke with the Papists or Anabaptists that any mortall man can performe the obedience required in the morall Law perfectly so as neuer to commit sinne against the Law is a most blasphemous detestable and cursed opinion for there is no man that sinneth not the best of the Saints haue had their thousands of sinnes But those places are to be vnderstood of the righteousnesse of the Christian as hee is considered to be vnder the couenant of grace and the Gospell not of legall perfection but of an Euangelicall innocency and vprightnesse Not as their workes are in themselues but comparatiuely eyther with the workes of wicked men or as they are in their desire and endeauour and as they are presented in the intercession of Christ who couers the imperfectâ—ons that cleaue to the workes of the faithfull Sometimes the faithfull are said to be perfect that is strong men in CHRIST compared with the weake Christian and Infant in grace so that weâ— see what a Christian in this life may attaine vnto the rigour of the Law being taken away in the couenant of grace and the imperfections of his workes and fraâ—ltie being couered in Christs intercession Holy This word Holy is the generall and comprehends the other two For holinesse is eyther internall and that is expressed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnblameable or externall and so it is exprest in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnreproueable Holinesse is giuen to God and so essentially to the spirit of God and so effectiuely because it workes it in others to Christ as hee deriues it by influence to his members To Angels Matth. 25. to sacrifices by way of type to the Couenant of GOD as it promiseth holinesse to the faithfull to the Prophets as Teachers of holinesse to the Scriptures as the rule of holinesse to places for the holinesse of the subiect but heere it is a glorious adiunct conferred vpon the faithfull by Christ. Concerning holinesse of heart and life in generall there are here foure things to be noted 1. The necessitie of it we can neuer be reconciled or glorified without it Tit. 2.12.13 2. The difficultie of it lesse then the power of Christ crucified cannot make men lead a holy life 3. the meritorious cause of it holinesse is merited by Christ as well as saluation 4. The order men must first be reconciled to God before they can get holy grace or lead a holy life Vnblameable Christian perfection hath two things in it First vprightnesse of heart noted by this word Secondly vprightnesse of life noted by the word following Internall perfection or holinesse must haue these things in it First the staine of former sinnes must be washed away with the teares of repentance Secondly the inward worship of God must be set vp in the heart some impressions men haue of an externall worship but of the inward worship men are naturally almost wholy ignorant God is inwardly worshipped by the constant exercise of grace from aboue as Loue Feare Trust Delight Desire c. 3. There must be in vs an assurance of Gods fauor 4. There must be a freedome from preuailing euils in the mind or affections as ignorance wicked thoughts errours in the affections or impatiencie lust seruile feare of men malice c. 5. Hypocrisie must not raigne our desire must be more to be good then to seeme so 6. Our whole heart must be set vpon Gods whole Lawe to haue respect vnto all Gods Commandements God abhorres a diuided heart a double heart 7. The minde must be set vpon heauenly things and conuerse in heauen Where these things are happily attained vnto there the heart is vpright whatsoeuer defects or infirmities be in it these things are different in Christians in the degrees for there is an infancy and weaknesse in sanctification as well as Faith The signes of an vpright heart are these first it desires perfection secondly it will not cease well-doing for crosses thirdly it will serue God though alone fourthly it will not follow the eye it is not sensuall fiftly it reioyceth in the loue of CHRIST aboue all things sixtly It will smite for lesser sinnes as Dauids did 2 Sam. 24. seauenthly it is constant That we may attaine an vpright and vnblameable heart in generall wee must get a new heart in particular 1. wee must by mortification circumcise our hearts 2. we must get Gods Law written in our hearts 3. we must seeke and loue puritie of heart 4. we must keepe our hearts with all diligence lastly wee must walke before God Motiues to inward holinesse First wee shall neuer see the righteousnesse of God imputed till we be vpright in heart Secondly a pure heart is one of the clearest signes of a blessed man Thirdly God searcheth to finde what mens hearts are as well as what their liues are Fourthly the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth to shew himselfe strong with all them that are of a perfect heart Fiftly light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in hart Lastly the whole 125. Psalme incites hereunto
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
holy desire after this necessary grace two things are further to be considered 1 The Benefits men might haue by Faith 2 The wofull estate of those that want it The Benefits may be ordered into fiue ranckes 1 What Faith deliuereth vs from 2 What it preserues vs against 3 What the weakest Faith getteth 4 What we might get if we laboured for a greater growth in Faith 5 How it fits vs for heauen For the first Faith doth deliuer vs First from the darkenesse and blindnesse wee liued in before Whosoeuer beleeueth in mee shall not abide in darkenesse Wee no sooner by Faith taste of the Bread of life but the vaile of ignorance which naturally couereth all flesh is torne and rent as the Prophet Isay sheweth notably Isay 25.8 Secondly it deliuers vs from those wofull euils which as so many abhominations doe defile both the Vnderstanding and Affections Faith purifieth the heart No wonder though men be continually surcharged with euill thoughts and most vile affections and strange euils within seeing we are so hardly gotten to set about the earnest labour after spirituall application of the merits and righteousnesse of Christ which righteousnesse neuer can be imputed by Faith but it is infused by the Spirit of Sanctification at the same time Neyther is there any more clearer testimonie of the want of iustifying Faith then the continuall preuayling of euill thoughts and affections Thirdly it deliuers vs from the Law not onely from the Ceremoniall Law and other beggerly Rudiments but also from the Morall Law in two things onely first from the Curse of it which is wholy taken away by the imputation of Christs Passion secondly from the Rigour of it so that as it is commanded in the Gospell it may not exact of Beleeuers an impossible perfection but onely an Euangelicall and accepted vprightnes we are not now vnder the Law but vnder Grace as the Apostle shewes in the Epistle to the Romanes and Galathians at large And hence it is that the same Apostle saith that the Law is not giuen vnto a righteous man but vnto the lawlesse and disobedient meaning that so long as wee continue in our naturall estate so long wee haue this as one part of our miserie that wee are lyable to the Curses and impossible Exactions of the most righteous Law but from the time that we are effectually called and gathered vnto CHRIST we are not vnder the Law in these two respects which is an admirable mercy Fourthly Faith deliuers vs from the power of the first death being by Nature dead in sinnes and trespasses hauing no more sence of the things that belong vnto the Kingdome of Christ then a dead man in nature hath of the benefits of life By the power of Faith eternall life is begunne here which is called while we liue here the life of Grace and after death is stiled by the name of the life of Glory Lastly it deliuers men from eternall destruction for Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish Thus of the first sort of benefits Secondly Faith hath a power to preserue vs and that in three things First it preserues from many fearefull spirituall diseases in the soule hence commeth that Metaphoricall speech of being sound or whole or heathfull in the faith Hence that he saith Wee follow Faith vnto the conseruation of the Soule Heb. 10.39 Secondly it preserues vs against the vse of ill meanes for He that beleeueth maketh not hast Herein is a speciall tryall of Faith and is a worthy testimonie of vprightnesse when men can so rest vpon God that they will not be entangled with those profits that eyther the time makes vnseasonable as the Sabbath or the meanes make sinfull as deceipt lying c. but can chearefully beleeue that the same God that now tries him with the occasions of profit in such time and manner can giue him as much profit at a lawfull time and by lawfull meanes It is most difficult for an vnsanctified minde to forbeare eyther time or meanes when profit and pleasure intise Lastly how miserable is our life here many times in respect of the temptations with which Sathan doth fire vs Now if there were in vs conscionable respect of certaine application of Gods fauour there is a secret power in Faith as an Helmet not onely to keepe off but extinguish the fiery darts of the Diuell And the true reason why our life is continually assaulted and why the world lyeth vanquished vnder a thousand miseries is onely because men doe not labour for a particular assurance of Gods loue in CHRIST which being once had wee should soone see an happy victory ouer the World Hell and Death in respect of the beginnings of many heauenly contentments In the third place we are to consider the benefits which the weakest Faith obtayneth and they are especially sixe First it iustifies and giues vs a portion in the most meritorious intercession of Christ at the right hand of God it is no sooner had but it makes the sinner iust before God this is euery where proued Secondly it gathereth men into the family of Abraham and that as Sonnes yea the least Faith makes a man blessed with faithfull Abraham so that if Abrahams case were happy then is euery Childe of God so Thirdly it makes men not onely the Sonnes of Abraham but the Sonnes of God also by Adoption As many as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the Sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Fourthly by Faith the Sonne of God by an invtterable presence doth dwell in the hearts of the Sonnes of men Ephes. 3.16 Fiftly the meanest Faith that is a true Faith doth euer come attended with many holy Graces and therefore to dispute of Faith is to dispute of Temperance Righteousnesse c. Acts 24.25 Lastly Faith according to the measure of it is the foundation of all the hope that makes men happy therefore it is called the ground of the things which are hoped for and the euidence of things not seene Fourthly if men would labour for the increase of Faith and once get a certainetie concerning Gods fauour they might enioy many blessings more then they doe euen in this life First it might be vnto vs according to our faith what greater indulgence can be desired from God Secondly men might liue by their Faith that is they might haue from their Faith continually arguments both of comfort and direction euen in their carriage about the things of this life Thirdly wee might haue the sence of peace with God accesse vnto Grace wherein we might stand and be filled with ioy in the hope of the glory of God to be reuealed yea to be made able to hold vp their heads and reioyce in afflictions c. Fourthly there is a power in Faith to put such life into the sacred Scriptures that they would be able to make
these 3. things Faith Loue and Patience requires most an end Experience and a daily acquainting our selues with the things of the Kingdome of Christ. When we are driuen by often crosses to seeke comfort in Gods children and by much obseruation doe find the worth of the comforts that arise from holy Society with them Many are the incredible weakenesses that discouer themselues in the hearts of yonger and weaker Christians but it is a shame for the elder men if they be not sound in loue Tit. 2.2 Seuenthly we must by all holy means strengthen and encourage and set our selues vpon perseuerance in the profession of our hope for if once wee giue ouer profession it will be easie to see loue vanish a wauering profession is vnconstant in Loue. Lastly if we would neuer forsake the fellowship we haue one with another as the manner of some wicked hypocrites and damnable Apostataes is then we must with all Christian care Consider one anothers weakenesses and wants and be continually prouoking inciting and incouraging one another to loue and to good workes Thus of the helps In the last place I propounded to be considered the defects that are found in the loue that is abroad in the world with which the common Protestant pleaseth himselfe I will not here complaine that loue is turned into lust and that that damnable infection hath stained heauen earth and polluted our houses brought a curse vpon our Assemblies debased our gentrie dishonoured our Nobles corrupted our youth and made heauy our elder Age or shew how it hath brought vpon vs famine and pestilence but to let this passe I will speake of the honester loue and wherein thinke you standeth it First in the ciuiller sort in complements neuer more complements and lesse loue Secondly in freedome from suites a Law and quarrelling they are in charity with all the world if they can shew that they neuer were quarrelsome or that they are friends againe Thirdly in the baser sort it is meere Ale-house friendship their loue stands wholy in going to the Ale-house together these are the onely fellowes and good neighbours and commonly here is set vp the Diuels bench and Proclamation made of free pardon for filthy Ribauldry for drunken spewings and Viper-like slanders belched out against good men Fourthly many out of their ignorance know none other loue then of themselues or for themselues of others But yet more plainely the defectiuenesse of the common Protestants loue appeares diuersly First by the vsuall sinnes which are rife amongst them euen such as batter the fortresse of Loue. How can they please themselues in their charitie if we consider how Malice Reuenge Anger Slandering Backe-biting and all sorts of prouocations to anger are euery-where abounding What more vsuall then Selfe-loue what more common then Enuy Shall I instance The Trades-man while hee is rising is so fleshed with successe and stuffed with the greedy desire of profit that hee cares not whom hee wrongs nor how much hee becomes preiudiciall to other mens trade But this man is not so filled with Selfe-loue but the declining Trades-man that hath ouerliued his prime is euery way as well filled with Enuy. And thus men are not in chaâ—itie neyther full nor fasting Secondly it appeares to be defectiue in the Obiects of Loue in a chiefe Companion of Loue in the Parts of Loue and in the Manner of louing For the first the onely men that are chiefely to be loued and our affection to be spent vpon are the Saints that is such religious persons as make conscience of all their wayes but are these the men the common Protestant loues Oh times oh manners what men finde worse entertainment in the world then these Is not the least endeauour after holinesse chased and pursued with open hates dislikes slanders Can a man refraine himselfe from euill and not be made a prey Doth there any liue godly and they persecute him not Away false wretch saist thou thou art in charitie with all men and yet canst not beare the Image of God in a childe of God For the second all true Loue ought to be accompanied with Faith yea it ought to be founded vpon Faith and therefore herein is the common loue of the world defectiue that a communion with men is not first sanctified by vnion with God These men that boast so much of their charitie neuer made conscience of seeking the assurance of Gods fauour in Christ neyther euer trauailed vnder the burthen of their sinnes so as to seeke forgiuenesse as the true blessednesse Thirdly the common Protestant is exceedingly to blame in the very maine duties of Loue no tendernesse of heart no true Hospitalitie and for mercy to the poore the old complaints may be taken vp There is no mercy in the Land Mercifull men are taken away Wee may now adayes wayte for some Samaritane to come and proue himselfe a neighbour and for societie and fellowship in the Gospell with Gods people it will neuer sincke into the vnderstanding of these carnall men that that is any way expedient and finally in all the branches of Clemencie before expressed where is the man that makes conscience of them And for the last it is easily auouched that the Loue that is found in the most men is neyther brotherly nor without grosse fayning and hypocrisie nor proceedeth it from a heart in any measure purified and lastly it is so farre from being feruent that it is stone colde Thus of Loue. Verse 5. For the Hopes sake which is laid vp for you in Heauen IN these words is mentioned the third Grace for which the Apostle giues thankes and that is Hope Hope is here taken both for the thing hoped for viz. the glory of heauen as also the Grace by which it is apprehended but especially the latter Heauen is diuersly accepted in Scripture sometimes it signifieth the Ayre sometimes it signifieth the whole vpper world that compasseth the earth sometimes for the Kingdome of Grace and the meanes thereof but most vsually for the place of the blessed and the glory thereof and so it is taken here Hope as it is here considered by the Apostle lookes two wayes first by relation to and coherence with Faith and Loue for the Hopes sake secondly by a full aspect vpon the obiect of it which is intimated in the Metaphor laid vp and expressed in the word Heauens First of Hope as it is to be considered in the Coherence There is an admirable Wisedome and Mercy of God in the very manner of dispensing of his Graces for hee makes one Grace crowne another and become a recompence and reward to another as here for Hopes sake Gods Children breake through the difficulties of Faith and the impediments and discouragements of Loue. When God sees how many wayes the heart of man is beset in the spirituall combat about the getting and exercise of those two Graces hee is pleased by his Word and Spirit
of the 7. Verse Out of the 8. Verse I obserue diuers things First from the word declared as it is here vsed and applyed to reports I note that those things are to be reported and spoken that may giue light to the hearers A good mans report tends to cleare things in the mindes of them that heare him there should be light and a Lantherne in our words To this end wee should vse wisedome and truth and meeknesse when wee speake Wisedome by preparing our selues to speake Truth to report things as they are and Meekenesse to auoid passion for anger is a great darkener Wee should also take heede of diuers sinnes in both Tables that greatly corrupt the hearers not onely in the generall but in this that they greatly darken and make muddy the vnderstanding of man As in the first Table discourses or disputes of Atheisme against the Word Religion or Ordinances of God Apologies for Idolaters or Idolatrous Religion in whole or in part the very naming of vices or Idols without disgracing or hating of them Impatiencie or murmuring against God and such like And in the second Table flattery tale-bearing false accusing rash iudgement answering of matters before they be heard are great darkeners of the vnderstanding Secondly in that Epaphras intending to complaine of them for their corruptions in opinion and worship doth here first declare their prayses and graces of Gods Spirit It shewes that it is a worthy grace to be apt to expresse others iust prayses especially when wee are to speake of their faults for that will shew that wee are free from enuie ostentation or disdaine and that wee seeke not our owne things that wee are not suspitious nor thinke euill nor reioyce in euill Loue in the spirit Loue is eyther in God or in man in God there is the personall loue of Christ the loue of the Creature the loue of man and the loue of goodnesse or good men In man there is both the loue by which hee loues God and the loue by which hee loues man I take it here it is meant of whatsoeuer loue the Spirit worketh in man Of Loue I haue spoken at large before here onely I note briefely two things in generall First the necessitie of Loue secondly the tryall of it both in the negatiue For the first If the true loue of God and Gods children be not in vs we haue not faith nor the Spirit of God for Loue is the fruit of the Spirit nor the Seale of our Election nor a pure heart or good conscience nor strength to hold out against errours And for tryall first of our loue to God Wee must know that hee loues not God that will not come to Christ for life that keepes not his Commandements that is ashamed of the crosse and profession of Christ that loues not the word so as to hide as precious treasure in his heart the instructions and comforts of the Word that is not inflamed and inwardly constrayned to an ardent desire of holy duties in that place God hath set him in that serues the lust or loue of his profit sports and carnall delights And for tryall of our loue to men hee loues not his neighbour first that cannot doe it in the Spirit that is in spirituall things and from his heart according to the direction and motions of Gods Spirit secondly that doth or worketh euill to his neighbour thirdly that wilfully will offend his brother in a thing indifferent fourthly that will not pray for his neighbour fiftly that is not prone to shew mercy Quest. But how must I loue my Neighbour Ans. As Christ loued vs and that hath foure things in it For Christ loued vs first and though wee were his inferiours and for our profit and with an euerlasting loue so should wee first wee must loue with a preuenting loue secondly wee must loue though they be meaner persons in place or gifts then we thirdly wee must loue them for their profit and good not for our owne and lastly we must loue continually and feruently Verse 9. For this cause we also since the day we heard of it cease not to pray for you and to desire that ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding 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 Verse 11. Strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long-suffering with ioyfulnesse THese words are the second part of the Preface wherein he sheweth that hee prayed for them which hee both generally affirmes and specially declares The generall Affirmation is in these words For this cause wee also since the day wee heard of it ceast not to pray for you The speciall Declaration is in the words that follow And to desire that yee might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will and so forward to the end of the 11. Verse In the affirmation are three things first an Intimation of a reason for this cause secondly the Notation of time since the day wee heard of it thirdly the Matter affirmed wee cease not to pray for you In generall wee may plainely obserue that the desires of our hearts and endeauours of our liues ought not to be imployed for our owne good onely but for the good of others Wee are neyther borne nor borne againe for our selues Sanctified and holy men haue beene full of constant and ardent affections and desires after the good of Gods Children The manifestation of the spirit is giuen to euery member to profit withall Religious Loue seeketh not his owne things wee should not seeke our owne things as many doe but that which is Iesus Christs viz. that which tends to his glory and the profit of his members yea Christians should serue one another by loue hee is not of God that hath not holy affections to promote so farre as in him lyeth the good of Gods Children Herein are the Children of God and the children of the Diuell vsually knowne certainly that which any man is in Religion hee is relatiuely if not fit to serue the body then not fit to be of the body he is not a Saint that seekes not communion of Saints This may serue First to shew the misery of such as haue no inflamed desires after the good of Gods Children Secondly it may giue vs occasion to examine our selues what good the body of Christ reapes by vs. If any Christian of lesse power gifts and meanes in the world aske what good can I doe to Christians I answere if thou canst doe nothing else thou canst pray to God for them and desire their good reioyce in their prosperitie and mourne for their miseries neyther let this be thought a meane and vnprofitable seruice to the body for wee see
get Wisedome also 1 Cor. 1.24.30 Acts 6.3 Ephes. 1.8.17 Vse is first for confutation of those that hold all labour for the attaining of spirituall things to be folly of most men those to be fooles that make such adoe about the vse of the meanes of Saluation But it is certaine that Christ that giues godly men righteousnesse giues them Wisedome Religion doth not make men foolish but giues wisedome to the simple Secondly Professors should be aduised to make conscience of discretion in their carriage as well as holinesse and to this end they should take heed 1. Of pettishnesse and peeuishnesse a vice should be onely found in the bosome of fooles 2. Of conceitednesse a foule vice to be so wise in their owne conceit that their owne wayes should alwayes so please them that they thinke better of themselues then of seauen men that can giue a reason 3. Of rash medling with other mens businesse or prying into their estates mens eyes should not be in euery corner of the world Lastly of vnaduised opennesse in all companies without respect or heedfulnes to poure out all their mindes Thus of the generall Doctrines The first part of sauing Knowledge is here rendred Vnderstanding and is Contemplatiue Knowledge Contemplatiue Knowledge hath in it two things Apprehension and Meditation that is the power to discerne Doctrine and the power to meditate of it both are needfull and in both men are exceeding wanting especially in the power of Meditation If you aske mee what the obiect is about which wee should meditate it is answered before it is the Will of God determining approuing prescribing and disposing And it is no wonder that men get so little knowledge or are so vnable for contemplation because euery one is not capable of it the Scorner may in a passion seeke Wisedome but hee cannot finde it Besides the meanes must be vsed especially in Contemplation it is exceeding hard to hold any course constantly but the ground must be from matter of prayer or hearing or reading Further many things are required to fit a man to capablenesse and power of holy Contemplation First Chastitie of heart and affections for such as are carryed about with lusts are euer learning but neuer come to the knowledge of the truth Secondly Meekenesse or rest of heart from the hurry of disordered affections and troubled passions hasty affections and a foolish minde are inseperable hee that is passionate can lift vp no holy thoughts but hee can easily exalt folly Thirdly A good minde that is an vnderstanding not exercised in imagining and plodding of euill men of wicked imaginations are vtterly disabled from contemplation Fourthly Humilitie or a tender sence of ones owne wants and vnworthinesse the proud-conceited man for matter of Meditation is of an emptie minde vnlesse it be that they dote about questions or strife of words or vaine disputations that tend to nothing but strife or vaine ostentation Besides a heart fatted and fleshed with presumptuous hopes or profits and pleasures and hardened through long custome and practise of sinne is almost wholy blinded in the things that belong to the Kingdome of Christ These men haue eyes and see not and eares and are as if they heard not To passe from this poynt of Knowledge Contemplatiue I conclude onely with the consideration of the 8. of the Prouerbes where it is the drift of the holy Ghost to perswade men to seeke to store their hearts with knowledge both for sense and Vse Wisedome cries to be heard God would faine fasten knowledge vpon all sorts of men Now if any should aske why Wisdome is so importunate or wherefore they must set all aside to get her there are three Reasons giuen First because wee are naturally foolish and not wise in heart there is no inward substance of sound knowledge in vs Vers. 5. Secondly the things to be imparted are the most excellent in heauen and earth Vers. 6. Thirdly no knowledge but this but it is stayned with errour or lewdnesse now in the Scripture wee are sure of two things Truth and Puritie Obiect But the Doctrine of Religion as it is reuealed in Scripture is exceeding crosse and contrary to our natures Sol. It is answered that there is no frowardnesse in it it is in vs not in the Doctrine it selfe Vers. 8. Obiect But the study of sauing knowledge is exceeding difficult Sol. That is answered Vers. 9. My words are all plaine to him that will vnderstand and straight to him that would finde knowledge If there were a constant desire and endeauour in men they would finde great successe Obiect But it is not a profitable course nor gainefull Sol. That is denied Vers. 10.11 Knowledge is better then Siluer or Gold or precious Stones and it is more thrift to get it then to get riches Obiect But I see that many that follow Sermons and study the Scriptures are very indiscreete and men of no reach nor parts Sol. It is answered Vers. 12. that Wisedome dwels with Prudence or Discretion and findes forth Knowledge and Counsels and if men were compared in their present knowledge with what they were before it would appeare that they haue gotten more discretion c. then euer they had therfore it is a meer imputation Obiect Many great professors are men of wicked liues Sol. Vers. 13. The feare of the Lord is to hate euill as Pride and Arrogancie and the euill way and a mouth that speaketh lewd things and therefore if any such be of wicked liues they are hypocrites thrust vnto profession by the Diuell of purpose to shame the study and endeuour after sauing knowledge Obiect But the most that follow Sermons and reade the Bible so much are base persons and men of no fashion in the world Sol. That is denied Vers. 15.16 For the holy wisedome of the Word hath beene the fayrest ornament and helpe and support to Kings Princes Nobles and Iudges By mee Kings raigne and Princes decree Iustice. Obiect But this knowledge fils men with terrours and Melancholy Sol. That is denyed for it is a most louely study I loue them that loue me It is onely terrible to such as so loue their sinnes as they will not part with them Obiect It is a knowledge neuer attayned in any perfection Sol. That is denyed to Vers. 17. They that seeke me earely shall finde mee men get no ripenesse in knowledge because when they vse the meanes their heads are full of cares or lusts c. or they waite not vpon the opportunities and aduantages of the meanes they seeke not earely Obiect But at the least it is an enemy to Thrift and a hinderance to mens outward estates Sol. That is false too and hee giues two Reasons for it Vers. 18.19.20 For first the most durable riches that is better then all gold or pleasure
must take heed of such sinnes as God hates with a speciall hatred for there are some euils which a man being guiltie of God will at no hand be pleased with him as first the sinnes of the third Commandement swearing and cursing and the like for God hath told vs before that what sinnes soeuer hee will beare with yet hee will not hold vs guiltlesse if wee take his Name in vaine Secondly luke-warmnesse in Religion when men are neyther hot nor cold this is so exceeding loathsome vpon Gods stomach he cannot be at rest till he haue spued such persons out Thirdly for a man to blesse his heart when God curseth and to pleade his hopes when God threatneth Fourthly to feare God by mens traditions Fiftly presumptuously to breake Gods Sabaoth Sixtly through impatience or vnbeliefe in aduersitie to with-draw our selues c. and without faith it is vnpossible to please God Seauenthly to offer vnto God the blinde the lame and the sicke the torne and the corrupt thing Eightly to be found in the fashions of the world eyther in life or attyre Ninthly out of frowardnesse and malice to crosse and persecute such as feare God God these please not Thus of walking in all pleasing in respect of God Quest. 2. What must we doe that we may walke pleasingly amongst men Ans. I consider of this first generally then more particularly That wee may please men we must obserue these Rules 1. Wee must be carefull to please God else it is iust with God that though we striue to please men yet we should not attaine to it because we are not in the first place carefull to please God 2. We must get that Philanthropian loue of men into our hearts but especially Philadelphian the loue of the Brethren for this ingenders care and diligence to please and makes the labour thereunto seeme no basenesse or burthen 3. In the generall corruption of our callings wee must liue innocently Samuel is much set by and pleaseth the people when hee stands by Hophni and Phinehas men so egregiously corrupt 4. If wee would please in conuersing wee must learne to beare infirmities 5. Wee must practise those vertues that especially win fauour as curtesie meekenesse candor faithfull dealing though it be to our hinderance wee must giue soft answeres ouercome euill with goodnesse be slow to wrath and forgiue and not reuenge 6. Wee must hate those vices and auoid them which in conuersation appeare hatefull amongst men as back-biting discouery of secrets bitter words boasting suspiciousnesse rashnesse in reproofes and admonition offensiue carriage and the stirring of the infirmities of others In particular we must be carefull to please in the Familie in the Church in the Common-wealth In the Familie 1. The Gouernours must labour to walke in all pleasing and to this end they must gouerne in the Lord and cast the impression of Religion vpon the soules of their people that the reason of their obedience may be the will of God they must retayne wisely their authoritie it is not the way to please to loose the reynes and lose their authoritie they must take notice of vertues as well as vices and reproue in loue not in passion and auoid that behauiour that irritates and prouokes to wrath 2. Inferiours if euer they would please GOD must be carefull to please their Masters Parents and Husbands as bearing the Image of God and to this end they must pray God to make them able both to obey and please they must be teachable and not such as must be continually told of the same fault they must auoyd answearing againe for as a sullen silence is hatefull so prating and hast to answere doth prouoke Lastly they must auoyd such sinnes as proue in their places specially hatefull as pride lying vnfaithfulnesse viz. to be such as cannot be trusted in any thing stubbornnesse slownesse especially when they are sent vpon busines As in the Familie so in the Church Ministers must walke in all pleasing and to this end they must practise what they preach and auoyd enuy passion contention and partialitie they must be wise and gentle apt to teach and instruct in meekenesse though they be opposed they must be vigilant sober of good behauiour giuen to hospitalitie they must not be pot-companions or quarrelsome or couetous more desiring and delighting in the the gaine of the Benefice then the profit of the peoples soules they must order their families as well as themselues and keepe their children in subiection and grauitie Peace peace and dawbing with vntempered morter will not make them pleasing though many striue to win applause by such daubing for the conscience of the men that are so soothed doth secretly contemne these plausible seers The Hearers also must striue to please their Teachers and that they may doe so they must yeeld them meete honour and sufficient maintenance but especially they must labour from the heart to yeeld obedience to the doctrine of their Teachers for that pleaseth a faithfull Minister more then all dignities or riches 3 The Magistrate must striue to be pleasing to the people and for that purpose they must be men fearing God studious of the Scriptures louers of the good iust hating couetousnesse louers of the Common-wealth industrious to acquaint themselues with the estate of their flockes walking in and out before the people with all wisedome courage and grauitie carefull to purge out those vices which as euill humours disease the publike body for this easeth and pleaseth the body afterwards such as will charge and remunerate as well as punish countenance the good as well as restraine the euill such as in factions and emulations will cleaue to neyther side men that conceiue a generall care for the persons goods and good name of the Subiect guiding them to holinesse as well as happinesse to sanctitie as well as safetie The people againe must striue to please their Rulers by reuerencing them and obeying them though against their profit with constancy and for conscience sake they must pray for them and speake well of them It was without doubt a great contentment to Dauid that whatsoeuer hee did pleased the people Thus of walking in all pleasing in respect of others Thirdly wee must walke in all pleasing towards our owne Consciences prouiding by all meanes for the rest peace and contentment of our owne hearts within and that this inward peace and pleasing may be had many things are profitable and auayleable 1. Sorrow for our sinnes for this sorrow will be turned into ioy whereas the end of all carnall laughter will be sorrow and vnquietnesse of heart and there is no peace to the wicked and he is wicked that is not contrite in heart 2. The Faith or beliefe of our Iustification in Christ for being iustified by faith
respect men for their Lands apparrell titles parentage c. but for Grace 3. Wee should not much wonder at the disorders are in the world for were it not for the Elect it would soone appeare by the ruine of all how little God cared for rebellious Reprobates 4. It is a great comfort no one of the Elect shall perish for all things be reconciled 5. It should teach vs to make much of them that feare the Lord. Let them be in stead of all things in our account Lastly seeing all things are reconciled now let vs keepe the peace euen the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of Peace To himselfe Some reade in him There is difference betweene for Christ by Christ and in Christ. For noteth the meritorious cause In noteth the coniunction with the head By noteth the instrument Doct. We are reconciled in Christ or vnto Christ. This is true foure wayes 1. As hee is the person by whom we are reconciled 2. As his glory is the end of our reconciliation 3. As his glory and holinesse is the patterne after which our happinesse and holinesse is proportioned 4. In respect of his loue prouidence custody and protection vnto the which we are receiued The Vse of all may be to teach vs 1. To take heede of opposing disgracing or persecuting of such as are reconciled to God for hee that toucheth them toucheth the apple of Christs eye Note hee saith to himselfe 2. In the Vse of all things to carrie our selues so as we prouide to giue account and giue the things to God which are Gods and as good Stewards dispose all things in that time and according to those rules Christ hath appoynted 3. Seeing wee are now brought so neare vnto God wee should humble our selues to walke before him in all reuerence and feare And to this end wee should labour for puritie of heart that wee might see God Yea wee should hate all spirituall pollutions and be zealous in all good workes And seeing God hath chosen vs to himselfe wee should set vp the Lord to be our God to serue him with our whole heart and haue respect to all his Commandements And to this end wee should labour for speciall sinceritie in the profession of Religion an ordinary care will not serue the turne if wee will liue with the multitude wee may perish with the multitude But let vs cleaue to the Lord with a perpetuall Couenant and resolue to receiue him as our guide vnto the death Set at peace The effect of our reconciliation is peace Concerning this peace I propound fiue things 1. Who made it no other can set a peace among the Creatures but he that reconciles men to the Creator he is the Prince of peace the chasticement of our peace was upon him He is our peace 2 With whom the faithfull are at peace they are at peace first vvith themselues Peace rules their hearts Secondly with good Angels Thirdly with the seede of Abraham the Iewes the partition wall is broken downe Fourthly with Gods Ordinances God creating peace or else the Word would alwayes be goring and smiting with the stroakes of warre and words of vengeance Fiftly with the godly Sixtly with all Creatures onely there can be no peace first with the Powers and Principalities for after the two strong men haue fought there is no more peace secondly with the World the World hath hated the Master and therefore the seruants may not looke for better entertaynment 3 The effects of this peace which are principally two first the restitution of soueraignty and dominion ouer the Creatures secondly the safety of the Christian in all estates for from this peace flowes great securitie and protection euen to the poorest Christian eyther from or in dangers 4 That wee may attayne the sense of this peace we must be reconciled to God we must be sincere worshippers we must keepe vs in our wayes wee must get a meeke and quiet spirit wee must in nothing be carefull but in all things shew our requests vnto God wee must loue God and shew it by the loue of the knowledge of his Name Vses First Gods Children should know this priuiledge for themselues it will be a preseruation against sinne 2. Hence wee may gather the misery of all carnall persons that are not reconciled to God They want the protection of Angels they are vnder the gouernment of the God of this world the Creatures are armed against them they are stript of the royall priuiledges arising from the communion with Saints yea God fights against them in and by themselues as by terrours of conscience and by vnquiet affections and passions giuing them ouer to an vnruly heart What are Enuy Malice Lust and Rage but so many weapons to fight against the soule Yea God fights against the sinner by the deadnesse of his heart which both affamisheth the soule in spirituall things and takes away the contentment of outward things By the bloud Here hee notes how wee are reconciled viz. by the bloud of Christ this is that bloud of sprinckling the bloud of the immaculate Lambe the bloud of the euerlasting Couenant Christs owne bloud Many are the fruits and effects of the bloud of Christ 1. We are elected through it 2. It ratifies the Couenant of God 3. It is that Reconciliation iustifying vs from our former sinnes 4. It ioynes Iew and Gentile together in one Citie yea in one house 5. It purgeth the Conscience from dead workes 6. It turnes away wrath and saues vs from the destroying Angell 7. It makes Intercession for sinnes after Calling 8. It makes perfect in all good workes 9. By it the Faithfull ouercome the Dragon and Antichrist Lastly it opens the Holy of Holies and giues vs an entrance into heauen The Vse is first to teach vs to take heede of sinning against the bloud of Christ for if it be thus precious it must needes diffuse a horrible sinne-guiltinesse vpon such as transgresse against it If Abels bloud wronged cryed so fearefully and the bloud of Zacharias what shall the bloud of Christs doe And men sinne against Christs bloud 1. By resisting the meanes of application of Christ crucified 2. By prophane Swearing and Cursing 3. By ascribing remission of sinnes to the workes of the Law 4. By committing the sinne against the holy Ghost 5. By returning to the lusts of our former ignorance 6. By prophane and vnworthy receiuing of the Sacraments And in the Sacraments men offend against the bloud of Christ First when they come to it with an opinion of reall presence eyther by Transubstantiation or Consubstantiation for thereby they deny the truth of the bloud of Christ by consequent and open a gap to the adoration of
and Paul compares it with and commends it beyond all earthly riches and it is so both in respect of the Obiect which is CHRIST the fountaine of all Treasure and in respect of the nature of it being a part of eternall life and in respect of the effects because it makes a man rich in grace And it appeares by the contrary for to be blinde is to be poore and naked and miserable and therefore they are farre wide that thinke all this studying of the Scriptures and following Sermons will make men beggars they remember not that to take the Gospell from Ierusalem was to leaue their Houses as well as Gods House desolate and the want of the knowledge of GOD in the Land was the cause the Lord contended with them by so many iudgements and if any Nation vnder Heauen may auouch the truth thereof this English Nation may for wee may well say the Gospell hath beene a rich Gospell vnto vs it hath brought vs Peace and Prosperitie within our walles and abundance into all the quarters and corners of the Land Hence also wee may gather a tryall of our faith for if wee haue faith wee are carefull to seeke and as glad to finde sauing knowledge as the carnall man is to finde his earthly wealth Parents also may hence know which way to goe about to make their children happy euen by stirring vp in their hearts the instruction and nurture of the Lord. Glorious Doct. This mistery is glorious and it is so First if wee respect the originall of it it was begotten and conceiued in the bosome of Eternity Secondly if wee respect the persons imployed in the ministery of it viz. GOD himselfe CHRIST Angels and the choyse of men Thirdly if wee respect the effects It brings glory to God for vpon the opening of the Booke by the Lambe there followeth Himnes to God It brings a glorious rest to the hearts of Christians when they are satisfied in the assurance of the tidings of Gods loue and purged of those vnruly affections that so tormoiled their hearts before Besides the glorious priuiledges which after men are called out of darkenesse they enioy in this maruailous light Finally it shewes a Christian the glory of Heauen this should comfort Gods Seruants against the scornes of the world and troubles of life The Gospell with disgrace and much want is a great portion and it matters not how wee be esteemed in the eyes of the world if wee be made glorious by the Gospell in Gods eyes and in the eyes of the Saints they are glorious times when the Gospell workes openly in the life and power of it Among the Gentiles In the calling of the Gentiles wee may informe and instruct our selues many wayes First it should settle vs in the assurance of the truth of Gods promises Neuer any promises more vnlikely and besides they lay dead for a long time That which Noah foretolde is come to passe for laphet is perswaded to dwell in the Tents of Sem That sea of knowledge which Esay spake of is likewise gloriously accomplished among the Churches of the Gentiles Ieremie said the Gentiles should come vnto God from the ends of the earth and it is fulfilled The concourse to the preaching of the word which Micha and Zachary foretold is likewise verified Secondly wee may hence see that the word will make great alterations where it comes Thirdly that God is tyed to no place nor people if the Iewes will not bring forth fruits worthy of the Gospell but despise it the Lord will prouoke them to enuy euen calling vnto himselfe a people that sought him not Fourthly that they that are last may be first and that they that now are not vnder mercy may goe to Heauen before vs. Fiftly that as any people are more sensible of their miserie without grace they more see the riches of their calling The Gentiles that wallowed in sinne and wickednesse see a wonderfull glory in Religion when by the Gospell they are conuerted And that may be the reason why Publicanes and sinners are so deepely affected and inwardly touched when ciuill honest men are scarsely moued with any sence of the need of their conuersion Sixtly their conuersion may assure vs that none are so miserable but the Gospell can make them happy Seauenthly wee may see cause to bewaile the hardnesse of our hearts Can the Gospel conquer so mightely and effectually these worlds of people to the obedience of faith and such a tender sence of the glorious riches thereof and are our hearts no more melted and stirred within vs Though the Lord cry and roare and stirre vp himselfe in his iealousie as a man of warre yet are we deafe and heare not and blind and see not Eyghtly in that he saith that this mistery is glorious among the Gentiles it shewes that the Monarchy of CHRIST ouer these conquered Gentiles is truly glorious Which may iustly confound our Statists and Politicians that can see no glory but in earthly kingdomes Ninthly let vs that are abiects of the Gentiles that haue no true honour but by Gods couenant draw water with ioy out of these Wels of Saluation and lastly our calling that are Gentiles by nature should make vs in compassion of the Iewish-nation pray heartily for their restoring since they were cut off that wee might be grafted on and the Law came out of Sion and the word of the Lord out of Ierusalem Which richeâ— is Christ in you Out of these words 4. things may be obserued First that there is one and the selfesame happines conferred by the Gospel to all the faithfull the same I say in nature and qualitie though not the same in quantitie the same spirituall meat and the same spirituall drinke the same GOD and Father the same CHRIST and Sauiour the same meanes and the same merits the same graces and the same glory Which may serue for good vse For if the Lord giue vs the same wages hee did his best Seruants we should striue to doe the same worke wee should bewaile our sinnes with the same sorrow and watch ouer our liues with the same care and abound in the same fruits of righteousnesse and liue by faith in all trials and tentations as they did And againe it may be comfortable for penitent sinners For the same God that had mercy on Dauid will confirme vnto them if they truly desire his fauour and will forsake their owne imaginations by an euerlasting couenant the sure mercies of Dauid And if by faith we proue our selues the children of faithfull Abraham we shall be blessed with Abraham Secondly that Christ is the onely true riches of the Christian. 2 Cor. 8.9 Eph. 1 7. 2.7 3.8 Heb. 11.26 This may serue for diuers vses 1. To warne vs that wee despise not poore Christians seeing they are made rich in the faith of CHRIST and
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
thus If in Christ we be deliuered from the power of our sinnes by his quickning grace and from the guilt of them by the free pardon which is to be had by his meanes then wee need not goe any whither else neither to philosophie nor traditions c. but so it is and so the very Colossians found it in their case as the words of the text expresse Ergo. The words in themselues expresse the twofold estate of Christians in this world what they are by nature in their vnregenerate estate and what they are by grace in the state of grace In the state of corruption two things are true of them and are true of all men 1. They were dead in actuall sinnes 2. They were then in the vncircumcision of the flesh and likewise dead in it In their estate of grace he puts them in minde of two benefits 1. Regeneration 2. Remission of sinnes Thus of the coherence and order of the words Diuers things may be noted in the generall 1. We may from hence be informed of the fruitlesnes of philosophie traditions or ceremonies of Moses they cannot make a miserable man happie they cannot infuse the least sparke of spirituall life into any 2. We see the Apostle thinks it meet to put men often in minde of their miserie by nature and great reason for it exalts the praise of the riches of Gods grace in Christ And it may serue to humble men for their falls after calling and to keep them still suspitious and watchfull ouer a nature that hath been so prone to sinne and securitie in sinning it may serue to eat down the pronenesse of our nature to vaine boasting and confidence in the flesh and it should much excite men to the loue and care of godlinesse and pietie with all life and power seeing they haue been so long slaues to sinne And lastly the Apostle rips vp this matter of purpose to withdraw their mindes from traditions and philosophicall dreames Dead in sinnes They were dead in sinnes both if you respected their publike estate or each particular person If you looke vpon publike states before they are framed and reformed by the word what are they but heaps of men dead in the graues of sinne and senselesse in their sinfull courses and thus it is with euery particular person the words import that he is guiltie of many sinnes and he is dead in them also Naturally euery man is guiltie of secret atheisticall conceits of vnbeleefe of ignorance of hardnes of heart of swarms of euill thoughts and affections of hurtfull passions and lusts besides his defects of the knowledge of God and that warmth of the holy affections of loue feare trust and ioy in God Who can sufficiently rip open the vnthankfulnes lukewarmenes hypocrisie inconstancie and presumptuous profanenesse that is in our hearts by nature in matters of Gods seruice how do men daily offend either by not calling vpon the name of God or by taking it vp in vaine who can number the othes lyes reproches curses flatteries and filthy communication hath and did daily infect the mouths of men Oh the world of sinnes wee are actually guilty of against God or men or our owne selues publike priuate secret open inward outward in prosperitie and aduersitie in the Church or familie or abroad in mens conuersation Alas we can discerne but a glimpse of that sinne and guiltinesse that is in vs by nature and this is the increase of their miserie in all their sinnes they are dead in them Dead There is a fourefold death temporall corporall spirituall eternall The state of man being in miserie he is dead temporally The bodie of man being in the graue hee is dead corporally The soule of man lying in sinne is dead spiritually And both soule and bodie being cast into hell are dead eternally The Colossians were dead spiritually there is a death to sinne and a death for sinne and a death in sinne a death to sinne and so the godly die by mortification a death for sinne and so malefactors die by execution and a death in sinne and so euery naturall man kills himselfe by enliuing his sinne The spirituall death in sinne is an vnutterable losse of the life of God by which the sinner is senselesse and carelesse in extremitie of miserie vnto his owne euerlasting ruine if the Lord preuent it not by regeneration Now that men are in this case by nature these Scriptures proue Eph. 2.1.2 Math 8.22 Ioh. 8.25 Rom. 8.10 Luk. 15.32 Reuel 3 2. Iud. 12. 1. Tim. 5.6 Neither let any deceiue themselues about their estate for a man may be dead in sinne and yet be aliue in the flesh yea thou maiest be a wise man in the flesh or a prince of this world yea thou maiest haue a name that thou liuest spiritually and yet be starke dead Now this spirituall senselesnes is called a death because it is a priuation of spirituall life from the soule as the naturall death is from the bodie 2. because it tends to eternall death The vse may be fourefold 1. For information No wonder wicked men can come and goe from the word of God and not be touched alas they are dead men and so is it with them in respect of the iudgments of God alas if thou couldest rowle a mountaine vpon a dead man he would not feele so is it with a man dead in sinne and further we may here obserue that to liue yea to die quietly is no signe of a man in a happie case for if this death in sin be not cured thousands of people may die quietly because they die senseleslie they feele no more of the feare of hell or iudgment or Gods anger then if they were already dead in their bodies they would feele outward extremities I know that God many times can lay terror vpon the flesh of wicked men and make their spirits drinke in of the bitter anguish arising from the feruencie of Gods burning displeasure but I say if God let them alone vsually the most would die in a wretched senselesnes and inconsideration being neither able nor willing to entertaine the thoughts of what must presently and necessarily befall them 2. This may serue for confutation and so 1. of the Papists about their freewill How can there be this free will in a dead soule we are dead in sin and therefore of our selues mooue not vnto life till God quicken vs by his word and spirit 2. Of the carnall Protestant that beares himselfe so strongly vpon his supposed couenant with death and helâ— his agreement must be disanulled nay his very securitie imports his vnauoidable destruction if it be not remooued by the power of Christ. 3. For instruction art thou a man that hearest this that hast liued all thy time without remorse for thy sinnes and neuer yet entertained the care of reformation of thy life be here warned of thy miserie let it be enough thou hast been dead
If we would not loose our crowne we must shunne 1. The sinne that hangs on so fast 2. Prophane bablings and opositions of science falslie so called 3. Scandall 4. The profits and pleasures of the world so as our hearts be not set vpon them 5. self-Selfe-loue and trust in our owne iudgement when we thinke our selues wise inough to order our race without aduice 6. Vncertaine running Now for the second that we may run successefully diuers rules must be obserued 1. We must watchfully stop the beginnings of sinne and when we feele our selues begin to halt wee must seeke an healing least we be turned out of the way 2. We must follow peace with all men so farre as may stand with godlinesse 3. Wee must keepe the faith 4. We must labour for the loue of the appearing of Christ. 5. We must continue and resolue not to giue ouer till we haue finished our course These three rules may be gathered out of 2. Tim. 4.8.9 6. Wee must pray that the Gospell may runne more freely for that like a mightie winde helpes wonderfully in the race 7. We must order riches so as they bee no hinderances 8. We must vse the aduise of the best that can be had for skill or experience 9. We must faithfully discharge the duties of our calling Wee must so resolue vpon the race that we labour to be vndaunted and euery way resolued against all afflictions and trials whatsoeuer that may befall vs accounting it all happinesse to fulfill our course with ioy arming our selues with this minde that we will take vp our crosse and endure any hardship At their pleasures This is added as an aggrauation the word notes they did it not ignorantly or by frailtie but they did wrong the conscience of men with desire willingly wilfully it doth greatly increase the guilt of sinne when men do it willingly and wilfully where men do it because they will do it So some men go to law because they will go to law so some will be great Some will doe the lusts of their father the deuill Thus are men daily doing the wills of the flesh The like way wardnesse may be obserued in the negatiue Men will not be gathered Men will not come to the wedding In some things they willingly knew them not it is charged vpon the idle they will not worke Hence those conditionall speeches if yee will receiue it and if any man will saue his soule The vse may be for terror to stubborne offenders God takes notice of it that they sinne at their pleasures they sinne because they will sinne and therefore let them be assured he will be froward with the froward and therefore he will haue his will vpon them vnresistably Hence these threatnings hee wilâ— take accounts he will quicken whom he will he will giue to the last as to the first It shall not bee after the wills of the flesh the spirit shall blow where he will the mysterie shall be made knowne to whom he will and he will not haue sacrifice Secondly comfort is here implied for if there be so much infection in a will to sinne then there is hope God will accept a will to be and doe good he will accept of the will in prayer and the will to resist corruption of nature and of the will to liue honestly Hitherto the Apostle hath charged them generally now in the words that follow he inforceth his speech more particularly both for matter pointing out Angell-worship as the doctrine he would conclude against and for manner noting foure things in those that brought in that worship 1. That they brought it in hypocritically pretending humblenes of minde 2. That they did it ignorantly aduancing themselues in things they neuer saw 3. That they did it proudly rashly puffed vp c. 4. That they did it dangerously not holding the head c. Worshipping of Angells The maine matter the Apostle striues to beate downe is the worship of Angells as a philosophicall dreame as a superstition that defrauds men of heauen as an hypocriticall and ignorant worship charging them to be proud and fleshly persons that vse it yea he auoucheth they cannot hold the head which is Christ if they maintaine or practise such a worship All these reasons are in the text and coherence against it Which may serue for confutation of Papists who at this day still maintaine it not onely without commandement or any approued example in scripture but directly against the prohibition of the scriptures as in this place and so Reuel 19. the Angell forbids Iohn to do it The Papists offend in their doctrine about Saints ad Angells three waies 1. In giuing vnto them what may be attributed onely to Christ and to God 2. In adoring them 3. In inuocating and praying to them and all three contrarie to scripture For the first they attribute vnto them 1. Intercession 2. The knowledg of all things that concerne vs they rob Christ of his intercession and God of his omniscience now in all this we haue a sure word of God to trust to For for intercession it is plaine we haue none in heauen with him there is one mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ we offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ Let vs therefore saith the Apostle by him offer the sacrifices of praise alwaies Note the words by him and alwaies And whereas they obiect the Angell Reuel 8. that offred the prayers of the Saints we answer that Angell was Christ who onely hath the golden censer and who onely is meete to bring incense to offer vpon the golden altar the indeauour of Peter for their good after his decease was performed while he liued as is apparant by comparing the 13. verse with the 15. of 2. Pet. 1. And whereas they giue the knowledge of all things vnto them they rob God of his glory who only is the knower of the hearts of men 2. Chron. 6.30 and it is granted Isai 63.16 that Abraham knew them not and Israel was ignorant of them And whereas they obiect that Abraham in the 16. of Luke is said to know that they had Moses and the Prophets bookes we answer that that is spoken parabolically not historically they may as well say that Lazarus had fingers and Diues a tongue c. but were that granted yet it followeth not that because the doctrine of the Church was reuealed vnto him therefore he knew all things The second thing they giue is adoration contrary to the flat prohibition of the Angell himselfe in the Reuelation who chargeth worship me not Reuel 19.10 and without all example in scripture or the least sillable of warrant for it besides we see here Angell-worship in expresse words condemned The third thing
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
in Christ as it is an euer-flowing spring of celestiall Grace to the soule iustified and so it is taken here Peace This word also is diuersly accepted for rest and ease from paine Psal. 38.4 for familiaritie so the man of my peace Psal. 41.9 for concord Ephes. 4.3 for prosperitie in generall 1 Chron. 12.18 Psal. 125.5 Ier. 29.11 for all that felicitie wee haue by Christ Luke 19.42 for glory in heauen Esa. 57.2 Luke 19.38 Rom. 2.10 Luke 1.79 for reconciliation it selfe Luke 2.14 Esay 53.5 for the meanes of reconciliation Ephes. 2.14 for the signes of reconciliation Esay 57.19 Psal. 85.8 for tranquilitie of conscience Rom. 14.17 5.2 Lastly it is also taken for all that rest of conscience within and Synecdochically it signifieth all those blessings spirituall which eyther in this world or that other better world wee receiue from Christ together with Gods fauour and grace neyther is temporall prosperitie excluded though not principally meant and so I thinke it is taken here The meaning being thus found I consider the obseruations first generally First in that the Apostle doth in the very Salutation sow the seedes of the whole Gospell we might learne euen in our ordinarie imployments to minde Gods glory and the saluation of others Secondly wee may hence see that it is lawfull to draw abridgements of holy things and commend them to ordinary vse as here these graces to an ordinary salutation from man to man and so I thinke of teaching the Lords Prayer and Commandements with other Scripture to children or seruants that yet vnderstand not and that for such reasons as these first that so they might haue occasion much to thinke of the things are so much and commonly vrged secondly that if any time of extremitie should come they might haue certaine seedes of direction and comfort to guide and support them thirdly that their condemnation might be more iust if hauing Grace and Peace and other principles of Catechisme so much in their mouthes they should not get them into their hearts Thirdly a question may here be moued how the Apostle can in these words wish vnto them their chiefe good or felicitie seeing these are not all the graces or blessings needfull to our happinesse I might Answere this diuersly 1. Here is a Synecdoche all are vnderstood though not all named or thus these are the beginnings of all graces and blessings or thus one or two graces is worth a world besides or thus these are chiefely aboue others to be sought but lastly it is certaine these cannot be had without the most of sauing graces as for example true Peace cannot bee had without Christ nor without godly Sorrow Confession Knowledge Meeknesse Desires Faith Humilitie Loue and the like as men may easily see if they will be informed eyther by Scripture or experience Fourthly but the maine Doctrine which generally I obserue out of these words is this that spirituall things from God in Christ are the best things and most to be sought and desired and wished both for our selues and others The reasons are 1. They serue for the excellentest part viz the soule 2. They serue for eternitie and these outward things but for this life 3. Spirituall things are giuen by God in Christ the other by God without Christ 4. They onely are able to satisfie the Soule 5. in respect of continuance for outward things can last but till death but then their workes will follow the faithfull into the graue yea into heauen and therefore much more these graces 6. Spirituall things are onely proper to the Saints temporall things are common both to good and bad 7. These are to be had by vertue of an absolute promise the other but conditionally assured 8. These are more pleasing and acceptable to God Gods acceptation proues them best lastly What shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and loose his owne Soule The vse is first for the iust reproofe of the wonderfull carelesnesse and strength of folly that hath possessed the most people in the prophane neglect nay contempt of spirituall things with the meanes of them Indeede if men could be rid of Death the Graue Hell and Gods Curse or if these things could be had without seeking it were to some purpose for men to sleepe still and neuer wake Many are the sleights of Sathan Some are stubborne and will not regard some with very preiudice runne wittingly to hell some confesse it to be meete that the best things should be chiefely sought but forget some purpose but giue ouer for difficulties in the beginning some no sooner ridde off terrour but as soone off care for the life to come Secondly this Doctrine may be a singular comfort to vs if wee can finde grace and peace in our harts how euer it be with vs in our bodies or estates otherwise Thirdly it should teach Parents to be more carefull to leaue grace in their Childrens hearts then treasures in their Chests for them and friends should more endeauout to helpe one another in the comforts of an holy fellowship in the Gospell then in the ciuill furtherances they doe so much engage themselues to Lastly it should teach vs to learne the lesson giuen by our Sauiour Christ Mat. 6. neyther to enlarge our affections to the immoderate desires of superfluitie in outward things nor yet to racke our hearts with the faithlesse and fruitlesse cares for things necessarie This latter branch is vrged with eight or nine worthy reasons but of these in another place afterwards And thus much generally Grace If Grace that is Gods fauour and the graces spirituall that flow from thence be of so great worth and excellencie diuers things may be inferred by way of profitable instruction for our vse out of seuerall Scriptures First if it be so great a priuiledge to obtaine grace from God we should striue to be such as are within the compasse of the promise of grace especially wee should get humble and lowly hearts for God giues grace vnto the humble but resisteth the stubborne wilfull and proud sinner Againe if Gods Loue and Christs Grace be Iewels of so great value it should teach vs when Grace is offered in the meanes or any way bestowed by Gods Spirit neuer to receiue it in vaine so as it should be tendered without effect or kept without aduantage but especially let it euer be farre from vs to turne the Grace of God into wantonnesse to abuse eyther the promises of Grace or the pledges of Gods Loue to become eyther bawds for perseuerance in sinne or props to secure and bolde presumption And aboue all things wee should with all watchfulnesse take heede of wronging the Spirit of Grace eyther by resisting tempting grieuing quenching or despising it And further wee should learne by all good meanes as constant hearing prayer reading conference and meditation to stirre vp the Graces giuen vs
to labour for spirituall strength in Grace and to search so carefully into the euidence of Faith for what wee haue and Hope for what wee want as neuer to giue ouer to examine our selues by the signes and promises of Gods Loue till our hearts were setled and stablished in Grace Lastly Gods Children should solace themselues in the feeling and experimentall knowledge of Gods grace so as their hearts should neuer carry them away to make them account the Consolations of God small or to despise the Grace giuen them but rather in the middest of all combats with temptations within or afflictions without to support their Soules with that gratious Promise My Grace shall be sufficient for you and my Power made knowne in your weakenesse Peace The second thing here wished for and to be desired of all that loue their owne good is Peace that is tranquilitie of heart with other spirituall blessings accompanying it with outward things also so farre as they may further our happinesse but the Scripture layes a restraint vpon the getting of this peace and giues rules for the vse of it For if euer wee would haue Peace wee must first be righteous persons that is men that are broken in heart for our sinnes humbled at Gods feete for forgiuenesse and such as hang vpon the Word of GOD to receiue the certaine meanes of our soules reconciliation and the righteousnesse of CHRIST imputed vnto vs such as to whom there is a way and their path is holy But on the otherside vnto the wicked is no peace and they are taken by the Prophet for wicked men that are neuer humbled in the duties of Mortification for sinne that in the hardnesse of their hearts frustrate the power of Gods Ordinances so as they cannot worke vpon them these haue no peace neyther with GOD Angels Men the Creatures or their owne Consciences Againe hast thou gotten peace and tranquilitie of heart euen rest and ease from CHRIST then let this peace preserue thy heart and minde and let it rule Be carefull to reiect all matters in thoughts or opinions in affections or desires in words or actions that might any way interrupt thy peace but by all meanes nourish it delight in it and let it guide to all holy meditations and affections and gainefull practises and endeauours Let the peace of thy heart and Gods spirituall blessing be a rule for all thy actions And lastly with all good Conscience and holy conuersation hold out that when Christ shall come eyther by particular Iudgement to thee in death or by generall Iudgement to the whole world in the last day thou maist be found of him in peace so shall Christ be vnto thee a Prince of Peace and guide thy feete for euer into the way of peace And thus farre of the good things hee wisheth vnto them now follow the efficient causes viz from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ. Diuers things may be here obserued First a proofe of the Trinitie or at the least a plaine proofe of two persons the Father and the Sonne vnited in one essence Secondly GOD is here plainely affirmed to be a Father and that hee is in diuers respects first to all by Creation secondly to all the faithfull by Adoption thirdly to Christ by the grace of Vnion as man and a naturall Father as God Thirdly here wee may obserue that grace and blessings must not be looked vpon without some honourable meditation of God and Christ the giuers Fourthly seeing beleeuers haue a God a Father a Christ a Sauiour a Lord they are sure to be in a happy case and may haue what is needfull if they will seeke for it Fiftly wee may obserue we can haue no comfort in the enioying or hope of any fauour or blessing spirituall or temporall vnlesse first God be our Father secondly wee be in Christ. Lastly if GOD be a Father and CHRIST a Lord it stands vs vpon to looke to it that wee performe both honour and seruice And thus of the Salutation The Preface followeth Verse 3. Wee giue thankes to God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ alwayes praying for you THE Salutation hath beene handled already the Preface followeth and is contayned in this Verse and those that follow to the 12. Verse in which the end and drift of the Apostle is to winne affection to the Doctrine afterwards to be propounded and this hee doth by shewing his exceeding great loue to them which he demonstrates by two things which he did for them viz. he both gaue thankes vnto God in their behalfe and also made many a prayer for them which spirituall duties are better kindnesses and signes of true affection and respect then all ciuill curtesies or outward complements are or can be These things in the Preface are first generally set downe in this Verse and then particularly enlarged in the Verses afterwards first the Thankesgiuing from ver 4. to the 9. secondly Prayer v. 9.10.11 In this Verse hee doth two things first hee giues thankes secondly he prayes In the Thankesgiuing consider first what hee doth in these words Wee giue thankes secondly to whom he doth it in these words To God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus farre of the order of the words The Doctrines follow which must be considered generally from the whole Verse and specially from the seuerall words The first generall Doctrine is this that it is not enough to salute others kindely but we must doe and performe the sound duties of loue this is from the coherence and condemnes the sinfull barrennesse of many that know a necessitie of no duties of loue vnlesse it be to salute curteously Secondly wee see heare that Tyrants may take away the benefit of hearing reading conference and such like but they cannot hinder vs of praying PAVL can pray and giue thankes in prison for himselfe and others as well as euer before Let wicked men doe their worst Gods Children will still pray vnto God And looke how many promises are made in Scripture to the prayers of the Saints so many consolations are inuiolably preserued vnto them against the rage of whatsoeuer extremitie wicked men can cast vpon them this is a singular comfort Wee Doct. Miserie breedeth vnitie The Apostle that in more prosperous times iarred with Peter and Barnabas can now hold peace and firme vnitie with meaner men and therefore hee saith Wee not I. And thus wee see it was in the times of persecution in Queene Maries dayes the Bishops and Pastors that could not agree when they were in their Seates and Pulpits willingly seeke agreement when they are in prison and must come to the Stake And so it many times fals out in common Iudgements as the sword and pestilence in such times the words of the Prophet are fulfilled Like People like Priests like Seruant like Master like Buyer like Seller like Borrower like Lender like Giuer like
before and after meate I answere there is and alledge these three vndeniable and plaine places of Scripture 2 Tim. 4.3.4 Iohn 6.23 Rom. 14.6 Thirdly for the manner of Thankesgiuing it may be found in that phrase vsed by the Prophets in the olde Testament of Sacrificing the calues of their lips For here foure things may be obserued First it must be a dead Calfe to note that all Thankesgiuing must proceed from humble and mortified mindes and therefore the Pharises thankes did not a whit iustifie them Secondly it must be a sacrificed Calfe Now in the Sacrifice three things were required an Altar Fire and to lay the hand vpon the head of the Beast An Altar for not onely our prayers must be made in the name of Christ but our prayses also must be tendered to God in his mediation or they will neuer be accepted no more then a Calfe not laid on the Altar neyther is it enough to lay the Calfe on the Altar but Fire must be put to it to note that the bare throwing out of words of thankefulnesse though in the name of Christ will not serue vnlesse wee doe also get some feeling ardencie and zeale to burne the Sacrifice Thirdly we must lay our hands on the head of the calfe that is in all humilitie wee must confesse our vnworthinesse of all the blessings or graces wee giue thankes for Againe in that they offer a Calfe it signifieth that wee should not offer our thankefulnesse to God of that that costs vs nothing wee should desire to expresse our prayse by doing some thing to further Gods worship or relieue the necessities of others If GOD blâ—sâ—e vs at home wee should carry a Calfe to the Temple Lastly we must not sacrifice to a strange God when we giue thankes and that men doe when they sacrifice to their nets as the Prophet speaketh that is when men attribute the glory and prayse of God to the meanes or second causes Thus of thankfulnesse in the generall But that which is here entended is that wee should giue thankes for others as well as for our selues which is not a curtesie but a dutie This dutie of praising God for others growes exceeding commendable if wee can exercise it in these particulars First if wee can giue thankes for those blessings vpon others which the world accounts shamefull to enioy as Zeale for Gods glory religious Sinceritie and Vprightnesse of heart the Crosse for Christ his sake and such like Secondly if wee can first giue thankes that is be more apt to prayse God for the vertues of others then be forwards to taxe their faults and frailties Thirdly if we can doe it for all sorts of men euen our enemies Fourthly if wee can be thankefull for the true ioy wee haue had in other mens prosperities To conclude this point if wee would haue others to giue thankes for vs we should labour to be such as for whom thankes may be giuen And thus of what they doe Now to whom To God These words hauing beene vsed in the very Verse before teach vs two things First that it is no cloying to a sanctified minde to be much and often yea vpon euery occasion in the honourable mention and lauding of God ascribing in euery thing glory to God so in heauen they shall neuer be weary of Gods prayses no not vnto all eternitie And certaine it is that the more men grow in sanctification the more easie and apt are their hearts to entertaine all occasions of communion with God without wearinesse or deadnesse Secondly to God shuts out the prayses of themselues or of men It is fit our reioycing and prayse should be directed thither from whence the blessing came The Father These words are considered in the former Verse Thus much of his Thankesgiuing Praying for you First in generall from the ioyning together of these two duties two things may be obserued first that a childe of God neuer giues thankes but hee hath cause to pray for if it be for temporall things hee must pray both for their sanctified vse that they become not occasions of sinne and for their preseruation according to Gods will if it be for spirituall things he hath reason to pray for increase strength and preseruation against falling and such like Secondly on the other side I say also that a childe of God doth neuer pray but hee may finde reasons to giue thankes wee may finde mercies in any miserie yea it is a singular mercy to haue a hart to pray and to haue so many large promises made to them that call vpon God in their distresse But the maine particular Doctrine is that we ought not onely to pray for our selues but for others And the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.1 seemes to make foure sorts of prayers for others Deprecations Requests Intercessions and Giuing of Thankes Deprecations are Prayers for helpe against hurtfull things Requests are Prayers for profitable things the word rendered Intercessions is by some taken to signifie complaints vnto God against such as wrong them for whom wee pray or else it is a more set or serious imploring of Gods ayde with the vnited forces of the godly and lastly Giuing of Thankes stands in the lauding of God for blessings or graces and in the 6. of the Ephesians and in the 1 of Tim. 2. the Apostle sets downe rules to be obserued in Prayer for others in the Ephesians hee requires that they pray 1. at all times 2. with all manner of Prayers 3. in the spirit 4. with watching 5. with perseuerance 6. With spirituall importunitie and lastly for all Saints And in Timothy he requires that they pray 1. euery where 2. with pure hands 3. without wrath 4. without doubting Alwayes To pray alwayes is to consecrate euery day and night to God by Prayer and besides to pray vpon all occasions with lifting vp our harts vnto God or by vsing short prayers which they haue beene wont to call Eiaculations Neyther was it the dutie of Paul onely to pray alwayes that is to keepe a set order of Prayers but it is our dutie also to set apart time euery day euening and morning to pray vnto God our selues and our households And because these exercises of Religion are by the most wholy neglected and in roome of it vile prophanenesse staines mens houses I will here set downe by the way some few reasons to warrant a daily set course of praying First our Sauiour CHRIST teacheth vs to pray for the bread of the day euery day as God will not promise vs bread for a weeke a month a yeere so neyther will God accept of a prayer for the necessities of a weeke month or yeere before hand but will haue vs make as much conscience to pray daily as wee haue sence of daily wants Secondly wee are commanded to pray continually now what sence can be probably giuen of these words if that
sorts eyther Faith to heale or Faith to be healed this Faith may be in such as are reprobates as Mat. 7. some shall say Haue wee not cast out Diuels by thy name to whom Christ shall answere Depart I know you not Fourthly but that Faith in the enioying of which is comfort for euermore is iustifying Faith The nature of this Faith will appeare if wee consider The Obiects of it The Parts of it The Degrees of it First of the Obiects this Faith may be perceiued by that which it carryeth the minde vnto and from which it seeketh the comfort of the chiefe good and thus the Obiect is three-fold The Merits of Christ. The Promises of God The Prouidence of God So that wouldest thou trie thy Faith consider then what it is that thou makest thy refuge and the foundation of thy comfort What is it that thou most labourest after is it the assurance of Gods fauour by the application of Christ is it the distinct applying of such and such promises of life in Scripture dost thou liue by thy Faith in the course of life if so thou hast met with the right Faith without Christ it is not possible to attaine the chiefe good neyther is it enough to beleeue that Christ dyed for sinners c. vnlesse we labour in the day of our visitation for the certaine and particular apprehension of the efficacie and merit of Christs righteousnesse for the particular assurance of Gods fauour in remitting such and such our transgressions And because it is not easie at all times to discerne by the working of the Spirit of Adoption the imputation of righteousnesse from Christ therefore hath the Lord discussed the cases of conscience so comfortable in Scripture that if men examine themselues before the conditions of God promises they may finde in diuers of them the cleare determining of their estate Here may be iustly taxed the grosse ouer-sight and securitie of many otherwise the deare Seruants of God that are no better acquainted with the promises of life vpon the truth of which depends their happinesse and both present and future comfort And lastly by the same Faith whereby the iust are saued by the selfe-same they liue in the course of life in this world the ground of his Faith for his preseruation is the prouidence of his God whiles the men of this world wonderfully please themselues in sacrificing to their nets ascribing in their affections the stay of their maintenance vnto their labour friends inheritance c. Secondly that the nature of this Faith may yet be further opened the Parts of it must be considered Faith is eyther in the minde or in the heart and by the change of both it may be discerned In the minde it shewes it selfe in two things Knowledge Iudgement There is something in the very illumination of the Vnderstanding of the Saints which is of the nature of Faith Hence it is that the Prophet Isay saith of Christ By his knowledge he shall iustifie many that is make iust Iudgement is eyther of truth or of goodnesse Iudgement of truth is when we giue glory so farre forth to the way of life and the meanes of Reconciliation that our hearts being conuinced our vnderstandings doe clearely resolue that this is the way to be happy and no other Iudgement of goodnesse is when wee doe not onely beleeue the Doctrine of happinesse to be true as before but to be the onely good tidings our hearts can rest vpon Faith as it shewes it selfe in the heart stands in three things Desires Fiduce or Confidence Perswasion or Apprehension and Application It may not be dissembled that there are in the world many definitiues or descriptions of Faith such as doe not comprehend in them that onely thing which is the chiefe stay of thousands of the deare Seruants of God and that is Desires which may not be denyed to be of the nature of Faith I expresse my meaning thus that when a man or woman is so farre exercised in the spirituall seeking of the Lord his God that he would be willing to part with the world and all the things thereof if hee had them in his owne possession so that by the Spirit and Promises of God he might be assured that the sinnes of his former life or such as presently doe burthen his Soule were forgiuen him and that hee might beleeue that God were now become his God in Christ I would not doubt to pronounce that this person thus prising remission of sinnes at this rate that he would sell all to buy this Pearle did vndoubtedly beleeue not onely because it is a truth though a Paradoxe that the Desire to beleeue is Faith but also because our Sauiour Christ doth not doubt to affirme that they are blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse because they shall be satisfied And to him that is a thirst I will giue to drinke of the water of life freely And Dauid doubteth not to say The Lord heareth the desires of his poore Fiduce or Confidence in the hart is a part of Faith and shewes it selfe in this when the Soule resteth vpon Christ and the Promises of God as the onely ground of all that happinesse which he must euer get vnto himselfe Perswasion or an apprehending application is the last thing in Faith and that in the beginnings of Faith is more in the power of the Spirit then in the sence and feeling of the conscience yet herein it appeares that though the Soule be tost with many temptations and feares and terrors yet more or lesse one time or other they are much refreshed with a sweet ioy arising they know not how from the very perswasion that they belong to God in and for Christ. So that if wee would try our Faith we must examine what Knowledge we haue gotten what Iudgement of the way of life what Desires wee haue of remission of sinnes how our hearts are setled and what it is that supports vs. There are two Degrees of Faith a weake Faith and a strong Faith a weake Faith is described before for all the former parts of Faith are found in the weakest Faith that is a strong Faith hath in it a certaine and full assurance of Gods fauour in remission of sinnes so as doubts and feares are stilled and ouer-come and such was the Faith of Abraham commended Rom. 4.18.19 20.21 and this Faith may be attained vnto by all sorts of the Seruants of God if they liue and may vse the benefit of the ordinances of God yet a grosse fault in the definition of Faith as it is made by many must be carefully shunned and that is that they make the Genus to be a full assurance which is onely proper to a strong Faith and is not vsually found in the weake Faith and yet that Faith is such as doth iustifie for the present and will saue for euer And that we may be affected with an
that course I should lead a dumpish and Melancholy life Ans. It is a false imputation cast vpon Religion and Christ for the promise is I will ease you Obiect Oh but to exercise such a communion with God and Christ requires so many graces that I can neuer get them Ans. Learne of me that I am lowly and meeke as if he should say Get this one grace which I my selfe haue laboured in and thou maist continue in the ease and comfort once had from Christ without interruption If men still thinke this impâ—obable he wils them to put it to tryall and they should certainely finde rest to their Soules Obiect Oh but to be thus yoaked is a most irkesome and impossible seruitude Ans. This he reiects as most false and saith My yoake is easie and my burthen light both in respect of the power of the meanes and the secret comforts of God able to support the Soule Eightly we are commanded to beleeue and therefore it is a heauy sinne to disobey Ninthly yea God doth beseech men to be reconciled Wonder at this admirable Clemencie in our God Nay then perish and that iustly if so great and infinite goodnesse cannot perswade These things should the rather affect if we consider who it is that proclaimeth inuiteth commandeth beseecheth namely GOD who is able to doe it and speakes out of his Nature If a couetous man should offer vs any great kindnes we might doubt of performance because it is contrarie to his nature but it is not so with our God his name is gracious and his nature is to be faithfull in performance where he hath beene true in offer or promising Thus much of Incouragements The hinderances of Faith follow to be considered of The letts of Faith are sometimes in the Minister sometimes in the People Ministers are guiltie of the want of Faith in their Hearers First when they teach not at all because Faith cannot be had without hearing Secondly if wee teach not Faith and that plainely if they intend not the chiefest part of their labours to informe men in the doctrine of Faith vnder which is contayned the whole doctrine of the Sinners reconciliation with his God though they informe manners both for Pietie and Righteousnesse and busie themselues in other contemplatiue Diuinitie yet haue they not answered their Calling but are wofull hinderances of Faith in the hearers Secondly in the People Faith is letted three wayes 1 By errors in their Iudgements 2 By corrupt affections in the Heart 3 By certaine things that befall their Conuersation There are fiue especiall Errors with any of which whosoeuer is infected Faith is letted First when men thinke they are bound to follow their Callings and to mind their worldly Imployments and therfore cannot spend the time about thinking of Sermons c. Our Sauiour Luke 14 16. in the Parable showes that though men giue Heauen fayre words yet they take not a course to get it but what letts them Is it Whoredome Drunkennes Idolatry Murther breach of Sabbath c. No such matter but onely the abuse of lawfull profits and pleasures What more lawfull then a Farme what more honourable of all pleasures then Marriage onely obserue that the voluptuous person saith flatly He cannot come and the worldly man I pray you haue me excused Obiect Oh but I confesse it were a great fault to leaue minding heauenly things to get superfluitie and more then needes as Farme vpon Farme But I want necessaries if I had but sufficient my minde should not be so taken vp c. Ans. Our Sauiour shewes that this is no sufficient excuse by bringing in the man that had bought his fiue yoake of Oxen then which what could be more needfull seeing hee could not follow his Husbandry without Oxen Secondly a second Error letting Faith is a close opinion of merit which stickes fast in our nature Thirdly Faith is hindered when the Minde is fore-stalled with an opinion that an outward seruing of God will serue to bring them neare enough to God If they heare Seruice and Sermons and receiue the Sacraments c. they haue done so much as they thinke is enough Fourthly many therefore neuer labour to get Faith because they thinke it is impossible to take any such course that they should get any assurance of the remission of their sinnes in this life or if it be possible for others yet it is not for them Lastly others thinke it possible to be had and it is good to be humbled so farre as to seeke it with teares and prayers and they thinke they doe well that will not giue ouer till they haue comfort that way but yet they thinke all this adoe vnnecessary and that they may be saued without it In the Heart Faith is letted fiue wayes First when men nourish the secret euils of their hearts both in thoughts and affections and make not conscience to repent for them An euill heart is alwayes an vnfaithfull heart therefore men are exhorted to take heede of being hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Secondly Worldlinesse is a great lett of Faith when men alone suffer their thoughts and affections to be taken vp with continuall minding of things here below though they cannot be charged with any great couetousnesse Thirdly there is in mens affections an vnwillingnesse to part with worldly pleasures and delights and they are loath to lose their credit with their carnall friends which they say they must doe if they take this course Fourthly the world is full of common hope and presumption of Gods mercy men say God is mercifull when they haue neyther comfort from the Promises of God nor ground of assurance nor witnes of the Spirit of Adoption Fiftly Faith is letted and men are kept from vsing the meanes to get Faith and to seeke God while he may be found onely through a feare least if they should examine themselues and search whether they had a true faith or not they should finde they had none and then they should be troubled and driuen vnto Melancholy despayre c. Lastly there are some things in mens carriage which greatly lett and hinder Faith First a prophane contempt of the word of God eyther men will not heare or but by starts or they attend not or not apply it to themselues or not meditate of the doctrine afterwards or not labour for the power of it in practise c. Secondly the example of the multitude hinders much especially the example of wise-men and great-men in the world Thirdly some when they goe about the duties of Mortification and Faith they are turned off before they get Faith eyther because they finde hardnesse of heart or are ouer-charged with temptations or doubts of audience and acceptance and that God will neuer looke after such broken desires c. or else because they haue not comfort presently they grow desperate and
second part of the description Thirdly the word of God is described by the kind of word viz. the Gospel Which is the Gospell By the Gospell is ment the Doctrine of the reconciliation of Man with his God after the fall Concerning the Gospell wee may in the generall here obserue That of all other Doctrines the Doctrine of a mans Reconciliation with God is especially to be vrged and explained by the Preacher and to be most minded and enquired into by the hearer The knowledge and experience of this point acquaints a man with the sauing power of God neuer doe men indeed see the beauty of the feet of Gods seruants till they haue trauelled about the obtaining of their peace with God If Ministers would bend the very force of their ministeries about the sound and daily inforcing of the Doctrine of mans particular assurance of his peace and reconciliation it would produce by Gods blessing singular fruit This Doctrine would iudge the very secrets of men and giue them a glimpse of their last doome It is a most preuailing Doctrine and therefore extreamely enuied in the world The high Priests and Scribes with the Elders of the people many times shew they can not abide it Luke 20.1 Hence it is that life is not deare vnto Gods faithfull seruants so they may in the comfort thereof fulfill their course and ministration receaued of the Lord Iesus in testifying the Gospell of the grace of God Of all other Doctrines the Deuill labours to keepe the world ignorant of the necessitie and power of this but woe is to those Preachers that teach it not and horrible wofull shall the estate of those people appeare to be at the last day that obey it not And therefore we should striue to keepe afoot the sparkles of light in this point and whatsoeuer we loose in hearing this Doctrine should neuer runne out In particular concerning the Gospell I enquire into three things First wherein this Doctrine lieth Secondly who receiue this Doctrine of the Gospell Thirdly what are the effects of it For the first the Gospell or the Doctrine of it lyeth in two things First in our true repentance for our sinnes and secondly in the infallible assurance of faith in Gods fauour in Christ forgiuing vs our sinnes Mat. 3.2 Mark 1.15 and this duly waighed First reproues those that dreame of saluation and the benefits of the Gospell without mortification and secondly it should teach vs to nourish faith by all meanes by nourishing of desires by remouing of lets praying for it waiting vpon hearing beholding the faith of Gods children and deliuering vp our soules to some able and wise Pastor The second Question is Who receaue the Gospell Answ. We must consider First who may receaue it and that is answered Marke 16.15 euery Creature that is any Man or Woman of what Nation Language Profession Calling State and Condition soeuer and secondly we must consider who doe receiue it and this may be answered generally or more specially generally none receiue the Gospell but they finde in it the very power of GOD to saluation None but such as are begotten againe by it to God If there be no change in thy life thou hast yet no part in the Gospell without conuersion no glad tidings In speciall the persons that receiue this treasure are signed out by diuers properties in Scripture they are poore in spirit they finde such need of it that heauen suffers violence and they presse to it they so highly esteeme the comforts of it that they can be content to lose libertie friends meanes and life too for Christs sake and the Gospell and it workes so forcibly vpon mens soules that they consecrate themselues to God to sinceritie and godlinesse and learne consionably to practise the seruice of God in their spirit minding the reformation of their thoughts and affections within as well as of their words and actions without And thirdly for the effects of it great are the praises of the power of it it begets men to God it is the power of God to saluation it iudgeth the secrets of men Of these before It brings abundance of blessings Rom. 15.19 it makes men heyres and coheires with Christ it is a witnesse to all Nations Matth. 24.14 And lastly life and immortalitie is brought to light by it 2 Tim. 1.10 The consideration hereof should much encourage Ministers to presse this Doctrine and neuer cease to preach it in the Temple and from house to house and make vse of all opportunities when a dore is opened vnto them eyther in respect of power in their owne hearts or in respect of tendernesse and affection and desire in the people Gods people also should so labour for the assurance of Gods fauor and peace in Christ by the word as they should store their hearts with prouision of that kinde not onely for their death-bed when they dye but renue the perswasion of it in their hearts daily the better to fit them euen in their callings speciall standings This knowledge is not onely a Crowne and shield for their heads but shoes also for their feet against the filth of the times thorny cares of the world and all the difficulties of a daily diligence in their standings Thus of the third part of the description The fourth followeth The manner of prouidence in planting it amongst them in these words And is come vnto you Where wee may obserue that if the meanes of happinesse finde not vs out to worke vpon vs we would neuer looke after it if God were not more carefull to send it then we to seeke it it would neuer be had Wee see this by common experience that whole multitudes of people liue without any sence of the want of the Word and did not God by some great prouidence send it them and perswade them to the vse of it it would neuer be had and this comes to passe because men are dead in sinne and sicke of a lethurgie in the very vse of the light of Nature in matters of godlinesse and besides there is an incredible inclination in our Natures to seeke for contentment in things below and to be pleased with any condition rather then soundly to digest a sence of the necessitie of vsing the meanes for happinesse in better things And lastly this neglect of seeking the Word comes from errours about mens estate while they thinke that they may be in Gods fauour and like enough to be saued without any such adoe Thus of the fourth part The fift thing in the description is the subiect persons to whom the Gospell came viz. the Colossians and all the World Vnto you as it is euen vnto all the World Hence wee may note First the Truth of God in his promises hee promised flourishing Churches of the Gentiles and loe it is effected the Word is gone out into all the World
meanes doth set before vs the way of Life and death affects vs inwardly with sence of our misery or the glory of conuersion or the necessitie of our repentance Now when the Axe of Gods Word is layd thus neare to the roote of the Tree it is then time to beare fruit or else wee are in danger The consideration hereof as it shewes that the workes of ciuill honest men are but shadowes or blasted fruit so it should inforce vpon vs a feare of standing out the day of our visitation Consider with thy selfe God cals now for repentance and the duties of new obedience If now thou answere Gods call and pray God to make thee such as he requires thee to be thou mayest finde fauour in his eyes for God is neere them that calles vpon him if they seeke him in due time while he may be found but if thou delay consider first that thy heart of it selfe without dressing will neuer be fruitfull secondly that thou art not sure of the meanes hereafter thirdly if thou werest sure yet who can prescribe vnto the most high Hee hath called and thou hast not answered therefore feare his Iustice thou mayest call and he will not answere Secondly that it is exceeding praise-worthy and a singular mercy of God if the word of God worke speedily vpon vs if wee yeeld and stoope with the first if it make vs fruitfull from the first day This liuely working of the word first is a seale to the word it selfe for hereby it is out of all doubt that it is the true word of God and this effectuall worke of Grace vpon our consciences doth fence vs against a thousand obiections about the Word secondly it is the Ministers seale as soone as he seeth this power of Doctrine hee hath his seale from God the fruitfulnesse of the people is the Preachers testimoniall thirdly so soone as we finde the Word to be a fauour of life vnto vs it becomes a seale to our owne Adoption to life and therefore we should againe euery man be admonished to take heede of delaying the time for not onely we want the testimonie of our owne happinesse while we liue without subiecting our soules to the power of the word but exceedingly prouoke God against vs we should consider that the holy Ghost saith peremptorily Now is the Axe layd to the roote of the Tree and euery Tree that bringeth not forth fruit is cut downe and cast into the fire Note that he requireth present fruit or threatneth present execution Neither may we harden our owne hearts with presumption because we see not present execution vpon this rebellion of man against God and the offer of his grace for wee must know that men are cut off by more wayes then one Some are cut off by death as an open reuenge of the secret rebellion of the heart not opening when the spirit of grace knocketh Some are cut off by spirituall famine God remouing the meanes from them or suffering them to be their owne executioners by withdrawing themselues from the means Some men are cut off by Gods fearefull Iudgement being cast into a reprobate sence Some are cut off by Church censures God ratifying in Heauen what is done in Earth by the Church Thirdly hence wee learne that if we would be truely fruitfull we must be constantly so not loose a leafe much lesse giue ouer bearing fruit Sodaine flashes will not serue turne the Lord knowes not how to intreat them whose goodnesse is but like the morning dewe eyther from the day constantly or not vpon the day truly Thus of the Time Fourthly this efficacie is limitted First by the kinde of Doctrine which especially makes men fruitfull viz. the Doctrine of the grace of God secondly by the application of it both by Hearing and Knowledge and both are limitted in that they are required to be in the truth That ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth In the opening of these words I consider first the words apart secondly the Doctrines out of the whole For the first here are three things to be considered 1. what grace of God the Gospell propounds to men 2. what we must doe that we may haue the comfort of this that we doe truly heare 3. what it is to know truely For the first the Gospell requires of men a deepe sence of the singular Grace or free Mercy of God towards men and that principally in fiue things first in giuing Christ to mankinde fallen and finding out so happie a meanes of our deliuerance secondly in accepting of the mediation of Christ in particular for the beleeuer in the age that hee liueth in thirdly in forgiuing sinnes past through his patience fourthly in blessing the meanes for mans sanctification and lastly in allowing vnto men their lot in the inheritance of the Saints in heauen Secondly that we may haue the comfort of this that we doe truly heare the word seauen things are to be done first we must denie our owne carnall reason wit parts and outward prayses and become fooles that we may be wise secondly we must feare God and set our soules in Gods presence thirdly wee must come with a purpose and willingnesse to be reformed by it fourthly wee must labour for a meeke and humble spirit mourning ouer Pride Malice and Passion fiftly wee must heare all both at all times that is constantly and all doctrines that concerne the grace of God sixtly wee must heare with faith and assurance lastly wee should especially in hearing wait for a blessing from God in the particular knowledge of Gods grace to vs else all hearing is to little purpose Thirdly men may be said to know and yet not truely first when they know false things as in the Church of Rome to know the doctrine of Purgatory Intercession of Saints Image-worship the Supremacie of the Pope or in Germany to know the Vbiquitie of Christs humane nature vniuersall grace falling from grace or that the Sacraments conferre to all the graces they signifie and such like Secondly when men haue the forme of words and vnderstand not the meaning Thirdly when the notions of the truth are entertained in the minde and not let downe into the affections when men haue knowledge in their heads and no affections in their hearts the Law should be written in their hearts Fourthly when men know things by opinion not by faith as the most men know the greatest part of Religion Fiftly when our knowledge is not experimentall in practise Sixtly when men know other things but not the grace of God to themselues Thus of the words apart The Doctrines follow First men may heare and yet not know Knowledge is not attayned by all that heare and this comes to passe eyther as a curse for mens home-sins vnrepented where Manners will not be informed there Faith cannot or by reason of pride and conceit of our owne wits and
and Saluation Vers. 3. Againe in the 5. of the Ephesians Ver. 14. to 22. to gaine the true light of Christ and vnderstand Gods will the Apostle shewes that wee must doe nine things First wee should awaken our selues out of the spirituall slumber of our hearts labouring by prayer and meditation of our danger to force open the eyes of our mindes Awake thou that sleepest Ver. 14. Secondly wee must forsake the company of wicked and carnall men that haue no taste nor feeling of things that belong to the kingdome of God Stand vp from the dead Vers. 14. Thirdly wee must walke circumspectly precisely the originall word is now resolued to make a conscience of all our wayes or else in vaine to goe about to digge for knowledge Vers. 15. Fourthly wee must allow much time for hearing and reading and conference euen as men that meane to redeeme all the time past they haue vnprofitably spent Vers. 16. Fiftly wee must bring a minde willing and desirous in all humilitâ—e to vnderstand Gods will a froward spirit cannot prosper or a man wise in his owne conceit Vers. 17. Sixtly wee must in speciall take heede of drunkennesse or any kinde of typling wherein is excesse Vers. 18. Seauenthly we must labour for a chearefull spirit and a glad heart and shew it by singing of Psalmes making melody in our hearts to God a heauy spirit is dull of apprehension Vers. 19. Eightly wee must giue thankes for all things readily acknowledging euery mercy and reioycing for any successe in the meanes Vers. 10. Lastly wee must submit our selues one to another euer willing to learne in any thing of any body Ephes. 5.21 He that scorneth information is a foole Thus of Knowledge Secondly it is not enough to know but wee must acknowledge the will of God that is by a constant and open diligence in the vse of the meanes and conscionable heedfulnesse euen in all things in practise wee must hold forth the light of the truth in a religious profession of it in communion with the Saints and seperate from sinners this is required in Gods Elect as well as Faith Tit. 1.1 Neyther is it a precise humour in some few but God would haue all come to the acknowledgement of the truth not to heare it or to know it onely Without this I will not say absolutely a man cannot be in Christ but this I say with the Apostle A man cannot be perfect in Christ and of ripe age By this acknowledgement wee escape an exceeding great deale of filthinesse that is in the world and because that many men will by no meanes be drawne to acknowledge the way of God therefore by a iust iudgement of God they are deliuered vp to a reprobate sence Onely two things are to be vrged vpon professors herein first that they doe soundly repent of their sinnes before they make profession and enter vpon acknowledgement or else acknowledgement will be a vayle for filthy Hypocrisie secondly that they take heede of sinning presumptuously after acknowledgement Feare the Curse Heb. 10.26 Thirdly we must know againe this hath three things in it First we must be often viewing and looking ouer our euidence to be sure of the whole and euery part of it as wee would doe if wee had assurances for matters of the world Secondly because sinnes after callings doe greatly darken knowledge therefore wee must not onely renew our repentance but our knowledge also Thirdly wee must know the truth of God not onely in our mindes by vnderstanding and thinking of it but wee must know it againe in the affections of our hearts in respect of sence and feeling and againe after that in the practise of our life for that is experimentall knowledge and the very power of godlinesse This Doctrine of the knowledge of the Will of God reproues many sorts of men First such as desire not knowledge at all and so perish for want of it Secondly such as sometimes desire knowledge but they will not vse the meanes or not constantly or not all the meanes Thirdly such as will know something of the prescribing Will of God but neuer heed his approuing or determining Will. Fourthly such as though they vse the meanes for Knowledge yet will at no hand abide Acknowledgement Lastly it reproues the carelesnesse euen of Gods people many times neglecting to make their Calling and Election sure by looking often ouer their euidence and renuing their knowledge and labouring the cure of their natures from slumber and relapses Thus of Knowledge Filled or fulfilled From the obseruation of the measure I note foure things First that wee must not rest in beginnings we must be filled with all knowledge not onely get Grace and Truth but be filled with it so full of Wisedome of Faith and power of Good-workes of Ioy in Gods fauour of all Hope full euen with the fulnesse of him that filleth all things But it is contrary with the most men for wee may complaine out of diuers Scriptures euen of them that they are filled not with Grace Knowledge Faith Workes c. but with the Leprosie of all spirituall Infections with all Deceit with Wrath euen when they heare Gods word with worldly Griefe and Passions with all kindes of Vnrighteousnesse with Drinke with the measure of their Fathers Sinnes yea so wretchedly vile are the liues of many that they shew themselues to be filled with the Diuell himselfe but the workes almost of none are perfect or filled before God Secondly that there is something in Grace or Knowledge still wanting wee know but in part Mans heart may be compared to a Vessell the meanes to a Pipe the Spirit of God to the Wheele that beates the water into the Pipe the Minister is the Seruant that opens the Cocke and then the reason why we know but in part is eyther the Cocke alwayes runnes not or not alwayes in the same measure and sometimes our Vessels are filled with other things as the cares and lusts of the world and so they runne ouer and vsually our Vessels runne out and lose what we receiue by the meanes Thirdly the knowledge of the Will of God and spirituall things onely can fill and satisfie the heart of man all else is meere vanitie and vexation of spirit Earthly things cannot fill neyther the knowledge of them nor the vse or possession of them because they are not infinite nor eternall besides there is nothing new nor are they of a like nature with the Soule they are enioyed with vexation and much sacietie for our affections will not loue them still yea most an end the vanitie of mens mindes so turneth deuises concerning their knowledge or vse that death or losse takes them or vs away before they can finde out that way of vsing of them that could satisfie and fill the heart
repentance now it were absurd to thinke that the fruits afterwards borne should merit repentance which God gaue before for that is to affirme that not onely a wicked man might merit his owne conuersion but that hee might merit it by the workes hee would doe after his conuersion which I know not that any Papist will affirme and the like reason is there of the phrase here vsed Quest. But letting the Papist goe what is it to walke worthy of the Lord Ans. It is so to cleaue vnto God that we refuse not out of the holy estimation of Gods free mercies to forsake our selues and the world and to testifie our obedience to the Law and Spirit of God in vprightnesse with all thankefulnesse But that this may appeare more plainely if wee would walke worthy of the Lord. In generall our righteousnesse must exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees we must be so farre from resting in the custome and practise of the vile sinnes that abound in the world that we must not be satisfied with this that wee be ciuill honest men and well thought of in the world for Gods mercies challenge more at our hands then ciuill honesty In particular if wee would walke worthy of God 1 Wee must walke with God in the sence of Gods presence and in the light of his countenance so knowing his loue as wee forget not his presence And because the wandring and vnmortified heart of man is not easily brought to this therefore we must humble our selues to gaine a better abilitie to walke with our God 2 We must set the Law of God as the onely rule of our actions alwayes before vs and by all meanes be carefull to obey the motions of Gods Spirit euen the Law in our mindes that is to walke after the Spirit and according to the Spirit 3 Wee must labour to glorifie God by endeauouring by an open light to approue our selues to the world in shewing the power of Gods grace in our workes and the newnes of our liues 4 Wee must be contented to deny our owne reason wit desires delights and profits and to take vp any crosse God shall lay vpon vs 5 Wee should goe beyond all ciuill honest men in this that wee would respect all Gods Commandements and make conscience of euery sinne by Prayer and endeauour to auoid it and to obey God both in our soules and bodies and in euery part of both Lastly we should so admire Gods loue in deliuering our soules from death and our feete from falling c. that wee should seeke Gods face in the light of the liuing and neuer to come empty handed but Gods vowes should be vpon vs and we should euer be rendring praise Thankefulnesse is all wee can giue to God In all pleasing This is the second thing required in our conuersation we should not thinke it enough to liue iustly and religiously but wee must liue pleasingly also and this is true 1. In respect of God Let vs haue grace that wee may so serue God that wee may please him 2. In respect of our owne Conscience preseruing the rest and goodnesse of the conscience 3. In respect of men thus the wise careth to please her husband and the husband to please his wife It is not enough to be perswaded that that wee doe be good but wee ought to looke to it that it be pleasing So in all duties to God and in our carriage to men Quest. But what should wee doe that wee might so serue God as please him to Ans. This is answered in diuers Scriptures 1 Be sure thou be not in the flesh for no such can please God and they are in the flesh that can relish nothing but fleshly things that take no care to prouide for the life of Grace and peace of Conscience vers 6. that will not be subiect to the Law of God vers 7. that haue not the Spirit of Christ vers 9. and that dye not to sinne vers 10. Obiect But there are many wise men to whom those signes agree and may not they for their good parts otherwayes be pleasing to God Sol. No so long as they are fleshly persons their wisedome bread in the flesh is so farre from pleasing God that it is enmitie to God 2 Thou must let the will of God reuealed in this word be the rule of all thy actions a light to thy feete and a lanthorne to thy pathes for in the Word is contayned both what he requires and what will please him 3 Thou must make conscience of little sinnes as well as great sinnes if a man breake the least Commandement and then by doctrine or defence maintaine it to be a small matter our Sauiour Christ shewes that this is not onely displeasing to God but it will cause God to cast men out of heauen with indignation on the other side whosoeuer shall make conscience to obserue Gods Commandements in the things the world counts lesse matters and shall constantly by doctrine or profession declare his sinceritie herein hee shall be exceeding pleasing to God and God will shew it by making him great in the Kingdome of Heauen What commandement could be lesse then the commandement about the not eating of bloud and yet with many words their obedience herein was vrged and that with this reason as they would haue all things goe well with them and theirs and doe that which is pleasing or right in Gods sight 4 Thou must desire and pray for the best things thou must so thinke of profits and pleasures of the world as especially thy heart must desire and thy lips request of God the wisedome and grace that is from aboue It did exceedingly please God that Solomon asked wisedome and not riches or long life 5 Thou must get an humble and contrite spirit a heart able to see and hate sinne and mourne ouer it and with a tender sence of thine owne wants and vnworthinesse to implore Gods fauour and the renuing of his mercies 6 Thou must so professe respect of pietie as thou be carefull in all things to deale iustly and truely with men delighting in all the occasions and meanes to shew mercy he cannot please God that doth not endeauour to please men Sacrifice is an abhomination when men doe not iudgement and Iustice and God delights in men that will deale truely If a man will deale iustly and loue mercy not be mercifull onely and when hee hath occasion to come to God in the duties of pietie and worship will come in all humilitie and contrition of heart this is that saith the Prophet Micah that is required yea that is good that is exceeding pleasing and acceptable to God 7 Thou must be tender-hearted and mercifull to supply the necessities of the Saints for workes of mercy are Odours of smeet swell Sacrifices acceptable well pleasing to God 8 Thou
the Martyrs haue borne wee haue not yet resisted vnto bloud by suffering wee may reape the comfort that we are Sonnes and not Bastards besides the profit of our sufferings which God euer intends to the patient viz. the holinesse of the heart and fruitfulnesse of the life That wee may be patient first wee must get Wisedome and if we want it aske it of God It is Ignorance makes men passionate a great vnderstanding is slow to wrath Secondly wee must get Faith to beleeue our owne reconciliation with God our hearts neede not be troubled if we beleeue in God the Father in Iesus Christ When the heart is possessed with peace in the assurance of Iustification by Faith then it is easie to be patient in tribulation yea to reioyce in affliction Thirdly we must be much in the meditation of the comforts of another life Fourthly wee must be often and constant in prayer Fiftly the hearing of the word faithfully and conscionably breedes a patient minde and therefore is the Word called a Word of patience the Comforts of the Scripture beget both Patience and Hope Sixtly wee must be temperate in the desires after and vse of outward things therefore are men vnquiet vnder the losse absence want or desire of earthly things about their bodies or estates because they haue not sobrietie and temperance in their hearts and carriage Seauenthly if wee would haue patience we must be carefull by godly Sorrow and Confession to cast off the sinne that hangeth on so fast it is our wretched corruption of Nature that makes vs so vnquiet it is nothing without vs Lastly we must be diligent in our callings and trust vpon God and cast all our care on him Idlenesse and vnbeleefe are the great nurses of impaciencie Thirdly wee must exercise Patience in seauen things 1. In bearing the common crosses that accompany our mortall estate of life and therein to put on as neare as wee can Iobs minde and in all losses or wants to giue glory to God acknowledging that hee hath as much right to take away as reason to giue 2. In bearing with the infirmities of such as are about vs with whom we conuerse that shew themselues to be so out of weakenesse Rom. 15.1.3.4 3. In enduring persecution of all kindes for the truths sake 2 Tim. 3.12 2 Thes. 1.5 Reu. 2.8 1 Pet. 4.12 c. 4. In tentations there is vse of Patience both in wayting vpon God for succour and issue and in keeping the soule at as much rest and quietnesse as may be it is the Diuels desire to set vs on a hurry hee knowes his tentations will then worke best Iames 1.4 5. In the expectation of the performance of Gods promises and our spirituall happinesse in Christ Heb. 6.12 and 10.35.36.37.38 6. In the troubles of the minde and conscience beleeuing Gods truth and wayting for the appearing of his face and the healing of the soule 7. In perseuerance in well doing vnto the end Mat. 24.13 Rom. 2.7 Reu. 2.2 Gal. 5.9 1 Iohn 3.2 Long-suffering This vertue in case of wrongs must order vs aright in our selues and towards others in our selues it must restraine Anger and desire of reuenge and great reason for God himselfe suffers wrong and that long too and it is Gods commandement wee should suffer long besides iniuries befals vs by Gods prouidence and reuenge is Gods right Moreouer these raging and reuengefull affections are great hinderances both to Prayer and to the profit of the World And lastly anger lets the Diuell into a mans heart Quest. 1. But how should I preuent it being wronged Ans. First carry some of thine owne sinnes alwayes in thy minde that being prouoked thou maist turne the course of thine anger thither Secondly auoyd the occasions which are both contentions and contentious persons Thirdly be daily iealous ouer thine affections and keepe them downe by prayer Quest. 2. What if passion doe sodainely surprise me Ans. 1. Conceale it 2. Depart from them with whom thou art angry 3. Appoynt at the least that bound vnto thine anger that the Sunne goe not downe vpon thy wrath Towards others we must shew the practise of this vertue thus In things that might displease vs but not hur vs endure them without any notice at all and in things that doe hurt if they be lesser iniuries see them and forgiue them and in the greater wrongs thou must seeke the helpes of the Magistrate and the Law after thou hast sought all priuate meanes by intreatie offers of peace desire of Arbitration c. follow the Law with loue to thy aduersary without passion or rage and in the issues be moderate without shewing extremitie Ioyfulnesse A Christian estate is a ioyfull and comfortable estate Sauing Knowledge makes a man liue ioyfully and comfortably true ioy is one of the fruits Gods Spirit beareth in the heart of a Christian yea it is a chiefe part of that kingdome that God bestoweth on his people on earth None haue cause of ioy but the Children of Sion and none of them but haue great reason to shout for ioy to reioyce and be glad with all their hearts Zeph. 3.14 Is it not a great Mercy to haue all the iudgements due vnto vs for sinne taken away and the great enemie of our soules cast out Is it not a great honour that Iehouah the King of Israell should be in the middest of vs and that our eyes should not see euill any more What sweeter encouragement then that the Lord should cause it to be said vnto vs feare not and againe Let not your hands be slacke If wee haue great crosses enemies dangers wants temptations c. wee haue a mightie God if there be none to helpe vs hee will saue yea hee will reioyce to doe vs good yea he will reioyce ouer vs with ioy yea hee so loues vs that he will rest in his loue and seeke no further Shall man be sorrowfull when God reioyceth Shall the Lord reioyce in vs and shall not wee reioyce in God c. And if these reasons of ioy be contayned in one place of Scripture how great would the number of reasons grow if all the Booke of God were searched such a ioy and contentment is the ioy of Christians that crosses cannot hinder Life is not deare to a childe of God so that hee may finish his course with ioy They suffer the spoyling of their goods with ioy knowing that in heauen they haue a more enduring substance Yea in many crosses they account it all ioy to fall into tentation They seeme as sorrowfull when indeede they are alwayes reioycing Quest. What might wee doe to get this constant ioyfulnesse and vnmoueable firmenesse and contentment of heart Ans. In generall thou must be sure to be Gods Seruant a
man iustified and sanctified thou must know that thy name is written in the Booke of life which cannot be without Faith In particular there are many things which haue a sure promise of ioy and comfort annexed to them First thou must lay the foundation of all eternall ioyes in godly sorrow for thy sinnes Iohn 16.20 Mat. 5.4 Psal. 126.5.6 Secondly thou must hang vpon the breasts of the Church viz. the Word and Sacraments continually with trembling and tender affection wayting vpon the word of God the Law must be in thy heart thou must buy thy libertie herein at the highest value Esay 66.2.5.11 and 51.7 Mat. 13.44 Thirdly in thy carriage thou must be a counsellor of peace Prou. 12.20 and liue in peace as neare as may be 2 Cor. 13.11 Fourthly take heede thou be not insnared with grosse sinne Prou. 29.6 Fiftly wouldest thou reape ioy sow good seede to be much in well-doing procures as a blessing a secret and sweet gladnesse vpon the heart of man a barren life is an vncomfortable life Many would reape that will not be at the payne to sow Iohn 4.36 Gal. 6.7.8 Hee that vseth his Talents to aduantage enters into his Masters ioy a ioy liker the ioy of God then man meeter for the Master then for the Seruant yet such a Master we serue as will crowne vs with this ioy Mat. 15.21 Sixtly be constant beare fruit and get the knowledge of the loue of Christ and abide in it Iohn 15.10 Lastly in the 2 Thes. 5.16 to 24. there are seauen things required in our practise if wee would alwayes reioyce 1. We must pray alwayes if wee be much in prayer wee shall be much in ioy 2. Wee must in all things giue thankes a heart kept tender with the sence of Gods mercies is easily inflamed with ioyes in the holy Ghost 3. We must take heede of quenching the Spirit when a man puts out the holy motions of the Spirit hee quencheth his owne ioyes 4. We must by all meanes preserue an honourable respect of the word publikely preached despise not prophecying 5. And whereas there be some things wee heare doe specially affect vs and concerne vs we must be carefull with all heedfulnesse to keepe those things whatsoeuer we forget try all things but keepe that which is good 6. In our practise wee must not onely auoyd euill but all appearance of euill else if wee disquiet others with griefe or offence of our carriage it will be iust with God we should finde little rest or contentment in our selues Lastly wee must endeauour to be sanctified throughout inwardly and outwardly in soule body and spirit hauing respect of all Gods Commandements and retayning the loue of no sinne so shall we reape the blessing of all righteousnesse and procure to our hearts the ioyes that are euerlasting Hitherto of the Preface Verse 12. Giuing thankes vnto the Father which hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light HItherto of the Ezordium of this Epistle as it contayned both the Salutation and Preface The second part both of the Chapter and Epistle followeth and is contayned in the 12. Verse and the rest to the 23. And it hath in it the proposition of Doctrine This Doctrine propounded stands of two parts for it concerneth eyther the worke of Redemption or the person of the Redeemer The worke of Redemption is considered of in the 12.13 and 14. Verses the person of the Redeemer is entreated of from Verse the 15. to the 23. The worke of Redemption is two wayes considered of first more generally in the 12. Verse secondly more particularly Vers. 13.14 In the worke of our Redemption as it is propounded in this Verse three things are to be obserued 1. The efficient cause God the Father 2. The subiect persons redeemed vs. 3. The Redemption it selfe as it is eyther in the inchoation and first application of it on earth and so it lyeth in making vs fit or in the confirmation of it what it shall be in the end and so it is praysed first by the manner of tenure inherit secondly by the adiunct companie Saints thirdly by the perfection of it in light Giuing thankes The blessings of God vpon euery true Christian are such as they require continuall thankefulnesse to God for them such I say for the worth of them for number for freenesse of gift for continuance and as they are compared with what God bestowes vpon others in the world To the Father A sanctified heart that hath sence of grace so sees God the first cause of all blessings through the second and next causes that it maketh God the principall obiect both of prayer and prayses it is a great sinne not to acknowledge the instrument by which wee receiue any good but it is a great impietie not to giue that which is due to the principall Efficient The Father Father is a tearme of relation and is giuen sometimes to the whole Trinitie sometimes to Christ sometimes to the first Person in Trinitie so commonly and so here God may be said to be a Father in this place two wayes first in respect of Christ secondly in respect of the Christian. 1. In respect of Christ God is a Father both by Nature and by personall Vnion and in this sence two Questions may be moued Quest. 1. Whether prayer is to be made to the whole Trinitie or but to one person Ans. It is to be made to the whole Trinitie Acts 7.59 1 Thes. 3.2 2 Cor. 13.13 Obiect But prayer is here made to one person Sol. Though but one person be named yet the rest are included for the Persons may be distinguished but seuered or diuided they may not be Quest. 2. Is the Father a Redeemer in that Redemption is here giuen to him Ans. The actions of God are two-fold some are inward as to beget to proceede c. Some are outward as to create redeeme c. Now the outward actions are common to all the three Persons they are distinguished onely in the manner of doing the Father beginnes the Sonne executes the holy Ghost finisheth as in the workes of Redemption the Father redeemes vs in that hee beginnes it by deuising this course and willing it from eternitie by calling sanctifying sending and accepting of CHRIST in time the Sonne redeemes vs by taking our nature and in obeying the Law and suffering death euen the death of the Crosse for vs the holy Ghost redeemes vs by applying the merits and benefits of CHRIST to euery Beleeuer 2. In respect of the Christian God is a Father and the meditation hereof should serue for a three-fold Vse 1. For Tryall 2. For Instruction 3. For Consolation For Tryall for it stands vs much vpon to be assured of this that God is our Father in Christ by Adoption for this is the foundation of true hope for what wee want and of true
commit our wayes to God vers 5. 5. Wee must get patience and humble affections vers 7.8.9.10.11 6. Wee must be of vpright conuersation vers 14. 7. Wee must be mercifull vers 25.26 8. We must speake righteous things and get the Law into our hearts verse 30. 31. 9. Wee must keepe our way and wait on GOD neither vse ill meanes Verse 18. And hee is the Head of the Body the Church hee is the beginning and first borne of the dead that in all things hee might haue the preheminence OVr Redeemer is described before both in his relation to God and to the World In this verse and the rest that follow to the 23. hee is described as hee stands in relation to the Church and that two wayes First in relation to the whole Church verse 18.19.20 Secondly in relation to the Church of the Colossians vers 21.22 The praise of Christ in relation to the whole Church is first briefely propounded and then more largely opened It is propounded in these words And he is the Head of the Body the Church There is great oddes betweene the worlds subiection to Christ and the Churches for the faithfull are subiect to Christ as the members are to the Head but the wicked are subiect as vile things vnder his feet Great are the benefits which come to the Church from CHRIST as her Head I instance in sixe viz. Loue Simpathie Audience Aduocation Vnion and Influence First Infinite Loue no man so loues his Wife as Christ loues his Church Secondly Simpathie by which Christ hath a fellow-feeling of the distresses of all his members that which is done to them hee takes it as done to him whether it be good or euill Thirdly Audience and willing acceptance of all the desires and prayers of all his members the Head heares for the Body Fourthly Aduocation no naturall Head can so plead for his members as doth our misticall Head for vs. Fiftly Vnion wee as members are honoured with the Vnion of Essence in that hee hath taken our nature with the Vnion of Office so as the members are annoynted Kings Priests and Prophets in their kinde as well as CHRIST and also with the Vnion of Vertue and benefits by which Vnion wee partake of his Righteousnesse Holinesse and Glory By Vertue of this Vnion with Christ the faithfull haue the euerlasting presence of Christ to and after the end of the World The last benefit is influence influence I say both of Life for the second Adam is a quickening spirit and Light for CHRIST is the Fountaine of all true Wisedome the Head seeth for the Body and the Body by and from the Head and Grace for of his fulnesse wee receiue all grace and Motion for all good desires feelings words and workes come from the working of the Head in vs. The politicall Head is the glory of the World and the misticall Head is the glory of the CHVRCH yet the misticall Head excels the politicall many wayes For 1. CHRIST is the Head of such as are not together in the being of Nature or Grace 2. CHRIST is a perpetuall Head the other is but for a time 3. CHRIST is a Head by Influence the other but by Gouernement 4. CHRIST is an absolute Head the other but subordinate to Christ and his Vice-gerent That Christ might become our Head wee must consider what hee did in fitting himselfe thereunto and secondly what he doth in vs. For himselfe hee tooke the same Nature with his Church else had the Church beene like Nabuchadnezzars Image Yet as hee tooke our Nature so wee must know that he bettered it The Head differs in worth from the Body because therein is seated the minde which is the noblest part of man so in the humane Nature of Christ dwels the Godhead bodily and by expiation in his owne person Christ takes away the sinnes of the Church which else would haue letted all Vnion And lastly hee exalted his suffering Nature and seated himselfe aloft as meete to haue the preheminence and become Head of all the faithfull And as the Head is there seated so are the Members for 1. they are collected out of the World by the sound of the Gospell Let them lye hidden in the world that meane to perish with the world 2. They are framed formed proportioned and begotten by daily hearing 3. They are ingrafted into an vnspeakeable and inuisible Vnion presently in truth afterwards in sence Church This word is diuersly accepted it is taken sometime in euill part for an assembly of wicked men and so there is the Church of the malignant sometimes for the faithfull in heauen sometimes for Christians on Earth and this not alwayes in one sence sometimes for the Pastors of the Church and gouernours as some thinke Matth. 18.17 sometimes for the People and the Flocke sometimes for particular Churches And lastly sometimes for all the Elect of God that haue beene are or shall be so Matth. 16.18 Ephes. 1.23 and 5.23 And so here The Church of Christ is glorious in three prayses 1 She is One. 2 She is Holy 3 She is Catholique She is One in respect of one Head and Seruice in respect of one Spirit and Binder and in respect of one Faith and Constancy in doctrine She is Holy by segregation from the sinnefull world by the inchoation of the grace of Christ and by imputation of his righteousnesse She is Catholique especially in the New Testament in respect of place the Elect may be in any place in respect of men for it is gathered of all sorts of men and in respect of Time for it shall continue vnto all times euen till time be no more Thus of the Doctrine concerning Christ and the Church The Vses follow The first Vse is for Confutation and that three wayes First in vaine doe the wicked enemies of the Church pride themselues in the greatnesse of Learning Power Meanes c. thinking to suppresse the being or glory of Christs Church on Earth for the stone that the Builders refused will proue the Head of the corner Secondly in vaine doe the Papists goe about to maintaine their ministeriall Head for the Church is neither without a Head nor many-Headed And it is absurd to excuse it that the Pope is but a Head vnder Christ for the body were monstrous that had two heads one aboue and another vnder Thirdly in vaine doe carnall men plead their hopes in Christ when they can yeeld no sound reason to proue they are Christs members They are not members of this body vnder this Head that want Faith that haue not the spirit of Christ that are not quickened with the life of Grace that are not wrought vpon by the word of Christ nor built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles that feele no influence of graces from CHRIST that want the knowledge of Prophets or mortification of Priests or victory ouer the World as
Colossians were in without Christ Secondly the remedie in Christ. Their miserie is both propounded and expounded It is propounded to stand in two things viz. Alienation and enmitie It is expounded in two things viz. that they were thus miserable first in their Mindes secondly in their Workes the remedy followes in the next Verse Before I come to consider of their misery there are certaine words of Coherence to be weighed viz. And you hath hee now also reconciled where obserue first the word of Connexion And secondly the benefit repeated reconciled Thirdly the person whom you Fourthly the time when hath now Fiftly the person who Hee From the generall consideration of the matter contained in this Verse and the next with the Coherence sixe things may be obserued First that CHRIST is a true head to euery particular Church Secondly that then is any people happy and not before when the Gospell gathers their soules to God Thirdly they cannot be miserable that cease to be strangers and enemies to God whatsoeuer their outward estate be Fourthly Doctrine must be applyed for the humiliation of Gods Seruants so to Dauid for the conuincing of the wicked so to Ahab for the tryall and detection of the temporary Faith so to Herod for the hardening of the reprobates and their reiection and cutting downe by the Sword of Gods seruants and for the speciall consolations and directions of Gods Seruants And therefore Ministers should employ themselues in application and to that end should study for power of matter as well as forme of words and turne themselues into all formes requesting beseeching reprouing c. with all diligence and sinceritie The People also must know that their profiting lyes in application and to this end they should attend meditate repeate pray striue against Securitie and Obiections keeping aliue the sparkes that are kindled in their soules When a man can conscionably apply the Word it shewes hee truely hates sinne and is a true hearer Fiftly men may know particularly they are reconciled which both checkes Securitie in not labouring for this knowledge and confutes Papists and drowsie Protestants that say it is presumption to thinke so Sixtly Experience giues sure testimony to the Doctrine of the Gospell then wee know profitably when wee know the doctrine in our owne case as the Colossians here their Reconciliation Wee neede not wonder then if wee see that the most powerfull parts of practicall Diuinitie haue little or no testimonie or if it be it is darke and seldome from the most men yea from many Church-men The cause is they neuer had experience themselues And we should learne to esteeme their iudgement most that doe draw Religion most into practise for God will shew the humble his way And you In the gathering of Soules God workes beyond desert and many times beyond probabilities If wee respect the men they were Gentiles hardened by hundreds of yeeres in custome of sinnes if wee respect the meanes it is Epaphras none of the greatest of the Apostles Which should teach vs to liue by Faith and vse Gods ordinance with confidence As in the businesse of conuersion so in matter of preseruation knowing that God is not tyed to desert or meanes Also Doct. The Church and Kingdome of Christ is in this world still in progresse Christ hath not done when hee hath conquered Rome spiritually that had conquered the world before corporally but here is a fresh increase and a new You also And thus it will be still till the end of the world and therefore wee should euery one doe what wee can to helpe forward the Kingdome of God and the adding of such soules as yet belong to the vocation of Christ. And this wee may doe both by furthering the Gospell preached and by seeking a holy seede getting within the Couenant our selues and by education labouring to mend that which by propagation wee haue marred Yea the consideration hereof should much encourage vs in the combate against Sinne and the World for in the warre Souldiers vse to gather spirit and valour vpon the tidings of new supplies Now. Men are not reconciled till redemption be applyed Christ dyed before but they were not reconciled till now It is not safe for men to rest in the Historicall beliefe of Christs death eyther learne to dye to sinne to crucifie thy flesh and to take vp thy Crosse daily or else forbeare to mention CHRIST for it is in vaine thou hast no part as yet in Christ. Hath Though Sanctification while wee tarry in this world be vnperfect yet Reconciliation is past so soone as a man is turned to GOD. Gods rich fauour may stand with the many wants and infirmities of man but then we must remember it is free and gracious for if we be perfectly reconciled and yet not perfectly sanctified then it must needes follow wee are not reconciled from our owne workes Hee That is Christ which being againe mentioned shewes 1. that hee is God seeing Reconciliation is here giuen to him which was before ascribed to the Father 2. It proues that in the one essence of God are more Persons then one 3. It proues that Christ dyed willingly hee is not onely the meanes but the vndertaker of our Reconciliation hee is not onely the Sacrifice but the Priest also Reconciled The repetition or application of this word and worke to the Colossians shewes that there is one constant way that God holds vnalterably with all his people No sort of men can be happy vntill they be reconciled if men will not minde their peace and sue out their pardon in Christ their hope will fayle them there is no other way to be saued Thus of the words of Coherence There remaines both their misery in this Verse and the remedy of it in the next Verse Strangers and Enemies c. In generall wee may first obserue that it is profitable for men to know and meditate of their naturall misery though men be neuer so vnwilling to it yea though they be already deliuered from it For the consideration hereof shewes men the neede of a Sauiour and as a Schoole-master traynes them vp to Christ it mollifies the stony hearts of men it breedes watchfulnesse ouer our nature when wee know it is so poysoned and corrupted it makes vs compassionate ouer others in their distresse or infirmities it sets an high price vpon spirituall things and makes vs account Gods fauour our greatest ioy it makes vs cleaue to God in a perpetuall Couenant To omit many other commodities that arise hereof it reproues the seldome teaching and learning of the doctrine of mans naturall miseries Strangers Vnregenerate men are strangers in fiue respects 1. in respect of Heauen not onely pilgrimes here but without promise of a better life so continuing 2. In respect of God without God in the world 3. In respect of Gods people not fellow-Citizens but Forrainers 4. In respect of the speciall prouidence of God Strangers to
Vnreproueable This word notes the externall vprightnesse or Christian perfection of life Externall innocency must haue in it diuers things 1. we must be free from the grose sinnes of euery Commandement 2. we must cease from our owne workes keepe vs from our wickednesse and not turne after the wayes of our owne heart that is wee must be sure to cease from our particular beloued sinnes 3. our families must be well ordered both for peace labour and pietie 4. we must be free from Idolatry from the customary sinnes of the tongue from the raigne of hardnesse of heart from hasting to be rich for he that hasteth to be rich cannot be innocent as the Prouerbe is Lastly we must loue our enemies Matth. 5. vlt. That we may attaine heereunto we must walke in the way of good men Prou. 2.20 wee must set good Lawes euer before vs and let them be our warrant 2 Sam. 22. 23. wee must not be destitute of heauenly gifts 1 Cor. 1.6.8 In his sight These words may be referred eyther to our presentation or to our sanctification And whereas some would thinke that they ouerthrow the former sence of the words and proue that he entreates heere of our holinesse in Gods sight by iustification they are deceiued for they may find these words giuen to sanctification ordinarily in Scripture as Luke 1.6.7 Hebr. 13 21. 1 Iohn 3.22 Reuel 14.5 The words being referred to Sanctification import foure things First that what we are or doe is in his presence so the words vsed Luke 2.18 13.26 Acts 10.33 Secondly that God is a witnesse of all we doe so the words vsed Luke 8.47 2 Cor. 7.12 Gal. 1.20 Thirdly that God accepts of what is truely good in any measure Luke 1.75 Fourthly that God highly priseth all that is good in the good Luke 1.25 2 Tim. 2.3 5.4 As the words there vsed shew Verse 23. If ye continue grounded and stablished in the faith and be not mooued away from the hope of the Gospell whereof yee haue heard THe second part of the Epistle viz. the proposition of Doctrine hath beene handled hitherto from the twelfth verse vnto these words In these words and those that follow to the end of the second Chapter is contained the third part of the Epistle viz. matter of exhortation wherein hee both perswades and disswades The perswasion is contained in this verse and the rest vnto the eight verse of the next Chapter The disswasion is from verse 8. of Chapter 2. to the end of the Chapter In the perswasion the Apostle exhorts them to perseuerance both in Faith and Hope where is to be obserued 1. the exhortation it selfe in the beginning of this verse and the reason to inforce the exhortation in all the verses following The exhortation is two-fold first to perseuerance in Faith in these words if yee continue grounded and stablished in the faith secondly to perseuerance in hope in the next words and be not mooued from the hope of the Gospell whereof yee haue heard From the Coherence and generall words of the Exhortation we must obserue that Gods Children after they haue gotten true grace were comforted in their reconciliation must looke to their Faith and Hope It is not enough once to get Faith Hope but after they are conceiued in vs they must be daily looked to for the iust must liue by his faith It must be to him according to his faith not according to his friends money labour meanes c. By faith hee must draw vertue out of all Gods ordinances by faith hee must purge his heart of his daily sinnes by Faith and Hope he walkes with God and ouercomes the world This may greatly reproue mans carelesnesse men looke to their Grounds Cattell Shops c. but who lookes to their Faith and Hope If you continue grounded and stablished in the faith Heere are two things first the manner of the propounding of the exhortation viz. with an If secondly the exhortation it selfe where note 1. the dutie continue 2. the manner of the dutie grounded and stablished 3. the obiect in Faith If. The Apostle propounds this Exhortation with an If because hee speaketh to a mixt multitude among whom were many that would not continue and thereby shew they were not truely reconciled Yea it was needfull that the godly amongst them should haue it thus doubtfully set downe that so they might be more carefull to settle and establish themselues in the Faith that they might hold out in it As this If lookes vpon the wicked it shewes that in places where the Gospell gathers soules to God many that for a time were forward and greatly affected will afterwards fall away And therefore Gods seruants both Ministers and People should looke for Apostacy and not be ouermuch troubled when they see any fall away It is not amisse to consider by what meanes or motiues men are plucked away from the loue of the truth Some fal away for hard sayings some cannot follow Christ long because of their carnall friends others are corrupted with lewd company others cannot beare the reproofes of their faults and if they be reprooued either they will lift Amos away from Bethel or they get themselues away from hearing Amos. Some heare this Sect euery where so ill spoken of that they will be better aduised ere they settle vpon such courses And the rather because they doe not see the multitude set out with them or great men yeeld any countenance to such strict courses Others are seduced by time-seruing flattering false or corrupt teachers who labouring to hinder the efficacy of the doctrine of paineful Ministers hope to accomplish either the stopping of their mouthes or the increase of their bonds or at least their disgrace with the people Others are insnared with the earthly things and forsake the sinceritie of the truth to embrace this world with Demas Many fall away for the Crosse and all are catcht with the deceitfulnesse of some sinne Quest. But may the faithfull fall away and not continue Answ. The faithfull may loose and fall from 1. some degrees of innocency of life 2. Some degrees of the working and efficacie of Gods Spirit 3. Some degrees of Communion with Christ. Their Communion may be lessened though their vnion can not be dissolued 4. from Faith of which he makes mention heere And thus they may fall in respect of sence in respect of some degree in respect of some acts of faith in respect of some doctrine of faith and lastly in respect of the meanes of the doctrine of faith But there are seauen things from which the Elect can neuer fall first they can not lose eternall life Iohn 10.29 secondly confirming grace in some measure Psal 14.5 thirdly remission of sinnes past Esa. 43.25 fourthly the seed eyther of doctrine or grace 1 Iohn 3.9 Fiftly the spirit of sanctification Sixtly the habite
of Faith Luke 22.32 Seauenthly vnion with CHRIST Iohn 17.22.23.26 Continue Three things I propound concerning perseuerance First some reasons to moue vs to labour to hold out and continue Secondly rules to be obserued that we might continue Thirdly the helpes the faithfull haue to further their perseuerance For the first Vnlesse we continue wee shall neuer haue the full truth of God nor be made free by it nor haue found comfort that wee are the Disciples of Christ Neither is any man fit for the kingdome of God that puts his hand to the plow and lookes backe The branch cannot beare fruit except it abide in the Vine And if they continue not with vs it is because they were not of vs It had beene better for men neuer to haue knowen the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy Commandements deliuered vnto them For if after they haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Iesus Christ they be againe entangled and ouercome the latter end will be worse then the beginning Yea the very children of God by backesliding may fall into a miserable condition the powers of Hell may assault them They may goe to the graue with vnrecouerable affliction yea they may lose some graces without all restitution in this world as the ioy of their saluation plerophorie or full assurance c. For the second If thou wouldest continue thou must obserue eyght rules First thou must get a continuing faith get thee an infallible assurance of Gods fauour arising from the wise Application of Gods promises and the sure witnesse of Gods spirit Secondly thou must at first be throughly cleansed of all thy filthines making conscience to repent of all sinne and haue respect to all Gods Commandements And thou must be sure thou get a new heart for the olde heart is deceitfull and will not hold out in any thing that is good Thirdly thou must continue to vse the meanes of preseruation thou must still heare pray read conferre meditate and receiue the Sacraments for the spirituall life is preserued by meanes as well as the naturall Fourthly thou must ioyne thy selfe to such as feare God in the societie and fellowship of the Gospell The affections and desires of many are blasted and soone vanish like a morning cloud for want of communion with such as are able to direct comfort admonish or encourage them Fiftly thou must see to it that thou get knowledge as well as affection and affection as well as knowledgen. Sixtly thou must so receiue the truth of the doctrine of Christ as thou be also ready and willing to confesse it and professe it amidst the different opinions and humours of men Thou must be a sheepe meeke tractable profitable sociable innocent for boisterous conceited peruerse vnteachable natures will neuer hold long Lastly thou must be euer wary and take heede of crosse teachings and the puffs of contrary doctrine and withall take heed of coldnesse in following the truth and of discord with such as feare God Many times personall discords worke through mens singular corruptions apostacy from the truth once receiued The summe of all is that if wee get a iustifying faith and be once assured of Gods fauour if wee at first make a through reformation if wee daily sticke to and wait vpon the meanes if we conuerse with Gods children if wee haue wise affections that are warmed with pietie and shewed with discretion if we make a sound profession of the sinceritie of the truth if we be meeke and teachable and follow the truth without coldnesse or contention wee shall neuer fall but continue as Mount Sion that cannot be moued And out of all this wee may discerne the cause of the backe-sliding of many eyther they were deceiued by a temporary faith or neglected the constant vse of Gods ordinances or were sleightly in mortification or they forsooke the fellowship of the Saints or they were tost with contrary doctrine or they were people of vnruly affections or were seduced by secret lusts For the third though it be a hard worke to continue by reason of the infirmities within vs and the impediments from without vs yet a Christian hath great helpes to further him in perseuerance hee hath helpes first from the Saints and is furthered by their example by their exhortations and by their prayers secondly from the immortall seed which is within them which hath as great aptnesse to grow as any seed in Nature and is a seed that is sowen for continuance euen for Eternitie it selfe Thirdly from the easinesse and grace of the Couenant in which they stand in fauour with God And here it would be obserued how the words of the Couenant runne for when God saith Hee will make his euerlasting Couenant his promise is that hee will not turne away from them to doe them good and his feare he will put in their hearts that they shall not depart from him And in another place he sayth hee will not onely clense them but hee will giue them a new heart and take away the stony heart out of their bodies and put his spirit within them and cause them to walke in his statutes and to doe them Fourthly from the spirit of God which is in them for the spirit sets the soule at liberty and furnisheth it with graces sealeth vp vnto the day of redemption strengtheneth the inward man shewes the things giuen of God is a perpetuall comforter leadeth into all truth frees from condemnation and the rigour of the Law Rom. 8.1.3 is life for righteousnesse sake ver 10. mortifies the deeds of the flesh verse 13. beares witnesse that they are the children of God verse 16. is a spirit of prayer to cause them to cry Abba Father verse 15. helpes their infirmities and makes request for them verse 26. Fiftly from CHRIST for from Christ they haue protection Iohn 10.18 Influence Iohn 15.1.4.5 Intercession by which hee couers their sinnes and infirmities presents their workes in his merits and moueth the Father to keepe them from euill c. Iohn 17.9.11.15.17.22 Sixtly they haue helpes from his Ordinances for by Prayer when they aske according to Gods Will they may be sure to haue any thing 1 Iohn 5.14 And by the Sacraments Faith is confirmed and sealed and Grace nourished And by the Word they are many wayes furthered I take but onely the 119. Psalme to shew how our continuance is helped by the Word It redresseth our wayes verse 9. It keepes from sinne verse 11. It strengthens against shame and contempt verse 22.23.143 It quickens and comforts verse 25.28.50.54.93.111 It makes free verse 45. It makes wise verse 98.100 It is a Lanthorne to our feet verse 105.130 It keepes from declining verse 102.104.118.155.160.165 Lastly they are helped by the promises that concerne
perseuerance and preseruation and falling away such as are contained in such Scriptures as these Iohn 13.1 1 Cor. 10.13 Rom. 8.29 Psal. 84.12 1 Tim. 4.18 Reuel 2.25.26 Grounded and stablished in the faith It is not enough to get Faith and continue in it but wee must be grounded and stablished and when he saith stablished in the Faith wee must vnderstand the Doctrine profession exercise assurance and effects of Faith And this establishing and grounding of our hearts hath in it foure things to wit particular Knowledge Certaintie Resolution and Contentment To be thus established would fortifie vs against all the changes and alterations of estate or Religion in after-times and as the Coherence imports it would much further vs in the attainement of an vnstained and vnrebukeable life whereas of doubting can come nothing but the shunning of God the libertie of sinne and desperation and the like Besides this grounded establishment in Faith would free our profession from the dishonours which an vnsetled or discontented Faith or life doth cast vpon vs. Atheists Papists Epicures and Belly-gods if this were in vs would be astonished to see the power of Religion in our resolued contentment and to consider how vnmoueable wee were so as the gates of Hell could not preuaile against vs. Besides the vnsearchable solace that a peaceable and restfull conscience would breed in vs. That we might be thus grounded and stablished diuers things are carefully to be obserued 1. Wee must be founded on the Prophets and Apostles we must be daily conuersant in the Scriptures 2. We must be much in prayer but in practise of prayer wee must nourish the hatred of euery sinne and daily labour to encrease in the reformation of euill And it is a great helpe to be much with such as feare God and call vpon God with a pure heart It would much establish vs to see the faith affections feruency and power of Gods spirit in others in prayer 3. There is a secret blessing of God in setling a mans heart followes vpon well doing so as to be abundant in Gods worke is a great meanes of stedfastnesse whereas a fruitlesse and barraine life is both vncomfortable and vnsetled 4. We must pray God to giue vs a free and ingenious spirit wee must pray to God to giue vs a minde cheerefull speedy full of incitations to good glad of all occasions to doe good free from the staine of the sinnes of the Time Nation or Calling and from the raigne of former lusts inclineable to serue God and our Brethren by Loue fearing the Gospell more then the Law and Gods goodnesse more then his iustice 5. Wee must set an order in Faith and Life It is exceeding behoouefull in matter of opinions to deliuer vp our soules to some sound frame of Doctrine in which wee will euer quietly rest and in matters of life to gather out of the Commandements a platforme of liuing that might fit our owne cause 6 Wee are not vsually setled and soundly stablished till we haue beene shaken with affliction and haue gotten the experience which the Crosse learnes vs Lastly wee must consecrate our selues to God endeauouring daily to practise what wee daily heare for hee that commeth to Christ and heareth his sayings and doth them is like a man which hath built a House and digged deepe and layed the foundation on a Rocke and when the flood arose and the streame beat vehemently vpon that house it could not shake it because it was founded on a Rocke Quest. What should be the reason why many after long profession and much hearing and some comfortable signes of assurance at sundry times conceiued should yet be vnsetled and distracted and shew so much perplexitie and want of firmenesse eyther in contentment or practise Answ. This is occasioned diuersly First sometime for want of a distinct direction or carefull examination about the Application of the signes of Gods fauor some Christians haue not the signes cleerly distinctly collected others that haue them know the vse of them grow sloathfull and negligent and are iustly scourged with the want of the glory of this establishment Secondly sometimes it comes to passe for want of vsing priuate meanes more conscionably as Reading Prayer or Conference Thirdly it is so sometimes with Christians because of some sinne they lye in without repentance there may be some sinne which they too much fauour and are loath to forsake whether it be secret or more open Fourthly Vnfruitfulnesse and barrennesse in good workes may cause it for if Faith did beare fruit vpwards it would take roote downewards Fiftly many are grieuously pressed vnder legall perfection being not able distinctly to discerne the benefit of the Couenant of grace in freeing them from the curse and rigour of the Law The ignorance of this one point hath and doth couer the faces and hearts of millions of Gods Seruants with a perplexed confusion and feare without cause Sixtly many professors liue in much vnrest for want of discerning things that differ and the right vse of Christian liberty Seauenthly there is a kinde of luke-warmenesse in practise after hearing which is in many scourged with the withholding of this rich grace of spirituall stedfastnesse I say luke-warmenesse in practise for it may be obserued that many heare with great affection and continue to be stirring in expressing their liking of the Word and yet are exceedingly negligent in the conscionable and daily practise of such rules as in the ministery of the Word they seeme to receiue with admiration and great liking Eyghtly this comes by reason of the want of patience and a meeke spirit some Christians are froward passionate transported with violent affections eyther of anger or wordly griefe and these seldome or neuer gaine any long rest or continuall contentment troubled affections greatly hinder setlednesse euen in the best things To conclude many professors reuolt to the world and giue themselues to an vniustifiable libertie in following eyther their profits or their pleasures And therefore no maruell though Grace and true Religion thriue so slowly in them when they eate vp their hearts and liues with these cares and delights of life Hitherto of Faith Now of Hope Be not moued away from the hope of the Gospell whereof yee haue heard Though by Faith wee are interressed in GODS fauour and our soules garnished on earth with diuers graces as the fruits of Faith and our liues protected with caelestiall priuiledges yet the glory of our kingdome is neither of this world nor in this world Hope must guide vs to future things as well as Faith to present and therefore the Apostle Peter doth with great reason teach vs to blesse God for begetting vs againe to a liuely hope our whole happinesse may be branched out into these two parts First what we haue already on earth and secondly what wee looke to haue hereafter in Heauen The one Faith
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
presence of Christ For otherwise it is a knowledge passeth all naturall vnderstanding and his working in vs is aboue all we can aske or thinke Why should a Christian feare any want that carrieth a Mine of treasure within his owne breast And what a shame is it that wee grow not exceeding rich seeing there is nothing but Faith and Prayer will get it and why should wee feare either tribulation or persecution paine or perill seeing this is our victory euen of faith and wee are assured that in the end wee shall be in all these things more then conquerours through him that loueth vs and liues in vs Further doth the spirit of meekenesse and of Christ dwell in thee Oh then aboue many things learne lowlinesse and humilitie and if the Lord giue thee a tender and a harmelesse heart watch with all carefulnesse that thou be not beguiled from the innocent simplicity that is in Christ Iesus Lastly thou must labour for inward sinceritie both of thoughts and affections thy heart is Christs chamber of presence where he alwayes resides and as thou art carefull to looke to thy behauiour because of mans presence so must thou much more looke to thy heart to keepe it cleane and pure and chaste and euery day to dresse it new since the King of glory is come in to dwell with thee Men would be very carefull to looke to that roome where they would giue their best entertainement Alas we haue no better roome then our hearts to welcome our Sauiour into and shall not wee keepe them with all diligence woe be to vs if wee tempt or grieue him by our inward vncleannesse Now for the fift point there are seauen ill signes that Christ dwels not in a mans heart First when a man sauours nothing but carnall things Secondly when a man hath or desires or esteemes or labours after no other knowledge but what is ordinary or naturall Thirdly when a man makes no conscience of inward sinnes Fourthly when a man hath no zeale in Gods worship or holy affections towards God and his people and his word Fiftly when a man hath not a faith that hee can liue by Sixtly when a man neuer feeles the heauenly ioyes of Christ in his heart Seauenthly when a man can liue in any grosse sinne without trouble and anguish of spirit or desire and indeauour to breake it off by repentance The hope of glory The riches of a Christian are eyther in this life and so it lies in the grace of IESVS CHRIST or else in the world to come and so it is glory euen a most glorious and admirable excellency of felicitie which shall haue in it eternall righteousnesse and the continuall blessed vision of God eternall ioyes and perfection of all things round about euerlasting honour and singular esteeme most sweet societie with holy Angels and blessed Saints with vnspeakeable peace and rest together with that admirable clarification of the very bodies of the righteous The consideration hereof should allure vs to the continuall thought of Heauen and to a feruent affection after it striuing to expresse our hope of Heauen by a conuersation that tends to glory and immortalitie and to this end wee should be importunate with the Lord to shew vs this glory by the spirit of reuelation that we may be able profitably to solace our soules in the middest of the tentations and afflictions of this world with the serious contemplation of our right in Iesus Christ to this admirable glory that is to be reuealed And the meditation of the glory poore Christians shall one day haue should teach vs to honour them now and receiue them into our heartie and inward societie and to vse them as such as wee are assured are the heires of more glory then this world is worth and lastly doe we looke for glory from God in another world then we should seeke to glorifie GOD in all things with all our might in this world Secondly wee may in these words note that where Christ will glorie in another world there hee is the hope of glory in this world A Christian holds his glory by this Tenure Now concerning this hope many things haue beene noted already vpon the fourth verse and vpon the 23. verse and therefore thither I referre the Reader Verse 28. Whom we preach admonishing euery man and teaching euery man in all wisedome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus IN this verse is contained the sixt generall Reason taken from the end and profitable effect of the Gospell If they continue constant by the power of the word they will be made fit to be presented in some measure of ripenesse and perfection vnto God in Iesus Christ. Two things are in the verse to be obserued the Meanes and the End the meanes is preaching which is amplyfied by the parts of it admonishing and teaching and by the manner of it in all wisedome Whom we preach The reason why the Apostle falls so often into the mention and praise of their preaching is to rescue it from the contempt vnder which many times it lay disgraced There are foure things may be obserued here which tend to expresse the honour of the ministery in this place 1. They are as it were the Lords high treasurers to dispense the riches of the kingdome of Iesus Christ. And if such an office be in such request vnder earthly Princes what is it to be so honoured of the Prince of all Princes All the world is beholding to the ministery for they shew that Mine of incomparable Treasure they dig it vp they offer it as spirituall Merchants yea the Lord by them doth as it were particularly inrich all Christians 2. This honour of publishing the Gospell is now taken from the very Angels and giuen to them now Wee not the Angels preach vnto you 3. They haue the best subiect that euer men had to intreat of all other Sciences are base in comparison of them they intreat of Christ and grace and glory for euer by him nay 4. herein differs preaching from all other relations whatsoeuer that they doe not preach of Christ but they preach CHRIST that is they giue what they speake of And these three little words expresse diuersly the duty of Ministers 1. they must preach that is plaine 2. they must preach diligently which may be gathered from the expressing of it in the present-tence It was not a sufficient excuse wee haue preached as diligently as any in our young times or before we came to such preferment No this must be the comfort of a Minister and his continuall plea wee doe preach not wee haue preached 3. They must preach CHRIST that is that part of Diuinitie that concernes Redemption Iustification and Sanctification 4. They must labour in preaching to expresse as much as lies in them consent Consent I say with the Prophets and Apostles and consent with their fellow Ministers Wee
raise vp men that will labour in the Gospell considering the ill successe in many hearers and the infirmities in themselues and the strange discouragements from the world and when the Lord hath gotten him Labourers it is his working that they can get fit Meditations and Affections into their hearts in priuate and fit vtterance in publike it is not Art and Learning alone that will furnish them with powerfull matter And thirdly it is Gods working to extend the power of the word to the hearers so as the heate of it goe not out before it kindle in the peoples hearts What shall I say it is Gods mighty working that the people are preserued and daily built vp by the word in Grace All which should teach vs to place our Faith not in men but in the power of God And let wicked men be aduised least by resisting the Ministery they be found fighters against God and it may be a great comfort to a Minister to for if God worke for vs and by vs it matters not who be against vs. And lastly Christians should make much of and be thankfull for and greatly admire all Knowledge and Grace gotten from the word for it was wrought by the very finger of God FINIS THE ANALYSIS of the second Chapter TWo things are conteined in this Chapter First the continuation of the exhortation begun in the 23. verse of the first Chapter to v. 7. Secondly a dehortation from verse 8. to the end The exhortation is continued two waies First By alleaging more reasons v. 1.2.3 Secondly by prolepsis remouing sundry obiections v. 4.5.6.7 There are three reasons to presse them to care of perseuerance in the doctrine they had receiued The first reason is taken from the care of the Apostle for the deliuerie and defence of the Gospell in these words I would you knew what great fighting I haue for your sakes and for them of Laodicea and for as many as haue not seene my face in the flesh vers 1. The second reason is taken from the effects of the Gospell and they are two 1. consolation that your hearts might be comforted 2. loue and knit together in loue The third reason is taken from the adiuncts of the Gospell and they are three First certaintie vnto all riches of full assurance of vnderstanding 2. Sublimitie to the acknowledgment of the mysterie of God euen the Father and of Christ v. 2. Thirdly perfection in these words in whom or in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge v. 3. Thus of the reasons The answer of obiections followes Ob. 1. Why doth the Apostle vrge vs so largely with this exhortation Sol. This I say lest any beguile you with inticing words Ob. 2. But how doth he know our estates being absent Sol. To this he answereth that though hee were absent in the flesh yet he was present in spirit Ob. 3. But is it charitie to entertaine surmises of vs Sol. He saith he did reioyce in their order and stedfastnes present But he wrote this to warne them to take heed Quest. Tell vs at once what you would haue vs do Answ. v. 6.7 two things are to be done the first concernes holy life the second faith Concerning holy life there is first a precept walke on secondly a rule after which that precept is to be squared viz. as yee haue receiued the Lord Iesus Christ. Concerning faith there is first a precept they must be rooted built vp and stablished secondly a rule as they had been taught And thus of the exhortation The dehortation followes from v. 8. to the end There are three parts of the dehortation First he setteth downe the matter from which he dehorts v. 8. Secondly he giues six reasons to confirme the dehortation from vers 9. to 16. Thirdly he concludes and that seuerally from v. 16. to the end In the 8. verse he sets downe three things from which he dehorts 1. From Philosophie which he calls vaine deceits 2. From traditions of men 3. From the ceremonies of Moses which he calls the rudiments of the world The reasons are 1. because they are not after Christ v. 8. 2. Because in Christ there dwels all the fulnes of the Godhead bodily v. 9. where note an excellent description of Christ In him he notes his person the Godhead his diuine nature corporally his humane nature and dwells the vnion of both and for the measure it is in all fullnes 3. Because we are compleat in Christ without any of these things v. 10. Here note the persons yee the time are the benefit compleat the author Christ the limitation in him 4. Because we are circumcised without hands and therefore need not circumcision made with hands and consequently no ceremonies This reason is propounded v. 11. confirmed by prolepsis v. 12. Concerning Circumcision without hands fiue things are to be noted 1. the persons yee 2. the time are 3. the manner set down negatiuely without hands 4. the form of it affirmatiuely putting off the bodie of the sins of the flesh 5. the efficient cause the circumcision of Christ. Ob. But it followes not we are circumcised without hands therefore need not circumcision with hands Sol. It followes to vs now in the new Testament because we haue baptisme in steed of circumcision with hands we are buried with Christ by baptisme Ob. But was not Circumcision a more liuely signe Sol. It was not which he shewes to be true both in respect of mortification buried with him and in respect of viuiâ—ication raised vp together with him by baptisme which is amplified by setting downe what is required in them to whom baptisme is thus effectuall viz. the faith of the operation of God 5. Because none of these can helpe vs in miserie nor further to happinesse when we want it v. 13. The words in themselues expres a twofold estate of Christians First what they are by nature and so 1. they were dead in actuall sinnes 2. they were in the vncircumcision of the flesh in respect of originall sinne Secondly what they were in the state of grace 1. they were quickned 2. they were forgiuen all their sinnes 6. Because Christ hath cancelled the Chyrographie that was against vs which were these ceremonies v. 14.15 concerning these two things may be noted 1. what the ceremonies were in themselues 2. how the Church was discharged of them For the first they were for honor ordinances of God for vse hand-writings for effect they were against vs. For the second Christ on the crosse cancelled them fastned them and tooke them out of the way yea hee spoiled the deuills and triumphed ouer them openly who had the power to serue execution for forfeitures v. 15. Thus of the reasons the conclusion followes from v. 16. to the end The conclusion hath three branches For first hee concludes against ceremonies v. 16.17 Secondly against philosophie v. 18.19 Thirdly against traditions v. 20. to the end In the conclusion against ceremonies note 1.
the consolation of Gods people in that they draw them away from God the fountaine of all consolation and likewise they withdraw them from the societie and fellowship with the Saints But this is but generall I consider distinctly of each of these effects That their hearts might be comforted The people whose hearts are not effectually wrought vpon by the gospell are voide of the consolations of God They are in comfortles distresse a naturall heart is a comfortles heart and they must needs be without comfort for they are without God and Christ and the promises and communion with the godly which are the wells of comfort besides by reason of the vaile of ignorance their soules sit in darknes and what comfort can they haue in such a continued spirituall night of darknes neither will the disorder of their affections passions or lusts suffer their hearts to enioy any true ease or rest or ioy and how can comfort dwell where euill angells haue their throne the powers of hell preuaile in euery child of disobedience and the ioyes of the holy Ghost are altogether restrained from them neither can there arise any true consolation from outward things for in their owne iudgments most an end they are at a want of contentment they are daily fretted with the interruptions befall them and vanitie and vexation of spirit are the inseparable companions of earthly things or if they were not what were the possession of all things if they be set before the thoughts of death or Gods wrath or the last iudgment or hell Imagine a man driuen out of the light by deuils where he should see nothing but his tormentors and that he were made to stand vpon snares or grennes with iron teeth ready to strike vp and grind him to peeces and that he had gall powred downe to his bellie and an instrument raking in his bowels and the paines of a trauelling woman vpon him and an hideous noyse of horror in his eares and a great gyant with a speare running vpon his necke and a flame burning vpon him round about do you imagine this man could be solaced in this distresse with bringing him strawes or trifles to play withall Alas alas this is the estate of euery wicked man if he had eyes to see what belongs vnto him and what is his danger as these places shew whence these comparisons are taken Iob 18.18.7.8 20.24.15 15.20.21.26 30. certainly heauen and earth shall passe away before one iote of these miseries shall be remoued out of the way so as they should not fall vpon wicked men being impenitent and alas what then can outward things doe vnto them Oh then shall not men be warned and awaken and stand vp from the dead that Christ may giue them light and shall not our bowells turne within vs to thinke of this comfortles distresse of so many thousand soules And will the rebellious world still rise vp against the messengers of God that giue them warning of their miseries shall he still be made to sinne in the word and be taken in a snare that reproueth in the gate Oh the vnexpressible senselesnesse and slumber that possesseth the hearts of some men But I come to the second doctrine This is a maine end of the Gospell to bring men to true consolation and contentment The Gospell brings ioy because it brings knowledge which refresheth the minde as the light doth our senses it comforts as it reviues Gods fauour in Christ how can it be but comfort when it giues the Spirit which is the Comforter and it is a daily refreshing against the guilt of sinne and the afflictions of life it shewes mortalitie and the hope of glory to come it discouers the mines of treasure that are in Gods promises and it shewes vs also our right in earthly things as it is conferred vpon vs in Christ. The vse is first for confutation it doth not make men desperate and melancholie but contrariwise it easeth and solaceth the hearts of men 2. All that are in any distresse either inward or outward may here be directed whither to goe for hearts ease and comfort viz. to the word and though any vse of the word in sinceritie hath much life yet is the power of the word most auaileable in the sincere preaching of it In the 19. Psalme this is one euident fruit of the word that it reioyceth the heart Now if wee seriously consider the praises of the word in that place we shall perceiue not only that this truth is maintayned but many obiections are answered too only this we must know that where the word hath this effect it must first conuert vs to God for to the vnregenerate minde it doth not so worke but where mens hearts are turned to God it is perfect it is of excellent and exquisite vse it is good for all occasions it will direct in all our wayes and comfort in all distresses Ob. But may a man trust vpon it if he subiect himselfe to the word and waite vpon God in it that he shall be directed and comforted Sol. Yes for the testimonies of God are sure they neuer faile Ob. But might one say it may be great learned men might finde so much good by it but alas I am vnlearned and simple Sol. It makes the simple wise The word can help the vnlearned aswell as the learned Ob. But can it be that the word should fit my turne to serue for my particular occasions of need of direction and comfort Sol. Yes the statutes of the Lord are right and out of the fitnes they haue to our estates they greatly reioyce the heart Ob. But I am much troubled with euill thoughts and continuall infirmities and weaknesses besides many outward faults Sol. The word of the Lord is pure it is so by the effect it will make thee pure it will purge out those euills and greatly help thee against these corruptions that molest and trouble and annoy thee Ob. But I cannot tell how to doe to order my course for hereafter if I were now comforted Sol. It giues light to the eyes it will teach vs what to doe Ob. But yet there are many euills that I am by nature so addicted to or by custome so intangled in that I feare God will neuer take any delight in me c. Sol. The feare of the Lord is cleane That word of God which tells vs how to feare God is cleane by effect it will pull downe and master any sinne and cleanse our hearts and liues of it Ob. But how may I know it will worke this in me though others haue found it so because I know not how I shall perseuere and hold out Sol. The feare of God endures for euer The word I say which workes in vs the true feare of God will neuer cease to be effectuall and there is as much force in it now as euer was in it No time can euer weare out the efficacie of Gods
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
condition and stablished then wee must striue for a free spirit remembring Dauids prayer stablish me with thy free spirit Now if any aske what a free and ingenuous spirit is I answer 1 It is a minde that will not be in bondage to the corruptions of the times it acknowledgeth no such bonds or relations to any as to sinne for their sakes 2. It is a minde that apprehends libertie in Christ a minde that will not be in bondage to legall perfection but discerns his release from the rigor and curse of the law it will not be subiect neither to a corrupt conscience nor yet to a conscience erring or ouer-busie but sees his prerogatiues hee enioyes in Christ either in the hope of glory or sense of grace or vse of outward things or his libertie in things indifferent there is a kinde of seruilenesse or spirit of bondage in many that wonderfully holds them downe and if they be not better lightned of their daily feares and burdens the flesh will lighten it selfe by rebellion and apostacie 3. It is a minde not cheined downe to the loue of or lust after earthly things 4. It is a minde ready prest to doe good full of incitations to good things and carefull to preserue it selfe from the occasions of euill as resolued so to stand vpon the sinceritie of his heart as rather to loose his life then his integritie as neither caring for those things which â—he common sort seeke after as praise profits outward shewes c. not fearing their feares 10. Men must at first labour to get a sound and heartie loue of the truth desirous to store and furnish themselues with the treasures of holy knowledge if the law be written in the hearts and bowels of men they will hold out to the end Lastly men must be sure that they be good and true in their hearts as the Psalmist saith for then they shall be as the mount Sion that cannot be moued and the Lord will alwaies doe well vnto them Now the signes of a good and true heart are such as these 1. A true heart is a new heart that must be taken for granted else in vaine to inquire any further if there be not a newnesse of the heart to God 2. It loues God with vnfeined and vndeuided loue though it cannot accomplish all it would yet 〈◊〉 hath holy desires without hypocrisie after God aboue all things 3. It labours for inward holinesse as well as outward both seeking the graces that should be within and mourning for inward sinne as well as outward 4. It will smite for small sinnes as well for numbring the people as for murther and whoredome he hath not a good and true heart that is vexed onely for great euills and offences 5. A true heart is a constant heart it is not fickle and mutable as many are in all their wayes but that it is once it desires to be alwaies 6. It desireth the power of godlinesse more then the shew of it and is more affected with the praise of God then of men 7. It quickly findes the absence of Christ and cannot be at rest till he returne 8. It constantly pronounceth euill of sinne and sinners and well of godlinesse and good men Now on the other side the reason why many fall away was because they were not true in their hearts at first they set vp a profession of repentance with carnall ends and through hypocrisie beguiled themselues and others Secondly if men finde that they haue been rightly formed in the wombe and birth of their change then there are other directions for them to obserue throughout their liues that they might continue in this holy walking with God and his Saints Wouldest thou be sure not to fall away then looke to these things 1. Be sure thou continue in the carefull vse of the meanes as the word prayer conference and Sacraments else know that when once thou giuest way to a customarie hardnes of heart in the vse of the meanes or neglect of them thou art neere either some great sinne or temptation or some great iudgment and apostacie and therefore concerning the meanes principally looke to two things 1. preserue appetite 2. practise that thou hearest without omission or delay 2. If thou discerne any spirituall weaknesse or decay or feele any combat with the flesh or the tentations of Satan be sure thou complaine betimes and resist at the first for then the grace of God will be sufficient and the weapons of our warfare mightie through God prayer will easily master sinne at the first through the victorie in Iesus Christ. 3. Resolue with thy selfe not to let goe thy assurance or cast away the confidence of thy hope whatsoeuer befall thee or at least not till thou maiest see wonderfull euident reason It is a maruellous great fault to call the loue of God into question vpon euery occasion whereas men cannot glorifie God more then to liue by faith to be vnmouable in it God takes litle delight in a soule that will withdraw it selfe vpon euery occasion by vnbeleefe Are they not strangely foolish that will weare their helmets when their is no stirre and as soone as they see an aduersarie or any blowes towards then to cast away their helmet and doe it so vsually such are we and worse that stand bragging of our faith and hope in prosperitie and ease and when affliction and temptation comes then most childishly wee cast away both faith and hope and till reason and sense are satisfied we will not be perswaded 4. Set perfection before thine eyes to striue after it and to this end acquaint thy selfe with the rules of holy life and consider the examples of such as haue walked therein and the wofull euents that befall the contrarie minded especially think much of the great recompence of reward euen the price of our high calling in Iesus Christ. 5. Take heed of the occasions of falling such as are spirituall pride known hypocrisie desire to be rich discord with the godly and vaine ianglings with out discretion neglect of our particular callings and vngodly companie Hitherto of perseuerance in life Now in the next verse he intreateth of perseuerance in faith Rooted and built vp in him and stablished in the faith as you haue been taught 7. In these words is both a precept and a rule a precept to be rooted built stablished a rule as ye haue been taught The substance of the precept is but to counsell them to increase more and more that they might be stedfast in the assurance of Gods fauour in Iesus Christ. Of this stedfastnes I haue at large intreated in the 5. verse Onely wee may here againe be instructed and informed 1. Of the necessitie and excellencie of stedfastnes the Apostle would not thus often peale vpon it but that he knew it to be of singular worth in the life of man and of great necessitie vnto our consolation besides
when he should once for all accomplish his redemption for vs besides he hath already promised to acquite vs in that day and it hath been often confirmed both in the word and the sacraments and praier he hath left many pledges of his loue with vs and therefore it were shamefull vnbeliefe to doubt his terror What though he be terrible to wicked men yet by iudging in seuerity he hath not nor cannot loose the goodnesse of his own mercy what should we feare him iudging in his power when we haue felt saluation in his name besides the manner of the iudgement shal be in all righteousnesse and mercy Thou shalt not be wronged by false witnesses nor shalt thou be iudged by common fame or outward appearance the iudge will not be transported with passion or spleen nor will he condemne thee to satisfie the people and besides there shall be nothing remembred but what good thou hast sought or done And not the least goodnesse but it shall be found to honor and praise at that day And if it were such a fauour to a base subiect if the King should take notice of him to loue him and should in an open Parliament before all the Lords and commons make a long speech in the particular praises of such a subiect what shall it be when the Lord Iesus in a greater assembly then euer was since the world stood shall particularly declare Gods euerlasting loue to them and recite the praises with his owne mouth of all that hath been good in thy thoughts affections words or works throughout all thy life or in thy death especially if thou adde the singular glory he will then adiudge thee too by an irreuocable sentence And so we come to the second appearance viz. the appearance of christians in glory Then shall ye also appeare with him in glory The glory that shall then be conferred vpon Christians may be considered either in their bodies or in their soules or both The glory of their bodies after the resurrection is threefold For first they shall be immortall that is in such a condition as they can neuer die againe or returne to dust For this mortall then shall put on immortalitie Secondly they shall be incorruptible That is not only free from putrefaction but also from all weaknesse both of infirmitie and deformitie For though it be sowen in weakenesse yet it shall be raised in power though it be sowen in dishonor and corruption yet it shall be raised in honor and incorruption Thirdly they shall be spirituall not that our bodies shall vanish into ghosts or spirits but because they shall be at that day so admirablie glorified and perfected that by the mighty working of Gods spirit they shall be as able to liue without sleep meat mariage or the like as now the Angells in heauen are and besides they shall be so admirably light and agile and swift that they shal be able to go abroad with vnconceiueable speed in the aire or heauens as now they can goe surely on the earth The glory vpon the soule shall be the wonderfull perfection of Gods image in all the faculties of it Then shall we know the secrets of heauen and earth And then shall our memories will and affections be after an vnexpresseable manner made conformable vnto God The glory vpon both soule and body shall be those riuers of ioies and pleasures for euer more And thus shall the man be glorified that feareth the Lord. The consideration of this glory may serue for diuerse vses First let vs all pray vnto God vpon the knees of our hearts from day to day that as he is the father of glory so he would giue vnto vs the spirit of reuelation that the eies of our vnderstanding might be enlightned to know in som comfortable measure and that we might be able with more life affection to meditate of the exceeding riches of this glory and inheritance to come Our hearts are naturally herein exceeding both dull and blind maruellous vnable with delight and constancie to thinke of these eternall felicities and this comes to passe by the spirituall working of sathan and the deceitfulnesse of sinne and too much emploiment and care about earthly things But a christian that hath so high a calling and hopes for such a glorious end should not alow himselfe in that deadnesse of heart but as he gaineth sence by praier in other gifts of grace so should he striue with importunity and constancy wrastling with God without intermission so as no day should passe him but he would remember this suit vnto God till he could get some comfortable ability to meditate of this excelling estate of endlesse glory Secondly this should make vs to be patient in tribulation and without murmuring or grieuing to endure hardnesse and temptations in this world For they are but for a season though they be neuer so manifold or great and the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory to be reuealed though we might be dismaied while we looke vpon our crosses and reproaches and manifold trialls yet if the Lord let vs haue accesse vnto this grace to be able soundly to thinke of the glory to come we may stand with confidence vnapalled and with vnutterable ioy looke vp to the glory we shall shortly enioy when the trial of our faith being more pretious then the gold that perisheth shall be found vnto honor and praise through the reuelation of Iesus Christ Yea what were it to loose not some of our credits or our goods but euen our liues seeing we are sure to find them againe with more then a hundred fold aduantage at the time when Christ shall come in the glory of his father to giue vnto all men according to their deeds Besides we must know that there is no talking of sitting at Christs hand in glory till we haue asked our selues this question whether we can drinke of the cup he dranke of and be baptized with the baptisme he is baptized with And then if we can suffer with him we shall raign with him and shall be glad and reioice with exceeding ioy when his glory shall appeare And in the meane while the spirit of glory and of God resteth on you Thirdly seeing Christ will receiue Christians into such glory it should teach vs to receiue one another into both our hearts and houses Why shouldst thou be ashamed or thinke it much with all loue and bounty and bowells of affection to entertaine and welcome the heires of such eternall glory Oh if thou couldst but now see but for a moment how Christ doth vse the soules of the righteous in heauen or will vse both body and soule at the last day thou wouldst for euer honor them whom Christ doth so glorifie and make them now thy only companions whom thou shouldest see to be appointed to liue in such felicity for euer Fourthly
I meane christian loue to Gods children and such a loue as hath both affection and society and spirituall imploiment in the furtherance of the Gospell When the Apostle would charge the Ephesians to auoid fornication and all vncleannesse he doth first aduise them and that seriously to walke in loue as knowing that the exercise of true christian loue breeds such contentment and desire of holinesse that it mightily fenceth the heart against all base lusts whatsoeuer For they cannot stand together and vsually such as are withdrawne by concupiscence are likewise withdrawen from all profitable fellowship with Gods children The fift preseruatiue is watchfulnesse in the daily obseruing of the first motions of lust and in carefulnesse in directing the heart into Gods presence deuoting in our couenants and desires our thoughts and affections to God Thus Salomon when he would giue direction against the whorish woman aduiseth My sonne giue me thy heart and let thine eies delight in my waies The last preseruatiue is to auoide the causes and occasions of lust and vncleannesse The first is idlenesse This was one of the causes of the detested vncleannesse of Sodom as the Prophet Ezechiel shewes And contrariwise diligence in our callings is a notable helpe to keep out inordinate desires and vain thoughts and commonly persons ouertaken with vncleannesse abound with idlenesse The second is fulnesse of bread that is by a synechdoche excesse in meats and drinkes either for the measure or daintinesse of them And contrariwise to beate downe downe our bodies either by abstinence or sobriety in the vse of the creatures is a notable meanes to quench and abate those flames if they be risen and to keep them also from that speciall aptnesse to rise The third is the high estimation of earthly things and the too great liking of them for this loue secretly brings in lust Thus the Apostle to Timothie saies that the loue of mony and riches breeds noisome lusts which in short time drowne man in perdition The like may be said of the estimation and too much viewing of apparell beauty c. The fourth is ignorance and hardnes of hart For thus it was in those the Apostle mentions in the fourth to the Ephesians That greedinesse to defile themselues with all sorts of vncleannesse arose and increased in them by reason of the insensiblenesse of the heart and the blindnesse and emptinesse of their minds And on the other side lust cannot get such a head so long as any sound measure of knowledge is stirring in the mind or tendernesse remaines in the heart lust desires both a darke house and a darke mind The fift is euill company And therefore the holy Ghost giues this rule to those that would not be ensnared with the strange woman walke thou in the way of good men and keepe the way of the righteous The last is care for the flesh It is the liberty men take not only to feed themselues in contemplatiue wickednesse but also to plod and cast about how to satisfie fulfil their lusts that doth so much confirme them in the custome of vncleannesse And therefore the Apostles counsell is take not care to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Thus farre of the sinnes of the seuenth commandement The sinne against the tenth commandement followes Euill concupiscence This vice containes all sorts of euill thoughts and inclinations and desires after any kind of pleasure profit honor but especially lustfull inclinations or thoughts And it differs from inordinate affection because inordinate affection hath in it principally the burning of lust and a kind of effeminatenesse the soule being ouercome and inthralled with the power of lust Now I thinke this concupiscence notes lust as it is in inclination or euil motion before it come to that high degree of flaming or consent and it is well called euill concupiscence for there is a good concupiscence both naturall and ciuill and spirituall Naturall after meate sleepe procreation c. ciuill which is an ordinate desire after lawfull profits and pleasures Spirituall and that is a lust for and after heauenly things And so the spirit lusts against the flesh Now that we may know the Apostle hath great reason to counsell men to mortifie euill thoughts though they neuer come to consent these reasons may shew First concupiscence in the very inclination and first thoughts is a breeder it is the mother of all sorts of wickednesse if it be not betimes killed in the conception The Apostle Iames shewes that concupiscence will be quickly enticed yea it will entice and draw away a man though from without it be allured with no obiect And when it hath drawne a man aside it will conceiue and breed with very contemplatiue pleasures and when it hath conceiued and lien in the wombe of the minde and laine there nourished from time to time vnlesse God shew the greater mercy it will bring forth bring forth I say a birth of some notable externall euill action and when it hath gone so far like an impudent beldame it will egge on still vnto the finiishing of sinne by custome in the practise and so indeed of it selfe it will neuer leaue till it hath brought foorth as a second birth death and that both spirituall and eternall death and somtimes a temporll death too Secondly if these lusts goe no further then the inward man yet sinne may raigne euen in these There may be a world of wickednesse in a man though he neuer speake filthy words or commit filthy action There is a conuersing with the very inward lusts of the flesh which may proue a man to be meerly carnall and without grace as well as outward euill life Thirdly this secret concupiscence may be a notable hinderance to all holy dutie This was that the Apostle so bitterly cries out against in the seuenth to the Romanes This was it that rebelled so against the law of his mind and when he would doe any good it would be present to hinder it This is it whereby the flesh makes war and daily sights against the spirit t is the lust after other things that enters into mans hart and choakes the word and makes it vnfruitfull What is the reason why many pray and speed not is it not by reason of their lusts that sight in their members Qu But is there any man that is wholly freed from these Ans. There is not Euery man hath in him diuerse kinds of euill thoughts but yet there is great difference for then is a mans estate dangerous when these lusts and euill thoughts are obeied serued fulfilled and cared for For those are the termes by which the power of them in wicked men are exprest but so they are not in a child of God that walkes before God in vprightnesse The consideration of all this may break the harts of ciuill honest men For hence they may see that
the sinne deny that they are couetous T is rare to find any couetous person that will confesse that he is couetous And therefore for answer hereunto it will not be amisse out of the word of God to shew the signes of a couetous man The first signe of a couetous man is the desire to haue the sabboth ouer that he might be at his worldly affaires A couetous man thinks all the time set apart for Gods seruice exceeding tedious and long And he hath a great inward boiling of desire to haue such times and imploiments past The sabbath is wonderfull burthensome to a worldly mind especially if he be restrained from worldly imploiments The Prophet Amos bringeth in the couetous man of his time saying thus in the discontentment of their hearts when will the new Moone be gone that we may sell corne and the sabbath that we may set foorth wheat The second signe of couetousnesse is oppression and fraud When men to compasse gaine care not how they vex and racke the poore or such as liue vnder them or in buying or selling out of greedinesse of gaine circumuent and pill and defraud others by customary lying or false waights measures or ballances or any other fraudulent course This is an euill couetousnesse Vsury also that is a desire to increase riches by interest is a palpable signe of couetousnesse especially in these times when the sinne of vsury is so vniuersally condemned for if men were not besotted with the loue of riches they would not dare to liue in such a damned sinne but I thinke all men easily know that vsurers are couetous and therefore I need not proue it The third signe of couetousnesse is greedy and distracting care I meane such a care as deuoures a mans thoughts that euery day will keepe possession in a mans soule and runne in his mind continually both sleeping and waking Plodding and carking cares and this may be discerned by comparing these cares with our care for eternall things When we haue more care for this world then for heauē we need go no further but resolue vpon it couetousnesse hath deceiued vs. Neither doe I meane that they only are couetous that immoderately disquiet themselues with continuall cares for getting of treasures and the superfluities of abundance For it is sure that couetousnesse may be in vs in a high degree though our cares be but about things that are necessarie as about the things we must eat or put on As the comparing of the 15 verse of Luk. 12. with v. 21.22 wil shew Now the care for necessaries is not simply forbidden because we are bound to vse the meanes with diligence and carefulnesse but the care that is a signe of couetousnesse may be discerned by the very tearmes the Euangelist Saint Luke vseth to describe it by For in the 22 verse our sauiour saith take no thought for your life c. and by taking thought he notes a perplexed inward sorrowfull and fearefull care about life and the things thereof And verse 26. he saith why take ye thought for the raiment as if he would haue vs note that it is a property of couetous cares to be deepely drowned in perplexity euen about trifles and small matters and surely we may obserue worldly minded people and one would wonder to see how they vexe and disquiet themselues about euery meane occasion especiall if there be the least colour of any profit or losse towards Againe our Sauiour vpbraideth those that are caried with those cares that they haue but a little faith whereby he shewes that then our cares are faulty and arise from the infection of couetousnesse when they are raised by vnbeliefe and mistrustfulnesse of Gods prouidence or promise Lastly in the 29. verse our Sauiour saith thus Therefore aske not what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke neither stand in doubt or as you may see it rendred in the margent neither make discourses in the aire and by these last words he notes another property of a couetous person and that is when he hath his head tossed with cares or feares either about the compassing of his profits or preuenting of losses c. he is so full of words and manie questions what he shall doe and how he shall auoide such and such a losse that he hath neuer done either moning himselfe or consulting to no purpose in things that either cannot be done or not otherwise c. Or it may note this endlesse framing of proiects for the compassing of his desires Thus of the signes Yet notwithstanding these signes I must needs confesse that couetousnesse it not easily discerned both because it is an inward distrust in the spirit of a man and also because their comes to this vice vsually fained words to hide it from the view of others or subtile thoughts and euasions to blindfold the conscience within and besides it is the nature of this sinne quickly to darken the discerning of the mind and therefore I thinke couetousnesse in the most may be well called coloured couetousnesse it is so on both sides masked The vse of all should be to teach vs as the author to the Hebrewes saith to haue our conuersation without couetousnesse and to be content with the things we haue resting stedfastly vpon the promise of God I will not faile thee nor forsake thee And to this end we should pray as Dauid did that God would incline our hearts to his testimonies and not to couetousnesse Preseruatiue or remedies against cuuetousnesse Qu. But what are the best remedies or preseruatiues against couetousnesse Ans. There are these things among the rest that are of great vse to preserue vs from couetousnesse or to weaken the power of it The first is that which I mentioned before viz. praier to God daily that he would incline our hearts to his testimonies that so we might haue our minds drawne away from the cares of couetousnesse The second is meditation And there are diuerse things which being seriouslie thought of may preuaile against the perplexed cares of couetousnesse As first example and that either of godly men and the holiest worthies of the Lord that in all ages haue willingly confessed themselues to bee strangers and pilgrims looking for a city in another country hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God or else of wicked men For it is so base a vice that it should be found in none but Gentiles that know neither Gods promise nor prouidence and sure it is found in none but vngodly men that are strangers from the couenants of promise Secondly the nature of man For consider the soule of man is a celestiall thing and diuine and hath nothing from the earth And the body of man is erected with a face towards heauen and the whole earth is vnder mans feet and hath its name from treading vpon it to note that man should walke on it with his feet not
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
iust reuenge to the sauing of the person appeasing of Gods anger or the promoting of the kingdome of Christ. I say it is a godly passion For there are two sorts of naturall passions Some are so euill they can neuer be good as enuie Some are so naturall as they may be either good or euill as they agree or disagree with the law of God and such is anger I say iust zeale for I know that euerie zeale hath not alwaies either good cause or good effect I adde against sinne because it must not be our indignation at the person And wee may bee angrie and vexed at our owne sinnes as Paul was aswell as at the sinnes of others And reuenge also is the end of anger for so may a Christian be reuenged on himselfe as a fruite of godlie sorrow as also he may desire the iust reuenge of the magistrate vpon others the end must be to saue the person not to expresse our spleenes and to appoint Gods anger as Phineas did and others of Gods seruants and lastly to promote Christs kingdome by sauing a soule from sinne But it is vicious anger is here ment Vicious anger hath her degrees For there is 1. the offence a griefe of the heart it may be this is that the Apostle hath Ephes. 4.31 and is translated bitternesse 2. Inflamed anger or the inward working of this bitternesse or vexation or offence or greife 3. Outward rage neither are all men of one fit in their anger For some are quickly angrie and quickly appeased some are slow to anger and slow from anger Some are quickely inflamed but slowly pacified The best is slowly to kindle and quickly to bee satisfied but all are naught Now concerning vicious anger I propound 2. things principally to be considered 1. Reasons 2. Remedies against it Now for the first There are diuers things might perswade a Christian to make conscience of the mortification of anger and frowardnesse 1. The commandement of God which is expresse be not hastie in thy spirit to be angrie as Salomon recordeth it in the 7. of Ecclesiastes 2. The praises the Lord giues to men that can bridle their anger and the disgraces the holy Ghost casts vpon impatient persons As Prouerb 14.29 He that is slow to wrath is of great vnderstanding but he that is hasâ—iâ— of spirit exalteth folly And againe Prouerb 19.11 It is the discretion of a man to deferre his anger it is his glorie to passe ouer a transgression And againe Prouerb 12.8 A man shall be commended according to his wisedome but he that is of a peruerse heart shal be despised And in the place of Ecclesiastes before alleaged he saith Anger resteth in the bosome of fooles 3. The nature of euill anger What is anger but the furie of the vncleane spirit the madnesse of the soule the vnrest of all the faculties a very beast within the heart of man 4. The effects of anger Which may be considered either more generally or more particularly And the particular euill effects are either internall or externall The internall effects are such as these 1. It blindes the minde the iust anger troubles the minde but vniust anger blindes it 2. It looseth the bowels of pittie mercie especially from the persons A man hath no affections neither for duties of pietie nor of mercy 3. It greiues the spirit of God 4. It lets in the Diuell into a mans heart The externall effects are these 1. It will interrupt praier as the Apostle Peter intimatâ— if there be frowardnesse through indiscretion or contempt in the familie that will interrupt praier and worke a negligence in Gods worship And therefore it is one thing the Apostle Paul expressely requires wee should looke to concerning praier namely That men pray as without doubling so without wrath 2. It is a great hinderance to the profit of hearing and therefore it is one of the Apostle Iames his rules that if we would profit by the word we should be slow to wrath 3. It doth notably shame a man and discouer and blaze abroad his folly for as Salomon obserueth he that is of a hasty minde exalteth folly and in the 12. chapter and 16. verse he saith a foole in a day may be knowne by his anger 4. Anger disables a man for societie for it is Gods commandement or aduise that we should make no friendship with an angry man nor goe with a furious man and as for other reasons least we learne his wayes and receiue destruction to our owne soules And in generall anger is the doore or gate of vice and therefore Dauid in the 37. Psalme saith Cease from anger leaue of wrath fret not thy selfe also to do euill as if he would imply that to abound in anger is to abound in sinne and it cannot be but a man must be guilty of much sinne that liues in fretting and passion and inward vnrest and Salomon saith plainly that a furious man aboundeth in transgressions besides anger brings Gods curse vpon a man as it is in Iob anger slayeth the foolish it bringeth many times great and sudden iudgments and as Salomon obserues a man of great wrath shall suffer punishment and if thou deliuer him yet thou must doe it againe Hence it is that our Sauiour Christ denounceth iudgment both temporall and eternall against vnaduised anger in the fifth of Mathew And this of the reasons The remedies against anger are of two sorts I. there are remedies for anger in our selues II. there are remedies for anger in others There are diuers things are good to represse and subdue and mortifie anger in our selues 1. from the coherence of these words with the former verse it appeares that the serious and frequent meditation of our miserie is a good meanes to cut downe the power and vnrulinesse of our passions 2. Sauing knowledge will make a man peaceable gentle easie to be intreated and the true reason why there is so much passion many times in the heart is because their is so little knowledge in the head for passion and folly are twins Thirdly to preuent anger or to restraine it it is good to take heed of medling with the strife that belongs not to vs. But carefully to mind and meddle with our owne businesse especially we should take heed of medling with foolish and indiscreet persons for he that contendeth with the foolish whether he rage or laugh there is no rest Fourthly we must not giue place to wrathc nor let it haue a vent by sudden and vnaduised words or by suffering our affections to increase in swelling and desire of reuenge we should silence our passions and resolue to suspect and restraine our words Anger smothered will languish but let out will flame vnto further mischiefe Fiftly we should diuert the course of our anger and spend the heate of our affections vpon our owne sinnes and it were
Gods Image first that Image of God in man and the Image of God in Christ differs in two things 1. Christ was the substantiall Image of the father as hee was God and we are his Image but by similitude 2. Christ as man by reason of the personall vnion is filled with almost infinite perfections aboue measure which are in no man else besides Againe it differs from the Image of God in Angels in three respects 1. Because they excell in nature for they are wholy spirituall and in action they performe Gods will with greater glory and power 2. They are free from all humane necessities euer since their creation 3. They enioy the vision of glory in the presence of glory in heauen in a manner peculiar to their place and natures Now for the differences of the image of God in man according to the different estates of man we must know the image of God according to the threefold estate of man is likewise threefold 1. there is the image of nature which Adam had 2. the Image of grace which the Saints now haue and thirdly the Image of glory which the blessed haue in heauen The Image of God in Adam had distinct specialties Adam was a perfect Diuine and a perfect Philosopher euen in an instant he knew the nature of all things in the instant of his creation which now is attained vnto with extreame labour and singular weaknesse 2. he had an immortall nature free from infirmities diseases death 3. he should haue propagated an immortall seed after the image of God whereas now grace will not be propagated 4. his obedience was charged with the obseruation of the tree of life and of good and euill The image of grace hath these specialties 1. faith 2. godly sorrow 3. the cohabitation of the flesh 4. a feeblenesse and defect in the measure of grace 5. a peculiar kinde of inhabitation of the spirit of Christ. Lastly the image of glory hath these differences a freedom like the Angels from all terrene necessities 2. an vtter abolishing of the sinfull flesh and of the very naturall disposition to dye 3. a full perfection of all graces 4. a losse of faith and sorrow and all the works of repentance 5. a speciall vnutterable communion with God and good Angels in glory The consideration of this doctrine of gods image should serue to teach vs to loue and admire all that feare god since the Lord hath graced them with this honor to be like god t is a greater fauour then if they had resembled the noblest Princes that euer were on earth no all the carnall men on earth in all their glory cannot reach to that absolutenesse of excellencie that is in one of the poorest of gods seruants 2. since the seat of this glorious resemblance of god is in the heart it should teach vs especially to looke to our hearts and keep them with all diligence euen to be conscionably carefull to see to it what thoughts and affections are lodged there the deuill desires no more aduantage then to haue liberty to erect in the heart houlds for euill thoughts and sensuall desires 3. If it should be our glory to be fashioned after the image of god then it condemnes the abhominable securitie of the most men that are so mindlesse of the repaire of the losse of this diuine gift and in stead thereof with so much care fashion themselues after this world or after the lusts of their owne and old Ignorance or after the wills and humors of men 3. how are wee bound vnto god for this vnsearcheable loue that is pleased to restore vnto vs this diuine gift through the gospell of Iesus Christ. Thus in generall of gods image But before I passe from these words there is further to be considered first the forme of speech in that he saith not his Image but after his Image 2. the efficient cause noted in those words of him that created him For the first we must vnderstand that to say man is the Image of God and man is after the Image of God is not all one for man is said to be the Image of God because hee is truely so and he is said to be after his Image because he is not perfectly so Christ onely resembles God in full perfection Now for the efficient cause of Gods Image he is described heere by a Periphrasis he that created him Man was two wayes created first in respect of being and so God created him 2. in respect of new being and so Christ created him neither of these senses can be well excluded And if the words be vnderstood of the first creation then these things may be obserued that Adam was not to be considered as a singular man but as he susteined the person of all mankinde else how could we be said to be created after Gods image and as in him we receiued this image so by him we lost it 2. That the interest we haue now to creation is not sufficient to saluation and therefore they are grossely deceiued that think God must needs saue them because he made theÌ„ 3. That the Lord would haue the doctrine of the worke of Creation to be remembred and much thought vpon by conuerted Christians and the rather because it serues for great vse in our regeneration for it furthers both repenâ—ance and faith and therefore in diuers places of Scripture where the holy ghost intreats of doctrine of repentance and faith the word Create is metaphorically vsed to assure vs that God will performe his promise though it were as hard a worke as to create all things at first Thus he hath promised to create a cleane heart and to create the fruit of the lips to be peace and to create vpon euery place of Mount Sion and vpon the assemblies thereof a cloud and smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night that vpon all the glory may be a defence and to create light and deliuerance out of afflictions Besides the doctrine of the creation teacheth vs the feare of that dreadful maiestie that was able to worke so wonderfully and it inforceth humilitie by shewing that wee are made of the dust in respect of our bodies and that our soules were giuen vs of God with all the gifts we haue in our mindes as also by giuing vs occasion to consider the image of God that we haue lost and thus of creation as it is referred to God Secondly it may be referred to Christ and so be vnderstood of our regeneration which is as it were a re-creation or a new creation and in this sense it shewes that we should conforme our selues to the likenesse of him that doth regenerate vs by his word and spirit But may some one say is there any difference betwixt the image of God in vs and the image of Christ in vs I answer that to be fashioned after the image of Christ hath two
things in it more then is properly in conformitie to Gods image for wee must be like him in sufferings and secondly in the impressions of the vertue of his death and resurrection And thus of the 10. verse Vers. 11. Where is neither Graecian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond free but Christ is all in all things This Verse may containe another reason to perswade to mortification and holy life And the reason may be taken from the great respect God hath of true grace in Christ and the little loue or care he hath for any thing else a Barbarian a Scythian a bond-man if he haue grace shall be accepted wheras a Graecian a Iew a free-man without grace is without respect with God Christ is all It may be the Apostle heere meets with the false Apostles that so much vrged the obseruation of Iewish rites stand so much vpon it to diuert the people from the sound care of reformation of life by filling their heads with questions and vaine wranglings about the law whereas the Apostle shewes men may be absolute and compleat in these outward obseruances and yet their circumcision auailes them nothing before God Heere are then euidently two things in this verse first what it is God stands not vpon 2. what it is is all in all with him Where there is neither Graecian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbabarian nor Scythian bond nor free Out of these words these two things may be obserued I. That nothing without Christ can make vs truly happy The image of God or felicitie of man stands not in birth freedom naturall parts or outward obseruances for he is not a Iew that is one outwardly nor is that libertie that is onely in the flesh nor is that wisdome that is onely in learned men such as were the Graecians Dives was a rich man Goliah was a strong man Achitophell was a wise man Absolon was a faire man Esau was circumcised and Cain was well borne and yet all these are in hell II. That in Christ there is no difference all is one whether thou bee poore or rich Iew or Gentile bond or free male or female with God there is no respect of persons In the power of his ordinances as by name in the preaching of the Gospell he extends his mercy both to Iewes and Gentiles so in the disposing of his gifts hee bestowes knowledge and other graces vpon people of all sorts and for acceptation whosoeuer feareth him and doth righteousnesse hee is accepted of what nation or state soeuer hee be and all this will more fully appeare when he shall iudge euery man without respect of persons according to his works at the last day The consideration hereof may teach vs diuers things 1. to feare God and forsake our sinnes since hee is a God so terrible that will not be swayed with outward respects 2. not to stand vpon outward birth or greatnesse in the world nor to pride our selues in our wits or rest our selues vpon our outward seruing of God for the Lord accepts not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more than the poor or the learned more then the vnlearned for they are all the worke of his hands 3. to be industrious in well-doing seeing hee that doth good shall be accepted whether he be bond or free graecian barbarian one or other for the same God is Lord ouer all and rich vnto all that call vpon him and endeuour by well-doing to approoue themselues in his sight 4. not to despise poore Christians seeing God accepts of them and hath made them rich in faith and heires of a kingdome 5. not to giue titles to men and by seruile flatterie or feares to be so much taken vp with their meere outward praises or places Lastly Magistrates in the administration of Iustice should resemble this absolutenesse of God so as no respect of persons poore or rich freinds or foes strangers or home-borne should carry them besides the iust regard of the cause But Christ is all in all And so he is 1. in respect of the vnion of the mysticall body as it is hee in whom euery one that is a new creature is considered to be and consist Euery conuert is created in Christ Iesus 2. in respect of sufficiencie a man needs no more then Christ hee onely may suffice the whole compleatnesse of saluation is in Christ. 3. in respect of efficiencie if wee looke vpon the benefits conferred vpon all Christians by Christ he makes a meanes for all wants he is in stead of liberty to the seruant and in stead of birth and honour to the Scithian and Barbarian he is the substance of all shadowes to the vncircumcised what shall I say hee is righteousnesse and riches and wisdome sanctification and freedome and a recâ—mpence to Christians yea in him all things are theirs and as the pledge of all they haue receiued the spirit of the sonne into their harts The vse of all this may be diuers 1. Vnto vs therefore there should bee one Lord euen the Lord Iesus Christ 2. All sorts of men should striue by all meanes to set out and shew Christ only Ministers should teach Christ onely Magistrates should chiefly intend the glory of Christ nay all sorts of men should seeke Christ in choosing callings wiues seruants places of abode c. Christ should be all in all with vs yea in those we haue to deale withall wee should beare with many wants and weaknesses so they haue Christ for that is all in all 3. We should learne to bee satisfied with Christ though wee want health or libertie or wealth or worldly freinds or great wits or strong memories c. Christ makes amends for all he is enough if the Lord haue giuen vs Christ he hath done enough for vs though it be sure that with him he wil giue vs all things also 4. This may greatly reprooue the wonderfull stupiditie of men that are so taken vp with admiration of these outward priuiledges when as we see how all is vaine without Christ what shall it profit a man if hee had all honour and riches and countenance of friends and the pleasures of life if when he came into Gods sight hee might haue no acceptance for his soule If Christ bee all things then without Christ all things else are nothing but especially this doctrine serues for singular comfort to Gods children in all their distresses and that will better appeare if wee consider the particulars For first are they afflicted in conscience vnder the sence of Gods anger and their owne sinnes Why he is the propitiation for their sinnes he is the end of the Law for them yea all that the Law can require of them he will bee their witnesse and their testimony Hee giues them promises and faith to beleeue them
sanctified them by the spirit The doctrine of Election hath both consolation and instruction in it it is full of comfort if we consider the priuiledges of Gods chosen euen those great fauours he shewes them when he beginnes once to discouer his euerlasting choise of them the Lord doth euer after auouch them for his peculiar people to make them high in praise and in honor The men of their strife shall surely pâ—rish and come to nothing The Lord will helpe them and comfort them in all strife he wil be a wall of fire round about them and the glorie in the middest of them the Lord will owne them as his portion that he hath taken to himselfe out of the whole earth He will vse them as his friends hee will heare their praiers and communicate his secrets vnto them But who can count their priuiledges no tongue of men or Angels are able to doe it which since it is so we should take vnto vs continually the words of the Psalmist and say euery one of vs Remember me ô Lord with the fauour of thy people and visit me with thy saluation that I may see the felicitie of thy chosen and reioyce in the Ioy of thy people and glory with thine inheritance Especially wee should labour to make our calling and election sure for then we shall be safe in as much as thereby an entrance is ministred vnto vs into the kingdome of Iesus Christ. Now if any shall aske who they are that may be sure of their election I answere First with the Apostle Paul They that receiue the Gospell in power and much assurance with ioy in the holy Ghost though it should be with much affliction And with the Apostle Peter such as to whom God hath giuen precious promises and such as flie the corruptions of the world through lust that ioyne vertue with their faith and knowledge and temperance and patience and godlinesse and brotherly kindnesse and loue Lastly if wee be comforted in our election we should then labour to inflame our hearts out of the sence of this euerlasting goodnesse of God euen to set vp the Lord and to feare him and walke in his waies and particularly by the Apostles direction to be very carefull of these holy graces that follow Thus of the first motiue Holie They are holy diuers waies For they are holy first in the head 2. In their lawes 3. In their Sacraments in respect of which they are sacramentally holy 4. By imputation 5. By hope of that consummate are holines in heauen 6. In their calling so they are Saints by calling 7. As they are Temples of the holy Ghost But the holinesse of sanctification is heere meant and so they are holy by inchoation Holinesse is essentiall to a childe of God Gods elect are holy this is euery where proued in Scripture I will not stand vpon it only for instruction let vs from hence obserue That if euer we would haue comfort of our election we must labour to be holy and that both in bodie and in spirit we see they are here ioyned and we must not separate them But may some one say seeing no man is without his thousands of sinnes and infirmities what must wee doe that wee may haue comfort that we are holy in Gods account being so many waies faultie in our natures and actions For answere hereunto wee must know that there be foure things which if a man do attaine vnto though he hath otherwise many infirmities yet he is holy in Gods account yea in the holinesse of sanctification The first is this if a man can so farre forth subdue his corruptions that sinne raignes not in him so long as it is in him but as a rebell it doth not frustrate his comfort in his sanctification 2. If a mans praiers desires and indeuors be to respect all Gods commandements as well as one Iustice as well as Piety holy times as well as holy things inward obedience as well as outward secret obedience as well as open auoyding lesser sinnes as well as greater 3. If a man bee sincere in the vse of the meanes that make a man holy preparing his heart to seeke God in them esteeme them as his appointed food mourning for want of successe desired endeauouring to profit by euery ordinance of God and that at all times as well as sometimes at home as well as at Church Lastly if a man can finde comfort in the pardon of his sinnes hee needs not doubt of his acceptation to be holy Beloued In this word is lodged the third Motiue which is taken for Gods loue as if the Apostle would affirme that if Christians did seriously consider what it is to be loued of God they would find full incouragement to all grace and duty now this may be better opened if wee consider but the properties of Gods loue wherein it wonderfully excells As first if God loue them it is with a free loue he stands not vpon thy desert or worthinesse Againe he loues first p he loues before he be loued he loued vs when wee hated him he chose vs when we did not choose him 3. Gods loue is wonderfull tender which will appeare if we consider that he is not onely gratious but mercifull slow to anger of much kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill 4. Gods loue is naturall not forced and therfore he is said to quiet himselfe in his loue and himselfe loueth mercy Lastly his loue is an euerlasting loue where hee loueth he loueth to the end And therefore we should labour to know the loue of God to our selues euen to be particularly assured that we are Gods beloued or else this could not be a motiue to holinesse as heere it is And besides the meditation of Gods loue to vs should incourage vs against all crosses for God will giue his beloued rest They shall bee blessed and it shall be well with them They shall be deliuered for he will helpe with his right hand But especially it should harten vs against the scornes of the world and the hate of wicked men if God loue vs it mattereth not greatly who hate vs And in speciall the meditation of this loue of God should teach vs to tyre our selues with these worthy graces as so many ornaments for thus should the beloued of God bee decked And doth the Lord loue vs and shall not wee striue to shew our loue to him againe Euen by louing his word glory children presence and commandements Lastly we may heere learne how to loue for God loues First those that are holy Secondly those whom he had chosen so it should be with vs first we should choose for holinesse and then loue for our choice This may teach the people how to loue their Magistrates and Ministers and so wiues and seruants And contrariwise Thus of the motiues the
of our wants out of emulation of others nor is it onely to be humbled for humiliation and humility differ Now that the nature of this grace may be found out we must consider that vsually it is begotten in a man by the power of the word and followes the breaking of the heart by mortification r and declares it selfe both inwardly and outwardly Inwardly humblenesse of minde hath in it a sight and sense and digested opinion of our owne great vnworthinesse and is not easily stirred to great thoughts with vaine applauses It hath in it a tender sense of tentations a hatred of hypocrisie and a willingnesse to suffer afflictions and a contentation in some measur in what estate soeuer it pleaseth God to bring a man to Outwardly it expresseth it selfe both towards God and men towards God it keepes a man lowly in the vse of the meanes and hath a continued feare and awfull sence of Gods presence and stands not at it to bee accounted vile for the seruice of God In carriage towards men it is not affected in words or gestures it is not censorious nor arrogant nor contentious It desires not open and publike places it is not swelled with praises nor it affects not the vaine praises of it selfe but contrariwise it makes a man goe before in giuing honour and not to thinke much to equall himselfe with them of the lower sort reioicing in the loue of a poore Christian as well as of a great man It will make a man subiect to and thankfull for admonitions and willing to embrace the truth though it be found in the possession of others Finally it is ioifull vpon the doing of any good and thankfull for lesser fauours The vse is as for humiliation vnder the sense of our wants in expressing the practise of this grace so for instruction to teach vs to labour after it as a most praise-worthy vertue we should seeke lowlinesse as the Prophet speakes And to this ende wee should contemplate of the motiues heereunto For humilitie is one of the graces we are especially charged to imitate in Christ It is a grace that God highly accounts of he holds vs worthy of our vocation if he may see this in vs the Lord himselfe will in his speciall reuiuing presence dwell with the contrite and humble soule He will not despise their praiers Wisdome is with the lowly The Lord will heale them and create the fruit of the lippes to bee peace Howsoeuer it may goe with the humble otherwise yet the Lord will be sure to giue grace to the humble Lastly humilitie goeth before honor the Lord will exalt vs if we abase our selues and we are most precious in his eies when we are most vile in our owne eies And contrariwise this may shew vs the hatefulnesse of pride c. the more the Lord stands vpon humblenesse of minde the more it imports he abhorres pride And that the nature and praise of true humilitie may the better appeare it will not be amisse to set out the sorts of Pride Generally pride is expressed either in things that concerne God or in things that concerne man In the things that concerne God there is the pride of the Atheist whereby he striues to remoue the sense of the being of God And the pride of the Hereticke when he assaults the attributes of God or his persons And the pride of the Papist who will claime by his merits And the pride of the Curious who will search into things not reuealed And the pride of the Persecutor who will pursue by slanders or violence the power of Gods ordinances And the pride of the Impenitent that dares liue and die in his sinnes without care of Gods threatnings And towards men pride is discouered diuers waies as by oppugning the fame of the best men by the singularitie of conceit of worth aboue others either for place or gifts by bragging and boasting by vaine ioies by new fanglenesse in apparell by striuing for Offices and highest places yea there is a spirituall pride in very grace and holinesse Now contrarie heereunto is that humilitie God requires in this place And thas of humblenesse of minde Meekenesse Christian meekenesse hath in it as I conceiue these things First a quietnesse of heart in the freedome from passion by which one is slow to anger and not easily prouoked Secondly a teachablenesse and tractablenesse or being easie to bee perswaded Thirdly a childlike confidence in Gods care and prouidence becomming in that respect as a little childe Fourthly it is not swelled with prosperity Fifthly It thinkes not much of the yoke of Christ In what measure a man is truely meeke in the same measure he accounts Gods seruice a reasonable and easie seruice Sixthly in conuersing it hath two principall properties the first is feare as it is opposed vnto boldenesse conceitednesse roughheartednesse the 2. is an Euangelicall harmlesenesse or simplicitie The consideration hereof may much humble the best of vs if we consider how passion doth ouer-master vs and how successe doth swell vs and how stiffe our hearts are after an vnconceiuable manner against the power of the meanes and how vnquiet we are for want of confidence in God Oh where is this conuersation with feare to be found And for the simplicitie that is in Christ Iesus how is it mixed in some and wanted in others and lost in many who are beguiled of the Serpent Yet inasmuch as this grace is indispensibly required that it should bee put on let vs stirre vp our hearts as to seeke righteousnesse so to seeke meekenesse with it And to this ende we should auoid what doth encounter it As namely we should take heede of lust and malice and couetousnesse and contention For these things will wonderfully disâ—uâ—be the heart and fill it maruellously with perturbations and also wee should meditate of the incouragements to this grace For meekenesse would muâ—h auaile vs in the profit and power of the word and God hath promised to water this grace with secret ioies and easefull refreshings n Besides God doth in speciall manner vndertake their protection as the places in the Margent will show For meekenesse in the hid man of the heart is a thing much set by he will guide them in iudgement and teach them his way Long suffering By Long-suffering is meant as I take it First an vnwearied firmenesse of heart holding out vnder all crosses tentations oppositions c. The minde not being easily broken put out confounded discouraged distempered or vnquieted with any kinde of passion And so indeede it is nothing else but the perseuerance of patience Secondly there is a long-suffering which is a spirituall perseuerance of hope vnder the promise with an expectation of the performance of it There is a long-suffering in our carriage towards others in regard of their reformation and so we
neglect of fellowship in the Gospell in many places and all those euill fruits that arise from the want of the exercise of this grace such as are suspitions blind censures c. And thus of loue Verse 15. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be thankefull In this Verse he exhorts vnto the two last vertues Peace and thankefulnesse In the exhortation to peace there is the duety and the reason The duety in these words let the peace of God rule in your hearts where I consider the nature of the vertue peace the author of it God the power of it let it rule the seat or subiect of it in your hearts the reason of it is double first from their vocation to the which ye are called Secondly from their mutuall relation as members of one body Peace Peace is threefold internall externall and eternall Internall peace is the tranquillity of the mind and conscience in God satisfied in the sence of his goodnesse Externall peace is the quiet and concord in our outward estate and carriage Eternall is the blessed rest of the Saints in heauen the last is not heere meant Of God Peace is said to bee of God in diuers respects 1. Because our peace should be such as may stand with the glory of God so wee should seeke the truth and peace 2. It may be said to be of God because he commandeth it 3. Because he giueth it he is the author of it hence peace is saide to be a fruit of the spirit and God is said to be the God of peace In this last sence I thinke it is meant heere Let it rule The originall word is a terme borrowed from running at race and it imports Let peace be the Iudge let it sit and ouer-see and moderate all the affections of the heart seeing we are in a continuall strife whereas our affections would carry vs to contentions discords brawlings grudges and diuisions c. Let the victory be in the power of peace Let peace giue the applause and finally determine the matter Thus of the explication of the sence of the words Now all these words may be first vnderstood of internall peace with God and then God may bee said to be the author of it in diuers respects 1 It may be said to be of God because he sent his sonne to merit it Hence Christ is said to be our peace Prince of peace Lord of peace Secondly because he sends his messengers to proclaime it and inuite men to it Thirdly because he sends his spirit to worke it Now this peace of God is said to rule 1. When it ouerswayes doubts and tentations establishing the heart in the confidence of the assurance of Gods loue in Christ which is when a man can say as the Apostle did I am perswaded neither principalities nor powers neither heights nor depths things present nor things to come shall euer be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Catharinus a very Papist could gather certainty out of this place 2. When in our carriage we continually feare to offend God or doe any thing that might disturbe the peace of our consciences 3. When in aduersity we can deny our selues and rather choose to suffer affliction then forgoe the peace of Christ in our hearts Now when the holy Ghost ads in your harts it implies that true peace with God will encounter both presumption and hypocrisie and diffidence Presumption for it will rule in our hearts it will not abide hardnesse of hear◠and the spirituall slumber It will not rest till there bee affections of godlinesse as well as common profession of it Hypocrisie for it notes that it will not 〈◊〉 onely by keeping iustice in a mans life but it will rule within a mans thoughts and affections Diffidence and so these words excellently encounter a feare in weake Christians Oh I shall loose my peace and that rest I haue now this is answered heere thy peace is in thine heart and therefore who can take it from thee it is not like thy money and credit c. for these may be taken away But peace can no man nor Deuill take away without thine owne consent it is in a Chest where no hands can come but Gods and thine owne The vse of this may serue for reproofe of that lamentable security that is in most men about their inward peace with God not onely that most men wretchedly procrastinate through the hardnesse of their hearts refuse peace in the season when God offers peace and beseecheth them to be reconciled but also for that the most men conforme themselues in this presumption that they are in Gods fauor when indeed they are not It was the fault of some Prophets and is too common a fault of many ministers to cry peace peace when there is no peace by reason of the sinnes men liue in without repentance The holy ghost in many places complaines that such is the state of the most men that they haue not knowne the waies of peace And the day of Iudgement shall finde many that cry peace and safety while they are ready suddenly to perish Iehu could say what peace so long as the whoredomes and witchcrafts of their mother Iesabell remaine So may not wee say what peace can there be vnto men though the world struggle and gainesay so long as lippe-seruice swearing prophanation of the Sabbath bloud drunkennesse whoredome contempt of the word c. do so much abound without amendment Secondly hence wee may learne by all meanes to seeke the peace of God into our hearts And to this end we must be Gods people and get an humble and contrite heart and soundly labour our iustification by faith wee must be good and true in our hearts and worke righteousnesse and study the Scriptures waiting vpon the word preached Thirdly it may serue for comfort to all Gods seruants that seeke true peace the Lord would haue them to haue peace and to haue plenty of it that it may rule in them Oh but I haue many and great afflictions in the world Solu What though in Christ thou maist haue peace Oh but I cannot see which way I should haue any peace Sol. He will create peace Oh but the Diuell is very violent in tempting Sol. The God of peace will tread the Deuill downe shortly Oh but the peace we haue neither is nor heere will be perfect Sol. Peace shall come Oh but I am afraide least my peace with God breake and so hould not Sol. The mountaines may fall but Gods couenant of peace shall not fall Thus of internall peace externall peace followes And it is eyther domesticall or Ecclesiasticall or polliticall Peace should rule our houses and shew it selfe by
First by prouiding her maintenance according to his abilitie and that in labouring so in his calling as he may prouide for her while he liues and leaue her some meanes when he dies And for manner doing it cheerefully not stay till it be wrung from him as from churlish Naball Thus doe not they that spend at Alehouse vpon Whores or sports Beare baites plaies gaming or apparell that should serue for maintenance of wiues and children at home Secondly by protecting and rescuing her from wrongs and dangers 1. Sam. 30.5 Thirdly by delighting in her loue yea not erring or wandring in his loue continually Prou. 5.19 Secondly he owes her spirituall loue aswell as naturall so Christ loued his Church not onely to inrich it but to sanctifie it Ephes. 5.25.26 They must dwell with them as men of knowledge to helpe them not onely by labour but by knowledge also 1 Pet. 3.7 This religious loue he must shew 1 By forgiuing her offences vpon her repentance this is one way wherby Christ makes his Church holy 2 By edifying her by counsell exhortation admonition consolation c. 4 The reasons why he must loue her are 1 Because God requires it 2 God so requires it as a man must leaue his father and mother to cleaue vnto his Wife Gen. 2.24 3 The example of Christ should inforce it Eph. 5.25 4 She is his owne flesh and no man euer hated his owne flesh Eph. 5.29 5 Lest praier be interrupted 1. Pet. 3.17 6 Thus hee shall shew himselfe a member of Christ and to bee like his head Ephes. 1.30 7 It will preserue a man from the temptations and inticements of the strange woman Prou. 5.19.20 Yea and from all euill company and vnthriftinesse Fifthly The Obiections follow Obiect 1 Shee was of meane birth condition or portion when I married her Answ So and much worse was the Church before Christ married her and yet Christ loues her Obiect 2 But since marriage shee is idle froward wastefull c. Answ This is a reason to mooue thee to pray for her and to watch ouer her waies to admonish and instruct her but this is no reason to moue thee not to loue her For the Church sinneth after calling and yet Christ loues her and shewes it by his intercession for her in heauen and by labouring to clense her by his spirit and word in earth Obiect But shee is a carnall and vnregenerate woman a meere wicked woman that neither doth nor will feare God and Christ doth not loue heretickes or hypocrites or prophane persons and pagans Answ Though this reason from Christs example doth not hold yet the reason from Gods institution binds thee thou must loue her not because shee deserues it but because God requires it Quest Is a man bound to esteeme his wife aboue all women Answ In respect of the affection and practise of the things essentially necessary to coniugall duties he is but not in opinion of his praises for that is the commendation of the good wife not of euery wife Prou. 31.30 Thus of the Obiections Sixthly the lets follow How comes it to passe that men do not performe this duty Answ. It is in some by reason of their sinfull comming together as in sudden marriages when they are done before there be a calling or affection in the heart So when men haue ill ends as those men that marry their wiues not for grace or fauour but for wealth when they are possessed of both they will loue their wealth and hate their wiues 2 Corruption of nature is the cause of want of loue they are wicked men therefore wicked husbands 3 It comes to passe because men doe not by praier seeke loue of God neglect of praier and mortification is the cause 4 Men loue the strange woman and therefore loue not their wiues or they loue other mens wiues 5 It comes to passe by the vntowardnesse of the wife for though that bee no iust reason to the husband because he should loue her because God commands him yet it is a iust iudgement of God vpon her Thus of what is required Loue viz Indefinitely First in heart as well as in word Mal. 2.15 Secondly not before others onely but priuately Thirdly not sometimes or the first week moneth or yeare but for euer constantly Fourthly for conscience sake and not for shame or respect of her friends or while her meanes doe last Your Wiues This is added First to exclude all others all others I say not from Christian loue in the generall but from coniugall loue Secondly to include all wiues though poore lesse wise or frugal froward c. Thus of the exhortation The dehortation followes be not bitter vnto them In these wordes the Apostle doth mollifie the authority of the husband and prouides that it passe not into tyranny Heere I consider foure things First what it hatth not in it Secondly how men shew themselues bitter to their wiues Thirdly the meanes to cure this bitternesse Fourthly the reasons to moue thereunto For the first this exhortation to loue and dehortation from bitternes doth not bind them 1 To loue their vices they may know them to be the weaker vessell yea take notice of the weakenesse of the vessell 2 To loose his owne authority by lightnesse and vaine behauiour 3 To omit the performance of holy duties to please her humour 4 To giue her a license to doe what she list and liue how she will 5 From finding fault and reproouing so as they vse not their own wordes but Gods Lastly distinguish their natures wiues of soft and gentle natures must bee vsed with all gentlenesse but that lets not but that wilfull and stubborne wiues may be held downe to a meet subiection Men shew their bitternesse First by words and that diuersly when they reproach them for their infirmities or deformities or when they grow quarrellous finding fault with euery thing or grow into passion vppon euery occasion 2 Indeed by vsing them discourteously or by vniust restraint Or lastly by blowes But many men haue little growing in their furrowes but wormwood they haue a true gall of bitternesse in them they may be compared to the starre in the Reuelations 8.11 for as that made the third part of the waters bitter so are more then three parts of the words of many husbands bittet words yea as if their naturall frowardnes were not enough some men will sharpen and whet their tongues to sound out cursed words like swords or arrowes yea some are so vnappeaseable their anger is like the fooles wrath Prouerbs 27 3. these are a brood of Caldeans a bitter a furious nation For the cure of this bitternesse foure rules are to be obserued 1 Men must pray God to cast something into their fountaine to sweeten it 2 They must turne the course of this humor and spend it vpon their sins in the practise of the duties of mortification 3 Eat Gods booke for that will
I answer that in cases of this nature three rules are to bee obserued by inferiours First If the matter required be onely inexpedient and vnmeet thou must obey neither doth this rule let but that seruants or inferiours may vse all humble and lawful meanes to preuent vnmeet things Secondly thou must be sure it be sinne that thou refusest thou must not disobey vpon conceit or coniecture nor vpon thine owne humor and opinion but it must appeare by the word of God to bee a sinne or else thy coniectures are no ground of disobedience if thou must needs doubt on both sides it is better doubt and obey then doubt and disobey Thirdly when it is apparant to be impious and sinnefull that is required yet thou must looke to the manner of disobedience thou must yeelde thy selfe to obey by suffering yea it is a wretched fault in seruants or inferiours that are vrged to vnlawfull things to refuse with sturdie and insolent and prouoking words or behauiour God frees thee from obedience in act but he frees thee not from reuerence and from an holy estimation and humble demeanour The vse is for great reproofe of seruants both indiscretion and stubbernes and withall it chargeth masters they must not require their seruants to lie and sweare in their shops onely to please and profit them nor may they make their seruants breake Gods Sabbaths to satisfie their wils Obiect But are they not required to obey in all things Answ They are but before he saith according to the flesh in labour not in sinne and after he saith they must so please men as they feare God too Thus of the prouisoes The forme of their obedience is set downe First negatiuely not with eye-seruice not as men-pleasers Secondly affirmatiuely 1. With singlenesse of heart 2. Fearing God 3. Hartily Eye-seruice Some take it thus not with outward seruice not onely doe the Labour of the bodie but bring the care prouidence affection of the heart or thus be obedient to your masters and let not your eye bee onely vpon your masters but vpon God the great Master of all Masters and men But I thinke the proper meaning of the word is not with eie-seruice that is not onely in the presence of your Masters not onely when their eie is vpon them so that he meets with the wretched faultinesse of such seruants as when their masters backes are turned neglect their labour fall to loitering or get them out of the doores or which is worse fall to wantonnesse drunkennesse filching smiting of their fellowes and quarrelling these seruants shall haue their portion at the day of Christ Matth. 14.48 and if eie-seruice bee condemned what shall become of such seruants as are not good no not so long as their masters are by them Not as men-pleasing Obiect Is it a fault for seruants to please their Masters Answ No it is not for they are commanded to please in all things Tit. 2.9 But two things are here condemned First so to please men as neuer to care for pleasing God so to attend a corporall seruice as not to care for the sauing health of their soules this is prophanesse Secondly such seruants are heere taxed as seeke by all meanes to please their masters but not to profit them such are they that are flattering soothing persons that serue their Masters onely with faire words but else are emptie persons such or rather worse are they that apply themselues to their Masters humors to feede them with tales or praising their ill courses and counsels or executing their sinfull mindes these seruants are many times the firebrands of contention alienate parents from their children friend from friend and keepe malice on perpetuall foote these are heere rebuked But let vs consider further is this such a fault in poore seruants that can pretend many things to be men-pleasers how foule a vice is it in freemen that are in no wants or restraint how hurtfull is it to be a man-pleaser in the Courts of Princes and in the houses of Nobles how detested a vice is it in such as are Magistrates and publike states And is it nought in the Court and Countrey certainely it is much more vile in the Pulpit and in Churchmen and euen the greater they are the worse and more abominable is their soothing and daubing Thus of the negatiue In the affirmatiue are three things and the first is singlenesse of heart In singlenesse of heart Concerning singlenesse of heart I consider it two waies 1 In the generall as it is in Gods Seruants 2 In speciall as it is in mens seruants Singlenesse or sinceritie of heart as it is in Gods seruants I consider of in two things 1 In the nature of it 2 In the signes of it Singlenesse of heart may bee discerned by the contrarie to which it is opposed 1 As it is opposed to hypocrisie a sincere hearted man is no hipocrite and shewes it three waies First hee had rather be good then seeme so as in case of almes Rom. 12.8 compared with Math. 6.2 so in the practise of piety he had rather haue grace and sound knowledge then an empty shew of it Secondly he will serue God at all times as well as at one time it is a note of an hypocrite that he will not pray at all times hee will serue God when hee is sicke but not when he is well Iob. 27.7.8.9 So it is vile hypocrisie to come to Church in Lent to heare Sermons but neuer come there or but seldome all the yeare after Thirdly he minds inward secret domesticall holinesse and piety as well as outward open and Church holinesse he is an hypocrite that kneeles downe when he comes into the Church and neuer prayeth in his family at home It is vile hypocrisie and palpable in such men as haue knees of prayer when they first come vp into the pulpit and no words of prayer when they are risen vp to speake for or to Gods people 2. As it is opposed to fleshly wisedome 1. Cor. 1.12 There is a three-fold wisedome of the flesh that batters and keepes out singlenesse and sincerity of heart 1 The first is a reaching after priuate ends in publike imployments as preaching for gaine 2. Cor. 2.17 2 The second is a cunningnesse in committing or hiding sinne It is sincerity to be wise to doe good and simple concerning euill to bee a bungler in acting it and to haue nothing to say in defence of it when it is done Rom. 16.19 3 The third is fraud shifting subtilty and guilefull and deceitfull dealing in mens course for the things of this life Thus Esau is a wild and cunning man able by reason of his craft and subtilty to liue in a wildernesse but Iakob is a plaine man a single hearted man he can make no shift to helpe himselfe in earthly things by fraud or craft but is open and plaine in all his dealings for the world but a man of great reach for
of the Temple or from common and ciuill vse In the Temple euery sacrifice was salted with salt so must euery Christian who is Gods sacrifice be seasoneâ— In the common life of man meates that are to be kept long must be powdered with salt to drinke vp or drie out corruption and to preserue sauour so must a Christian be seasoned that will be kept to eternall life But first here is implied that the words of men are naturally corrupt rotten vnsauorie and haue great need of seasoning The carnall mans wordes are much after the humor and infection of his minde The talke of the Couetous is vsually of his mammon farme oxen bargaines wares c. The Epicures talke is vsually of his sports dogges cockes horses games companions or of his lusts The Superstitious man talkes of his Dagon or the signe of heauen The Wrathfull man of his Aduersarie and wrong The Ambitious man of his liuings honors offices offers hopes or his owne parts and praises to conclude the talke of all naturall men is but of naturall things and as they are of the flesh so their talke sauors nothing but fleshly things Salt There is the salt of doctrine and thus Ministers are the salt of the earth 2 There is the salt of mortification and so euery Christian must haue salt in himselfe 3 There is the salt of discretion and this is the praise of the wise none of these three may be heere excluded from our word For first we must receiue lawes for our lippe euen from Gods ministers We must learne of them not only how to order our affections and life but also how to speake especially in matters of God and godlinesse 2 Wee must mourne for the sinnes of the tongue aswell as for other sinnes We must driue out the corruption that cleaues to our words with the salt of mortification 3 We must make conscience of discretion in our words he is a perfect man that is discreet in his words Iam. 3.2 The tongue of the wise is as fiue siluer and his heart guideth his tongue wisely and addeth doctrine to his lippes The Vse is both for instruction and reproofe For instruction both to all Christians to season not onely their words of praier to God but also their speech in conuersing with men and especially Ministers must haue salt in their tongues with all discretion and heedfulnesse looking to their words and with all authoritie and meete seuerity of rebukes driue out corruption out of the hearers they may they must crie aloud and spare not they must pouder them Here likewise are those men to be reproued that haue beene often warned of their euill words and mend not Q. But what should be the cause why some men that haue good affections and desires and yet cannot get the victorie ouer euill words Ans. It comes to passe 1 By reason of their ignorance of better words 2 By custome in euill speech 3 For want of constant taking of words of praier and confession to God 4 By defect of mortification in the heart their hearts are not sufficiently humbled they are too sleightie in godly sorrow out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and therefore their words are drossie and nought because their hearts are little worth That these men may get victorie ouer their euill words which vsually are against the third or the seuenth or the ninth commandement they must do three things first they must go to God constantly by praier beseeching him to open their lips and set a watch before the doore of their mouth 2 They must not faile to mourne ouer their offences in speech in secret till they haue subdued them afflicting themselues with voluntarie sorrowes for them 3 They must striue by all meanes to accustome themselues in good speech and gracious wordes yea many professors are to be reproued for their words for many times they are either too many or too vaine and idle or too false or too rash c. Their words want much seasoning and it is a great fault to haue a heedlesse tongue Thus of the properties of speech Alwaies A Christian is bound to perseuerance in good words aswell as in good workes he must talke gratiously not only at some times for a passion as when he comes newly from the Sermon or on the Sabboth day not onely in some companies or in some arguments but at all times and in all places watching to all the oportunities to glorifie God or profit others by his words Thus of the precept The end followes that ye may know how to answere euery one in generall I obserue heere wo things first that by speaking well wee learne to speake well Secondly that the soundest knowledge is experimentall he doth not indeed know how to answere that doth not in practise exercise himselfe in gracious wordes though he had all places of answere and arguments in his head To answere To answere doth not alwaies import a question or demaund going before but is sometimes taken for continuing to speake as Mat. 11.25 it is said our Sauiour answered and yet no demand went before Some thinke it is a part for the whole and one vse of words put for all vses but I take it in the ordinarie sense as the word vsually imports and so we answere either vnbeleeuers or beleeuers concerning our Christian answere before vnbeleeuers there are 6 things may be here obserued 1 That true grace is sure to be opposed and such as truly feare God are sure of aduersaries 2 That mortified men are the fittest to answere aduersaries especially in causes of religion such whose tongues and pens are seasoned with salt coher 3 That euery Christian shall finde opposition ye 4 That euery Christian ought to answere for the truth apologie is the fruit not of learning or wit only but of godly sorrow 2. Cor. 7.10 ye 5 That the truth hath all sorts of aduersaries open and secret at home and abroad learned and vnlearned Ministers and Magistrates rich and poore euery one that is carnall hath a bolt to shoote at sincerity 6 That it is not an easie or ordinarie skill to know how to answere well for thereunto is required first deliberation he that answeres a matter before hee heare it it is folly and shame to him Secondly Praier Prouer. 16.1 Hab. 2 1. 3 Faith in Gods fauour and promise Math. 10.19 Psal. 119.41.42 4 Discretion considering persons time place occasions one kinde of answer will not serue euery sort of men we answere in one manner to great men in an other manner to learned men in an other to ordinary men 5 Patience 6 Humilitie 7 A good conscience Thus of answering vnbeleeuers concerning the answering of Beleeuers here are these things to be obserued 1 That Christians should propound their doubts one to another 2 That strong Christians should support the weake and helpe them and resolue
5. The feruencie of his praiers striueth 6. The constancie of his praiers alwaies 7. The matter he praies for 1. their perseuerance that yee may stand 2. their perfection amplified by the measure full and by the extent of the subiect in all the will of God Praier Doct. Praier is the vsuall remedie and refuge for Gods children in their griefes and desires a remedie I say for all times persons and places As for griefes and feares it is of force and auaileable 1. against the troubles and cares of the world Phil. 4.6 2. against the stings of secret tentations and preuailing sinnes 2. Cor. 12.9 Matth. 9. 3. against the shame of euill workes past both the blushing and gnawing of the conscience inwardly and outwardly the reproach of name Zeph. 3.11 4. against sicknesse Iames 5.15 5. against ill tongues Psal. 119.4 6. against the feare of apostacie 2. Tim. 2.19 And these are the most vsuall things that need to trouble any childe of God And as for desires it is a plaine proposition that God is rich to all that call vpon him Rom. 10.12 This shewes the felicitie of euery childe of God to whom God hath giuen the spirit of his sonne into his heart as a spirit of praier for wee see he cannot be miserable that can pray and it should teach vs that if we would be counted Gods people to shew that we trust God by pouring out our hearts before him in all places and at all times Psal. 6.2.8 1. Tim. 2.8 For you Doct. 1. Ministers must pray for their people as well as preach to them And as this may humble ministers vnder the sense of the neglect hereof so it should teach the people to requite their labour in the Lord by praying for them againe but especially they should take heed they send not their teachers with hearts full of griefe to complaine of them Doct. 2. Praier for others is a principall signe of our loue to them Heereby ministers may trie whether they loue their people and parents whether they loue their children c. Doct. 3. In that Epaphras praieth for them absent he is therein a patterne of a true pastor no distance of place can make him forget the loue of his people Praiers There be diuers kinde of praiers for they are varied first by the place for there is publike praier and there is priuate praier either with our families or alone by our selues Secondly by the manner and that either for forme or affection for forme there are not only ordinary set praiers but eiaculations short requests or desires cast out vpon sudden opportunities these be praiers and accepted of God though the words be few or abrupt For affection in praier there is praier vnto which is required the vsuall deuotion of the heart and there is supplication which is with speciall instance and importunitie Phil. 4.7 Thirdly by the instrument there is the praier of the mouth and the praier of the heart Fourthly by the matter for there is deprecations for turning away of iudgements and confessions with acknowledgement of sinne and petition in matters of request and thankesgiuing for benefits receiued Striueth But why must we striue in praier Because of the greatnesse of our owne wants necessities and because it is a great losse to lose our praiers Quest. But what doth striuing import It imports earnestnesse as it is opposed to coldnesse when we draw neere to God with our lips but our hearts are farre from him or to spirituall fainting in praier Luk. 18.1 Secondly tendernesse of affection both sorrowing and reioicing in praier according to our occasions and the matter of praier Thirdly a resolution to take no deniall Fourthly difficultie for fighting imports opposition Quest. But what must we fight against in praier Answ. 1. Carnall counsell 2. Distractions by the lusts of the flesh or cares of the world 3. The obiects of our owne flesh 4. Our owne vnskilfulnesse to pray striue to learne to pray better 5. Hardnesse of heart 6. Sleepinesse oâ— our body 7. The temptations of Satan 8 Wee must striue against God himselfe as Iacob did by wrestling to get the blessing Vse For reproofe of such as neuer complaine of any impediments in praier nor care how they speed their condition is as farre from happinesse as their practise is from dutie And they are to be blamed that complaine of their lets and discomforts in praier but yet they striue not But wee should learne to harnesse our selues and conscionably striue against all that might hinder vs and to this end set our selues in Gods presence and beseech God to heale our infirmities and helpe vs against all the lets of praier and stirre vp in our hearts the promises made to praier obseruing fit times and watching to all opportunities to be importunate when any doore is opened Lastly would one be feruent in spirit They must then looke to 4 things First they must serue the Lord for a profane person can neuer be feruent Secondly they must labour to reioice their soules with the hope of a better life for such comfortable meditations inflame the spirit Thirdly wee must get patience vnder worldly crosses and tribulations else the cares and vexations of the world will choake all true feruencie Fourthly wee must continue in praier for vse and experience breeds feruencie Alwaies We must be constant in praier 1 Thess. 5.16 Luk. 21.36 To pray alwaies is to keepe a constant order in the daily performance of this dutie and besides to pray vpon all occasions and opportunities The profit comes by this constancie in praier appeares by the proofes to bee 1. much ioy 1. Thess. 5.16 2. they that pray continually shall escape the last terrible things and be able to stand in the day of Christ Luk. 21.36 Heere wee may see the difference betweene a godly minde and a carnall heart The godly minde is alwaies praying but the carnall heart is seldome without a sense of tediousnesse with a desire to be rid of the burthen of it The reason why Gods children be so willingly imploied in much and often praier is partly because God commands them to pray alwaies partly because they finde vnutterable benefit and refreshing in praier and partly they daily get heereby what they desire Mark 11.24 If any take vnto them the words of those wretched Iewes Mal. 3.16 and say what profit is it to keepe Gods Commandements or to walke humbly and that they could neuer finde any good by it I can soone answere that in their praiers and obedience there was no profit for indeede they did not walke humbly nor in the power of godlinesse did they keepe Gods Commandements Ob. But haue not the best of them all their sinnes distractions and wants as well as others how then can they be so bold and frequent in praier Sol. The children of God haue priuiledges others haue not for their wants are couered by Christs intercession and their suits are
to trumpet out victorie by shewing the glory of heauen and to set on the Crowne of Hope as the assured pledge of full and finall victory it is Hope that pluckes vp the heart of man to a constant desire of vnion with God by Faith and of communion with man by Loue. And the true reason why so many men vtterly neglect the care to get a iustifying Faith and an inflamed Affection to Gods Children is because they haue no taste of the comforts of the euidence of a better life by Hope Secondly Faith and Hope are two distinct things Faith beleeues the Promise to be true with particular application of the Promise to ones selfe and Hope waites for the accomplishment of it Faith vsually is imployed about reconciliation and a godly life Hope for the most part is taken vp with the retyred and affectionate contemplation of the glory of Heauen the comming of Christ the resurrection of the body and temporall blessings and deliuerance as they are shadowes and types of the last and great saluation Thirdly Hope is no more naturall then Faith and Loue the carnall man is without Hope in the world not that wicked men are cleane without all profession of Hope for few men are so vile but they professe and stoutly auouch their hope in God but this Hope is vaine emptie without euidence or promise such as can neuer profit them and therefore in the eight of Iob hee saith that the Hypocrites Hope shall perish his confidence also shall be cut off and his trust shall be as the house of a Spider It is to be obserued that hee cals wicked men euen all carnall and vnconuerted people Hypocrites and that fitly for euery Sinner is an Hypocrite in some degree and if there were nothing else to proue it their very Hope and wilfull Confidence in the mercies of God without all warrant from the Word or testimonie of Gods Spirit or their owne Conscience would vndoubtedly proue it and for the vanitie of their hope it is fitly expressed in the comparison of the Spiders webbe The silly Spider with many dayes labour weaues her selfe a Webbe in appearance able euery way abundantly to couer her and fit her turne but at the end of the weeke the Maid with a Besome sweepes all downe This poysonfull Spider is euery vnregenerate man or woman this Webbe is their Hope in the framing of which they daily busie themselues and in the couerture of which they vainely repose themselues but when any Seruant comes out of the Lords armie to sweepe with the Besome of Iudgement or Death the whole building of these imaginarie hopes come sodainely and totally downe In the 11. of Iob and the 20. verse it is said The eyes of the wicked shall faile and their refuge shall perish and their hope shall be sorrow of minde In which words the holy Ghost shewes that the time shall come when those vaine hopes shall be driuen out of the soules of the wicked and in stead thereof they shall be filled eyther with desperate sorrowes on earth or with eternall sorrowes in hell What hope hath the hypocrite when hee hath heaped vp riches if God take away his soule Iob 27.8 Noting that if carnall men againe called Hypocrites will not forgoe their fond presumptions while they liue yet by too late experience they shall finde them vaine when Death comes Obiect But then they meane to pray God to forgiue them and hope by their repentance then to finde mercy for their soules Sol. In the 9. verse it is answered thus Will God heare his cry when trouble comes vpon him Quest. But will not God heare mens prayers in the troublesome time of death Ans. Not the prayers at that time made by such men for they are Hypocrites hauing vpon them but the names of God and godlinesse and will neuer in sinceritie pray vnto God at all times neyther in their death doe they pray vnto God because they delight in the Almightie and therefore he shewes Verse 10. that seeing they delight not in God and godlinesse and will not pray at all times that is as well in health as sicknesse in prosperitie as in aduersitie while they might yet sinne as well as when they can sinne no longer therefore their hope of mercy in death shall faile them Quest. But if true Hope be not naturall what is the difference betweene the Hope of the faithfull and this common Hope that so ordinarily goeth vp and downe the world vnder the colours of it or how may wee try our selues whether we haue a right Hope or no Ans. The true Hope is described in seuerall Scriptures by diuers properties which are no where to be found in carnall men First the true Hope layes fast hold vpon the merits of Iesus Christ onely and striues constantly to be established and assured But the common Hope is neuer emptied of carnall confidence and presumption that God loues them for some good things or parts that are in them neyther doth it brooke assurance for with one breath carnall people are absurdly confident of Gods mercy and encounter the Doctrine of infallible assurance Secondly true Hope makes a man more humble but the common Hope makes men more wilfull and obstinate against God and his Ordinances Thirdly true Hope makes a man chearefull vnder all sorts of Crosses by vertue of the very reasons grounded vpon Hope but the common Hope of it selfe will not yeeld a mans heart support against any Crosse. Fourthly the faithfull man can suffer for his Hope but a wicked man can shew no chaine vnlesse it be for his sinne Fiftly true Hope rests vpon Gods promise though neuer so vnlikely to be performed by outward and ordinarie meanes but wicked men with their common Hope are perhaps able to beleeue they shall liue well so long as they see and feele meanes but without meanes they are without Hope Sixtly true Hope will acknowledge as well as know but the common Hope cannot abide profession of Religion it is enough there be a good heart to God Seauenthly true Hope is industrious in the vse of all meanes to come to the end hoped but the common Hope is singularly sloathfull it boasts of a sufficiencie of knowledge and yet neglects the sincere vse of all Gods Ordinances it affirmes deepely of going to heauen and yet cannot tell of one teare for sinne nor one houre truely spent in mortification but trust thou in the Lord and doe good Lastly the true Hope seekes Gods presence and striues in sence to draw neare to God but the common Hope is then at best rest when the heart is furthest off from the care desire or sence of Gods presence eyther in Gods house or abroad The fourth thing that I obserue from the Coherence concerning Hope is the worth of the Grace It is one of the three golden abiliments to adorne a
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
praier and striue against hardnesse of heart and vnbeleefe carefully discerning and reâ—ecting the obiections of Sathan and the flesh consulting daily with such as haue the ouersight of our soules The consideration hereof may both confute the Papists that plead so earnestly against the assurance of faith and it may serue also to scourge the wanton distempers of carnall Protestants that against a principle of their owne Religion will so commonly disgrace the assurance of faith by saying men cannot be so certaine of their owne saluation And it may excite all that feare God to labour after it and the rather considering the worth of it as the word riches of full assurance imports Riches of full assurance There are two sorts of rich men there is a worldly rich man and a spirituall rich man Now our spirituall riches lie 1. in the word of Christ dwelling in vs 2. in the spirit of Christ 3. in workes of mercie and liberalitie 4. in sufferings and patience 5. in praiers 6. in good works 7. in vtterance and all holy knowledge lastly it lies in our faith and so the more full assurance we haue the more rich we are Now this in generall may informe how to conceiue of rich men and who are to be accounted indeed great rich men and it may lesson worldly rich men not to swell in the thoughts of their greatnesse but rather reioice â—hat God hath made them low and withall it should teach them to thinke more highly of poore Christians that haue the true grace of Christ whom God hath enriched with faith and holy graces of his spirit Worthily is full assurance of faith called riches for it doth all that riches can doe vnto men It comforts the heart it defends from dangers much better then outward riches can for the iust liue by their faith It gaines the godly more true reputation then houses or land or money could doe It abounds more to spirituall mercie and well-doing with more sufficiencie then outward riches can and it buyes for the soule all necessaries it is vnto Gods seruants according to their faith and vnto faith all things are possible yea it doth that that all the riches in the world cannot doe for it will settle a mans heart against all earthly mutations yea it will make a man stand vndaunted against the rage of tyrants yea of death it selfe yea in somesense it will fence a man against the weapons of God himselfe though God kill Iob in the battell yet he will not let goe his hold but he will still trust in him yea the Lord is pleased many timeâ— to yeeld the victorie to the wrestlings of faith and accounts it no disparagement to be ouercome of the faith of his seruants and to let them binde his hands that he should not doe what otherwise he might and would haue done how can it be but great riches when it brings a man the assured pardon of all his offences and how doth it establish the heart of a man in his religion more then ten thousand arguments or volumes of controuersies Thus of the adiunct certaintie the sublimitie of the Gospell followes To the acknowledgment of the mysterie of God euen the Father and of Christ The Gospel is a diuine mysterie both for the admirable depth of it for it is a secret only God can reueale and for the excellencie of the subiect it intreats of which is God the Father and Christ. How the Gospell is a mysterie and to whom hath been shewed in the former chapter onely let vs from the repetition of it here be confirmed in this neuer to trust the iudgment of carnall persons in matters of godlinesse and saluation for they pronounce of things they neuer eâ—fectually vnderstand they cannot perceiue the things of God and withall we should be excited to a daily care of faith for reason will not reach here Further we may here obserue That when the Lord doth reueale this mysterie vnto vs we must not only beleeue it but we must acknowledge it euen by an outward profession of our faith in Christ and our consecration of our selues to the worship and knowledge of God The world wonderfull hardly brooks acknowledgment most men aske what needs this profession they will not vnderstand that we must beare about and hold out the light of the truth receiued labouring to winne glory to God by the power of confession and obedience Of God euen the Father and of Christ. Diuers things may be from these words particularly obserued 1. We may see here the glory of the Gospell and the studies of Christians they haue the onely excellent subiect in the world other sciences consider of the creature but Theologie of the Creator 2. Here is a plaine proofe of the diuine nature of Christ for God is said to be the Father or Christ. 3. From coherence wee may know that as men grow in faith and loue so they will be more and more setled in the doctrine of the persons of the Trinitie t is such a mysterie as is reuealed by degrees as holinesse and other sauing knowledge increase in vs. 4. That wee neuer rightly know God till we know Christ Matth. 11.27 1. Ioh. 2.23 5. Wee may hence obserue the miserie of all vnregenerate men they neither know God nor Christ aright 6. That howsoeuer we be ignorant in many other knowledges and that of matters of religion too yet it is a glorious riches to know God to be our father in Christ and to be fully assured of Gods loue in Christ. VERS 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge In whom In quo is referred either to Christ or the Gospell it is true either way or rather both are conioyned together in one sense In Christ who is the subiect of the Gospell is all treasures c or in the Gospell as it intreats of Christ is all treasures c so that these words conteine a third adiunct of the Gospell and that is singular perfection of wisdome Note here with what feeling the Apostle speaks when he falls vpon the mention of Christ and the Gospell he abounds in powerfull affections and admirations of these things which may wonderfully abase and humble vs for our barrennes both in thoughts and affections and words when we haue to deale with the things that belong to the kingdom of God Againe if there be any such treasures in Christ and the Gospell wee may conclude it is not in vaine to deuote our selues to the knowledge of Christ in the Gospel though it cost vs neuer so much paines or care or cost and though we be neuer so much opposed by the flesh and the world Further wee need not doubt but that all things needfull to saluation and happinesse are conteyned in the word here are treasures of wisdome and knowledge wee need no traditions nor inuentions of men nor decrees of Popes c. The vbiquitaries abuse