could not have said as much Vse 2. Of reproofe to the Papists who lock up St. Johns writings from the people they may not be suffered to read them why if he write them for this end that they might not sin then they give the reins to sin that deny leave and liberty to read them Vse 3. To teach us the poysonful corruption of our natures that out of the purest soundest Doctrine gathers poyson Saint John fore-saw that from his Doctrine they would be ready to gather false conclusions So Rom. 5.20 when St. Paul had delivered the free Doctrine of Justification see what use they make of it he had taught that as sin abounded so did grace much more abound now he saw that they would be ready to gather false conclusions from this therefore he prevents it Chap. 6.1 shall we then sin that Grace may abound God forbid therefore it must make us out of love with our selves the commonest meats are most nourishing and good other rare meats commonly breed distempers but some stomach will corrupt any meat so the plainest points of Religion are the soundest and best but such is the corruption of our nature that it is ready to gather poyson out of them Vse 4. To teach us when we have made a good use of the Apostles writings viz. when they divert us from sin if you be restained and kept back from any sin by them you make good use of them St. John wrote this Epistle that they might not sin labour therefore by reading thereof to be made more cautelous against sin 1. If we can to doe no sin 2. If we doe to disallow it and hate it and so it will be as no sin to us We come now to the third point viz. the consolation If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father c. as if he had said how can it be that we should not sin he had taught the contrary and told them he wrote those things that they might not sin but yet for all that notwithstanding their best care and indeavour it could not be but they would sin but here is the comfort if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father c. he doth not say any man hath an Advocate with the Father but I and you and such as we are we have an Advocate with the Father now what is an Advocate sometimes it is applyed to the Holy Ghost somtimes to the Son to the Holy Ghost John 14.16 he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both because he is a Comforter and because he is an Advocate how not in pleading our case before the Father but by pleading in our hearts in giving us the Spirit of Grace and Supplication as the Apostle saith Rom. 8.26 as in Law he may be said to be our Advocate that draws our petitions for us the Holy Ghost doth not plead for us in heaven but he draws our petitions for us so that they are accepted in heaven Rom. 8.27 he doth speak good things from God to us and good things from us to God 1 Cor. 2.3 he tells us of our peace with God and our comfort and helps us to plead with God But properly it is the office of the Son to be Advocate an Advocate in Court is a more speciall pleader in the behalfe of another whose person and cause is there to be judged of and so Christ is our Advocate in speciall manner with the Father Doct. Every sinner hath Enemies that before the Father in heaven plead against him If any man sin c. there were no use of an Advocate to plead for us if we had none to accuse us and plead against us we no sooner sin but we have accusations put up in heaven against us and so our Advocate puts in for us what be these adversaries 1 Our own sins they plead against us and accuse us day and night some sins doe in a speciall manner plead against us and those are crying sins Gen. 4.10 the murther of Abel was a crying sin Gen. 18.20 the sins of Sodom cried and Ezek. 16.49 there are four things of Sodom mentioned which cryed to heaven for Vengeance Pride Idlenesse Intemperance Unmercifulnesse to the poor so sometimes detaining the labourers wages James 5.4 so also oppression Exod. 22.22.27 these are speciall crying sins because they will give God no rest till he hath revenged them in this World they will not stay till the last judgment but call for present judgment but all sins doe speake in the Lords ear and call for vengeance against us 2 Another Adversary that accuseth us is the righteous Law of God which we have broken that the word may not be in vain Joh. 5.45 3 The third Enemy is Satan that accuseth us night and day Rev. 12.10 so he did Job Chap. 1.9 10 11. he accused him of hypocrisie because he had no reall reason to accuse him therefore he surmiseth one 4 Our own conscience accuseth us and that is as a thousand witnesses Rom. 2.15 Vse 1 To take heed how we make bold with any sin you may put upon them a pretence of pleasure or profit or credit but there is no sin we commit but pleads against us yea and stirs up the Law and Satan and our own consciences to plead against us too 2 It teacheth us the miserable Estate of a poor sinner that goes on in sin and never takes any care to get Christ to be an Advocate for him he may hope that Christ pleads for him in Heaven but this is a vaine hope so long as he goes on in sin but he may be sure that sin and Satan and the Law and his conscience accuseth him and he having none to plead for him what a wofull case is he in 3 It may stir us up to get an Advocate that may plead for us against our accusers Doct. Every Child of God hath the Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven to plead his cause for him If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous he doth not say every man that sins hath an Advocate but we have an Advocate that is I and you and such as we are the children of God Rom. 8.34 he makes intercession for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpellat pro nobis he interrupts the accusation and strikes in for us Heb. 7.25 because he hath not only dyed for us and risen for us but he follows the buisinesse to the utmost till it be accomplished How doth he make intercession for us 1 He doth not fall down at his Fathers feet but he acts the part of an Advocate by his presence at the Throne of Grace so that his presence cuts off many accusations it being known he is our friend and stands for us they dare not be so bold Heb. 9 24. 2 He not only pleads for us by his presence but he intercedes for us by the merit of his blood and that pleads more powerfully for us than
doe him the best service we could so we should be carefull seeing God hath forgiven us so great a debt to take heed that we run not into further Arrerages that we dishonour not nor offend that God who hath so freely for his own sake forgiven us Vse 2. It must teach us all that have any comfortable experience of the forgivenesse of our sins to walke even as Christ hath walked for even upon this ground doth St. John here press it it should be our meat and drinke to doe his will to glorifie him in all our course as it was Christs care Joh. 17.4 and that is the end that God ayms at in forgiving our sins that we should walke as Christ walked Vse 3. For Consolation If our sins be forgiven for Christ name sake then we need not fear the continuance of them for had he forgiven us for our own sake we might justly have feared that he might yet afterwards through our defaults lay them again to our charge but he hath forgiven us for Christs sake he doth not forgive for thy Prayers sake but thy sins were pardoned before thou calledst on him Isa 65.24 God was answering before and your prayers grew so zealous because your sins were forgiven Isa 43.22 and therefore God will cancel our acquittance because he did it for his names sake for the glory of his own grace 1 JOHN 2.13 I write unto you Fathers because you have known him which is from the beginning c. VErse sixth he commended this duty to all Christians to walke even as Christ walked which duty and Commandement vers 7. he amplifies by the antiquity of it vers 8. from the newnesse of it Thirdly instanceth in one speciall duty of it that is love of our Brethren vers 9 10 11. vers 12. he amplifies it by a benefit or motive to walke as he hath walked and that is from the pardon of sin generally granted to all christians therefore walke as Christ hath walked because he hath forgiven you your sins now vers 13. these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or little children he distinguisheth into three sorts Fathers Young-men and Babes little children is the quality of all christians but Babes are newly born to Christ now all these should walke as Christ hath walked In the Verse we have these three parts 1 An Enumeration or distribution of the severall ages of christians to whom he commends this duty 2 A Ministerial duty of love he tenders to them that is he writes unto them 3 He propounds to every one of them a severall Reason why he urges this duty upon them I write unto you Fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I write unto you Young-men because you have overcome the wicked one I write unto you Babes because ye have known the Father What is meant here by Fathers Young-men and Babes some thinke it is meant of the severall statures of Grace that Christians grow to some are Fathers some Young-men some Babes but we never read these distinct but that an old man in Christ is a strong man in Christ for grace doth not grow weaker but stronger and the eldâ—r in Grace the more wise the more fruitfull the more gracious therefore I think by Fathers he means ancient Christians yet old men too he therefore hath respect to their natural age and by young-men he understands men young in years yet stronger in Grace By Babes such as are tender in years and so Babes in Christ too therefore it may well be understood of the naturall difference of ages and this interpretation may be confirmed from the reason he gives taken from the severall inclinations in Natural ages take old age that takes pleasure in study and rehearsal of old things that have been long past so you have known the ancient of dayes you have known how Christ hath been dispenced from the beginning so that your naturall desire of old things you have turned to the antiquity of Christ And for young-men they have naturall strength and strive to put it forth in Fightings or Combates why I write unto you young men because you have overcome the wicked one because you have turned your strength to fightings against Sin Satan and the World and have overcome them and for Babes though they know little yet they first discern their Parents and express their joy in them so I write unto you Bahes you that are very young in years and young in Christ because you have learned to know the Father First in that he writes to all sorts of Christians Fathers Young men and Babes and all well seasoned with Grace Obedience Knowledge c. observe thus much Doct. God hath his children among all sorts of Ages of men some of them are aged some young some Babes in Nature and in Grace He hath his Children out of old age Youth and Child-hood out of all he hath elected some to doe him service these old men he doth not tell you when they came on but whensoever they came they had strength of grace so Young men he tells you not when they came on whether in Child-hood or no but they had strength of grace sure they had overcome the wicked one and for Babes they came on in child-hood and yet had strength of grace and it may be some old men might in their old age come on to the knowledge of the ancient of days so that there is strong grace found in all sorts of men Wisdome in Old men Spiritual vigour in young men and he speaks of Babes as knowing their Father in heaven as well as their Parents on earth God hath a company of all ages calling on him justified and sanctified Amongst old men and women we read of Abraham and Sarah an old couple stricken in years of Isaac and Rebecca an old couple also and knowing the promises made of Christ Joh. 8.56 Your Father Abraham saw my day and rejoyced so did Sarah rejoyce in the promised Seed We have also the examples of Moses and David and Zachary and Elizabeth that continued till they were old both in age and grace there were some such among the Priests as Aharon and Hojadah 2 Cron. 24.15 some among the Souldiers there were some old Souldiers of Christ old Kings old Nobles c. which knew him which was from the beginning For young men famous is the example of Phineas Numb 25. in his youth he was full of zeal such was Josiah 2 Chron. 34.1 2 3. we read that at sixteen years of age he sought the Lord God of his Fathers and at twenty years he grew so strong that he wholly carried before him the whole State though they were then strongly corrupted and given to Idolatry yet being strong in the Spirit he carryed them on to Justice and reformation strongly he cleansed the Land from Dan to Beersheba a notable encouragement to youth to be vigorous in zeal and grace And for Children Samuel when he was but a child
he prayes God to be merciful to his people for the Lords sake that is for Christs sake Act. 15.11 there is no other way to be saved they saw Christ in all sacrifices and types there is no other name under heaven to be saved but by Christ Vse 3. It may be a ground of tryall whether we have God for our Father or no we say daily Our Father c. would we know whether he be so or no if we deny the Son we have not the Father if we confesse the Son we have the Father let us enquire therefore whether we acknowledge him in our hearts if we do we will deny our selves to entertain him you will deny your owne wisdome that his wisdome may take place your own honour that so his honour may take place so if you trust in him depend on him choose him cleave to him then you have the Father also if contrarily you choose the World and prize it above all things why the Foole hath said in his heart there is no God if it be thus with you you do not acknowledge Christ and so have not the Father so if you be ashamed to confesse him in your words for fear of disgrace or if you be afraid of danger Christ will be ashamed of you or if in your works you deny him you care not whether your wayes please him or no if you walk unholily or unrighteously you have neither the Father nor the Son and so lose your own souls but contrarily if you acknowledge him in your hearts trust and depend upon him choose him prize him then in thy heart thou dost professe Christ and so the Father so art thou not ashamed to be known to be a Christian are thou bold and constant to professe his name before wicked and cruel Tyrants and if in thy life thou walkest as one that expects the comming of Christ and dost all things by a call from him if thou walkest thus soberly righteously and holily thou hast the Father Vse 4 Of consolation to every such soul as knows and professes Christ there is no poor Christian but he confesses Christ and would professe him desires to live as may please him why if thou walk thus thou hast both the Son and the Father the Son for thy Saviour thy King Priest and Prophet and thou hast God for thy Father and if so he will provide for thee thou shalt want nothing Psal 23.1 to 4. therefore here is comfort in sicknesse you have the God of health Exod. 15.26 I am the Lord that healeth thee God is the life and length of our dayes Deut. 30.29 so that if you should bury your Children yet having the Father they shall have length of dayes God is no weak keeper none can pluck them out of his hands 1 Pet. 1.5 1 Pet. 5.10 if we have God we have life and health and peace and grace he is the God of all grace whatsoever we want therefore if we want any thing get Christ and with him we shall have all things Rom. 8.32 If a man gives himselfe to a woman he gives her the use of all things he hath so if we have God we have enough The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want Vse 5 Reproves Christians who acknowledge Christ and so have the Son and having the Son have the Father yet they walk as if they had not received Christ walk scandalously and dully if we live thus we either never knew Christ or walk very unworthy of him Vse 1 Lastly it should stir up Christians to walk in a daily acknowledgement of Christ we have him and with him the Father and therefore have enough we shall have a supply of all our wants Now there are three graces whereby we walk in an acknowledgement of Christ all our dayes 1 Faith in Christ walk by Faith in him I live yet not I but the life I live in the flesh is by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.19 20. this Faith is a grace much known more talkt of but very little practised so much as we live besides Faith so much we live besides Christ therefore live by Faith in Christ look at your selves as unable to do any thing without him depend on him walk as such as live not for your selves but for Christ do all by his strength and for his glory and so you shall acknowledge him 2 Mortification or self-denyall when a man denyes his own lusts his own honour profit and credit and is content to be all in Christ he looks at outward things as Talents he is to imploy to Gods service he looks at them in a crucified manner he is weaned from them regards not much how they go so he can get Christ Contra if every profit or pleasure withdraw us from Christ we do not deny our selves Luke 9.23 Christians should make it appear that their profit and pleasure and honour is not of this World but in Christ they should deny all these as faith makes you acknowledge Christ as your Saviour so Self-denial as your Lord 3 Zeal when a man doth not only desire to do good duties but to do them with life and power walk in power and zeal which may shew in us the power of the Resurrection of Christ God requires that we should be zealous Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. zeale is the life and strength of grace 1 Cor. 15. ult if at any time you finde your selves streightned then think you want the might of the Father and if you want him then you want the Son therefore you must seek to Christ and then you shall finde a new spring of help therefore in all your wayes acknowledge him 1 JOHN 2.24 25. Let that therefore abide in you the fame which you have heard from the beginning c. WEe see the Apostle instructs them against Antichrists coming 1 By foretelling his coming 2 By describing him 3 By the means which is double First Their Unction Secondly The grossenesse of Antichrist Lyes Now we come to his Exhortation of them to use a special help against Antichrist and his exhortation is that that Doctrin which they heard from the beginning should abide in them he presses this exhortation from a double benefit 1 Continuance both in the Son and the Father 2 Obtaining the promise of Eternall Life Doct. Perseverance in the Doctrin of the Apostles is a certain pledge of perseverance in grace and attaining of glory Both these benefits are joyned together perseverance in the Doctrin of the Apostles is an undoubted pledge of our fellowship with the Father and the Son and of Eternal Life 2 Joh. 9. he that abides in the Doctrin of Christ abideth in the Father and the Son Acts 2.42 47. It is said of the Primitive Christians that they clave to and continued in the Doctrin of the Apostles and 47. he tells us they were such as should be saved That which ye have heard from the beginning that is the Doctrin that was preached
of a Christian is the way of Truth and goodnesse but the wayes of the wicked are deceitfull and will certainly seduce us but a Christian hath fellowship with the Spirit of Truth Vse 2. It must therefore stir up men to labour to be partakers of this excellent Spirit this Spirit of truth the way of righteousnesse will not deceive us It may be many times by following the Spirit we run into dangerous wayes the way of truth is a straight narrow way but it is a safe way keep your way and it will keep you the Spirit of Christ will carry you on strongly Jer. 20 10. men thinke that Christians walk in dangerous wayes set like Christ on the top of a pinacle but we shall find that these wayes of truth will not fail us but lead us on to eternall happinesse therefore get this Spirit of Truth Vse 3. A ground of comfort to all them that have received this Spirit this Spirit will not deceive you if Gods Spirit were not in you you were of all men most miserable but we have a Spirit that will not fail us as Policarpus said These eighty six years have I served Christ and he never deceived me therefore now I will not leave him Doct. 6. The anoyntment of Gods Spirit teacheth us our perseverance in Christ i. e. doth assure us that we shall abide in him Rom. 8.16 17. The same Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirits two Spirits bear witnesse Gods and ours and both co-witnesse our adoption our spirit that is our renewed regenerate Spirit for Gods Spirit would not joyn with our corrupt Spirit but with our renewed Spirit and this makes us become the Sons of God for there is a manifold difference between the fruits of the Spirit and the flesh but besides this renewed Spirit of ours Gods Spirit witnesseth the other indeed was the fruit and effect of Gods Spirit but Gods Spirit it selfe is some lively and comfortable witnesse which speaks more clearly and fully than the created graces of God in us if you would speak of an immediate work of the Spirit it doth it by such peace of Conscience and joy as passeth understanding Phil. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall so guid your hearts this peace that Gods Spirit immediately poures into the heart is without understanding and the witnesse Gods Spirit gives to our spirits makes us that we never doubt more as formerly 2 It works in us joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 there is such a witnesse as fills our hearts with glorious Consolation Rom. 14.17 and this fills our souls so that a man tasts of the first fruits of Heaven in his light we shall see light Psal 36.8 9. there are certain times when God sends this into our spirits and that is usually in the end of many Conflicts God abundantly recompenseth our work 3 Sometimes when we are preparing for some great triall then God sends some more special help of his Spirit as it was with our Saviour when he was to be tempted forty dayes immediately before he had a testimony from Heaven Thou art my beloved Son c. presently after he was led into the Wildernenesse to be tempted of the Devill Matth. 4. and as the Angels rejoyce at our conversion Luke 15.10 so when God hath any great Temptation for us he poures down more enlargement and comfort of the Spirit so when Christ was to be Crucified he was a little before gloriously Transfigured and when he came riding to Jerusalem exulting and rejoycing presently after he went to be Crucified Rom. 5.8 and often in the midst of tribulation so oft after Afflitions and Conflicts God comes to comfort us with happy enlargements 1 Pet. 4.14 not onely a spirit of grace but a spirit of glory as it did on Steven Acts 6. ult 1 John 3. ult hereby we know that we abide in Christ even by the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12. Reas 1. From the names and titles given to the Spirit in Scripture three names all which witnesse this truth 1 It is called the Comforter Joh. 14.16 17. not so much comforting us in outward Crosses but specialy because he comforteth our hearts by assuring us we are Sons and Daughters of God and Heirs of life for else it were not above the world for the world can comfort us in temporall things but here is a comforter that far transcends the world 2 The Spirit is called the seal and earnest of our inheritance Ephes 1.13 14. Ephs 4.30 2. Cor. 1.21 now a seal hath a three-fold use 1 It hath an use to keepe secret or distinguish 2 Not only so but to confirme us in all Leases Bonds Covenants so the Spirit not only keeps us sure and distinguisheth us from all Hypocrites but seales us by confirming the happinesse of our estate present and future 3 It is a seal alluding to the seals of Princes wherein their person is pourtrayed so this Spirit is the very Character of Gods Image and fashions us after the Image of God and hereby he confirms and establisheth all the Promises to us 2 Cor. 1.20 and Ephes 6. the Article shews that not only the gift of the Spirit but the person of the Spirit witnesseth 3 He is called the earnest whereof three Uses 1 It bindes and asures a man 2 An earnest is part of the payment though small in regard of the whole so the Spirit of grace is part of the payment and shall remain with us till the full payment 3 Because it abides with us after the whole payment Vse May serve to comfort the hearts of all that have received the Unction of the Spirit they have an assurance of their state of Grace here and Glory hereafter Obj. How comes it to passe then that so many Christians are so troubled 1 There is a double Reason First Sometimes by imaginary causes when there is no such cause as 1 In case of desertion we think we have quenched and grieved the Spirit and therefore it hath left us but God doth not assure us that the Spirit in a full and glorious measure shall abide in us but some fruites of it shall alwayes remain 2 Sometimes outward Crosses and Afflictions make us doubt as David Psal 73. surely I have cleansed my heart in vain 3 Sometimes Melancholy may so distemer us that we will hardly be perswaded of that whereof we have no cause to doubt Secondly There are some real Causes as 1 If we live in any known sin that breaks the very bones Psal 51.8 deprives us of the vigour of the Spirit 2 The high prizing of earthly contentments when we exceedingly delight our selves in Husbands or Wives or Children which much benumbs and dims the light of the Spirit Matth. 13.44 45. when a man so prizes this Pearl he keeps it with him in comfort 3 The proud frame of our spirit hinders our peace we are all naturally of proud â—ofty spirits and if God see not in us an
thou canst not know experimentally that those that doe Righteousnesse are born of God Vse 3. Here is a notable encouragement to all that are born of God to work Righteousnesse for if you work Righteousnesse not one Righteous man but shall know you are born of God and testifie it of you not that I would have men practice Righteousnesse for their credit that they may be known c. Object May not a man doe many works of Righteousnesse of Prayer and Alms and yet doe them out of his own ends so that others may be deceived in him Ans Though Christian Charity is apt to think the best yet none will say they know thou art born of God till thou deny thy selfe and thine own ends and thou dost things in vertue of Christ and walkest constantly in a Christian course therefore walk humbly before God doe things in the power of Christ and if it come that your ends and Christs ends cannot stand together if they see that you willingly leave your own way and take Christs though it cost you much why this will be your encouragement every one that doth Righteousnesse will know that you are born of God Vse 4. May discourage every man from evill wayes from doing unrighteousnesse for if Christians know that they that doe Righteousnesse are born of God then they will know that they that doe unrighteousnesse are born of the Serpent if they see that you work for your own ends and by your own gifts not by vertue of Christ they may wish you well but they know that you are not born of Christ as in nature the spirit of a noble man and a peasant will much differ though they should be educated both alike yet a noble mans spirit will be rising to higher matters so if you see a Christians spirit reach higher than the World he cannot confine himselfe within the limits of the World but he is lifted up to heavenly spirituall matters for Gods glory and he doth things from Christs vertue this makes it evident he is born of God a worldly man cannot rise higher than his own ends a thing riseth no higher than the originall it comes from therefore let it discourage you from working unrighteousnesse from looking at your own ends and gifts and abilities for if you doe you will be known to doe unrighteously and so are not born of God therefore walk 〈◊〉 as you would be known to be indeed you cannot be hid if you would be counted Righteous be doing Righteousnesse and then you shall be known to be born of God 1 JOHN Chap. III. Vers 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God therefore ehe world knoweth us not because it knew him not THE Apostle having delivered this as a truth that they that work righteousnesse are born of God and knowing how apt we are to passe over such a mercy without serious and humble acknowledgement he stirs them up to consider of this mercy The Apostle removes a double objection Obj. 1. We meet with none that acknowledge us the Sons of God Answ To this John answers Not every one ackonwledgeth this but they that work righteousnesse not the world because they know not Christ Again from some doubts Gods Children make within themselves partly for corruption partly for affliction Obj. 2 What with corruptions and afflictions we have much adoe to be perswaded that we are the Sons of God Answ To this the Apostle answers now we are the Sons of God Take us in our strongest corruptions and afflictions we are Gods Sons but it doth not appear what we shall be when he appeareth we shall be like him free from corruption and affliction expressed by the reason we shall see him Then he informs them of their duty He that hath this hope c. 1. The manner of Gods love to us we are called his children 2. The exhortation to behold and look at this love 3. The removall of an objection Note It is a great and wonderfull love of God that we are accounted and called the Sons of Behold what manner of love such a love as cannot be said how much Matth. 8.27 Luke 1.29 Ephes 2.4 5. where speaking of quickening us to our new birth he saith it is a rich mercy great love Tit. 3.4 5. 1 Pet. 1.3 abundant mercy Reas From our wonderfull unworthinesse of such a favour We have a fourfold unworthinesse 1. Prodigall riotous waste of originall righteousnesse Luke 3. ult Adam was the Son of God by Creation but he sold it for an apple more profane then Esau because he sold it for necessity and hunger Adam not so now for God to give us a new stock to set us upon our legs again argues wonderful love and mercy Luke 15.21 The Prodigall his father had bestowed a portion upon him he spent it rioutously now he freely and rightly acknowledgeth I am unworthy c. Might not every Son of Adam say as much 2. Our estrangement from God and enmity against God before we be called the Sons of God Col. 1.21 If a man should adopt a child would he adopt a stranger or an enemy 3. There is no child of God but time was when he was as an enemy to God so an Harlot suppose a King should marry his first born to an Harlot that were his enemy and presse him to take her would not this seem strange We were Harlots running a whoring after our pleasures and profit What a depth of love is it for God to offer us his Christ his onely Son in marriage to us what manner of love is this 4. There is nothing that God could expect from us but what is naught many a man will match his daughter with one that hath not so much means but he is an understanding man able to manage his estate A man will say Had I such a man in hand I could set him in such a course that he should thrive and do well but how much shame and dishonour have we been to God 2 Sam. 12.12 13. Noah's drunkennesse Lot's incest Abrahams dissimulation which an heathen King could check him for What a discredit hath God by us Reas 2. From the little need God hath of us Men use not to adopt unlesse they have none of their owne God had a naturall Son Christ and the Angels are his Sons by Creation Christ was Gods Son in whom he had pleasure Men if they have children of their own and adopt others it is because they are unthrifty Reas 3. From the great difficulty ere we could be the Sons of God Christ came from heaven and must be humbled even to the death Gal. 4.4 5. God denyes his naturall Son abaseth him Reas 4. The excellent benefits we are called to hereby 1. We call God Father 1 Sam. 18.23 Is it a light matter for the God of Heaven and earth to be called your Father since you are but men 2. Christ is your
true Christianity in that it seals up a mans soul to everlasting fellowship with God There are many marks of Christianity but none so general so that where this confession is there is true fellowship with God this is certain and true Mat. 16 16 17. Whom say men that I the Son of man am c. But saith Christ Who say ye that I am Peter answered and said we confesse thee to be the Son of the ever-living God what saith Christ to him Blessed art thou Simon if he were blessed then his soule was wrapt up into the fellowship of the soules of just men made perfect and so into fellowship with God The same acceptance did Christ give to the Thiefe upon the Crosse when his Disciples left him when the Souldiers spightfully intreated him and all despised him one of the thieves railed on him saith the other Fearest thou not God sith we are in the same condemnation Luk. 23.42.3 Remember me saith he when thou comest into thy kingdom He acknowledgeth here that Christ was the Son of God because he saith Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome knowing that power and glory was his what saith Christ to this confession of his That he should confesse him in the midst of so many reproaches and disgraces that one Thiefe should confesse more then all the rest Christ saith to him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradice his soule was taken up into heaven and so he was a blessed man and had fellowship with God 1 John 5.5 He that overcometh believeth that Jesus is the Son of God so chap. 2. 3. of the Revel if any man overcome the world it is only he that confesseth that Jesus is the Son of God 1 Cor. 12.3 No man can truly say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost such is the work of the holy Ghost that God dwels in him and he in God Object But if that be such an argument that we are blessed if we confesse that Jesus is the Lord then I hope we shall doe all well enough for who of all the sons of men that professe Christianity are not perswaded and doe not believe that Jesus is the Son of God Papists believe this and the Pharisees that sinned against the holy Ghost believed this Matth. 21.38 This is the Heir say they therefore the Son of God come let us kill him they sinned against the holy Ghost because they knew that Christ was the Lord there are two things in the sin against the holy Ghost light in the mind and malice in the heart the Devils professe that they knew Jesus Marke 1.24 What then doth God dwell in the Devill or the Devil in God God forbid Answ There is something in respect of the time it was something in the dayes of St. John for a man to confesse that Jesus was the Son of God for then men durst not because this was but a new doctrine this point had Universality and antiquity against it but now it is burning to ashes to deny it It is now no thank for men to confesse that Jesus is the Son of God he that shall not confesse it shall have cause of confusion in this world and in the world to come The Devils did believe this but they did not confesse him truely and good men will sore distrust this point because the Devill confesseth this the Devil was convinced of the truth of this but yet it was no argument of his dwelling with God because he did this fraudulently Object But the Pharisees they confessed this and they knew that he was the Son of God Answ They did believe it and were convinced in their consciences but yet they did not confesse him openly John 7.13 Quest What is it to confesse that Jesus is the Son of God Answ It is not onely an act of judgement neither is it barely an act of the lips to say that Jesus is the Son of God this is no such sign of our fellowship with God for it is now as great a wonder for a man to deny it as it was then to confesse it That there is an act of the works or deeds of a man and so confessing it is an argument that we have fellowship with God God doth not take that for a true confession when a man doth confesse him with his lips but in his works deny him Tit. 1.16 Isa 29.13 This confession is twofold 1. with the heart 2. with the life Confession with the heart is double First A looking to Christ for salvation and this is an evident pledge of Gods dwelling with us and we with him Isa 45.22 to 25. Rom. 14.11 Phil. 2.10 11. Look to me and be saved no man can look up to God as a God of his salvation but shall be saved this is the proper work of faith The second is a penitential confessing when Peter had convinced the Jews that Jesus was the Lord they were pricked in their harts Acts 2.26 37. For a man to confesse that he is the Lord and never to be troubled that he doth afflict him nor never look for salvation by him there is no truth no heartinesse in that confession but when the heart is humbled for all the wrong it hath done to Christ this is an evidence of hearty confession In the confession of our life there are two parts 1 If I confesse Christ to be the Son of God I doe not only take him to be my Saviour but to be my Lord and Governour 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Heb. 5.9 we obey Christ in thoughts in speeches affections and conversations 1 Pet. 3.14.2 When we suffer as Christians and are not ashamed of the Crosse of Christ but answer as did the three children Dan. 3.17 18. The grace of a Christian is the lively confessing of Christ Reas These may be all as so many reasons of the point another reason may be this flesh and bloud cannot believe it and confesse it Matth. 16.16 17. Object But Peter did swear that he never knew Christ Answ But yet he did believe for it pricked him at the heart that he had so wronged Christ he wept bitterly and did afterward with constant courage professe Christ Vse 1. Refutes all contrary religions you see what becomes of all the Nations of the world that do not believe Christ to be the Son of God they have no fellowship with God nor God with them there is no other Name given by which we shall be saved but the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ whosoever doth not belive that Christ is the Son of God he excluds himselfe from the fellowship with God in this world and in the world to come 2. Of tryal would you know whether God dwels in you or you in him doe you confesse that Jesus Christ is the Son of God doe you look up to Christ for salvation Isa 45.22 Doe you find that your hearts are pricked when you sin against Christ Doe you desire to walk in obedience
these three are one CHrist the Object of our Faith is set out First By the manner of his coming v. 6. He came by water and bloud Secondly By the testimony given him of his coming which is double three in Heaven and three on Earth In this Verse the heavenly witnesses are set forth 1. By the number three 2. By their place in Heaven 3. By their work they bear witnesse 4. By their names the Father the Son and the holy Spirit 5. By the unity these three are one Doct. That there are three Persons yet but one God that doe bear witnesse to the divinity of Christ and of the plenteous salvation wrought by him For Explication Quest Who those three Persons be and why so called Answ The first Person is the Father so called 1. Chiefly because he is the Father of Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 Partly by eternall generation as he is God partly by adoption as he is man 2. As he is the Father of all the Elect 1 Pet. 1.3 5. John 20.17 The second Person is styled the Word as likewise John 1.1 A solemn name given him in his greatest triumph Rev. 19.13 A style seldome attributed to Christ but by St. John in all his Books although some understand it of Christ Heb. 4.12 Christ is called the Word in a fourfold sence he is a Word of wisdome of representation of revelation of promise 1. Christ is a word of wisdome for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ratio now Wisdome is accidental but ratio is essential to a humane soul Now such a thing is Christ to his Father he is the wisdome or reason to his Father Prov. 8.23 24 he is the begotten of his Father they that write of the Trinity expresse it thuâ— the Father from eternity considering and understanding himselfe from this conceiving of the Father resulted the Image of himselfe that was his Son from them both resulted the holy Ghost 2. He is called the Word of God as he is a word of representation for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Christ is the living Image of God Heb. 1.3 the character of the Father like a seal stampt in wax they answer in every point 3. He is a word of revelation John 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time but Christ the Wisdome of the Father hath declared unto us and revealed Gods will it was the Lord Christ that appeared to Adam and Moses and Abraham and Gideon and the rest of the Patriarchs as a word expounds all our meaning and reveals our will so it is Christ the Word of God that reveals the will of God to us 4. He is a word of promise Heb. 11.39 Christ was promised of old but not exhibited till the last days The third witnesse is the Spirit every Person in the Trinity is an holy Spirit John 4.24 yet it is more particularly attributed to the third Person because he works powerfully and effectually all that life and power we see the creature expresse so we see that there are three 〈◊〉 as that bear witnesse to the Divinity of Christ and if three there is a difference in number now there is no dissertion but a Personall difference Heb. 1.3 so that the Father is one Person the Son a 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost â— third yet these Persons make but one in Naâ—â— and so they are one in witnesse Dâ—â— 6.4 Jehovah our God is but one for it is impossible there should be more then one God Nature of it selfe abhors more Infinites then one if there were more Gods then one if many gods how could they be Al sufficient but that one should have the perfection of another Quest What is that they witnesse to Answ They all witnesse Christ to be to the Son of God and that he 〈◊〉 by water and bloud 1. The Father testifies this by that voyce that came down from Heaven Tâ—â— is my 〈…〉 and well â—â—â—sed Mat. â— 17 He 〈…〉 to his works John 6. â—â— 9â— 3â— 36 3â— 2. Christ 〈…〉 himselfe that 〈◊〉 the Son of God by his Ministry as oft as occasion â—râ—â—d John 14 17 â—8 2. By his works John 5.36 3. By his Resurrection he declared himselfe mightily to be the Son of God Rom. 1. 3. The holy Ghost have witnesse of him by descending upon him in the shape of a Dove 2. By convincing the world of sin because they did not believe on him 3. By sealing up this 〈◊〉 to the conscience of men Eph. 1 13. Vse 1. Of refutation of the Jewish heresie that denies the Trinity of the Persons and others that 〈◊〉 the unity of the Godhead all such heresies are here condemned There are 〈◊〉 that bear witnesse in heaven the Father the Wâ—â—d and the Sâ—â—ing and yet theâ—◠〈…〉 Vse 2. Learn here a just 〈◊〉 work of 〈◊〉 faith there is nothing we believe concerning Christ but we â—â—â—e sufficient testimony 〈◊〉 Mat. â— 19 15. At the 〈◊〉 two or three witnesses every truth shall stand now we have sâ—â— witâ—esses thee 〈◊〉 and three 〈◊〉 if therefore we believe this truth we â—et to 〈…〉 God is 〈◊〉 who hath witnessed it 1 John â— 10 But if we believe not Jesus to be the Son of God we make God a lyar because we believe worthe testimony that he hath given us of his Son were not 〈◊〉 hearts slow to believe this truth what need we so many witnesses Object There is none but believes this truth Answ â—â— not enough to believe this upon antiquity or authority or universall consent of the Christian world but God calls us to believe this upon some divine testimony of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit its 〈◊〉 enough for us â—â— believe that Christ is the Son of God but that God is our â—â—ster in him so that 〈◊〉 that doth not give up it selfe to be conformable to the Image of God the wisdome and revelation of Christ and unlesse the Spirit likewise transform our spirit to holinesse and purity we doe not believe this truth upon any Divine testimony but upon humane credulity Vse 3. If all the three Persons in the Trinity agree together in the witnesse of this â—â—â—th their we see what manner of men we ought to be in our witnesse were we never so many persons as the Persons in the Trinity are three and yet their nature such as they cannot be but one one holinesse one goodnesse one truth so all that worship him though their persons be never so different yet let their spirits be all one 1. Hence learn not to take up a truth upon a slight report God would not commend any work of his to us unlesse he had confirmed it by three witnesses therefore believe not single reports say not he was a good man that said it for God would not put upon us any truth but confirmed it by sundry witnesses therefore believe not every report though brought by a good man let
is the Son of God Gal. 2.19 20. Let Christians observe when we walk in the strength of our own spirits and graces we shall grow so dry and barren that not one good fruit comes from us and this is because we suck from our owne graces and so spend on the stock and so soon draw our selves dry for want of living by faith in the Son of God but a Christian that hath the water of Sanctification let him doe all in the Name of Christ and suck life from him daily and he shall be sufficiently inabled to every duty that God requires we never found this water till we believed on Christ and this water no longer runs fresh and full then we renew our dayly dependence on him and if we did so dayly we should alwayes find it full Sea in our hearts 3 Bloud is a third witnesse on earth and that is the bloud of his sufferings that doth bear witnesse to our souls that Jesus is the Son of God And it bears witnesse to us 1. by pacifying our conscience Heb. 12.24 There is a louder cry in the bloud of Christ to pacifie our souls then in the guilt of sin to bring wrath upon us and this is so lively a testimony that a Christian knows were it not for the bloud of Christ all the things in the world would not have quieted his conscience 2 The bloud of Christ purchaseth us to become his Acts 20.28 Now when we can find our selves the purchased ones of God the peculiar people of God this bloud of purchase witnesseth that it was the Son of God that redeemed us from the world and our own corrupt hearts 3 The same bloud doth therefore bear witnesse that Jesus is the Son of God because it 's a bloud of purity sprinkled upon every Ordinance and creature every thing was purified by bloud Heb. 9.19 to 23. this bloud of Christ on every thing makes it pure To the pure all things are pure so that to such a one his calling and company his meat and drink doe not insnare him as they doe other men set further off from God but by this bloud it is and the blessing of God that we are made more fruitful and serviceable to God yea were it not for the bloud of Christ our very graces would corrupt us it 's the bloud of Christ that makes them all usefull and savory and turn to our good Doct. These three witnesses the Spirit the Water and the bloud are in one Not only in this witnesse but they are all one for one work in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they all consent to one truth And 2. they all goe an end and conspire in one work of our Redemption so that one would be of small use without the other Vse 1. To establish our hearts in this testimony that Jesus is the Son of God and so to believe it that we may overcome the world In the mouth of two or three witnesses every truth shall stand how much more when three in heaven and three on earth testifie the truth and it 's not enough to believe this upon the authority of the State or thy Parents or upon the universal consent of all men for this is no part of divine testimony and this beliefe will never help thee to overcome the world and yet this is the testimony of the Church of Rome but these humane testimonies will beget but humane credulity Vse 2. For tryall whether you believe this truth aright or no if your faith be built upon the testimony of the Father the Word and the Spirit upon the testimony of the Spirit breathing in the Scripture and in your own conscience upon the water of Sanctification and bloud of Redemption if your faith be built on these principles it will stand Vse 3. Reproves that Popish doctrine that maintains a Christian can never attain to any certain assurance Why if a Christian have six such strong witnesses and divine as these will they not breed more then probable conjecture Six be â—est mens testimonies would breed more then probability And doe not God the Father Son and holy Ghost breed assurance in their testimonies It 's a dishonourable thing to think otherwise Vse 4. Of consolation to every one that hath found this witnesse in him it is a ground of singular comfort to them that that Jesus on whom they have believed will help them to overcome the world Vse 5. Since these three the Spirit the water and bloud doe bear witnesse to the Sonship of Christ it should teach us to keep our hearts and ears always open to these testimonies Two things hinder this testimony the noyse and tumults of worldly businesses so fill our hearts and hands that we cannot hear what the Spirit speaks Secondly the noyse of our lusts doth so fill our souls that we cannot listen to the peace Christs bloud speaks which speaks better things then our lusts therefore we should alwayes keep our hearts and ears open and free from tumults of the world or the noyse of our own lusts that so we might hear what Gods Spirit testifies to our own hearts 1 JOHN 5.9 10. If we receive the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater for this is the witnesse of God which he hath testified of his Son c. HAving spoken in the former verse of the manner of Christs coming and of the witnesse born to it three in Heaven and three on earth in these verses he excites us to receive the testimony of those witnesses by four arguments 1 A minori If we receive the witnesse of men how much the more ought we to receive the witnesse of God 2 From the divinity of this testimony whatsoever any of these fix witnesses speak their testimony is not from the earth but from God verse 9. 3 From the nearnesse of this testimony in the heart and conscience of every believer and therefore the rather to be credited because it is an inward testimony that we feel in our own hearts 4 From the dangerous condition that such fall into that doe not believe this truth they do no lesse then make God a lyaâ— for all these bear witnesse from God and therefore if we believe them not we make God a lyar Doct. The three witnesses in heaven and the three witnesses on earth are all of them divine and inward testimonies in the hearts of believers and therefore far more to be credited then the witnesse of all men in the world 1 That the Father Son and Spirit are divine witnesses is no question for they are the three Persons in the Trinity and yet are but one God Deut. 6 4. Therefore their testimony must needs be divine But the question is How doe these hear witnesse in our hearts to this truth he that believeth hath all these witnesses in himselfe 1 The Father as he is the Fountain of the God head so his work is a work of Almighty power and that is
other arguments that the ensuing Sermons were preached by Mr. John Cotton whose name is so deservedly precious among the Saints of God that it cannot but incourage them to read them and hath invited me to allow them to be printed for the publick good Edmund Calamy Books lately printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Sign of the three Crowns over against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside A Learned Commentary or Exposition upon the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians by Dr. Richard Sibbs published for publick good by Thomas Manton Folio There is newly come forth Mr. William Fenner his Continuation of Christs Alarm to drowsie Saints with a Treatise of effectuall Calling The Killing Power of the Law The Spiritual watch New Birth A Christians ingrafting into Christ A Treatise on the Sabbath which were never before printed bound in one Volume Fol. and may be he had alone of them that have his other Works as well as bound with all his former Works which are now newly Printed in the same Volume with this Truth brought to light and discovered by time or an Historical Narration of the first fourteen years of King James in 4o. The Journal or Diary of a thankful Christian wherein is contained Directions for the right method of keeping and using according to the Rules of Practise a Day-book of National and publick personal and private passages of Gods providence to help Christians to thankfulnesse and experience By John Beudle Minister of the Gospel at Barnstone in Essex large 8o. Mr. Robinsons Christians Armor in large 8o. Book of Emblems with Latine and English verses made upon Lights by Robert Farly small 8o. Grace to the Humble as preparation to the Sacrament in five Sermons by D. John Preston Picturae Louventes or Pictures drawn forth into Characters 12o. A most Excellent Treatise containing the way to seek Heavens Glory to flye Earths vanity to fear Hells horror with godly prayers and the Bell-mans summons 12o. Johnsons Essayes expressed in sundry Exquisite Fancies The one thing necessary By Mr. Thomas Watson Minister of Stephens Walbrook 8o. Sion in the house of mourning because of Sin and Suffering being an Exposition on the fifth Chapter of the Lamentations by D. S. Pastor of Vpingham in the County of Rutland Groans of the Spirit or the Trial of the Truth of Prayer A Handkercher for Parents Wet-eyes upon the death of their children or friends The Dead Saint speaking to Saints and Sinners living in several Treatises viz. On 2 Sam. 24.10 On Cant. 4.9 On John 3.15 On John 1.50 On Isa 58.2 On Exod. 15.11 Never published before By Samuel Bolton D. D. late Master of Christs Colledge in Cambridgs Four profitable Treatises very usefull for Christian practice viz. The Killing power of the Law The Spirituall Watch The New Birth Of the Sabbath By the Reverend William Fenner late Minister of Rochford in Essex Peoples Need of a living Pastor at the Funeral of Mr. John Frost M A. by Mr. Zach. Crofton A Treatise against the tolleration of all Religions By Mr. Thomas Edwards Chatechizing Gods Ordinance in sundry Sermons by Mr. Zachary Crofton Minister of Buttolphs Aldgate London the second Edition corrected and augmented A Coppy-book methodized and ingraven by Thomas crosse wherein fair writing is exprest by which one may learn to write of himselfe that can but read Dr. Stoughtens thirteen Sermons containing the form of sound words and some other Treatises The godly mans Ark. or City of Refuge in the day of his distresse discovered in Divers Sermons the first of which was preached at the Funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Moore Whereunto is annexed Mrs. Elizabeth Moores Evidences for heaven composed and collected by her in the time of her health for her comfort in the time of sickness By Ed. Calamy B. D. and Pastor of the Church at Aldermanbury Enchiridion Judicum or Jehosaphats Charge to his Judges opened in a Sermon before the Right Honourable the Judges and the Right Worshipful the Sheriffe of the County Palatine of Lancaster Together with Catastrophe Magnatum or King Davids Lamentation at Prince Abners Incineration In a Sermon meditated on the Fall and preached at the Funeral of the Right Worshipful John Atherton of Atherton Esquire High Sheriffe of the County Palatine of Lancaster By John Livesey Minister of the Gospel at Atherton There are going to the Press some new pieces of Mr. William Fenners late of Rotchford in Essex never yet printed preserved by a special Providence one of which is a Second part of his wilfull impenitency being five Sermons more that he preached upon the 18. of Ezekiel and the 32. verse Now in the presse A Theatre of flying Insects wherein especially the manner of right ordering the Bee is excellently described with discourses Historical and Physicall concerning them with a Second part of meditations and observations Theological and Moral in 3 Centuries upon the same subject by Samuel Purchas M. A. in 40. The Gale of oportunity and the Beloved Disciple by Thomas Froysell in 8o. A COMMENTARY UPON The First Epistle general OF JOHN 1 JOHN 1.1 2 3 4. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word of Life c. THE Children of God as in the whole course of their lives they are exercised with many conflicts of Conscience so with this Doubt especially at their beginning to enter into a course of Christianity Whether they indeed doe belong to the election of Grace and are indeed amongst the number of those that belong unto God And because Faith is very weak then in them for the most part it cometh to passe that their doubtings are strong they doubt much of this their Estate And from doubtings ariseth trouble of mind and terror of conscience When the Sun is in its full strength and shineth brightly there are no Clouds or Vapors or Mists arise but onely when it is low at rising or setting so is it with Faith and Doubting for the removall of which and for the setling of our souls in the assurance of Gods love and for the pacifying of our consciences with the Peace of God and filling our hearts with joy in the Holy Ghost St. John moved by the Holy Ghost penned this Epistle as Chap. 1. v. 4. And because our joy cannot be full except we injoy union with him and communion with his Children Therefore that end also he openeth verse 3. And because these are both begun and preserved by First Receiving of the truth of Doctrine Secondly Walking in holinesse of life And Contrariwise hindered and interrupted First By Error in Doctrine Secondly Wickednesse and uncleannesse of life Therefore he every where inserteth instructions both for First Inlightning our minds with truth of Doctrine Secondly directing our steps with precepts of holinesse of life And from both he teacheth us to gather marks to our selves of
of Christs propitiation that we shall see Gods face with joy we shall pray to him with comfort Joh. 14.21 He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father c. which shews that he will bring rhem together and there shall be a mutuall expression of love to one another and refâ—â—shment in one another God shall take comfort in us and we in him Rev. 3.20 for that Christ goes further in this case than any man can Absolom had offended his Father in slaying his brother Ammon well he flyes away from his Fathers Court Joab procures a Reconcilement but yet he could not satisfie for the blood he had shed he procured indeed so much that he was sent for home by the King but yet saith the King Let him returne to his own house he shall not see my face 2 Sam. 14.24 Joab could not satisfie for his blood and the King would not see his face so there wanted satisfaction and manifestation of the Kings favour well afterwards manifestation was procured but yet there wanted Propitiation because satisfaction could not be made but Christ hath not only procured favour but satisfaction and hath declared his favour towards us Now further Christ hath done this not only for the believing Jewes but all Christians all the World over for to whom doth he speake here why to little Children and what were they why they were Jewes as appears vers 7. who from the first giving of the Law were commanded to love one another now besides these weak Jewes the Apostle saith He is our propitiation including the Ministers of the Gospel and not only so but for the sins of the whole World Now the World is diversly taken in Scripture 1 World is sometimes put for the frame of Nature as Act. 17.24 2 It is sometimes taken for the pleasure and profits of the World as 1 Joh. 2.16 3 It is sometimes put for the wicked of the World Joh. 15.19 4 It is sometimes taken for the Gentiles in opposition to the Jewes Rom. 11.12 5 It is sometimes taken for the Believers of the World 2 Cor. 5.19 though it may have further extent but here it is taken in opposition to Christian Jewes he is not only a propitiation for the Jewes but also for the believing Gentiles But further Christ is not only a Propitiation for his children but for the whole World that is the whole body of the Creation for as by Adams fall the whole World was cursed Christ by his death renewed the blessing to the World again the whole body of the Creation Rom. 8.20 therefore it is said the whole body of the Creation waites for the liberty which the Sons of God have A type of this we have in Noah Gen. 8.20 21. Noah being a Type of Christ and making attonement for the World by Sacrifice God smelt a sweet favour and doth promise that he would no more curse the earth for mans sake and that which was done by Type in him is perfectly procured by Christ all the creatures are encouraged to rejoyce in his Redemption because they are Redeemed in him Isa 44.23 All the creatures are become the servants of Christ subject to the dominion of Christ he hath bought them all Rom. 14.9 Christ is now Lord of all he hath bought not only us but our Ground and Cattle and Houses and our Children and he hath so purchased it that the world shall be a blessing to the Church the Tumults and Agitations and Disorders shall be for the good of his people Quest Whether hath Christ made any propitiation for the wicked for Reprobates how else for all the World Ans You must distinguish between such and the rest of the World in this they all agree that Christ is Lord over all wicked and good he hath bought all 2 Pet. 2.5 so that they are vassalls to be ruled by Christs Dominion he hath bought them for the Churches service to doe them good 2 I say that Christ hath laid down a sufficient price for all and thus much he hath procured Gods patience to forbeare them and his bounty to lead them to Repentance Rom. 2.45 yea he hath procured for them not only gifts fitting them for Magistracy and Ministry and the common Gifts and Graces of his Spirit but many sanctifying Gifts see Heb. 10.29 Quest Is Chriâ—â— then a propitiation for them Ans To makeâ— propitiation is required not only that such a satisfaction and reconciliation be propounded but that they lay hold on it as the sacrifices in the old Law who are they that had an attonement made by the sacrifice they offered only those that laid their hands on the head of the sacrifice Lev. 1.4 so then this is nothing for the propitiation of the Wicked they do not lay hold on the head of Christ they doe not take hold on him as an Advocate and propitiation therefore they are left inexcusable This point is likewise handled by Paul Rom. 3.25 2 Cor. 5.19 the whole world was out with God he purchased something for all Vse 2. It shews that it is a wicked opinion of the Papists that say the bread in the Sacrament is a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the World as they wrong Christ in his Advocation so also in his propitiation Heb. 10.10 if there had been need of another propitiation his had been insufficient but they ascribe this to the sacramentall bread to purgatory and they say afflictions are satisfactions for our sins and their own voluntary devotions are satisfactory as whippings and pilgrimages and fastings why if Christ be the propitiation there needs no more but him So also they wrong him in adding other Advocates as Angels and Saints especially the Virgin Mary Object You will say you allow one friend to pray for another here on Earth and to intreat God for him and may not Saints in heaven pray for us as well as Saints on Earth Ans 1. We have both commands and examples for the one Jam. 5. and Paul often desires the prayers of the church but we have none for the other 2 We desire none but such as know our cases to pray for us but it is uncertaine whether the Angells or Saints in Heaven knows us or our wants it is cartain they know not our thoughts 3 And when we desire other men here on Earth to pray for us we doe not make them Advocates as they do Angels and Saints 1 We do not desire them to pray in their own merits and name as they doe the Angels and Saints in Heaven 2 They pray to the Virgin Mary for graces miserere peecati c. and command thy Son to grant such and such things so they ask spirituall gifts of the Saints which is peculiar to God 3 They doe herein ascribe to them certain proper works make them Patrons of severall Countryes and part among them severall offices they pray to one for healing of one disease and to another for another Vse 2 If Christ be
4.19 which if it were not a word of Conversion yet at least of new Conversion Mat. 9.9 and it is a general rule Luke 9.23 where by following of Christ in the last place is meant imitating Christ thus it is new in respect of Christs Commandment 2 In respect of Christs efficacy and power working in our hearts vers 9. it is wrought and stampt in us by a new work of Christ in the spirits of his followers that they do indeed set their hearts to follow Christ 2 It is new in respect of us Believers 1 In regard of the outward hearing of the ear it is new never so plainly spoken before Follow me in all the Old Testament there is not such an expresse letter as follow Christ imitate Christ walk as Christ hath walked 2 In regard of that new work wrought in the hearts of Christians Ephes 4.24 that is but on such a frame of holinesse and righteousnesse wherein you may lively resemble the new Adam the new man Christ Vse 1 As we ought not to affect new-fanglednesse so we ought not to loathe and reject newnesse before St. John carefully avoided new fanglednesse now he commends newnesse The ground of this difference is 1 Look whatever comes from God the Ancient of days is always new and never waxeth old and as it is new so it is always old yea old enough if it come from God Eccles 1.9 2 If it come from God the newer it is the better it is because our old Natures and Corruptions and Courses should alwayes be abhorred of us but grace and that new man and new wayes of holinesse should be acceptable to us 3 If it be new and come from God it is a greater manifestation of God we may see a greater light in it than ever before Vse 2 Never look to fullfill this Commandment of imitating Christ untill you become new men for it is a new Commandment and a new Commandment requires new obedience and new obedience requires new spirits and a new man do not therefore think to follow Christ with old spirits thus much of the quality now follows the reason For the darknesse is past c. Doct. The state of the Children of God in this Life is as darknesse passing and true light now shining It is an excellent description of a godly mans Estate from his first Conversion forward the word in the Original signifies passing or a driving away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not so well translated past For the opening of the point consider there is a threefold darknesse and a threefold light 1 Darknesse of 1 Ignorance Mat. 4.16 2 Uncleannesse 2 Cor. 6.16 3 Affliction or discomfort Psal 112.4 2 Light of 1 Knowledge Mat. 4.16 2 Holinesse 2 Cor. 6.16 Ephes 5 8. 3 Comfort Psal 92.11 It may be spoken of all here but chiefly of the two former darknesse of ignorance and uncleannesse is passing away in a Christian and light of Knowledge and Holinesse is shining forth daily more and more in his heart Rom. 13.12 the day is at hand i. e. not yet come yet near at hand and the night far spent i. e. almost gone and spent yet not so spent as wholly gone the shadows of the night still remain but the day begins to dawn 2 Pet. 1.19 the dawning of the day is when the shaddows of darknesse are not yet clearly vanished and he doth not say the Sun but the day star which riseth â—efore the Sun a good while he there describes the State of the Church till the day of resurrection the light of the Gospel doth not yet clearly and fully shine but is only dawning Christ is in his Children as a day Star gives them comfortable light but the Sun is not yet in his strength Prov. 4.18 it is not yet perfect day with us no not with the best Christians under Heaven but it grows by degrees till it be perfect day with them which is at the day of their dissolution like to the earthen Pitchers of Gideons men Judg. 7.16.20 when they brake their Pitchers the Lamps gloriously shone forth and dazled their eyes thus it is with a Christian when these earthen Pitchers and carkasses are broken his light will shine forth gloriously in the mean time we have light we have lamps but they are in Pitchers shining very dimly Q. If we had been perfected the first day and the light had shined gloriously forth at the first had it not been better A. Yes if God had been pleased so to have done but God would not have it so and therefore it were not better God rather sees it fit that we should carry our light in earthen Vessels wherein there is partly darknesse and partly light 2 Cor. 4.7 and that for these reasons Reas 1 That God might shew his power in our weaknesse 2 Cor. 12 9 10. we should never have known Christs vetrue the power of Grace or the depth of our corruptions if wee had been perfected the first day of our conversion as God made the world by degrees and described it so because he would have us discern his power so God doth display the power of his grace by perfecting us by degrees and not all at once Reas 2 That God might teach us to war with spirituall enemies as God left Canaanites among those Isralites that had not known and were untaught in the wars of Canaan to prove them and to know if they would hearken to Gods Commandements Judg. 3.3 so God leaves his Children some imbred enemies still in their soules to humble us and to prove us and try if wee will cleave to him besides Jesus Christ loves and takes delight in ruling especially at home in the midst of his enemies Psal 110.2 in the midst of our corruptions in the midst of unbelief Faith rules in the midst of pride Humility rules in the midst of anger Meeknesse rules c. Grace gets ground in the midst of corruptions which is to the glory of Jesus Christ Reas 3 To prevent the multiplication of the Beasts of the Field amongst us as God left Canaanites among the Israelites to that end Exod. 23.29.30 if there were not weaknesses in us it were impossible for Gods people to live in the World 1 The World would not bear with us you know it would not bear with Christ who walked as meekly as might bee Joh. 14.30 i. e. Satan found no weaknesse in him no corruption in Christ for him to work upon if christians had a full and cleare light of grace breaking forth at once all would cry away with them they are not worthy to live Vse 1. See here a ground of the great difference between christians and christians differing in Faith differing in manners some are comfortably perswaded of their own Estates but others full of fears and doubts how comes this about truly it is with christians as it is with mornings of the day some mornings are a great deale more bright than others and some
how little good will it be to that person that lives in the Church like a noysome humor hurtful and pricking the Church troublesome to the Church and Members thereof such a one is but an evil humor and it were better it were cast out nay content not your selves in being an ornament and supportance to the Church liberal for any good use and so Ministers you must not rest in this you are but as wooden leggs and glasse eyes and you lose by it unlesse you draw juice and nourishment from the body by the spirit rejoyce not therefore in this that you cleave to the Church and they to you but rejoyce that you are of that number whose names are written in heaven rejoyce in this that by the spirit and Faith you are knit to Christ rejoyce that you do any good office to the Church not for any by-respect but naturally Vse 4 Here is a direction to all societies what society to follow even the highest society that is even of the Church the company of Saints therefore if you would aspire to the best society you must not be such as are noysome humors hurtful one to another such will break off but be knit together in love with one consent joyn together So for all Members of the Congregation be doing good one to another be knit together you are all Members of the same Church let no outward respect dis-joyn Members you would think it a wofull thing to see a convulsion of the Members one limb puld from another so let no externall respect hinder fellowship therefore contend not for your profit or ease and so fall off from one another but contend to be helpfull one to another and grow up in love Vse 5 Of consolation to such as find their hearts knit to Christ by his ordinances and one to another this is good comfort you shall never depart one from another no true Member shall ever fall off either from Christ the Church or heaven 1 Joh 1.4.8 being one of the Church and added to the Church you are such a one as is appointed to salvation they that are in Gods Tabernacle shall one day dwell in his holy hill Psal 15. and he tells you what they are they that are Members of the Church militant here shall be Members of the Church triumphant in heaven your name is entred amongst the general assembly of the first born whose names are written in heaven Doct. Such as are true Members of the Church do keep continual fellowship with the Church and do never depart from the Church If they had been of us that is of our fellowship which is with the Father they would have continued for ever with us Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion which shall never be moved God gives a man true fellowship with him by trusting in him and such stand as a mountain or rock that cannot be removed an the cause of it is because God in a special manner protects them Gods protection stands as an hill about him so that none can climbe over God to come at them 1 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure c. the foundation some take it for election some for their faith such a man doth set to his seal that the Lord is true Q. How comes it to passe that they always thus keep communion with Christ and his members A. 1. They keep fellowship with Christ from the nature of that Covenant which Christ makes with all Believers it is opposed to a Covenant that may be broken Jer. 31.31 to 35. so that this Covenant cannot be broken where he opposeth this new Covenant to the first Covenant made with Adam which he brake but this cannot be broken for what should break it but sin but God will write his Law in their hearts c. and they shall not depart from him This Covenant is either exprest without condition or else such a condition as he will give us power to perform or else such a condition as Christ will perform for us therefore cannot be broken Obj. Is it possible that any Covenant should be without condition Is it not the nature of a Covenant to have a condition on both parts A. It sometimes requires none as Gen. 9. to 17. the Covenant God made with Noah he made a Covenant never again to destroy the whole World by a flood and yet there is no condition expressed on mans part but all the world knows that whatsoever the lives of men be be their sins never so great even as the sins of the Land yet God will keep this Covenant with them and not destroy the World by waters any more now this Covenant of Grace is likened to the Covenant he made with Noah that as that Covenant was without all conditions so the Covenant of Grace that God makes with us is absolute without condition so that he will remember us with everlasting mercy Isa 54.8 9 10. so that whosoever have made a Covenant with God to cleave to him in Christ he will never cast them off no more than he will drown the world 2 Though he do require a condition yet it 〈◊〉 such as he himself will perform so that I shall never forfeit his Covenant Jer. 32.40 God will never depart from them I but we may depart from him no God will put his fear in our hearts that we shall not depart from him so that though God requires faith and repentance and obedience yet he gives it to us or else we have Christ as a Surety that hath fulfilled all righteousnesse for us Heb. 7.22 if therefore I or my Surety pay as he hath done here no breach of Covenant can be made on our part because Christ hath fulfilled all righteousnesse so that though we be unfaithful and disobedient yet Christ hath undertook for us 2 From the Spiritual vigour and efficacy of that Grace which the Lord gives to every true member of the Church that Spirit which knits us to Christ and his Members 1 Pet. 1.23 is an immortal seed it is that spring which springs up unto everlasting life Joh. 4.14 Obj. True if we drink but we may cease drinking and so thirst A. But then it should not differ from Jacobs Well for as long as we drink of that we shall not thirst but this is opposed to that Heb. 10.39 he opposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that whosoever draws back from Christ had never true faith Nay this grace is exprest as overcoming all the enemies of Salvation Sathan the World and the Flesh 1 Joh. 1.4 1 Joh. 5.4 Rom. 6.14 Sin that is your corruption shall not reign in you it may be remanent but not regnant it may Tyranize over us and lead us Captive but it shall not carry us willingly but it is a captivity to us very grievous and hard and we strive to get loose from it it may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
now if sin have once dominion over grace it should be superiour which cannot be 2 As they never depart from Christ so they never depart from the Fellowship of the Church Q. What may be the ground of it A. 1. From the sweetnesse of that grace life and power they have felt in the society of the Saints sweeter than which they shall not find in any other company or in a solitary condition that sweetnesse which they have found in Christ and his Ordinances and his Members will make them cleave close to them and not depart from them Joh. 6.66 67. Whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternal life where can we mend our selves this is the House of God and the Gate of Heaven so that they intend to dwell here for ever Psal 84.1 2 3 4. 8 9 10. they find such sweetness and fulnesse in Gods House that they had rather to be Door-keepers in Gods House than to dwell in the Courts of Princes without Heb. 11.26 27. he that hath once seen Gods face in his Church he regards not the wrath of men and for the pleasure of the World he accounts the very reproaches of the people of God to be sweeter and if they be better and sweeter what are the consolations and Promises and Hopes of Gods people the true Church of Christ that have found conjugal society with Christ what should move them to turne aside to other companions Cant. 1.6 7 8. therefore up to Jerusalem and rest there there you may find me Psal 16.3 My delight is in the Saints Q. If Christians cannot fall off what needs there so many exhortations and threatnings to back-sliders 1 Cor. 5.1 2. 1 Cor. 10. Rom. 8.13 A. These are not Arguments of Apostacy but means of perseverance they are as means to keep us from Apostacy for he that hath appointed the end hath appointed the means 2 Though true Members cannot fall off yet there are many Hypocrites that seem to have fellowship with the Church and they may fall away Obj. This Doctrine breeds security seeing they cannot fall off what need they care how they live A This is no doctrin of security but only to carnal men for we shall find that no Christian is more careful to please God and fearful to offend him than those that have got most assurance of Gods love and fellowship with Christ and his members 2 Cor. 5.4 Gen. 39.19 2 If Gods Children doe wax wanton yet he hath means to scourge them soundly though he doth not take away his loving kindnesse and we say though he cannot loose grace wholly yet he may loose the strength of his grace And Secondly Corruption may grow strong and Thirdly He may loose all the comfort of his grace Fourthly he can make them meet with such afflictions from men as David did though he cast him not out of Heaven yet out of his Kingdome after he had committed murther and Adultery he raised up his own Son to rebel against him so that David saw the bitternesse of his wantonness against Gods grace As if a Phisitian should give a man such a Drugg and say it will not only free you from your sicknesse but also preserve you that you shall never dye therefore should he say What need I care what enemies I meet with or what dyet I use no it implieth that he must have a care of such things so though God give us a Wel-spring of eternal life yet if you look not to your selves but rush into danger you may be so wounded and unsetled and so terrifie your Consciences that you shall feel the smart of your wantonnesse all your dayes Obj. Did not Lot depart from the fellowship of Abraham and pitch his Tents in Sodom Gen. 13.9 to 13. A. 1. This was dangerous to Lot 2 It was not without the consent of Abraham and there was some necessity of it for they could not well live together they had such great estates 3 The church was not then in Congregations but in Families c. Obj. But what say you to the Ten Tribes did not they renounce fellowship with the Church 2 King 12.16 A. Herein they did reject the Covenant of Grace and so had no fellowship with the church Obj. Were there no good people there A. The good people of the Land left their possessions and went to Jerusalem with the Priests and Levites 2 Chron. 11.13 to 17. so that rather then they would leave the Fellowship of the church they would sell all that they had to purchase such a Pearl Vse 1. To reprove the errour of the Pelagians and Papists that doe teach that the true Members of the church may fall away not onely for a time but finally and for ever contrary to this Doctrine for though they may be as ornaments or supports yet they are no true members for if they had been of us they would have continued with us Vse 2. May shew us the wonderfull eminency of that Grace and that Covenant that we have in Christ above that grace and Covenant that Adam had Adam had that Grace which he might keep and he might loose and that Covenant which he might breake or not breake but we have such grace as we cannot loose and such a Covenant as we cannot break so that true christians have no cause to complain of Adams fall for they have a more sure Covenant such a Covenant as we can no more hreak than we can Noahs Rain-bow and according to the state of the Covenant God hath given several Sacraments to confirme it he had a Sacrament of Death but we have no Sacrament of Death but both are for our confirmation in Life therefore had there been a possibility of Death he would have given us a Sacrament to put us in minde of it Vse 3. Be not offended because of all these Antichrists and Back-sliders there are thousands fallen away within these few years why understand this they were not of us but as noysome Humours and the body is better without them such as have true fellowship never depart such as doe depart never had true fellowship 2 Tim. 4.15 Demas forsook Paul an evident sign he was an Hypocrite if his heart had been right he would not have left Paul for the whole world Vse 4. Would you have good company as most men desire to have why as you desire company that may be for your perpetuall comfort then use this fellowship of the church there was never any that once got into true society of the Saints that would ever be puld from them Whither should we goe thou hast the words of eternall life what company so sweet as christian communion Moses that had trial of Princes courts yet he found the sourest bit of christian communion sweeter then the sweetest pleasures of Egypt you that delight in the company of Drunkards and Whoremongers and Harlots at length when you are consumed and your estate spent you must be glad to leave them
no peace it is as impossible for a man to attain Salvation by Works as to be his own Saviour Vse 2 Hence learn the way of attaining peace of Conscience and assurance of Salvation why claim it by promise and it is sure to thee what makes thee doubt of thy Salvation why thou seest this Corruption and that Rebellion and thou seest the want of this and that Grace and therefore thou art in doubt why thou shouldest claim Salvation by promise thou wouldest have thy Works more perfect why that which makes us doubt is a secret cleaving to the Works of the Law but we must not so much look at what we do as what we beleeve what we work as what Christ hath wrought for us therefore take heed of sticking to any Works of the Law and as you desire to maintaine peace of Conscience and to dye peaceably claim Salvation by promise there is no more required of you than to lay hold on Christ he doth not look for perfection of faith but truth of faith be thy faith never so weak if true it gives thee Christ and he gives thee the Promise and that gives thee eternall life Q. But how shall I know whether I have this faith A. If God hath given thee an heart ot distrust self as gifts and parts of Nature and Education and to be humbled and look after Christ if thou prizest Christ and desirest him above all blessings this is true faith if thy faith hath emptyed thee of thy selfe to go out to Christ as thy Portion as the most sweet and comfortable thing I say thou hast that faith that conveys Christ to thee and Christ the Promise and the Promise eternal life say not therefore as some do I thank God I never doubted of Salvation neither have I cause I have alwayes lived honestly c. if thou fetchest thy perswasion from the Works of the Law then not from Jesus Christ nor the Promise therefore do as Paul touching the Law saith he I was unblameable and yet I count all these as dross and dung to win Christ Phil. 3. therefore distrust all these go out out of your selves and lay hold on Christ Vse 3 May teach us to magnifie the grace of God that hath thus devised a way for our Salvation he hath therefore given it us of grace that it might be sure 1 JOHN 2.26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that deceieve you TO help young Children to beware of Antichrist the Apostle had given them some instructions and some means now in this Verse to the end he rehearseth the two special means he had prescribed 1 Was his Writings vers 26. 2 Their Unction vers 27. therefore vers 28. he exhorts them to abide in Christ First In vers 26. we have set out 1 Saint Johns writing to these Babes and the Argument of it 2 A descripition of false Teachers Seducers 3 A description of their Act and Work 1 Their Sin is a seduction and deceiving of men 2 The vigour of it 3 He passeth them by calling them Seducers without naming their persons Doct. There is good use to be made of the Scripture against false Teachers even of those that want not the unction of the Spirit These things I have written unto you you that have received the Spirituall Unction otherwise Saint Johns writing had been in vain and their reading if there had not been use of them 2 Cor. 11.13 he informes the Corinthians of false Teachers Gal. 5.12 Phil. 3.2 Col. 2.8 all these shew that the Spirit thought it meet to instruct even Christiaas against false Teachers Obj. If this annoynting teach all things what need the Scripture be written is it not to give light to the Sun A. No there is a double use of the Scriptures 1 For the confirmation of the witnesse of our own Conscience a Christian mans heart witnesseth against false Doctrin but when the Holy Ghost not only witnesseth in our hearts but in his Word too In the mouth of two or three Witnesses every truth is established 2 Cor. 13.1 2 There is use of them to help our own spirits what though my spirit rise up against such false Teachers yet I might be deceived therefore that I might discern the truth of my own spirit I must try it by the Word a good man may know what spirit he is of Luke 9. 55. in some things therefore that we may discern the truth of our own spirits we must try them by the Word the Word and the Spirit of God in Conscience are like to Tallies they answer one another in every line Vse 1 May teach us to discover the corruption of their spirits who say after they have once received the spirit of regeneration which is indeed but common illumination they need not the Scriptures therefore they neglect reading of them as Enthusiasts and Annabaptists that will neither read nor pray but when the Spirit moves them and to this purpose they abuse a notable place 2 Pet. 1.16 they say we do well to attend to the Scripture till the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts but afterwards there is no further use thereof but untill is not alwayes a word of restraint but ye do well to do it before and to do it after as when it is said Michol had no Childe till the day of her death it implies not that then she had any but that she never had any so that it is a vain collection to reason after this manner 1 Tim. 4. Give diligence to reading and exhortation till I come would he have him leave off when he came No but he would rather have him alwayes continue so doing so that place rather exhorts them to attend to the Scripture after the day dawn in their hearts rather than restrains from it 2 The Scripture there opposeth not the Law and the Gospel but he would have them now attend especially to the Gospel 3 This word untill is not limitted to the attending to the Prophets but to the words day dawn meaning their hearts are a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts therefore such men as these are not of Saints Johns spirit who exhorts those to whom he wrote to attend to his Writings as an help against false Teachers Vse 2. It may exhort us in these seducing days to be diligent and frequent in reading the Scriptures because they are written to help us against Seducers if a Friend should write to us beware of such Cheaters we would give heed to what he wrote and observe his Counsells why we have letters sent from farre even from heaven to warn us of Seducers and our friend sets down their Notes and Marks and means to avoyd them therefore let us be perusing them and observe what they direct us to Doct. 2 The Children of God are to look at false Teachers as Deceivers 2 Joh. 7. 2 Cor. 11.13 Rom. 16.17 18. Q. What is meant
by Deceivers why calls he them so A. A Deceiver is such a one who upon pretence of that which is good and true puts us off with that which is counterfeit and naught So these false Teachers deceit is in their Doctrin and in their persons In their Persons 2 Cor. 11.13 In their Doctrin they make us beleeve it is the Doctrin of Christ in but in truth it is empty windy doctrin Ephes 4.14 Vse 1 May serve to stir us up so much the more to hate and detest them and to a more serious watchfulness against them a man hates a Deceiver worse than a Robber a man had rather lose his Purse by violence than be cunningly cheated of it the reason is because a man that takes your Purse only wrongs you of your Mony but the other deprives you of your Money and also befools you and makes a mock at it so these Deceivers do not only deprive us of the truth but through cunning delusions they over-reach us and laugh us to scorn 2 Pet. 2.14 Let us therefore try all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 If we heard that there were counterfeit Money abroad and cunning Fellows that would undermine us we would look narrowly to our selves why there are cunning Deceivers abroad which will not only deceive you of your Purses and Goods but of your Faith and the Gospel and Salvation therefore how circumspect and careful ought we to be it is a wonderful sluggishness of spirit when we know there are so many false Teachers now in the Land and yet it is a wonder to see how raw we are in the Scriptures how unapt to answer any thing out of the Scripture if we were put to it therefore do not only receive the truth from the credit of Ministers or our own spirits but warranted from the Word that we may be ready to render a Reason of the hope that is in us Doct. 3. Sometimes in reproving and confuting of false Teachers it is seasonable to conceal their names Saint John doth not say These things I write unto you concerning Corinthus or Ebion but he passeth by their names and saith These things I write unto you concerning Deceivers 2 Cor. 11.13 2 Cor. 15.12 Gal. 1.7 Phil. 3.2 Jude 4. he doth not there describe them he names none yet sometimes we read he names them 1 Tim. 1.19 2 Tim. 2.18 2 Tim. 4.14 15. It is seasonable to conceal their names 1 When there may be any hope of their conversion we should not too much exasperate them because the contention is not so much against their persons as against their Doctrin and practice 2 When it were good that both they and their Doctrin should utterly perish and be forgot Gal. 5.12 It is seasonable to expresse their names 1 When they are excommunicate Hymeneus and Philetus 2 That others may beware of them 2 Tim. 4.14 15. Vse To teach us to forbear personall invectives in our writings a wound in a mans good name is a wound in the apple of his eye a man that hath his eye hurt he sees you not so if you strike a man on his good name it is hard if ever he hear any thing after from you He writes to them about them that seduce them yet they did not seduce them but only did endeavour it Doct. 4. The desire and indeavour to deceive is deceit Such as have a desire and purpose to deceive are indeed deceivers though they actually seduce not 2 Joh. 7. Rom. 16.17 18. 2 Cor. 11.13 as he that looks after a woman to lust after her commits Adultry Matth. 5.28 because in his heart he desires it so because a man hath a long look in his heart to deceive he is a Deceiver you read of some that trod under foot the bloud of Christ Heb. 10.29 now that is impossible for Christ is in Heaven yet if a man do what in him lies it is as if he did it Reas From Gods acceptance of the will for the deed whether in good or evil 2 Cor. 8.12 therefore it was provided in the Law if any man did bear false witnesse against his neighbour it should be death because he would have taken away his Neighbours life so if there be a will in a man to deceive it is as if he did deceive And as the poor Woman Luke 21.4 is said to cast more into the Treasury than they all because she had a will to do it and put forth her self to her utmost ability so if a man put forth himselfe in what he can to deceive though he never reach it yet he is a Deceiver for though it be impossible the Elect should be seduced Matth. 24.24 yet it is his desire and endeavour to do it for God hath communicated to men more will and desire many times then power to accomplish it therefore if there be will to it the hinderance is not on mans part but on Gods Vse 1. Must teach men to make as much conscience of their wills and desires as of their acts men are apt to excuse themselves in respect of the will if the act be not done but didst thou desire it and go about it if thou hadst a mind to it then it is done because God sees that which was in thine heart as done there was the desire of thy soul and the endeavour of thy hand but that it came not to passe is from Gods hand Vse 2. This may be a singular comfort to Gods servants that cannot do what good they would they have a minde to profit by the Word to read and pray as they ought but they cannot I say if there be a willing minde that the desire of thy soul is towards God if thy câ—re and endeavour be to do it it is certainly done though thou canst not reach it Gen. 22.12 Abraham did spare his Son why true but that was because God held his hand but because he went three dayes journey and came to the place God had appointed and built an Alter and bound him and would have slaine him though upon Gods calling from Heaven to him he spared him ye God accounts it as if he did it so had a man many corruptions in his heartt that were as his Isaac darling lusts if thou use all means to mortifie and crucifie them though thou canst not get the Victory over them as thou desirest yet God accounts it as if they were Mortified if God will have it rest there and say it is enough it is an acceptable sacrifice to God when David had a minde to build a Temple to God and prepared abundantly for it though God forbad him yet saith he it was well it was in thine heart and I will therefore build thee an house 2 Sam. 7. he accepted the will for the need so if thou set thy heart to build Gods House to be doing good to the Church and reforme the Town where you live if in authority though you fall short
of it if your souls desire it in good earnest God accepts of it as done so for your Families if you instruct them and strive to build them up you say it is in vain no truly God will be your reward So it may be a stay to Ministers that desire by all means to convert some and yet finde no fruit of their labours yet thou shalt have thy reward with thy God for if false Prophets that go about to seduce though they seduce not yet God accounts them seducers so God accepts of thy good will and endeavour as much as if thou hadst effected it Obj. Then we may easily flatter our selves and say I desire that my soul and all mine might do well A. If a man have a willing minde to a thing it will much comfort him if he do it and grieve him if he cannot performe it thou sayest thou wouldst have thy selfe and all thine do well is it thy greatest grief that thou canst not effect this and would it be thy greatest comfort if thou couldst then God accepts thy desire but if a man have only some lazie desires if it go well well and good if not he is not much troubled there was no right desire 1 JOHN 2.27 But the annoynting which yee have received of him abideth in you c. Doct. EVery Child of God even the least and the meanest have received the Vnction of the Spirit of this we heard vers 20. But something is to be considered in the varying of the words vers 20. he said they had it here he saith they have received it of him Doct. The Children of God receive this Vnction of the Spirit from God from the Father and from Christ John 14.16 17. John 16.13 Gods sending and our receiving are relata 2 Cor. 1.21 22. Gods giving and our taking mutually agree one to another and sometimes God the Father is said to send the Spirit and sometimes God the Son it is God that sends it but Christ that hath prayed that he would send it John 14.16 17. and by his Death and Ascension hath he purchased and procured the Spirit for us Acts 2.32.33 The Reasons why we must receive this Unction from God and from Christ Reas 1. Because of our selves what we have by Nature is a spirit of errour and falshood and corruption and therefore because we have no Unction from the first Adam no spirit that heales us and softens us and chears us we have no spirit that doth annoynt us but rather besmear us and daub us with base lusts therefore if we have any Spirit of Grace it is needfull that we should receive it from the second Adam 2 We receive it from the Father because by Christ we are made Sons and therefore have need of the spirit of Sons Gal. 4.4 5 6. all of us like Christ his eldest Son Gods Spirit is the mark whereby he owns us it is the earnest penny that we have Rom. 8.14 that we might be comforted therefore called the comforter John 16.13 the earnest penny and first fruits of eternal glory an earnest penny is part of the payment of the same nature with the whole this Spirit is part of the payment which we shall then receive in abundance now in a small measure we have now little love and faith c. but he will make perfect love perfect knowledge perfect strength 3 That Christ should give it is from his death whereby he purchased it Gal. 3.13 14. and by his Ascension he shed abroad his Spirit in our hearts as when Elias was ascending into Heaven he spread abroad his Mantle upon Elisha whereby he was cloathed with a double Spirit so when Christ ascended into Heaven he spread abroad his Mantle as it were his Spirit which every Christian taking is cloathed with the Spirit of Christ with the Spirit of gladnesse and holinesse Vse 1. Shews the wonderfull love of God even to the least and meanest of his Servants that not only gives us his Son to be our Redeemer but his Spirit to be our Sanctifier so large is God in his bounty no wonder then if he give us health and peace and friends and means and maintenance for he that gives us his Son and his Spirit will he deny us lesser things so that this is not only an expression of his love but an argument of our faith and consolation he that gives us his Son and his Spirit will give us all things Luke 12.32 Fear not little flock c. and no wonder for he hath given us the earnest here Vse 2. To teach Gods Children not to be proud of any Spiritual gift that God gives us 1 Cor. 4.7 if all we have we have received what have we to boast And let us not insult over others for they may receive the Spirit of Unction as well as we as Paul did though he were a persecutor so much lesse should we despise weaker Christians than our selves what if they have received but a little measure of faith and love and patience c. why that little is so much that it seals them up to eternall happinesse they have received so much that they are invested with the garment of Christ therefore let there be no striving or contention or contempt among Brethren seeing all have received this Unction Vse 3. Have you received the Spirit then so walk in him rooted and established in him Col. 2.6 7. why have you received it but that you may pray and preach and buy and sell in this Spirit therefore let every one so walk that he may expresse that he hath received the Spirit of God Gal. 5.25 as yee have received the Spirit so walk in him put forth the life of the Spirit in every employment not your own spirit but shew forth the grace of him which hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light Doct. 2. The Spirit which the Children of God have received of him dwells in them for ever John 14.16 17. it is an in-dwelling and abiding Spirit 1 Cor. 3.6 6.29 Ephes 2.20 21 22. the Spirit of God builds a Tabernacle in you and dwels in you Reas 1. Now the Spirit is said to abide in us because having knit us to Jesus Christ we are become of his flesh and bone now it were both a dishonour and unseemly for Christ to have any livelesse dead member therefore that God might make us serviceable unto him he continues his Spirit to us that may inliven us 2 God that gives us this earnest penny would have it continue with us till the payment be compleat 3 The same reason that moves God to give us his Spirit moves him to continue it to us we have as much need to be like God in our whole course as at first and have as much need of assurance of Glory Phil. 1.6 the same God that begins the work will also continue it to us Vse 1. A ground of trial of our estates if we have no spirit
of beleevers This was Davids grief that he could not enjoy the company of good men Psal 120. Reas 1. For Gods singular love to them verse 1. What manner of love And if God love them so dearly we ought also to love them 1. From their love above all others back again to God when others sit loose in their affections Christians should love them that love God who hath loved them so dearly Psal 139.21 22. 3. From the truth that is in every Christian beleever 2 John 1.2 If a man loves Gold he loves to have true Gold so if we love any let us love them in whom is truth of other men not one of a thousand that hath truth in them you shall finde them no further loving then may be to their own ends in latter times men shall be lovers of themselves for in former times God did inlarge the worlds affections many brethren would have hazarded their lives for their friends but now no further love then they shall finde aliquid jucundum or utile But Christians love one another for the loves sake that is in them Many complain much that true friendshiip is gone it 's an hard thing to find a faithfull friend Prov. 20.6 This faithfullnesse in friendship is a proper badge of the Son of God John 13.35 15.19 Vse 1. This should teach Ministers with what affection they should speak to their people when they call them Beloved This ought not to be a word of complement but their hearts should go with it How can such call them Dearly beloved when they come at them but once a year how doe they love union with them or communication of good to them 2. This may be a direction to us all as we would approve the truth of our hearts before God to love all that are born of God as St. John he calls them Beloved Look at all beleevers as the Sons of God and look at them as beloved if they walk in the truth 3. This may be a reproof of all such as estrange themselves from Christians yea many there be that are glad of any advantage to trouble them that are born of God they are far from St. John's spirit There are some that will not maligne and oppose them but yet if they be such as are poor from whom they can get neither pleasure nor profit they estrange themselves from them But St. John calls any Beloved in whom he findes the truth of grace There is no Christian but hath something for which he ought to be beloved there is something in them worthy our imitation You shall finde more comfort in your love to poor weak Christians then if you fasten your love upon more eminent persons and greater in place Doct. 2. That the ignorance that the world hath of Gods children and our obscurity and weaknesse in the world doth not hinder our present good estate in the world Now we are the Sons of God now that we are afflicted in the world Isa 54.11 which shews you that though the children of God be afflicted and weather-beaten yet God hath promised such blessings to them as may make them blessed in the world vers 13.14 Isa 43.3 4. Though we be led through the water and fire of affliction yet in the midst of all our troubles when we are passing through the Lord promiseth that he will be with us and that he will be our comfort in the midst of persecution and temptation Thus you see how dear and precious Gods children are in his sight David when he saw the prosperity of the wicked that all went well with them then he began to think that he had cleansed his herat in vain but soon afrer when he went into the Sanctuary of the Lord then he saw that the Lord set them but in slippery places Therefore howsoever it seem in our eyes that it goes well with the wicked yet let us not despair God will guide his children by his counsell and afterward receive them to glory You may hear Job complaining of his poor and miserable estate Job 19.18 19 20. he had now no more comfort left him then he had skin on his teeth and therefore he cryes to his friends to pitty him vers 21 22. And what do you think was the rejoycing of his soul in the midst of the anguish of his spirit and affliction of body being all consumed away with misery he tells you vers 25. to v. 27. Yet I am sure my redeemer liveth So that what though his present estate be miserable and his future happy estate be obscure to the world yet he knows when Christ shall appear he shall be like him Col. 3.3 4. as the Apostle speaks Our life is hid with Christ in God Reas 1. Taken from our likenesse to the Son of God Christ Jesus who was in such a poor condition as that though the birds of the air had nests yet the Son of man had not where to lay his head yet all this while he was the Son of God in whom alone he was well pleased Mat. 3.17 And as it was with Christ our head so may we look it should be with us his members Rom. 8.29 If God did see it meet that his Son should be thus afflicted in the world and drinke of such a bitter portion of Gods wrath let us not think we shall go to heaven and partake of those heavenly mansions which Christ hath prepared for us but we also shall drink of the same cup that he drank of Let us account our selves happy that God will so esteem of us to make us his Sons Reas 2. From the freedome of Gods love to men And first that he doth not esteem of them according to their outward lustre 1 Sam. 16.7 God seeth not as man seeth Ps 22.6 This is meant of Christ So Isa 53.3 Secondly That he doth not esteem of them according to their inward estate Ezek. 16.16 Deut. 7.8 8. So that though there be much pride and stubbornnes of heart found in Gods children and oftentimes in a great measure against God yet all these inward corruptions do not hinder our future glorious estate Vse 1. This should teach the children of God to be content with their estates They are indeed apt to think that if the world do not esteem of them but are ready to put many injuries upon them and to persecute them with hatred that they are not Gods children or else they murmur and grieve within themselves And if the world do sometimes esteem of them yet if their health liberty and maintenance be taken away then they think surely they have cleansed their hearts in vain and washed their hands in innocency Psal 73.13 As for the men of the world they are in prosperity they suck water out of a full cup their eyes start out with fatnesse and they have more then they can wish But David can tell them when he went into the Sanctuary that he saw that God had set them
the whole man the understanding will and affections 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Thess 5.23 Well then may it be called a lively fruitfull hope Reas Hope comes to all the ordinances of God with expectation that it shall finde benefit from the Word prayer and good company Hope waits on God for good in every ordinance and then it never goes away empty it strive before it comes to prepare the heart and to cleanse it from all filthinesse Vse 1. This may discover unto us the wonderfull loathsomnesse of sin If sin were not an excrement why should we purge it out We purge out nothing but filthy loathsome things and therefore when hope is said to purge it implyes that sin is loathsome 2. Hence discern the soundnesse of our hope Do you finde your hearts daily striving to â—leanse your selves if not thy hope will make thee ashamed If thy hope do not set thee on work every day to cleanse thy heart truly thy hope is nothing but a vain delusion and nothing will more sting thee at the last day when thou shalt hope for heaven thou shalt be cast out of Gods presence 3. Let it teach all Christians as they would not be ashamed of their hopes to make their calling and election sure Let their hopes make them purge and cleanse themselves And let not Christians think it is enough to purge themselves but they must purge their families A Christian must suffer none in his family to be uncircumcised God would have killed Moses because he had one uncircumcised Magistrates must cleanse their Towns and places where they live Good Josiah when he was to celebrate the Passover he set himselfe with all his heart to purge Jerusalem and Judah Doct. 3. The purity of Christ is the pattern of every Christians purity Or thus Every hopefull Christian makes Christs purity the pattern of his 1 Cor. 11.1 Heb. 12.12 Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ Set before you a pattern of a cloud of witnesses 1 John 2.6 He that abides in Christ ought to walk as he hath walked Why should every Christian make Christ the pattern of his purity 1. From the end of Gods predestination He hath predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Son Rom. 8.29 And God in all things requires that we should grow up to the fellowship of the stature of Jesus Christ 2. From the perfection of the pattern All other patterns of godly men will fail us in some things but Christ is a perfect pattern he will fail us in nothing Vse 1. This should teach us to reject the society of such men as inwardly loath the name of Puritans alas if they cannot endure the name of purity in poor weak Christians how would they hate the purity of Christ If they cannot endure the brightnesse of a candle how will they endure the brightness of the Sun and yet they say they love Christ But if they have not purity how can they love Christ and if they love not Christ they are accursed for ever 2. This reproves those who though they do not hate purity yet they think themselves very well if they exceed the worst sort of men they are no whore-mongers nor theeves nor deceivers Alas if there be no more then morall honesty they shall come far short of Heaven 3. This reproves the Romish Church that think ordinary Christians are not bound to so strict a pattern as their regular Christians Did ever any of them reach higher then Christ and is not every Christian exhorted to set Christ as a pattern 4. This reproves another sort of Christians who if they have got but such a measure of grace as they are assured to be in a state of grace they never look further but now they look out for themselves in the world as if they might rest in what is behinde and never presse forward to what is before them contrary to Paul Know O Christian it is not enough to get truth of grace nor some purity but you must grow pure as Christ is pure Vse 2. This may exhort us all as we would maintain our hope to be made like Christ hereafter so to strive to this exactnesse of purity to purifie our selves as he is pure If you would be hopefull Christians you must be growing Christians growing up to the measure of the purity of Christ decay in growing and you decay in hope No Christian so full of joy and hope as he that is every day getting something and growing up to perfection 1 John 2.6 Phil. 3.12 13 14. Motives to stir us up to grow in grace 1. So soon as you slack this care your hope faith and grace waxeth weak If we see our bodies do not voyd excrements for many dayes we think our bodies are not in a good state but some diseases lye on us How can we have an healthfull soul when we purge not our corruption many a day 2. From the great uncomelinesse that is in us if we do not strive to be pure Is it not an uncomely thing to see the head to be of gold and the members partly brasse partly clay and dirt 3. It 's very grievous to the Spirit of God that we should be no better for all it hath dwelt so long in us When Christ had been long with his Disciples and they were not bettered by him he up braids them O foolish and slow of heart to believe how long shall I be with you It was a griefe to Christ that he should be long with his Disciples and they not to grow up to strength of grace Obj. But doth not virtue consist in a golden mean Ans Virtue consists not in a mean between two degrees but in a mean between two extreams You may exceed the bounds of righteousnesse and so be unrighteous but you cannot exceed the degrees of righteousnesse Christ saith Be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect Can you then be too pure and holy No you cannot though you were as full of gâ—ace and holinesse as Christ himselfe 4. As ever you desire to be worthy partakers of the Sacrament then labour to purifie your selves The reason why many a christian comes to the Sacrament and finds no comfort is because they grieved the Spirit of God before they came by neglecting to cast out those obstructions which hinder the influence of the head to the members 1 Cor. 11.30 31. Means to help us to purifie our selves 1. Be perswaded that you are not in a safe estate till you are grown up to some good measure of purity You would think him in a poor case that should live 200 years and yet for want of evacuation should live in sicknesse and weaknesse And so a christian is in an uncomfortable estate unlesse he purge himselfe 2. Be very watchfull over thy wayes 3. Use the ordinances of God constantly Say not after conversion It is no matter whether we be alwayes conversant in Gods ordinances but at some times when the
Word of God Zech. 7.13 Prov. 28.9 Reas 1. From a rule of equity which God useth in dispensing himselfe Mat. 7.2 As we dispense our selves to him so doth God himselfe to us This it a generall rule of Gods walking towards men With what measure we mete God will measure to us again If we let no Word of God fall to the ground but our conscience stand in awe of it and our hearts cleave to it God will let none of our prayers fall to the ground 2. From the unity of the Spirit that doth help us to keep the commandements God makes account we keep the commandements when there is none but our judgements approve Ezek. 36.26 27. Rom. 8.15 The Spirit helps us to pray and it asks things according to the will of God and he knows the meaning of the Spirit As who should say He that prayes not in the Spirit is a Barbarian unto God 3. From the love and respect God bears to them that keep his commandements It is the way to become Gods Favourite John 14.21 23. Vse 1. It shews us the cause of the fruitlesnesse of our prayers at any time God hears not us because we hear not him If our prayer fall to the ground then surely Gods Word hath faln to the ground A good prayer and a bad life can never meet James 2.20 If we live in awlesse respect to Gods commandements he hears not our prayers 2. Encouragement to the obedience of Gods commandements What comfort would a man have more then to have his wish If God give thee an heart to keep all his commandements thou mayst assure thy heart that all thy petitions are granted 3. A ground of comfort to every such soule as makes conscience of his wayes If thou walkest with a care to fulfill Gods will he will fulfill thine Such as give themselves to walk as Christ hath walked may have this comfort John 11.32 Psal 119.5 6. Such petitions as are long delayed and seem to be most strongly denyed are fulfilled Dan. 10.3 10 11 12. Daniels prayers were heard the first day but not then answered A petition is granted in Heaven and a course taken for the accomplishment of it but yet there must be a time to bring it about Deut. 5.25 26. Though God delay our prayers yet even then he grants them Prov. 21.10 Jer. 17.10 God regards the hearts of his people and their movings Moses desired onely to see the good Land God bid him go up to the hill and so strengthened his sight to see it he should not go over because the people should see Gods displeasure against him We have an end alwayes in our prayers and we prescribe means to God he many times denies the means in displeasure but gives the end 2 Cor. 12.7 8. So it was in Paul God would not remove the messenger of Satan but he did that by it which he would have done the free passage of the spirit in his heart Heb. 5.7 A Christian prays for the light of his countenance God hears not Why dost thou desire it to strengthen thy faith He will doe it by the word of promise We pray that God would mortifie some corruption Why doe we desire it that grace may have free passage in our hearts God will by such lusts mortifie a greater that is pride of heart and God works such a loathing in thy heart and bitternesse in regard of sin that we might mortifie them The second benefit is the acceptance of all our prayers in the presence of God amplified by an argument taken from the practice of such men whose hearts doe not condemn them before God they keep his commandements and doe that which is pleasing in his sight set forth in a Syllogisme Whoso keeps Gods commandements those whatsoever they ask they receive of God But those whose hearts condemn them not keep Gods commandements Doct. That such as keep Gods commandements they keep a good conscience and Gods favour together They have peace at home and in heaven First They have peace at home in their own conscience Heb. 13.18 We have a good conscience in all things desiring to live honestly that is to keep Gods commandements Secondly As they keep a good conscience on earth so they keep favour in heaven 1 Kings 15.5 Thus it s said of David that he did that which was good in the sight of the Lord he had a care to keep Gods commandements Thus did Asa 2 Chron. 14.2 Hezekiah Ib. 29.2 So did Josiah 2 Kings 23.25 and 2 Chron. 34.2 What is it to keep Gods commandements Ans It is not barely to keep them in our minds and memory but First to keep them as one would keep his high-way A traveller so soon as he is out of his way and sees it he blames himselfe for it and hastens to get into it again Secondly as a man would keep his jewells Prov. 6.20 21. Thirdly to keep it as the apple of our eye Prov. 7.1 2 3. If the least more fall into our eye we never leave till we get it out so we must make scruple of the least sins Fourthly we must keep the commandements as we would keep our life Now Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life So we should lose our lives and all we have for Gods commandements Reas From the suitablenesse of the will or commandements of God and the conscience of a Christian You please a man when you doe that which is according to his will and so look what is good in Gods sight that is according to Gods commandements The commandements of God are a lively image of his will God is a God of pure eyes Hab. 1.13 he hateth wickednesse Psal 5.4 Any thing that is evill is displeasing in Gods sight When Vriah was slain and David took his Wife into his house it is said that thing displeased the Lord 2 Sam. 12.27 But the will of God is our sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 A man is said to be made after Gods own Image when he is righteous and holy The Apostle exhorts us to put on the next man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4.24 Holinesse is the sum of the commandements of the first Table Righteousnesse of the second Vse 1. Hence we may have a tryall of our conscience whether it be good or no for upon the goodnesse of our conscience depends the peace of this world and another Heb. 13.18 Examine your selves Doe you keep Gods commandements as a man would keep his way the apple of his eye his life and soul or his Jewells Else you doe not keep a good conscience There are four sorts of consciences First A conscience that is quiet yet not good As when the strong man keeps the house all that he pâ—ssesseth is in peace Luke 11.21 Secondly There is a conscience which is good but yet not quiet Such was Davids Psal 31.22 when he said in his hast he was utterly cast
out of his sight though it was good yet it did not speak the truth concerning David Thirdly There is a conscience which is neither good nor quiet such was Judas his conscience Mat. 27.3 4. Fourthly There is a conscience both good and peaceable which walks in Gods commandements and if he slip out of Gods commandements he looks at himselfe as out of the way he finds refreshments in walking in Gods ways he could not by any means part with Gods commandements he had rather part with his life and all that he hath But on the contrary if a man keep not Gods commandements he is so far from making scruple of any sin that he allows himselfe in any sin yea in all sin Vse 2. It exhorts us all to take the right way to keep Gods commandemens and to keep a good conscience Obj. What shall we get by this Answ In keeping Gods commandements is great reward You shall keep a good house at home and favour in heaven A good conscience is worth keeping it will uphold thy heart against all discouragements thou shalt meet withall in the world and thou shalt have peace with God by keeping his commandements you shall keep a good conscience which is a continuall feast The peace of a good conscience is the greatest blessing in the world nothing in the world can take it away A man may keep all other things and yet not a good conscience but without a good conscience what good will they all doe thee at the last day Wherefore above all things have a care to keep it it will be more joy to thee then all worldly contentments Psal 4.6 7. 3. This may be matter of comfort and consolation to every such soule that hath a care to keep Gods commandements for such a man keeps Gods favour in heaven and a good conscience on earth which is a continuall feast 1 JOHN 3.23 And this is his commandement that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandement IN this Verse he shews you what this commandement is in keeping of which we obtain the grant of our prayers This is his commandement that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another Doct. That in stead of loving God with all our hearts the great and first commandement now is that we believe in the Name of the Lord Jesus When the holy Ghost would rank all the commandements under two heads he reduces them to these two First That in stead of loving God with all our hearts we must believe in Jesus Christ Secondly In stead of loving our neighbour as our selves that we love our Brethren as Christ commands When Christ was demanded what was the first and great commandement he answered Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and the second is like unto this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe Mat. 22.36 to 39. But the Apostle John he sums up the commandements in these two He saith not here these are the commandements but this is the commandement As if he should have said there is no more commanded of God 2 Tim. 1.13 Keep a pattern of wholsome words which is the sum of them Faith and love in Christ Jesus Q. What is meant by the Name of Jesus Christ Ans Here is not meant the letters or syllables of the Name of Jesus There is no other name under heaven whereby we can be saved but by the Name of Jesus Acts 4.12 It were superstition to believe there were virtue in the letters or syllables of the name Jesus He means there is no person under heaven whereby we can be saved but onely by him who is named the Lord Jesus As it is Gen. 13.4 Abraham called on the name of the Lord that is upon the Lord Phil. 2.10 The Apostle saith At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow So Isa 45.24 there you may see what is meant by the Name Jesus and what is to bow to the Name Jesus Rom. 14.11 To bow to or worship the Name Jesus is to worship the Person of Jesus He doth therefore add Name to the Lord Jesus because we do believe in Christ by those attributes given to him it is by Christ we are saved Now if we did not consider him as a Priest a Prophet and a King he could not have saved us these offices of Christ are the name of Christ Q. What is meant by believing in his Name A. There are three acts of Faith in believing in the Name of the Lord Jesus 1. To be perswaded of his goodnesse and promises Doubting is opposed to faith Rom. 4.20 Doubting and perswasion are acts of the minde 2. Faith is an act of a mans will whereby he trusts on the name of the Lord Jesus Not to beleeve in God is not to trust on God for his salvation Psal 78.22 Credere in Christum 1 Pet. 2.6 is as it were to rowle our selves upon Christ There are two things in Gods promises 1. Truth 2. Goodnesse Vnderstanding believes the truth will accepts and closes with the goodnesse These be acts about a promise 3. There is a true faith but yet weak which doth not reach to those and yet reach to believeing in his Name and hath salvation by his Name which is when a man can abide by the Lord and will not away till he blesse him like Jacob Gen 32.26 This is the same with drawing neer to God Psal 73.28 A man draws neer to God when he is willing to forake all his lusts and can find no satisfaction in earthly things but onely in the Lord. Reas 1. It is a work of greater honour to God to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ then to love God when we know him to be our friend When a Christian doth first begin to believe in Christ he doth not take God as a friend but as an enemy now to cleave to God when he is an enemy is more then to love God when he is a friend unto us For a soul to throw it self on God when he is terrible and seems as an angry God now not to let him go till he shews us mercy is a famous thing The faith of a weak Christian becomes more famous then the love of a strong Christian The one hath had the experience of Gods love the other never felt the warmth of Gods Spirit in the heart 2. This doth magnifie the grace of God because such a soul as believes in Christ doth rely on Christ for every blessing he doth not trust on the best graces he hath received he doth not trust on his own faith but he trusts on Christ for the favour of God and he believes that for his sake every promise shall be fulfilled This great commandment gives God Christ all the honour 3. Because by faith we rest on God for all the good we stand in need of Rom. 4.16 4. From the wickednesse of
to send Christ Rom. 5.8 John 3.16 Christ saith God so loved the world that he gave hu only begotten Son into the world c. Reas He dyed for us to make an atonement for us Christ did not come unsent he was sent before he went Heb. 5.45 Quest How can this be seeing the death and blood of Christ is the Originall of our reconciliation Rom. 5.10 Rom 3.24 25. Answ 1. Christ by his blood wrought reconciliation because God loved us before yet we loved not him before for there must be a mutuall fellowship in reconciling us to God 2 Cor. 5.16 not so much in reconciling himselfe to the world in the 20. verse he saith we pray you in Christs stead which shewes you that Christs blood did not so much reconcile God to us as us unto God that we seeing the blood of Christ shed for us we might be stirred up to love God who out of the abundance of his compassion takes a course that we may be brought unto him 2 Because though he did bear love to us before yet his love was secret and he did not breake forth into a manifestation of his love to us untill he sent his Son into the world though God did love us with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 yet God did not manifest it to our conscience neither could it stand with his Justice so to doe untill he had given his Son the Lord Jesus Christ to dye for us Quest What kind of love was it that God bare to the world in that he sent his Son Tit. 3.5 was it his love towards mankinde by which he did love the whole world or a peculiar love which he bare to the people of the Election of grace Joh. 3.16 The Arminians say that he bare a love to the World and this love was generall to all before the sending of Christ and therefore all may be saved The truth is that God bare a love to the world a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reaching to all but he bare an antient love to his owne people had he onely bore a generall love as they say all men might have perished for if God sent his Son that whosoever believed should be saved was it in the will to believe or not yes say they he gave them means but they might will or not if this was a generall love then there was a greater love then the sending of Christ which is contrary to Scripture Greater love then this hath no man Vse 1. Let us magnifie the love of God to us in Christ we esteeme much of ancient love it like wine is the best God loved us before he did send Christ before the foundation of the world was laid Jer. 31.3 This love was without reason on our parts for we were enemies to him 2 This exhorts us to accept this love shall God send his Embassadors 2 Cor. 5.20 and shall we still stand out with God 3 If God so loved the world we ought to love one another Doct. God sending his only begotten Son into the world is a manifest token of Gods love to us John 3.16 God so loved the world this love is manifest 1 If we consider that God doth not only send us bodily bread every day but the bread of eternall life not so much the gift as the giver himself 2 Consider upon what tearmes we stood with God when he sent us his on Even then when we provoked him to his face and were enemies to his Majesty Rom. 5.8 3 Consider we that God looked not at the Angels but the seed of man God passed over Angels left them in chains of darknesse Heb. 2.16 but of man he said shall he fall and not rise again Consider we were strangers and enemies to God dead in sins and trespasses and so we did neither desire nor deserve love yet us he hath reconciled Col. 1.21 Ephes 2.4 5. 4 Consider Christ who was sent had it been a morsell of dayly bread it had been a great mercy but in Christ he sent an horn of salvation Psal 89.19 Luke 1.69 Consider Christ not as a servant but a Son and a well-beloved Son in whom he was well pleased and such a Son as thought it no blasphemy to think and say he was equall with God Phil. 2.5 6. 5 Consider whither God sent his Son into the world our salvation could not be wrought in heaven it was no place for suffering no place for a man to be born in therefore needfull that Christ should come down Consider the world did not put on Christ that honour which was due unto him but rather dishonour a Crown of thorns Consider the more the world knew him the more they hated him in heaven they adore and honour him but you have known me and hated me saith he John 15.18 This is the heir come let us kill him Vse 1 Learn hence to acknowledge the Divinity of the nature of Christ he is called the only begotten Son of God therefore of the same nature with God Phil. 2.5 6. 2 This shewes you the love of the Father to us in that he sends his Son to be a ransom for us when all other signes fail you if God give you his only Son that is a true token of Gods love Eccles 9 1. 3 This shewes us the woeful misery that we naturally ly in when as Christ must come down from heaven or else we could not have heen saved no man nor Angel could doe it 4 This should stir us all up to accept of this love of God that God sends forth such a manifest token of his love to us and shall not we accept of it We should accept a small gift from a Prince 5 To perswade us all that if God gives Christ he will deny us nothing Rom. 8.32 we may goe boldly to the throne of grace and he will fill our mouthes 6 This should cause us to returne back again to God manifest pledges of our love to him let us give body and soul to God since he hath not been wanting in his love to us doth not love require love Psal 116.12 Train we up our children to know God and draw we as many as we can to know God there is no greater dishonour to God then to refuse this manifest love of God The end for which God sent his Son into the world was that we might live through him Doct. That our life was the end why God sent Christ Or thus God therefore sent Christ that we might live by him Joh. 1.10 11. Quest What is the life that Christ came to procure for us Answ 1. A life of Gods favour in poynts of Justification sanctification and consolation that is the chiefest life for the soul of a christian the manifestation of Gods love to his conscience though God loved us before he sent Christ yet we knew not so much there is a life of Justification Rom. 5.18 that is the pardon of our sins In his favour is life Psal 30.5
us 2 This shewes the exact justice of God though he be infinitely compassionate and gracious yet he will be satisfied and yet rather then the creature should perish in suffering God in his infinite wisdome devised a mean how all our sins should be done away 2 This sets forth the wonderfull miserable estate that we had plunged our selves into so great as that all the men in world and all the Angels in heaven because finite creatures could not have delivered us 3 This shewes us what course to take to have our sins pardoned If God have sent his Son to be a Propitiation for our sins we must take the same course that they did of old Levit. 4.4 we must confesse all our sins and offer up Christ and intreat God that Christs blood may speake better things then the blood of Abel 4 This may be a ground of tryall whether we have found Christ Jesus to be a Propitiation for our sins see whether his blood hath been sprinkled on thy soul so that now thou findest peace in thy soul But how shall I know whether I have found true peace for there is a peace when the strong man armed keeps the house Luk. 11. Answ Satans peace is not a peace which passeth understanding Phil. 4.7 Gods peace doth when a man hath peace which passeth understanding it is such a peace as is carefull to preserve it selfe and 〈◊〉 then a man will loos it he will loos all the world 5 This is a comfort to all such souls for whose sins Christ is a propitiation he makes now the Father to be reconciled to them and well pleased with them 1 JOHN 4.11 Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another This is the conclusion of the argument stirring up to the love of one another here heaven and earth meet as it were in one exhortation Doct. Such love of God to us is a president and pattern of like love in us to our Brethren How did God so love us So as is described in the two former verses set forth to be 1. a manifest love vers 9. Gal. 4.4 2 A bountifull and large love he spared not his Son he sent him out of his bosome into the world a man will not send his Son into an ill air 3 When we loved not God when we were enemies and strangers he cast about how he might by sending his Son reconcile us to himselfe this is free gracious love so we should love one another in manifest bountifull gracious love see some Scripture pressing this president Ephes 5.1 2. if he hath so loved us as he hath given himselfe an offering of a sweet savour the more good offices should we doe to Gods people expose our selves to in jury for them Ephes 4.32 Reas 1. This argument is of great force as the Apostle applies it both to the subject and object of this love 1 In regard of us that are beloved of God children should be like the parents therefore the Apostle presseth the argument from our near conjunction with God Ephes 5 1. and the resemblance that ought to be between God and us Mat. 5.44 45. as we look to approve our selves as children of such a kind gracious tender hearted Father so to be to our Brethren 2 In regard of us as loved of God there is an equity required in our giving and receiving Mat. 10.8 as we have received love so give Mat. 18.33 34. Oughtest not thou to have forgiven c. ought we to be so rigorous to our brother when God is so gracious to us 3. From the just recompence of love we owe to God that hath loved us where we sow more seed we look for a more plentifull harvest Matth. 25.28 not to give God his own with advantage is a part of unjustice in us our love cannot much reach to God but as David Psal 16.2 3. 1 Cor. 12.7 the members of the body serve for the help of the body pour all Gods love upon his Saints David inquires if there be any left of Jonathans house that he might shew kindnesse to 2 Sam. 9.2 the kindnesse of the Lord as if David had been bound to it by the Lord. 2 Look at them that are to be loved since they have received such love we are to love them from the firmnesse of Gods love to them which we cannot reverse therefore to be beloved of men and Angels Numb 23.20 he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it my curses cannot pierce through Gods blessing towards them it 's a vain thing to hate there where God hath blessed we may say How can I hate where God hath not hated He hath loved and I cannot reverse it it is not for the creature to be so sawcy malepert to dare to bestow his hatred where God his love and blessing when Isaac had blessed Jacob the younger brother Gen. 27.33 34. though Esau did intreat him and fought it with tears though his own affection weâ—t that way yet he would not reverse it 3 From the danger that may befall our selves if we love not where God hath loved 2 Chron. 19.2 3. The wrath of God hath gone out against his children when they have loved where God hath hated So when we hate where God hath loved the wrath of God is gone out against us What displeasure did befall Jehosaphat was he not a prosperous Prince there were only some few ships broken in going to Tarshish he met with no great matter of wrath but yet because he joyned in league and affection with Ahab Gods enemy wrath was gone out and did not return in vain but fell foul upon his children his eldest son proved a persecutor As Jehosaphat put forth love to Gods enemies so his own bowels hated Gods children So if we shall be straight hearted where God hath loved Gods wrath is gone out against us and will finde either us out or our children Vse 1. Reproves all such strangenesse or enmity that is found in Gods people towards the brethren one would think they should love one another that have Gods love shed abroad in them yet this exhortation shews they are backward in this duty When Gods people are young beginners and new come on then they think they can never love Christ nor his servants enough so Mary Luke 7.47 when her sins were now forgiven her many debts forgiven her she loved the creditor much but St. John implies that his old age had need of this exhortation what through love of the world themselves and their lusts the people of God grow cold in their love to God and his servants This argument of love St. John doth presse in all this Epistle and the danger of the contrary is great you renounce the resemblance of your heavenly Father you are not like him you cannot love them so manifestly freely and largely as God hath loved us we expose our selves to the losse of the sense of our comfort This is one reason why we
and believes shall be saved but I repent and believe this say they the Scripture no where saith But say we besides the testimony of the Scripture there is a threefold witnesse in heaven and three on earth all witnessing this truth now their testimony is divine and therefore my faith is divine and they all witnesse to this truth that Jesus is the Son of God and that I believing on him shall be saved Obj. All these are but suavis quidam motus cannot produce a divine faith Answ Can the testimony of men produce an humane certainty and cannot three divine witnesses in heaven and three on earth produce more then an humane probabilty If not how doth the text say their testimony is greater then the testimony of men Object How comes it to passe then that this witnesse is so low sometimes that we can hardly discern it Answ We so grieve the Spirit of God sometimes that he delights not to reveal himselfe to us but this is our own fault that we so black this evidence that we cannot read it but if we maintain and cherish it it will be a strong testimony to our souls Vse 2. For tryal of our faith wouldst thou know whether thy faith be true or not If it be it will convey a double trinity of witnesses into thy heart witnessing that Jesus is the Son of God and that he came by water and bloud If you should resolve most mens faith into its principle you should find most mens faith built upon antiquity and authority and universall consent of all men Why if these be the best grounds of thy saith the Divel hath better grounds of faith then so but if thou find this truth confirmed to thee by the testimony of Gods Spirit within thee this faith will hold tryall Vse 3. Of consolation to all them that find this witnesse in themselves Why they have grounds of full assurance of their good estates seeing they have such divine and certain witnesse of it both in heaven and earth 1 JOHN 5.10 11 12. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himself he that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son c. HAving shewed vers 6 7 8. three witnesses in heaven and three on earth that bear witnesse to the Sonship of Christ vers 9 10. he stirs us up to believe this witnesse 1 A minori If we believe the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater 2 From the Divinity of all those witnesses in our hearts and consciences 3 From the nearnesse of this testimony 4 From the danger that follows the not believing this testimony we thereby make God a lyar and he gives a reason of it because he believes not the record that God hath of his Son and he shews what that record is this is the record that God hath given us of his Son even eternal life From the change of the phrase in this 10 vers believing on the Son of God and believing God observe Doct. True faith that believeth God believeth also on the Son of God There is a double phrase used 1 Credere Deo 2 Credere in filium Dei Credere Deo is to believe that there is a God 2 That every testimony God gives us is true Act. 27.25 I believe God that it shall be so as he hath said but to believe on God or on the Son of God is a phrase peculiar only to Scripture not found in any humane Writers Now to believe that there is a God and that his Word is true are acts of the understanding but to believe on God is not only an act of my understanding but of my will whereby I trust on him and rowl my selfe upon him it 's exprest by laying a stone upon a foundation 1 Pet. 2.5 6. Christ lyes as the corner stone of his Church every living stone lyes upon him depends upon him and that is to believe on God to lift up our souls and lye on the foundation John 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe on God believe also on me so much belief so much lesse fear and so much fear so much lesse faith Jam. 2.19 The Devils believe and tremble but he that believes on the Son of God feare not this believing on him is a resting on him for many may have faith and not rest on Christ Isa 30.15 In quietnesse and confidence shall be your rest there is no such rowling our selves upon Christ so that as living stones we lye still and quiet upon Christ the corner stone so that you cannot lift off a Christian from his foundation except you overthrow the building and this is when a Chrstian is so established in faith that all mists of doubtings are removed and Gods favour clearely seen and then the soul sits down in calmnesse and quiet Psal 3.5 6. and this hand of faith the children of God are wont to put forth in dangerous times Psal 91.12 He that abideth in the secret place of the most High c. Two things are in God which are the secret place of the Almighty and both exprest in the Name of the Lord. Which implyes 1 his attributes of mercy goodnesse and patience and the like 2 His truth Psal 138.4 Thou hast exalted thy word about thy Name the Word of God doth more comfort and command then any attribute without the Word so that the Name of God is the secret place of God in danger A Christian runs to the attributes and promises of God 2. But if this were all it would exclude from faith all those whose faith is not grown to this quietnesse and rest for many a day is it before we come to such quietnesse and rest but full of doubts and agitations are we as if you commit such a sum of money to be paid at London into a faithfull able mans hand I never doubt of his care or faithfulnesse if I doubt of either my heart is never at rest till I hear how matters goe no Christian ordâ—narily doubts of Gods power and ability but he doubts whether God be willing to put forth his power for my salvation or no hence a poor soule hath many thoughts and cares what will become of his soul yet there is some kinde of saving faith in him that believes his ability and this faith makes him in some measure to lean on Christ as Mark 1.40 the poor Leper came to Jesus and said If thou wilt thou canst make me clean he believed his power yet something doubts of his will yet he comes to him that he might be willing 3. There is a weaker faith then this that is a Christian comes sometimes to doubt even of the power of God that he is not able to shew him mercy and so doubts of it as thus because God hath said That they that have sinned against the holy Ghost shall never be forgiven and they are afraid they
Christ but not Christ himself and such gifts as might tend to profit but Peter tell him Thy money perish with thee Act. 8.18 19. So Balaam wished O that I might dye the death of the righteous Numb 23.10 but he desired not Christ but own happinesse and freedom from hell and misery and therefore what ever gift he had besides as indeed he had a goodly gift of prophesie he never sought Christ in any of them Nay further a true christian that affects Christ himself seeks him not only without respect to profit or gain or happinesse hereafter but even here in this life in the Ordinances of God wherein he seeks for help against his lusts for increase of grace for supply of comfort he doth not so affect them as to find Christ in them When David fled from Absalon and the Priests carryed the Ark after him as knowing they should never meet with a Prince that more favoured and upheld Gods worship then he David bad the Priests carry back the Ark again If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me back again and shew me both it and his habitation but if he say I have no delight in thee here I am let him doe what seemeth him good as if he had said the Church shall not be so much prejudiced as to be deprived of the Ark of God for my sake without which they cannot offer their solemn Sacrifices nor find the presence of God therefore he considers that thereby Gods Name should be dishonoured and the Church wronged and rather then he would doe that he would part with the very Ark the presence of God and his Ordinances which yet was his greatest care and desire Psal 27.4 Now this is an argument of grace in sincerity to be willing to part with the Ordinances rather then have God dishonoured and the Church prejudiced This was Moses care rather then God should be dishonoured by the Heathen he would have God blot his name out of the book of life Exod. 32.32 33. A true christian perfers Gods honour above the pardon of sin above the best graces yea above salvation it self if a christian desire the Ordinances it is that he may find the beauty and loving kindnesse of the Lord in them Psal 63.1 2 3. if he desire the subduing of his lusts it 's not so much for his own comfort as that the power of Christ might he magnified in him he desired salvation if he desires gifts and graces it is not that he might be made excellent but that the grace of Christ might be magnified in him if he desire salvation it not so much for his own joy and happinesse as that he may be with Christ Phil. 1.28 having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Cant. 5.10 My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand not only of persons but the chiefest of ten thousand benefits and priviledges which God gives pardon of sin and grace and comfort and salvation it self Christ is better then all these and he that thus affects Christ hath the Son and so hath life Grounds of this 1 Christ must be so received as God gives him but God gives us Christ first in every Ordinance when Philip preached to the Eunuch it 's said he preached Jesus to him Act. 8.35 So in the Sacrament you must first take and eat his flesh and drink his blood and then you have remission of sins Mat. 26.26 No gift of grace but is given through Christ if it be lively and true Herod received joy Jehu zeal Ahab humiliation but none of these received life because they received the shell and not the kernel the casket and not the Pearl the gift but not Christ and therefore their graces were not lively Simon Magus believed yet had no lively faith because Christ wanting except we find Christ we find no true grace Hos 4.8 in me is thy fruit found without me you can doe nothing Joh. 15.5 Hence let us gather an estimate of our selves whether we have life or not If you have the Son you have life try therefore whether you labour not more for the loaves for the benefits of Christ then for Christ himself if thou findest thou comest to the Ordinances rather to find Christ then the pardon of sin and comfort and happinesse and salvation if with the Church in the Canticles thou seekest Christ and not the loaves if thou with her inquirest of the watchmen where thou mayst find him whom thy soul loveth if we thus affect Christ we have the Son we could never have sought him thus if he had not first sought us but è contra if we have longing desires after pardon of sin and after grace and salvation those desires indeed are ordinarily sincere but there may be an Harlots affection in them as an Harlot seeks her an husband not for his persons sake but for his goods sake that her debts may be paid and that she may be a sharer in his wealth now she seeks him not for his ends but for her own so if a man shall desire Christ that he may have his sins pardoned and his conscience pacified and seek not Christ himself why this is but an whorish affection whereas one that loves her husband she will have him though she have but the bare man though she begge with him so one that truly loves Christ he would be glad and think himselfe happy to have him though he should never see good day after never find peace or quiet after Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is nothing on earth that I desire in comparison of thee This will exclude from having of Christ 1. All such as are so far from seeking Christ himselfe that they doe not seek the benefits of Christ they look at grace and christian duties as melancholly wearisome things for pardon of sins they never look after it and for heaven they hope they shall doe as well as others why these men they will neither have Christ nor any thing of his 2. This excludes such from having Christ as have more desire of his benefits then Christ himself pardon of sin and grace and peace of conscience and comfort that they look after but Christ they forget why as yet our seeking is not sincere if a woman perceive that her love seeks more for wealth and dowry then her person no wonder if she hold off so if Christ find we come to him and seek for pardon of sin and grace and peace more then for himself no wonder if he keep off and hide himselfe from us because this may come from self-love from respect to our own good and yet nature teacheth us not to seek such things and those desires are ordinarily good beginnings for indeed christians at first are full of self-love but yet Christ will never fully reveale himselfe till we seek his person rather then his gifts therefore first labour to get Christ